Monday, September 22, 2008

I scrapbooked!

Lifetime Moments had an anniversary crop this weekend, and guess what, I participated! Just had to share some of the layouts I did, as this is pretty big news that I finally am getting back to scrapbooking. I've told the kids I have to finish my Halloween album before I can put any decorations up, so that's alot more work I need to get finished!

Here's my two favorite ones of my boys that I did:




And the beginnings of our Halloween album, just going back 11 years! HA!


Monday, September 15, 2008

Tag, I'm it!

So a friend of mine, Rachel, did a blog tag that I thought would be interesting to do. Just got around to filling in my answers. Feel free to do the same on your blog! Let me know if you do!

I am: a 32 year old mother of 5 children!
I know: that this church is true, just kidding....I don't "know". I have my doubts again, and that's a hard thing to deal with. If anyone has felt the same before, feel free to email me. I need to figure out what to do next, I've been avoiding it long enough. Whew, I didn't expect that one to come out of my mouth!
I want: to lose 50 pounds.
I have: no will power whatsoever to lose said 50 pounds.
I hate: when our house is messy.
I fear: car accidents.
I feel: kind of frustrated.
I crave: fresh baked crescent rolls, but afraid to make them or I'll eat too many again!
I search: for meaning in life.
I wonder: when my ship will sail in.
I regret: going to UVSC instead of BYU Hawaii.
I always: want my family to be safe, healthy and happy.
I believe: that there is good and evil in this world.
I can usually be found: cleaning, at the computer, reading, cooking, or working.
I wish: for Ken to obtain the perfect job.
I forget: words all the time. I'll jumble my words all the time and ask the kids to put their laundry in the trash and all kinds of mixed up sentences.
I am scared: of leaving behind my children if anything should happen to me.
I am happy about: Fall season. I love this time of the year!.
I tag: anyone who wants to do this!
and I'm adding one more of my own...
I miss: yard sales, going out to eat and shopping, none of which are in my current budget!

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

My favorite book reads this year:

Okay, I was just on goodreads. By the way, if you aren't a member yet, you should join! I'd love to hear updates on the books you've read and liked as well. So, I was just checking out my reviews and decided to share a few of my favorite books here as well.

Life of Pi: Student Edition Life of Pi: Student Edition by Yann Martel


My review


rating: 5 of 5 stars
What, I haven't even commented on this, the most amazing book I've ever read. Probably because there are so many other reviews that sum it all up so much better than I can. The first part of the book is hard to get through, but if you can get past that, get ready for the ride of your life such as no other book has taken you to before. Right to the very ending! No other book I have ever read has had such an ending. And that's why this book has had such a huge impact on me. I still don't know which ending I like best, I'm going to have to go back and read it again!


View all my reviews.

Middlesex Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides


My review


rating: 5 of 5 stars
A book about a hermaphrodite, hmmm, why would I want to read that? Well, finally I picked one up at our library book sale and I'm so glad I decided to start reading it. Possibly one of the best narrated books I have ever read. I love how the author addresses the reader several times in the book, it's as if he's telling me the story face to face. I just love everything about his writing style, a breath of fresh air! It is now one of my all time favorite books!


View all my reviews.

The Road The Road by Cormac McCarthy


My review


rating: 5 of 5 stars
Hmm, this book sort of has me speechless. I don't really know what to say about it, except it had me from the beginning. IF this book were ever made into a movie, I don't think I could stand watching it, with the way humans have become....but it's the way the author tells the story of a man and his boy, and how and why they are trying to survive a post apocalyptic world, that drew me in. I wouldn't want myself or any of my loved ones living in a world such as this. It also makes you wonder about God's role in all things, and what reasons he would have for letting the world go to pieces.


View all my reviews.

Book of a Thousand Days Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale


My review


rating: 5 of 5 stars
It's always nice when one of those 5 star "It was amazing" books comes along. I love the authors writing style! So eloquent, yet so easy to read. It was also nice to have such a clean young adult fiction book that my girls can read too. The only change I would have made for myself was to realize that this is based on a fairy tale with Mongolian roots and I kept imagining from the beginning that the characters were Caucasian. That messed me up a bit in really understanding the characters. The drawings would always bring me back a bit, but I couldn't change my first misconception. The characters had already been formed in my mind.


View all my reviews.

Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus by Orson Scott Card


My review


rating: 5 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed reading this book, and couldn't wait to see how things would unravel.


View all my reviews.

Eat Cake Eat Cake by Jeanne Ray


My review


rating: 4 of 5 stars
Well written, light, easy read. I'm most impressed that I don't even think there was a swear word in it. Not quite often found in books anymore. I take that back, I went back and found one, LOL! Still would recommend to anyone!


View all my reviews.

The Kite Runner The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini


My review


rating: 5 of 5 stars
I absolutely loved this book, if anyone wants to borrow it, it's on my bookshelf with all my other favorite books!


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Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert


My review


rating: 5 of 5 stars
Another book I'm keeping on my bookshelf for good! My favorite part was of course, Italy!


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This one isn't from this year, but it's amazing, so I had to share it as well:

Material World: A Global Family Portrait Material World: A Global Family Portrait by Peter Menzel


My review


rating: 5 of 5 stars
One of the best books I have ever read. I could just pore over these pages for hours. Really eye opening to the world around us. A must read for every family!


View all my reviews.

The Dogs of Babel The Dogs of Babel by Carolyn Parkhurst


My review


rating: 5 of 5 stars
Well, I ignored this book for awhile, because I'm not really a dog kind of person. But this book is not a story about a man and his dog, it is the story of a man and his wife. How they came to meet, what their relationship was like, and why things ended up the way they did.



There were 3 parts that I REALLY loved about this book. Let me just quote the first part of Chapter 20, "When I was a little boy, my mother, who was given to hyperbole, used to tell me that if the world were to come to an end, her last thought would be of me, and she would fling my name out to the heavens as the mortar of the earth burst apart and the ground fell from beneath her feet." That's had me thinking of how our own stories will end. Will we die in the arms of the ones we love right now, or will we have long been separated by time or distance?



Next, I love a game he used to play as a little boy, breaking apart a name and finding what other words could be found inside of it. I decided to try that on my own name: Clarice Applegate, and came away with some interesting words, words like: care, great, grace, peace, real, clear. Try it on your own name! That was an interesting exercise.



But finally towards the end, when he finally discovers his real wife, the moment is so poignant. Why? Because I believe every woman feels a little bit like Lexy did sometimes, and isn't it amazing when a husband can finally see into our minds, and feel how we feel on some level. He finally "gets" it. And that's a wonderful thing!




View all my reviews.

Friday, September 05, 2008

Back to School pics

I was uploading these to photobucket, and thought, why not share them here too! Here are my silly girls!

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Wednesday, September 03, 2008

Twilight OUT!

SPOILER ALERT! DON'T WATCH THIS VIDEO IF YOU HAVEN'T READ BREAKING DAWN! I REPEAT, DO NOT WATCH THIS VIDEO IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE BREAKING DAWN BOOK! SPOILER ALERT!

Yeah, it's a little lame, but hey, it made me laugh more than once! If you watch it, you have to share what your favorite part was! I know, I know, there's lots of gross parts too, but the funny overrules IMO. I know not everyone will agree, sorry Nancy, ;) But I happen to agree with the author on many points.

Oh, you'll need to scroll down to the bottom of the page and turn off the music on my playlist first!