EW's book list

At the family reunion yesterday, I read Entertainment Weekly's list of the top 100 classic books of the past 25 years. A few people asked me to post it, so here goes:

1. The Road - Cormac McCarthy, 2006
2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling, 2000
3. Beloved - Toni Morrison, 1987
4. The Liars' Club - Mary Karr, 1995
5. American Pastoral - Philip Roth, 1997
6. Mystic River - Dennis Lehane, 2001
7. Maus - Art Spiegelman, 1986/1991
8. Selected Stories - Alice Munro, 1996
9. Cold Mountain - Charles Frazier, 1997
10. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle - Haruki Murakami, 1997
11. Into Thin Air - Jon Krakauer, 1997
12. Blindness - Jose Saramago, 1998
13. Watchmen - Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, 1986/1987
14. Black Water - Joyce Carol Oates, 1992
15. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius - Dave Eggers, 2000
16. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood, 1986
17. Love in the Time of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez, 1988
18. Rabbit at Rest - John Updike, 1990
19. On Beauty - Zadie Smith, 2005
20. Bridget Jones's Diary - Helen Fielding, 1998
21. On Writing - Stephen King, 2000
22. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao - Junot Diaz, 2007
23. The Ghost Road - Pat Barker, 1996
24. Lonesome Dove - Larry McMurtry, 1985
25. The Joy Luck Club - Amy Tan, 1989
26. Neuromancer - William Gibson, 1984
27. Possession - A.S. Byatt, 1990
28. Naked - David Sedaris, 1997
29. Bel Canto - Anne Patchett, 2001
30. Case Histories - Kate Atkinson, 2004
31. The Things They Carried - Tim O'Brien, 1990
32. Parting the Waters - Taylor Branch, 1988
33. The Year of Magical Thinking - Joan Didion, 2005
34. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold, 2002
35. The Line of Beauty - Alan Hollinghurst, 2004
36. Angela's Ashes - Frank McCourt, 1996
37. Persepolis - Marjane Satrapi, 2003
38. Birds of America - Lorrie Moore, 1998
39. Interpreter of Maladies - Jhumpa Lahiri, 2000
40. His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman, 1995-2000
41. The House on Mango Street - Sandra Cisneros, 1984
42. LaBrava - Elmore Leonard, 1983
43. Borrowed Time - Paul Monette, 1988
44. Praying for Sheetrock - Melissa Fay Greene, 1991
45. Eva Luna - Isabel Allende, 1988
46. Sandman - Neil Gaiman, 1988-1996
47. World's Fair - E.L. Doctorow, 1985
48. The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver, 1998
49. Clockers - Richard Price, 1992
50. The Corrections - Jonathan Frazen, 2001

For numbers 51-100, please click on the link to Entertainment Weekly above. (Sorry, my fingers are getting tired.)

In over my head

On Monday night I got a phone call from a member of the Relief Society of my ward. She asked me to substitute for the teacher on Sunday. My lesson was based on three talks: Concern for the One by Elder Wirthlin, Opening Our Hearts by Bro. Lund, and And Who Is My Neighbor? by Bishop Burton. I, of course, didn't get through all of the talks. I especially liked Brother Lund's talk and his analogy of the fences. Right before I taught, a counselor of the bishopric pulled me aside and asked me to teach on a permanent basis. To say I feel overwhelmed and inadequate is an understatment. I can't say I'm particularly spiritual and I have been known to say more than one inappropriate thing in church. I can only hope that my unique persepective on life can assist in my teaching instead in hindering it. I have never had a teaching position so I would welcome any suggestions.

