COLD!!

Jake & I just went for groceries and the reader board at Fred Meyer's said -41 F.
I hate anything past -20... If you've never experienced anything below 0 be happy you are where you right now. 'Cuz the temperature here in Fairbanks is dropping tonight and we're supposed to get even colder.

ER disappointment

Arrgh!!!!
My incision site was sewn up, and then 13 staples were used across the incision to keep it from pulling apart and creating a nasty scar.
The staples around my incision have been driving me CRAZY!!!
They itch like two rows of nasty little mosquito bites.
I've called & called & called the surgeon's office in Anchorage to find out when I could have them removed. And it's Christmas break. And no one's talking... I've left messages with secretaries and nurses, but he's on vacation...

So, I coerced Jake into driving me to the ER so they would pull the *** things...
And they refused!!!!
Said their policy was to wait fourteen days, and it had only been 11.
11 days with these nasty painful itchy staples in my back!!!
I told Jake if they were anywhere but in my back (where I can't see them!) I'd yank them out myself.
He's glad they're in my back. He told me so.
So, I'm a tad bit angry.
Ridiculous policy.

The PA suggested perhaps that I'd misunderstood or not remembered what the surgeon had said about the removal date for the staples. I had the release paperwork with me so they could see for themselves the paperwork didn't say.
The PA suggested perhaps that it was the incision itself that itched so badly. I told them I knew how many staples there were before Jake counted them for me...
The PA suggested perhaps that I should be taking benadryl to counteract the itch. I told them I already was, and that's the only reason all the surrounding skin wasn't red and swollen anymore.
I think I left the PA with the impression that I'm not quite stable.
Perhaps I'm not.

I wish my surgeon was here in town. We'd have visited the office and requested that the nurse pull them out. Nicely requested.
I promise.

Silliness

Little short silly:

Okay, so I'm wearing a really big bandage on my back right now. The incision was 3 and 1/4 inches long and the bandage is bigger, as you can imagine.

Tonight, as Jake went to check the bandage, he freaked out 'cuz the bandage was a weird color... Kinda dark purple. And he couldn't figure out how on earth I'd gotten purple on the outside of the bandage.

So, he hands it to me, and I look at it and say, "Oh, it's from my shirt! The black sparkly shirt I wore to the Christmas thing." And he's like, "your black shirt?"

And I say, "Yeah, that's how people get black. They use purple."

So, he says, "So, I should tell people to watch out... If they don't want to turn black, they shouldn't wear purple shirts..."

"I'm talking about dye, silly! Not race..."

"I know. But I couldn't pass that one up."
***

Anyway, don't be offended! I just thought it was silly. 'Cuz he's right. That's what it sounded like I was saying....

Merry Christmas!

May the hope and peace of the Christ child be yours now and throughout the year.
May His grace and mercy abound in your life.
Peace,
Rebecca

Post Operation

We got home yesterday from the surgery trip to Anchorage... I'm fairly miserable, yet somehow, not as miserable as I was before...

I had a synovial cyst in my lower back blocking 60% of my spinal cord, around L4. Upon opening my back up, the neurosurgeon discovered the cyst had ruptured, which explains why the pain had gotten noticeably worse. While no one knows the exact chain of events, it is possible the cyst ruptured during or right after the car accident.

Joy of joys: Synovial cysts have a tendency to reform, so I will have to be aware of my symptoms recurring. And if they do, the surgeon said he'd recommend fusing those two vertebrae.

So, I'm back home. Sleeping a lot. Taking some serious pain medication. And barred from a lot of things- lifting, bending, twisting...

I'm also dealing with a wicked headache that comes and goes. And blecky nausea... Which seems to be related to getting dehydrated, keeping something in my stomach and missing my pain meds... So, I'm sticking to my schedule. And right now it says I should be in bed.

Good night!
Rebecca

Imminent surgery

I am looking at having a very serious surgery on my spine next week.

I was in a moderately severe car accident back in September and my symptoms have gotten more and more severe and downright weird- just back pain at first, but then I started losing feeling in my right leg and having difficulty walking. After completing some tests, we saw my doctor today. I have a funny looking dark spot completely covering and pushing aside my spinal cord in my lower back. I got to see the MRI picture and it's really freaky looking...

My doctor immediately called a neurosurgeon in Anchorage and had us wait until he called back. I am scheduled to fly down next Monday to meet with him, and then have surgery on Tuesday. This seems so fast to me that I'm practically reeling...

While it is mostly likely a ruptured disc, there are other possibilities...

Please pray for me that I will be calm and not panic... That my mom and sister will be able to take care of Deborah and Abigail while my husband and I are gone... That my recovery will be quick, so I can get back home to my girls... That it won't be a tumor and that my doctor will have wisdom and grace...

I'm allergic to almost everything having to do with surgery- nickel (so I have a bad reaction to surgical steel), narcotics (so I throw up & throw up & throw up), and the tape they use to hold bandages on incisions. When I have surgery it gets pretty ugly.
Please pray that I will recover miraculously well.

Old TV Shows

You've probably received this in a forwarded email and deleted it. ;) I thought it was fun, so here it is... You may choose to participate or ignore.
*****
Add ONLY 1 and keep it going!! ENJOY THIS DAY!! This should be fun and jog our memories. No repeats only one show per person to allow others to think ofsomething.
Lenny-Benny Hill
Bob -Lost in space.
Jodi -The Munsters
Melanie- The Magic Garden
Kelly- Romper Room
Ingrid- Dark Shadows
Debb- Bewitched
Greg- I Dream of Jeanie
Lydia- Petticoat Junction
Bob- Price is right
Lynn B.- The Ed Sullivan Show
Hilda- Father Knows Best
LeRoy –Wha’ts my line
John- Leave it to Beaver
Ruthie -The Red Skelton Show
Linda- The Carol Burnett Show
Laurie-The Partridge Family
Renee -SOAP (remember that one)
Betty Bonanza
Jodi- Unsolved Mysteries
Tana - Dr Quinn...Medicine Women
Sharon – Land of the Lost
Carolyn - Starsky and Hutch
Bob S.- Palladin
Randy K.- Gunsmoke
Maryann T. - Captain Video
Homer- Lone Ranger
Muffin- The Flying Nun
Jen- Truth Or Consequences
Donna- My Mother the Car
Gail - Night Gallery
Jackie-Twilight Zone
Michele- Doctor Who (loved it as a child)
Annie - The Little Rascals
Debbie E - ALF
Deb R.- Shock Theater
Lisa K. - Julia & Eddies Father (couldn't decide:)! )
KK – Big Valley
Linda C. – Gilligan’s Island
Sue K. – The A Team
Dorothy S. - Dallas
Corine - I Led Three Lives
Rebecca (ME)- The Brady Bunch

