I like these books.

Ahhh, book group. How I love reading and discussing books. We most recently read Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson. I liked it a lot, and I liked it again the second time I read it. Since it's written from a man's point of view, I'm interested in knowing what a man thinks about it. I'm just curious, so if I have any men readers out there who'd like to read and discuss, bring it on.

I like anything written by Mo Willems. Most of his books feature pigeons, elephants and piggies, knuffle bunnies, and the odd mole rat. I recently read Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs, which my kids also loved and wanted to read multiple times daily until we had to turn it back in to the library. It was random and funny. I'm a fan of illustrations that give you "extras," like cameos from characters in other books, added dimension to the story, puzzles and games. Best of all, I found the moral surprisingly transcendent for a children's dinosaur/fairy tail parody: "If you find yourself in the wrong story, leave." This was motivating to me and gave me lots to think about, including what stories I have been telling myself lately. Does this make sense to anyone but me?

A million years ago, I worked summer programs for Waco Parks and Recreation. I used to have a cassette tape with various kids' songs in English and Spanish that I used for years in my Spanish classes. I picked up a little picture book called Tingalayo at the library, and since it was just an illustrated version of the song I knew from way back when (complete with sheet music at the back), I sang it to the kids instead of reading it. It was an instant favorite.

Also a million years ago, I was interviewing a Chilean author for my master's thesis (Ethical Discourse in Contemporary Chilean Adolescent Narrative). When I asked who his favorite authors had been when he was a youth, he mentioned Sabatini, who wrote a book called Scaramouche, among others. Fast forward to a couple of months ago, when I was looking for some books to recommend for book group, or maybe to my brother who was compiling a "best reads" list. I googled "best books" and came up with several lists, one of which started out with an introduction on how the books were selected, and how some random books were submitted as worthy of the best list, and I quote, "Scara-what? Saba-who?" I was shocked to realize that, while the author of the article may have been a little ignorant, I had actually heard of the book and author before. Long story short, I found it at the local public library, and, dear reader, I read it. And. I. loved. it. 

It was published in 1921. This book is nothing like The Princess Bride, but if you liked The Princess Bride, you might love Scaramouche. This book is nothing like Tarzan, but if you liked Tarzan, you might love Scaramouche. This book is nothing like Les Miserables. But if you liked Les Miserables, you might love Scaramouche. This book is nothing like The Three Musketeers. But if you liked The Three Musketeers, you might love Scaramouche. This book is nothing like Pride and Prejudice, but if you liked Pride and Prejudice, you might LOVE Scaramouche. If you haven't read any of those books, you should. You might make some lifelong friends.

Happy Birthday to my Mom

Yesterday was my mom's birthday. Last year on her birthday I had a horribly emotional day, and my sweet, perceptive husband asked me if I'd like to go by the cemetery. The thought hadn't even crossed my mind, but as soon as he mentioned it, I knew that's what I wanted to do. After dinner we took the kids, picked up a flowering plant at the store, and I planted it next to the headstone.

About a week ago we went by the cemetery again because I was thinking ahead this year. I wanted to see how the sage was doing, and I wanted to see if there was space for a rosebush.


I like taking my children to the cemetery. They arranged themselves and asked me to take a picture. This cemetery is especially lovely and green with lots of trees, and they encourage planting things because they don't allow silk flowers. Ellen and I had an interesting discussion about family history after this visit, and since the kids have no doubt that we'll all see Grandma again some day, it's hard to get weepy with them there. I also have no doubt about seeing my mom again and being with her, but I just miss her so much.

Yesterday we went back and planted the rose bush about where Ellen is in the first picture. One of the things my mom said before she died was that she thought she could do more good for her family on the other side, and that she would still be a part of our lives. I have really, really felt that this week, and I'm so grateful for it.

One of these is not like the others...

It's been a while since I've added a family picture to the sidebar, but here is one of our latest attempts at a family picture.


