School has started again. On the worst possible day, might I add.;) Monday was a hectic day, with tons of orders through the three schools we provide bread for. This is a huge blessing, but it still makes Monday's busy.;) Anyway, while we were forming all the hot dog buns, hamburger buns, dinner rolls, etc, I tried to chop the tip of my thumb off. Stupid, I know.:P Thankfully, it didn't need stitched, but I did a number to it and have had butterfly band aids, along with a regular band aid on top of that, on my thumb ever since. Makes doing small tasks interesting, but better this than stitches.;)
I also came down with a cold on Monday.:P Andrew had it last week. I am hopeful that this is the last day of it being an annoyance.;)
I'm glad that this term, I only have the one math class. Next term, I am signed up for Art Appreciation, my last Algebra class, and then Intro to Business, so I will pay for having such a light load this eight weeks.;)
I discovered that I had ordered the wrong text book for my Intermediate Algebra course.:P So, today, I posted the imposter online and ordered the right one! When I first looked the correct text book up, I found it listed for over $100 at the cheapest.:P I almost ordered it off Amazon, but decided to look it up on one other site. I'm glad I did, since I found it for half the price! God is good.

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Beyond Molasses Creek

When Ally Green's father passes on and leaves her the home she grew up in on Molasses Creek, Ally retires from her globe trotting and decides to give living in one place a chance. With her returning to her childhood home, memories resurface of growing up during the Civil Rights Movement. Now that things have changed for the better in her home town, she feels that she can once again be friends with Vesey Washington, the boy from the other side of the river.

Poetic and poignant, I was quickly swept into this well written novel. The characters are well written, with plenty of back story to breath life into them. Not only is this a story of the Civil Rights movement, but it is also the tale of a young woman growing up in Nepal who grows up in the Dalit (untouchable) caste. Sunila must work for a stone carver to pay a "debt" her parents incurred, showing the injustice of child labor in third world countries (something that needs to be brought to our attention). The stories tie together to tell a tale of forgiveness and hope in the midst of suffering.

I couldn't put this book down! I highly recommend it and will be looking to read more books by this author.

Invasion by Jon Lewis

There is more to world than meets the eye. Colt McAlister finds out just how much is going on in the world around him when his parents are killed in a car accident by a drunk driver who wasn't really drunk. Thrown into a world of comic book hero's and alien invasions, Colt must learn to trust his family and friends to help him pull through. Invasion is the first in the C.H.A.O.S. (Central Headquarters Against the Occult and Supernatural) series.

I think this book fills a huge need for Christian young adult fiction. This story is kind of Science Fiction, but not to out that there someone like myself (who isn't really into the genre) could enjoy the story line. There is more going on that just aliens. Colt must get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding his parents death, so he starts training and learns what he can about the other planets.

The concept of comic books actually being more like a history book is bound to thrill readers. I enjoyed the drawings of some of the different characters at the end of the book.:D Invasion is a must for young Sci-Fi fans!

2011 in pictures

2011 was an eventful year. Right off the bat, we moved:


I went back to school:


Andrew played in several concerts:


We were blessed with two nieces:

Andrew and Mercy.


Andrew and Miriam.

We survived the great bat invasion:


We finished some cement work in the addition:


We went on our first camping trip:


Paid off our house:


Spent time with loved ones:

First Date by Krista McGee

Addy Davison is to busy living her scheduled life and preparing for college to live life spontaneously. When her name is submitted for a new reality TV show to win a prom date with the President's son, Addy's world it turned upside down. She must learn to deal with mean girls, people who hate her faith, and the press. Through it all, Addy learns to live out her faith.

Based loosely on the story of Esther, I found this book to be the perfect read during a vacation from school! Its a bit predictable, but well written. The story has a positive message to it. I like that there was more depth to the story, since there are some excerpts of her mom's missionary journal. Authors write the best about what they know, and this author knows both mission work and high schoolers.

I did find it a bit unbelievable that everyone, including the President, kept up with the "First Son" and his love life, but perhaps that is because I'm not into that sort of things as an adult.;) I don't keep up with the Obama girls.:) Fiction is suppose to be somewhat unbelievable, and this was such a minor deal. I give First Date two thumbs up and look forward to the sequel!

Merry Christmas!