Book Log: The Night Circus

The Night Circus
By: Erin Morgenstern
TWO 1/2 out of FIVE stars

my thoughts:

Here's the deal. I was so excited to read this book. It had been on my list of books to read for a while. I had a hard time really rating the book. Thank goodness for the half star!  I really enjoyed the first... 1/3 of the book and some bits and pieces throughout. The problem was it felt like it was dragged out for just a touch too long. I enjoyed that the book was what it said it was going to be; night circus, magic, competition, love story. 

I wasn't compelled to really 'get in touch' with any of the characters. The main characters weren't really for me. I was more intrigued by the die-hard circus fans. Those that followed the circus to wherever it may go. The red scarf crew. The scrapbook that was kept of news paper clippings. That's the kind of detail that is in this book.

The magic of the book kept me reading. Le Cirque des Rêves had so much going for it. The very descriptive detail brought everything forward so vividly. All the little parts that made this circus a whole. 

All in all it was an enjoyable read.

the run down:

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. 

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands. 

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead. 

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Two for Twosday

Two for Twosday: two thoughts/ updates/ photos/ something that I don't want to forget or am flat out oober excited about.

1. Christmas Eve we have a family tradition to open up one present and it's always pajamas. As a kid I always wondered why we got PJs... now as a Momma I've figured it out. On Christmas when all the pictures are being taken, they look all snazzy!

Example A :)

2. Christmas is full of family, friends and love. Happy birthday Jesus! Thank you for letting us celebrate you! 

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!!!
From our family to yours!

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Show and Share

With three boys we are always looking for cool boy stuff to do. No pink here!

What's the big craft that many families are doing this time of year, gingerbread houses. It just sounds very overwhelming to me to make one with three boys. So to keep what sanity I still have left we made Christmas trees instead.

What you'll need:
Ice cream cones
Green Icing
Candy to decorate your tree with
Plate of foil covered cardboard (something to put the Christmas tree on)

Step 1
Set your naked ice cream cone upside down on either a plate or foil covered cardboard. We used a plate that had just a bit of a lip to it.

Step 2
Cover the naked ice cream cone with icing. This can be done by either an adult or you can let the kiddos do it. We used white icing, to make it look like snow and then added green sprinkles. If you can't find green icing, just add a few drops of food coloring.

Step 3
Then let the decorating begin!

Samual's Christmas tree

Louis' Christmas tree

Rian's Christmas tree

There is no glue added to the icing everything is eatable and the kids will find that out. Then you have this going on too...

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TREE MAKING!!!

Two for Twosday

Two for Twosday: two thoughts/ updates/ photos/ something that I don't want to forget or am flat out oober excited about.

1. The Christmas tree debacle.
Being from Oregon we always went out and got a real Christmas tree. They don't cost much. You can go to a Christmas tree farm and cut them down for $25 or you can get a pass to cut one down in the forest for like $5. This was one of my favorite things we did as a family growing up. We would go to a Christmas tree farm get on a wagon, get hauled out to the middle of a tree farm. Argue over who's turn it was to make the final decision to pick a tree. Have the boys cut the tree down. Then while it was being tied down we would have hot cocoa by the fire.
Well out here in Missouri things are a little different. You can go to a Christmas tree farm, no wagon, no hot cocoa, no fire and pay to have a tree cut down for $85. Yeah.
This year we made the transition to a fake tree. It's not that we didn't want the real thing... it's just... the real thing is a little too pricey for us this year. AND one of my co-workers gave us a tree. Thank you Scott!
So Wayne- Deer helped me put together out fake tree. His FIRST time putting one together : ) It was fun watching him figure it all out.
Moral of the story... I don't know that there is one other than... don't get so caught up in the way things have always been to miss out on a new adventure. Trust me putting together a Christmas tree is an adventure.

2. Cooper went to see Santa!!! 

Weep with those who weep

In the past week there has been many hurtful events. Hurtful actually doesn't really even begin to describe it.

