Fall Into Reading- Code Talkers

I decided that I would go ahead participate in Katrina's Fall into Reading over at Callapidder Days. I don't have an actual list created of what books I'm working on yet but thought I'd at least review the ones I finish.

I just finished Code Talkers by Joseph Bruchac. It is a novel about the Navajo Indians during WWII and how they created an unbreakable code. Since I've always been interested in history, this topic caught my attention. I had heard about them before but didn't really know much about them. While it is a work of fiction, the historical facts in the book are completely true. The details were not so great that I actually got bogged down, which is quite possible when your talking about war battles.

The story begins with a man telling his grandchildren about what his war medal is and what it took to earn it. The main protagonist is sixteen year old Ned Begay who was forced to go to a boarding school as a young child in order to learn how to become more "Americanized". He and the other Navajo children are forced to speak English only and not speak their native Navajo language. They are constantly reminded about how worthless it is to just be an Indian during this time.

When the war breaks out Ned is able to lie about his age in order to join the Marines and thus become part of a select group of Navajos who are fluent in both English and their native language Navajo. These men create their own code to be used during the war out of common words that are assigned to military terms. They then go on to train new men and add to this unbreakable code every few months. These men had to commit to memory everything they were learning and were sworn to secrecy. They were never aloud to speak of this code existence until 1969, almost twenty five years after the war ended.

The Code Talkers were vital to the many battles that were fought in the South Pacific and saved countless lives in the process. They helped to take back the islands of Guam, Okinawa and of course Iwo Jima. They were highly valued because of their ability to pass on information so quickly. Their fellow Marines and soldiers held them in very high esteem because of this fact until the war ended.

This story ends as Ned returns back to reservation after the war only to realize that he is once again considered a second class citizen because he is an Indian. All the pride that these code talkers had at being able to use their native language to help serve their country was sworn to secrecy. No one had any idea of the service they had performed.

While there are alot of details in this novel about war, you are primarily drawn to Ned's character and his emotions he felt during his life. He is a very likable character and you can't help but share his pain and joy. This is truly a story about hope and tolerance and how we should learn to just accept people and their differences instead of trying to wipe them out.

Photo Hunters

This weeks theme is pink.

With two girls I have plenty of pink to chose from. Especially when my oldest loves to wear the color pink. So I decided to use a photo of my daughter dressed in pink. But why stop there, we have somehow been given three pink big wheels of varying sizes. In this picture you will see my oldest daughter playing eenie meanie miney mow to decide which pink big wheel she wants to ride on. Meanwhile her older brother is patiently (or maybe not) waiting for her to make up her "pinkin'" mind. Somedays it's just so hard to be a boy in this house.


So that's my choice for this week. For other photo hunters visit TNCHICK.com or click PhotoHunt

Happy Birthday to Me...

Happy Birthday to me. Happy Birthday to me, so bring on the well wishes...I'm a hundred and three.

No really, I am not a hundred and three..yet. But my brother seems to think so judging by the card with the grim reaper on it. Some people just need to be reminded that they are older than you. Sorry to toot my own birthday horn but if I don't then no one will ever even notice. And I certainly can't have that, that would be very depressing. So save me from the depression of getting older and realizing that I now have to bake my own cake, since mom isn't close enough to do it.

Maybe if I'm lucky, I'll get a night off from the kitchen. And in case your wondering (or if your my husband who can never seem to remember my exact age) I am thirty five again this year. I liked it so much last year I thought I'd do it again.

Wordless Wednesday

Her first taste of dried corn.

For other WW visit Five Minutes for Mom

Because Once is Never Enough

I took the girls to the Pumpkin Patch this morning with our playgroup from church. It traditionally is a very hot and sunny day when we go on this outing. Today broke with tradition and the girls actually needed to wear sweaters. So for once it felt like fall at the Pumpkin Patch. The only bad thing about the weather was the strong wind. But the girls didn't seem to notice it much until it was time for our picnic. They enjoyed playing with the pumpkins or as A. likes to call them the balls. I had a horrible time getting them to emerge from the bounce house and only succeeded when K. had to go to the bathroom and of course they enjoyed their hayride.


It really surprised me that they weren't a bit more bored with the whole pumpkin scene since we went as a family on Saturday to another Pumpkin Patch where they got to ride a train. But of course they just take it all in stride and assume that everyday will be a visit to the Pumpkin Patch from now on. In all honesty I think I now have enough pumpkins in my front yard to be officially declared a pumpkin patch. Since we always let the kids pick one small pumpkin I think we are now at about ten pumpkins. They are all of various sizes, shapes and condition. Some of the smallest of them have been used as a bowling ball a few times so they really are showing their wear and tear. But what else am I going to do with all these pumpkins? Anyway the children always have fun and by the time next year rolls around I will have forgotten all about the wind and will be ready to do it all again.

Halloween Treat

I received a Halloween treat from Hootin' Annie this week. For no other reason than I happened to visit her blog and leave her a comment. She is passing out treats at random to bloggers that she doesn't know until the end of the month. She is hoping to have her treat passed on to other bloggers that we don't normally comment on or really know. So in keeping with her idea that is what I am going to do. For more info on how this works just visit Hootin' Annie. You can join in the fun at any time if you like.

