Better Late than Never- Let's chat about the Mockingbird!

Hello Everyone!

I'm sure all of you have been dying to discuss our latest Badger Book Club read, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and have wondered what's been keeping me. Well, friends, it's a combination of a crazy week (my last week of teaching, two kids with repeated colds, etc.), and waiting for Ry to finish reading the book. He wrapped it up last night, so here I am to get back on track and start the party.

Ok, so is it possible that anyone didn't love this book? I read it years ago in high school and remember loving it, but there was just so much more to it that I remembered. I have to say that I don't think I really got all of it the first time through. SUCH great themes, AMAZING characters, and life lessons scattered everywhere like Hansel and Gretel crumbs.

For this discussion, I would love to know what part or characters left their mark on you. Who made you want to be better? What moment burned itself into your memory? What did you think of the book overall? And, since I was once an English literary analysis major, what was the theme that you noticed the most, woven throughout it all? Feel free to answer any or all of those questions. :)

For me, I have to say that there are several characters that I absolutely loved. One of them was Atticus Finch. Talk about a rock of inspiration and amazing parenting skills! I could go on for a while about that, but why not just send you to this great link that does it for me?! ;) Check it out.

The 'moment' that changes me is this,

"Will you take me home?"

Followed by Scout's glimpse into Boo's life viewed from the Radley porch, this is the most touching part of the book to me. The reality and vulnerability just closes off my throat every time.

One of the overwhelming themes of the entire book is that underneath every exterior- whether it's Mrs. Dubose, Walter Cunningham, Tom Robinson or Boo- is strength, love, character, and vulnerability. Basically everything we hope to find in ourselves. Atticus said it best,

“If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view—until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

I love the final discussion between Scout and Atticus-

". . . an Atticus, when they finally saw him, why he hadn't done any of those things, . . . Atticus, he was real nice. . . "

"Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them.

Perfectly summed up.

Ok, enough of me, what were your favorite parts?

The Golden Age

Happy Birthday to Me!

So, this year I celebrated my 29th birthday, a little strange since I seem to remember that being the age my own mother celebrated for most of my childhood (she's since moved on to 39, based on the fact that it's just weird to be younger than your oldest daughter).

It was a great birthday- originally we thought we'd get out the snowshoes and go for a little hike, but with two little munchkins in tow, we thought better of it and settled on a snow day instead. We found a great little hiking area of the golf course by the river which totally reminded us of one of our first dates that The Endowment Lands outside of Rexburg.

Fortunately, this time no one fell through the ice. :)

This was probably the only second that Reese wasn't going completely nuts- jumping in the snow, chucking snowballs at us (she has a surprisingly-good arm), and taking huge bites of the white stuff.

What's a snowday without a snowman? We worked for a while, and this is what we came up with. . .

Kinda looks like someone else I know.

Don't you think?

Our last few moments with the lil' gal before bidding adieu,

I'm a huge fan of symbolism and always love a good, tangible farewell to the past. In this case, all the worries and stress of the last year.

Later, Ry wowed me with dinner, and a birthday cake that he made himself.

Baby, I know you would much rather have purchased something, or gotten ice cream sundaes instead, but that just makes my heart melt all the more!

Plus, I love that face!

Less than 29 candles? No problem, how 'bout a giant 'M'? :)

Then Reese and Sam helped me blow them out- I LOVE our cute little family!

Thanks, babe, for a great day!

Teeny, Tie-ny

One of the projects I've had on the docket for a while now has been to make a few ties for little Sam to sport at church using this tutorial. Well, I finally did it and found myself wondering why I didn't do it earlier- Fun, easy, and SO fast! 'Oh my gosh, Ryan, look how CUTE these are!' was probably shrieked a dozen times. And that's saying something considering my er, lack of skill/enthusiasm for sewing sometimes. 'Sewing with fury' is pretty much my style, and if I can't get it done in a few afternoons or less, I tend to loose steam and give up. Just ask Melese about her wedding quilt. Oi.

(Mese, I PROMISE you will be able to use the quilt before you're fiftieth!)

Anyway, let's focus on the victory here: the ties were so easy that I finished them in just under an hour. Huzzah!

These particular ties have a special significance; they belonged to Ryan's Grandpa, one of the men Sam was named after, who passed away last November. I think they turned out really well. How is it that anything small is automatically EXTRA adorable?

Sam's roly-poly nakedness helps too. ;)

Any tie will work- think thrift store, some of your husband's hand-me-down ties -

"Maybe it's time to retire the mission tie Babe, and perhaps pass that legacy on to the next generation???"

It would also be SO cute to get a couple new ones and do matching ones for Father's Day, Easter, etc.

That's my plan. I'll be sure to post.

*Also, after seeing all the mothers toting around their sons' clip-on ties last Sunday, the thought occurred that these would be great adjusted for little boys, too- harder to get off than a clip-on, but still no need to actually tie it each week!

Now all I need to find are some infant dress shirt onesies- I've looked all around Logan, but no one seems to carry anything smaller than 18 mo.

Any ideas where to find them?

"Hooooo's" the cutest treat in town?

That would have to be this little guy,

cutie, chocolate cake pop owl.

I'm teaching a Community Ed class on cake decorating right now, and last night we explored the wonderful world of Cake Pops.

And that opened up the equally wonderful world of Owl Valentine puns and phrases,

'Hoooo' loves you, baby?

'Owl' be yours!

'Hoooo' wants to be your Valentine? I 'dooooo'!

I love my class! We dipped, we laughed, we munched and chatted.

It was a hoot!

Oh come on, you had to know that was coming. :)

Happy Almost-Valentine's Day Everyone!!!

(Yay!)

Pity Puddles

I am such a bad mommy! I have hardly written anything about our sweet, pudgy little Sam since he arrived almost 5 months ago. I cannot believe that much time has already passed- so so quickly! Well, I plan to remedy my negligence and get a whole bunch documented here for future generations this month. First up? Puddles.

Let me explain. Sam has the sweetest, tenderest little heart. When I was little, all my parents had to say was "No" and I'd burst into tears of sincere remorse. It's never taken much of a reprimand to get me teary, and I fully expected my own kids to have that oh-so-convenient-for-the-parent gene. Imagine my surprise when Reese just looked at me when I said it to her. I was shocked and couldn't help thinking, "Wait- you're supposed to start bawling and then never, ever do it again to make sure I'll still love you!" Alas, children are born with their own ideas. Anyway, I have a feeling that Sam may follow in his mommy's footsteps. (Or maybe that's just wishful thinking . . .only time will tell.)

When we put him down to sleep before it's 'time' according to him, he cries. He cries so hard, and with such a sad little "Why did you abandon me?" sob that it just absolutely breaks my heart! Lately, though, he's been getting over a cold so I've been trying to get him to nap more. Nevertheless, he still feels completely slighted. After being the ultra-tough parent that I am (read: I almost start bawling too to hear him cry for ten minutes straight), I give in and pull him out of bed for some more snuggles. For days though, each time I get him from crying, his poor little ears have filled up with tear puddles that run down his cheeks when I hold him upright. It's totally pathetic, adorable, and I can't keep my own lip from popping out when it happens!

Yep. I'm totally wrapped around his chubby little finger- oh how I love him!!