Braggin' Wagon Wednesday: Smarty Pants Mcgee

Corbin is a smart kid. It's no secret that we think he's a genius. I know every parent thinks that about their children (even if they aren't), but he really is.

He had his kindergarten assessment thing the other day, ya know, that thing where they ask him questions and ask him to throw a ball and stuff. Well, as you can guess he did very well. I was surprised to discover that kids entering into kindergarten only need to be able to identify 15 letters, he's known them all since he was 2 (plus all their sounds since about 3). They should also be able to identify numbers 1-5, Corbin can already count to 100, and easily identifies those numbers (he could probably keep going, but we've never tried). He passed every test but one, which was using scissors. I have to admit, thats something we don't practice, so I'm not surprised. Anyway, I was one proud mom watching him whiz through everything, including: standing on one leg and hopping, throwing and catching a ball, hopping like a frog to various distances, identifying all the shapes and colors etc. Told you he was smart.

Still don't believe me....well here's the proof. The kid isn't even done with his first year of preschool yet and he's been reading for months. Here's a little video of him reading the BOB Books his grandma Marde gave him, keep in mind we just opened the package 5 seconds before the video and this is his first time ever laying eyes on them.

The link

You believe me now, don't ya!

April Book Three: The Floor of the Sky

The Floor of the Sky

by Pamela Carter Joern

Synopsis from back cover: Toby Jenkins, an aging widow is on the verge of losing her family's ranch when her granddaughter Lila-a city girl, sixteen and pregnant- shows up for the summer. While facing painful decisions about her future, Lila uncovers festering secrets about her grandmother's past- discoveries that spur Toby to reconsider the ambiguous ties she holds to her embittered sister Gertie, her loyal ranch hand George, her not-so-sympathetic daughter Nola Jean, and ultimately, herself.

I really liked this book. It had mixed feeling of olden and modern days. It is set in the present (or nearly, I think it is like 2002), in the Nebraska Sandhills in a super small town that is a little behind the times. When Lila shows up with her growing belly she opens old wounds from her family's past, which causes everyone to become closer, and is pretty heartwarming. I breath of fresh air after that last book I read.

Its a short book (less than 250 pages) and so I got through the whole thing in about a day. There are a few cuss words, and some sexuality stuff, so just keep that in mind if that sort of thing makes you uncomfortable. I give this book a 9 out of 10 and an A for Marde.

Ps...Braggin' Wagon Wednesday coming later today, its a good one so keep your eyes open for it!

And now for our daily activity......

Last week we finally got both mine and Scott's bikes up and running, and bought a trailer off craigslist for the two littlest kids to ride in. Now everyday we go on a little bike ride. Its so fun....except for the part about Scott and I being totally out of shape and our bottoms being sore from the seats! The kids love it, but Corbin is a little jealous that he doesn't get to ride in the trailer, so we're sure to give him a ride once in a while too.

April Book Two: What I thought I Knew

What I Thought I Knew

By Alice Eve Cohen

Synopsis from inside cover (edited for length): "Alice Cohen was happy for the first time in years. After a difficult divorce she was engaged to a wonderful man, she was raising a beloved adopted daughter, and her career was blossoming. Then she started experiencing mysterious symptoms........Alice was diagnosed with an abdominal tumor and sent for an emergency CAT scan which revealed....she was six months pregnant."

"At age forty-four with no prenatal care and no insurance coverage for high risk pregnancy, Alice was inundated with opinions from doctors and friends telling her what was ethical, what was loving what was right. With the intimacy of a diary, Cohen describes her unexpected odyssey through doubt, a broken medical system, and the complex terrain of motherhood and family in todays world."

Let me start off by saying, I chose this book from a list by Oprah of the 25 best books of 2009. I should have known better. I hated this book. HATED. IT. I'm not saying I didn't like the writing. The book was easy to read, it kept me engaged, I wanted to know what would happen next, but only because I was waiting for this woman to do the right thing. So although it was easy to read, it was difficult for me to get through.

When I read the quick overview on the internet I thought, Wow! A book I could relate to. Here is a book about a woman who is told when she is thirty that she is infertile. I was told the same thing at age 12. This woman gets pregnant unexpectedly, but doesn't find out for six months. Due to her infertile diagnosis she takes hormone replacement medicine for the entire six months before she finds out. This and her maternal age (44) will likely result in the baby having severe disabilities. Not all of that fits with me, but I did get pregnant with a baby who would have some severe disabilities.

I did not relate.

I was angry and disgusted with Alice's selfishness for the entirety of the book. I have never before considered myself a naive person, but apparently I am. I was appalled by Alice's inability to love this little baby growing inside her. I was appalled by the constant talk of her wanting to abort the baby and resenting the fact that it was legally too late to do so. I was appalled by her wanting to give the baby up for adoption based solely on the fact that it would be disabled. I was appalled that after the baby was born and home for several weeks that she was still considering adoption especially when she was given a diagnosis for the baby. I was appalled that even after the baby was born she was incapable of loving it.

