Dean Hughes

Is one of my very favorite authors.
is LDS.
writes historical fiction.


Dean Hughes has written several books, but I love him most for his Children of the Promise series and Hearts of the Children series.



I started reading the 5 books to Children of the Promise in early high school. I Instantly fell in love with the story of the Thomas family, LDS of course, living in SLC in the 1940s. This series follows the 6 children through the hardships of WWII. While reading you see the personal growth and changes of each of the characters, including the parents. You see them begin their life journeys, find love, lose love, and begin families. I feel as though I know each character personally. I cried with them. I celebrated with them. I LOVED them.
I've read the series twice, and each time I do I learn grow and reflect on this world I live in.
These are my favorite books.

Today, I started the Hearts of the Children books. Of course, I've only started the 1st of 4 novels in this series, and already I am hooked. All I can do to stop reading is watch The Biggest Loser (that is an entirely different post) and blog. This series follows the children of the generation in the series before (same family, same location). These books are unique because they can stand alone as their own series, but when connected to the Children of Promise, they are even more enjoyable.

This series takes place during the 60s and 70s, through racial turmoil, the cold war, Vietnam, and the Kennedy assassinations. I'm on page 93, and the Berlin wall is being built. So much more is yet to come.

If you are ever in need of an emotional, uplifting, and thought-provoking (no Mere Christianity, but it is interesting to ponder on the decisions and opinions of each character) series to engage in for the next few year (or months, if you're like me), then try these on for size.

I LOVE these books. And... did I mention? I've met Dean Hughes before!

Quite Suitable

So. When Jed came home from the mission, he brought with him 1 suit and 1 pair of shoes. The suit is a charcoal wool, and the sleeves come about 3 inches too high (short). The shoes were in bad shape, as most mission shoes are. Sadly, with the expenses of the wedding, we couldn't buy him any new church clothes... quite yet.
In April, Jed went to SLC for conference, and saw his BEST mission friend (and now life friend), Elder Brock (or Brockli, as I like to call him). Brock's shoes were so torn up, that they were bothering brock! So what did my husband do? He took the torn-up-but-not-as-bad-as-brock's-shoes shoes right off of his feet and traded with Brockli. He did.
Since then, Jed has been wearing those very shoes, which have virutally no sole.. or form, for that matter. A new suit and shoes have been a priority for awhile, but we just haven't had the extra cash!
But we've been saving, and a couple of weeks ago... during Oprah's payless thing, we got Jed some nice church shoes for $10!
and Friday night....


we.
got.
him.
a.
brand spankin' new.
SUIT!

And it looks SOOOOO good on him! I will try to sneak some pictures once we pick it up. Sigh... I married a STUD!

P.S. Did i mention it has a vest? AND we got it for $150 off!

The Intentional Family

For my beloved Family Recreation class we have been reading two inspiring books.
The first was Leadership and Self-Deception by the Arbinger Institute... a very good book I would recommend to anyone.
The second is The Intentional Family by William J. Doherty. If you value family rituals, this book will facilitate implementing valuable rituals that will bring your family together.
If you ever get bored.. these are great books.

Ok, so yesterday I was reading about the family rituals of Thanksgiving and Christmas. I would like to share a thought with you.

"Americans have grown inured to crass commercialism taken to excess... But somehow Thanksgiving has resisted the blandishments of an age of avarice... In a nation where the mall never palls and seven-days-a-week shopping seems enshrined as a civic religion, Thanksgiving stands out as an oasis of tranquility and a reminder of the values that once tempered American materialism. This Thanksgiving give thanks for the one holiday that cannot be bought."
Walter Shapiro, Time magazine

I have to admit commercialism of holidays can sometimes be fun (what would Valentine's day be like without commercialism? What would Christmas be like without stockings, Christmas trees, and Santa Claus?), but it is a beautiful thing to realize that Thanksgiving has somehow escaped the hand of commercialism. I feel almost as though Thanksgiving gives a greater opportunity for sincere reflection and genuine family time than any other holiday. While cooking a meal is hard work, that's usually the extent of it. No Thanksgiving parties to go to.... No planning months in advance and breaking the bank... it is truly a holiday focused on family.

I encourage you all to take advantage of the opportunity we have every holiday to build meaningful rituals and strengthen our families. I believe it can make an eternal impact on families!

3 hours ago....

a man called me and asked me 3 questions.

Him: "Are you planning on voting tomorrow?"..... "Ummm... no" (while thinking.. YES YES! I wish I could!... but I don't know if I'm registered).

Me: "If you were voting would you choose ____ candidate or _________ candidate."
"Uhhhh.... I think I'm leaning towards the first."

Him: "Oh Good, because I'm calling to tell you that I think he will do a great job."

After the 2nd question I inturrupted him.

Me: "Do you know a lot about voting and stuff?"
Him: "Yeah..."

Me: "I don't really know if I'm registered... am i?"
Him: "Yes, you are"
and he gave me all the info I needed.

SO, I just spent the last 3 hours reading info on all of the candidates and watching video interviews. and I've made my decision. I feel very proud of myself!

I am voting for the first time tomorrow! Can't wait!

Thanks, Mister!

Hematoma

I had a traumatic experience donating plasma on Friday (Yes.. I am a sick individual who sells body fluids...). Ever since I had the swine flu (I waited a couple of weeks before I donated again), they've had trouble finding my used-to-be-very-dominant vein. Friday was no exception. The phleb person was sticking me and he called someone over and they were talking about some H word... but then he said it was probably ok.... even though my arm was hurting super bad. So, he came back over only after a minute, and pulled out the needle because the blood was escaping into my arm. So, he moved to the other arm, stuck me... and dug the needle around trying to find a vein. At this point I wanted to scream and run away. He pulled it out and said I was done for the day... Hallelujah! I came home and started bawling to Jed. It was really scary... and I don't want to go back. ever. until my vein reappears at least.

Check out this scary Hematoma!



The pictures don't even give it justice. Sick.

Pumpkin Patch

About a week ago, Just Jed (it's been just about a year since he got home from his mission) and I joined our ward in visiting a semi-local (about 35 minutes away in Santaquin) pumpkin patch and farm. First of all, we had bad directions and got lost. But other people in our ward had the same directions, so we found each other and slowly made our way to the big red barn and hopped on a crammed hayride! It was lovely. The sky was rapidly darkening, and it was getting pretty cold, but you know I loved it anyway. So we got to the patch and all of the couples darted off in different directions trying to find the perfect pumpkin. Jed was really cute. He would find a good one, pick it up, and tell me why it was good. We would assess it.. then he'd carry it around until we found an even better one. Then he'd drop the old one and pick up the new one... he'd tell me why this one was perfect, then we'd assess it together. It was really fun. We ended up picking a tall one and a short fat round one. I told him he was the tall one.... and well, I was the other one. ;)
Eventually, we all loaded back on the hayride (which included no hay at all), and headed to the big red barn, which is where you pay for your pumpkins. As we were walking to the car to get our money, I said.. "Jed, I would be totally ok with not buying these." and He said he felt the same way. So after all that hard work, we just left the pumpkins on a bale of hay with some pumpkin friends. We just didn't want to spend the measly $5. We are slightly pathetic.
Also, 5,000 people asked us if we were feeling better. It made me feel loved.
After all, the fun part is picking the pumpkins out, right?

This is jed walking around with "the perfect pumkin"
We thought these were the ones...

Then we thought these were the ones!
But theeeese ended up being the ones!
And THIS guy is MY one and only!