Book Log: The Light Between Oceans

The Light Between Oceans
By: M.L. Stedman
FOUR out of FIVE stars

my thoughts:
What would you do if...
Stedman does a beautiful job of making you ask yourself what would you do.

What happens when you are given the opportunity to heal a wound that will not heal itself. The decision that Isabel makes in this book changes no just her  but changes so many lives around her. Being married you want nothing but the best for your spouse. Would you give up everything that you have worked for to give them what they truly desire?

This book defiantly played with my Momma heart strings. It's one of those books you want to recommend to people to read BUT at the same time you are weary to recommend because it does play the Momma heart strings. I thought the book started out a little slow but not for long. Once you have started this book there is no way to put it down until you are done. You want to know what choices are made and how they play out. There are so many twists. The ending isn't something that I saw coming.


the run down:

After four harrowing years on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns to Australia and takes a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a day’s journey from the coast. To this isolated island, where the supply boat comes once a season and shore leaves are granted every other year at best, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel. Years later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a baby’s cries on the wind. A boat has washed up onshore carrying a dead man and a living baby. 

Tom, whose records as a lighthouse keeper are meticulous and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the man and infant immediately. But Isabel has taken the tiny baby to her breast. Against Tom’s judgment, they claim her as their own and name her Lucy. When she is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world. Their choice has devastated one of them. 

M. L. Stedman’s mesmerizing, beautifully written novel seduces us into accommodating Isabel’s decision to keep this “gift from God.” And we are swept into a story about extraordinarily compelling characters seeking to find their North Star in a world where there is no right answer, where justice for one person is another’s tragic loss. 

The Light Between Oceans is exquisite and unforgettable, a deeply moving novel.

Five Minute Friday: Broken

I'm joining in on Lisa-Jo Baker's Five Minute Friday. The rules are pretty simple. One word. Five minutes of writing. No editing.

Broken

Sometimes I stumble. I know, real surprise! I'm stepping out on a limb and going to guess that sometimes that happens to us all. For me it happens at random times, the littlest things will make me stumble and everything that I was carrying just comes crashing down. Sometimes it's just the accumulation of EVERYTHING that I am juggling, and that moment happens and everything falls. It sucks, there isn't a pretty way to say it. 

That clutter on the kitchen counter. Well... really clutter in general is my stumbling block. But for this example we will use the kitchen counter. We get home from the day and all it's excitement and all the sudden ALL the papers and beautiful art work is there splayed across the kitchen counter. Snap. I freeze. I get in a panic. All the clutter. My mind races. This is my personal stumbling block. It sometimes only lasts a second, a minute, I'm able to collect it all up and push through. Other times,  I start looking around and see ALL the clutter that is in our house. Panic. Anxious. 

That stumbling point where there is just raw, pure emotion... there are two things that happen. One, I am at that low where only a few people can talk to me and pick me up. One of them is my husband, sometimes though, sad to say, I snap at him... more often than not. The other person that is able to lift me up is my Father, no not my biological father, my Heavenly Father. He doesn't use physical contact, he uses his soft words. It's at that moment that I am thankful for my stumbles. At my panic point he is there. Softly showing me that it is JUST CLUTTER. That yes, this too shall pass. 

It's a simple example. Yes, there are most defiantly much larger things in life. That's just it, even for the simple things in life we have a husband, a wife, maybe a friend or a Mom or Dad, when we snap at them we always have our Heavenly Father to pick us up. 

So bring on the stumbling because the pick up is beautiful!
 

You know you're a Missourian when...

A while back I did a post about being an Oregonian. Now that our family is Missouri-fied I thought it only necessary to show the Foxworthy's comments on Missouri. It might have taken me a while but here you go! I did notice that there are some similarities between Oregon and Missouri. :)

So here you go, Missouri according to Jeff Foxworthy.

If someone in Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don't even work there, you may live in Missouri.

If you've worn shorts and a jacket at the same time, you may live in Missouri.

