Banned Books?!?!

I am a little slow on this, but I ran across the news story this morning. This week is banned book week. I had always know that there were books thst we couldn't have at school, but it never seemed to bother me becasue as a child I spent so much time in the public library, I knew how to get a book that the school district may not have wanted me to have. My parents never stopped me from reading any book I brought home. The only thing they would not allow me to read were certain magazines while I was in middle school. Those would be Cosmo and True Romance. As an adult with a child now I understand why however, at the time I was angry. I went back to reading babysitters club and anything by R.L. Stein.

So here is the list of banned books that I found.
Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
Daddy's Roommate by Michael Willhoite
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
Forever by Judy Blume
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Giver by Lois Lowry
It's Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Sex by Madonna
Earth's Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
The Stupids (Series) by Harry Allard
The Witches by Roald Dahl
The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein
Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry
The Goats by Brock Cole
Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
Blubber by Judy Blume
Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
Final Exit by Derek Humphry
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
What's Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Beloved by Toni Morrison
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
The Pigman by Paul Zindel
Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard
Deenie by Judy Blume
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden
The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz
A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole
Cujo by Stephen King
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
Ordinary People by Judith Guest
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
What's Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras
Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
Crazy Lady by Jane Conly
Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
Fade by Robert Cormier
Guess What? by Mem Fox
The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Native Son by Richard Wright
Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women's Fantasies by Nancy Friday
Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen
Jack by A.M. Homes
Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya
Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle
Carrie by Stephen King
Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge
Family Secrets by Norma Klein
Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole
The Dead Zone by Stephen King
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
Private Parts by Howard Stern
Where's Waldo? by Martin Hanford
Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Running Loose by Chris Crutcher
Sex Education by Jenny Davis
The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene
Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts
The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
The Terrorist by Caroline Cooney
Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier


So now I know some are not appropriate for children, but really, I don't think a parent is going to be upset because some are not in schools, but others. Every girl NEEDS to read "Are you there God? It's me Margaret." and "Brave New World" and "Of Mice and Men."
I remember reading at least 20 of these books, and wanting to read several others. Two of them were required reading in high school. Emily just finished reading one in her second grade class and reads another while in church. I guess I don't understand. If it gets people reading how is it bad? And how can it be any worse that what people watch in tv? Seriously?

So I think I will be heading to the local library, where, if you remember I paid all my fines and picking up a few banned books to read. So there.

I love being a mom

Do you know what the best thing about being a mom is? Embarrassing pictures of the kids before they know how to be embarrassed by it. This is a photo from a few months ago, but I ran across it yesterday and laughed at it all over again. Let me set the stage:

I hear rustling in my closet and both the kids yell to me to stay out!! So I mind my business and get the camera, I know it is going to be good.

Emily comes out in her PJ's wearing my old flannel robe, one of Josh's ties and my high heels. Jacob comes out with one of Josh's t-shirts, three of his ties, a hat AND Emilys tinkerbell shoes form her Halloween costume last year!!! I about died! They proceeded to put on a show for me, singing, dancing and posing for the camera. I can't wait to show this to their future spouses!

Scabs and pictures, whats a mom to do?

Why is it that when my parents are coming into town to visit and to have professional pictures made with them and the family that BOTH of my children have scabs on their face?

Emily was playing flag football with her daddy and the folks on the block and got taken down. She has road rash on her butt, knee, elbow, forhead and nose. Lovely.

Jacob was at soccor practice on Monday night and was taken down. He has a scab on his forhead.

I am not sure what I will end up doing. I think Jacobs may be gone by Friday. in time for the pictures to be made, if not his is on his hairline, and not entirely noticable. Emily's are healing, but doing so at an alarmingly slow rate. The one on her forehead is probably the worse, but is covered by her bangs. The nose one is the least of the bunch, but... it is on her nose. The butt one won't show (it is on her butt) and the ones on her knees are ok, but very large and red. She is supposed to wear a khaki shirt. Yeah.

But my parents are on their way, traveling from Kentucky and should arrive sometime tonight. I seriously can not wait. I enjoy their visits, plus I am taking half days the rest of the week and I am FINALLY getting a much needed hair cut so I don't look ridiculous in the pictures.

Some Tuesday morning fun

Some of these are fun... I got this from Sarah and thought you all might get a hoot, because I have everything from NKOTB (oh, yes, I do) to the Beatles. Put your mp3 player on shuffle. Say the following questions aloud, and press play. Use the song title as the answer to the question. NO CHEATING….