I know first hand the heartache of knowing that the baby you are carrying inside is going to have problems. Not once did I consider abortion, not even when the doctors asked if I would be getting one. Not once did I say to Scott, we have to give this baby up for adoption because its going to be too much work. I loved that baby from the moment I knew she existed, and even more so after I knew about her broken little heart.

All Alice could think about was herself and how this baby would ruin her life. I know I shouldn't judge her, I know not every person has the same moral values, but I still can't understand it. I was pleased to know that by the end she did, in fact, love the baby. Thank goodness for that, or I'd be really ticked. Anyway, I give this book a big fat zero out of ten, and Marde since you loved and cared for Stacy so selflessly and unconditionally for 30 years, I highly recommend that you NOT read this book.

Braggin' Wagon Wednesday: And Questions to Ponder

My only braggable item for today is that I went to the Relief Society Auction in our ward last night. I made an almond cake to be auctioned off. It went for 900 bucks (pretend bucks of course), and I out-bid others for a cute bag and a baby blanket. It was super fun.

*****

In Other News..

I think its awesome that the same primary song that got stuck in my head when I was a kid (and still sometimes does now) gets stuck in my kids' heads. Corbin and Dex are both constantly singing I Am A Child of God, its adorable. Is it wrong that they sometimes change the words to "I am a child of...Spongebob." or "I am a child of...Wall-e."? I think its a little funny, and I don't think Heavenly Father minds.

Do you remember the movie "The Matrix"? Of course you do, it was HUGE! Scott was watching it on TV last night while I read. After I finished reading I watched for a few minutes with him. We made fun of it.....a lot. I HATE that movie. It got me thinking about when it came out, like 10 or 11 years ago. I remember my brother Patrick coming home from seeing it in the theater and telling my dad it was the greatest movie ever. It came out on video while I was working at Hollywood Video. There were so many copies to rent it took up a whole wall. I don't get it. It's so cheesy and stupid. How can anyone like such a lame movie. If you like it, please tell me why, because it makes no sense to me.

I guess thats all I've got for today.

Fun in the Sun

This past week has been wonderful. The sun is shining and it is WARM, but not bloody hot! There is a nice cool breeze that really makes it heavenly. I wish it was always like this. We've really been making the most of it. We take walks to the park nearly everyday, the kids are almost constantly out in the backyard, and if we aren't playing in the park or backyard, we're out front riding bikes in the driveway. We can't wait for the pool to open so we can add swimming to our list! Also, Scott started working super hard on the patio we've been planning since we moved into this house almost 2 years ago. He's been leveling the ground and hammering away at a weird cement chunk that's in the way, and we can't wait until its done. Pictures will come later. Here are a few pictures of the other fun times from the week.

This pic has nothing to do with anything, but isn't Ives adorable in that drawer?!

Ivy is now a pro at climbing up the slide, she's still a little scared to go down by herself though.

She just likes to hang out at the top, here she's trying to reach the swing

The boys at the top waiting for the little sis to arrive

Since we lost medicaid and can't afford the magic formula anymore, we switched to Coca Cola!

One Coke a day keeps the doctors at bay! (I'm kidding by the way!)

Sunbathing in their jammies. I really have no idea what they are doing, but that's what it looks like to me!

April Book Review One: I Am The Messenger

Its about time I did another book review, eh. I've been a bit of a slacker lately. I've been waiting for the next two books in the Sarah Agnes Prines series to become available, but they haven't yet. I almost want to buy them. (hint to the father of my 3 children, there are three books in the series, I have 3 kids, I would love to own them, mothers day is coming up!) Anyway, in the meantime I thought I'd give Markus Zusak (author of The Book Thief, which I loved) another shot. He didn't disappoint.

I am the Messenger (released in Australia as The Messenger, which in my opinion is a much better title, "I Am" just annoys me.)

By Markus Zusak

This book is about a 19 year old "good for nothing" type kid, Ed Kennedy, that inadvertently stops a bank robbery. Once he does that, he starts to receive mysterious playing cards in the mail giving him vague instructions on how to help people in his slummy town in (based on the dialog) Australia. He watches people, finds out what they need, and does something so that their needs are fulfilled. It isn't always easy or pleasant, but is always rewarding. By helping these people he learns about himself and in the process may be helping himself to have a better life.

I really enjoyed this book, and finished in a little over a day. It has some violence, drinking and swearing, nothing too shocking, very "PG13" type stuff. It made me laugh, and even get a little misty near the end, and was very entertaining. I especially liked the character development, and thought that Ed was very likable. And the other characters were all somewhat interesting, but not more than Ed. I loved the dialog, because I swear I could hear the Australian accent in my head, and really who doesn't love an australian accent! It's number two on my list of sexy accents, right behind hillbilly! Just kidding, but the dialog really is fun. I'd give this book 9 out of 10 and for Marde, maybe a B.

Ps. I actually read another book before this one that I was too lazy to review. It was called The History of Love by Nicole Kraus. I also enjoyed this book. It was a quick read at only 250 pages, but I was disappointed when it ended before all the issues were resolved. Anyway, that one I'd give a 7 out of 10, or a C for Marde.