All the Light We Cannot See

Our library participates in a community-wide reading program called "Everybody Reads".  The idea is to choose one book that anyone can read - a really large-scale book club of sorts.  The author is invited to speak at several meetings around the region.  (This is not a new concept.  Many people have been doing it for years.)  

This year, the book was All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr.  As it happens, the friendly book club I am a part of read this book earlier this summer.  I don't believe there was any connection to the "Everybody Reads" program.  It was more a matter of one of the members saying, "I'm reading All the Light..." and the rest of us saying, "Hmm, maybe we should read that for next month".  Or something to that effect.  

Sidenote #1- Several of my reader friends told me not to read this book.  You can read my original post about this book here.  I will reiterate that I am very glad I read this book.  The writing is beautiful, and although it is incredibly sad, there is also goodness, and that for me outweighs the sadness.  I am currently re-reading it, and since I already know where the very sad parts are, I am just skipping them, and enjoying the rest of it!  Ah, the joys of re-reading.

Sidenote #2 - When this book was picked for the program, I think it was just a very well-reviewed book.  Since then, it has won the Pulitzer Prize!  I'm pretty sure he could have backed out on his committment to our very small library, but he stayed true to his word and the date was set for November 12, 2015.

The evening finally came.  Last Thursday, Anthony Doerr came to Lewiston, and I actually got to hear him speak, and get two books signed by him.  One for myself, and one for my sister who also loved the book.  It is a VERY late birthday present for her, although she knew it would be late, and to be accurate, my presents to her are ALWAYS late, so its nothing out of the norm. :)  My good friend, and fellow book club member, Heidi, and I signed up, a month or so ago.  I was a little nervous I wouldn't make it because Kristin had her wisdom teeth out that morning, and I knew if she was having a hard night that I would stay home.  She assured me she was fine, and I made it!!  

I was unsure what kind of speaker he would be.  His picture at the back of the book doesn't really give any indication.  In a nutshell, he didn't disappoint.  The program was only an hour - a 1/2 hour of him talking about his 10-year journey to the completed novel, and another 1/2 hour of questions.  (Oh, how I wanted to ask him a question, but my head was completely empty!  Why didn't I even just ask him to read a favorite part to us??  Blast!!  I also could have listened to him for longer than an hour, but I suppose speaking at 4 different events in 2 days is exhausting, so I mustn't be greedy.

He had audience members read 10 quotes that chronicled his journey from conception to finish.  One of my favorites was this quote by Alexander Solzhenitzyn.

“If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?” 

  Mr. Doerr wanted his readers to develop empathy for Werner, a main character who is German, and trained at a renowned school for boys and later served in Hitler's army during WWII.  I would say he acheived his goal.  

I could gush on, but I will end by saying that I'm quite certain I will never be in the same room as a Pulitzer Prize winner.  It was a truly wonderful evening, and I'm grateful I was able to be there.  

2 (of my many) problems solved!!

I'm sure you'll be surprised to hear this, my blog reading friend, but I have problems.  Some big and important, some pretty small and stupid.  Some which I just need to take by the horns and fix, and some are totally out of my control.  My job on the last group is to fix my attitude to accept that I don't have any control and find happiness in spite of them.  I know I am no different than anyone else in these declarations of problems, and solutions and non-solutions.  No one gets through life without their share of things to work through or around, or whatever.  

(Stick with me while I digress for a moment)  I was reminded of the importance of feeling gratitude no matter what you are going through just recently.  My good friend lost her child in a tragic accident.  This child also happens to have been one of my seminary students!  He was a smart, handsome, good young man, who loved his life, and the people in it.  To see his life cut short was a shock and as I said before, a tragedy.  My friend spoke at his funeral, and related how the thought came to her (in the form of a recent General Conference talk by Pres. Uchtdorf) about being grateful in any circumstance.  She took note of the magically folded and put away clothes in her dresser, the balanced meals that her kitchen seemed to produce from nowhere, and the texts that came to her phone at just the perfect time. (She voiced it much more eloquently)  Of course, these things were all facilitated by her friends and family, and she was able to, in the midst of her seemingly devastating grief, to recognize the service of others to her and her family.  Is she still grieving her son?  Of course, and most likely will be doing that in some form the rest of her life.  Is she debilitated by it?  Probably at times, but for the most part, she is using her gratitude to carry her through this horribly difficult time.  What a great example to me and to those at the funeral!!  I'm grateful for her!

(Ok, back to the original subject.  Although, after that, my "problems" seem pretty ridiculous, even absurd!!  If I could think of a different term to use, I would.  Maybe as I type it will come to me.)

So, what are these great "problems"?  First of all, I love to buy journals.  I am especially tempted when I go to TJ Maxx and take a peek at their inventory.  They always have something that catches my eye, and I usually succumb.  Now, a girl can only use some many of these, and as I'm not writing very often in a paper journal these days, I can't just keep buying them on a whim or my kids will curse my name for my empty journal collection when I die.  They will have enough things to curse me about.  I don't want my love of journals to be in that category.  So, what to do with this latest one I  bought?  I love it.  A bike?  Hello!  Reminders to enjoy the ride?  Hello!  Love both of those things.   

And, look inside.  Such cute pages.  (The pages rotate between about four or five different patterns.)  I <3 journal.="" nbsp="" p="" this="">

Now to the second dilemma (that's a good substitute for problem).  I love to cook, and I love all the recipe options available on the MANY blogs in the internet!  So many recipes!!  I have my favorites - ourbestbites.com, and smittenkitchen.com, just to name a couple.  Of course, allrecipes.com is a great place to go, and the foodnetwork website and pioneerwoman.com always have something.  Now how is a girl supposed to keep track of the recipes she tries, likes and wants to use again?  I was copying them into a recipe book but that is about full, and obviously redundant.  I don't need to reinvent the wheel here.  

