Book Review Catch Up!

Okay. So, I'm still frustratingly sick, but I think I'm finally on the road to getting better. I'm really hoping so otherwise blood may get spilt....

Anyways. Book reviews. Here are my opinions on the last four books I've read:

"The Tales of Beetle the Bard"
By JK Rowling

I'm a huge Harry Potter fan so I had to get this book when it came out. Its a quick and fun read. The notes by Dumbledore give some good insight into the deeper meaning or morals of the stories. Quite fascinating. Definitely worth buying to add to my Harry Potter Collection.

"Leven Thumps: The Wrath of Ezra" (Book 4)
By Obert Skye

I enjoy the Leven Thumps series. It is a different style of writing that is quirky, but tells a great story. Book 4 has some good twists and kept me anxious for the end of the book and wondering how the climax was going to play out. I was not disappointed! Great characters and good humor, this book has me strumming my fingers for the next, and final, book. A great series!

"The Brothers"
By Chris Stewart

This book is the first in a series and was recommended by a co-worker. It is LDS fiction about the last days/millinial times. I thought it sounded interesting so I picked it up. Then, I started reading it and couldn't put it down. It's very intriguing. The first book actually takes place in the Pre-earth life and spins a story that portrays that this "war" on earth started a long time ago. There is a big disclaimer at the beginning stating to not take anything in this book as doctrine, but I found many of the author's ideas similar to my own. I really enjoyed it and I'm looking for a chance to pick up book #2.

"The Candy Shop War"
By Brandon Mull

I loved this book! Basically it is about a couple of wizards that use kids to do their bidding and bribe them by giving them magic candy to accomplish the tasks. The different kids have to figure out who the good and bad guys are then choose sides. Then, there is a marvelous twist at the end. Very well written! Highly recommended!

So, I guess that's it! I'm hoping to pick up another book soon. I got some for Christmas and a few that I need to catch up on. I love reading and need to make more time for it!

Happy New Year!

Sick! Sick! Sick!

I am so sick of being sick! I have had a nasty sore throat, headache, fever, and body aches the last three days. I have actually been forced to stay in bed for two days straight! Very frustrating. I'm feeling a bit better today, but I think that's mainly due to large doses of pain medication. :) I am hosting the New Year's Eve party tonight and I have things to do! I'll probably be forced to take a nap later though. :( Luckily I'm on antibiotics and I'm not contagious... otherwise I would have to cancel the party. So, wish me luck and I'll try to blog a bit more about how Christmas went and do some book reviews... cuz I have actually managed to read a few! Yay!

What Do You Think?

Personally, I like it!

Christmas Time!

I love this time of year! I've gotten my Christmas shopping done, wrapped, and organized. My tree and house are decorated (see below!).... Yay for a free tree! (Thanks, Sheri!!)


I went and partied at my mom and dad's to celebrate my wonderful mom's birthday! We made soap and lip balm with my mother-in-law Dori (I really like her!) and my new sister-in-law Hollie (I really like her, too!). We had a blast hanging out together!

Tonight we went over to Jimmy and Molly's and made gingerbread houses with the kids. Well, kind of.... the kids decorated their gingerbread house, we put them to bed, and then we decorated our own gingerbread house. We had a lot of fun!

Well, life is busy and very fun. I hope someday it will slow down a bit, but it's not looking like it will anytime soon..... I miss having time to clean my house, read a book, and relax.....

Fun Busy

I've been busy, but its been fun busy! I've been putting my front room together, organizing a Sub for Santa, taking my daughter to a dental surgeon, going to my brother's wedding, throwing a bridal shower, enjoying a scrumptious Thanksgiving, and entertaining wonderful guests. Its all been good, busy fun! I finished a book called "Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins late in the morning somewhere in there too. Highly recommended! I'll try to do a little bit better in keeping updates as this wonderful Christmas Season begins to unroll! Yay!! I love this time of year! Until then....

A Voice in the Night

I have been so busy at home lately that I haven't had a chance to blog. Sad! I've really missed it! I did get my front room painted and now I'm trying to get it put together. I have been taking pics throughout the process so I'll be able to post them soon. Until then, keep yourself entertained with this story that came from my mom while my kids were in Idaho:

"Last night Corbett danced at the Miss Hillcrest, um, pageant. It was very much like Junior Miss. We got there just when the talents were starting, 14 contenstants. I took Isabel and Breanna. They loved it. In the middle, Duane joined us. About contestant #12, there was a nice lyrical dance. Out of the dark comes this young clear voice, singing all the words to the music that the girl is dancing to.

It was Dolly.

Singing clear and loud, every word."

For your info, "Dolly" is Isabel. That's her nickname. The song was "Fall For You" by Secondhand Serenade. I guessed it the minute I read this story! She is a good little singer and I love listening to her sing. She memorized songs so quickly too!

Well, that's all I have time for today..... better post later..... this week...... hopefully.....

Busy But Good!

