Book Review

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver:   This might had been a good read for youth but the continuing reference to sex, drinking and drugs certainly makes it a book that I would never recommend to anyone under 21.   The young girl dies and keeps coming back in a ground hog type story as she tries to get it right.

City of Women by David Gillam:  I like WWII books.  Usually I like anything about Hitler and the people of Germany.  However this book is very depressing and mostly about adultery, loneliness, lying, deception and death.  I am not sure if there is a heroine or not.  It is probably accurate to a degree but I am not sure I want to know this information.  I was depressed and sad when I finished it.  Certainly not the best read of the year.  I was glad it was over.

Inferno by Dan Brown:  Dan Brown is back.  The book is good and full of small details that make it interesting and fast moving. It is not as good as Davinci Code but much better than his other books.  A quick read that does not disappoint though the ending could have been better.

Blue Jelly by Debby Bull:  Mercy, what a waste of time and paper.  Small book and half of the book contains repeating instructions on canning.  The author is writing about herself as flips around in her life in deep depression.  There are  no details or anything constructive just random thoughts and actions.  It was an hour read and worthless.

The lessons of Love by Melody Beattie:   A bit too dramatic for me.  It is an okay read.

Have a little faith by Mitch Albom:  A good read.  A good book and an excellent lesson.

Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent:  I know this is going around as it is told by the son to his father but it is a bit much and not very believable  Fast read but left me with nothing

The angels game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon:   Not my favorite.  Had to stay with the book and follow through. Pass.

Dancing on broken glass by Ka Hancock:  Saving the best for last.  This is a great book and a  must read !!!  Be prepared to bawl your eyes out.  The story is well written and a joy to read and remember.  

Kinny takes Tubby to St George with us

Lucky Bear Tubby 

He got to spend the weekend in St George

I hope Kinny was able to tell the kids all the places he went ,while he was a way from the class room

Kale and Koda at the Pool in St George

Sorry Boys, your mom and dad did it!   

Hunter's 6th birthday celebration vacation in St George 2013

What a great time we all had in St George this weekend.  Hunter celebrated his 6th birthday.  The twins went swimming for the first time.  We had a party every day.  Painted some great rocks!  Successful scavenger hunt and a hand made punch pinata.  A birthday cannot get any better than when  you spend it with your family.

The Big Game

I love going to the kids games and watching them play. Hunters game is everyone gets up, everyone bats and runs the bases. He always wins. Kyler's games are not like this at all. It is tough and the other night it was the toughest game of all. The score was 6 to 5 in favorite of the other team. Kyler's team was up and they had 2 outs already. Cam had come to sit by me as the next three batters were the worst on the team so he was thinking the game was over. The first batter swung and missed but ended up walking to first. The next better swung and missed but also ended up walking. Did I mention the player on second actually stole third. It was his first steal of the season!!! It was a miracle and Cam was now on his feet. The next better hit the ball, made it to first and the BASES were LOADED. The next batter was the teams BEST. He was up and the pressure was on. The crowd was gong crazy. Cam is not at the fence. He swung, foal ball, he swung, foal ball, then he got three ball. It was full count. As the next ball came in, he let it go. Everyone thought he was walking but the umpire called it a strike, the crowd erupted. The coach went to have a little chat with the umpire. He was thrown our of the game. You could hear the whole crowd moan. Cameron had recorded the pitch and wanted to show it to the field supervisor but she would not even look at it and stood behind the umpires call. The other team was up and for the first time this year, it was one, two, three strikes your out and we were up again. The first batter got on base, then he stole second when the second batter struck out. He stole third when the third batter struck out. So we have one guy on third base, two outs and we are still one point behind the league champions. The batter swings and the ball is out there. The player on third base runs towards home but they beat him to home so he runs back. They throw it to the 3rd basemen but he is off base, he throws it back to the catcher. And the ball goes back and forth til they tag him out and the game is over. No one had a voice left, the crowd was exhausted from the adrenal rush, the kids were all jumping up and down. The fathers finally loosen their fingers from the chain link fence and started to pack up. Kyler came out of the dug out, a huge grim on his face. He loved the game and had a great time. I went home to bed. Good Heavens they are only 9.

