Book Club

Like I said, book club deserves its very own post. I wish I had a picture to add, but I would feel a bit odd if I asked to take a pic of everyone at our little get togethers. So, my friend Courtney started this and there are about 10-12 women in it and it is my FAVORITE thing right now. I mean, I totally didn't like reading when I was in school, probably b/c I always had better things to do and now I don't. Also b/c I am convinced of several quotes that I know from Dave Ramsey "10 years from now you will be the same exact person you are today except for the books you read and the people you meet". Dang isn't that true! Especially for Brian and I. He loves to read too and we need it to continue to prune ourselves, at least in a spiritual manner. Dave also says "leaders are readers" and I won't disagree with that. So... each month book club is at a different home and when it is at your home then you pick the book. So far we have read

1. "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. I would totally recommend it. It is historical fiction based in the 1960's in Mississippi. "The Help" refers to the African American maids in white womens' homes. I loved it!!!! They are also making it into a movie in April so you better hurry.

2. "Water for Elephants" by Sarah Gruen. Don't read it. Seriously, I mean, my friends loved it but I did not. They are also making it into a movie starring EDWARD CULLEN... I mean Robert Pattison and Reese Witherspoon. It will also be out in April, just see the movie. The book is extremely..... descriptive.

3. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larson. It is very dark and different. I enjoyed it but it is a slow read and certainly will not make you a better person. I have heard the sequel is even worse and I am not going to read it. They are making it into a movie also but DON'T GO SEE IT. Very brutal

4. This month it is my turn and I am going off recommendation from Kay Ammons and we are reading "Same kind of different as me". Can't say anything about it b/c I have not read it yet but I am sure I will like it and it might even make me a better person.

So, we have snacks and drinks of the hostess' choice and we talk about the book. I don't really know why it is so much fun. Perhaps b/c every other time I see these women most of us have our children with us which makes it almost impossible to have a uninterrupted conversation. It might just be something about other people reading the same book you read and yet can have such different opinions on the matter. I suppose it can be similar in Bible study- the Lord can speak to people in different ways, but people are much quieter in Bible study.

Anyways... since I put it in the letter as "one of my most favorite activities ever" then I figure I should try to defend it. I wish I had started this a long time ago, although I did my senior year for AP English, but we didn't read the books of course, so there was no discussion. LOL. Oh how times have changed. So, if you have some free time or if you can make some- start one of your own!

Dear Kendall

I am sorry I have taken so long to write again. Its just that if I don't have anything to say, well... I don't say anything. I will try to piece together this uneventful blog though, just so you can have some entertainment at "work".

Lets see.... there is snow on the ground. I missed it. I am not going to lie. It is sort of comforting you know. We experience winter up here, full blown and I am okay with that. Today is very nice. I even hung Christmas lights on our roof. My homemaking skills are amazing me, I am not going to lie. I never imagined I would do some of the things I have done! I am taking on man jobs so Brian doesn't have to. I think the temp is 35 and the sun came out, which is so rare here and brings me to my next point. I am not sure if you have heard or not but I lost my leopard Oakleys. It is probably the worst thing that has happened to me all year (which speaks to my quality of life). It is terrible, I mean, I am pretty sure I am in the 5 stages of grief. I have passed denial, but I can't even shop for new sunglasses yet. I can't possibly replace them with something as equally great. I have attached the last known photo of the glasses at Disneyland. I bought my first pair in 2001 and then bought an exact replica in 2006. So as you have all heard "only the rich can afford to live poorly" and my sunglasses are proof. $85x2 over 10 years is nothing. That equals out to $17 a year spent on sunglasses and who doesn't spend that????? Not to mention I had a very high quality product. Sadly, inflation really does exist and dang- prices have gone up!! Not to mention that they don't have the same style glasses that they made back then. UGGGGHHHHH. It's terrible I tell you terrible. It's as if part of me has died. My friend Jessica called them a member of the Young family, and the Barton family for that matter. Anyways, its terrible.

I have also posted a pic of our new Christmas tree that we bought last year on closeout. It is HUGE. I was shocked. Our old hand me down tree was about 3ft tall and very pathetic. We had to go buy more ornaments b/c the 10 we own couldn't fill it. I have also embraced decorating the house more this year. Baker loves Christmas decorations. We helped put up the tree at my parents house this year and now he is obsessed with Christmas ornaments. Its great.

Lets see...you should be receiving your Christmas card soon (except I need Tom and Sharon's address, thank you for the buck eyes). It again was an uneventful letter this year, but I think that is a good thing. I almost left it out b/c well... you will see if you read it that if you write about 3 people in the family well you can't leave yourself out. So I had Brian write about me b/c when I did it I made myself sound so lame. Seriously, and then what he wrote couldn't possibly be sent out in a letter so you will see. It may sound lame, but... it's who I am. I love book club (it actually deserves its own blog) and I love my friends and church and that is about all that can be said. It just doesn't sound so awesome on paper. We had a good laugh about it though. I am sure it will detract some of my friends from carrying out with motherhood.

Anyways, hope I provided you with a short escape from work and we will see you soon!