Little Women

Last night I took advantage of part of my Christmas present by going to see Little Women: the broadway musical at The Hale Center Theater in Orem. It was pretty good. I am familiar with the music since I have owned the soundtrack to this musical for over a year. I have read Little Women the book several times as well as seen several movie versions. Needless to say, I was pretty excited to see the play. I took a friend of mine, Angie. I was really impressed with the lead, Hailey Smith. Her voice was strong, clear, and she had excellent range. I also was very impressed the actor and actress who played Meg and Mr. Brooke (Courtney and Jeff Pew.) After reading the biographies, I realized their chemistry may be in part because they are married. They both had good voices and excellent acting skills. The actress who played Beth was a wonderful actress but didn't have a strong voice. The two male leads did admirably considering this was their first musical. Overall, I would recommend the play to anyone.

Perhaps a new car...

I had another car appointment today because my air conditioning stopped working. Since January I have spent about $500 on repairs for the car. Since the car I drive is a 1993, I think it's about time for me to buy a new car. Based on safety records, fuel efficiency, and reliability, I have narrowed the field. I am thinking of buying a Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, or a Toyota Corolla. I am planning to buy a 2005, 2006, or 2007 model. Does anyone have an opinion?

I've been tagged

I read my sister's blog today and realized that I'd been tagged. (See Jen's blog for more details.) Here goes:

3 Joys:
1. My nieces and nephews - never has a family been so blessed by such lovely, smart children.
2. A clean bathroom - it is so nice to shower in a clean shower with no hair in it, step on a clean floor, and look into a clean mirror above a clean counter. If I had time, I would have my bathroom cleaned every couple of days.
3. A good book - there is nothing like escaping into a different world or becoming a different person. It is also a great way to learn about other people, places, and ideas.

3 fears:
1. That another niece or nephew will die before me. While I know it isn't likely, it nearly killed me when Caleb died. I don't know that my heart could take another blow like that.
2. Snakes - it isn't natural for an animals to have no appendages. Even fish have fins; no wonder snakes are considered a cursed animal in most myths and stories.
3. Losing hope for the future.

3 goals:
1. Finishing school - yes, I know it need to make the time to finish. Really, I don't need to be reminded.
2. Consistently work less than 50 hours each week. I am working on this one with my manager.
3. Finish embroidering another skirt.

3 obsessions/collections:
1. Books - Even with three bookcases and books lining the back of my desk, I am still making piles of books on the floor of my bedroom. I've decided I just need to make floor to ceiling bookshelves in whatever place I live.
2. Doing a good job at work - even at home I think about ways to improve my performance at work. I have been this way at every job I've ever had. There are days I curse the work ethic instilled in me.
3. Reading the blogs of my siblings and other family members and reading my e-mail. Since I live the farthest from my parents, I love the fact that I can catch up on their lives and see the latest pictures of my nieces and nephews.

3 random or surprising facts:
1. I think fireworks are very romantic. I was reminded of this fact just tonight when I watched the fireworks at Summerfest. I really wished I had been in the arms of some cute guy.
2. I dislike change at home but actually don't mind it at work. I am not sure why there is this distinction in my brain.
3. I wish there was an empty room in a house where I could just paint strange murals on the walls.

I tag Sarah and Britnie.

