Book Review - Eve's Daughters by Lynn Austin

This book is about four generations of women from one family. It covers customs of the times and how those customs change, but also how the things that make us happy, content and close in our relationships don't change. I had a seriously hard time staying motivated to finish this book, but I don't think it had anything to do with the book. I've just been so busy that I haven't had time to sit (or lay in my bed as I prefer) and read. When I did lay down to read my poor tired eyes would slam shut. So despite my lack of time to really get into this book, I enjoyed it. It was a bit repetitive and extremely predictable, but I enjoyed the Christian theme and the discussion of relationship to God that went on through out the book. I would recommend this book.

Check it out!

My friend Sarah put this on her blog. I loved it. Check it out.
http://www.youtube.com/greeting_view?s=WfjtOe7tUCI&p=2862B4D46C3F8E75

It's Out

The Christmas Stuff is Out. I have to admit I was not looking forward to it this year, which isn't really like me. I have always thought I was a real tree kind of person, but this year I didn't want it. I hate going out to get it(It's been like four years since I went). I hate trying to get it in the stand. I hate vacuuming the needles into February - because we all know they still lurk around for months. I hate watering the dang thing. And besides the tree there are all the little Nick knacks that come out with the ornaments. Like I said, normally I can't wait and I anticipate the fun and decoration. But this year we have been so busy and the house has been kind of cluttered; therefore, I haven't been wanting extra stuff sitting around.

Today, I made Matt pick the tree up on his way home from work. Then, Sam and I commenced to decorate the tree/house while Matt read The Forgotten Carols to us. It was fun. It looks great. I don't know what my problem was. But ask me how I feel about it in a week when all the usual clutter is back.

On a different subject BOOK CLUB IS THIS WEEKEND! I can't wait. Have I ever mentioned how much I love my book club? This month we are discussing the book The Christmas Jars by Jason Wright. I read this book two Christmas' ago and I enjoyed it. It's a quick read and that is why it was a good pick for this busy month. Well, that, and it's a good book.

Book Club is at my house this time, so I guess it's a good thing we put out the Christmas gear.

Sam's Love Life

The other day Sam told me he is in love with someone at school. I asked him, "What does that mean, how do you know you are in love with her?" He said, "Well I told her that I love her." Shocked and amazed that my little 6 year old thinks about this and would feel like he needs to tell her I said, "What did she say?" He told me in a whisper voice that she said, "Don't tell anyone else!" Haha, she is a smart girl..... Keeping her options open I guess. I went on to tell Sam that this is not the time for him to fall in love and that he doesn't need to think about it until after his mission. He didn't seem convinced.

I don't remember worrying about that kind of stuff so young. I don't think it was until 4th grade that people in my grade started telling each other they liked each other and "going around". But I don't remember any talk of love.
Can anyone help me understand this? Fill me in, what do I do with this child?

