Happy Birthday, Andy

Sorry Andy, but somehow all of the pictures we took of Marcus' baptism are in another file and I can't get to them. Happy Birthday anyway. We are proud of you for all you do. You are a great father, husband and son. Keep up your good efforts in all you do. Lot of Love.

Also a Happy Birthday to Neal Gaskin. Hope it is a great day for you too!

Tuesday Book Review

"Alligator Bayou" by Donna Jo Napoli is based on a true story. It was about a family of Sicilian men that moved to Louisiana at the turn of the 20th century and were never accepted by either the Blacks or the whites. It was a tragic, disconcerting story and to be honest I haven't quit thinking about it since I finished it. It is a book that makes you think about how you treat others. It is supposed to be a book for teens but think that young adult would be a better age group. It is well written but if you read it be prepared to be a little bit shaken.

"Charming Grace" was an interesting book. It was not one of my favorite Deborah Smith books but it was well written and for the most part a good book.

When I downloaded "A Flower Blooms on Cherry Street", "Ociee on Her Own" came with it and I didnt realize it. It was a sweet story and I recommend it. Our library system does not have it and to order the book from Amazon it is $25. To get it on Kindle it is $9.99. It is worth the Kindle price but not the regular book price.

The year that my sister, Marianne and I lived in Ephraim - I was 16 and she was 14 - we discovered Gwen Bristow's books. We have been in love with her ever since. Marianne is a better mother than I am and all of her daughters now know and love Gwen Bristow as much as we did. 'The Plantation Trilogy' is really our least favorite of all of her books but it is still well written. Marianne put her finger on why they are not our favorite - the characters are not lovable. However, I needed a book to carry in my purse and I grabbed "Deep Summer" the first of the Plantation Trilogy books. I enjoyed it and wish that I had the other two to go with it. I have ordered the books from the library - we will see what happens. Maybe I will go on a Gwen Bristow kick for a while. My favorite books of hers are "Jubilee Trail" (which I own, thanks to my sister!) and "Calico Palace" and they always will be. For a long time I was going to name a daughter Kendra but I wasn't the only one to name our daughters!

I read a Donna Jo Napoli book but could find no reference to it on Amazon or Barnes and Noble. It a book called 'Angelwings' and it is a book for a readers aged 10 - 14. It was a sweet story of a guardian angel, a quite selfish young girl and a grandmother all learning how to fit in their new roles. If you see it - read it. It is as quick read and very well worth the time. I highly recommend it. There is a whole series that goes with this book - in fact I think this book was something like #3 or 4 in the series.

Tuesday's Book Review

The reading list is not very long this week. It has been a busy week so there hasn't been a lot of time to read.

I have enjoyed every Lisa Wingate book that I have read but this one. For some reason I just didn't enjoy this book as much as I have enjoyed her others. I was looking forward to it and was sorry that I seemed to read as a duty. It is a beautiful story and well written - just not my favorite.

This is the second of a series of books about rescue dogs by Donna Ball. I enjoyed this book as much as I did the first book.

We are to read "The Endurance" for book group. It was boring and just not my favorite. It is wordy and doesn't seem to go anywhere. I did finish it but reluctantly.

I saw the movie, I have now read the book. In this case the movie was better. It was still a sweet story.

My Mom and Others

Mom and me just before I went to the Heidelberg Castle (in Heidelberg Germany) and graduated from High School (the first part of June, 1971).

This is for the other person that is very special to me - Aunt Norma (in the front with the red pants on). One of the favorite things to do when we visited Grandma and Grandpa Tuttle was to go into Manti Canyon and eat meals -breakfast was my favorite. I loved listening to Grandpa tell us about the mountains.

This was when Mom was Relief Society President for the first time. She is second from the right. Aunt Bernice is on the back - the first one on the left.

This is my mom when she was 16. It was taken at Anderson Drug store in Ephraim, Utah.