Enter my new journal!  I realized I could make a record of the recipes I want to use again in it.  Great idea right?  But how to keep track of them and find them again?  I numbered the pages and created an alphabetical index at the back of the journal.  Now it doesn't matter if the entries aren't in any order.  I can easily find them as long as I remember to enter the page number they are on in the index.

When I thought of this last week, I couldn't help patting myself on the back for a brilliant idea.  (Now I realize someone has probably already figured this out, and posted it on Pinterest, or something like that, but I am not a very good Pinner and haven't seen anything so am feeling very creative and dilemma solving!  And you can be un-impressed if you choose, but I choose to be excited and a bit giddy about the whole thing.  And of course, grateful...

My yoga journey so far...

For a while now, I have felt a nudge to start doing yoga.  Not yoga with a DVD at home, but actually getting myself to a yoga studio and learning how to do it correctly.  After visiting my girls in Utah, all 3 of whom do yoga, I felt the push even more.  After I did a little research, I found a studio here in town, with a beginner's class, and taught by a woman I was slightly acquainted with.

Now, I am not some young, flexible woman.  I am middle aged, and stiff (much stiffer it turns out than I realized until I started really learning yoga) and I'm not the skinniest person in town.   I was pretty apprehensive about starting, but also knew that if I didn't do it now, it might not ever happen.  So I summoned my courage, talked to Teresa and signed up for the class.  It was an introduction to Ashtanga Yoga.  Once a week for 4 weeks.  I could do four weeks, right?

After the first day, (or I should say, the morning after the first day), I wasn't sure I would ever walk normally again.  My hamstrings were SORE!  My arms were SORE!  My back got SORE because I was walking weirdly bc of my sore hamstrings!  It was rough.  Luckily, by the next class, my body felt a little bit back to normal, and I went again, and again, and again.  I made it through all 4 classes and lived to tell about it.

Suffice to say, I really love doing yoga.  I love how I feel when I do it, I love how it makes my body feel after I'm done - sort of a combination of soreness and a feeling I've really accomplished something.  And savasana!  Love it!  I love it even more now that I can lay there and not wonder when it will be time to get up because it is such a foreign feeling to be laying on the floor, concentrating on breathing and relaxing my body and letting all thoughts leave my mind as soon as they enter!  Aren't I supposed to be doing something during that time?  Yes, concentrating on breathing and relaxing and letting all thoughts leave my mind as soon as they enter!  Wonderful!!

Many poses are beyond my ability!  Marichyasana?  I may get that next year, if I'm really lucky.  Full lotus?  I'm getting there, but not quite yet. Even my downward dog is usually lacking.  But, a major breakthrough occured last week, and I have to share my acheivement with you!  

I can do a headstand.  

I had been trying for a few weeks, and although both Teresa and Joanna said I would just "pop right up" when I am ready, I didn't believe them.  I'm pretty sure telling your students something just to make them not feel like a loser is NOT the yogi way!  :) but I still didn't believe them.

I was determined to keep trying though, and inbetween yard work 2 Saturdays ago I kept trying.  I used the wall, and what do you know.  I got myself up, and I wasn't using the wall for balance once I got up.  Then I decided I would try without the wall, and guess what?  I "popped right up" (pop is being used pretty loosely), but I got up and could stay up!  I was so excited!!!  I made Kristin and Trevor both watch while I did one later that day! (I could tell they were both surprised and impressed!) And here's the other part, I can still do it!

So, I am pretty sure I will not post any more pictures of yoga poses by yours truly (well, maybe Marichyasana, if I ever get it), but indulge me while I share the following photo with you!  (And in case you are wondering, yes, I love my crazy yoga pants!!!)

Namaste...

Book Notes

It seems I can't put two thoughts together to make a worthwhile post these days, but in an effort to at least try, I thought I would review the last few books I read.  It is a rather eclectic list.  A little non-fiction, and a little more fiction.  I don't keep a written list of the books I read anymore.  I stopped doing that when I started using Goodreads, which is a great thing, but I miss my book journal, and it seems if I don't record the book right away, it tends to slip my mind, even two days after I finish it, which happened to me with the last book I read, even though I really found it an engaging book.  Early onset Old-timers.  :)

So, starting with the most recent, here we go...

Letters in the Jade Dragon Box - Gale Sears
This book is based on the first native convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Hong Kong.  That man is the Uncle in this book.  He becomes guardian to his young niece when her mom smuggles her out of China during the reign of Mao Tse-Tung.  When Wen-Shen is a teenager, they receive a box with an inlaid Jade Dragon on the lid.  It contains letters from her mom and paintings done by her grandfather, who is also the Uncle's brother.  The mom and Grandfather are trapped in China, subject to the cruelties and insane ideas of Mao.

As they read the letters, they learn of the atrocities their family members have endured.  Wen-shen learns about her father, who she has no idea about.  She figures out why she has the same recurring nightmare, she learns why her mom did what she did in letting Wen-Shen go.

I particularly enjoyed the author's notes at the end of each chapter that described terms in the chapter related to terms or instances that were from this time in Chinese history.  I knew a little about it, but learned more about what went on during Mao's reign of terror.  I actually know a woman who was sent to the country to work in the fields during this time.  She had no idea of the other awful things that happened, even though she lived through it!

