true boy tales: And just to prove me wrong...

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

And just to prove me wrong...

Grouchy McGrouchers wasn't grouchy at all today (ok, aside from the hysterics during a diaper change and a 10 minute freakout waiting for his sweet potato to cool at dinner. And pretty much the entire evening was a loss. But I'll focus on the great morning we had! :). But getting out of the house for the entire morning definitely makes a world of difference for his demeanor. I was going to take them to Backyard Adventures (have I sung that place's praises on here before? I love that place as much as I love Chick-fil-A. Both places know how to cater to a mom and make it really easy to bring your kids. If only we could get a free-standing Chick-fil-A with a playplace around here, my life would be complete. Sorry...bunny trail.) Anyway, I thought of the zoo instead (What, the zoo isn't the first thing that comes to your mind on a 40 degree cloudy day?? :). I accomplished the amazing feat of leaving the house at 9:45 so we had plenty of time and we have a membership so it feels like its free (although the half hour drive probably cost me, what, $35 in gas??). Its fun to be there in the winter. There's plenty of stuff to look at inside and it just felt good to be out in the fresh air. Plus some of the animals are a lot more active than they are in the summer. Dawson was old enough to enjoy it this time, too. He growled at the lions and tigers.

And Emily Anderson, if you're out there, this next one's for you :)

2 comments:

NikkiMarch 9, 2011 at 7:25 AM
Oh. My. Word! That last picture of Bennett had me laughing out loud! What is it with boys and grabbing themselves?! I have so many discarded pics of Ethan either grabbing his bum or *ahem* other places. Sheesh. We have a zoo membership too...we should meet up and let our kiddos run!
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emily andersonMarch 10, 2011 at 1:41 PM
ha! yes. the weenis grab.
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for the book lovers {my recent favorites}:

Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan: An incredibly haunting medical memoir. There's a lot of medical info to read through but I didn't find those parts boring and difficult to wade through. I thought she shared just enough. But if you like a book that's easy to read, this isn't it. I couldn't get this one out of my mind for a very long time. An unforgettable true story.
Me Before You by JoJo Moyes and What Alice Forgot by Lianne Moriarty: I'm just going to lump these two together because they're in the same category. I'm calling them deep chick lit. A perfect summer book to get lost in. Read them. Both. I promise you from the bottom of my heart that you will LOVE them. (I liked them both way better than Where'd You Go, Bernadette.)
These Is My Words by Nancy E. Turner: Most of my favorite books have a main character with a whole lotta grit. I wasn't quite sure about this one when I first started it but, oh, did it sweep me in and not let me go til the last page. I also love a book that makes me "emote out loud" as I like to think of it. This one had me smiling all the way through and crying my eyes out at the end. It follows a young girl through her life in the Arizona Territories in the late 1800's. A must read for anyone who likes Historical Fiction.
Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill. I LOVED this book. Its a very well researched historical fiction novel about a young girl kidnapped from her village in Africa and sold into slavery. It follows her through her whole life and the unbelievable heartache and trauma she lives through. I've been telling people I liked it as much as Unbroken but the main character is so much more endearing and has so much spunk.
Another Place at the Table by Kathy Harrison. I have a thing for modern day memoirs of utterly heartbreaking stories (Like Breaking Night and Blackbird). This is a Foster mother's first-hand account of the children she took in over the years and the unbelievable trauma they went through before they came to her.
Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls. I loved this lighthearted yet emotional story of a strong woman making the best of a hard life in the Southwest, beginning in the 1930's. I love her writing style--just cuts to the point of every story without too much "fluff" and yet tells it in a way that you can picture everything in vivid detail. Her memoir, The Glass Castle, is one of my all-time favorites, and this true-life novel about her grandmother didn't disappoint.
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. Modern day fiction about a girl raised in Foster homes and her struggles throughout life. She learns about the Victorian Era language of flowers and that becomes a huge part of her life. I finished it in two days. An easy read but very emotional and moving.
Zeitoun by Dave Eggers. The true story of a man's experience after Hurricane Katrina when he decided not to evacuate in order to look after several properties he owned. Quite an unbelievable story and so hard to believe this happened in the US only a few years ago.