Caddie Woodlawn's Family (Magical Melons) by Carol Ryrie Brink

Caddie Woodlawn book's sequel. This one has a bunch of stories about her family. They are really cute and just as fun as the first book.
All the stories are not just about Caddie this time but about her sisters and brothers too.The book is named after the story about the Magical Melons. The kids find melons in the hay loft and think they were put there magically but sadly later they find out that they were a special treat but since they already ate half of them they didn't get to enjoy them later with the rest of the family.
I thought the chapter about the great aunt and her wig was really funny. And Caddie can't seem to keep white dresses clean because something always comes up that makes her get messy. She is such a tom boy.
This would be a great read out loud to all the kids book!

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Christmas on Mill Street by Joseph Walker

This is the funniest Christmas story ever!!! It is a great read out loud and I think it will be a tradition to try and read it each year.
A boy moves from Arizona in 1962 to Utah...he just wants to fit in. He has never seen snow before and everyone loves to sled...he doesn't even have a sled. Anyway, Santa is real and this book proves it! 9 year old boys are funny and stupid and completely misunderstood by adults. Old ladies can be witches and also very http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifwise. Read it and laugh so hard to cry!

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Merry Christmas!

The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans

I have had this book since the beginning of December and I finally read it tonight. I cried and cried it was so good and sad. Then I went and spent time with my children instead of doing the laundry.

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Shiver and Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

These are the first and second books in the trilogy. The Third isn't released yet, July 2011 is a long way away!
They are YA FICTION yet they should be in the adult romance section in my opinion. They are worse then the Twilight Saga when it comes to sex, disobeying your parents, disregarding laws, suicide, violence and completely stupid girl falling for completely messed up boy which just so happens to be a werewolf.

The only good thing I have to say about the books are the poetry references and original poetry style of writing. It is very creative, subtle and beautiful imagery. If only the author didn't write about so much teenage smuck.

BROKEN BOOKS! Slightly bent.

Lemon Tart: A Culinary Mystery by Josi Kilpack

This was a funny read with recipes to use every time the plot thickened. I think I might try the lemon tart recipe.
The book is about an old lady that knows everyone's business in her neighborhood. When the police drive by and park at the neighbors she can't help but get her nose in the investigation for a murder.
This book had so many unbelievable twists and turns I couldn't second guess what would happen next. It was also humorous, how could it not be with an old lady snooping around.

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Happy 13th to my oldest son!!!

Can you tell what the cake is supposed to be?



PRESENTS!



OOHH, famous homemade Chocolate Bark from the Bee's Brothers of Cache Valley, UT! Thanks cousins!

Cai came through and dropped off presents from grandma. Here is a fun beyblade launcher. Thanks grandma!

Saturday he and his dad headed down to SLC for Kendo! They both returned very sore in every muscle and on the top of their heads.



Thursday evening he received 3 more merit badges and his troop earned the 100 year patch!



His troop made a goal to earn 100 merit badges this year. They earned 120 and 40 different ones between them all. That is a lot of hard work!!!! The question now is where the hec do you put a patch that big???

Pathfinder by Orsen Scott Card

Yep this was a fun book! It has everything to do with time travel and nothing to do with how others have written about time travel in the past. Maybe it is an in the future time travel book. :)

Here is how it goes...A boy is in the woods. He is constantly arguing with his "dad" and learning about the world. One day that all changes and he is forced to go on an adventure that will change his world. He meets a few people along the way and they help each other in unique ways in time and space.

This book will stretch your brain as you try and wrap it around past and future and jumping in and our or during time.

Great Science Fiction book!
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We are back!

Where have we been? You didn't miss us? (Sob)
I lost the camera for TWO WHOLE WEEKS! Hooray it has been found. First I put out an award...any kid that found it would get a candy bar of their choice. Then the stakes got even higher...two whole candy bars. It was last seen near the computer. It had to be in the house somewhere!
Today we cleaned out the toy bins and I thought for sure that is where it would be found. And the kids eagerly helped because if they found it they would get candy! And I even gave them the incentive that if they helped me with the toys and finished before noon then we would make the gingerbread (graham cracker) houses. STILL NO Camera! (I did drop off 3 bags of toys to the second hand store we sorted!)

Well, after all that...I found the camera in my room on the dresser later that night.

No, I don't get any candy.

So here are some re-enactment pictures of the past two weeks...



Here is our funny little tree that we love dearly even though she sheds each time the little guy bumps her. He likes to plug in the lights and un-plug the lights and run around the back of the tree. All the tiny breakable balls are hanging on one branch up high because he couldn't keep his hands off them! He broke quite a few before we finally moved them higher.




