book report.

I recently finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. It took me quite a while to get through, but I'm not sure why. I really liked it and was disappointed when I finally reached the end. It is written as letters back and forth between key characters in the book and took me a while to figure piece things together, but once I did I really enjoyed this format. The book is a good combination of heavy, more serious topics and light-hearted characters that are so witty. The way it was written made me want to be a part of their world, to see where they live and visit in their homes. I think it took me longer because I was not glued to it as I had been a few books previous but rather kept it by my bed and read a few letters each night. I would call it pleasant, and delightful.

I am now reading, Eat, Pray, Love. I bought it a while ago, before I saw the movie and after I saw the movie I had no desire to read the book. I felt the movie was slow and while it had a few great ideas, it wasn't put together well for me. Therefore I drug my feet in reading this, but I actually like the book much more than the movie, which is usually the case I suppose, but usually I read then watch! Anyway, I know this story has a reputation of promoting selfishness, but there are other great redeeming qualities that provoke thoughtfulness and reflection that don't have to involve leaving your current life and escaping for a year. And the writing is good, in my humble opinion. I did not get that from the movie. I'll let you know if I continue to like it as it progresses.

Do you have any fantastic suggestions for my next read??

change of heart

That's the name of a book, not an actual condition I'm experiencing. Written by Jodi Picoult. Finished last night by me. Picoult's novels are interesting, usually revolving around some form of a controversial theme and each chapter is written from the perspective of one of the leading characters.

I learned about the belief that there were more gospels written than are contained in the King James version of the Bible. The thoughts contained in the Gospel of Thomas shaped some of the themes in this book. This story also revolved around a capital punishment case. It is interesting to see both the business and emotional sides to preparing to act out the death penalty. There were varying opinions on capital punishment among the different characters in the story and I don't believe the author was attempting to have her readers swayed one way or another, but I'm not a supporter.

I love that when I open a book, it has the potential to take me to a new place, teach me new things... things that may help me in my daily role as a mother, or things that have little to do with my daily tasks and offer reprieve from them. I'm always a little disappointed when it's finally over, but there are so many waiting for me! on to the next one...

seven things.

**I've been cleaning my little pants off this morning. My children have been playing very well with each other for hours and I have gotten a lot done. The family room is a complete disaster zone, but the rest of the house has made tons of progress.

**This is the first time I have come home from vacation to this home and while I still love my home, it's a little lonely. I want great friends closer to me. My circle of friends has changed a little since we moved and they are not all within 3 minutes of me, which is ok, but sometimes I miss the closeness.

**Adoption paperwork is in the mail and out of our hands. Dent and I are both ok if nothing happens right away, but I figure this way Heavenly Father can orchestrate things the way he needs to without us stopping Him. I've got to get this household under control before another one joins the madness!

**Speaking of madness, school starts in less than a month and we don't know which of two schools Coop will be walking into on the first day. We're going to need a lightening bolt to hit here for a decision to be made. soon, please.

**McCall was fabulous, as usual. There are zillions of pictures and you'll see them eventually, but it takes to much time to sift through them right now.

**I think swim team is over. Maybe one more day Wednesday if we want to go, but mostly it's done. Weird. Normal dinner routine can resume... I better gear up! Although tonight it's salmon tacos and they sounds delish to me.

**Finished River Secrets, the last of the Bayern Books, on vacay. I'm into The Help and believe I will really like but suddenly the time to read all but vanished...

quick thoughts.

so much to say, no time at all. leave in t-7 hours for airport with the whole fam-damily for vacation. first stop: albuquerque.

relay swim meet tonight. coop swam freestyle better than denten and I have seen him swim before. he's getting the hang of a few things. he also swam butterfly in two IM races. he has fun friends, is seeing progress in himself and having a great experience.

I tortured our children today, also known as made them help me clean the garage. holy smokes, even two-year-olds come up with fantastic excuses not to help. it is a bummer when we don't go in until the job is done! denten wondered if someone robbed us, we conquered so many piles.

denten has been all over getting our lawn to look like it's alive. major time, effort and water and I hope we see progress soon.

I got new KSO's and I'm super excited about them. they are going to be better than the ones I have when running off road and when I run the river next week... although I am not excited to run the river. rafts are super. inflatable kayaks combined with major rapids give me major anxiety. trying not to think about it. the rest of my family think rafts are for sissies and old people. I happen to fall into one of those categories.

I am almost done with Enna Burning, the book that follows Goose Girl. It was a little slower to get into, but I have flown through it in the last two days. The story is gripping once you're there. I also read Outliers. It is based on a very interesting concept and I kept wanting to talk to denten about it except that he hasn't read it. It influenced how I am thinking about schools for Cooper as well as other opportunities for my children. I generally prefer fiction and that was the case here, but the stories and examples were very interesting to me.

I must go to sleep now. early morning, suitcases, children, bags, airport ruckus... should be a fun day!

The Goose Girl

I finished it last night. Thank goodness for three-hour naps so I can read and not feel guilty for neglecting my children! As I stated before, I had my reservations about this book part way through, even going so far as to say I’d rather write the ending as it wasn’t going the way I hoped. Silly and presumptuous me! It ended better than I could have done myself in a million years!

I should have read this with a group available to discuss, because I want to discuss! Has anyone read it? Willing to share thoughts? Raynie?? This book had great girl power, the good kind. I love the good kind. It had royalty and mystery. Bad guys and good guys. Adventure and excitement and romance. Oh, the romance factor got me! Although so did the Bach last night, so maybe I’m just a little sappy right now! No, it really was good romance.