If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you may live in Missouri.

If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you may live in Missouri.

If you have switched from 'heat' to 'A/C' and back again in the same day, you may live in Missouri.

If you can drive 75 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you may live in Missouri.

If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you may live in Missouri.

If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both doors unlocked, you may live in Missouri.

If you carry jumpers in your car and your wife knows how to use them, you may live in Missouri.

If everyone in your family has been on a "float trip", you may live in Missouri.

If the phrase "I'm going to the Lake this weekend" has only one meaning, and everyone knows what you're talking about, you may live in Missouri.

If "Down South" means Arkansas and you know where Idiots Out Wandering Around are located, you may live in Missouri.

If "vacation" means driving to Silver Dollar City, Worlds of Fun or Six Flags, you may live in Missouri.

If you ever rode a school bus over an hour each way, you may live in Missouri.

If you failed World geography in school because you thought Cuba, Versailles, California, Nevada, Houston, Cabool, Louisiana, Springfield, and Mexico were cities in Missouri (And they are mind you!), you may live in Missouri.

If you had school classes canceled because of cold, you're probably from Missouri.

If you had school classes canceled because of heat, you're probably from Missouri.

If you can recognize whether another Missourian is from the Boot Heel, Ozarks, Eastern, Middle or Western Missouri soon as they open their mouth, you're probably from Missouri.

If you know that Harry S. Truman, Walk Disney, George Washington Carver and Mark Twain are all from Missouri, well... you guessed it.

If you know what "Home of the Throwed Roll" means! You're probably from Missouri.

If you know what's supposed to be "knee-high by the Fourth of July." You're probably from Missouri.

If you pronounce Missouri with an "ah" at the end. You're probably from Missouri.

If you think "deer season" is a national holiday. You're probably from Missouri.

If you've ever said (or heard) "It's not the heat, it's the humidity." You're probably from Missouri.

If you've seen people wear bib overalls to funerals. You're probably from Missouri.

If your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a tractor. You're probably from Missouri.

If you've seen farmers stop work and remove their hat as a funeral passes by. You're probably from Missouri.

If you actually understand these jokes, you defiantly do live or have lived in Missouri.

Show and Share: Potato Shamrock Stamp

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

So I have seen this a few times and just never tried it, potato stamps! With our potato stamp we are making Shamrocks! 

What you need:
Potato
Knife
Paint
Plate
Paper

What to do:
*ADULT needs to do the cutting in this project, steps one and two.*

1. Cut potato in half. You will be able to make two stamps :)

2. Whittle out a heart. Remember when you do this you are going to want the heart to be raised out, so you want to cut around the heart. If it makes it a little easier trace the heart in the potato and then cut around it.

3. On a plate put a little bit o' paint.

4. Dip the stamp into paint. *Remember a little paint goes a long way :)

5. Stamp one heart on your paper.

6. Repeat two more times, turning the stamp slightly to make your Shamrock!

7. With your finger (don't worry it's only a little finger painting) dip it into the paint and swipe a steam for your shamrock.

There are SO many options with the potato stamp. It is nearly Easter, EEEEEK, so if you wanted you could cut out a oval and make it an egg stamp and decorate the stamp! Craft on my friends!

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. Snow. It's spring and we have six inches of snow on the ground. Yuck!

2. My Grama told me a story once about the Irish penny. It's a simple one. Anytime you find a penny hiding in a special spot that only you can find, someone up above is thinking about you and wants you to know. March 17, I found my Irish penny.

