The Hunger Games

I decided to re-read "The Hunger Games" about a week before the movie came out.  I saw the movie, which was pretty good, and then re-read "Catching Fire" and then finally read "Mockingjay".  I am glad I re-read the first two because I barely remembered anything.

These books are very good and I recommend them, BUT the subject matter is rather horrific when you think about it.  In fact I never really thought about it until a couple of people admitted to me recently that they couldn't get through the books or didn't even want to read them because of it.  I am so glad I read all three.  The third book finishes it nicely.  I really thought that it would be a "Red Dawn" ending, but I'm glad it didn't end that way.

I really like this quote from the book.  (Possible spoiler alert.)  Katniss is at the end of her rope.

"I no longer feel any allegiance to these monsters called human beings, despise being one myself.  I think that Peeta was onto something about us destroying one another and letting some decent species take over.  Because something is significantly wrong with a creature that sacrifices its children's lives to settle its differences."

And that, really is the whole point.  It is a terrible thing that they have gotten themselves to this point and the story is kind of how they dig themselves out of this pit.  I also liking her closing comment.

"I'll tell them how I survive it.  I'll tell them that on bad mornings, it feels impossible to take pleasure in anything because I'm afraid it could be taken away.  That's when I make a list in my head of every act of goodness I've seen someone do."

I wrote this a couple of weeks ago and since then John has finished all three books.  He did not like the third book and it was my least favorite, but the ending was good.  Justin likes the comment at the end, "My children, who take the words of the song for granted:"  The song is Rue's song about the meadow.  I thought that was an interesting concept that struck him.

Barefoot in the Park

Speaking of plays.  Alex just landed one of the lead roles in "Barefoot in the Park".  He will be playing Paul.  Way to go Alex!!!!

Speaking of college.  Alex has also been accepted to BYU-Idaho and will be roommates with his cousin James.

We are very proud of him!!

A Few Good Men

Justin, Alex and their cousin KC were in "A Few Good Men" last December.  Yes, the same month that we had Alex's Eagle Court of Honor, Seminary Auction and Christmas :)  The pictures loaded in backwards from what I wanted so the above picture was taken after the play and I took it because I still am amazed at how tall Justin is.  He towered over everyone.

This was also taken after the play.  KC, Alex and Justin. 

 At the end of the play.  Justin and Alex are the ones that restrain this General from killing one of the lawyers.  That particular picture was very blurry.

Both Justin and Alex had multiple parts.   

Christmas Cards

This is my dad and his lovely wife Cindy

I love pictures.  I love getting pictures.  I have stacks of them here and stacks of them there.  It is getting out of hand.  This year more than any other year I received a lot of picture Christmas cards.  I did something tricky in a spur of the moment, "what the heck am I going to do with all these pictures cause I can NOT just throw them away?" sort of fit.

I scanned all my Christmas cards into my computer and filed them in my December folder for 2011.  I just found them again while I was looking for a picture to post.  It was so much fun.  I love it!!!  Best of all, I didn't create ANOTHER pile or add to my current 4 foot pile :)

Thanks for the cards everybody!!!

Alex’s Eagle

December was crazy busy.  One of the reasons was because we had Alex’s Eagle Court of Honor.  Phew, two down one to go

 

He built a cat house for an animal shelter.  The picture in the middle shows where there was nothing before and the pictures surrounding it show the finished project.

 

 

 

His mentor, our Branch President, who is a veterinarian.

 

I thought this was a good picture of Grandma and Grandpa.  They are so proud of their grandchildren!  Grandpa did all the electrical work for the cat house.

What kind of chicken am I?

I am a cross between three different kinds of chickens.  Any guesses?

 

This is my mother or my aunt.  They are a cross between two different kinds of chickens.

I know most of you won’t care, but I think that the rooster is beautiful and he was hatched in our house so it is kind of different for me.  The hen is not much too look at but the two black hens gave us a lot of eggs over the last few years and we lost one this last summer during the heat wave.  They were one of the first chicks hatched when we returned from Arizona.  These pictures were taken last April when we still had green grass.

Random

I took the kids out the day before Thanksgiving to take pictures.  Next thing I know they are all grabbing pets to have their pictures taken also.  They turned out to be some of my favorites!

Amy is an Anatolian.  They are used to guard livestock.  We got rid of the livestock but got stuck with her because Mark bawled and bawled the day I tried to sell her.  Yeah, I gave in.  She refuses to come into the house which I am VERY grateful for because if you’ve ever seen our lawn when the weather warms up it looks like it snowed.  Seriously!

Teyla is a Cocker Spaniel.  She is dumb as a brick.  She drives everyone crazy, but is still very loved.

I told our vet that while we loved our other pets if anything ever happened to this dog the entire family would be devastated!!  He said, “so she’s in the will”?  Absolutely.  We have had Sydney for nine years this February and she has been the best dog.  She is half Blue Healer and half what looked like Australian Shepherd.



Justin, “put on your serious face Mark”.  A little too serious, but I love this picture.  We don’t have many good pictures of Sydney because she is afraid of the camera.  So this will be nice to have.