How does the world see you?"Am I the Only One " by Dixie Chicks (Am I the only one?)

Will I have a happy life?“Move Along” by The All-American Rejects (I got nothing for this one)

What do my friends really think of me?“Forgotten” by Linkin Park (I hope not)

What do people secretly think of me?“Pieces of Me” by Ashlee Simpson (hmmmmm)

How can I be happy?“How does it feel ” by Avril Lavigne (I really like the grunge?)

Will I ever have (more) children?“So Yesterday” by Hillary Duff (So appropriate)

What is some good advice for me?“Kryptonight” by 3 Doors Down (huh?)

How will I be remembered?“Things that U do” by Jay-Z (that is good)

What is my signature dancing song?“SexyBack” by Justin Timberlake (I do like me some Justin)

What do I think my current theme song is?“Next to you" by Wilson Phillips (True, I like keeping my friends and family close)

What does everyone else think my current theme song is?“Where have you been” by Jay-Z (that's pretty good I guess)

What song will play at my funeral?“A boy Named Sue” by Johnny Cash (Well I am a “Sue” to a point, but not a boy at all)

What is my day going to be like? “You Don’t have to let go” by Jessica Simpson (I will try not to but work is killing me!)


So some of the artisits are a bit embarrassing, but I think NKOTB didn’t come up because I just listened to the entire album this weekend!! Now that is emabrrasing to admit. Plus, the Jay-Z stuff came loaded on my mp3 player, I promise. I listen to some of it, but a very limited cross section. I prefer much more poppy stuff. Oh my Dad will be so proud. Too bad my Beatles and Tom Petty didn’t some up. I really like Tom Petty. And New Kids On The Block!

What a weekend

This was an eventful weekend. On Friday night I though the kids had gone to sleep so quickly and queitly, I got a little worried. When I went to check on them this is what I found:


On Saturday we had our first brownie troop meeting for the year. Eight of the nine girls showed up! We had such a great time! We accomplished almost everthing we wanted too and everything I had planned. We have a diverse group of girls! But it is great! While Emily and I had our meeting, Josh took Jacob to Academy to get some new soccor shorts because the hand me downs of Emilys were too big:

Then they went to get his soccor pictures made. Even though our first practice is today, pictures were on Saturday. Here is is practice pictures and one of Emily "instructing him on how to take the pictures:


Do you see the disdane and frustration in my daughters eyes? She is going to be SOOOO much fun as a teenager!

After all the excitment of the soccer pictures and the Girl Scout meeting the Jehovahs Witnesses came a knocking, but we sent them on their way--- no need for crazy talk here!

Josh took me and dropped me off at my MIL's house and we went to a craft fair at the Dell Diamond. It was so much fun! We enjoyed ourselves and sent more money that we should have and sweat ourselves silly! While I was there I found a quilting square that had been framed and the frame was weathered and I loved it, but I though to myself, my mom is in Kentucky visting the grandparents, and they are all quilters maybe she can pick me up an old discarded quilting sqaure that I can frame and weather the frame and put in my kitchen. I have been looking for something for a spot in my kitchen for a few months and thought that would be just the ticket. Well, my Mamagrand peiced together for me a quilting square and my Daddygrand is making me a frame. I can't hardly wait till my mom brings it to me on Wednesday! Here is a picture of the square:


Isn't it beautiful?? Thank you Mamagrand!!

While I was at the craft fair Emily was giving her father a run for his money in the nap department. So... she had her first "puppy nap":



Aren't they cute?

Now I am exhausted and would rather sleep my weekend off than be at work.

Look where we are going!!! We are going on a church-wide Family Retreat next weekend! I am so excited about this retreat, we get to go on Sat. and stay over night and come home Sun afternoon. I am so excited to get to know some of the people in the church a little bit better and a retreat is the way to do it. It is also great because it is not going to cost a bundel and it is only about an hour from the house, so no long car ride with the kiddos!

We will wake up early, go to Jacobs soccer game and head out to the beautiful camp site. Too bad it is still a week away!

It wouldn't be me with out TV

This is the time of year that I like best. Kids are in school and new TV begins. I appreciate that the networks churn out some new stuff in the summer so it is not so full of re-runs, but I appointment watch so much and I am excited about several shows this year.