(I had the same incredulous feeling reading this book that I did when I read The Help.  I can't believe those horrible things were happening during my lifetime!!  I know I'm no spring chick, but this is the stuff of tyrants, and crazy men like Hitler.  I guess no one in the United States really knew what was  happening over there at the time, which is a little unbelievable in our day of instant news and constant rehashing should that news be of the sensational sort.)

The Light Between Oceans - M.L. Stedman
A fiction book set on an island about 100 miles from the Southwestern tip of Australia.  Although I thought it was set on an actual island called Janus Island, I was mistaken.
Tom and Izzy are a young married couple who live on the island where Tom is the keeper of the lighthouse.  They are happy together, despite the fact Izzy has lost several babies to miscarriage.  One day a boat washes up to shore with a dead man and a live baby.  Tom knows they should report it, but gives in to his grief-stricken wife who, of course, falls in love with the baby almost immediately.

Beyond that, I would be spoiling the plot with more information, so I will just tell you that it is a well-written, but heart-wrenching book!  I was listening to it on CD and one disc ended at a very dramatic point and I had to call a friend who I knew already read the book to make sure I wasn't going to be devestated if I kept going.  :)

I also enjoyed this book because it is set in the same part of the world that Ashley and Brandon so recently dwelt in!  The part of the world I did not get to.  :(

As You Wish - Cary Elwes
I was almost afraid to read this memoir of the making of "The Princess Bride", one of my all-time favorite movies.  I was afraid it would tell of tempramental actors, cranky directors, and all around a bad experience in filming the movie.

I'm happy to say, I couldn't have been more wrong!  It was a delightful journey of Prince Westley's (Cary Elwes) experience and the gratitude he feels for the movie that really gave him his big break.  Although it was a low-budget movie, with a poor lead-up to its premier (the advertising people had no idea what kind of movie to describe it as), it developed a cult following and is now well-beloved by many people.  We have been known to recite a line or two at the dinner table, and apparently, we aren't alone.  Many of the lines from the movie are popular and heavily quoted!

It was an easy read, but very satisfying!!

Death Comes to Pemberley - PD James
This was my first book to read for the book club I recently started attending!  (Yay, I'm in a book club again!)  It was another book I was a little wary of reading because I love Pride and Prejudice so much, I was afraid of what a spin off book might end up like.  I am still haunted by Scarlett, a sequel to Gone with the Wind which was not a good thing as far as I'm concerned.

As it is, I didn't LOVE it, but I also didn't HATE it.  I felt the author was true to Jane Austen's writing style, she stayed true to the characters, and it was an interesting twist to Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy's very regular life.

If you are wondering about reading this book, you should at least give it a try.  You might like it.

Schulz and Peanuts - David Michaelis
I am still not sure if I'm glad I read this book.  I pretty much grew up on the Peanuts comic strip, during the height of its popularity. So I was curious about the author of the strip.

He is not painted in a very good light throughout most of this book.  He's portayed as rather a loner, almost afraid to travel, and an unfaithful husband.  He seemed to have a hard time being happy, despite the success of his comic strip, and he appears to have been a pretty distant father.  His relationship with his parents is a bit confusing, and I actually felt sorry for him as a child.  It is a long book and truly toward the middle to end, I felt like I was slogging through, but had to finish.

After I was finished, I went on-line and tried to find out a little more about his children.  One of them is actually a convert to the Church, and in an interview after the book came out, expressed her and some of her siblings' disappointment in the final product.  That makes me wonder what the author did with the information that was freely shared with him.  All in all, it left me with a rather dubious taste in my mouth.

And finally, I listened to 2 Flavia DeLuce books (author Alan Bradley).  If you have ever read a book in this series, you will know what I mean when I say they are engaging and delightful.  Flavia is the perfect protagonist and although I am usually quite opposed to dead bodies, I can't seem to be turned away, even as she finds yet another corpse in the small village where she and her family, a widower dad and 2 intolerant sisters, live in her deceased mother's mansion.

I read the first several books in this series, then one day picked up the next book on CD and I will never go back.  One of these books is the perfect companion as I run around town during the day.

Whew!  That was a long post.  I think I better break up the list next time.  To leave on a high note though, I'm pretty sure I touched on every book I have read this year!  I'm happy with the length of the list so far!!

Over Half-way Through

Truly, I can't believe I am typing this, but Sister Rietz is over 1/2-way finished with her mission!  Wow!  That time has FLOWN by!!  She loves it, she is growing, she is maturing, it has been a great experience for her.  She has only been in two areas, and has fallen in love with both of them.  She has been involved in several baptisms, and has taught a lot of people, done a lot of service, and made life-long friends with her companions.  

I am a rookie missionary mom* and didn't know I was "supposed" to send her a 1/2-way package.  I only know this because I ran into another missionary mom and after I told her how long Amber has been out, she asked me if I sent the above mentioned package.  Well, of course I didn't!  She gave Pinterest all the credit for the box she sent her son - 1/2 a package of cookies, etc.  I'm just feeling a little bad that I missed the boat on that one!  I'll have to make it up to her in May with a 1-year package.  Luckily, Amber hasn't mentioned anything in her emails, so hopefully she doesn't feel too slighted, and will continue on working hard and loving missionary life. 

Rookie mom or not, I am still her mom, and can honestly say I wouldn't want her to be anywhere else.  She is so happy, and although she is learning that life can be hard, and that things don't always go the way you expect, she is also learning that the Lord listens to her prayers, and that the Holy Ghost will be with her if she is worthy, and will help her say the things her investigator needs to hear.  A small accident left her with stitches in her lower leg, and eventually a big scar, but that hasn't deterred her and in her own little humorous way said it was just a matter of time before she had to use the mission insurance!  (I second that.  It was an inevitable thing.)  She has a strong testimony of the Priesthood as she has had to exercise her faith in it through several bouts of illness.  And she knows the importance of OWE - Obedience with Exactness, something her dad reminds her of each week - and the blessings that can come from obedience.

