Texas Trip

 In October, JB and Max flew to Texas to stay with the Richards cousins and go to a Texas A&M football game!

JB's cousin Greg picked them up, and their first stop was food. BIG FOOD TEXAS STYLE. Max said this was the biggest pork chop he had ever seen. 

Greg took his daughter Sabine with them to go rock climbing.

They also ate at Charlie's over the weekend.

And they were able to be with more of the Texas Richards family. L-R are Aunt Sandy, Uncle Malcom, Greg, York and Stacy.

A very happy boy.

Saturday they went on the lake with Greg's family. Max hit the water too hard and got a bloody nose but jumped right back.

Saturday night they drove to College Station and the stadium.

These Richards cousins are huge fans and season ticket holders for years. JB and Max say the stadium environment was incredible -- full of tradition and songs and yells and excitement.

And the Aggies won big, so that was really fun for them. They attended Church the next day and enjoyed  a great meal and more time with the Richards family. I picked them up that night as they navigated their way through our new SLC airport. This is definitely a trip they want to take again! It should be JB's dad's turn or Ben's turn to go next time.

Recent Recommendations

My Life Behind the Spiral by Steve Young

I kept reading out loud parts of this book to JB and Max (Max was reading it from the library, but he got busy with golf and homework and a new job so I took it over). I kept searching up clips from the old BYU and 49ers football games that he referenced. He talks about finding hope and faith while suffer from anxiety and struggling to find someone to marry.

The Slow March of Light by Heather B. Moore

Go get this book from the library and consider buying it to read again! It's based on the true story of a Latter-day Saint American soldier from Idaho who is drafted into the army and then assigned to spy in East Germany during the Cold War. I cried at the lessons of gratitude and forgiveness. I also felt even more grateful for the freedoms of our country.

Born Survivors by Wendy Holden 

A true story/non fiction well-researched account of three young pregnant women sent to concentration camps who hid their pregnancy and gave birth right as WW2 was ending. Their children survived. This was a horrifying and incredible read, all at the same time.

"All three of them should have gasped their last in that stifling space, cradled by their half-dead mothers. But Fate had other plans for them all." 

The stories before the war of how each young couple saw the slow changes taking over their countries were especially chilling, as I consider some of the freedoms that have been in danger in our day in our own country. These couples thought it wouldn't get worse, but then it did, and then it did again.

The Gilded Years by Karin Tanabe

A woman attends Vassar College around the turn of the century with a big secret. I ended up having to read the end then go back and keep reading because I was so stressed for her and needed to know what happened.

The Paper Daughters of Chinatown by Heather B. Moore

We read this for book group and it was incredible. The story of a mission home and the rescues they made of young Chinese girls in slavery.

Manor for Sale, Baron Included by Esther Hatch

I am finding that I really enjoy Esther Hatch's writing style and light wit. This one just made me laugh and have a good time. She writes other regency-era fiction as well.

Gregor the Overlander series by Suzanne Collins 

I finished these a month or so ago, and really enjoyed them all. Great read out loud books to Andrew and James. There's a whole world underneath New York City of gnawers, fliers and crawlers.

The Mysterious Benedict Society show on Disney+

Incredible style and cinematography. Clothing, color, food, camera angles -- very well done. We looked forward to watching each episode together.  And hello, The Emergency? Wow, it seems very much like what we are facing right now. Every message coming at us seems to be full of fear and doubt and despair. 

The Mysterious Benedict Society series

I'm now in book two with Andrew and James and it is very well done. I can see how they combined things for the show. And I now must do Constance's voice in an accent, if I can.

Turner and Hooch show on Disney+

Ben, Andrew and I would all watch this together on Wednesdays when new episodes were released. The writing was clever and had good layers, and the characters were brave and funny. I recognized a lot of actors from Hallmark and other Canadian productions. We were really hoping they would tie up one story line a little nicer, though! Seems like they are hoping for a season 2.

The Gingerbread Miracle - Hallmark

So far this year's Hallmark Christmas movies are so-so for me, but I enjoyed this one, like the Christmas Eve singing they did in Spanish as pilgrims going house to house looking for a place for Mary and Joseph. I really enjoy whenever a movie shows people living their faith. Many people go to church, and Hollywood seems to want to ignore that.

My Christmas Family Tree - Hallmark

Some plot holes but all around just fun. I smiled a lot, and liked how welcoming and kind this family was when they got unexpected news.

A Mrs Miracle Christmas - Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel

This was poignant and I got teary-eyed. A woman (Caroline Rhea) comes to help a family struggling with adoption and grandma's health. Great line: "You don't always get to understand the why."

I've got more on my DVR and will report back!

Halloween

Introducing, a werewolf, Santa, and a bunny!

And Pennywise the clown!

Ben worked really hard this year with his fellow Student Body Officers on the Haunted Hallways event in middle school. His part was at the end, and he worked hard with me on his costume. We used a white pillowcase to sew ruffles on the sleeves and neck of an old white button down, and borrowed red felt from Nona. The white pants I found at the thrift store.

We went through the haunted area, and Millie clung to my neck the whole time. At the end though she smiled for this quick picture JB took with Ben, before Ben had to get set up for the next group.

Andrew also worked hard on his costume and did the whole thing himself. He glued on the cotton and said "Merry Christmas!" while trick-or-treating. He said there's nothing scarier than Santa, because "he sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake..."

 

James picked out the werewolf mask at the store and wore it constantly. For Millie's bunny outfit, I sewed the tummy on a grey shirt, and bought the ears and tail. When we took pictures I said, "Say cheese!" and she replied, "hop hop."

I was glad most of our neighborhood opted to trick-or-treat on Saturday night, just so that the kids wouldn't be tired on Monday morning. But we still had some trick-or-treaters Sunday night on the actual 31st and didn't mind giving out candy again.

Golf team

 Max was on the golf team this fall and really did well. He enjoyed it, too, and made new friends. Just like with tennis, he had only just started to get into the sport a short time before the season began. Max is naturally athletic but he works really really hard when he gets his mind on something.

We don't have many pictures of him golfing. It's different than tennis or basketball, because there's really no way to go watch the matches, unless you walk along the course and promise not to get in the way or make noise.

It was convenient that he now can drive. He would go to practice and back by himself.

Then last week was their banquet. The coach said some very nice things about our hard worker and kind son.

Seems like he's found a new lifelong sport!