It's been a whole week since I posted and I'm trying to figure out what I did all week that would have prevented me.... Oh, wait... It's called life... :)

I don't remember what I did on Monday. Weird. Tuesday was our date night and we went and bought stuff to start painting our front room. We need to prime the walls and the ceiling so we will end up painting everything like 3 times. Annoying, but hopefully the results will be worth it! We also went to Bajio Grill which was very tasty. It started snowing on our way back and by the next morning, we had been dumped on! The probability of me getting my garden done just went way down. And I only had a little left! Oh, well...

Wednesday night we hung out with the kids and played dominoes. After they went to bed, I broke into the painting stuff. I got one wall done. Whoohoo! Thursday night I helped my kids pack to go to Granny's house. Then we went to Pack Meeting were Jacob earned his Whitling Safty Patch, had icecream in celebration, and headed to the Moore's house where I put the kids to bed. My aunt was meeting my mom at the 'half-way point' the next morning and my kids were going with her to be swapped out for her kids. Very convenient for me! So, Jacob and Isabel are enjoying some good Granny/Grandpa and Oma/Opa time up in Idaho Falls. They will be back this Friday and though I miss them terribly, I hope to get a lot accomplished.

Friday night Isaac and I went to a Relationship Date Night/Seminar that my friend Scott Anderson teaches. I've been to it many times before but this was the first time I had gone with someone I was actually in a relationship with. He gears the seminar part towards married couples. It was very good. I enjoyed it! The food needed a little help, but then again, Bro. Anderson didn't have me in charge of it (which he succeeded in getting me to agree to help out in that regard in the future...) He kinda likes me...

Saturday we went Christmas shopping. I had worked on our list all week! We went to Costco, Toys R' Us, K-Mart, and Target. We got about half of it done. Then we met Richard and Hollie for dinner at Cafe Rio (Yummmmm!) then went to their apartment for dessert and games. It was a lot of fun and I look forward to more nights with them like that! We headed home and proceeded to do more shopping on Amazon. We ordered the gifts we were unable to find in the stores. So, now I can say most of our Christmas shopping is done! Now I get to concentrate on all the fun details that make Christmas so amazing! Yay!

Today I slept in, went to church, took a nap, reviewed and rewrote my 'lists',and now I'm writing this post. Lazy day. I so need it! I have a big week ahead of me! Lots of painting, sore muscles, and whatever else is on my list. Should be good! I took 'before' pics of my front room so hopefully I'll get enough done this week to post them....

Later!

Happy Halloween!

Here are all the awesome costumes! We had a great time showing them off! Jacob and Isabel came to my work and went trick or treating up and down the cubicles and brought home over 5 pounds of candy EACH! And of course, we still had to go to Jimmy's ward's Trunk or Treat, my ward's Trunk or Treat, and then hit the neighborhood. By the time we got home that night each kid had over 10 pounds of candy. Way too much! So we went through it and got rid of 4 pounds of "undesirable" candy (like jawbreakers, generic stuff, candy that rips out teeth, etc....) and we still have two huge bags of candy left. *Big Sigh* So we won't need to buy stocking stuffers this year.... (yeah, right!) So if anyone needs/wants candy...please come over!! :)

Something really funny, Isabel out lasted Jacob this year. She went for a whole hour longer that Jacob! She LOVED going to all the houses! She was so cute and very polite!

Finally, here are the costume pictures:
Introducing 'Shadow the Hedgehog!' (If you don't know who 'Shadow' is then click here!)

My goofy boy! One of these days I'll get him to smile normally in front of the camera....

Okay... I am really proud of how this hat turned out! I didn't have a pattern and I made it from a knit hat, two Christmas stockings, and a fleece scarf. :) I impressed myself!

A beautiful Blue Fairy! After a few adjustments to bring in the bodice, the costume finally didn't look like it was about to fall off. Isabel was very happy with the results! She's so cute!

Flying and dancing around!

So Beautiful!! Isabel loved her purple hair and refused to take a bath until I made her take one the next night!

My wonderful friend Melissa dressed up in my pirate costume and I dressed as a 'Pink Lady' with my committee. When I got home, I darkened my eye makeup, painted my nails black, lined my lips in black, applied dark purple lipstick, and put on black clothes. I was a great looking witch!

And last but not least: Luffy!! Heck yes!!

This year's Halloween was a lot of fun. Hopefully next year's will be just as fun, but with less candy!!

Celebrating Fall 1

We have been enjoying the most wonderful weather this week! Our walnut tree decided to shed all its leaves so Isaac raked them up with some help from Isabel... and of course when you have a pile of leaves... you must jump in them! Enjoy the pics!

Helping Isaac rake up all the leaves!

Wow! The pile of leaves is almost as tall as Isabel!

Flying through the air!

Isabel had so much fun jumping in the leaves!

P.S. Halloween pictures will be posted tomorrow night.... :)

Celebrating Fall 2

We had a really fun time carving pumpkins! Here are some fun pics:

Jacob did not like scooping out the slimy middle... but he did it anyways!

Isabel needed some help with her "girl-face" pumpkin.

Isaac was very proud of the design he came up with for his scary pumpkin!

All three pumpkins turned our great!

This turned out to be an awesome picture!!