new round of books

Last week I started on my last of a pile of books I had gotten from the library.  About two chapters in I decided I didn't really like it and was not happy to go the weekend without a good book.  I didn't have the time, or freedom, to go get a new batch until Monday, making Monday a very happy day.  Sometimes I don't realize how important reading is to me until I don't have a good book to sit down with when I need it. 

I would say reading a good book, exercising, spending time with God and cooking new things are some of my top stress reliever type activities.  What are yours?  Are you taking enough time for yourself? 

Well here are the latest three reads, the last one not included as it doesn't make the list.

1. Still Alice by Kim Geneva - a great book!  It's about a woman who is diagnosed with Alzheimer's and you walk through her experience of how her mind works.  I recommend it!

2. Goodnight Beautiful by Dorothy Koomson - very confusing and I was surprised it got such great remarks on Amazon.  The story was good but reading was tough.. and frustrating.

3. The Violets of March by Sarah Jio - good start, ended as a soap opera, quite ridiculous in my opinion  but I finished it out so it makes the list.

My mom has told me that when she finds a good book she goes to Amazon to see what other books they recommend, and it also gives ratings so it's fun sometimes to look up those ratings or to get ideas.  I haven't gotten addicted to looking at Amazon but after book #2 I had to see what others said about it.  Almost everyone liked it.. one or two were like me and were frustrated with it. 

Anyways, have you read any good books lately?  (Sarah - what was the name of the one you recommended, I don't remember.)

art work

Wendell and I have been doing some late night artwork lately.  We put Harlie to bed and then Wendell and I pull out the real paints.  One fun thing is that for now we are using up my old paint so I don't always have the colors we want, so we've mixing and experimenting. 

The reason I post though is to ask, who's paintings are creepier, mine or Wendell's? : )

The rainbow is the most normal but uncreative of the bunch. 

Anyways, I love that we both have a vision and then we try and draw the same thing.  Most of you probably don't know that I love doing art.  I love to paint and draw.. or at least I used too.  Anyways, I'm excited to do this again as I've really enjoyed the painting.  I just hope next time I plan it out a little better so we have something to aim for, instead of creepy old lady mushroom hats.

experimenting with mixing paint colors

pumpkins : )

rainbows, with crayon

scroll down and you'll see who wrote this : )

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leaf pictures

We all had our favorite leaf pictures.. here are two of mine. 

I hope that we can get some nature hikes or bike rides in before all the leaves fall and it turns too cold.

bird nest

Just makes me chuckle.

one week off

Phil and I just took one entire week off from working out.  We have not done this in almost 4 years when we started our journey.  It was so wonderful sleeping in, not rushing in the mornings and just laying around the house this weekend.  But it also threw our routine off and we were a bit lost.. well maybe I was more than Phil.  Anyways, I was back at it today, ran a little over 3 miles this morning.  I could tell I was tired, squeaky and creaky from not working the legs in a while but it also felt good when I was done.  I think this winter I'm going to take up some weight lifting... and possibly try to do some more walking.   Maybe keep swimming, hmm... not sure on that one.  Anyways, winter will be here before we know it so I want to plan now.  Any ideas out there for what I can do this winter?  Any good work out tapes video's you can recommend?    : )

prize or surprise, whatever

Wendell and Harlie have a sticker chart.. when they do things they are suppose to like eat supper well, pick up their toys when asked, let me comb their hair/put ponies in (Harlie), or whatever comes up at the moment then they get a sticker.  That sticker goes on the sticker chart and once it's filled in they get a prize. 

Anyways...this last time I decided once they filled it in they would get a surprise and that was us taking them to the "amusement park" on Airline Hwy. that has the jumping pillow, go carts, batting cages, and mini golf.  Since the location is very close to a few places we go regularly I decided to blind fold Wendell as I did not want the repeated question of if we could go there anytime we were somewhat driving by.  And it was kind of fun since it was a "surprise" anyways. 

I think the pictures pretty much say it all.  We had a great time, although it did cost some $$, it was a fun surprise.  Wendell really, really, really wants to go back so we are going to try and go back before they close for the season.

Phil coined it an "amusement park" when Wendell kept asking what kind of place it was.  We're not really sure what you would call it so amusement park for now... on a much smaller scale.

An my title was prize or surprise because Wendell calls either one a "prize", sometimes it's hard knowing what he is talking about as they do have two totally different meanings.

Have you surprised your kids lately? 

** funny story, we were on our way home the other day and I informed Wendell that Grandma Charla was waiting at our house to visit us.  When we got close he asked me to call her and tell her to hide.  (what?)  He said he wanted it to be a surprise : )  so I called her and sure enough she hid beside the bed.  Funny thing, Harlie, then Wendell, walked in first and she (Grandma) yelled "arggh" and of course the kids run out of our room screaming and laughing.     Priceless.

Have you scared your kids lately? : )