Book Log: The Story of St. Patrick's Day

The Story of Saint Patrick's Day
By: Patricia Pingry
Smile face out of Five stars

my thoughts:
Okay, let me explain before you freak out! I wanted a simple book to read to the kiddos about why we have St. Patrick's day. Not the wear green or you get a pinch. This is a great simple book that the boys and I read together. Keep in mind they are 7 years and younger. I bought it on my Nook that my wonderful husband bought :) so it gave us the option for us to read and record it. The boys had oober fun with that too. My favorite part of this book was how it explained why the clover is such a big symbol. You don't know why... get the book!!!
ALSO this author does a few other simple reads to explain Christmas and Easter. I'm not sure if there are others but I fully intend on looking into the others.
SPOILER. It does tell the kids that leprechauns are a myth. So if you aren't ready to tell the kids that then the book might not be for you.


the run down:
The story begins with the traditional symbols of the day, such as shamrocks, harps, and leprechauns. The narrative moves to a short biography of Saint Patrick as a shepherd, as a missionary, and as a teacher. Here, Patrick rids Ireland of snakes, teaches about the Trinity with shamrocks, and builds churches throughout the country of Ireland. The Story of Saint Patrick's Day ties together the life of Patrick with the traditional images of Ireland: the harps, the Irish dances, the color green, and, of course, the leprechauns.

(this moment}

{this moment} -  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.

*Photo provided by Sir Louis

Five Minute Friday: Remember

I'm joining in on Lisa-Jo Baker's Five Minute Friday. The rules are pretty simple. One word. Five minutes of writing. No editing.

Remember

We were having dinner with the family for my birthday, it was the next day. The only downer was that you weren't felling good. So we called it a night. That next morning everything was as it should be, I had to work and the boys all had their places to be too. You still didn't feel good so you had stayed home. You had never taken a day off work like that. I was so worried. Two days in a row that you didn't feel well. At work the only thing I could think of was when I could get home and take care of you. I was able to leave work a little early and called to see if there was anything that you needed. You asked for Sprite. You never drink pop and that made me worry even more. I was tempted to not stop and just get home to see if maybe you needed medicine but I stopped. 

When I pulled into the parking spot there was our dear friends car. The only thing I could think was something had gone wrong. You had gotten sicker. I rushed in, in a panic. 

There in our doorway was Andrew in a suite. 
"Good evening madam. Please head upstairs where you will find your outfit for tonight's dinning."
Was this a joke? What the heck?! Thirty questions came to mind. Where's Josh? What's going on? Why are you in a suite? What are you talking about? 
Again Andrew "If you'll just go upstairs and change into the attire that has been layed out for you".
Well then... fine. Maybe he was joking. Maybe Josh was upstairs? So upstairs I went.
There laid out was a dress and shoes. I put it on still not understanding. Thinking everything through maybe we were doing something for my birthday?

When I came downstairs there were rose petals on the stairs leading into the kitchen. The lights had been turned off and there were candles lit everywhere. Just like in a fairytale.
I heard Andrew talking to me "Madam, this way please".

Just around the corner and... there you were. In a suite. On your knee. With a little box and the most beautiful ring I have ever seen. I'm sure there was a question that you were going to ask but all I could do was cry. 

You had stayed home and set up the most fairytale, unreal, really happening, pinch me please moment, the most beautiful night. 

The thing I remember most about that night was you. You who had let everyone in on the secret. You who had planned this out. You who had gotten a sitter to watch the boys. You who made that moment a memory that I LOVE REMEMBERING.

Show and Share: Shadow shamrock

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

Shadow shamrock

The few days of sun that we had I wanted to use. So with that in mind we took our crafts outside.

You'll need:
Shamrock cut out
Construction paper
Crayons
Sidewalk chalk
Painters tape

1. Draw or print out a full page shamrock.
2. Cut it out
3. Tape a piece of construction paper down on sidewalk/porch with painters tape.
*Make sure you test where you tape your paper down. Your going to want to be able to catch a shadow on your paper.
4. Let one person (adult) cast a shadow down on the piece of paper that you taped down.
5. Color in or decorate your shamrock.

Try catching the shamrock shadow on the ground with sidewalk chalk too!

The boys had a good time with this.
The tricky part is getting the sun to cooperate.

Here's a question for you... what is the difference between a shamrock and a clover?