Saturday with The Host

Ladies and Gentlemen, you are not being deceived. The time this blog entry was posted is correct. It is now past 3am on Sunday morning and I have still not gone to bed. "How can this be?" an astonished reader might ask. Well, it all started this morning when I went to my neighbor's house for brunch. My visiting teachers decided to invite their girls to brunch so that both bodies and souls could be fed. Luckily, the place where it was held was in a townhouse in the same row as the one I live in. I walked a few doors down and shared a wonderful meal with Angie, Missy, and Rebecca (I think that is her name; it is late after all.) I offered to take out their trash. When I went out their back door, I found a plot of dirt. Instead of the cement and rocks that are in my backyard, I found that it had cement and dirt. My mind raced with excitement. It had weeds that were almost as high as my waist and was app. 5ft x 12 ft. I went back in and almost begged to be able to weed and plant it. The weather was perfect and it had rained the night before, making the earth soft. Even though I was looked at as odd, they gave their permission. After talking for a while, I went home and changed into appropriate gardening clothes. I went and pulled all the weeds out. It took me about 2 hours. After a discussion with Angie about what she would like there, I ran to the greenhouse. I bought a tomato plant, acorn squash, and flowers. I went back, planted them all (using the techniques instilled in me by my parents) and was done by 4:45pm. It was exhilarating and exhausting. I came home and took a shower. I know that I'll be sore all day Sunday.
Earlier that day, Sarah had asked me if I wanted to read The Host by Stephanie Meyers and I said that I did. I enjoyed Twilight so I was willing to give it a chance, even though I have heard a few mixed reviews. (Some lovers of Twilight don't like it as well since it has a science fiction feel instead of her usual fantasy. The idea of aliens threw them off.) Well...get ready for a shock...I liked it better than Twilight. Before all of you start throwing stones at me or shunning me at parties, I would like a chance to explain. Unlike some fantasy readers, I enjoy the science fiction genre as well. I have always liked authors like Orson Scott Card, Sharon Shinn, and others. I liked the more mature characters and the serious inner conflict of Wanda/Wanderer/Melanie. It showed a depth and a moral struggle that I found to be engaging. Anyway, there it is. If you are interested in science fiction at all, I would highly suggest reading The Host. I started after I got out of the shower at 6:30 and couldn't put it down. I read all 624 pages in one sitting with only two bathroom breaks. I am now hungry, wide awake, and wish there were more to read. Oh well, such is life. Is it strange that I get this excited about books?

Lagoon

I must admit that I don't love huge crowds and I get motion-sickness fairly easily, but I had fun at Lagoon on Saturday. The biggest reason was the addition of my nieces and nephews. John and Jen brought Lauren, Alison brought Isaac and Aaron (Jordan had to work,) and Jeremy brought Sid and Wyatt (and Britnie joined us later.) Now that the "triplets" are able to walk and rides the rides, it was so much fun. Sidney was fun as usual as she got to go on some "big kid" rides with her parents and one with me. The first ride that Isaac and Lauren went on together was the boats. They both seemed a little shocked at the motion but were ok. Lauren hated the planes but was ok with the boats, cars, and merry-go-round. Wyatt didn't really like his first ride, the whales, but seemed to love the boats, planes, spaceships, and merry-go-round. Isaac went on everything and didn't want to leave. I believe the quote was as follows: "Isaac, lets go find Mommy and go home." Isaac: "No...plane, train, car." It was fun to see them run around on the grass and through Pioneer Village. Aaron was a little trooper. Despite the long day in the stroller, he was full of smiles for everyone. All in all, the little kids lasted much longer than I would have though. Isaac fell asleep on the 7 minute ride to Nana and Poppy's house.

I think Mom, Dad, and I had the most fun watching the little kids run around. Everyone enjoyed the train, which was ridden more than once, and even managed to eat a little at lunchtime. I am sure that Dad and Jeremy got some great pictures. (How can we convince them, especially Dad, to load them all on the flickr sight?) We didn't get home until after 9pm and I stayed and regaled my parents with stories from work until past 11pm. I got home around 12:30am and slept very well.

Anger at Iron Man

On Monday (Memorial Day) I decided to go see a movie. I had been at work for a little while and couldn't look at my computer a minute more. I had heard a lot of good things about Iron Man so I decided to see it. Fifteen minutes before the movie started, I left for the theater. I don't know what I was thinking when I went to a popular move on a holiday. I sat in the front row before the aisle and real front rows. I sat a seat away from a man and woman. Right before the movie started, a boy who looked to be 10 years in age came over. He was their son and he was holding a baby who looked to be around 1. He complained that he shouldn't have to hold the baby but his parents told him to go sit down in the front row. Over the next hour, the boy came back 7 times to complain and ask if he could have popcorn. After the first hour of the movie, the Dad left three times and the Mom left four times. After that the boy and his dad had a whispered argument about popcorn. About twenty minutes before the movie ended, the 1 year-old started crying. The parents sat there for a couple of minutes before one of them got up. I should have said something but I held my tongue. Each time one of the members of this family got up, they passed in front of me. By the end of the film, I was a little confused at who several of the characters were. I am going to see it again some other time and hope for normal people to sit by. Why someone would bring a 1 year-old to a loud, violent movie is beyond me. Are babysitters really so expensive these days that they couldn't afford one for 2 hours? Needless to say, I was a little annoyed.

