Book Review

The Devil In The White City

I am not to good at book reviews. I never know what to write and how to sound really intelligent about it. After reading some professional reviews I feel like a 2nd grader turning in my book report. But sometimes you come across a book that you find very interesting and you have to share.

So I heard about this book from a lady in a book club I joined. Soon after I heard of others who had read it. It swaps stories between the architect of the World Fair in Chicago and the trials that they went through to build it and the story of H.H Holms the serial killer who lived in Chicago during the World's Fair. I was told that most people got bored with the facts relating to the World's Fair and wanted to skip through to the story involving H.H Holms. But I found both stories very intriguing. I always wonder how people lived and what it was like even 100 years ago. I also love reading non-fiction books because it blows my mind how some things actually happen.

Now I have to admit I was more enthralled with the serial killer story, who wouldn't be. This guy was nuts and it is hard to believe that someone didn't just make all of it up. But I also enjoyed the story behind the fair and how impossible it really seemed and yet they did it still. I really enjoyed reading it and had it done in two days. So if you want a good read with some chilling and interesting facts then this is a good pick. If you have read it or have any ideas about it leave your comments. I would love to hear what other's thought.

Back To School

School is back in session and the kids look pretty happy about it.

Not sure how I feel though....

Guess I better Post Something

Wow has it really been that long? Where has the time gone? I seem to have landed a month later and not known how I got here. I have been looking forward to school starting and getting the kids all their stuff that they need. On that thought, does a kid really need 10 notebooks and 16 folders for the year? How many subjects do they have now a days?

I do look at blogs everyday. I look at all the cute creative people that I know and sometimes I feel like the old grumpy lady on the block with 50 cats that smells. I don't know how to do all these cutesy things, and I am sure even if I did they would not appear so cute. While someone who is creative is making a masterpiece you can find me putting my pants in order so i hit everyone in turn or better yet checking my alarm clock 50 times to make sure the alarm button is set correctly. I do have good intentions most of the time, but find myself unmotivated by the end of the day.

But there is one thing that I do enjoy doing....cooking. Baking is fun too, but there is something about combining things to create tastiness that just is so satisfying to me. I wish I had more budget to cook some outlandish stuff I find. But it might be a waste and it does not fit in the hot dog, hamburger, steak or corn dog category that my family seems to gravitate to. So I decided to do a one meal a month cooking different styles and types of food in courses. Sounds pretty daring I know. Plus with 8 courses that is a lot of cooking. But in my mind I see Corey and I on a nice Saturday evening with no kids and me serving each little course and enjoying every second of it. Seeing as it is birthdays right now and we have plans the next two Saturdays I don't see it happening anytime soon. But I have the menu set for the first date and I am going French. Yes I know most of their food sounds revolting and I get scared just looking at most of it. But I found some recipes that actually sounded really good. The grocery list is unusually long, but I figure I can splurge once a month to go overboard here. As soon as I get the date set I will be sure to take pictures and let you know how it goes. I can feel that inner cook in me getting antsy to try it out. I guess that is why I am in LOVE with Master Chef right now. Let's see an old cat lady cook up the stuff I am about to create. Maybe there is a french recipe for cat.....

Mormon Message

We had one of our Presidency meetings yesterday and Tiffany our R.S. president presented a video for our spiritual thought. I haven't checked Mormon messages in awhile now. I need to remember to go there more often. Talk about a spiritual uplifting message. I have watched it twice and bawled twice now. I have hugged my kids differently after seeing this. Hope you guys love it as much as I did. You can check it out here.

Thursday

Thursday was our busy day...we went non-stop pretty much all day. We woke up early to go out on the ocean fishing. It was so cold and a storm was coming in. So we all got bundled up and ready to go. I didn't prepare myself for how cold it was going to be. I had to borrow a sweatshirt from my father-in-law and I was till cold out on the ocean.

Me in the cab, waiting to get going.
Boys excited to go fishing for the first time.

So we get out on the ocean and I think I am going to be ok. I even wore those pressure point bracelets that are supposed to help with sickness. Well we took them back because it did not help at all. I was so sick just rocking all over on the waves. Pretty soon after I got sick both boys joined me. I was trying not to complain and then Logan starts crying saying he wants to go home. I could have kissed him for that. So we turned around and headed back to dry land. I now understand why people kissed the ground after being on the sea for so long. I plan on staying on dry ground from now on.

This is me trying to concentrate on the horizon and not get sick.

Gabe before he got sick.

Since we headed back in early, we stopped by one of the lighthouses there and looked. It was so cute and I loved how they restored it.

View from the window of the lighthouse.

Old lighthouse.

They also had cute little shops along the road that we stopped and looked at. Lots of good photo ops there.

Look at those long flowing locks.

My sub kids. Makes me think of Magic School Bus.

Had to sit with the pirate.

Eventually Hailey even sat on the pirates lap.

Just a big walrus.

We also stopped by the aquarium there in Newport to take a look. It was such a cute place and had lots of hands on for the kids. They touched lots of sea animals and got to pet a snack as well. I even had fun there looking at all the wildlife the west coast had to offer.

Looking at the sea lions, Gabe took such great care of Hailey.

Cool shark tunnel.

Corey's Grandma and his Mom with Logan and Lexie.

Time to make our fish faces.......

Logan

Lexie

Gabe

Corey Scott

Me

Shark jaw

Touch pond.

Logan and Gabe in the fish tank...Piranhas

We finally made it back to the house and had a BBQ and then went back down to the beach again to do another campfire. We were so exhausted. It was a full day.

Wednesday in Washington

Wednesday morning we got up and got ready and drove three hours to Lincoln City and the Newport Beach area. My in-laws rented a beach house right on the beach and they brought there boat up and docked it at Newport. I have been to the Atlantic Ocean numerous times, but I have to say the Pacific coast is so much different. Just to look at, I would say the Pacific Coast is much more beautiful. The water is cold and so was I, but we all really enjoyed ourselves.

The kids got to ride in Grandpa's boat while he took it off the ramp and over to our docking spot. Hailey loved it and didn't want to get off. It really is a nice boat. I was already getting fishing fever at this point.

Safety first for our little ones.
Bridge in Newport.

We actually saw this starfish in the bay where the boat was at.

After we got all settled in we walked down to the beach to let the kids play in the ocean for the first time. They LOVED it. The waves are entertainment just in themselves. Notice everyone was jumping the waves in jackets. It was so cold, but it didn't stop the kids from having fun. At some point all four kids got knocked down by waves and still they got back up and went right back in. Daddy leading Hailey to see the waves

Beautiful cliffs by the beach, our house is at the top of that cliff.

I guess that wave gets a thumbs up

Everyone was so cold after getting wet, there was a nice family nearby that let us warm ourselves by the fire.

This is the pout I am cold want to go home look. It worked on the grandparents, but Corey and I are used to that look. Still dang cute.

Washington Vacation

We made it back!! We have been planning this Oregon/Washington State trip for months now. It finally got here and then it was over before we knew it. We had such a great time. I could not believe how cool it was there, and then I come back to high 90's and all this humidity. We left last Tuesday and it was the first remember able airplane ride for all my kids. They were pretty excited. Gabe was the most freaked out when he saw how high we were. But he settled into it nicely. That first day was pretty boring, just flying and trying to keep kids entertained for all those long hours. We landed in Portland at 10:30pm their time which was way late our time. We were exhausted but ready to start our vacation.

Getting excited
Entertaining Hailey with some Tangled.

Waiting for the bus...it was so hot.

Kids waiting for bus.....more to come.