So here's to the next nine months.  November will be here before we know it, but for now I am so happy to be a missionary mom and support my favorite missionary!  Keep up the good work, Sister Rietz!!

Proof that she is no sissy!  A souvenier from a district soccer game.

With Gideon-Moroni, her trusty bike.  She loves it, and wants to ship it home at the end of her mission.  

Showing a little attitude with Sister T.  (Both of them are from Idaho!)

Amber just got to speak at the baptism of these cute girls.  They are from her first area, but they wanted her to speak, so she got to go back.

*and just to cement my "Missionary Mom of the Year" award, it has really been over a week since her 1/2 point.  I am just getting around to getting this post written.  Sigh.  (I may just be hopeless at this.)

Out with the old, in with the new...

If there is a cardigan post, then there must also be a clog post.  So here is a blog about a clog.  (Really more than one, but I couldn't resist the play on words!  :)  These clogs, specifically.  Merrell clogs.  Brown clogs.  Comfortable clogs.  Wear everywhere clogs.

I know, I know.  I already swooned over cardigans and proclaimed they are my favorite clothing item. (See above link.)  So, just to keep things on the up and up, I am declaring that these are my favorite shoes to wear.  Period.

The old pair have been my faithful companions for about 7 or 8 years.  My kids gave them to me one year for Christmas, although I'm not sure which one.  It was love at first sight!!  They have worn like champions, and haven't given me a speck of trouble until recently.  Every so often, when wear them, my feet hurt.  It seems the arch support isn't quite what it used to be.  And, clearly from the picture, they are worn out.  I can't remember for sure, but I highly suspect they were once not smooth, but had a little suede feel to them.  No more.  Very smooth to the touch.  And even I, non-fashionista that I am, know there is a limit to how ratty your clothes can look before you have to stop wearing them.  It's quite evident that these have served their time and can now enjoy a well-deserved retirement.  (Although, I'm pretty sure the only thing they will be doing from now on is sitting in a landfill.  Seems a poor way to treat friends, but remember the arch support thing?  That is pretty big for me, so I won't be wearing them, even around the house.  And I know looks aren't everything, but I highly doubt anyone would be grabbing these off the thrift shop shelf.  Sad.)

Which brings us to the new pair in my life.  Trevor was showing me a pair of pants he liked on-line and the site he was on had a banner or something that showed Merrell clogs.  I had looked a little here and there to find a new pair, but nothing serious until that day.  There were several options, although none exactly like my old pair.  And none as inexpensive as I would have liked.  (I know, what else should I expect from a pair of Merrells?)  So, this pair is where I landed.  A lighter brown, suede uppers and What?  A furry lining?  Yes!  That is something I had often times thought about the benefit of, but never really considered getting.  At any rate, here they are.  New, non-scuffed and lined, and mine!  Love!!!

As I type, the waterproofing spray is drying on them.  Another few coats, and we'll be good to go.  Lots of adventures await me and my new clogs!!  (And by adventures I mean trips to Costco, the bank and any other errands that happen to be on my list.  ;)  That's just the kind of adventurous life I lead.  What can I say?

The Cardigan Post

This post has been rattling around in my head for about a week.  It all started when a friend and I were having a discussion (through email, not a face to face discussion) about the pearls she wore to church.  In the course of said discussion, she commented that some day she wanted to own as many cardigans as Mimi and me.

Now, Mimi and I do have a lot of cardigans, and more than one of which could be considered the same (or close to it).  Many is the time we have shown up at church wearing alarmingly similar outfits.  We've even joked that we should call each other before we leave the house to make sure we won't be twinners!  :)

Slight digression - As you can already tell, we both have much the same taste in clothing styles.  We both like to shop at Eddie Bauer and yes, we know that sometimes (many times) the clothing there is a little expensive.  We have the "Eddie Bauer theory" that when you purchase something that is a little steep, we both can completely justify the purchase because we are also very much keepers of said clothes, for a long time, therefore, getting many wearings out of those quality Eddie Bauer clothes.  Note that I rarely buy something at EB that is not on sale, so that makes our theory even better!  This, of course, would not work if one or both of us were fashionistas and wore something for one season, then passed it off to the thrift shop.  Come to think of it, rarely do I give something to my favorite second hand shop that I don't feel a little bad because it is usually out of style and very worn out - possibly with a broken zipper, a stain on it or a hole in it.  I'm not sure I'm doing them any favors being a donor.

Now, back to the original post...

Cardigan - a usually collarless sweater or jacket that opens the full length of the center front

Origin - James Thomas Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan †1868 English soldier

First Known Use: 1862

Geographical location - former county W Wales ∗ Aberystwyth

As far as cardigans go, they may be my favorite clothing item -
-They don't have to be a perfect fit, like jeans.  Ugh!!  In other words, THEY ARE COMFORTABLE!!
-They keep you warm.  My favorite time of year is when the autumn air starts getting crisp, and the weather begs for a cardigan!  Heaven!!!
-They are not fussy.  They just do their job, then quietly wait for the next time they are called into service.
-They are versatile!  I can wear a cardigan all day long, starting with Seminary, switching out of my skirt to pants/jeans, and go the rest of the day!  You gotta love such an accommodating piece of clothing.  In fact, today, that very thing happened.  I am still wearing the cardigan I put on at 5:45 this morning.  Again, ya gotta love it!!
-For the most part, they are easy to take care of.  (At least the ones I buy).  As long as I remember to wear an apron when I cook, I don't have to wash my cardigans very often, and when I do, they seem to come out of the laundry room no worse for the wear.
-They invoke images of Mr. Rogers, and librarians.  Two things I love!  (One of the blogs I like to follow "The English Geek", is written by a part-time librarian, and she posted about her life as a librarian and they part cardigans play, but I can't seem to find it at the moment.  You'll just have to take my word.)
-It seems they were first used exactly 100 years before I was born!  That has to mean something!
-Given my love for all things across the pond, it seems fitting they are named after a place exactly there - across the pond!  :)
I'm sure there are more, but suffice to say, those are reasons enough.  I (heart) cardigans.
Ah cardigans!!