Free Association Meme

Once upon a time I read a lot of Memes, which are helpful tools for bloggers as it gives them ideas on things to write about. I ran across an old Meme that I did while searching through my blog posts for the list of what I planted last year. I went to a Meme sight and this was the one they had for today:

"I say...and you think...?" For the following words, write the first word or phrase that comes to mind:
1. Red: favorite color
2. Book: read
3. Seven: members of my family
4. Gross: moldy Chinese food
5. Song: singing
6. Pen: black or blue
7. Apple: doctor
8. Sneakers: boys
9. Classic: books
10. Penguin: black and white

Gardening and Prince Caspian

On Saturday, after sleeping in and having some fun moving furniture around with Sarah, I decided to do some gardening. I planted Dahlias, Marigolds, Portulaca, Gazania, and Mimulus. Mimulus is a new ones for me but I have high hopes. Once again, I have to thank my parents, especially my mother, for teaching me how to garden. Just like last year, I also planted the front area of my neighbor's townhouse. I always seem to overbuy when it comes to flowers. I planted some in the pots in the backyard and planted my front garden, then knocked on the neighbor's door to ask for the use of her dirt. She gave her permission, then thanked me since she had been sick and wasn't sure if she would get flowers planted this spring. I plan to water and weed them so hopefully it will help her feel better all summer long. After I finished planting, Sarah and I went to eat at Cafe Rio. She went out with some friends and I decided to go see Iron Man but it was sold out. (I think that all the people who couldn't get in to see Indiana Jones went to Iron Man.) So I went to see The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. The story was pretty good although there were a few plot holes. It has more violence than the first movie, which is always good for me. I also could have used a little more back story on Prince Caspian, but such is life. (Wow, when did I get so critical of movies?) I would give it 3 stars out of 4.

Church was lovely today. There was a beautiful music number in Sacrament meeting by Tiffany and Rodney, a good lesson on the Book of Mormon in Sunday School, and a lesson about faith by Annie in Relief Society. My Visiting Teacher, Missy, came at 3:00 and my Home Teachers, Mike and Dave, came at 4:15pm. Overall, it has been a lovely day.

Grandpa's funeral

After the death of Grandpa, the funeral plans began. My aunts and uncle helped Grandma make the plans. As it turns out, all of Grandpa's children, grandchildren, and most of his great-grandchildren made it to Idaho for the funeral. Since most of the hotels were booked because of graduation, we had to scramble for places to stay. Dad, Mom, myself, Brit, Jeremy, Sid, and Wyatt stayed in the house of a friend of Grandma. The viewing was on Friday, May 9th. Even though the weather wasn't very nice, the turnout was. As a tribute to Grandpa, a great slide show was shown. There were also two tables of "memorabilia" type things such as Grandpa's draft card, tools, hats, and a bowl of lemon drops. The next day there was a viewing at the church followed by his funeral. Renee gave a great tribute to Grandpa. It was both touching and humorous. Uncle Doug gave a great talk about eternal life. The pall bearers were all the male grandchildren, which I found very touching. At the graveside, there were military honors. I had never seen a military funeral before Grandpa's. It was so touching. To see the men salute Grandpa's casket, the presentation of the flag to Grandma, and the gun salute was amazing. I have to wonder if my father will want military honors at his own funeral (which won't be for another 50 or so years.) Grandpa's casket passed great-grandma's grave, which is the first funeral I remember going to.
After the graveside service, we went back to the church for lunch. The little kids ran around and we ate food prepared by the Relief Society members of Grandma's ward. After we ate, the grandchildren of Harold and Glenna went outside and had their picture taken. Honesty, I can't remember the last time we were all together. Even though it was a sad occasion, it was nice to see everyone. After the lunch, John, Jen, Lauren, and I headed back to Utah. Since the next day was Mother's Day, our family decided to push back out Mother's Day celebration until the next weekend. I will include pictures in my next blog post.

