witchy

Tonight my kids will once again put on their Halloween costumes.  Scott and Bethany already did so once for school but I didn't get to see them.  Tonight, I will get pictures of my Star Wars boys and my witchy girl.  This morning while chatting with Bethany, she asked me what I was dressed up as for halloween when I was a kid.  When I told her I'd been a witch once, she was so excited.  She's going to rock the witch costume tonight for sure.

 

In other news, while I was gone for 10 days to Ethiopia, my husband put a new faucet in my bathroom.  And I didn't even have to ask.  He's amazing like that.  He even baked a bunch while I was gone.  He said he did lots of dishes while I was gone.  I thought it was a great lesson for him.

 

If you're interested in reading what I was up to when I was gone for 10 days, I'll continue to post for the next week or so about it on my Journey 4 Hope blog.  Click on over and check it out www.journey4hope.blogspot.com.   

Beyond Prejudice

For months I have looked forward to reading this book titled Beyond Prejudice. Author, Raschelle Wurzer, writes beautifully as she intertwines history, faith, and politics with a love story. I started out reading a chapter each night of this ~200 page novel. Within several weeks I'd have the book finished. But it's one of those books that once you pick it up, you can put it down. I'd find myself literally holding my eyelids open so I could finish another chapter.

I love how the story portrays the prejudices that people faced during the Pearl Harbor era in the early 1940's. As a woman who's loved someone, I could put myself right into the main character's shoes. Ms. Tyler, a causcasian woman, is in love with David, a Japanese-American who is being evacuated to an internment camp following the bombing on Pearl Harbor.

I could tell you all about the book because I enjoyed it immensely. In fact, today, while riding 3 hours one-way for a 15 minute appointment, I started on chapter 7 and finished reading the book before we got back home. It was that good. I would recommend this book to all of my friends to read. It's a short and easy read. It will grab your attention right away. I loved it.

I also happen to know the author. She's an amazing woman! She did not ask me to read her book or write this post. I share because I know that reading this won't be a waste of time. If your local library doesn't carry it yet (it just came out in July), then ask them to order it. I give this book a thumbs up for sure and can't wait until she writes another one!!! Maybe next time I can sweet talk Raschelle into letting me proof read it first :)

Pumpkin Patch, Parade and Park fun

Today while dirty dishes sat on my counter, and laundry needed folded, we were out having fun. First stop, Kahler's Pumpkin Patch where we checked out the roosters and then picked out our pumpkins with Nikki and her kiddos.

From there, we headed to to the Brick City Days Parade. We stopped at our favorite parade spot to buy a few cookies and then grabbed a spot to sit and watch the parade with Kari and her family.

After the parade where my kids collected way too many tootsie rolls, we headed to the park, walking off a few of the calories I consumed while eating cookies. We appreciated that all the fun was free to participate in. The kids rode in the smiley-face cars, got baloon art, participated in the vegetable derby, played on the toys and had a meal before we left. I'm glad I stayed down there longer than we had planned. It was fun!

What a great day in rural Iowa! With my family and friends.