There are days like yesterday when I miss my Mom and Aunt Norma so much it hurts. Mom was a big part of my life - obviously and my Aunt Norma - to this day - is the person I call when things become overwhelming. She is a most amazing woman and I have looked up to her my whole life. I have been surrounded by amazing women all of my life. Both of my grandmother's were incredible, strong women. My mother fought pain most of her life and yet she ran circles around me - probably still could if she was still alive. On her good days I could not keep up with her. My sister is an example of woman in the gospel. Marianne is a wonderful mother, wife and friend. She has always been an example of what a righteous woman's life should be like. She has four amazing daughters to prove it. Sometimes I wonder how I have been so blessed to have such loving women surrounding me, my whole life.

America's Fattest Cities

Last night my youngest daughter informed me that Corpus Christi, Texas was the fattest city in the US. I read another survey that made Jacksonville, Florida #1 (San Antonio was #3). I saw another survey by a different company and Houston came out on top! But as I examined all of these surveys, except for Las Vegas and New York, New York, no two surveys had the same cities on them but they are ALL Southern cities in the US. There was always a North Carolina city, a Louisiana city and Florida was always mentioned plus Texas. What is it about the South that makes people fat? You would think because of the heat that the food would be light and healthier than elsewhere because you can grow a garden much longer in the year (some places year round) and the heat would make you eat light. Why is it as soon as I hit Texas, all I want is Mexican Food?! I don't care what form it comes in - just as long as it is authentic. If something is fried, it is fried in lard, usually (if it is authentic Tex-Mex). Not only does it taste better than the other fats, it is about the worst one out there. And why do fried food taste so good in warm months? This is from a person that has fought my weight my whole life. Yet I am right on board with eating as unhealthy as the next person - as long as it tastes good! This is what gets me into trouble. I don't know if it is being raised in Texas with access to the wonderful 'comfort' food that I find there 0r if there is something else going on. Maybe someone should spend $1,000,000 of government money and find out. It would be more beneficial than some of things we are spending money on. I am not sure what set this off. I will now step down off my soap box.

Tuesday's Book Review

"At Home on Ladybug Farm" is the sequel to "A Year on Ladybug Farm" . It was wonderful book and as with all of Donna Bell's books thus far, I highly recommend it.

"The Secret History of the Pink Carnation" is a book that I think Pam recommended. It is about the the English spying that went on during the French Revolution with frequent references to the Scarlet Pimpernel (which is why I think Pam is the one that told me about it). It was a fun book but I enjoyed it more because I have read all of the 'Scarlet Pimpernel' books, I think. The book was well written but Lauren Wittig is no Baroness Orczy.

"Blue Willow" was a bit disappointing. I like Deborah Smith's books but this one is filled with foul language and I found myself skipping dialogue so I wouldn't have to read it. It is a well crafted novel - as all of hers all (it is like 3 books in one) but read it knowing that all the way through it you will be dodging words that frankly I don't want to read. I like Deborah Smith's newer books because she doesn't use the words that I don't want to see.

"Good Hope Road" is the second book in the "Tending Roses" series by Lisa Wingate. It is just as good as the other two I have read from that series. This one and "At Home on Ladybug Farm" were my favorite reads of the week by far. I highly recommend both of those.

"You've Got Murder" by Donna Andrews was not as wonderful as I expected. I have read some of her other books and love them, but this one was hard to get into. Maybe because it was told from the computers perspective through part of the book. It certainly was a unique mystery.

I am trying to keep my review short and sweet. No one wants to be bogged down with my rantings or whimsies! Have a great week.

Happy Birthday Annemarie!

I have the most amazing nieces - they are truly like my own daughters. Today is my oldest niece's birthday. I was so excited the day she was born. Annemarie was very celebrated in our family!

Unfortunately Pam was a little jealous of Annemarie. Pam had no younger siblings and up to that time she was the youngest and spoiled grandchild. She seriously thought her spot was being usurped by this new baby. Fortunately Annemarie and Pam became best friend within a few years and remain so to this day.

These pictures were taken at Julianna's wedding. Annemarie did the flowers and she has now opened a floral design studio in her home at home in Provo, Utah. She is an amazing artist. I had to include this picture of Annemarie talking. Of all of my nieces, she and Christina are the least talkative in groups - which make the picture all the more funny. Happy Birthday, Annie. Unker Clyde and I love you very much!