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 car wash, it never gets old. The boys still have the most amazing reaction when we go. I know at some point this will stop and they will ask not to go with me. For now I relish in it though. They love seeing all the twisty octopus sponge thingies scrubbing the car, the multi-colored soap. I love to watch them enjoy this.

2. St. Patty's Day!

Leprechaun milk

 

Our birthday doggie! Cooper's 6!

NUM!

Our green wearing Irish boys :)

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Sunday 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.

Book Log: The Cider House Rules

The Cider House Rules
By: John Irving
FIVE out of FIVE stars

my thoughts:
SUCH A GREAT READ! I'm not even really sure how to elaborate. It did take a few chapters to really get me into the swing of the book. Set in the  19___s Irving brings forward the abortion controversy. The book isn't just about abortion though. There is the life story of Homer Wells. A love that has so many twists and turns. Definitely a must read!

the run down:
Raised from birth in the orphanage at St. Cloud's, Maine, Homer Wells has become the protege of Dr. Wilbur Larch, its physician and director. There Dr. Larch cares for the troubled mothers who seek his help, either by delivering and taking in their unwanted babies or by performing illegal abortions. Meticulously trained by Dr. Larch, Homer assists in the former, but draws the line at the latter. Then a young man brings his beautiful fiancee to Dr. Larch for an abortion, and everything about the couple beckons Homer to the wide world outside the orphanage

Five Minute Friday: Rest

I'm joining in on Lisa-Jo Baker's Five Minute Friday. The rules are pretty simple. One word. Five minutes of writing. No editing.

Rest

That moment when everything is put away. When the children are all asleep and there is nothing to do but rest. I do not get to have that feeling often.  It seems like there is always something that keeps me from just resting. The thing is though... those 'things' that keep me from doing those things that I think I want to do... they turn out to be the most amazing blessings. Impromptu dance offs in the kitchen, they wouldn't happen if I had my way all the time. That's the beauty of it too. When I do get what I want that glorious rest time it's better than what it would have been because... the dance off got to be so much fun :)

That's life though. Sometimes we don't always need to be in control of everything we need to let impromptu dance offs happen. If difficult that's for sure, who doesn't want to have it all under-control?! When you let things happen, when you let it go the blessings and rest that you get from the day are so much more rewarding than we could have imagined.

So here is to impromptu dancing!

Show and Share

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

Sometimes you just need a piece of paper and some crayons.

Rian made this at daycare it's pet week!

Samual's doodles of dinosaurs.

Louis' story about Finn McMissile.

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.

This week I have one topic but lots to say :)

Our boys all have snuggle buddies. You know that one stuffed animal that they must sleep with. They have stuffed animals that come and go... but there is always that one cuddle pet.

Samual has a blue dinosaur respectively his name is Dino. When Sam was a baby we always said that he sounded just like a dinosaur when he cried. Well... what we assume a terridactal sounded like. At one point when we were moving across country Dino was left at a hotel. We were hundreds of miles away. Thankfully we called the hotel and they shipped us Dino. The nights without him though were terrible.

Louis has a green dinosaur also known as Dino. When Louis was a baby he loved his crib. He would wake up to be fed and then wanted to go back to sleep in his bed. He loved, loves to cuddle. Louis has always like to make sure that Dino is swaddled up in a blanket.

Rian has a white and black dairy cow her name is Baby. When Rian was a baby he liked to be rocked. When I would rock Rian we had to have Baby with us too. Baby when we first got her was a little bigger than Rian though. So it was always difficult to get just the right cuddle to holding ratio with Rian and Baby.

Ten on Ten: March

February's ten on ten
One photo, ten hours, on the tenth. Find out more at a bit of sunshine!!! Then join in on the ten on ten photo project.

My plant that is still living!

Coffee cup from my Momma, yes there is a chip in it... but it makes it that much better.

Back splash

Louis is in a mix match sock phase.

Cars. Always cars.