Last Tuesday December 11 my husband and I were on our way to Lowe's for the umpteenth time, house project oh how I cannot wait for you to be done. While we were in the car we hear that there was a shooting in Clackamas, Oregon. My home town and currently where my Momma and youngest brother are living. I cannot begin to describe the terror and horror of not knowing if your loved ones are okay. I got a hold of my Momma who explained to me what she knew of the situation. A man opened fire in the mall. The mall being very close to where my family lives, all the roads to get home where shut down. She was waiting it out at work and my brother was out of town.
My brother and I started talking about all the children that would have been at the mall that day to see Santa. How would you explain to your child what was happening while waiting in line. My brother was disgusted with the way the shooter had acted. That's when it really hit me though. This 22 year old boy is somebody's son. That family is hurting too.
My family is safe. That's not what a few families can to say though. Two lives were taken and one injured before the shooter was confronted and took his own life. The person that confronted the shooter is 22 year old, Nick Meli. How many people know that name though? You know the person that caused all the hurt. We are more than willing to put his name and his family through more suffering. Yet we can't praise the person that stopped it? Come on! Thank you Mr. Meli for stepping up to the plate when called upon. You saved so many many lives.

Then just as we were all coming to grip with just how delicate life is Friday December 14 a gunman walked into an elementary school and shot 20 of our world's tiny little angels, five teachers, his mom and then himself. I was asked if I was watching the news. I'm not going to lie, I couldn't. I could not imagine what those families were going through. I wanted to go get my children from school and start homeschooling. Many families are. I logged into FaceBook and Twitter and Instagram all of them shouting with pictures and prayers. One poem that I can't stop reading is:

twas' 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38
when 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven's gate.
their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air.
they could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.
they were filled with such joy, they didn't know what to say.

they remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.
"where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.
"this is heaven." declared a small boy. "we're spending Christmas at God's house."
when what to their wondering eyes did appear,
but Jesus, their savior, the children gathered near.
He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.
then He opened His arms and He called them by name.
and in that moment was joy, that only heaven can bring
those children all flew into the arms of their King
and as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,
one small girl turned and looked at Jesus' face.
and as if He could read all the questions she had
He gently whispered to her, "I'll take care of mom and dad."
then He looked down on earth, the world far below
He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe
then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,
"Let My power and presence re-enter this land!"
"may this country be delivered from the hands of fools"
"I'm taking back my nation. I'm taking back my schools!"
then He and the children stood up without a sound.
"come now my children, let me show you around."
excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran.
all displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.
and i heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,
"in the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT."

Written by Cameo Smith, Mt. Wolf, PA

There are tons of posts and articles and interviews that are out there in the news right now. No they don't know why and we never really will we can only speculate. We can also speculate on what should have or could have been done to prevent it. The thing is all that I have read and seen is gun control, why God didn't stop what happened and why didn't the parents do something.

*This is my response to those.*

1. Gun control. Please see how the first shooting was stopped. Nick Meli had his CCW. The shooter did not. Guns don't kill people, PEOPLE KILL PEOPLE put a control on that.

2. God. We as a country asked God to not be brought up in any public settings. God is not allowed in schools. Our boys are being brought up in a God believing household. When our oldest went to school and prayed at lunch we were asked to talk to our child about it. Guess what, we did. We told him how very proud of him we were for praying when we weren't there to instruct him to. You want to push God out and yet you want him to stop what you do not involve him in.

3. How dare you. How dare you put blame on another human for someone else's actions. The parents of these adults are hurt too. Do you really think putting blame on them is going to help? Yes, there are children that need a spank or two... or more. Yes, there are children that need re-direction. The thing is these are adults that are now doing this. Adults that would be held responsible for their own actions had they not taken their own lives.