Happy Birthday Caleb

On Sunday afternoon, after I had heard about Grandpa Roberts death, Jen, Lauren, and I stopped by to see Caleb. I knew that after taking off part of Friday from work, there was a good chance that I wouldn't be able to drive back up to Bountiful for Caleb's birthday celebration on Monday night. So, Jen, myself, and a very tired Lauren stopped by. Since Mom remained in Idaho, she asked Jen and I to pick some flowers to put by the grave. It is strange to think that Caleb is four and not visibly running around down here with all his cousins and siblings. I still miss him and always will, but it was a nice thought to think that he was holding Grandpa Roberts hand and showing him around heaven. Caleb has had time to find all the good walking trails, fresh mountain springs, and the flower-filled meadows where he can chases puppies and rabbits around. I am sure that he and Grandpa have taken a walk or two already and talked about all the family members that are still on earth. Happy Birthday sweet boy; Aunt Jess loves you.

Going to Idaho

Last weekend, May 2-4, I went to Idaho with my parents, my sister, and her daughter. My mom called me early in the week and asked if I wanted to join them in visiting her parents and I decided that I did. Mom said that Grandpa wasn't doing very well and that he probably wouldn't last much longer. Since I hadn't seen him since the fall, I felt I should go. I decided to work until 10:30am on Friday, then leave and go to my sister's house. I worked really hard all week so that I would be able to go. On Friday, after doing some last minute work and having birthday cake for my boss, I left the remaining work in the capable hands of my co-workers and took off. On my way there, I stopped by the bank and the distribution center to buy a hymn book. I drove to Jen's house and she, Lauren, and I went to Mom and Dad's house. Mom cooked us hamburgers and we left for Idaho. I sat in the front because of my motion-sickness and I wanted Dad's opinion on my emergency plans. Mom worked while Jen kept Lauren busy. When we got there, Mom made dinner and we all said hi to Grandpa. Grandpa has been bed-ridden for a while and slept most the time we were there. He did wake up for a while on Friday and we got a chance to talk to him.
Lauren kept us entertained most of the weekend. She was running around around, wrestling with Poppy, reading with Mommy, helping outside, and going on walks to see the doggies down the street. Lauren also had lots of fun playing with my silver bracelets, which I wore just for her. For some reasons, my neices and nephews seem like like these bangle bracelets. On Saturday, Mom and Jen took Grandma shopping for Mother's Day and Dad did household repairs. Jen and I also managed to get some weeding done in the flowerbeds while Dad mowed and edged the grass. I watched Lauren and Dad and I checked in on Grandpa. The clothes Grandma got were very cute. Mom made another great meal on Saturday and I made banana bread. Mom, Jen, and Grandma cooked the meal on Sunday afternoon. I really enjoyed both the salmon and chicken that Mom cooked. It never ceases to amaze me how wonderful my mom and sister are at cooking. On Sunday, Aunt Diane joined us. As lunchtime passed, it was time to go but Mom didn't want to leave. After some thought, she decided to stay.