Not convinced of my adoration for the cardigan? Consider this quote from Ashley during planning for her wedding.  I was stressing about what to wear, and she said "Mom, you cannot wear a cardigan and khaki skirt!"  :)  It still makes me chuckle when I bring that to mind.

(In case you are wondering, I do not have a count on my cardigans.  I know there are a lot, but I haven't had to build a wing onto my bedroom to house them, so I think I'm okay.  Plus, I can justify their presence in my closet because I wear them!  OFTEN!  Especially this time of year.)

Have I mentioned that I just got one in the mail?  Today.  From Eddie Bauer!  Yes!!

I give Thanks for...

FAMILY!!

Hands down, the greatest gift a girl could have.  

Here are a few pictures from our weekend in Utah, and a few things that happened that we don't have pictures for.  Just let me say, it was a wild and crazy weekend, we came home ready for a nap, and the drive home was long, but...we wouldn't have done it any different!!  It was a perfect trip spent with people we love.  

(The pictures are out of order, but if I spent time rearranging them, I would decide I don't have time to finish this post, so take it or leave it.)

Saturday evening, we ended up at Temple Square, but really only got to glimpse the Christmas Lights.  This is a good picture though, no?  Four beautiful girls, two cute little boys and the Salt Lake Temple in the background.  We don't even need lights to make this a pretty picture.  (Okay, we could have done with a little better photography, but it is what it is.)  We met up with one of the families Amber has gotten close with on her mission and we got to hear all about her, and what a good missionary she is.  This mama's heart is full!!  

There was a suprise activity for just the girls on Saturday morning.  Can you guess from the picture?  Yep, pedicures at a VERY calming spa!  My birthday/Christmas present!!  It was a treat for sure. My toes have NEVER looked this good!!  Let's hear it for "Bright Lights, Big Color" OPI nail polish.  Although, get a load of that bunion!  Not so good!!

We all went bowling Saturday afternoon.  You can't tell from this picture, but Carter spent the majority of the time VERY sad.  It was loud and chaotic for him, and he DID NOT LIKE IT!!  He finally got a little into the spirit of things after the noisy group next to us left.  He did feel a little better about things if he was in the arcade.  (Go figure:)  

Talmage used the rack to bowl for a while, but then got his groove on, and rolled the ball just like a pro.  It was a happy moment when he got a strike!

Tanner and Benson both benefitted from help.  Benson and Grandpa also got a strike at one point, and there were hugs all around from Benson.  He was a very happy boy and wanted to share the love.  Tanner, as you can see, is very intent about the whole affair.

Ryan, Chelsie and Brandon.  Can you see the football game in the upper left screen?  BYU was playing and we had some distracted bowlers!  :)

Dinner on Saturday night was compliments of Ashley and Brandon.  Tucano's was delicious!  I could have just eaten the from the Salad bar and been satisfied, but the meat was pretty darn good as well!!  Mmm, I can still taste the Garlic Beef.  Carter didn't find much to complain about either!  

Another beautiful shot from the outskirts of Temple Square

Benson loves Nutella for breakfast.  He is also a champ at saying cheese when it is time for a picture!  He doesn't disappoint.

I warned everyone ahead of time that there would be a family picture at some point in the weekend.  We finally snuck one it before Chelsie and Dallin had to leave.  It isn't the perfect set-up, but the people in it are just right, and that is all that counts!!

Dinner prep

Grandpa and the boys with their birthday presents from us.  Note that everyone is calm, and still...

...a few minutes later.  Lesson learned.  They are only good for one picture!  :)

We had two Thanksgivings, the second with the Cleggs at their cabin.  Here is a pick up basketball game after dinner.  Not pictured - John who took a tumble and crashed his head into one of those fence rails.  He took a break after that.  (He was okay, thank goodness)  Also, Talmage was able to get into the action a little after this picture.

Grandpa Clegg kept a few boys busy on the (what is this called?  Four-wheeler?)  It doesn't matter, they loved it!!

There has to bee football on TV after Thanksgiving, preferably while you are eating pie.

These boys knew where the good stuff was!  :)

A few more things that happened that weekend...

-We had our first Thanksgiving dinner with Valerie and Bruce and their family.  It was great to see everyone, and it was nice they were all there together.

- We went to the Museum of Art at BYU and saw an exhibit of costumes from Period movies that was SO COOL!!  Many of my favorite movies were represented - Little Dorritt, Miss Potter, Sense and Sensibility, The Phantom of the Opera, just to name a few.  It was stunning to see the detail and although I got reprimanded, nicely, of course, for taking pictures, I would have snuck a few more if I wasn't afraid of getting reprimanded again.  There was also a quilt display of Pakistani quilts!  Not my style, too much applique, but stunning, none the less!  Really intricate and colorful!  It was a nice bonus.