Follow Up on North Pole Bazaar

Yay! We're glad we went. Not our best bazaar, but definitely not our worst. We both did well, and we weren't next to any candles! :)

The Books I Read in November

Dragon Bones by Patricia Briggs A+
Most everything thinks Ward of Hurog is a simple-minded fool-and that’s just fine by him. But few people know that his foolishness is (very convincingly) feigned. And that it’s all that’s saved him from death at the hands of his abusive father, who’s always seen Ward as a bitter rival for power.
When his father dies, Ward becomes the new lord of Hurog... until a nobleman declares that he is too dim-witted to rule. Ward knows he cannot play the fool any longer. To regain his kingdom, he must prove himself worthy- and quickly.
Riding into a war that’s heating up on the border, Ward is sure he’s on the fast track to glory. But soon his mission takes a deadly serious turn. For he has seen a pile of magical dragon bones hidden deep beneath Hurog Keep. The bones can be dangerous in the wrong hands, and Ward is certain his enemies will stop at nothing to possess them...
Loved this one! One of the best books I’ve read in a long time. Wonderful characters, delightful magic, interesting & believable world. An all around good book.

The Snow Queen by Mercedes Lackey A+
Loved this. Takes the Russian fairy tale and reinvents it from the Godmother perspective. Magic, polar bears, a light touch of romance... A fun light escape with some serious touches about responsibility and character.

Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix A
A historical look at the Cinderella story. Enjoyed this very much. Looks at the basic aspects of life during that time and how much more restrictive life would have been for young women moved from poverty to royalty. No fairy godmother, so Ella must save herself.

The Black Swan by Mercedes Lackey A
Excellent. Takes the swan fairy tale (a bunch of women transformed by an evil spell- swans by day, human by night) and turns the tale on it’s ear. Fairy tale, fun magic, despicable evil, a touch of romance- what more could a girl want? ;-)

Seeing Redd, Book 2 in The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor A
Better than the first! No slow entry into the world- Starts right off and keeps going. Interesting and compelling fantastical world. Freaky and delightful characters. Sidenote: I just found out that he’s been writing a graphic novel series called Hatter M about the backstory of the wars- I’m looking forward to ILL-ing from the library.

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs A-
Urban fantasy. I like this author- a little more sensuality and moon eyes than I’d prefer, but an interesting story... Mercy is a were-coyote living in a world of were-wolves, and suddenly murder and mayhem show up in her day to day life.

Howl at the Moon by Christine Warren B
Urban fantasy + spies. Interesting combo and idea. Follows Samantha & Noah. Samantha is the personal assistant to the Alpha of the Silverback clan. Noah is the spy who loves her, and has been given the task of stealing her clans’ secrets. Oh, the woe and tragedy! Too much sex, passion and trauma for me, but honestly, it’s a good story.

Sight Unseen by Samantha Graves C
Man, this one could have been good, and it was just lousy... An art thief who steals things back from the bad guys, a cop trying to avenge his partner’s death... A despicable bad guy... Too bad the book was so lousy. I read it 'cuz the art thief has a touch of psychic powers which allow her to determine whether the art is real or faked, but it didn't make up for the convoluted story line...

Harvest Of Changelings by Warren Rochelle Yuck
Didn’t finish this- Worked very hard on it but couldn’t get through it. The evil was too real for me, the characters too chilling & unsympathetic, the fantasy was too cold & detailed... Felt like a horror novel, and not a good one.

Think Test

Honestly, this is kind of fun. There are 25 questions and it takes about 5-10 minutes.
The questions are all about things you see and do every day, but don't really think about. Put on your thinking cap! :)


Give it a try... CLICK ON THE BELOW LINK AND TAKE THE TEST. THE NORMAL RATE IS 7 OUT OF 25. GOOD LUCK! DONT BE EMBARRASED IF YOUR SCORE IS LOW. NOT MANY PEOPLE SCORE MORE THAN 5.
Click HERE --------> A Think Test

God's Christmas Letter

I received this email... I HATE forwards and often trash them without reading them, but I liked this one.
****

Dear Children,
It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of your predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival. Although I do appreciate being remembered anytime.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Now, having said that let Me go on.

If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can & may remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching explaining who I am in relation to you & what each of our tasks are. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15: 1 - 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it.

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know; they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit people in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you regularly.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5. Pick someone who has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take his or her own life this season because of feeling so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference. Also, you might consider supporting the local hotline; they talk with people like that every day.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day, they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families.

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary, especially one who takes My love & Good News to those who have never heard My name. You may already know someone like that.

9. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity that believes in Me, and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Let people know by your actions that you are one of Mine.

P.S. Don't forget; I am God and I can take care of Myself. Just love Me & do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court.

And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember.

I LOVE YOU.

Follow up on the Pioneer Park Bazaar

We weren't next to the candle guy this time... He was downstairs.
Instead we were next to a Gold Canyon lady.. ;P You can't win!
At least her candles are all securely sealed and don't smell as strongly. :)

We did well- not our best bazaar ever, but not our worst either...

Two Bazaars

Our next two weeks in bazaars:

During the first weekend of December- the 6th- we will be out at the North Pole mall. Out there we see a lot of people we never see anywhere else. It's only a 20 minute drive for most of us, but quite a few people have jobs, schools and everything located there and don't come in to Fairbanks. So, it's good to see some totally new faces. For more info: http://northpolealaska.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=76&Itemid=2
The city of North Pole is working on building up their "Christmas in Ice" extravaganza on this weekend and we're hoping it pays off with more people at the mall this weekend. We'll wait and keep our fingers crossed- we went last year and barely made table. Bonus: we'll get to stop in to Ben Franklin's which moved out there when JoAnn's moved into the huge new building.

And on the second weekend of December- the 13th- we will be at the Farmer's Market bazaar, held at West Valley HS. We'll get to see most of our Farmer's Market friends, plus get the 'two-weeks-before-Christmas!' crowd. For more info: http://www.tvfmarket.com/

We'd love to see you!
Come join us for the craziness. :)

Pioneer Park/Alaskaland Bazaar

We spent two days at the civic center, and I had a camera in the money drawer. And I forgot to take any pictures. Blaah. :-p
I'm disappointed with myself.

We did well, though. Both of us made more than the cost of renting the table, which is the very least you want to do. So, Thank you, God!

And now I'm wasted. Why am I awake at 1:32? I don't know...
I do know I am going to bed. Now.