The piano brings beautiful Christmas music to our ears almost non-stop all day every day! The kids are getting ready for a recital at the neighbors house for FHE on Monday. Practice practice PRACTICE!


Kittens! It has been 20-25 degrees F. all week. The poor kittens like to sneak in and hide in the laundry room next to the heater under the chairs. I don't mind them sitting there as long as they don't venture into the kitchen and lick the butter!




We painted our windows in the front. Here are the ones painted with the oldest girl. The last one is the window when all the kids joined us in the end. It looks like a blizzard.


Our Christmas tradition is making candy houses. Last year we did a real gingerbread house but it was hard to let everyone do their thing on one big house. I like the individual just the right size houses better. So do the kids. The only problem is where do I put them now...the little mad candy picker-offer is also on the loose!!!

December is here!

The Christmas train made at Activity Girls. That is a lot of candy!

This was the best Birthday Present ever! She thinks her CA Grandam loves her the best because she is the only one that gave her what she really really wanted for her Birthday! I guess the socks I gave her are just too functional and taken for granted.


Our kittens think they are house cats. Every time the kids watch DVD's they hold the cats and warm them up. They just sit there and sleep on each kids lap. They are really good at purring and the black and white cat, Tux is always licking people. Yuck sandpaper kisses!


The first Concert for the Joyful Noise Homeschool Choir. The kids were really nervous and excited. They each had to iron their own shirt and pants. They had to place their choir pins on their shirts in just the right place.
They sang at a rest home to the most grateful group of older people in wheelchairs. It was really special. After they talked to the old people and shook their hands. That was scary but everyone was really nice. They did a great job! Next week they perform again at an assisted living center and the week after is the Final Family Concert.


The littlest guy on the left actually sang most of the songs better then half the choir. He is the directors son and learned most of the music by just hanging around and playing during practice but still listening.

Snow!

A ton of snow fell softly in the night. This morning it was dig dig dig to get the driveway ready for the day!



Last night the hometeachers got stuck in our driveway. They were there for about 45 min. They had to call the neighbors to pull them out with a truck.

Playing in soft powder snow is fun. This little girl didn't help all that much because she made a maze in the front yard through the snow.


The kids are really good about helping the elderly neighbors dig out of their yards too. One neighbor gave them a yummy treat to share.

Another neighbor just drives around in his giant tractor clearing driveways and the street.

This little boy is ready to go! He doesn't like to wear gloves but gets really mad when his little hands turn pink with cold.


This is his little mad spot in the kitchen where he sits and frowns. He isn't two yet but sometimes he can really pull a good tantrum.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie: A Flavia de Luce Mystery by Alan Bradley

I can not believe this book, it is so funny and so serious! It's surprisingly written by an 70 year old guy but in the voice of an eleven year old girl in England. She is smart, has a passion for poison,(will probably major in Chemistry), knows so much about everything and if she doesn't know it she looks it up. I think this book is a Chemistry Classic! There is Adventure and Mystery while riding a bike she named Gladys.

A blackbird ends up on her back porch with a stamp stuck on his bill. She solves the mystery and almost gets killed. She frustrates the police and she makes poison in her spare time to get back at her mean older sisters. She is just at the age when no one takes you seriously and you aren't afraid of anything.

I loved this book and I am not usually a murder mystery fan. I can't wait to get a hold of the second book; "The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag".

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Happy Thankirthdaying!

Combine a Birthday and a major Holiday and you have fun filled chaos all in one place! The Utah grandparents were here and Le and Brent's family plus Aunt Kim.

Here is the Birthday girl.


The Feast!

Traditional olive fingers!

From this angle it looks crowded. We shared the bench in the middle and sat every other person facing a different table. It worked out great!

The children's table. We only convinced three to sit there.

Grandma the master chef and gravy maker. I think I learned almost everything I know in the kitchen from her.

Reading from the official Thankful box. We have been adding to it all month trying to remember to have an Attitude of Gratitude.



The Pies and Birthday brownies! Apple, Minced Meat/apple, pumpkin cheesecake, peach cobbler, Sweet Potato Cherry pumpkin Bundt and just Pumpkin pie. Delicious but I was too full to really take it all in.


Apple with a decoration worm on top!


Can I have seconds?


The clean up crew. Too silly and he made a face in every picture so lucky Brent gets it posted on my blog!

The kids taking a break and playing so nicely together!


The Birthday Girl turns eleven!

Present time!!!


The best part was having my brother and his family come and stay with us Thurs. and Friday. Here are a few fun pictures of them and their children! I like the picture of Nat piling all the toys on grandma's chair. :)