-We got to see Ryan's parents at his aunt and uncle's house.  It was nice to catch up with the Inkley's even for just a little while.  They had a lot of family in town also, so I think it worked out well for everyone.

-We also visited with Alli and Ryan's second family, Ben and Kelli.  They also welcomed us, fed us, entertained us, and made us feel like family.  Such a nice family.  (I will partner with Kelli any day for Nertz!!:)

-We got to stay with Chelsie and Dallin in their basement apartment for a few nights.  John and Chelsie went to DI and found some chairs for their "new" table.  It was fun to be in their home.

- John and I went to the Bountiful Temple with Ashley and Brandon.  It is always good to be at the temple with your family.  On the way home, we drove by their new home and saw where Brandon will be working.  Its all so good!!

- We had a surprise visit from Joni, Valerie, Alice, and Aunt Susie on Sunday afternoon.  I'm glad Ashley got to see her grandma, and that Grandma got to see the boys.

- The boys got to go to a BYU Basketball game on Saturday night.  They had a great time.  Lucky for Tanner, not so lucky for Dallin, Dallin got called in to the hospital right before dinner, so he not only missed dinner, but also missed the game.  Tanner did get to go, and showed his Cougar spirit by trash talking the other team the whole way out of the Marriott Center!  :)  Dallin hung out with us girls and actually was okay with that, as he was fighting a sinus infection all weekend, and was able to just lay low.

- It was a great weekend!!  I hated to see it end.

The first Facebook-inspired post - Mother Teresa

I don't know as much as I could about Mother Teresa, but I like her.  I like what she did with her life, and I like the things she said during that life.  The quote above my sink is by her, as a matter of fact.

During one of my trolling sessions on Facebook (because that is really about all I do on FB is troll), I ran across this post from a friend I knew way back in Scottsbluff, NE, which opens up a future blog post, but not tonight.
Tonight, I just want to share these words.  I find them beautiful, true and words to live by.

It seems that I am not capable of much more than a photo re-cap these days, but here we go again.  A few photos that are a little slice of life these days...

We are sad to see the Papworth's move to Rexburg.  They have been in our ward for about 10 years, and we love them.  Bro. Papworth gave Ashley, Chelsie and Allison their Patriarchial Blessings.  Moving is the best thing for them, so their parting is bittersweet.

This is the label on the back of my shower gel.  If  a person has issues with Gluten, does it really matter if something you put on the outside of your body is Gluten Free?  After I was done scratching my head on that one, I had to just chuckle.

I was cleaning out a box the other day and I ran across this postcard.  Yes, it is an actual postcard, addressed and mailed to someone.  (See below) As a child, seeing the "DO NOT REMOVE UNDER PENALTY OF LAW" tag caused me some serious worry.  What if it accidentally fell off my pillow while I was sleeping, or came off the mattress while I was putting on the fitted sheet?  Well, now I know what would have happened!  :)  I'm glad I never had to receive a postcard like this one!  This will make me smile for a very long time!!!
(Note - I think I must have been a young adult before I read the tag really carefully and realized what it was saying.)

The other side of the above postcard.  Check out that postmark!!  1969??  Crazy. The recipient was my in-laws' neighbor until about 5 years ago.  How in the heck did it end up in a box in our house with children's board books in it?  A great mystery!!

Kristin's "award" from camp.  Amber would be proud to know Kristin received this.

Speaking of Sister Rietz, she ended up getting about 3 stitches in her leg after slicing it open on the sprocket of her bike.  She was thrilled that Sister Moon got to put in one of the stitches.  Apparently, it is the only one that stayed in.  The wound ended up getting infected, and warrented another visit to the Dr.  She loves her mission, and loves Hesperia, the area she is serving in!!!

Kristin and I went to Spokane for one night last week while the boys were at Scout Camp.  All along the way, the wheat fields were either being harvested, or very close to being ready to harvest.  John spent his summer, 30 years ago, in a combine (not a John Deere, but a Gleaner).  He loved doing it.  In fact, he did it the following 2 summers as well.  How do I remember it was 30 years ago?  It was 1984, the summer we got married.  How has it been 30 years???

We took a little detour home, and found Trader Joes!!  Just walking in that store is a happy experience.  Although I really don't know why that is.  We just love that store.  Maybe its because we know we'll walk back out with these tasty little Pretzel Slims in our grocery bag!  :)  Not pictured is some really chewy Pugliese bread that called to us when we walked through the bakery department.

This was a fortune I got about 1 1/2 years ago.  I was amazed to pull it out of my fortune cookie , because I was just starting a pretty overwhelming project involving organizing my digital photographs, and I didn't feel any of the things that I was supposed to prove!  I taped it to my sewing machine so I am reminded of my potential, because, in all seriousness, its good to be reminded of such things.  This fortune has been on my mind lately because I used it as a jumping off point for my Relief Society lesson yesterday.


And finally, two quotes that have been rattling around in my head because I also used them in my lesson.
“When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete, everybody will respect you.”
– Lao-Tzu

"Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good."  - Voltaire

I'm reading a book!!