And I promise that I will get my November reads up in the next day or two. :)

pastels

life

I don't have time to blog anymore! And I miss it!
Life will calm down eventually. It has to.
We've all been sick for the last week or two, blech...

And I'm having serious back/neck pain, lately. But I'm seeing a PT and it's helping. Haven't had my consult with the neurosurgeon yet, so I don't know what he's going to say.

The pain is totally knocking me out, and killing Jake. Cuz he's covering for me with laundry and dishes. I can't do either of those with my back the way it is. Bending over and filling the dishwasher knocks me out for the rest of the day.

I feel so old!!!

Pioneer Park Bazaar

This Saturday & Sunday (November 29-30), Beth & I will be at the Pioneer Park bazaar. It's held in the Civic Center at Pioneer Park (or as most of us actually from Fairbanks call it still, Alaskaland). We will be selling our jewelry. Sadly, we once again got on the second floor, instead of the bottom floor- so go all the way up! Keep going! There's lovely stuff up there. :)
We are desperately hoping we don't end up next to the candle guy again. We were next to him last year, and his candles stink. Not only do they stink, he's probably the pushiest sales guy I've ever met. Yes, even compared to used car salesmen and the nice Kirby guy who came over and vacuumed our carpet.
Here's the schedule and the official website: http://www.co.fairbanks.ak.us/ParksandRecreation/PioneerPark/

Beth's surgery

Follow up on Beth's surgery last Friday:
Beth's doctor removed a baseball sized cyst from her ovary. There was so much internal scarring and damage that the dr. ended up performing an hysterectomy. Beth had approved this before, if the dr. could tell it was necessary, and it was. Beth prayed and prayed about it, and the level of pain she was in was CRAZY. I don't know if I can explain how bad it has been. She's been downing ibuprofen and her prescribed pain meds like they were water. When the dr. got in there and saw how bad it was, she couldn't believe Beth was functional. The dr. told us she was incredibly strong to be able to do anything with the level of damage going on inside her body.
Beth is in some pain from the surgery, but has described the pain as very different than what it was before...

Knowing Jesus

This is my absolute favorite verse, I think. There are MANY others that stand out for me, but this one is a recurring theme in my life.
I'm so not perfect, and I hate making mistakes. And every day I mess up. Every day I make selfish choices that I'm fully aware of, plus I make unknowing careless choices that separate me further from Jesus. I love knowing that Paul felt the same way... That he couldn't count on himself to be made right with God by obedience. That the only thing Paul could count on was Christ making him righteous through faith. I want to be right with God, but on my own it's impossible.
And frankly, nothing else is worth much compared with knowing Christ. I love my husband, but as a human person I'm gonna screw it up. Every time. I love my girls and would die for them, but as a messed up, sinful mom I'm gonna mess them up. Even when I'm making the right choices. Only by knowing Christ, resting in Him and pressing on to know Him, will I be able to love my family perfectly.

Philippians 3:7-14
I once thought these things (Paul's referring to his knowledge of scripture, and his position as a pharisee) were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.
I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!
I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things (Paul's referring to absolute righteousness and knowing Christ perfectly) or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Praying

Just waiting to hear how Beth's surgery turned out...

Elevate, Jr

I'm getting some more opportunities to write!

I've been contacted by Elevate, Jr (also from Fellowship Church in Grapevine) to write some sketches for their next series. I'm excited about it. Delighted to be considered.
It's good material- Biblical, age appropriate, fun. I watched some of their clips, and both my girls immediately surrounded me and were completely absorbed. They both got excited to know what was going to happen... But we could only watch bits of the stories. :(

My point is that the curriculum worked: It grabbed Deborah & Abigail's attention like nothing else- My kids got excited about God. They wanted to know what happened next.

Just 'cuz it's good stuff, Here's the link: http://www.creativepastors.com/category.php?id=2003

I'm excited to get the opportunity to write for them.

Worries

Got two things going on right now.

1) My sister, Beth is having surgery today. She has endo like me, and had a 12 cm cyst. She's been in horrible, horrible pain for a while. She tried some meds, and it didn't make the cyst shrink. So she's having major surgery today. I'm praying it goes well.

2) I'm looking at surgery on my neck. I got my MRI results back and saw my doctor yesterday. Since the last MRI we did about a year ago, I've had significant and severe deterioration of the vertebrae around my spinal cord in my neck. The discs are bulging and pressing on the nerve roots that go out from my spinal cord and down my arm. I've had significant loss of sensation in my left arm and hand, and the next step is to talk to a neurosurgeon.

I DON'T want surgery. I DON'T want to do this. But I'm in constant pain- and it's not minor pain... She's got me on 3 meds to deal with the pain and stiffness. I don't want to take that much medication.

My doctor couldn't say for sure that the vertebrae deterioration was from the car accident, but she did say I've had a major change in one year.

To add to the fun, there are no neurosurgeons in Fairbanks. So I will have to travel to Anchorage to have a consultation, and if I have surgery, I will have to travel & stay there. Someone will have to come & stay with me... I've got all these worries: Who will take care of the girls? How can I take care of them after having surgery? Who will come with me to Anchorage?

I've seen this face on my cat...

Request

Please pray for Jake & me- we are going through a tough time right now.
I can't say what all's going on, we're just not okay.
Thank you.

Our New President

Nope. This is not a political post. Don't get all excited/worried/emotional. :)
I believe that God is in control, and that He is the one who has placed our leaders in their position. Sometimes He does it for judgment (think Assyria taking over in the Bible), sometimes He does it because the people want it (think Saul as king). Don't hear me judging why God has placed Obama as president! That is NOT what I said here.
Regardless of why God has chosen to place Obama as president, He is still in control. My responsibility is to support the leader of my country and obey the laws of the country (again, unless it is absolutely impossible, think Hitler). I also have the responsibility to pray for that leader, whether it be Governor Palin or our new president.
*****
That said, here are some ways we can pray for our new president, (and our old one):