Words I want to remember

So many things just made me laugh this weekend. I wanted to write them down so I did not forget how cute the kids are. Kyler and Kinny return home with me to sleep over night. My mom asks where are they going to sleep. I responded that I was going to put them on the couch bed down stairs with me. Kyler heard and said he wanted to sleep with me. I said that was okay. Kinny immediately pointed to my mom and said, I want to sleep with her. My mom blushed and explained that she had to sleep with great grandpa or he would be sad. She said that was okay. Kinny mom was gone this weekend and while we were driving in the car, I was talking about what a great time she must be having. Kinny immediately told me that she hoped that she was not having fun, after all what about her daughter that she does nothing with or her son that she does nothing with...... Sadly I cannot write this so you could hear the pity in her voice but it was pretty pitiful. Arriving at Colby's on Saturday, I had brought mugs to decorate with the kids footprints for Heather for Mothers day. Colby explained to me that they were changing Mothers day to Helpful, Friendly, Spooky white ghost day. After all the boys did not know what mother was but they knew Heather was always helping them, that she was very friendly and smiling all the time and she is as white as a ghost. He said mom, sometimes Kale and I walk around and Heather and Koda just scare us. COLBY!!!! So happy helpful, friendly spooky white ghost day to you all.

Book review continues

The Lessons of Love: Rediscovering Our Passion for Life When It All Seems Too Hard to Take Melody Beattie **** must read Journey to the Heart: Daily Meditations on the Path to Freeing Your Soul Melody Beattie * not a good read for me The Lost Art of Compassion PH. D. Lorne Ladner * pretty deep Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life (Borzoi Books) Karen Armstrong * like AA The Second Greatest Story Ever Told Gorman Bechard *** a little bizarre-- has the daughter of God coming to Earth The Greatest Story Ever Told Fulton Oursler *** the story of Christ, I loved reading it The Second Greatest Story Ever Told Les Ullrich two thumbs down-- Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake (Random House Large Print) Anna Quindlen two thumbs down The Greatest Love Story Ever Told two thumbs down Audrey Hepburn: A Secret Life Stuart J. Byczynski two thumbs down Blind Your Ponies Stanley Gordon West **** a good story, a bit boring in parts but a good read Blood Red Road (Dustlands, Book 1) Moira Young ** good Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II **** a must read House of Prayer No. 2: A Writer's Journey Home Mark Richard * okay Say Her Name: A Novel Francisco Goldman *** pass Bigger than a Bread Box Laurel Snyder *** glad my niece had me read this one The Diamond of Darkhold (Ember, Book 4) Jeanne DuPrau The Ember book one The starling Book two The Prophet of Yonwood (Ember, Book 3) *** a very good series-- maybe better than the Hunger games The Oversoul Seven Trilogy: The Education of Oversoul Seven, The Further Education of Oversoul Seven, Oversoul Seven and the Museum of Time (Roberts, too weird for me Just shows you have to read a lot of books to find a good one.

I also have a broomstick

This is your life

Forgiveness

Thoughts that make me smile

Courage Doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying: " I will try again tomorrow" The greatest gift we can give to those who have left us is to live fully in their place. She packed all her potential and all she had learned, grabbed a cute pair of shoes and headed out to change a few things. I am fairly certain that given a cape and a nice tiara, I could save the world.

No regrets

So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion, respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide. Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none. When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision. When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home

Live one day

Live one day at a time and make it a masterpiece... avoid negative sources, people, places and habits; Believe in yourself: Consider things from every angle don't give up or give in everything you're looking for lies behind the mask you wear family and friends are hidden treasures, seek them and enjoy their riches Give more than you planned to Hang on to your dreams if opportunity doesn't knock, build a door judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it keep trying no matter how hard it seems love yourself make it happen never lie, steal or cheat open your arms to change but don't let go of your values Practice makes perfect quality not quantity in anything you do remember that sometimes silence is the best answer stop procrastinating take control of your own destiny understand yourself in order to better understand others Visualize when you lose, don't lose the lesson Xcellence in all your efforts you are unique nothing can replace you Zero in on your target and go for it a to Zen of Life

Eternal Flame

Our time has come to say goodbye and though I am gone I did not die I'm in your thoughts, I'm in your heart, I'm by your side, though we're apart. So when life seems to be unfair, remember the light and I will be there. Whenever you need to, say my name, I'm there inside an internal flame.

