July's Picks

Our Book Club takes a break during the summer months, but of course I still love to read!  I found this title through Good Reads and thought it sounded interesting.  It was definitely interesting.  I really liked it, but I can't say I loved it because there were 2 major things that I really disliked.  If I could cut those 2 things out then I would have loved it.

 

I just grabbed this one off the library shelf, and it was a pleasant find.  Murder mysteries are always good fun, but throw in family history and it was even more interesting.

Marsha's Pick

I just finished our title for June and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  My husband picked it up from the library for me, then tells me he'd hate to read that story.  He had read the inside of the dust jacket, so I proceeded to do the same.  Then I was mad.  I like knowing nothing about a book when I first pick it up.  But I responded, this is the type of story I love to read.  And I did love reading it!  I'm a sucker for happy endings and this one got it...eventually (43 years later).  It was amazing to go inside the mind of a deaf man who is unable to communicate with others at all and into the mind of a developmentally delayed woman and into the mind of a widow turned superhero.  I'm so sad for all the people that were put away back then, but so happy for all the Martha's in the world.  I hope I would do exactly what she did.  Love- it is just all that matters!

Rhonda's Pick

For May, Rhonda chose The Language of Flowers.  I can't wait to get it from the library!

On my recent trip with my mom and sisters I picked up Heaven Is Here.  I've been reading the Nienie Dialogues for years and I was excited to finally read her book.  Um, I probably shouldn't have read it while I was flying- not that I was scared our plane would crash, but because I was crying and had to keep blowing my nose which is one of my very least favorite things to do in public.  It's a beautiful story about a beautiful woman.  She is truly amazing!

Playroom Dreamin'

My mother introduced me to the world of Mackenzie Childs and I am loving their new Playhouse Collection.  It would match our "Cirque du Soleil" playroom so well!  The only problem is the cost, the table is $900 and each chair is $525, so to get the table and 4 chairs would be a mere $3,000.  Slightly out of our budget, ha!

Love this wee wingback chair for kids too, it's $795 (their adult wingbacks go for $4,900), the stool is $295, and the rug is $425.  They also have a rocking chair I love that's only $495.

Sigh!  Why do I have champagne taste when I'm on a beer budget?  And I don't even drink alcohol, ha ha!

Spare Reading

I just finished reading Wildwood.  It was a fun read.  It took me a while to get into it, but I enjoyed it.  It's going to be a series though- ugh!  What have I gotten myself into?

I saw this Wildwood on my niece's GoodReads.  After reading its desription I want to read it too.  However, it's going to be a series too...

We picked this up at the library tonight for Leonard.  He used to work for Earl H. Fry back in his BYU days (in fact there are 2 tables in the book that Len created back in the day).  We've exchanged Christmas cards with Earl and his wife for years.  The title makes me sad, but the subtitle gives me hope.  I should read this when he's finished.

Kaleb and Noé have been reading the Percy Jackson series.  I'd like to read them too.

However, the story continues in another series:  Heroes of Olympus, but it won't be complete until 2014.  I love reading, but hate waitng for sequels.  I've never claimed to be patient, ha ha!

Itzel's Pick

For April Itzel recommended The Host.  I've already read this title and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I'm excited that the movie is coming out this month!

Annick's Pick

For March Annick recommended Distant Waves.  I have a feeling I'm going to like this book.  I also have a feeling I'm going to need a box of tissues while I read it since it's about the Titanic.

Sabrina's Pick

This is our book club title for February.  It's about a woman's only child leaving home for college.  Yeah, I'm going to bawl my eyes out!

Jen's Pick

I chose our book club title for January.  I picked my favorite read from 2012, "The Book Thief."  Of course, it is sad, but it is beautiful too!

La Dee Da

I'm so glad my daughter likes dolls.  And that I get to play with her.  I think the dolls she got for Christmas this year are my new favorites!

From Santa she got the Sweet Party line.

From her grandparents she got the Runway Vacay line.