I haven't read a book that I can hold in my hands* for a few months, and I finally started one Thursday!  The fact that I'm so excited to be reading an actual paper book is a revelation to me.  I like reading on the iPad/iPhone because it is so quiet and if I am awake and John is not, I can read without bothering him, not to mention I don't have to turn on the light.  I read "The Power of Everyday Missionaries" by Clayton Christensen that way, and I liked doing that until it was time to discuss it in book club, and then I was a bit annoyed because I couldn't navigate to my bookmarks, highlighted sections, etc.
I also started reading "The Word's Strongest Librarian" during track season, but darn if the language didn't go south on that one!  I was VERY disappointed because I liked the story, liked the author's writing style, and wanted to know how he got to his present level of faith.  (It is a memoir about a man with Tourette's who is also LDS, but doesn't sound like he has a really strong testimony.  He is a librarian at the SLC Public Library who discovered that by lifting weights, he could have some control over his Tourette's.)  If anyone reads it, let me know, I'd love to discuss it with you.
I have been "reading" everyday, but it is a blog that I had to start at the beginning of and am working my way through the years until I get to present day.  It is called "The Happiness Project".  I read the book in March and have been playing catch up ever since.  Luckily, a lot of what is in her blog, is from her book (so far anyway) so it has been a nice reminder of things I liked about the book.  I only have 3 1/2 years to go until I am caught up!  :) (I would really like to know how I am so OCD about this!!  I did this with another blog "The English Geek" and I don't regret doing it, I just wonder why I have this compulsion to start from the beginning.  Maybe I just like to know their whole story!!)
So, that brings us to Thursday.  I heard about the book "The Funeral Dress" on a podcast I listen to called "Books on the Night Stand.  (If you are a reader, I think you will agree that is a great name for a podcast about reading/books.  Who among us doesn't have a pile of books TBR on some flat surface in their home??)  I requested it from our library, and of course, it had to be ordered in.  (Don't let me get on my soapbox about that)  I really thought I ordered in the book on CD, but no, when I picked it up, it was in paperback (with French flaps and deckled edges no less) and I started it the next day.  Last night I really had a chance to get into the story, and I can't wait to keep going.  I really hope my language "rule" doesn't have to be employed** because so far, I love this book!  A young girl, with an illegitimate daughter, is supposed to move in with a couple to escape living with her horrible dad.  Emmalee met Leona when she started working at a shirt factory and Leona took Emmalee under her wing and showed her how to sew collars.  Leona and her husband were just killed and then I had to turn out the light because I was so tired.  Don't worry, I didn't spoil anything for you!!  Sigh...a good read!  Happiness!!!

*I guess I do read a book everyday that I can hold in my hands, "The Book of Mormon", but I am talking about a recreational read here.
**Another book "Longbourn" had to be scrapped because of language!!  Did they really use the f-bomb back in the early 19th century??  Really???

A "Wicked" Surprise

Here is how the whole thing went down....

One afternoon Dallin called to say he had 4 tickets to the musical "Wicked" in Spokane.  He suggested that I surprise Kristin, and he would surprise Chelsie.  I was in!  John agreed it was a good idea, so then the hardest part was keeping it a secret for almost a week!  So many times I wanted to just blurt out the good news, but I didn't, and neither did Trevor or Amber who also knew the plan. Whew!!

Timing was important the afternoon of the performance.  I had Visiting Teaching scheduled, and needed to be done in time to leave by 4:00.  I didn't know where I was going, and didn't want something stupid, like getting lost to ruin things.  Of course, VT went later than planned, and I had to bug out early so I could get home, tell Kristin to pack a bag for overnight, grab some food and hit the road.

When we were almost to the theatre, I asked her if she knew what we were doing, and she guessed right, (she had asked Trev before we left, but he held his secret tight!!) and she was very excited!  (See photos below.  Her instagram post for the second picture was "Words cannot describe my joy!!!")

It was a fantastic performance, we had really great seats, and I am ready to see it again!!

I have seen it with Ashley in New York, Kristin and Chelsie in Spokane, and so now I have to see it with the other 3 kids.  Just a head's up, Ryan, Brandon and Dallin have been instrumental in making the first 2 times happen, no pressure!! :)

These are her "surprised eyes"!

I'm told words cannot express her joy!!

We found some hometown friends before the performance. 

I am a blessed mama!  2 beautiful girls here and 3 more in parts far away!! One very handsome son, too!!

Soup weather

Last week Mother Nature threw me a bone and we had several days of really beautiful Fall weather!  Really beautiful!!  

Well, this week we are back to grey, chilly days, which only means one thing!!  Its Soup Weather!!

Tuesday, Kristin had a soccer game, (they won, and Kristin had a great assist on one of the goals!!)  It was deceptively chilly at the game which means I took some time warming up (read - I ate dinner with my fuzzy bathrobe over my clothes!  Its very effective!)

Anyway...dinner that night was lasagna soup.  This is from the website, Our Best Bites, which is full of really yummy recipes.  It was warm, cheesy and flavorful!  I used cottage cheese instead of ricotta, since I never have ricotta in my fridge, and I didn't add as much sausage as it called for, although John thought it needed more.  I made it a few hours early and put it in the crock pot to keep warm until after the game.  It's a keeper!

Another of my favorite recipes from OBB is black bean soup.  It is deceptively flavorful, although, don't leave out the cilantro - it is a key player.  The other thing I love about this soup is the nutrition information.  Really low cal, low fat,  Winner, winner!!  (Of course, the cheese you add before you eat it isn't included in the fat count!  ;)

One more favorite from OBB is Baked Potato Soup.  Unlike lasagna soup (Trev didn't love the chunks of tomatoes) or black bean soup (truth be told, I am the only one who loves, although I think Amber and Kristin will humor me and eat it), everyone loves this soup!!  What's not to love? Cheese, bacon bits, sour cream!!  Yummy, warm and delicious!!

Soup weather means I get to pull out my imitation Le Crueset pot.  It is an authentic Le Costco.  I know some may scorn the substitution, but its either this or nothing as I am far too frugal (read - cheap) to put out the money for the real thing!!

My favorite soup pot sitting on my favorite toile tablecloth.