Party camp out in the hallway.

Family

Books

Breakfast for dinner

Snuggle time with the hubby.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Sunday 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.

Five Minute Friday: Home

I'm joining in on Lisa-Jo Baker's Five Minute Friday. The rules are pretty simple. One word. Five minutes of writing. No editing.

Home

Mountains. Snowboarding. Snow. Fresh powder. The Hood. The shack on the way to the mountain. Summer sky. Ocean. Beach. Waves. Sand. Sandcastles. Bonfires. S'mores. Surfing. Swimsuits. Leaf piles. Four wheeling. Forests. Rivers. River floating. Trout. Salmon. Fish hatchery. Camping. 

The list goes on and on. I'm an Oregonian at heart. BUT a traveler by trade. I've lived in many houses in Oregon, Hawaii, North Carolina, Missouri. All have special memories. Each place making it's own little clan of a family when your "real" family is oceans or miles away. 

The thing is they really are just places that we rested at for a time. Each place is filled to the brim with memories of those that were there to make that place a home.

For now we rest where we are. Our home with trees to climb. Our home with a yard to play in. Our home that we laugh in. Our home is where my family is. Where at any point there might be a wrestling match, a fire in the fireplace where we can roast marshmallows, a movie with popcorn. It's our place where we can take a deep breath and collect ourselves when life really does give you lemons. It's where we laugh and cry together.  

It's that spot where we come together and are family. 

Show and Share: Race Car

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

That's right first of the month is Home Depot kids workshop!!! This workshop we made RACE CARS!!! Can I just tell you now how excited I was for the boys to make these! Race cars are kind of a big deal at our house :)

So with the car packet, directions, decals, hammer and glue... we begin!

Of course the first thing you must do is rip open
 the package and dump all the pieces out!

Louis and Uncle Wayne hammering away!

Samual is getting so good at this!

You must test said car out to make sure
all is working properly.

Decals are cool!!!

Rian getting his certificate of completion! 

We had a wicked time putting the Tony Stewart #20 car together!!

Fun fact, I knew that this was Tony Stewart's number but when I Googled it...  Tony Stewart- Wikipedia... I had no idea he owned the Bass Pro/ Mobil 1 car! Oh NASCAR how I miss your gossip!

PS I know the pictures aren't the best... it's cause we were too busy making memories ;)

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. Our very dear friend Tera graduated from college this past week! We are so stinking proud of her and all her had work that she has put into this accomplishment. She is a Momma, a wife, working a full time job and PREGO! She has a lot on her plate, she tuck with it though! WAY TO GO GIRL!!!

2. We also got to celebrate Dennis' birthday at the bowling alley! Whoop Whoop! We had a blast! Just for the record the boys and I all beat Uncle Wayne. It's the little things in life.

{this moment}

{this moment} -  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.

Five Minute Friday: Ordinary

I'm joining in on Lisa-Jo Baker's Five Minute Friday. The rules are pretty simple. One word. Five minutes of writing. No editing.

Ordinary

WesAnna. That's my first name. It's ordinary to me. I've heard it for 27, shh, years. People tell me how un-ordinary it is. They ask how I got it, simple, my Dad and my Momma. No, no they say how did they make that name. No really, my Dad and my Momma. No, they want the story. The un-ordinary name needs to have an un-ordinary story. That's just it though it's an ordinary story for an ordinary name. To me. 

I tell you about my name because it has shown me in a very small way a VERY basic way of what can be ordinary and common to one person is so very un-common to another.

For so many there is so much going on in their life. We look at their life and gasp. We look from the outside. We look at their obstacles with our life goggles on. We don't know how they can endure so much. For that person though it's just an ordinary day. For that person has been blessed. God has given them much because he knows they can be trusted with much. Why? It's a beautiful thing, God NEVER gives us more than we can handle.

My name is ordinary.

My Dad's name is Wes. My Momma's name is Alanna. I am WesAnna.