Ayla's Shower in Utah

This is my future sister-in-law, Ayla Powell. Saturday we had a shower for her here in Utah at my home.
I invited all the family that lives here in Utah and then mom, Steph, Jennilynn, and Ayla came from Idaho.
I had to put this picture in because Martha (my cousin) is smiling so nicely!
It was wonderful to catch up with everyone and we missed those that were unable to make it.
Doesn't she look adorable in this apron. I love it! And I can't wait until the 10th of July when Ayla and David get married. He really picked a wonderful girl!

Second Child Syndrome

This is the booster that Lucas used until he was four or five years old. Even at that age he didn't want to stop using it. Lucas does not like change and will fight it. Ty has used it for a year. For the last month it has been empty because Ty refuses to sit in it.
Here is Ty sitting up to the table on a phone book. He won't sit in the chair but will sit on a phone book. I think he just wants to be like everyone else, especially Lucas, and so, yes, he does make bigger messes but this is not a fight I need to win. He also refuses to wear a bib, another fight I've chosen to let go. If he is eating something particularly messy like ice cream with chocolate sauce I will take off his shirt and undershirt and then he will wear a bib. Silly kid!

Mistborn

I love reading. My perfect day is reading a book, under a blanket, eating chocolate, drinking root beer, and listening to my favorite songs on my Ipod. I don't know if I've ever had an afternoon like that but still, I can always hope. Looking back at my teens and 20's I realize that I was a book snob. I accepted that there were a few books written in the last 100 years that were good like 'To Kill A Mockingbird', or 'Lord of the Flies'. They were classics so they were deemed worthy. I thought the really good stuff had to be Jane Austen, Shakespeare, E.M. Forester, the Bronte sisters. In other words anything that the BBC or Masterpiece Theater could make into a period drama. Now I did like Harry Potter years ago so that doesn't quite fit in but like I said, I made certain allowances.

I didn't do this on purpose or consider myself a literary snob. I just happened to spend my time reading and researching authors who have long been dead. Then I married Bryan. I read 'Lord of the Rings' on his encouragement. I read 'Ender's Game' and in return Bryan read 'Pride and Prejudice.' (I liked 'Ender's Game' much better than Bryan like 'P &P'. He thought it unrealistic that Darcy would change so much.) What I learned is that there is great literature all around me and by not reading it I was depriving myself. Then we moved to Utah and I became part of a book club. Most of my favorite books from the last few years have come from their suggestions. I still love all those books and authors that I used to read that are over 100 years old, (I've even found a few more to love) but I've expanded my horizons and I like what I've found.

Finally, I get to the reason for this long, long post! If you love getting lost in another world then read the Mistborn series. I got so emotionally involved in the characters of these books. I cringed through their struggles and wars. I yearned for their hopes and dreams to come true. The series made me laugh, cry and sob uncontrollably, and ponder my own faith and beliefs. Brandon Sanderson is a true storyteller and if I could ever motivate myself this is the kind of book I would like to write. Fantasy but with a realism that stays true to who we are as humans and individuals.

One favorite quote from the book: "Belief isn't simply a thing for fair times and bright days, I think. What is belief--what is faith--if you don't continue in it after failure."

Flat Stanley

For school Lucas did a Flat Stanley project. We decided to send Stanley to Uncle Ben and Aunt Heather in Indiana where Ben is in school at Louisville. They did a great job for Lucas and even took Flat Stanley with them to Chicago!

Lucas and I had fun putting on the pictures of Flat Stanley, along with the letter he wrote to Lucas. Lucas added some artwork of his own--BYU, a baseball, and a baseball bat. He will give a presentation on it at school this week. Thanks Ben and Heather!

Happy Birthday Bryan

May is a bit busier for us because there are two birthdays in our home. First Ty and then Bryan. Bryan took the day off--it was a Friday and when Lucas came home from school the two of them went to Boondocks. Lucas was able to drive a go-cart and he absolutely loved it. They played video games and played a round of laser tag. Bryan was the only adult and so of course their team won.





Ty and I met Bryan and Lucas at Chili's for dinner where we were able to relax and enjoy the chips and salsa. After, we went home and sang happy birthday with blueberry pie and vanilla ice cream. (Unfortunately, only Bryan likes blueberry pie. So he got pie and the rest of us had ice cream Sundays.)




Bryan got some great gifts this year, an IPod Touch from me, a PS3 racing game from the boys, and some accessories for this IPod Touch. We don't buy a lot during the year so birthdays and Christmas in our home is a super fun time. Each of us looks forward to getting something new!

It was a great birthday!

Now next year will be 40 for Bryan. Any ideas on what we should do? Maybe a surprise party? I don't know if he would like that....