Wordless Wednesday...

The Vanishing Sculptor Summary and Review

This book was different than what I expected. I am not a big fan of dragons and five-foot tall parrots but it has a wonderfully unexpected twist. I love the fact that it was an easy read and it kept my interest...hard to put down. It is a great read for anyone! I might just have to go and find the rest of her novels.

Summary

Donita K. Paul’s 250,000-plus-selling DragonKeeper Chronicles series has attracted a wide spectrum of dedicated fans–and they’re sure to fall in love with the new characters and adventures in her latest superbly-crafted novel for all ages. It’s a mind-boggling fantasy that inhabits the same world as the DragonKeeper Chronicles, but in a different country and an earlier time, where the people know little of Wulder and nothing of Paladin.

In The Vanishing Sculptor, readers will meet Tipper, a young emerlindian who’s responsible for the upkeep of her family’s estate during her sculptor father’s absence. Tipper soon discovers that her actions have unbalanced the whole foundation of her world, and she must act quickly to undo the calamitous threat. But how can she save her father and her world on her own? The task is too huge for one person, so she gathers the help of some unlikely companions–including the nearly five-foot tall parrot Beccaroon–and eventually witnesses the loving care and miraculous resources of Wulder. Through Tipper’s breathtaking story, readers will discover the beauty of knowing and serving God.

Author Bio:

Donita K. Paul is a retired teacher and author of numerous novellas, short stories, and eight novels, including the best-selling DragonKeeper Chronicles, a series which has sold more than a quarter million books to date. The winner of multiple awards, she lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where she spends time mentoring and encouraging young writers. Visit her online at donitakpaul.com.

Bad Things Always Happen In Threes??!

At least that is the old wives tale...however, very true for us this week. We have three older vehicles (at least we don't have a car payment!) and all three needed repairs this week. My Mazda had it's timing belt replaced a month and a half ago but the tensioner (?) was bad and so it was slipping - not good for the engine. Dan tried to fix it but he needed a special tool and so when he put it all back together, it would not even start because the belt was off position. He rented a car dolly and took it in...belts, tensioners, pulleys and labor later it will cost us four days with out that vehicle and around $700 later we will be getting that one back tomorrow.

Dan's tracker would not start when he was at the airport parking lot - his brother went down and hauled it home and he figured out that his ECM (Engine Control Module - or the computer) was down. He looked on line and called some junkyards but that part is very hard to find for his vehicle. He went to a Chevy dealership - they wanted $2400.00 (!!!!) for a brand new one. After he picked his jaw up off of the floor and told them to take a flying leap - that was 2.5 times what he paid for the vehicle - he did some more research online. He can get his rebuilt with a year warrantee for $80 plus shipping but it will be 24 to 48 turn around time. He is going to send it out tomorrow...

And tonight - picking up the loaner car from the garage where the Mazda is getting fixed - I guess Dan was trying to get my attention by honking the horn and flashing the lights on the loaner at me. But driving in the big truck with the mud tires that sounds like a jet taking off and landing you can not hear anything. I pulled up by the garage in the driveway and Dan was muttering under his breath. I asked what was wrong and he asked if I could hear him - "You've driven the truck - can you hear ANYTHING when you are driving?" Here the back rear tire was completely flat! I noticed it pulling a little but would not have thought that the tire was flat. He tried pumping it up again but air was just blowing out of the hole - at least making it very easy to identify where it was leaking... Dan did a quick patch on it and it is keeping air in but I will need to take it into a shop and have them do a better patch job on it. Shouldn't cost too much but with everything else this was just icing on the cake for Dan.

Then I read my emails and Pam my heart goes out to you and your family in the loss of your Father! Life just doesn't seem so bad with a few minor car problems. We need to keep things in perspective...our vehicles will soon be fixed and at just under $1000.00 for all three. Your Father has now met his FATHER! May HE comfort you in your grief and loss!!

Friday Funnies...

The Husband Store

A store that sells new husbands has opened in New York City , where a woman may go to choose a husband. Among the instructions at the entrance is a description of how the store operates: You may visit this store ONLY ONCE! There are six floors and the value of the products increase as the shopper ascends the flights. The shopper may choose any item from a particular floor, or may choose to go up to the next floor, but you cannot go back down except to exit the building!

So, a woman goes to the Husband Store to find a husband.

On the first floor the sign on the door reads: Floor 1 - These men Have Jobs

She is intrigued, but continues to the second floor, where the sign reads: Floor 2 - These men Have Jobs and Love Kids.

'That's nice,' she thinks, 'but I want more.'So she continues upward. The third floor sign reads: Floor 3 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, and are Extremely Good Looking.

'Wow,' she thinks, but feels compelled to keep going.She goes to the fourth floor and the sign reads: Floor 4 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, are Drop-dead Good Looking and Help With Housework.

'Oh, mercy me!' she exclaims, 'I can hardly stand it!' Still, she goes to the fifth floor and the sign reads: Floor 5 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, are Drop-dead Gorgeous, Help with Housework, and Have a Strong Romantic Streak.

She is so tempted to stay, but she goes to the sixth floor, where the sign reads: Floor 6 - You are visitor 31,456,012 to this floor. There are no men on this floor. This floor exists solely as proof that women are impossible to please. Thank you for shopping at the Husband Store.

PLEASE NOTE: To avoid gender bias charges, the store's owner opened a New Wives store just across the street.

The first floor sign reads: Wives that love sex.
The second floor sign reads: Wives that love sex and have money and like beer .
The third, fourth, fifth and sixth floors have never been visited.