I recently read a post by Liza Long. Please please read it. I'm not saying agree with it all but at least take a minute to think. Think about what some of these parents are or have gone through. Maybe these boys that did what they did weren't 100% in the same boat as the Liza's Michael. There are parents out there that ask for help. There are parents that know the discipline that they have is not enough. Why aren't we putting all our effort into preventing what should never happen?

This Christmas say a prayer for all the families that are hurting this season.

Book Log: The Casual Vacancy

The Casual Vacancy

By: JK Rowling
THREE out of FIVE stars

my thoughts:

 This is Rowling's first step into the Adult novel section. Weeee!!! I'm not going to lie it was a little tricky to make the transition from Harry Potter to Adult-ness. That's always a leap though from childhood to adult. Neither here nor there. There are very mixed reviews on Rowling's adult book. Some think nothing happens. To this I say, did you read the book?

 In Rowling fashion she creates a whole world that you can see vividly. Barry Fairbrother dies leaving a casual vacancy in the parish council. 

 Rowling brings to light the battles that go on in perfect Pagford. The rich vs the not. Husbands vs wives. Parents vs children. Without Barry who is going to try and bring these worlds together instead of pushing them all apart. Maybe someone on the council? 

 Rowling doesn't hesitate to bring the not so pretty side of life to the front. Death, drugs, and hard life. 

 What really happens when the not so pampered needs help?

 Great read but don't stop there. The issues in this book aren't things that should just stop in the book. Truly think about the real life issues in this book. 

the run down:

When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock.

Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.

Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils...Pagford is not what it first seems.

And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?

The Casual Vacancy is J.K. Rowling’s first novel for adults.

12.12.12

December 12, 2012

Josh and I both went to work.

Samual and Louis both went to school.

Rian was at daycare.

After our "normal" work/school day. Wayne and I picked the boys up.

Josh had to prep the floor at our new home.

I made dinner.

Rian had a rough day at school. He has been throwing full blown fits, only at daycare though.

Louis had a double yellow day at school, too much talking.

Samual had a good day at school.

I did laundry.

Samual got to watch TV.

Louis and Rian had to go up to their room because of the rough day that they had.

We got a new dishwasher!

That was our day.

We did get to tell our very dear friend Andrew happy birthday! :)

It wasn't crazy different but at the same time it was. To think that those numbers will never match up ever again. Kind of mind blowing. Maybe someday I'll get to look back at this and see how very different our days really are.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

November's Photos

November in Review

November

What I'm eating/drinking: 
Coffee

What I'm wearing: 
Jeans and a hoodie. It's getting cooollllldddd.

My last Nook/iTunes/Audible purchase: 
On Audible: Gone Girl
iTunes: Rain
Nook: A Lawman's Christmas 

What I need to do today:
Pick out a stove and dishwasher for the house :)

What the kids are doing: 
Samual is reading.
Louis is adding a cotton ball to his advent calendar.
Rian is playing with Ham and Woody.

How I'm feeling:
Can't wait to be over the sicky.

What I'm listening to: 
A Storm of Swords

Words to describe this month: 
Busy

Noteworthy: 
The house is almost done!

What reading/learning did I do this month? 
Lover Eternal
Between the Lines
Getting the Pretty Back
The Casual Vacancy
Cinder
Anyone But You
The Highlander's Heart
The Night Circus

What entertainment did I watch/listen to this month? 
The girls and I finally got to watch "Magic Mike". 

What fun things did I do with my family and/or friends? 
Celebrated Tera, Samual, Louis and Martin's birthday!

What gifts did I give and/or receive? 
Well the boys had their birthdays this month, and they both got a new pair of long johns to keep them warm for hunting!

What special or unusual purchases did I make? 
Well the boys got to go on their hunting trip both Sam and Lou went this year. So there were different special breakfasts that Josh had put together. 

What illnesses or health concerns did I have? 
Well four really big bottles of Ibuprofen and acetaminophen later the boys seem to be doing better. They all got whatever it is that is going around. 

