My challenge so far

I have been on the look-out for books lately. You can find some good deals on Amazon if you want to pay shipping, shipping, and more shipping. I checked out the local DI, and our booksstores here. They didn't have what I wanted. Then, in Afton, I went to Dog-Earred books, which is a fabulous little store if you are into cozy bookstores that make you want to sink into a chair and read all day long, and bought as many Newbery books as they had. (They had quite a few!!!) If you remember, I am challenging myself to read at least half of the Newbery Award Books. So far I have read three. (I've actually read about 15 before I started this, so that doesn't make me feel too bad as starting out having read none). The books are: The Grey King, by Susan Cooper. Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse, and Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary. Cooper's book is fanatastic. A good read if you like King Arthur tales, but with a little spin on them. This book is actually the fourth in a series of five and didn't have Arthur actually in it. I need to read the prequels, but I am sure they are good as well. Dear Mr. Henshaw is a short novel comprising of letters that a young boy writes to his favorite author. Touching, and realistic. I liked it. And Out of the Dust was written in a very unique way. About a young girl growing up in the early 1930's in the midwest, her story is told in page long poems. Also a quick read, but definately a must. Of course I am not the first one to like these books. :) Since Dusty left for Havasupai tonight, and won't be back until Saturday night, I think I might have some time for reading. Hopefully, I get lots done! Wish me luck!

Crazy summer already!

My life has suddenly become busy, it seems over night. I enjoy doing things, and having things planned, but now it feels just a little out of control. I have many things I want to get done, and time flies. This morning around 5:30 am our renter came upstairs to tell us that our basement was flooding. :( Yuck. So, we got to clean it up all this morning. Luckily, we caught it in time and turned off of the sprinklers. (one of the heads had broken and had soaked through). It leaked into his kitchen and not on the carpet, thank heavens. I need to finish some scrapbook pages that I started over the weekend, and make a quick Roberts dash for sale items. I just got back from the grocery store to stock up for the week and came home with a few goodies! Gotta get my visiting teaching done, and possibly take Tyson swimming. My kitchen is clean and that always makes me feel better! My BIG project for this week is to refinish our little child's picnic table. I need to sand all of the old paint off and I think I will stain it this time. I have a few (more like a stack) of books just calling my name. "Please won't you read us Jess? Pretty please?" hee hee. I also need to get the piano tuned. Craziness!! Check out my fun finds!

(I realize after reading this, that it is pretty random and scatterbrained, sorry!)

My nifty new mouse pad


And matching note pad



Since Kiki and Sara stole my camera during my trip, I thought I'd return the favor!



















Beware! This is the blister I recieved after walking in my new shoes! Yikes....

I am aware.......

that it's been a while since I posted. Currently, I am up visiting my parents in Wyoming. The weather has been beautiful despite some freak-of-nature huge hailstorms. We have been on lots of walks up the canyon, watched some Tivo-ed American Idol highlights (I have no idea who anybody is since I don't follow it) and tried to help Sara get back into the real world. :) Dusty is down in Cedar by himself since he couldn't get off of work and we miss him lots. Tyson especially misses him and is super clingy to me. It is getting old pretty quickly. Everyday he gets more and more adjusted so that by the time we get home he will be used to it up here!! Go figure! I am helping my sisters buy some cute fabric off of Ebay for some bags. I know..... it's contagious! They will make them when they come down and visit next month. Everybody is basically trying to keep Tyson busy enough not to notice he is not being held by me. Even as we speak someone is whisking him out of the room so that I can type this up. Today I get to go through my dad's Boston pictures so that I can scrapbook an album for him, and go weed at the community farm. Believe it or not, I am excited about both of these things!

Kiki and Sara



Bronwyn and Tyson



Uncle Willy



Mom, Tyson, and Grandpa Maxwell



Auntie Joie and Tyson



Tys and Sara



Watching Willy's baseball game



Me, Lauren, and Sara

In honor of.....

Hermana Challis! My sister just returned from her mission and I am excited to go and see her. I was remembering the fun times we had together before she left and would like to dedicate this post to her. Here are some pictures of random moments of pure insanity. Pretty much the way I like it. One picture is rather nasty, so don't look if you don't like missing fingernails!

This one is blurry, but it captures Sara.


Sara is daring. She climbed up on the roof of our house loads of times. I did it too, but I was crying.

Another one that captures the "true Sara". We'll just leave it at that. :)


Oh, how I don't miss going out everyday to build our house. Looks like fun huh?
(Sara and Dusty are pulling up a piece of plywood to finish the roof.)


Sara napping at Leanne's. Turns out that's what she did with all of her free time.....

Sandhollow.

Sara being amazing for biking up Leigh Hill. Notice how I am in the car taking a picture of her being so athletic!

The day that the fingernail came off. It happened out at the house of course. Sara can run a miter and table saw, but dang it she loses a nail on the car!




Sara and Lauren were dragged along with us to the Parade of Homes. They look excited to be there huh?

Had to stick a funny one of Lauren in there (my other crazy sister). Eating my food of course. Ohh, this picture makes me miss my "old" kitchen.