New Read

My new book is quite intense. I'm about 100 pages into it, and I really have to tear myself away from it.

It is really good. It starts in Shanghai in 1937, when the Japanese begin their invasion of China. Her writing is exciting- detailed but not painfully so, and clean. (ie, I don't have to visually weed out gobs of offensive language) I have a hard time putting it down, which is why I shoved it under the bed today while I got ready for my in-laws' arrival tomorrow. Too much to do to get ready- if I'd have picked it up, there would have been no turning back!

The Birthday Downpour

So this past 6 weeks has been a whirlwind of birthday chaos. Beginning with Brad's 14th, then Hannah's 6th, then my 38th, then Kaylee's 8th, and wrapping up with Joe's 40th and my mom's (well, she won't appreciate me writing that, now will she?) it was a virtual storm of wrapping paper, gifts, thank you notes and cake. I don't even like cake, but somehow I end up consuming what must be 3 lbs of it during this 6 week time period each year.

It's been a good ride, though, you know? Being a parent in a sizable family is undoubtedly exhausting, but I really wouldn't trade it for anything. Today I assisted my youngest daughter as she read her first "real" book, I taught my 8 year old her first multiplication lesson in math, laughed hysterically with my 11 and 12 year-olds over the content of our favorite website (cakewrecks.com) and watched as my 14-year-old gave me his most recent progress report, grinning from ear to ear, as it contained all A's and one B. Every day brings a new adventure- some good, some hairy, but all worth the ride.

Happy birthday, Brad! We thank God for every minute of the 14 years you've been with us!

This sweet little face has been in our home for 6 years now- our little Hannah-Banana!

This lovely crew brought me breakfast in bed on my birthday. (it was 7 am, which makes the gift all the more wonderful!) I love these kids!!!!!!

Last day as 7-year-old and 6-year-old! (can you believe there really are just 2 years between them? Talk about the tall and short of it! :)

Happy birthday, Bug! Kaylee was given the choice of 1) a full outfit from Justice, accessories included, or 2) an ipod shuffle. She chose the clothes. We are in for it, I think. :) She is such a joy, we are continually amazed by her multi-faceted personality.

So there is a glimpse of the last 6 weeks. To go along with all the celebrating, we also had one minor car accident, which left our car in better shape than it was prior to the accident, thanks to a great body shop and a great repair shop. Fortunately, the accident was not Joe's fault, and the girl who hit him wasn't cited because she slid into him when she was unable to stop in the snow.

Now that the Olympics are over, I am ready to resume my normal tv-watching routine. Sadly, I have one. I love the Olympics, so I was almost mourning its ending, but I look forward to The Biggest Loser (yeah, Jillian scares me, too), American Idol, Lost, Psych, and Glee. It's really ridiculous, I know. Last night we watched the Marriage Ref after the Olympics and we laughed hysterically. I have no time for any more shows, dang it! Oh, and Parenthood looks good, too. Sigh. Maybe I just need to pitch the thing out the window. Thank goodness for my DVR or I'd have to watch those shows when they actually come on, and then I'd really be in trouble. :)