In no particular order:

Prison Break
7th Heaven
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
The Class
Project Runway
ER
Greys Anatomy
Desperate Housewives
6 degrees
The Office
‘til Death
CSI (Las Vegas and Miami)
Kidnapped
Brothers and Sisters
Friday Night Lights
30 Rock
Heros
Life with Brian

Some are old favorites, some I want to try out.
I have already knocked Vanished off my list. It just doesn’t hold my attention like some of the others. I want to like Lost, but never got into it, and now I can’t catch up, plus Project Runway is on Wednesday on the new CW. I never got UPN and could never watch it, and now I can.

My parents introduced my husband and I to CSI and we are hooked. I don’t like New York, but I will watch it for lack of anything else. I already love ‘til Death and Studio 60. And I am so glad 7th Heaven is back. I am afraid that several of the characters will not be back and that makes me sad, that one is on a bit of a trial run for me. I have DVR’d Kidnapped- it looks intense, I am not sure I will be able to get through this one.

I am so excited for tonight, I will never be able to watch it all, but that is what I do on the weekends and Tuesday nights—catch up. But tonight The Office and Greys Anatomy and CSI and ER. I am so excited, plus my husband has to work, so I get to control the remote!
I will report back in a month or two to see what I actually continued to watch after a few episodes.

The list

I was reading on another site about lists. You know the list of things you want to do before you die. I thought to myself, I know of a few things, but let me sit down and really think about it. Here is what I have come up with:

• road trip, coast to coast in a convertible
• travel to all the continents
• become better with photography
• travel to Paris
• learn Spanish
• donate hair to locks of love
• complete the cruise/motorcycle/baseball tour with Amy
• take a sailboat
• go to New York City
• own a mustang
• not be afraid of public speaking
• dance at my children’s weddings

So there you go. I think I want to travel, not like with my job, because that is work. I want to travel to see sights and to visit places that I overlooked when my parents took me there in middle school. I would have such an appreciation of it now that I just didn’t have then.

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On a side note, I want to kill my van. The radiator hose popped off and the car started smoking and argh! Luckily I had just pulled up to the restaurant where I was meeting the family and his dad and new wife when it got all crazy. So they were able to eventually fix it (with rain water from the side of the road) and Josh is going to drain the radiator today to get all the bugs and grass out while replacing the water with the clean kind. I just don’t know. This car is about to kill me, but we can't afford to replace.

Girls, Girls Girls

At our church we are involved in a baby-sitting co-op. We watch 9 kids for 4 hours every 4 months and in return we get 3 months of nights out without the kiddos. Last night was our turn to have the kids at our house. There were 3 girls and I could hardly get them to keep their clothes on. They loved playing with Emilys dress-up clothes and Sunday dresses. Here are some pics I snapped of the three girls. This is Emily Ann, Emily and Hannah.

One tough chick

For all those folks who might have read the previous post and thought, "Wow she really is over reacting to a headache. " You don't know my daughter. She is one tough girl.

When she was 18 months old I was in Florida, working at Disney World for an internship needed to graduate from college and my parents were helping keep an eye on here while my husband worked. Well while she was hanging with the 'rents she steped off a matress that was on the floor for company that was visiting my parents. We are talking about a 6 inch height off the floor. She jumped/fell/walked off this matress and hurt herself. My mother, being completly over-protective and worried that we would sue her for hurting my child took her to hospital. She WALKED into the Emergency Room, limped once (which a nirse happened to see) and went to waiting. The nurse that determines if you have a "true" emergency decided she was not hurt and they could go see her regular doctor in the morning, but the nurse who happened to see her limp thought it would be best to have an X-ray. So they did and she had a broken leg. She WALKED on a broken leg, and didn't cry or fuss about it at all. So....when my child says something hurts we take her very serious.

Here is a picture of my Emily when she was 18 months old with a cast. How sad is this, she wore a hole through the heel of the cast. What is more sad, I missed the whole thing. She was broken and healed while I was away.

Update on Previous Post

The doctors office just called me with the results of her blood test. Nothing is wrong, poor girl is just dehydrated. We have been pouring the liquids down her like crazy! I think she kinds likes it, because the doctor told her no candy, no chips, no soda—but lots of water and Gatorade. So we have bought some and she is drinking that stuff down like crazy. And her brother can’t have any of it, I think she likes that part the best.
On another note, it is almost picture day, hopefully I won’t forget like I did last year with Emily. It is next Wednesday, and both the kids are way excited. Of course, that means I dished out a pretty penny this morning to buy these pictures they are going to have made. I thought it was supposed to be cheaper when they got out of “pre-school” and into real school!