Memoir'sss

A few months ago I was reading a friends blog and she talked about a book that she had just read. Whenever I hear about books from others I am more likely to read it than just browsing the book store in hope to find a title that sounds good. Well in this particular entry by Katie peeked my curiosity so I kept my eye out for this one. When Ben and I took our little trip to Knoxville TN we stepped into a used bookstore to browse. Low and behold there it was, $3!! I started reading it on the flight home. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. I couldn't put it down it was such a good read! I laughed so hard but also got sick to my stomach listening to her life story. Her alcoholic dad and hair brained mother really put these children through the ringer but Jeannette seemed to put a almost positive twist on her life. Walls really tells a good story.

The next book I read was a little more normal (normal as compared with the previous book) but SO funny! A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel. I loved this book! I wish I could go through and quote all my favorite lines and stories. Like when her sister tells her she was adopted (not true).Then Zippy goes to her mother and asks if it was true and her mother confirms that she was indeed adopted, from a band of traveling gypsies. The stories that she told were so hilarious that I found myself all alone totally laughing out loud! Defiantly one worth picking up!! It is fun to read someone eles inner thoughts and take on life. Now I am in the middle of reading Change Me Into Zeus's Daughter by Barbara Robinette Moss. I have had it for while...I think I picked it up in Hawaii and just never gotten around to it. It starts off similar to The Glass Castle, an alcoholic father (but normal mother) and six children starving. It is so sad that children have to grow up under horrible circumstance that they themselves can not help. I will let you know how it turns out. I didn't mean to read memoirs all in a row but that just what I picked up and it has been a good change from the normal fiction stuff. Everyone needs a change now and then right??

I don't feel like dancing anymore.

Jeez has that been up for long enough now! I have really been meaning to write about a few things but really have not felt like blogging. I have kinda gotten out of the habit/desire to write about things that are going on. So this entry will be a bunch of little things that I have been meaning to write down.

So Sunday was fast and testimony meeting at church. It was a great meeting. There were three more minutes on the clock and I for some crazy spiritual reason got up with Max and headed to the pulpit. I just wanted to express my overwhelming gratitude for our Savior and the love he gives me. I made it short and sweet, one cause it was the end of the meeting and two because Max was reaching and squirming for the mic. Amen, and just when I turned to go, Max got the mic and bore his testimony in one clear word...Airplane. Wish you could have been there!

On Christmas Eve day we went to go look at the big airplane that Dad flies. We took and Ben (Max's friend) and Matt (Ben's dad) too. I made sure I had my camera and when we got to the plane what do you know, the card was not in the camera! Dangit!! We could have gotten so many cute pictures. Ben and Max had soooo much fun climbing on the seats, opening and closing the windows and running down the isles. When we finally made it to the cockpit the climbed up into the seats and they were in heaven. They made airplane noises, said airplane repeatedly and pushed all the buttons. I bet we played in there for at least an hour. Later they walked around outside and touched the planes nose and its dirty wheels. They walked around holding hands pointing at the airplane and telling each other 'airplane, airplane'. It was lots of fun. Hopefully we can do this more and get the airplane bug out of Max before he grows up!

Max is a character! He has been lots of fun lately (not that he isn't always fun). He kissed my glasses yesterday during our storytime before naptime. He thought he was so funny and I thought it was so funny that he thought he was so funny that we just sat there and laughed. He has been going around the house and labeling things as mama's or dada's. Most of the time things are dada's but when something is mine he says mada's. I guess he knows how things work in this family! He loves his little friend Ben. They came over for dinner one night and played and had so much fun. The next morning the first thing Max said was 'Ben?' Ben let Max borrow a toy (Max really just wouldn't give it up so Ben didn't really have a choice) and the whole time he had it at home he would say Ben's, Ben's.

He is growing up so fast. He has gone potty twice (in the toilet), is loving nursery, loves playing with other friends, drinking out of cups (with minor spills)and using utensils, folding his arms and closing his eyes during prayers and brushing his teeth. So much fun! Speaking of growing up I have wanted to post this picture of my Dad and Max doing yard work together. This picture reminds me SO much of my brother Jonathan. My dad use to do the same thing with him when he was little. It was quit weird to remember the way Jonathan looked in the 'pack-pack' and then to see my own child in it too blond hair and everything!

Merry Christmas!

Warning...boring to everyone except grandma and grandpa :)

What a way to start the Christmas season!

We had Grandma Ann come out and visit...MERRY CHRISTMAS to us! Max was thrilled to see Grandma walk in the door but he really wanted to know where the dog was? He saw Grandma, gave her a hug and said 'Sadie'?? We all cracked up. Max would not let her out of his sight. He wanted grandma for everything naptime, bedtime, bath time. It was a great break for me!

Ben and I got an early Christmas present from G&G Tyler. An overnight babysitter! We hopped on a plane went to Knoxville, TN. I know, random, but it was a lot of fun. A new adventure. We went to dinner, walked around the historic Marysville town, went to a used bookstore (Ben's favorite), and went into a couple galleries. It was a lot of fun walking everywhere and just being able to spend time together, alone. We took a break and went to see a movie and then hopped back on the plane and flew home. Next time we go we are going to Dolly Land...as in Dolly Parton. They have a whole theme park dedicated to her! Weird, but we really wanted to see the smokey mountains so next time I guess.