"Go clean your room"= Instant Hysteria

Yesterday, Sam asked if he could invite a friend over. I said, " Don't you think you and your friend would be embarrassed to play in such a messy room? Why don't you clean your room today and invite someone over to play tomorrow." So he started the job, and it was a big job, and then after 15 minutes he asked for a break that lasted until bed time and then it was really urgent that he get back to his cleaning job. That was a NO GO.
Fast forward to today. I told him right after school that he had to do his homework and then finish cleaning his room. He begged me to help him. I told him no, I didn't help make the mess so I wasn't going to help clean it up. Then we worked on his homework. When that was done he said he wanted to watch TV. I told him he needed to clean his room first. "Will you help me?" "No."
He stalled for about ten minutes. And then I said if you don't clean your room you can't go play at the rec center. Instant Hysterics commenced. And again he said," will you help me". I said,
"Yes, I will help you learn that cleaning up a big mess is hard work, and so you shouldn't make big messes. I will help you learn this by letting you clean up the mess by yourself."
How a perfectly pleasant and happy child becomes such a wreck in a split second is beyond me. He went up and got to work and about ten minutes later he asked if I would tell him what to do. So I told him to pick up all the dirty clothes and put them in the hamper. A few minutes later he came back and said, "Done... now what." "OK, pick up all the transformers", etc.
I can't help but think that I deserve this. As a young child I shared a room with two sisters. Our room was atrociously filthy. The room was knee deep with junk. We didn't have a light switch and so our lamp was turned on and off with a pull chain. Our room was such a mess that my dad attached a 7 foot chain to the lamp, which hung around the middle of the room, so that he wouldn't have to walk in to turn off the light for us. He attached the end of the chain to the wall by the doorway. Needless to say we didn't get tucked in because it was such a mess.
One day during the summer my mom had had enough. She told us we couldn't go swimming until we cleaned up our room. So we went up and looked at the mess and tried to figure out a way that we could go swimming THAT day, if we had honestly tried to clean it up, it would have taken several days. We lived in an apartment attached to a motel that my parents managed. In our room there was no closet, instead there was one of those nifty shelf/hanger bars with the hangers permanently attached - like you'd find in a motel. So we decided to stack all the stuff up between the floor and that rack. Turns out it went all the way up to the ceiling. This pile of junk had a 5'x7' girth and the ceiling was probably 8 feet high. Then, because it would be way to obvious that we didn't really clean when she saw the pile we wedged a sheet between the pile and the ceiling to hide it. Like that's not obvious. Then we called my mom up for inspection..... AND SHE FELL FOR IT! I couldn't believe our luck. She looked right at the sheet and said, "OK, you can go swimming now." Wow! We were the smartest kids in America. And she must have been the most worn down mother in America.

Answers to the Goonies Quiz

Congratulations to Becky who got them all but one. Thanks for not letting me down!

1. What does the jail warden say at the very beginning of the movie?

"Lunch time. The longer you animals bark, the colder your lunch gets."

2. Name all of the Goonies.

Mikey, Brand, Mouth, Chunk, Data. Steph and Andy are more like honorary members.

3. What is the name of the "bad guys"?

The Fratellis

4. How did Brand earn money for his bike?

376 lawn mower jobs.

5. Why does Brand still need a bike?

Because he flunked his drivers test. But I will also accept that Mouth popped his tires. I guess that question wasn't that clear.

6. What does Chunk say the bullet holes found in a ORV are as big as.?

Matza Balls

7. Fill in the blank: "Slick Shoes ?! Are you crazy?!"

8. Where does Goonies take place?

Astoria, OR

9. What is the name of the cleaning lady who is there to help the Walsh family pack?

Rosalita

10. What is the name of Chunk's dance?

The Truffel Shuffel

11. What is the name of the Pirate?

One Eyed Willey

12. Where do they get the money to save the Goondocks? I'm looking for a specific place.

From the jewels hidden in Mikey's marble bag.

13. What is in Chunks attic?

Old Chanukka decorations

14. What is the name of the Pirate's Ship?

The Inferno

15. What is the name of the reclusive scavenger?

Chester Copperpot

16. What does Mouth say to let his friends know someone is there?

Jerk Alert!

17. Where does Brand say his mommy is?

"Down at the market buying pampers for all us kids."

18. What does Steph say about being in the basement?

" I feel like I'm babysitting, except I'm not getting paid."

Quiz on my all time favorite movie: Goonies.

1. What does the jail warden say at the very beginning of the movie?
2. Name all of the Goonies.
3. What is the name of the "bad guys"?
4. How did Brand earn money for his bike?
5. Why does Brand still need a bike?
6. What does Chunk say the bullet holes found in a ORV are as big as.?
7. Fill in the blank: "___________ _________?! Are you crazy?!"
8. Where does Goonies take place?
9. What is the name of the cleaning lady who is there to help the Walsh family pack?
10. What is the name of Chunk's dance?
11. What is the name of the Pirate?
12. Where do they get the money to save the Goondocks? I'm looking for a specific place.
13. What is in Chunks attic?
14. What is the name of the Pirate's Ship?
15. What is the name of the reclusive scavenger?
16. What does Mouth say to let his friends know someone is there?
17. Where does Brand say his mommy is?
18. What does Steph say about being in the basement?

Answer in the comments section....if you can.