PRAYERS FOR ANY LEADER
Ephesians 1:17-19 – “…that God would give them a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him, that the eyes of their heart may be enlightened, so that they may know what is the hope of His calling and what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward those who believe.”
Colossians 1:9-11 – “…that they may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, that they will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every work, and increasing in the knowledge of God (the Word), strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience.”
James 1:5 – That God would give that person supernatural wisdom.
I Corinthians 2:16 – That they would have the mind of Christ in every situation.
Proverbs 21:1 – That the heart of the leader is in the hand of the Lord, and that the Lord will turn that leader’s heart whichever way He wants.
Proverbs 2:9 – That they will discern righteousness, justice, equity and every good course.
Proverbs 2:10 – That wisdom enters their heart and knowledge is pleasant to their soul.
Proverbs 20:28 – That loyalty and truth will preserve that leader and that his/her office will be upheld by the people’s loyalty.
Proverbs 28:2 – That they will endure long because they are leaders of understanding and knowledge.
Psalm 32:8 – That God will instruct them and teach them in the way they should go, and that He will counsel them with His eye upon them.
Proverbs 3:5-6 – That they trust in the Lord with all their heart and that they lean not to their own understanding, that in all their ways they acknowledge Him, and He shall direct their paths.
I John 2:20 – That God’s anointing will be on them and that they will know all things.
Isaiah 58:11 – That God will guide them continually.
Ephesians 1:8-9 – That God will make known His will to them in all wisdom and insight.
Isaiah 11:2-3 – That the Spirit of the Lord will rest upon them, the spirit of wisdom, the spirit of understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. That they will delight in the fear of the Lord, and they will not judge by what their eyes see, or make decisions by what their ears hear, but that they will decide with fairness through being sensitive to the Lord’s guidance.
Psalm 1:1 and Proverbs 2:20 – That they will not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers, but they will walk in the way of good men.
Thanks to a lady on FB for this long list of prayers for leaders.

Oh, my...

I laughed and laughed at this one... Couldn't stop laughing. Don't know why it hit me so hard (you try explaining humor), but here it is. From: http://www.icanhascheezburger.com/

Weird Snow Prints

I found the weirdest set of prints at the side of our house the other day...
Trails of cat foot prints and 3 or 4 places where a large bird had landed and spread out their wings. Looks like a very strange cat & bird fight. No blood. Just lots of tracks.
There are several LARGE cats who go outside almost all winter in our neighborhood.
I doubt you can get a proper impression of the size of the birds wingspan from the snow prints- the ravens up here are HUGE. The wingspan on this set of tracks was at least 3 feet wide. Ravens are the largest of the songbird family, and can grow 3-4 feet high... They primarily eat small mammals up here, though they also thrive on carrion and garbage. So, I don't know who ended up getting the worst of the fight...

One of my favorite raven stories was told to me by one of my best HS friends from Fairbanks, Angie Whitaker.
She looked out the window one morning to witness a raven lumbering/flying off with a bag of trash before the trash collector had arrived. She started laughing 'cuz the bag he was carrying was used cat litter! Must have thought he had a treat! Blecch!

Happy Halloween!

I hope you had a lovely Halloween! We certainly did. :)

My Birthday

Here's a couple pictures from my birthday...
We all went out to Brewster's (a local burger place), and then came home and had cheesecake. My family is so sweet! :) (Doesn't Deborah look old in this picture? I'm not ready for my baby to grow up! She's only 5.)

I also am sharing a picture of my largest present- a new lap-top!

Woo-hoo! My husband decided that I've been spending so much time on the computer lately that I needed my own. :)

So, yes, he gets as much benefit out of it as I do, but it means I get to put all my pictures on the computer. I'm the one with TONS of pictures. And video clips (mostly of the girls).

You also get a glimpse at the birthday card from my love, both the outside and the inside, 'cuz I thought it was so fun/sweet.

You don't get to see what he wrote to me, though. ;P

Snow in October

So, this is our backyard... I took this the day before Halloween as the sun was setting.

The fun thing about the setting sun up here, is that it can take an hour or two. We're so close to the top of things that the sun doesn't even really get up directly over head now.

Halloween 2008 Pictures

My girls were both Tinker Bell this year. We've experienced the 'same' revolution lately. If one child ends up with something (i.e.- a toy), or as something (i.e.- a costume), then the other child must have exactly the same thing. Or chaos ensues.

Our large, contemporary church didn't have a 'Fall festival', costume alternative thing on Halloween. (Isn't that weird?) So we took the girls to the church my family used to go to when I was in high school and college- University Baptist Church.

They had some great stuff and some pretty lousy stuff.

Lousy- a 15-30 minute 'sit-down-thing' where they shared the gospel through an allegory about a pumpkin with a flame inside it. Don't they know every kid there wanted to get to the candy??? Plus, the average age represented was 5-8. Kids that age aren't really into allegory, ya know? They need straight forward, non-abstract stuff. And my kids were going crazy in the pew... Heavens, my husband and I were going crazy sitting in the pew for that long!

Great- The flower balloon bracelets one lady made for the girls- those rocked and are actually still inflated and wearable.

Cotton candy! cupcakes! sugar kool-aid! And candy, candy, candy!!! (okay, each of these was great on their own, but all together, I'm not sure...) Anyway here's the shot of the girls after we got home.... They were quite literally bouncing off the couch, and the floor, and my husband.

October Reads

The Darkest Evening of the Year by Dean Koontz A
Loved this- largely because I’m a Koontz fan, I’m sure. Koontz’s gift for quickly creating fully realized characters draws the reader into this edge of the seat thriller/fantasy story. This is not my favorite Koontz novel (Watchers or Strangers, maybe Odd Thomas); however, his dogs once again enchanted me... I think he did a tad too much moralizing, but I love how he continues to persuade readers of a God of love who intervenes. His books always build on the idea that the world is evil, sick and nasty, but that hope exists, God loves, and good will win. Skim the touches of moralizing and enjoy a rocking good read.

Oddly Enough by Bruce Coville A+
Fantastically wonderful short stories by this excellent YA fantasy author. Some horrible, some delightful, some plain old silly. This was his first book of short stories and I really enjoyed them- only one or two that made me twitch. :) Well worth the time.

Deep Wood by Jennifer Roberson A
The second in her Karavans series about a world of magic and people caught up in powers greater than themselves. A family has been torn apart by a magic storm and this story details their search for each other. Much better than the first, which I found slow and a bit cumbersome. I guess she was spending most of the time establishing the world and the series- this time the story started well and continued to move- a bit wordy in the first section, but otherwise quite good.

The Wish by Gail Carson Levine A
Excellent YA fiction. A girl helps an old woman on the subway and is granted one wish- she chooses to be the most popular girl in school and then has to deal with the results... By the author of Ella Enchanted, and though not as good as that one, still quite fun.

Cell by Stephen King B+
Good story. But, I hate to say it, this story is a bit done. Sorry, King fans. I’ve read other books on the apocalypse theme that have been just as good or better, and the only new thing was the idea that cell phone’s caused the horror. He should have stuck with a short story on the subject. His short stories are wicked good... However, his characters are excellently drawn and I enjoyed seeing them achieve victory.


