and now for my final TRICK: 04/01/2010

Saturday, April 24, 2010

April 24, 2010...a good day

The good day actually started yesterday when around 11 am it started snowing! Holden wasn't feeling well and I was getting a bad day vibe. However, she perked up with some Motrin and we enjoyed our April winter wonderland.

Of course, Ian came home from work with skiing on his brain. I am such a baby about getting the 9,000 things organized and packed up for adventures like a trip to the mountains. I wasn't so sure, but I conceded around 9 pm and packed snow gear, ski gear, snowboard gear, extra clothing, toys, lunch, drinks, snacks, and the always crucial lollipops. he plan was to hit A-Basin (15 inches of fresh snow by Sat morning) and take turns skiing while the other watched the kids.

Holden and Everett woke up happy and ready to go. We all got dressed, fed, and loaded up by 7:45 and hit the road.

It was THE BEST car ride we have had in a VERY VERY VERY long time. My children hate the car more than spinach and going to bed. However, they watched Bugs Life, ate Goldfish, read some books, and were a delight until we hit the stopped traffic 7 miles outside of The Basin. We went 1 mile in 30 minutes and we decided to turn around and go back to Keystone, it is closed for the season, but we thought we could play in the snow with the kids. We parked in the desolate parking lot, got geared up, and ran off to explore the village.

It really was fun to run around with next to no one there. Holden had a "fun" time on the playground. She was terrified of the slide when we shot out and landed in a giant snow pile. Everett worked very hard to jump into the river. It was a two man job holding him back.

There was only one business open and it happened to be a cozy coffee shop. We went in and settled into some comfy couches and Ian decided he was going to hike up the mountain and ski back down while we hung out. Um, have at it. The kids drank chocolate milk while I sipped a vanilla caramel latte (and later a bloody mary) and we had such a nice morning.

They colored and read books. Munched some snacks and made friends with a couple of little girls also hanging out. In short, they were angels. It was a glimpse into the future with kids who are a little older and able to handle themselves like civilized human beings, in public anyway. And not the little heathens who usually accompany me on outings such as this. It was a delight.

Ian hiked for 30 minutes and skied back down in probably four, but was very happy to have some fun in the powder. Ev, Holden, and myself (yay!) slept the whole way home!

We unpacked the car and I decided to take Holden shopping with me while Ian and Everett had some man time for a few hours. And what good men they are! They went grocery shopping and made us dinner! Holden and I went to David's bridal and picked up her sash for the flower girl dress she will wear in Uncle Severin and Aunt Colleen's wedding next month. Then we went to Barnes and Noble, where we camped out in the children's section for 1 1/2 hours. We read so many books and had a fabulous and relaxing afternoon.

Our tacos were delicious, even more so since I did not have to make them. Holden actually ate, some real food, with us, a the dinner table...amazing. The kids played and Ev fell asleep about 10 minutes ago and Holden is neatly tucked in as of 2 minutes ago. We will be watching a movie in our new basement and going to bed early.

Great day! Here is the link to all of our pics from today
http://picasaweb.google.com/KimHanou/20100424#

Quote of the Day:

"When one eye is fixed upon your destination, there is only one eye left with which to find they way"
- Anonymous

Recent Reads

Honolulu by Alan Brennert- 4 Stars
A lovely tale told by a Korean woman who came to America as a "picture bride." We learn of her challenging and oppressive childhood in Korea, her journey away from all she knew, learning the new culture in Hawaii, escaping an abusive husband, becoming an entrepreneur, finding love, becoming a mother, and living a fulfilling life. I previously read Molokai by the same author and loved it, which is why I snatched this one up as soon as I heard of it. I think I enjoyed this one even more! The writing is smooth and easy, the tales are gripping, and the experiences are harrowing which keep you wanting more of this woman's incredible story.

The Book of Awesome by Neil Pasricha- 2 1/2 stars
This book is a collection of vignettes celebrating the awesome things in life. The cold side of your pillow on a hot night, finding money in your coat pocket, popping bubble wrap, when cashiers open up a new line at the grocery store, and watching Price is Right when you were home sick from school. This guy also has a blog where people can submit more awesomness. It was fun to read, but not as great as I was hoping. I will probably read his blog though, because he is pretty witty and definitely made me chuckle and remember to appreciate the small things in life.

Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson- 3 stars
PAGE TURNER! I read this in 1 1/2 days. The story begins with a woman waking up in a bed, next to a man, in a house and she recognizes none of it. Over the next few minutes she learns that she has amnesia and every night when she goes to be she forgets most of her life. She begins working with a psychiatrist who convinces her to write in a journal, so she can reread it each morning and hopefully begin to build memories. The mysteries of how she ended up in this condition and her relationships with friends and loved ones kept me on the edge of my seat.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet - 4 1/2 Stars
Another winner here folks. This book was AWESOME (and a bit shorter than Cutting for Stone). This was a new perspective on World War II for me. The story follows a boy growing up in a Chinese household in Seattle during the war. He befriends a Japanese girl, which is STRICTLY forbidden by his domineering and emotionless father. He realizes he is in love with her just as her family is removed to a Japanese Internment camp for the remainder of the war. The stay in touch through letters and his enormous risks to visit her . I don't want to give away any more, but you simply HAVE to read this book. The relationships between the children and their families and even the public during these war years was an interesting perspective for me. The twists and turns kept me up till midnight and the ending was wonderful!

Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese- 5 Stars
Oh my! I LOVED LOVED LOVED it. It was long and delicious and I did not want it to end. The premise is a nun working at a clinic in Ethiopia dies while giving birth to twin boys. The story explores the people and relationships in these boys' lives through the eyes of Marion, one of the twins. He grows up in the clinic in Ethiopia with amazing adoptive parents who were friends with his parents and gives us a taste of the culture, food, and everyday life of an Ethiopian. He heads to America to pursue a medical career and his birth father. We read this for book club and had wonderful and rich discussions...I wish there was a part 2!

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton- 3 stars
This was pretty darn good. It took me about 100 pages to really get into it and the ending was a bit too quick, neat, and tidy. But not nearly as terrible as the ending of Handle with Care by Jodi Piccoult (I threw that book across the room and into a wall as I read the last word). I was hooked and couldn't stop myself once I was into it. It was a book club choice and there was more discussion than I remember in 3 years of book club. We were talking over each other and jumping into other conversations. I couldn't even keep up. This story centered around the lives of three sisters who grew up in a castle in England from World War II to the present. They had an eccentric family and extremely odd and famous author father. The mysteries weave through history and the walls of the castle, revealing themselves to the woman chosen to write a piece about the famed play written by the father. It was very good and I would highly recommend it.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

April 24, 2010...a good day

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