Visitors

The young women in the ward has been so kind and dropped by cookies, treats, letter and cards. I love to see their smiling faces. The other night they stopped by and Heather answered the door. The asked " is your mother home?" Heather replies "nope". The other day ( or should I say just about every day!!! ) Frodo got out and two little girls brought him home. They knock on the door and I talk to them from the window. We found your dog Oh thank you, can you please just open the door and let him in? yes Do you have any kids? No, they are all gone up and moved away Do you live my yourself? yes, I do can we come in? Yes, you can Can we come upstairs? yes, you can Can we go in your yard? yes, you can I look out the window and they are playing but now a grandpa has joined them they leave but lucky come back Knock knock knock can we swim in your pool? yes, you can I think I am going to let Frodo out more and see what he brings home

Stop Seeking Out the Storms & Enjoy More Fully The Sunlight

Today

Yes, he does

May I always find the time

Hunter 5th birthday Celebration vacation

Pictures to come

the most

History of suicide by Jill Bialosky

This is sad book. I am not sure I liked it but I learned from it. These are the words I want to remember: I now live in two realms: the realm of the ordinary world of getting up in the morning and making coffee, answering the phone, and going to work, the world of traffic and noise and obligations: and the realm of stopped time where my sister is dead and I was shrouded in confusion of her loss. I do not know how we are going to survive Kim's death but I also knew that grief was private and a journey each of us would have to make alone. You are tired of living, and you say : life is an evil. Sooner or later you will be consoled and you will say: life is good. you will be closer to the truth without reasoning any better: for nothing will have changed but you. That being so change right away, and since all the evil is in the ill disposition of your soul, amend your disorderly affections and do not burn your house down to avoid the bother of putting it in order We do not want to comprehend that people may and do die of emotional pain, and recognize the terror in ourselves when we cannot seem to help someone in despair-- when our words are empty. My soul is oppressed with the weight of life. For a long time it has been a burden to me: I have lost everything that could have endured it to me, only the sorrow remains to me. Speak to my heart: I am ready to hear you but remember that despair cannot easily be fooled. The DMS-IV ( diagnostic statistical manual of psychological disorders) calls this condition post-traumatic stress syndrome. But I prefer to call it simply disbelief. There are certain things in life for which we can never be prepared. I do not know how David was able to made me laugh again. I don't know how we had the courage to embrace hope. Nothing in fact, actually dies: everything goes on existing, always. No power on earth can obliterate that which has once had being. Every act, every word, every form, every thought, falls into the universal ocean of things, and produces a ripple on its surface that goes on enlarging beyond the furthest bounds of eternity. The most mysterious part of grief is that you think you can will it away. You can refuse to think about it. In one part of your mind you can hold it, but sometimes you have to let it go. You often war with it. You grieve for a lifetime because those we love are a part of us even after they have left us, even after they have betrayed us, and our love for them, by taking their life with their own hands. Some times grief comes to visit again like a long lost friend. It is mysterious, but never take it for granted. Get to know it well as you know your best friend. In moments when I should have been happy, I sometimes fretted. At times, in secret, I succumbed to periods where I wanted to spend mornings sleeping or lingering in the bedroom, sometimes almost paralyzed by a heaviness and mysterious fatigue that would not lift. At times I viewed the world darkly: isolated and consumed by a sense of foreboding, I thought the only those who had experienced the loss of a loved on could understand. During those periods it was as if I was only going through the motions of living. Time doesn't really heal, it only makes living more bearable.

Bad day

Endure

Family