Troll Fell by Katherine Langrish B
Fantasy YA. Very good troll story about a young boy who loses his father and is taken by 2 nasty uncles to live in a mill and work. Quite delightful to see the uncles get taken down by the evil trolls. A nice variety of magical creatures are introduced in this books- lubbers, nis, trolls...

Troll Mill by Katherine Langrish B

Second in her Troll series- Continues Peer Ulfsson's story which she started in Troll Fell. Quirky style, fantastic creatures, a good fun story.

Aliens Ate My Homework by Bruce Coville A
The first Rod Allbright Alien adventure. Very good YA. Fun, light alien/coming-of-age book, with some good YA themes thrown in for good measure.

I Left My Sneakers in Dimension X by Bruce Coville A
The second Rod Allbright Alien adventure. Very good YA. Continues the fun and growing up stuff. I'm looking forward to finding the next few books in this series at the library.

Forgotten by Mariah Stewart B
Interesting mystery suspense. I liked the heroic characters, and thought the horror was adequately horrible. I was annoyed in the first chapter that once again I was reading an FBI/murder/suspense thing, but I got drawn into the story line and found enough worth reading to continue...

No Time For Goodbye by Linwood Barclay B-
Not the best mystery/suspense... The plot and romance were a bit contrived. I admit I knew who the murderer was, so I was a bit annoyed with how long it took everybody else to figure it all out... (Silly side note: this was my mom's book, and I actually got dragged into reading it 'cuz every time I'd pass by the book I'd start singing, "Sarah, Sarah, no time is a good time for goodbyes...")

Fatal Burn by Lisa Jackson B-
I was disappointed with this mystery/suspense. I had a hard time believing one of the characters would do what he did... It seemed very contrived and fake- done simply for the plot. I knew who the bad guy was- I don’t know how you could get half-way through this one without knowing. Disappointing because the last one I read by her was very good...

Dangerous by Nora Roberts B+
Yup, I’ve been reading romances... These aren’t straight romances, though! Really! This was an anthology of mystery/romances and 2 of them were very good, and the other one wasn’t bad. Roberts creates believable and fun characters- you end up rooting for them and hoping they figure out who-dun-it...

Memory in Death by J.D. Robb B+
Another cop-mystery- again, I had a fairly good idea of who-dun-it, but watching it all unfold was fun.

Missing Out

Tonight my heart is lonely.
I'm so tired of being isolated and feeling alone.

I HATE not doing acting right now- feels like I've put my heart on the shelf for a while.
My girls are absolutely precious to me- they are a delight and an amazing gift, but I'm so tired of not getting to do any acting because of needing to be at home for them.

If I didn't have them I would be doing shows.
Well, who knows. If I didn't have them, I'd probably still be teaching in Seattle, and I never felt okay about auditioning for shows there. I looked at some of the audition notifications and always felt very much an audition virgin. I HATE auditions. I've done them. I'll continue to do them (I hope), but I hate them. I let my fear cause me to miss out. Oh, yeah. And I had just gotten married, and started teaching full time. But still. I wish I'd done some auditions there. I wish I'd gone ahead and just tried out for one show. Gotten accepted for one show.

I would not wish my girls away for the world, for Broadway, for roles in movies. Sorry. They are way more important to me than any potential acting job I might have had. But, man, I miss acting.

I miss rehearsals. I miss actor camaraderie. I miss getting annoyed by people who messed up. I miss messing up my own lines! I miss proving to myself that I could do it.

And damn, but I miss my Company friends. I miss feeling like I was exactly where God wanted me. I miss feeling like I was doing what God created me to do.

Yeah, he created me to be a mommy. And I love it. But I feel like I need something more right now...

Parenting

I found this. As a parent, I find it pretty accurate, and hope I can choose to live this way:

If I had my child to raise all over again,
I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I'd finger-paint more, and point the finger less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I'd do more hugging and less tugging.

-Diane Loomans, from "If I Had My Child To Raise Over Again"

Holiday Marketplace- Fairbanks, Alaska

Wanted everyone to know our jewelry will be at the Holiday Marketplace November 14-16 at the Carlson Center. You probably won't be seeing us, though.
The Stash will be there! Yay! And our stuff will be in the booth. Please stop in and check out their lovely, locally-made items. If you haven't had the time to go downtown and visit their new location, it's wonderful. Large enough to not be crowded, but with over 90 local artists there's plenty to see! Don't miss it!

For more info on the Holiday Marketplace: http://www.fairbanksevents.com/productions/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=27&Itemid=38

For more info on The Stash:
http://threadsinmystash.wordpress.com/

Last summer

I want to say this since I was so wide open with what happened this summer...
I may have been too honest with everyone. If my honesty and spewing got to you, dear reader, I'm sorry. I tend to feel like this is my space to say what I need to. My mom would tend to prefer that I not share anything about our home life and there is certainly validity to her opinion. Many would say I should not share about my home life. I'm still getting the balance of it all.
Anyway, moving on.

I have come to a place of real forgiveness. I have honestly forgiven my sister for the mess this summer. I've forgiven her for the suicide attempt. I've forgiven her for the stealing. There is a difference between letting it go and not being stupid, though. ;) I'm okay with that difference.

I don't trust her with my money. I don't trust her with my computer or my purse or my debit cards. But I've honestly let go of the mess. And it feels GOOD to let it go.

I love my sister very much. I felt very betrayed and hurt, but she's had to deal with some major big consequences. Beth's got some issues, but she is doing better. Maybe just getting that alligator we were hiding out from underneath the table helped her a bit...

Lavender-Blue, dilly-dilly...

I just took an interesting hue test here: http://www.xrite.com/custom_page.aspx?PageID=77
Courtesy of Valette- Thanks! ;)
I got a 36 (the lower your score the better- Valette got a 4), which is not fantastically great, but proved what I already knew... I'm losing my purples. My mom's are pretty much gone. She sees most lavenders as grey. And I'm slowly losing mine. Makes me sad. I like lavender...
I achieved perfection on the first two scales, but the last three weren't so great.
Wuh-Laah. (Which is Sirevaag for "I'm sad!")

Monroe Bazaar

Beth and I will be at the Monroe bazaar this Saturday. The bazaar is held at Monroe Catholic school and lasts from 10-4. (We'll be there at 8, but you don't have to!)
This bazaar is one of our very favorites. For one thing it's the first one we ever did- thanks to Patrick Woolery. It's always the first bazaar of the season. Also, it's one of the smoothest run ones- they offer help to the vendors who need it, and the check-in process is very simple. And we typically get a fairly high volume of people. Last year there weren't many people, but it was scheduled opposite a World Eskimo/Indian event. Which definitely affects where people go up here in Fairbanks.

