Monday Musings

 

You know you've read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend.  

~Paul Sweeney

This past week in recap

What a week I have had!  This week is our Spring Break and a vacation week for us.  I am still recovering from my sickness.  I have yet to have a day where my temperature has been below 99.9 - just enough to be annoying and make me tired.  I want to tell you about this week.  On Sunday, we drove to Pigeon Forge, TN for a few days. 


As part of our Lent, we gave up eating out.  We did make an exception on Sunday and ate at Applebee's as soon as we arrived at PF.  You will notice that Son #1 has talent when placing his straw on his teeth!  I don't know why he didn't use 2 straws....

There was a party going on next to us and I think these two was more interested in that instead of Deniska with his straw trick.  Imagine that! 

I did manage to get a picture of Son #2 smiling!  He hates having his picture made (just like his mama!)  I don't fuss at him about this.  The sodas were part of the kids meals, Dennis and I had water.  Still, it was expensive for all 4 of us to eat.  We have gotten spoiled to eating at home and saving that money.

 After we ate, we checked in and then went to the Nascar Speedpark.  Where the boys (all 3 of them) waited in very short lines.....

Got in the cars....

Raced around and around the tracks.....

The other boys were too fast for me to get their picture.  Not saying that Dennis is slow or anything......

And, to take a break from racing, the boys would climb the wall....

No fear here!

We all had a wonderful time at the Speedpark.  It was nice for me to see the boys having so much fun.  I stayed with Nikolai while the other 2 explored the faster rides.  We would go in the mornings, back to the hotel for lunch, they would go back in the afternoon and I stayed behind to cook our dinner.  We would eat dinner and all us would go back at night.  That's all we did for 3 days.  We had such a good time.  I think it was the best vacation we have ever been on.  Probably because we kept the boys too tired to fuss! 

And what did I do, while they went in circles on the track?  I listened to a wonderful book on my iPod touch.  Matter of fact, I stayed up past midnight last night to finish it. 

This is the write up from Amazon:  The murder of Krista Carmichael's fourteen-year-old sister by an online predator has shaken her faith and made her question God's justice and protection. Desperate to find the killer, she creates an online persona to bait the predator. But when the stalker turns his sights on her, will Krista be able to control the outcome? Ryan Adkins started the social network GrapeVyne in his college dorm and has grown it into a billion-dollar corporation. But he never expected it to become a stalking ground for online Predators. One of them lives in his town and has killed two girls and attacked a third. When Ryan meets Krista, the murders become more than a news story to him, and everything is on the line. Joining forces, he and Krista set out to stop the killer. But when hunters pursue a hunter, the tables can easily turn. Only God can protect them now. 

I really enjoy all of Terri Backstock's novel.  I would highly recommend it to anyone - especially if you want a good mystery that is wholesome to read.  


We came home on Wednesday.  I went Easter shopping this morning and Dennis and the boys worked in the yard.  Dennis worked on getting the pool ready.  I took a nap!  Life is good!!

Happy Books & 6 Word Saturday

For some time now the books in my house have been growing.  Not intellectual books of great theology or philosophy like it was back before children.  No, it is the best collection of picture books and chapter books that appeal to boys.  Trucks, monsters, mysteries, cars, etc....  Being in the fourth grade now, the boys are making the transition from picture to chapter books (which I find to be sad since that means they are growing up on me!)  The book case in their room was taken over by toys and the books ended up in my bedroom. 

I have always wanted one of the spine bookshelves that are popular these days.  After looking around and talking myself into one, I ordered it the first of February.  Mine arrived in the mail this past week.  This one is a SEI Metal Spine-style Book Tower from Amazon.  Dennis, the boys, and I put it together last night.  It was a family event and it was very easy to put together.  (This is ALWAYS a necessity in my house!)  Plus, it is metal and very, very sturdy!!!  (Again, a necessity with 10 year old boys!)

The boys happily put their books on it and we probably have enough books left to fill up half another one of these.  We will be going through the books (hopefully today) and donating the easy ones to friends, the boys' school, or one of the self-contained special ed classes as my school.  The main thing that I love about this bookshelf is that it takes up so little room.  That's a big plus when you live in a small house. Plus, I love seeing the colors on the spine of the books. They just look happy to me.

(I don't know why that basket is on the floor!  Why is it you notice things in a picture that you don't see in real life?!)  Now, the trick is to get these boys reading!!!  They assured me last night that I needed to quit buying them books.  Silly boys, like that is going to happen!!  

A very special thank you to my sweet husband that put this together for me and did not complain one bit about doing so!  He is the BEST!!

Happy weekend everyone - read a good book today!

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SIX WORD SATURDAY

Happy Books, Happy Mom,  Happy Day!

Reading

My children's school is involved in a project call the 100 Book Challenge. Every night, they are to read 15 minutes and log their books. This sounds easy enough, right? Wrong! For some unknown reason to me, this task of monitoring their reading has fallen to me. (Thanks Dennis.) Anyway, back to the boys. I have 2 that are on different levels and in intense competition for my undivided attention. There's only 1 of me and 2 of them! Every night ends up with them looking over each other's shoulder, reading, and fussing. This has led to many a fight - like tonight.

Deniska is on a higher level than Nikolai. Nikolai wanted to look over Deniska's shoulder. (I think he does this to annoy Deniska.) This, apparently, irritated Deniska to the point of whining and complaining. Then, to add injury to insult, Nikolai spoke first to lick the mixer spoon of the cupcakes that I was making for Deniska's class party. Deniska took this very personally and proclaimed that both the spoon and bowl was his. After all, the cupcakes were for him and his class. (I had offered the bowl as a consolation prize to Deniska, knowing that I would leave him a good bit to lick.) But no, that was not good enough for his young majesty. It was all or nothing. So, he got nothing. I sent him to his bath and to bed early. Of course, he still has to read his book...

At least, I know why it's called the 100 book CHALLENGE!!!