Campbelle’s Fairy Tale Ball

Campbelle’s class had been doing a unit on writing and fairy tales for the past week and at the end of the unit they had a fairy tale ball with Reader’s Theater and invited families to attend.  Her group performed a spin-off of Cinderella.  She read the part of Cinderella, who was not going to get married so young, but wanted to study and have a career first (gotta love that Cinderella).

 

Then they could share their own ‘fractured fairy tale’ that they wrote.

Take a look at that sweet dedication on the front cover.  “Just like a real book.”

Back to the Future

I stumbled upon this photographer’s Back to the Future project and had a good laugh.  I’ve got a few good pictures of my own I’d like to reenact – but convincing Tammy and Gina might be a challenge!

 

 

Like Father like Son

Leif, circa 1978:

Christian, in full video, 2011:

I guess he was sticking the landings on all the jumps before Leif got out the camera.  Figures.

Book #3: Little Bee by Chris Cleave

 

Finding a good book description is a bit difficult with this book.  It is being marketed in a very unusual, highly secretive way.  Most summaries say things about ‘not wanting to Spoil’ the story line and swearing readers to codes of silence, ect … all leading you to believe this story is going to be something fun, or a bit of a crazy, riot adventure. 

That could not be more wrong.

My book club read this book for February, and I think we all came to a bit of a consensus that although the book was intriguing and interesting in its own right, it was being marketed terribly inappropriately.

Little Bee is a story about a 16 year old Nigerian orphan and a well to do British couple that are trying to repair their failing marriage.  Something terribly brutal happens on a beach in Nigeria (I wouldn’t give that part away) and it forever intertwines the characters.  Its really a story about sadness and living in a world that symbiotically shows its vast extremes.  It makes you ask yourself, (given our safety in the world which we assume is our birthright) “Would I do that??”  “Could I do that??”

So overall I would recommend this as a very compelling read, do buy into all the strange, mysterious hype you may read when looking at the publishers summary.  It’s a far more serious affair than it makes it out to be.

Key Issues that are touched upon in the booK:

Oil exploration in the Niger Delta (area which Little Bee is fictionally from). 

The slide show was made by Friends of the Earth to highlight the environmental and human cost of Western oil companies’ exploitation of the region.

Plight of Refugees

And, if you would like to help refugees and asylum seekers, looks liks this is a good site to get involved (link found on authors website) The Asylum & Refugee Protection program at Human Rights First.

Decorating with Christian

…because decorations in this house are never totally complete unless Legos are involved:

Father Daughter Dance

I love this tradition here on the ridge.  Such a special time for my two sweeties. 

A look back at all their dances the past few years. 

Book #2–Faithful Place by Tana French

Synopsis: 

Back in 1985, Frank Mackey was nineteen, growing up poor in Dublin's inner city, and living crammed into a small flat with his family on Faithful Place. But he had his sights set on a lot more. He and Rosie Daly were all ready to run away to London together, get married, get good jobs, break away from factory work and poverty and their old lives.

But on the winter night when they were supposed to leave, Rosie didn't show. Frank took it for granted that she'd dumped him-probably because of his alcoholic father, nutcase mother, and generally dysfunctional family. He never went home again.

Neither did Rosie. Everyone thought she had gone to England on her own and was over there living a shiny new life. Then, twenty-two years later, Rosie's suitcase shows up behind a fireplace in a derelict house on Faithful Place, and Frank is going home whether he likes it or not.

Getting sucked in is a lot easier than getting out again. Frank finds himself straight back in the dark tangle of relationships he left behind. The cops working the case want him out of the way, in case loyalty to his family and community makes him a liability. Faithful Place wants him out because he's a detective now, and the Place has never liked cops. Frank just wants to find out what happened to Rosie Daly-and he's willing to do whatever it takes, to himself or anyone else, to get the job done.

 

Overall I really liked this book.  It’s been some time since I’ve read a mystery and it was kinda nice to do (although I have to admit I thought I figured out the mystery about 3 chapters in, and turns out I was right ).  Even though I had a good idea ‘who did it’ I was still propelled to read on and I did it quickly.  The characters are rich and  I loved the dialogue and the Irish accent.  Funny how I can really sound Irish in my head when reading along.  :)

This is the author, Tana French’s third book, all surrounding the Dublin Murder Squad.  I was intrigued enough to check into her other books, but found out that Into the Woods is about children disappearing in the woods and murder …. and I just can’t read that kind of stuff since having my own kids.  Oh well.  I’ll move on.

 

Overall rating, 4 of 5 stars.

We had a “Heart Attack”

The kids woke this morning to see there was a heart attack in the kitchen.  Leif and I plastered the cupboards with ‘I love you because…’ sentiments for each of the kids before they woke up.  They loved going around the kitchen reading all the hearts, and then added some of their own. 

I love those kiddos and their very big hearts!