Anyway, we hope to see you there!
Rebecca

2 Costume funnies

I love costume jokes... I don't know why. But they just kill me. I was absolutely rolling over these two.
I'm a visual person. I know that's part of what gets me. But I also like two things placed against each other...
Anyway, hope you laugh as much as I did. ;)

The Rental

Our Durango is in the shop right now and you should see the thing we were given by the insurance company! They are letting us use an expedition until we get our vehicle back. It absolutely rocks! We all went out to dinner last week and everyone of us had plenty of leg space- even Jake way back in the far back. Not so much of that in the Durango... I know our gas mileage is hideous, but wow, is it nice to have enough room to take the girls to the store and still bring home the groceries...

LOL!

This is so like my girls!

jobs

Yikes... I've been very busy lately.

We've got a bazaar this Saturday, so I've been making up as much as possible in preparation for that...

I've had deadlines, deadlines, deadlines with the curriculum writing.

Jake's been coming home from school & work and immediately diving into homework...

Driving the girls around all day drives me crazy! I hope we can work out their schedule a little better next year... Although some of it will naturally work out since Deborah will start doing all day school.

Deborah LOVES her kindergarten teacher and I thinks she's great. Deborah gets to do a different cool thing every day- gymn, library, art, music... Pretty much rocks for her. She delights in the challenges of school and is doing very well.

Abigail is still not sure if she likes pre-school or not. There are some things she likes (playing outside, playing with different toys, the food...) and some things she doesn't- primarily being told what to do! My stubborn 3 year old would rather do exactly what she wants to do all day. well, wouldn't we all, really?

September Books

Millicent’s Gift by Ann Rinaldi A
Really liked this. A modern witch comes into her powers at 18. Very light on the 'magic' and powers stuff, and very heavy on the growing up stuff. This book is about how her family & friends deals with her powers. She makes some bad choices and has to deal with them. She has to forgive and accept her older brother, and deals with anger. Excellent YA book.

Steal the Dragon by Patricia Briggs A
Excellent fantasy. A former slave returns to her old country as a spy in order to bring destruction to the slave trade. I really liked this.

Odder Than Ever by Bruce Coville A+
Short stories. Some of them are horrifying, but all of them are wonderful. For the older reader, high school or adult.

The Shack by William P. Young A+
This book deserves an entry all to itself. I’m struggling to know what to say, though. I’ll try to write more later.

First light by Bodie & Brock Thoene A+
The first in their AD Chronicles- historical fiction based on the people surrounding Jesus. What I LOVE about these is the accuracy, and Jewish heritage details. Excellent historical fiction. I fell in love with the characters.

Damage Control by J.A. Jance A+
The next Joanna Brady mystery. I LOVED this one. Probably my favorite of all of hers- I think I just related to some of the personal problems she’s dealing with- balancing a baby, a job, a husband. The two mysteries were interesting and the writing is excellent.

Worldweavers: Gift of the Unmage by Alma Alexander A+
LOVED this! And, lo and behold, I picked up another battle of the books book by accident! So this one is about a completely mundane, unmagical girl born into a family of magic masters... She discovers many secrets and learns to accept herself. Excellent YA fantasy!

The World’s Worst Fairy Godmother by Bruce Coville A
A fairy godmother’s wand has been jinxed... You can imagine what happens next... Silly & light.

The Evil Elves by Bruce Coville B+
Silly & very light, fun magical adventures, 4th-6th grade YA, very quick read, an enjoyable main character & a silly magician. Everything ends up happily-ever-after... Good.

Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep by Gail Carson Levine B+
Light retelling of Sleeping Beauty. Not as good as Ella Enchanted, but still worth the time.

If There Be Dragons by Kay Hooper B-
A little drawn out, but I liked the idea. A woman has had a terrible life, and this guy sticks around to defeat her ‘dragons’. A slow-paced romance.

Sweet and Deadly by Charlaine Harris B+
Harris’ first mystery-published in 1981. Kinda fun, ‘cuz it’s about publishing a paper, and she describes using typewriters and cutting out pieces sent by different contract writers. Her mysteries are always well written and intriguing.

Left to Die by Lisa Jackson A-
I liked the characters in this suspenseful/romantic mystery... Lots of believable, quirky and fully developed people: 2 complicated/interesting female detectives, a mystery guy living in the woods, a strong main character, an alcoholic who was abducted by aliens, and a woman who talks to ghosts. However, the fact that the story doesn’t actually end and won’t end until her next book comes out in ‘09 made me REALLY annoyed.

New Funnies

I think my vicadin is affecting my funny bone... everything's kind of funny right now. :)

These are from ihazahotdog.com and Engrishfunny.com.

Party like it's 1919!

Life is an Adventure

From Larry Crabb:

"Men were designed to remember God and to move with courage into regions where there is no code. Because we were designed that way, something feels out of whack when we play it safe. And we know it. Every time we back away from something that we're too scared to face, we sense that something's not right. But we're too scared to explore what's wrong."

Slip slip sliding away...

A guy slid into me today.
I was driving home after dropping Deborah off at kindergarten (Thank you, God! She wasn't in the car...), and slowing down to come to a stop sign. This guy in a jeep takes the corner way too fast and slides right into me. It was almost in slow motion! I could see him coming and I was trying to stop the Dodge... I slid about 5-10 feet (as opposed to his 30 or so), and he hit me.
Broke out our front driver's side lights, bent the fender down into the wheel well, smashed the car a bit, and totally messed with my neck.
He was great. Totally took responsibility, about fell apart, gave me all his info.
I went home fighting the car the whole way- the fender was up in the wheel well and messing with the wheel- making this HORRIBLE screeching sound, and causing the wheel to shake and tremble.
About a half hour after I got home, my neck started hurting. Bad.
Jake was at school, and I thought I'll go ahead and get ready so he can take me to the ER when he gets home. So I started getting ready, and finally realized something. Jake would rather I call the Econ office and have him pulled out of class than not know. (He doesn't have a cell phone, I do.)
So, I did. And he came home immediately and took me to the ER. And I was definitely right- he'd rather I called him right then. In fact, it was almost an hour later and he'd rather I had called him immediately.
Now I've got a neck brace and a prescription for Vicadin.
I HATE the neck brace. It's miserably uncomfortable and, at least for today, my neck hurts more wearing it than not. I'm thinking that'll probably change tomorrow.
Anyway, the Vicadin is making me woozy, dizzy, a little sick to my stomach and sleepy.
I do not like Vicadin. But since I'm allergic to all the oxycodones that was the best option.
Why on earth do people think it's a good idea to take pain meds for fun?? They must affect me very differently than the average person.
So, the car's drivable, but in sad shape. His insurance is going to fix it and pay for my ER visit and my follow up with my neck doctor.
I'm angry about it. Not at the guy. Yes, he was driving too fast, and he shouldn't have been.
But, I'm angry it happened. My neck is already a mess. I've been okay. Not great, but okay. This is gonna set my neck way back. It is hurting pretty bad right now and that's with Vicadin and Ibuprofen. And I know it's gonna be worse tomorrow...