Happy Soup Weather from me to you!

Let's talk books

If you know me at all, you know that one of my favorite things to do is read.  I love, love, love it!!

This quote, which I kid you not (I had already decided to blog about books when I found it) came up on my Goodreads quote of the day pretty much sums it up...

Many people, myself among them, feel better at the mere sight of a book. 

Jane Smiley

I thought I would share a few of my all-time favorite books today.  I have many that I love, but will only choose a few in consideration of whoever out there might be reading this!  ;)

The top of my list has to be The Book of Mormon.  As a teenager, I just didn't get it.  Of course, back then, I hadn't read it through, and therefore wasn't really qualified to make any kind of judgement about it.  Well, 30+ years later, I have read it cover to cover many times.  I now feel qualified to say that it is true.  The principles in it can enrich our lives if we will let them.  The Prophet Joseph Smith brought this book out of obscurity, translated it through the power of God, and made possible its publication.  His sacrifice for this book and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is something I will always be grateful for.  There is so much in this book that reading it one time will not suffice, and a continual study will only benefit the reader.  If you haven't read it, do it!!

Now, to more secular books...

The Omnivore's Dilemma, by Michael Pollan, is a book that stayed with me a long time.  It made me want to buy eggs from locals who didn't have to clip off the beaks of their chickens, and to buy beef that wasn't from cows fed in CAFOs.  I read labels for many days after to see just how many products in the ingredient list were made from corn or corn by-products, and I envisioned the perfect life on a self-sustainable farm, complete with my own chickens who would live in a coop that I moved to follow the cows in the fields.
The author has an agenda, I'm sure, but I didn't feel he was pushing it on the reader.  I felt he was just informing us of the practices used by food processors in the industry today.

I finally coerced our book club to read Mere Christianity, by CS Lewis, this month.  It is deep, it is not a beach read, and it is worth every minute you put into it.  So many things he talks about are so close to LDS doctrine, a person has to wonder if he didn't know at least a little bit about it, but I'm quite sure he didn't.  You have to read a chapter, and then most likely read it again.  I discovered some study questions that will help the next time I read it, and I will read it again.  My favorite part?  The Rat Analogy.  Do I act like I should when I am caught unawares?  That alone makes it worth my time to read.

My favorite classic, Pride and Prejudice, by none other than Miss Austen herself, has to be first, but admittingly, I also love Middlemarch by George Eliot, aka Mary Ann Evans.  Two favorite parts from each novel.  P&P - Mr. Bennet's declaration that Elizabeth will be lost to him if she marries Mr. Collins, or lost to her mother if she doesn't!  Classic Jane Austen.  Middlemarch's last page holds one of my all time favorite quotes spoken by Dorothea - "What are we here for if not to make life less difficult for one another."  Timeless advice to enrich our lives as well as those we serve.

As for contemporary literature, The Poisonwood Bible gets my top vote.  Barbara Kingsolver tells the story of an evangelical preacher who takes his wife and 4 girls to the Congo to save the natives.  It is heart breaking to see the effects of life in the jungle on the patriarch, who is the classic example of power gone bad, and his family who are innocent victims of his attempts to save the world.  Admittingly, I haven't loved most of the other books by this author, although Animal, Vegetable, Mineral was informative and well-done, along the vein of Omnivore.  Following the lives of Rachel, Leah, Adah and Ruth May will keep you engaged and turning pages.  (And if you like pallindromes, there are more than a few in here.  I found those quite fascinating.)

And finally, in full disclosure, my guilty pleasure would have to be Coming Home, by Rosemunde Pilcher.  Unlike the book cover in the above link, my copy has a bunch of pink roses and looks like a totally shallow romance novel. Yuck!! I have read this book several times, and each time get swept up in Judith's life as well as the other characters developed by Ms. Pilcher.  The descriptions of Cornwall cause me to want to look up flights to England and book a ticket.  It isn't deep, the story is a tiny bit predictible, and (gasp) after my last reading, I found it doesn't fit my criteria for language!  How did I miss that? But I do love it, and when I need a book to take me away, this is my go to!  And it definitely qualifies as a beach read.  I almost always scorn fluffy books, and some may consider this one.  If that is the case, so be it!  I don't care!

My son-in-law, Brandon, doesn't understand how a person could read a book again, (although I am sure The Book of Mormon is exempt from this to him.)  I know there are many books out there that are on my list, and not enough time to read them all, but sometimes revisiting a favorite title is just the ticket to remind me how much and why I love a book or an author. I catch things I missed in previous readings, and am enriched by them. I am sure I will never be able to adequately explain this to him, but maybe we'll just have to agree to disagree on this point.

What am I reading now?  Gulp, by Mary Roach.  This author has a fantastic sense of humor, and somehow that translates in the books she writes.  Now that may not seem so unusual, but consider the topics she has chosen to write about...the alimentary canal, cadavores, science and sex, life for an astronaut in space, the afterlife.  None of these topics are particularly funny, but she is able to do the research and make an interesting and informative read out of them.  I have admittingly only read the book about cadavores, and honestly, not sure how far I will get in Gulp.  It could get pretty gross, but I'm willing to give it a try because I really like the author, and who wouldn't benefit from learning more about how our bodies, one of the great miracles of life, work?  I will give an update after I am finished reading it.

Books have always played a huge role in my life.  From Nancy Drew to Laura Ingalls Wilder to the Boxcar Children as a young girl, then on to bigger and sometimes, but not always better, characters, I have been grateful for the ability to read, and the love of reading my mom encouraged by making sure my siblings and I always got to the library.

So many books, so little time!! (Look it up, its a book also.)