What were my accomplishments this month? 
I took a CCW class. It was great to learn just a little bit more and get this much closer to a licence too. 

What were my downers this month? 
Still not where we wanted to be on house renovations, but getting closer!

What new things did I try? 
We went shopping on Black Friday. Yeah, we waited until later in the day to go but still I went to the store!

How did I do on my goals for the month?
We have been working on a few different craft projects with the boys. Also we have been doing little cooking projects too. 

Two for Twosday

Two for Twosday: two thoughts/ updates/ photos/ something that I don't want to forget or am flat out oober excited about.

1. A very dear friend told me about his cousin and her son, Easton. I have never seen such amazing strength. Though I've never met Shannon or her beautiful family, they are in my family's prayers. Today our prayer for Easton is best said by his Momma; mud puddles and ice cream.

2. Love each and every moment.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Show and Share

With three boys we are always looking for cool boy stuff to do. No pink here!

Okay so there are a ton of awesome ideas for this time of year for crafting and treats. I get a ton of ideas off of Pintreset. You can click the cute little button over to the right to follow me and the great ideas that are on there.

So there are a few that I wanted to share with you, they are both real simple and easy to do.

Santa's Beard Advent Calendar
This one my Momma sent me, I mentioned it yesterday in the Two for Twosday post. This is a very simple advent calendar that pretty much ages 2 on up could handle. There is glue involved so you do want adult help with that.

Need:
Crayons
Red or Green construction paper
Printed out Advent Santa face
Cotton balls
Glue (we've been using a glue stick and that seems to be working great)

1. Print and cut out the Santa advent calendar.  I can't find the exact one that we are using. Ours ends on the hat. If your kiddos aren't ready for numbers I added a link for the blank Santa beard.
Santa's beard advent with numbers
Santa's beard advent without numbers

2. Color that Santa!!!

3. Glue Santa onto your choice of construction paper.

4. Each day glue on a cotton ball on the number. Remember to start on 25 because we are counting down the days until Christmas, I messed that up last year. If you are doing it without numbers one cotton ball a day!

Paper Gingerbread House 

The ladies at 'We Love to Decorate for Children' put together some fun gingerbread houses that you can download! The boys see us decorating the house and they want to decorate too! We gave them some of these fun three-dimensional houses that they put together to decorate their room!

Gingerbread Houses


That my friends sums up the crafts that we have been playing with.

How do you count down the days until Christmas?!

Two for Twosday

Two for Twosday: two thoughts/ updates/ photos/ something that I don't want to forget or am flat out oober excited about.

1. I found myself in a... quiet moment. Rare these days. The thing I wanted to make sure I remember, not just for the holidays but for everyday. SLOW DOWN. Life has us going five different directions. I needed to slow down and enjoy today. Something I forget often. When I did slow down, I got so much more accomplished than trying to rush everything into the 30 minutes that I wanted to give it.

2. Nina (that's what our boys call my Mom) sent a Christmas package!!! The package had an advent calendar project, stay tuned tomorrow, and "The Polar Express". The boys and I watched "The Polar Express" last night. We absolutely had to have hot cocoa too. It felt so good to hang out with my little guys.

   After we watched the movie I gave my Momma a call to let her know the boys reactions. It really is hard to be far away from family during the holidays. My Momma being the wonderful person that she is brought up little traditions that we did as a family when I was growing up, pickle in the tree, herring fish, Christmas eve's present opening are just a few. A lot of them have been passed down for many generations. We started the elf on the shelf with the boys last year. That little guy sure can hide!

What are your traditions that you can't wait to do this season?!

Thankful 30

November's thirty days of what I am thankful for:

Day thirty I am thankful for modern day medicine. Our family has been some sicky bears. I am so thankful that I can go to the store and get medicine to make them feel a little more comfortable. Thank you acetaminophen and ibuprofen!