Snow!

Here's our yard!
Today we woke up to snow covering the ground... A lot of it has melted, but not all.


Yesterday Beth and I went to the Farmer's Market last day. We froze our patooties off! A light sprinkling of snow was falling as we left, but it didn't last much longer than the morning.
We made very little $ 'cuz most people thought the Farmer's Market was over. I can't imagine why anyone would think the season was over! SARCASM implied!

OH, MY

This is quite silly & quite alarming.
Worst worship ever...
This is Marty's fault. I wouldn't have seen it if he hadn't posted it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJya7tV2Wbc

Autumn

It's raining, 40 degrees and all the leaves are falling off the trees.
I'm NOT ready for winter. I'm not ready for -30. I'm not ready for snow.
Everybody here is sick with a head cold and I've kept the girls home from school for the last couple days.
Farmer's Market is miserable at 40 with rain. We didn't go today 'cuz of the head colds, but I would have hated to go even if I wasn't sick...
Blecch! I don't want it to be Autumn. And I don't want winter to come!
Mom read somewhere that we're supposed to have a very cold, very long winter... I'm dreading it. This is the time of year when I start asking why on earth we're in Fairbanks, Alaska.

A Party at The Stash

You are invited to The Stash: Unplugged.
Experience all things musical at a Jam Session hosted by Janie, Rachael & Robyn on Friday, October 3 at 5:00pm to 8:00pm.
This will also be the grand opening of their new and improved location- just across the street from their old location. They had some issues with their current place and have ended up moving to a larger and better place, just across the street. Currently, they are located directly behind the Co-op on Third. Now, they'll be behind the Co-op and across from the Empress Theatre.

The last week or so

I feel like I'm too busy, but everything I'm doing is pretty basic.
I've been writing for the church down in Texas, completing jewelry for Farmer's Market, taking the girls to school. Laundry, meals and running necessary errands. Anybody who thinks that the parent who stays home with the kids spends their time watching tv or playing on the computer all day is INSANE.

The big mess at our home has been Jake's absence. His parents paid for him to go to Seattle for his brother's wedding. He was down there for a week. Led worship at a friend's church. Visited with family. And was basically pretty sad. He missed us and we missed him. He came home sick. Which happens every time he travels. And now everybody here is sick, too. I just don't think I'm gonna let him travel without us again.

I hate being a single parent! I don't see how people function as full time single parents...
Really. I'm serious. I don't see how they get anything done. While Jake was gone, I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off, and still not ending up with everything done that HAD to be done.

I've had lesson activities to write for Elevate at Fellowship Church in Texas. I'm thoroughly delighted with the materials they've sent me as examples. Very easy to use. Creative. Fun. Complete. A bit like VBS every Sunday. I'm pleased to get to write for a group striving for excellence and ingenuity.

I've had several commissioned jewelry pieces over the last 2 weeks. These have been very difficult to complete! Yikes... The whole time I'm thinking about whether they're going to like it or not vs. just enjoying the process of beading. I enjoy what I'm doing when I'm not fretting about it. :) Partly, it's just an artist wanting to please people. Partly, it's a dread of not having them done right.

Oh, and Jake and I start a Bible study at church tomorrow night. Which I'm very much looking forward to... Haven't been involved in a good Bible study in a while. The youth group at church has started up again, and I get to be involved again. Soon I'll start working with Jeff H. on the children's choir- it still amazes me how much I LOVE doing that.

So- busy. That's me. Running around like a busy buzzing bee... But the things I'm doing are all things I enjoy. I'm looking forward to September 27th- that's the final Farmer's Market day.

Anyway, I don't have time for much internet stuff. Or keeping up with my blog. Which is bad. Naughty mama.

Itty Bitty Cars

I drive a Dodge Durango. It's my mom's vehicle, but I LOVE it. I like being in a big vehicle and I like having 4 wheel drive with all the snow and ice we have in the winter. I like being able to put all of our Farmer's Market set-up in one vehicle. It's a little crowded, but all six of us fit if we want to go out for dinner or something.

The only problem is gas... Durango's have a huge tank and get very low gas mileage. And with the price of gas right now, it takes about $100 to fill it up. And we fill up at least once a week, sometimes a little more...

So, here's my reaction to driving in this little toy: NO WAY! Not unless my life depended on it. And it seems to me it would depend on my mom's Dodge not climbing on top of me. Very cute. Don't get me wrong. But not anything I'm interested in even trying.

Alaskan Politics

I avoid political discussion like the plague. I hate discussions that turn into disagreements and often find myself at a loss for words even when I have oceans of knowledge on a specific subject. When my emotions start getting involved (which happens fairly quickly for me) I have trouble recalling what I know, and then I get flustered and more incapable of thinking clearly... And then it's a vicious cycle- can't think- get flustered- can't think more- get upset... (And I have a Communication degree! Isn't that funny?!)

I wouldn't call myself a democrat or a republican... I'm a conservative and often vote republican; however, I tend to vote for the candidate not for the party. Until last week I was still undecided about which candidate I'd choose for president.

Recently, several friends have asked me for my opinion on the acceptance of Alaskan governor Sarah Palin as McCain's VP running mate, so I'm choosing to have my very short say. It's okay if you don't agree with me, just don't expect to get to have a debate to change my mind. :)

First, let me say: I don't have as much knowledge as many others. I probably don't know as much as you do! (whoever YOU are) I'm not a politician. I'm not one to follow everything going on in Washington, D.C. or even in Juneau. I'm a typical educated & voting Alaskan.


This is what I do know: Palin's been good for Alaska. She may not be perfect and I may not agree with everything she does, but I respect and admire her. She is approachable and honest. She's a real person with a real American life and she has made no bones about that, which means she has the difficulty of real kids, not perfect ones. I support her desire to clean up the Alaskan political arena and I appreciate the fact that she is not a 'politician' as such... She knows more about the energy situation than most, and she has personal reasons for getting the situation in Iraq clarified and straightened out. She is experienced, energetic, charismatic and knowledgeable.