 

*I NEED to get my doll designs manufactured.  Trust me, they are just as cute as these!

Glittery Gumdrops

I made some new ornaments for our Candyland tree.

I have made A LOT of ornaments in my day and these are my all-time FAVORITE!  They were so easy :  clear glass ornaments, hairspray, and glitter.  And they look spectacular.  I'm making more of these next year for our Winter Wonderland tree.  I'll make 11 white and 1 light yellow to exchange for this white one.

I tried making felt peppermints again.  Still not sure if I'm crazy about these.  They look like candy citrus slices, ha ha!  I may try a new pattern again next year.

Christmas Characters

I sketched up some patterns,

cut the pieces out of felt,

glued them all together,

then put them in frames.  Now we have 3 new friends added to our basement's Christmas decor!

Countdown Chain

 I got some pretty scrapbook papers...

...and made a paper chain 6 1/2 weeks long.  We counted down from American Thanksgiving in November to the day of Epiphany in January (which happened to be the last day of school vacation).  We love the holiday season!

Placemat Totes

We made these cute and super easy scripture totes out of placemats with our Activity Day girls at church.  You just need a placemat, yarn, an extra large & sharp needle, and grosgrain ribbon.

 

The girls got to choose between aqua, turquoise, light pink, dark pink, red, and yellow for their handles.

 

They were on their own to embellish them.  I made myself one with this big red flower.

 

I made my daughter's with this cute tuxedo bow.  I'll try to find that tutorial and post it here soon!

Christmas Gifts

Every year at Christmas we have books under our tree.  My husband has the first 13 books in the Wheel of Time series.  The 14th and final book is coming out January 8th.  It has been pre-ordered and will arrive in the mail hopefully on January 9th, ha ha.  Of his 13 other books, 10 are hardcover, while 3 are paperback.  Not anymore!  After Christmas all of them are in hardcover!

Our previous copy of this book has been loved to destruction, so my baby got a new one in his stocking!

 

All 5 of the kiddos got works of Shel Silverstein. He's one of my favorites!

Book Exchange

At a White Elephant party we gave a second copy of our favorite- The Tale of Three Trees.

At that same party, I stole my gift- The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey.

At my 4th book club exchange I faced the dilemma I do every year.  I want to give a book that someone else will enjoy, but it's hard to give away books you like!  This year I gave The Ebony Swan and I hope Rhonda enjoys it!

I got Annick's gift, which was a 2-for-1, score!  I'm excited to read both of these titles.

December Titles

Sherry recommended the above 2 titles for our December reading.  I'm going to get the first off the express shelf tonight!  I'm almost to the top of the waiting list for the second one.  I love the library!

The day after Christmas is always kind of sad for me.  Christmas is over and we have to wait a whole nother year for it.  I totally bought this book based on its title.  It was a great little read and now I love the 13th Day of Christmas.  Our family has started 2 new traditions- 12 days of Christmas for a family we love; and gifts of love for each other to give all through out the new year.  I'm so excited to do these traditions again next year! 

I adored the Anne of Green Gables series, so I also treated myself to Christmas with Anne.  The only chapters with Anne are reprints of the Christmas chapters in the original series.  However, all of the other chapters with new characters are just as heartwarming and charming!

I read this story last year at my sister-in-law's and really enjoyed it.  I just ordered it for myself and am anxiously awaiting its arrival.  I have a hard time with my fellow Christians who hate Santa.  I can understand if they view him as a greedy, materialistic guy.  But, if you know Santa like I do then you know he is a true disciple of Christ!  He thinks of his fellow man and loves him and shares with him generously.

The kids and I have been reading some Magic Tree House together, so we read this little adventure too.

There's some things

I'd like to do:

make jewelry,

decorate cakes,

knit/crochet/sew,

make holiday crafts all-year long,

scrapbook,

interior decorate,

paint,

but I'm raising kids now.  They are the most important to me and all too soon they will all be in school and I'll have all the time in the world to make the world prettier.  Actually, my 5 kids make the world prettier now, tee hee!