Book Reviews

I've been MIA for the past few weeks due to the fact that I have had my nose stuck in a book, actually several books. I thought I'd share with you some of my book "experiences". If you are interested, I've got a book list on my Blog that I will continue to add to.

I use to be a huge reader then I stopped because I didn't have time for it. Kassy really wanted to read The Twilight Series, but My sister-in-laws suggested I read it before letting Kassy read it to make sure I was okay with the "material". Once I started reading it, I couldn't stop. As many of you already know, I read the series multiple times - love it!! Just so you know, I let Kassy read the 1st 3, but told her we would have to read the 4th 1 together. She has opted to wait until she can read it on her own, which might be awihle. After months of obsessing with "Twilight", I decided it was time to move on to something new. My friend Monica suggested the "Hunger Games", by: Suzanne Collins. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend you do. (For you Twilight fans, Stephanie Meyer recommends this series as well. She says, "I was obsessed with this book I had to take it with me out to dinner and hide it under the edge of the so table so I wouldn't have to stop reading..." They really are that good. There are 3 in the series. Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and a third one to be released next August. If you are like me and hate waiting for the next book in a series, I would suggest waiting until next August to read them. If you can be patient, go for it NOW! I devoured both books as soon as I got my hands on them and can't wait for the third one. She left me totally hanging. I love Katniss and Peeta.

My little brother also felt as if I might need some help in getting over my Twilight obsession. He said I needed to, "broden my horizons". He gave me "The Secret Life of Bees" by: Sue Monk Kidd, which I loved and now want to watch the movie, and "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister" by: Gregory Maguire - the author of Wicked. It is an interesting version of the Cinderella story. I struggled with it at first, I think because Cinderella is engraved in my head a totally different way and it was hard for me to see a different perspective. It was a little slow for my liking, however, in the end I liked how it was wrapped up and was proud of myself for going outside of my reading comfort zone.

Right before all the above mentioned books, I read a few of John Grishams books. "A Painted House", "The Broker" and "The king of Torts". All of these books were great, but then I think pretty much everything John Grisham has written has been great. He's got a whole list of books if you need a great read. I also read his newest one, but for the life of me I can't remember the name of it. It just came out in paperback.

My most recent readings have been from Richelle Mead and Alyson Noel. Richelle is the Author of "Vampire Academy". These books sucked me in just like "Twilight" did. I found myself pondering over the books when I wasn't reading them and becoming consumed by the characters. I loved Rose. She is a sassy half vampire, half human, wanna be guardian of her best friend Liss who is a full Mori vampire. I also love Dimitri he is Roses teacher/trainer/you'll have to read them to find out what else. There are 4 in this series that are out, with 2 more forth coming - AGH. Again, I can't wait for them to come out. Alsyon Noel is the Author of "Ever More" and "Blue Moon", another series that has one coming out next fall. This wasn't my favorite series, I think maybe because I always felt bad for the main character Ever, she has to go through so much. That being said, I still liked them and will read the next 1 as soon as it comes out. My biggest issue with both of these series is the language. Really, I don't understand why they have to throw in the swear words. I think that is one of the reason so many of us liked "The Twilight Series". They were written with such intense feeling that made us believe they were real and because the language for the most part was clean. I remember maybe 5 or less swear words in the entire series. Way to go Stephanie Meyer. I wish all writers would take her lead and clean up their writing.

So there are my book, reviews for the day. I've read a bunch more, but none that I feel as if I need to write anything about. As you can see I love to read. I think one of the main reasons I stopped reading was because I get so engrossed with a book that I can't do anything else. I just have to read and read and read and READ until it is done. That becomes an extremely huge problem when I read a series. If any of you have a book that you loved please let me know, I am always looking for a good book. Happy Reading to you all.

Journey of the Trail - Trek 2009

Recap of Trek 2009 - Tonight was our Family Reunion - It was great to see all of our "kids".

I have to admit, as a youth I never-ever-ever wanted to go on trek. My sister told me horror stories about the trek she went on, so when it was my turn to go I found every reason possible as to why I couldn't go. Years later I regreted not going so when Dave and I got asked tobe a Ma and Pa 8 years ago, I was so excited. Unfortunatley we couldnt go (pregnant with Jessy) so my fullfillment of trek dreams was crushed. Then 4 years later we were asked again to go as Ma and Pa and again we had to say no (Trek fell on Kassy's 8th birthday). As they say, third time is a charm, and it truely was. I was so excited when we got called as Ma and Pa, and yea, we could actually go. Dave was okay with the idea until he heard we had to sing, dance and play games. Our previous bishop wrote me in an email to tell Dave not to fear because not all Pioneers sand and danced, some were used for their muscle. That began to be my own personal joke. I wasn't taking Dave for anything but his "Srength"!