I like her. And probably will end up voting for McCain because of her.

I'm a Soccer Mom!!!!

Having one daughter in kindergarten and the other in preschool is more stressful and time consuming that I would have thought... I feel like I'm constantly going.

I get up at 7:45-8 to get Deborah to school by 9.
Come back and get Abigail ready for pre-school.
Get Abigail to pre-school by 12.
Pick up Deborah at 1:30.
Go pick up Abigail at 4.

It doesn't sound complicated does it? But for some reason I feel like all I do is live in the car...

We also have a creative movement class for Deborah on Tuesdays right after school. I try and get the girls to the story time at the library in between other things.

And my Bible study hasn't even started!

Somewhere in the middle of all that I'm trying to get the laundry done, make dinner, create jewelry and do some writing... I've had several special orders for specific items, and we're still going to Farmer's Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. (Wednesdays are very interesting with all the running around!) Now that Jake is doing school and a job he's not much help with general chores around the house.

It's only been a week, so I'm expecting some of the back and forth to shake down and be less stressful & complicated. We'll see!

Books I read in August

The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor B+
From the book jacket: When Alyss Heart, heir to the Wonderland throne, must flee through the Pool of Tears to escape her murderous aunt Redd, she finds herself lost and alone in Victorian London. Befriended by an aspiring author named Lewis Carroll, Alyss tells the violent, heartbreaking story of her young life. Alyss trusts this author to tell the truth so that someone, somewhere will find her and bring her home. But he gets the story all wrong. He even spells her name incorrectly! Fortunately, Royal Bodyguard Hatter Madigan knows all too well the awful truth of Alyss’ story and he is searching every corner of our world to find the lost princess and return her to Wonderland so she may eventually battle Redd for her rightful place as the Queen of Hearts. The Looking Glass Wars unabashedly challenges our Wonderland assumptions surrounding mad tea parties, grinning Cheshire cats and a curious little blond girl to reveal an epic battle in the endless war for imagination.
Since I wrote & directed a production of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ for the school in Seattle, I am VERY familiar with the story and all the weirdness associated with it. Beddor has taken it all and turned it on it’s ear. This is interesting YA- in the style of Harry Potter. A fun, disturbing interesting world and solid characters. I think they should have started the story somewhere else, ‘cuz the first couple chapters stunk... But if you get through that first bit, the story is fantastical & a lot of fun. The story has some weaknesses, but I honestly enjoyed reading it.

Boy’s Life by Robert R. McCammon A+
Loved this... Reminiscent of Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury and Stand by Me by Stephen King- except better than both. (Which is saying a lot, I liked both of those very much.) A coming of age novel with supernatural & mysterious twists. I read more passages out of this to my husband than anything except the Bible and a couple of books we’ve read together. :) We laughed out loud at a section about a wasps nest emptying into an Easter Sunday service. The story made me laugh and made me sad... Recommended by my friend Marty and has now made my list of favorites.

Sixth Covenant by Bodie & Brock thoene A
Excellent. I didn’t know this was the sixth in a series until I was a third into the book- it just didn’t make any difference to the completeness of the story.
This was the story of Joseph, Mary and Jesus’ birth- however, it was more about their Jewish heritage, and the historical aspects of the coming of the promised Messiah. I loved the accuracy & historicity of it. Brock Thoene is a historical researcher and their literature has been used to teach history in colleges. My friend Melissa has recommended Thoene books to me for a while and I finally got around to trying one. Enjoyed it thoroughly.

Victory Conditions by Elizabeth Moon A
The finale to her Vatta quartet. Very good military sc-fi... She’s one of the best at military sci-fi, and this series definitely reflects her military experience and writing talent.

Goblins in the Castle by Bruce Coville A
I think from Coville’s note at the end that this is one of his favorite stories. He wrote it for a character that has been a recurring person in his life: Igor. The story was very good- about a boy in a mysterious castle and the noises he hears in the night.

The Monsters of Morley Manor by Bruce Coville A
Fun, Wacky world - purgatory, vampires, aliens... Very good YA

The Dragonslayers by Bruce Coville B
Very short- rather simple. Not Bad, but not his best. Good YA

Stranger at the Wedding by Barbara Hambly B+
I enjoyed this thoroughly, but I’d forgotten how wordy Hambly is- I’ve read most of her fantasy, but it’s been a while. A mystery with magical touches. Interesting characters & situation.

Spellbinder by Melanie Rawn A/D
Hard to say about this one- I loved the characters and I hated the story... I kept hoping it would get better... I kept reading... And I kept getting annoyed. Very pretentious and pompous writing- Rawn is better than you and she knows it. At the same time, I have to say, she writes beautifully... And I cared very much about her characters. I was disgusted by her presentation of all Christians as self-righteous bigots. I know I’ve met ‘em, too, but I’ve also met Christians who are the most gracious & kind Godly people alive, too.

The Ghost in the Third Row & The Ghost in the Big Brass Bed by Bruce Coville B
YA mysteries. More silliness from Coville- very good.

Sisters of the Raven by Barbara Hambly
I started this, but did not finish it... I was getting very angry about what was happening so I said, "Enough! I don’t have to read this!"... I feel released! Freed!

The Dragon of Doom, The Weeping Werewolf by Bruce Coville B
A series about a young boy and the incompetent magician he befriends. Silly & fun magical adventures, 4th-6th grade YA, very quick reads, an enjoyable main character & a silly magician. Everything ends up happily-ever-after... Good.

A Just Determination by John Hemry A
Sci-fi military law drama- quite the genre... Probably the only one I’ve ever heard of... However, it was good, very interesting. Good solid characters, good solid action. A media-hungry space captain destroys an unarmed science vessel, and then faces court martial. Sounds kinda dull, but it wasn’t- the book held me attention & kept me coming back for more.

Burden of Proof by John Hemry A
The second in his sci-fi military law drama series. Even better than the first- an engineering officer is killed in a fire accident and his commanding officer comes under question. Very good writing, interesting story line and characters.

Simple Glass Beading by Dorothy Wood B+
Good directions with excellent photography. Most of the projects are sewing, looming or weaving, but there are about three projects that I can manipulate to use with my own style & wirework. Glad I checked it out instead of buying it! :)

Charlie Bone and the Time Twister by Jenny Nimmo A-
I’m definitely enjoying this series. They’re advertized as a rival to Harry Potter, which is over-estimating them, but they’re still fun. Interesting mysteries. Magic & Mayhem. Fun characters. Scarey school and freaky bad guys.