The author, Shannon Hale, is from Utah. LDS, perhaps? Anyway, she has a few more books in this genre, I believe following the same characters and I am excited to read them. I’m bummed that this book is over, but I’ve got a stack on my dresser to get to, so… moving on. If you’ve read this one, let me know, I have thoughts! If not, well, for heaven’s sake, swing by your library today and get it!

I've always liked reading to my kids, but who knew how fun it would be to have them read to each other? She sat through three books before they started wrestling with each other.

a book that'll make you take your shoes off!

far be it from me to declare myself a full-fledged runner, however, I'm making an incredibly strong recommendation anyway. if you run, or attempt to run, or think about running, or admire others who run, you must now read this book.

it's so inspiring that there are a few places, you'll want to simply put your book aside and jet out the front door to go for a run. really. that's saying a lot coming from me.

there are so many fascinating topics covered in this amazing (and true) story, but one that stuck has been the motivation for me to run barefoot on the treadmill for the past two weeks. I've been a little hesitant to take my unshod feet outside seeing as my flesh might actually melt off in the 108 degree weather, but I've also remedied that problem. these came today and perhaps the word giddy will give you an idea of how excited I was. I had cooper and senny jumping around the room with me and beckham flapping his arms in an attempt to join us. read the book and you'll totally get it.

superathletes, ultramarathons, a hidden culture, some of the world's toughest and craziest races, the evolution of how we got to this place as athletes, and hilarity. really, laugh-out-loud funny. regardless of your current level of aerobic exercise, go get it (or come borrow it) and read it. then call me. I might let you try on my new shoes.

thanks for the book, dad. I ran further in my bare feet this week than I've gone in my fancy running shoes in quite some time.

d, how hard would you laugh if I showed up to kick-boxing in these??

a long way gone

I just finished reading a long way gone, memoirs of a boy soldier by ishmael beah. you know when you're watching a movie and you want to cover your eyes so you don't have to actually see what's happening? I felt like that several times, squeezing my eyes shut and then realizing I'd have to open them again to continue reading.




this book was powerful on many levels, but completely heart-wrenching as a mother, a mother of a boy. I can not imagine going through these experiences and it rips my heart out to think of my son living through them.

an amazing reminder of the blessing it is to live here, now. many complain about the state of our economy or the displeasure in our current government. read this. then know you have nothing to complain about.

I visit teach a woman from sierra leon and she has often told us that we don't understand what her life was like at home. I have a better understanding now why her humble home here is paradise to her and that living unemployed and in circumstances I would never be satisfied in is bliss. it's all relative.

gripping. disturbing. hard. wrong. grateful. thanks, kate.

Souls vs. Bodies

It's time for a post that has nothing to do with my children. Because I do actually have a brain in there and occasionally it functions independent from these little people all around me.

Have you read The Host (stephenie meyer)? It took longer for me to get into than Vampires and Werewolves (go figure), but I ended up really enjoying it. It was more thought-provoking for me than I anticipated. It made me think on a few things... is it actually our spirits (or our souls) that run our physical bodies? It appears that way seeing as once a physical body dies and the spirit leaves it, the body is really good for nothing at that point. I mean, we have a tradition of either burying it in the earth or burning it to ashes, either option rendering the body useless for the time being. It's the spirit or the soul inside that gives it life, that makes it bend and stretch and become functional.

Granted, none of this is brand new information to me, but it made me wonder if I would still be me if I happened to be in another body. If we took Amberly, the soul, and put me into Katelyn's body, would I be able run a long way and perhaps enjoy the experience? Would I automatically be in better physical shape because that's the nature of my new body, or is that her soul that gives her those perks? If we extracted me from my body and inserted me into Shellie, would I automatically be a wonder creatively? Would tasks that I labor over for hours be a breeze because I would be in her? Or if her soul vacated her body would she then be left as ignorant as I currently am regarding such things? And as long as we're wondering, if my little (yet incredible) soul was put into a typically unemotional male (read: any that I happen to be related to) would I then not emotionally overreact to events on a regular basis? Would I not be a sap for a really good love story or appreciate regular validation? We could blame the estrogen in me for a few of those occurrences, but not all females I know have the emotional output I am capable of. What on earth would I be like as a male?

Would you still be attracted to the person/ type of person that you are if they were in a different body? None of us are so shallow as to say that all we are attracted to is the physical body of our significant other, but would we have been initially attracted to them if they were residing in another form... is it their spirit that we really crave? I think the man I married is pretty dang hot, but it's really the person inside that I love... I mean, what if Nicole Kidman was walking around with Robin William's soul inside of her, she would be totally different!


How much of who I am has to do with the physical body that I possess? I understand my body gives me the opportunity to build character and patience with its limitations, but what part does it play in my identity... I could say it's just a body, that the real me is flowing inside and would function just the same in another vessel, but on the other hand, this physical body of mine is pretty darn amazing. It's a stinkin' miracle the way all my systems inside work together just as they should and keep me moving every day. It's pretty obvious to me that as lovely as monkeys are that I did not derive directly from one. Lots of heavenly thought went into creating me, both the physical me and the spirit that jumps around inside of there.

I've already jumped into the next read Mutant Message Down Under, which is fabulous so far. It's by Marlo Morgan and anyone who wishes to read and discuss, I'm very open to that idea. I've already begun over analyzing the concepts discussed in this one and they're fascinating. I really should read more if this is what it makes my brain do...