On Sunday afternoon, I went in and said goodbye to Grandpa. I told him that it was ok for him to go and that we would take care of Grandma. I also told him that Caleb would be excited to see him and that he could teach Caleb all about trains and how to fix things. After a kiss on the forehead and a few tears, I left so Jen could say goodbye. A few minutes later, Dad, Jen, Lauren, and I left. Fifteen minutes later, Mom called and said that Grandpa had passed away. Jen and I called our siblings to tell them the news. While Grandpa's passing is very sad, it is a good thing. He was tired and ready to go. I think that once everyone, including Grandma, had accepted that he was dying, he decided it was time to go. I think it's nice that he was able to die at home with his wife and two of his daughters with him. Mom decided to stay the entire week and help Grandma with the preparations. I love Grandpa and will miss him. I will always remember him calling me "babe" and letting me have lemon drops or See's Candies. When I was young, I remember him always working on something or going to the Bishop's Storehouse to volunteer. Later on, I could always find him reading the newspaper or watching a sporting event. I will be eternally gratefull for the support and love that he always gave me mother. I love you Grandpa and will miss you.

Painting

I know that it has been too long since I last wrote so I'm going to try to catch you up. On Saturday, April 26th, I went downstairs to find a lot of plastic covering all the furniture in the front room and Sarah taping off the windows. She had decided to paint the top section of the front room. I ate breakfast and then met Happy coming down the stairs. She was moving home that day. I must admit that I don't enjoy change, so this day wasn't my best. However, Happy called John to help move the heavy stuff, Sarah's family took away the futon that had stayed on our back porch over the winter, and I made a run to the DI. Sarah and I then started painting and finished before the 10pm news came on. Sarah cut in the primer while I used the roller. Sarah had chosen a light tan color to replace the white. For the paint, I cut in while she used the roller. (Happy was nice enough to take a picture of us while she was moving stuff.) The next morning, when we saw the paint in the sun, we realized that we needed to put on another coat of paint. Since it was Sunday, and Sarah had thrown some of the painting plastic and tape away, we waited until Monday night. I was so late coming home from work that Sarah had the second coat over half way done by the time I got home. I think it turned out well.

Emergency plans and April birthdays

Some of you know that I have been taking an HR class every Tuesday night for the past few months. Two weeks ago we discussed safety. It made me realize that my company, along with many other companies, did not have an emergency action plan when it came to earthquakes, employee abduction, fire, etc. The facilities manager and I undertook the daunting task. I have been writing emergency action plans for all of the above mentioned catastrophes as well as some others. While businesses that manufacture things or deal with heavy equipment have many OSHA guidelines, there aren't many guidelines for white-collar working environments. I searched the Internet and books for references and suggestions, and eventually came up with first drafts of several emergency plans. Because of this project, along with several others, I worked 54 hours last week.

By the weekend I was really tired but I was energized by the idea that I would be able to see my family on Sunday. My parents, Grandma Johnsen, and all my siblings and their families gathered together to celebrate the birthdays of Brooke, Alison, and Wyatt. It was a lot of fun. As usual, the food was amazing. It was so funny to see all the kids together. Tanner is so close to taking his first unaided step. Lauren is starting to really assert herself; especially in regards to the wooden duck and sharing. Isaac is making an excellent older brother to Aaron (who had a cold.) Wyatt is starting to talk in phrases, which will soon become full-blown sentences. Sidney rules supreme when it comes to herding the little ones about and being helpful in many situations. All in all, it was a wonderful time (despite some grumpy moments by a niece and nephew who shall remain nameless.) I stayed a little later than I should.

I was driving home after 10:30pm and was anxious to get home when I was pulled over by Highway Patrol Officer Taylor as I was passing the city of American Fork. I was going over 75 in a 65 zone. I received a speeding ticket (my first) and have to wait more than 5 but no more than 14 days to visit the courthouse in Provo. I am planning on attending traffic school so that it won't damage the insurance rate (especially after the concussion in the car fiasco.) All in all, it was an eventful week. This week so far has been a busy one but I am going to try to best to work under 48 hours.

Utah in April

One of the things I like about Utah is that we have four seasons. Unfortunately, this can lead to some pretty weird weather. Take today: it rained, then snowed, then the snow melted, and then it came again in a hard sideways fashion. By 7:30 pm, the sun had come out and it was above 40 degrees. Here is a picture of my nice spring grass with its new covering.

