Her Mother's Hope

By: Francine Rivers
4 out of 5 stars

Oh how I loved this book! It was such a well written book. I read some reviews that complained about the authors inability to expand on major events in history and instead goes into details about the characters lives. I have to say I like the approach. I can read millions of books written on WWI or WWII. I can read all about the hardships the Japanese Americans experienced in other books. I liked how the author didn't get distracted and stayed focus on the main characters' lives and hardships. 

I am in love with Hildie, Marta, Bernie, Trip and all the other characters! They feel like real people with real lives. I have to keep reminding myself they aren't real.

I love the Christian references throughout the book. I don't think the author goes overboard, but makes it very clear how much religion is a part of this family's life.  

I could relate to so many parts of the story. Marta in particular reminds me of my own mother.  

I am only giving this four stars because I didn't like how it left me hanging. I know there is a sequel, but I don't like it when there is so much left unsaid at the end of a book.  

Clean read! Highly recommended!

Mr. and Mrs. Dawson

On December 5, 2014 Cindy and Mark were married.  They have dated for a while and almost were married in March of this year.  

I don't know Mark very well because we live so far away, but he makes Cindy happy and that is all that matters.  We were happy to get a chance to see her and celebrate this happy occasion.

Lee came up from Arizona and it was so much fun to visit with him.  We don't get to see him very often. 

I love Cindy's eyes in this one. Grant was chanting the whole time for Mark to stuff her face with cake.  He did a pretty good job.

The wedding was pretty small and very simple.  The ceremony and small reception afterwards lasted only about an hour and a half.  When I was taking the kids home I asked Grant if that was a short wedding.  Grant said, "no, mom.  It was still ridiculous long."  I then asked him how he would have liked the wedding to go.  (In my mind I am thinking it couldn't have been any faster.  I thought an hour and a half for a wedding was pretty darn good.)  Grant answered, "Just have them kiss.  Boda-boom-boda-bang.  Be done." I started laughing and asked him if this is how he wants his wedding to go.  He responded, "no.  At my wedding we are having a huge party!"  I'm still laughing about it!

First Day of Nursery

Sunday, November 2nd Celeste was officially old enough to go to nursery!  She was so excited to go and she loved it!

There is a boy who will be four in January and is somewhat of a bully to the little kids.  He took a toy  from Celeste, but Celeste wasn't going to be bullied.  She stole the toy back, screamed in his face, and ran away.  The leaders thought it was hilarious!  I did too!  Way to go Celeste!

Halloween 2014

I am catching up on all my pictures!  Halloween.  Halloween was a blast!  I took the Celeste and two neighbor girls to Kyle's work in the afternoon for some office trick-or-treating.  I love office trick-or-treating for little ones because it is warm and the kids get a lot of candy for little effort.  

After Grant got home from school we ate dinner and got on our costumes.  Grant went with the neighbors to some "far away" ward members.  These ward members decorate the houses all out and some give out full size candy bars!  

I stayed home with Celeste and she was not happy about getting left behind.  She really wanted to be with the other kids.

She was so excited when she finally got to go outside.  She wouldn't stay put for a picture and this was the best I did.

Grant was going to be a super hero this year, but as you can see that didn't happen.  Last year, we found a Hulk and Captain America costume for pretty cheap.  The costumes still fit and so I told Grant that he could dress up in one of the hero costumes.  However, all the neighbor boys were going as ninjas.  (One boy is not pictured below)  Grant really wanted to be a ninja like them.  He was so sad we wouldn't buy him a ninja costume.  So we caved in and bought him a ninja costume.  We surprised him the night before Halloween and he was so excited!

Grant with all his candy!  By the way it is the middle of December and his bucket is still more than half full!  Celeste on the other hand polished her candy off weeks ago.

Reversible Errors

By: Scott Turow
2 out of 5 stars

This book started off really exciting and then the middle was really slow and I almost just stopped reading it. By the end it picked up again and I had already made a pretty big investment by getting so far, so I just finished it.

This book has some fun little twists and turns in the middle, but it doesn't make up for the long drawn out parts. One thing that bugged me was the "good guys" in the book had dark secrets and the "bad guys" found God and wanted to repent. It was a little backwards. I get that we all have our problems, but the characters in this book were hard to like.

This book also had sex scenes and swearing. Not much of a fan.

Linder Farms

Before Halloween we went to a pumpkin patch/farm to pick out pumpkins and enjoy some fall activities.  We rode pedal tractors and ran through a hay maze.

Celeste loved the animals and little petting zoo.

We rode a tractor trailer to the pumpkin patch to pick out our pumpkins.  Celeste loved the pumpkins!    

After we picked out pumpkins the kids played in the Corn Box.  Celeste was a little hesitant at first, but after Grant dumped handfuls of corn on her head she decided the corn was fun.

See what I mean....

Grant liked doing corn angels.  

We had a great time at the farm.  The best part? Some of the corn box came home with us.  I cleaned out corn in my dryer, carpet, garage, car, and diapers for days!

Lunch Box Girl

I just have a random post today! 

This girl loves to put things in Grant's lunch box.  She carries it around everywhere!  So silly!