It pretty much went down hill from here, and when we tried another round for better lighting, we had mutiny and revolt.

I'll take these cuties any day.

Called to serve

I have the greatest husband ever.

This is how he spent Sacrament Meeting at the end of our trip.

We were visiting a different ward.

Rose hit a new low and didn't even make it through the opening song.

Jack took her out so I could "enjoy" the meeting.

With a two-year-old who kept poking the people in front of us.

Fortunately, the people in front of us were my mission president and wife, and they thought he was the cutest little miracle ever. Their daughter was speaking in her ward before leaving on her mission to Croatia. We were close enough that we made a trip out of it and ended up the weekend with one of the greatest families on the planet.

Cassie spoke about how she decided to serve a mission, Presidente (just Brother Pelton now) taught Gospel Doctrine (It was like sitting in another amazing zone conference), and Hermana Pelton prepared a lovely lunch for the five! former missionaries and our families who were there, plus their own family and close friends. They had an egg hunt for the nearly 20 kids there, who were literally in a backyard paradise. My kids wanted to know when we could visit their ward again, and when we could go back to the Pelton's house.


How does time go by so quickly without any time passing at all?

Perot and the park

We checked out the Perot Museum in Dallas.








The kids loved it so much that we left for lunch after exploring and playing for 4 or 5 hours, and they begged to go back. Actually they cried and insisted that there couldn't possibly be anything that they would rather do in the entire DFW area. All fun would be stripped from their lives, and we would be mean, horrible parents if we didn't take them back. So after lunch we walked back across the street and spent a couple more hours playing and exploring and racing a T-rex.







Then, in an attempt to completely and utterly exhaust them, we went to a park to play some more.

Jack is the mastermind behind most of our family trips, and he means business.

The day with his family was hard core, the museum and park were hard core, and yes, that's Ellen at the top of the rope climb.

And to top it all off...

Two parents were freaking out because this water is a whole lot deeper than I remember it being when I came here with my parents and nine (at that point) siblings on a hot summer day when I was 10 or 11.

It was super windy, but Jack was a good sport and took pictures until he got one where we were all looking.

Then we had dinner and collapsed at a hotel. But wait. . . the fun is not over yet!

Siblings

Let's get together in another five years!! Or sooner? Please?!?

Yee-haw!

We spent a couple of days in Dallas at the end of Spring Break! We spent a day with Jack's family, and it was so much fun. We met up at the Rainforest Cafe for lunch with Nana:

Pa:

Uncle William and Aunt Jessica



and Aunt Jenny, Walker, and Julian, who were visiting from New Mexico:


Then we watched airplanes taking off and landing at the airport for a while. It was a big hit with the kids and the bigger kids (uncles).

We headed over to the Stockyards in Fort Worth for some Texas Longhorn cattle drive action:


Stinkin' cute!!

Love the California shirt with the hat and saddle.

Minnie Mouse dress and jeans. She's a fancy country girl.

This was Elijah's opinion of the live wild west gunfight show.


We finished up with a barbecue dinner and more pictures!

Groundhogs, Presidents, and Birthdays; February at a glance

Rose celebrated her birthday in style this year. Our family's traditional birthday breakfast:

Dinner at Texas Roadhouse:

A shopping spree with Daddy to spend some birthday money (thank you, Grandparents!!):


Jack also had a birthday, complete with birthday pancakes with candles for breakfast, a new hero action figure:

And a repeat performance at Texas Roadhouse. Jack and I have been trying to convince the kids to get on that sawhorse for ages. Fearless Rose went to town and they all saw how fun it was. Except for Elijah. Now he starts crying when the clapping starts, no matter where in the restaurant we are.


Apparently reaching the 100th day of school is a major milestone which requires a party and counting to 100 several times throughout the day. You can see our 100 wall from our year of homeschooling in the first picture of this post.

Ellen's 100th day party resulted in considerably more loot and lots of envy, tears, and gnashing of teeth.


Ellen brought this project home from school. We can all dream...