I still read...really.

Even though I haven't written a book review since December, I still make time to read. Over the past couple of months, I have read the following books:

1. Paperquake by Reiss
2. A gracious plenty by Reynolds
3. Fairest of them all by Medeiros (I don't recommend it)
4. Lithium: what you should know by Eshom (informative yet slightly boring)
5. It happened in Utah by Wharton
6. Summers at Castle Auburn by Shinn (I like this fantasy author)
7. The Innocent's story by Singer
8. Austenland by Hale (Not as cute as I would have liked but, as a huge fan of Jane Austen, I still liked it)
9. Dream Chaser by Kenyon (interesting premise but had some smut-don't bother unless you can read sex scenes and not be bothered. I didn't make it all the way through.)
10. The night dance by Wayn
11. Fire study by Snyder (the third in a pretty good fantasy series)
12. A field guide to high school by Walsh (part of it is written in a diary format)
13. Over the moon at the Big Lizard Diner by Wingate (a cute, clean romance)
14. I'd tell you I love you, but then I'd have to kill you by Carter (fun teen spy novel)
15. Deep and dark and dangerous by Hahn (ok but no Wait Til Helen Comes)
16. Beauty by Wilson (I likes this story of a painter and a recluse disfigured by disease)
17. Feathers by Woodson
18. General Winston's daughter by Shinn
19. The Titan's Curse by Riordan (An interesting series that involves Greek Gods and heroes)
20. When Cricket's Cry by Martin (I would recommend it to almost any adult)
21. The Fire Rose by Lackey
22. The Quantum Rose by Asaro (would have been better without the romance)
23. Cross my heart and hope to spy by Carter (second in a series)
24. The Uses of Adversity by Broderick (very good spiritual book for any adult)
25. The arrival by Tan (excellent graphic novel with few words)
26. The Thirteenth tale by Setterfield (I would like to thank my sister Jen for recommending it.)

Since the list is fairly long, I will not give my usual 2-5 sentence review. If there is something particular that I wanted any reader of my blog to know, I have included it. I hope you all are still reading and can make time to escape into a good book.

Aaron's blessing

Aaron Wyler was officially blessed and named on the church records on March 30, 2008. I skipped out of my own church to drive up to Weber County to watch my younger brother bless his third son. It was a beautiful blessing with family and friends in attendance. I am very proud of my brother. After the blessing, we traveled to Mom and Dad's house for food and good conversation. It was great to see everyone and Jen managed to get a cute picture of Aaron and I. Enjoy the pictures:

Babysitting Lauren

On Thursday I went up to babysit Lauren. We had a great time. Lauren helped me take a picture of her mommy and I managed to get a pretty good picture of John, Lauren, and Dad. After wonderful meal made by Jennifer, all the other grown-ups left for the theater. Lauren and I took a walk around the block. We saw a dog, at which Lauren barked, and stopped to look at some rocks. Even though it was kind of cold, she wouldn't keep her mittens and hat on. Every time she ran, she said "fast." It started to get really cold so we went back home. Lauren and I then ate some bread, sang, played the piano, read books, and I chased her around. After a very messy diaper, I got her ready for bed. She now brushes her teeth (sort of.) She helped me read Goodnight Moon, Goodnight Gorilla, and The Going to Bed Book. She was pretty tired so it only took her about five minutes to fall asleep. I then had a hard time staying away. It was another wonderful night.

A Passport

Yesterday I went to the post office and applied for a passport. While I don't yet have a place to go, I realized that I couldn't just pick up and go if I wanted to. One of my co-workers got a great deal on tickets to France. He and his wife were able to go on a trip on a few weeks notice because they both had passports. Since a passport is good for ten years, why not get one now? It should arrive within three months and I can't wait to go someplace.