Preparing for Trek was a huge challenge, very time consuming and very expensive. I have joked that I've paid my fast offerings for the year in what I paid out in Trek - lol! Dave was super busy with work, school and come on let's be honest, play. He wasn't a ton of help in getting things put together. I do have to admit though, that I am a bit of a freak and have a tendency to go over board in preparing. (I know some of you are saying to yourselves right about now - REALLY?)

The time for trek finally came. I was nervous about leaving my kids, worried about my health, due to some health issues I had in the early spring and scared to death about pulling off a worth while experience for our Trek "family". But all my fears were soon erased. Our Trek Family - affectinatley known as "Da Mormons, surpassed all of my hopes of having a great family. Each one of them brought something special to our family. I feel honored to call them my kids and humbled to have them continue to call me their "TREK MA".

So here's the quick version of Trek - otherwise this could get a bit lengthy. Family: Pa - Dave, Ma - Karey, Big bro - John, Big sis - Jen, kids in no particular order - Sean, Chase, David, Wilson, Jordan, Heidi, Shandy and Lindsey. They made our family complete, they never complained, they helped out and as a bonus for Dave they weren't huge on playing games or singing songs - However our boys would sing little inserts of songs to entertain themselves as they walked. It was entertaining for all of us. The boys also played a game that I'll call kick the rock. I know, sounds kind of boring, but whatever entertains. Rules for the game, kick the rock until it goes off the trail! Our girls brought pretty amazing qualities with them. Heidi hurt her arm yet carried on. Shandy had blisters so bad she could hardley walk, yet she carried on. And Lindsey had 1 of her hands on the cart literally the whole time, carrying on. All of our kids hold a special place in my heart!

I know, I know, quick version! Fabulous Food, Great Games, Learning Opportunities and Spirital Growth sum up Trek pretty quickly. I am so glad that I was finally able to go. My hope is that in 4 years I will be able to go again and be there with Kassy. Just 1 final thing and then I'll wrap up this post. Like I said before I was taking Dave for his "strength" joking like meaning muscle, but what I got was his "strength" in so many other ways. 1 of the most powerful moments for me on Trek was when Dave was asked to fight in with the mormon battalion and had to leave. I was very aware of his strength leaving me and knowing that I had to pull the weight without him - something I do not EVER want to have to do again. Pulling the cart with my girls on the women's pull truely was one of the most powerful experiences of my life. As I came up over the top of the hill I couldn't look at Dave because I knew if I did Iwould lose it. Once the pull was over and the boys took the cart from us. Dave said "good job" Those words meant more then he will ever know. Dave at times drvies me CRAZY, but he truely is my strength (wow - sappy)!

So much more I could add, but I think I better call it a wrap. Below are some pictures of our incredible adventure. We are 'Da Mormons!!

Ward Family - Right before we loaded the buses

Ma and Pa

'Da Boys

'Da Girls

'Da End!

Dave "Went Skydiving" - 40th Birthday Fun!!

IT'S OFFICIAL, Dave is the big -4-0-!!!! Dang that is old, whew, I'm glad I'm not that old -lol. I tried to post this on his birthday, but unfortunatley the system was down and it wouldn't let me. After that life got so crazy and I didn't have time to put this AMAZING Post in. So here it is Dave's Big day - SKYDIVING We started the morning with breakfast and gifts. Dave didn't suspect a thing! His first present didn't give away much, it was a match box airplane from Cody. Dave just smiled and said thanks. Next came Jessy's present, he started to get worried. Jessy gave him little plastic sky diving guys. It was then he started putting it all together. Then the final present came from Kassy, the map to the Ogden airport. Fear, excitment and age all sarted to take their place in Dave's mind. He said "What if I can't do it" (he of course would deny saying that). I told him that wouldn't be a problem though because they strap you on to someone and you have no choice. Once we got to the Ogden airport he was still a bit nervous, but getting more excited by the momement. When his turn came he kissed us all good bye and headed onto the plane for a 40th birthday adventure. (I would say once in a lifetime opportunity, but I'm sure that's not the case, he had way to much fun!!!) The kids and I watched eagerly waiting to see him coming down from the sky. Finally we saw the small dots dropping out of the plane. It wasn't until we saw him waving his arms that we knew which one was him. It was really neat to watch the whole experience and to see Dave SMILING - he doesn't do that alot. We got the entire thing on video, so if you ever have a spare moment and want to see the whole thing on film, feel free to stop by. Like I said earlier, not a once in a lifetime opportunity, I think he might be hooked. I'm hoping that maybe he will return the favor on my 40th birthday. Maybe by then i'll have figured out how to put my pictures in order - SORRY. Here's a few pictures, hope you enjoy them!