Thursday Thirteen - New Milestones for K

(In no particular order...)

1. Waves hello and good-bye and mimics saying "Hi". (I'm trying to get her to do a princess wave for all of the parades this summer but we'll take what she's got.)



2. Eats all table foods - no baby food for her - not even in a pinch and she usually has seconds. She loves her food just like her mama.



3. She can drink out of a sippy cup all by herself now. We used to have to hold it for her but she even tips it the right way and can actually drink out of it.



4. She has four teeth through and still working on at least two more at the moment.



5. She has been told she looks like Pebbles (just needs the bone) with one whale spout and CindyLou Who with two whale spouts in her hair.



6. She does an extra long blink when she wants to flirt...mighty darn cute if I do say so myself - her Daddy is in TROUBLE! (Get the guns polished Honey!)



7. She can click her tongue and mimic other noises. She also claps her hands, gives high 5's and beeps my nose.



8. She teases her Mama...I try to get her to say "Mama" but usually when I say "Mama" she says "DADA." She loves talking to her Daddy on the phone...see number 13)



9. She is SUPER ticklish!!! Just like her Daddy...Especially on her yummy rolls and under her chin.



10. She tosses and turns and mostly sleeps through the night - except when her teeth are bothering her.



11. She has no interest in crawling but rolls to where ever she wants to go. She gets herself in plenty enough trouble without the crawling...especially when she spies certain toys that her brothers have not picked up.



12. She loves watching and playing with her "Bubba"s. They make her laugh, especially C - he likes to play with her. She is going to be one protected little girl - no one will mess with her "Bubba"s!



13. Her beautiful blue eyes light up the room when she laughs...they sparkle and twinkle.



14. OOOPPS! I know I am over the thirteen but just one more....She loves kitties...Auntie Jamie and Uncle Steve have baby kitties at their house and she would not leave those poor kitties alone. She was for the most part fairly gentle with them but she was trying to give it lots of kisses.



15. That is another thing she likes to do! Give kisses. Of course, they are open mouth but she does "blow" kisses by making a kissing sound (smacking her lips together).

Okay - I'll stop now. She is getting so big - getting close to a year - only 50 more days!!! I can not figure out where all the time went! She is definitely a joy in our lives!!!!

She Said - He Heard

I said: Can either of you two boys bring me a diaper for K please?

D heard: We are going to Dairy Queen.

I said: Nevermind.

D said: Are we still going to DQ? Why not??

Yoplait Get Active Giveaway

Yoplait Yogurt is giving away a Get Active package to three of my readers. Yoplait for Kids helps build strong bones, enabling healthy and active bodies. Calcium and Vitamin D are both essential nutrients for building strong bones. Though it can be challenging for growing kids to get Vitamin D, since it is found naturally in very few foods. Yoplait for Kids makes it a little easier to incorporate a delicious source of Vitamin D and Calcium in your child's diet. Yoplait includes brands such as Go-Gurt, Trix, Yoplait Kids. My kiddos love these - especially K, when I pull out one of the yogurt containers she knows exactly what it is and I can not feed it to her fast enough.

This package is perfect for a fun-filled day for your active children, the Yoplait Get Active Prize Pack includes a travel cooler (to take your yogurt on the road), coupons for free Yoplait yogurt, a jump rope, a water bottle and an outdoor game set that includes a beach ball, paddle ball, Jai-Ali and a Frisbee. Perfect for getting active with your family this summer.

To win just leave a comment telling me what your favorite Get Active activity with your family is before Thursday, June 11th. If you don't win you can always click on the following link to print a coupon and learn more about Yoplait for Kids! Sorry this is only open to US residents. Thank you and good luck!

Wordless Wednesday - Before and After

You've Got To Be Kidding!!!

On Friday, I worked until close - 6pm. I got my kiddos ready and headed for home. When I got home I noticed that K's eyes were goopy but wiped them out and forgot about it. But it got lots worse and so I knew it was pink eye. I tried some home remedies but they weren't seeming to work and so the next morning I called to see where I could take her. The lady on the other end of the phone said that I could take her to the clinic in Coborns and that other than the ER that was the only place in the area. I told her that they don't see anyone under 12 months and she said that my only other option was the ER.

How ridiculous is that!!!!! I was not going to pay $75 for some doctor to tell me she had pinkeye and write me a prescription. I knew she had pink eye - it was very obvious that that is what it was - why couldn't I just call and get the prescription. I continued to try different "Home remedies" but nothing seemed to be working. So, I finally caved and went in - yep, paying the $75 - for a doctor to tell me that she has pink eye and giving me a prescription. At least it was slow there and I was in and out of the ER in a half hour.

Now you tell me...why couldn't they diagnose pink eye on a 12 month old at the clinic in Coborns???? I could see if she was having trouble breathing or needed stitches or something more serious - but then it wouldn't really matter the age because if it was more serious - I would be taking any age kid to the ER...RIDICULOUS!!!!!!!

At least she has the drops and the goop is going away - hopefully she is feeling better too. She is also cutting FOUR more teeth - one just popped through today!!! She is a trooper though - they don't seem to be bothering her - except for at night. If I don't put on oragel she wakes up every couple of hours but with it she sleeps the night through.

Yesterday she turned 10 months - I can't believe it!!! Although, looking at a new little girl from our church born in the middle of May who weighed 8 ounces more than K when she was born it is easy to forget how little they once were. K now weighs 18 pounds 3.5 ounces but I love everyone of her rolls - especially because they are ticklish and I love her giggles!! :)