Max and Grandma had lots of fun while we were gone. They went to the downtown festival here in Sanford, the zoo and Toys r'us and got airplanes. That is Max's only word right now, airplane, airplane, airplane! Everything is an airplane. In a book about elephants there is a picture of a teter-toter and it is a airplane. Birds are airplanes. He wants to watch the airplane part in signing time over and over. It is cute. The only books he wants to read are airplane books and he has been sleeping with at least one airplane in his hand for nap time and bed time.

We went to Blue Springs National Park and saw Manatee's. They are so neat! There was one right under us so we got a really good look at her. It came up to breath and look around a couple times. They are so cute and big. We walked up and down the bridges/walkway in the rain and Max just wanted grandma to hold him the whole time. Another day we drove out to New Smyrna beach. We walked around the little beach town and then went and chased birds on the beach. It is weird to go to the beach wearing coats! But it was lots of fun to walk around and pick up shells and stuff. Then the night before it was time to say goodbye we went to dinner and had some soul food. We ate Ox tail (kinda like roast beef with bone in the middle), Chitterlings (intestine, not my favorite), Collard Greens, BBQ Ribs, fried Talpia (fish, yumm), cornbread, mac and cheese it was yummy. We loved having Grandma out here and can't wait for her to come back. She left us with lots of rest, airplanes and cookies. Thanks Grandma Ann!

HappyLittleArtist

So my friend Annie and I have found a new obsession. Making super-duper cute headbands! Fabric is so addicting...and we are addicted. It is so fun to mix and match fabric patterns and textures and make one of a kind headbands . Every one we make I want to keep for myself. Since I never do my hair anymore I love using this as my do. It makes me feel sort of put together.

Annie took it one step further and made matching skirts for little girls. (She has a cute little girly girl that she can dress up.) They are so cute! We put a shop up on Etsy.com for your viewing and buying pleasure. I LOVE Etsy!!!! Also since it tis' the season we are participating in some local boutiques. There will be a booth at the Art Market (1602 East 2100 South) at the Garden Center (at the north-east side of sugarhouse park). The hours are this Thursday 2-7, Friday 10-7 and Saturday 10-5. Also Annie's talented friend is doing a 'give-away' on her blog if you make a comment. You could win a free headband/skirt combo!

And thanks to Jenny for doing all our awesome photography. She took pictures of Max and I in Memory Grove and they turned out so good!! She says she is just practing but they look professional to me. I am so excited to frame them. Her little girl Savanah is so cute in this pic.

It's a Small World After All ride ROCKS!!

We finally did it! The Magical Kingdom at Disney World that is. We have been here for more then eight months and have yet been to a theme park. It was fun and it brought back all those childhood memories. Ben could not stop going on the Small World ride, he just want to go again and again. There was SO much to do. I feel like we got to see a tenth of what there is to see. For the record though we rode the Disney choo-choo train (after we changed Max's explosion of a diaper), Aladdin's flying carpets, Peter Pan, It's a Small World after all (our personal fav), Dumbo. We took a swamp safari boat ride and climbed in the Swiss Family Robinson's tree house. Then Ben and I took turns watching our 34" tall son while we individually rode Space Mountain, Splash Mountain and the other one. We decided that next time we will take Max he needs to be 44" tall.

Max got to the end of the ride and very intensely signed more, more, more! Luckily no one was in line for It's a Small World and we got to go three times in a row!

Novembuuuurrrrrrrr!

When we came back from Utah about a week ago I thought I was leaving the cold weather behind. We got back and I felt like I hadn't left, I even came down with a cold! Today is really nice but it is going to start raining tomorrow according to the forecast.

It was so nice to get to experience the seasons in Utah. We even got to see snow while we were there! I went with Mike and Miken to see Warren Miller and I got all excited for the winter and thought that I wouldn't get to see any snow while I was there. But we got enough in the mountains that Snowbird even opened that weekend! It of course melted the next day in the valley but Max and I had fun playing in it.

I love the leaves and all the colors! It was nice to spend some time outdoors even though it was cold. Max did not like the winter coat he had to put on. The snow distracted him enough that he forgot about it. He just wanted to be outside all the time, cold or not.

We walked down to tracks a few times and went for a rides. We rode downtown to see all the big cranes and machines working. We rode up to the hospital to see the mountains but then the best part was walking home. Max picked up every leaf, chestnut and stick he could find. He would 'haa-yaa' with the sticks and throw the rocks. It took a long time to walk four blocks but he did it all himself and loved it. He was such a good walker (and napper after all that walking).

He really started talking while we were in Utah. He totally jabbers but is really good at saying NO and EAT. He says 'mam-ma' for grandma and ''pam-pa' for grandpa. Of course mama and dada. 'Dink'= drink, juice, ''cak-cak' = pancakes, 'um-me' = oatmeal, meat, moon, 'side' for outside, and a few more but I can't think of them, oh 'pease'= please.