Reality has hit....fear and excitment!

The Gifts leading up to the ADVENTURE

Most awesome wife - EVER!!!

Even though you can't see Dave's smiling face, this is my FAVORITE picture!

Can we have a show of hands for the 40th Birthday Adventure!

Dave's instructor totally busted me up. When he saw Dave he said, "You're a BIG One". As they were getting ready to jump from the plane he then said, "Tuck really hard and we will see if we can get your fat "a" around to do a back flip". Check out the shoes - aren't they cool?!

FAREWELL TO OUR SWEET BABE!! Missing you TONS!!

Saying Good bye to someone you love is never easy, even if that someone is really furry, has four legs and sheds EVERYWHERE!

This is my tribute to our beloved dog BABE. Babe brought so much happiness into our home and I would feel disrespectful to her if I didn't share something about her with you. It's my mom's "fault" that Babe ended up in our home (Thanks mom - give her a pet for me up in Heaven!) One day in March of 04' my mom and I where walking through Cottonwood mall on the 2nd floor. Mom said, "let's go into furburbia, the kids will love looking at the animals." "No Thanks", I said. I had lost my dog Sadie about 6 months earlier and I wasn't in the mood to look at animals, especially not dogs, but my mom insisted we go on! When I walked in I was imediatley drawn to BABE, her beautiful big brown eyes captured me in even back then. I was so taken with her, but thought, Dave would kill me if I brought another dog home. That night I told Dave all about her (actually the sign said she was a he so at first I thought Babe was a him). He said, "Why didn't you bring "him" home. So then begun the process in getting BABE. She was on her last chance weekend - that means they where going to put her down on Monday, it was Saturday. By the time I called Furburbia it was to late, they had closed. We called over the Humane Society and they said she was on her way back to them, but they were closing soon. We told them to hold her for us and that we would pick her up the next day. Sunday after church Kassy and I went to pick Babe up, leaving Dave, Jessy, Cody and our other dog Brandy at home. When I filled out the paperwork I was told that we would have to bring Brandy in to meet Babe to make sure they were compatiable. I called Dave and he drug our 2 babies and Brandy to the Humane Society. The 2 dogs seemed to get along fine so we paid our money, picked out a collar and headed home. Once we got home I let Babe out back I then walked around front to make sure the gate was closed and went back inside heading straight for the back yard to begin then next adventure with BABE. When I got back outside Babe was gone. To this day we still don't know how she got out, but she did. We started combing the neighborhood for her. Mind you, Cody is 6 months old, Jessy is 2 and Kassy is 7. We searched for hours with no luck. Some kids told us they saw her headed down towards Redwood Road by Mtn America CU. Dave brought the kids and I back to the house and said, "I'll go look for her one more time", both of us thinking, "She is dead". After he left Kassy said, "mom, how about we pray that dad finds our dog." The sweet faith of a child and the POWER of prayer! So the 4 of us sat down and prayed, not more than 10 minutes later Dave showed up with our BABE!!!! She had been who knows where. Dave found her running back towards our house on Redwood Road. How she survived that run I'll never know. For weeks after that she sat around pouting. She would sit at the top of the stairs in our loft and literally POUT! If the door opened she would make a mad dash for it! Slowly that changed and she began to realize that we loved her and that she had a good home. We didn't know where she had been before we got her - she was 3 or 4 at the time, all we knew is that her previous family left her at the Humane Society. How could someone have left her behind??? Babe became a different dog after a few weeks. She loved being with us. If we left without her, she was crushed, but would always forgive us once we got home. She would meet us with kisses on the side panel window while she waited for us to open the door or if she was outside (which was a rare occassion, because she would rather be with us then be outside) she would greet us with a howl that sounded just like Hello! How we all miss her welcoming us home. Our house isn't the same without her here.

I could go on forever with stories of our Sweet BABE! She was part of our family and has left a void in our hearts. Everyone LOVED her. We miss her everyday and will forever more. If you are not an animal lover you might not understand our attachment for Babe, but she wasn't just our dog, she was part of our family!!! The day we put her down was one of the hardest days of my life. I was sure that we would be able to bring her home from our camping trip, but her time had come. She stopped eating and drinking and couldn't even stand up on her own and once she did get up then she couldn't get back down because it hur to bad. My hope is that she is out of pain, running and playing and that she forgives us for having to leave her in Wilson, WY. We are now waitng for her remains and a simple paw print to hang on our wall, knowing that the print she left on our hearts is everlasting and we will remember her always. Much love to our SWEET BABE!!!!