I am going to pass this on to A Marathon Leap. I have been reading her blog about training for the Chicago Marathon but never left any comments. Initially, I was just drawn to what kind of person actually decided to do this sort of training and how intense the training schedule would be. But then she started to post pictures of the most divine looking cupcakes along with her training and so I was hooked and I continued to read. I was really disappointed for her when the Chicago Marathon was cancelled due to the heat before she was able to finish. But she has now signed up for a new marathon later in the year in Las Vegas just so she can reach her goal of completely a 26 mile marathon. Such dedication and drive to reach her goal deserve a Halloween treat.

So thanks to Hootin' Annie for the treat and I hope that A Marathon Leap enjoys her Halloween treat.

Hitter of the Month

Z. loves to play baseball as I'm sure the few of you that know me in real life know. Well he is actually pretty good (in my opinion anyways). But now he has been awarded the Hitter of the Month at the Baseball Academy that he goes to. Just another way for me to brag on my boy, I know. So just bear with me and grin and bear it. The month will soon be over.

Photo Hunters

This weeks theme is practical. It took me a while to think of something that is practical to me in my everyday life. I finally decided on what to chose while I was brushing my daughters hair. She has long hair and for her and me it is very practical to keep it in braids or ponytails as long as it is pulled back. Here's a picture of her with her hair down and long (kind of like Rapunzel I think).




Now here is a much more practical hair style for a very busy little girl. Now I know I am totally biased here but I think she looks lovely either way.

But if your looking for something a bit more masculine than talks of practical hair styles then perhaps this next picture will interest you. It is a picture of the "Jaws of Life" tool that will cut you free from a crushed car if you should ever have the need. Very practical indeed. Although I really was expecting some much larger than this. I mean you hear so much about them I truly thought they would be bigger.
Regardless, there is nothing like a big macho tool like that to make the men feel better about having to look at my daughter's golden locks. Hope you like my take on this weeks practical theme.

For other Photo Hunters visit TNChick.com or click PhotoHunt

Eat More Beans!

I had this talk with K. this morning driving in the car.

K: Mom, your not strong enough to carry me upside down anymore like daddy.

Me: K. your getting so big that I can't carry you for that long upside down. Your right, daddy is much stronger.

K: Yep, daddy is stronger. He eats all his beans. You need to eat all your beans to if you want to be big and strong like daddy and carry me upside down.

What should you be for Halloween?

I found this cute quiz about what I should be for Halloween. Not quite sure how I ended up as this but I guess there could be worse things out there.

Your Halloween Costume Should Be

Elvis

What Should You Be For Halloween?

The New Math

My husband is ready to retire. No, I really mean it. My husband who isn't quite forty is ready to retire. The only problem of course is money. So we have been reviewing all the things we are going to have to do in order for my husband to retire at his dream age of 55. We really aren't doing to bad considering I have been out of the work force for about five of the last seven years and haven't really been able to contribute much financially to our retirement plans. But we are still way off from where we need to be in order for us to reach his goal. And while neither of us are big spenders and aren't the type that have to "have stuff" to be happy, we do spend money on the things we like to do.

But last night my husband took the cake with his latest ways in thinking about big purchases. He has been saving up for a mill for a while now and has finally reached his goal. He went online only to find out that the mill he really wants is now on sale so he can even save a couple hundred dollars. Now to me that would have just been the icing on the cake. But since my husband had just finished reviewing where we need to be in twenty years he wasn't as excited as I expected. He stopped for a minute and went to punch in some numbers on the computer. Then he came back and told me that if he invested his money into our investments instead of buying the mill then by the time he was ready to retire he would have about $50,000 more towards our retirement goals.

So now he's wondering if this mill he has been saving up for is worth the fifty thousand it could cost us in the long term. And while I can see his point I am a bit frustrated. So I had to remind him that he's been saving up for this for a long time and he'll need to have something to keep him happy and entertained while we sit home for the next fifteen years and save money for retirement. And that it's okay for him to buy something big like that every now and then. But as to whether he can now get past that new price tag he has in his head, I really don't know. I hope he does. He works way to hard now not to have a few things to enjoy in his life now.

Wordless Wednesday

Hoss and K. share the same ambition for when they grow up. Can you guess what it is?















For other Wordless Wednesdays click here.

A Pink Truck

K. has decided that she wants a pink truck. She is getting pretty darn adamant about it also. Not just any pink truck, she wants one of those big Power Wheels pink trucks that she can drive around outside with. She has been asking me for weeks now and I keep telling her no since they cost to much money and since Hoss has a truck that she can drive around. The only thing is that Hoss's truck isn't pink it's burgundy. So that means that it's not the right color.

She is now telling me that she will just have to ask Santa for one since it cost mommy and daddy to much money. (She is so considerate in thinking that way isn't she). So I have switched tactics telling her that we really don't have the space in the garage for another big truck like that to fit. She just smiles sweetly and says don't worry mommy, it will fit as long as you keep your van outside. She is now telling any one and everyone who will listen that she is going to get a pink truck from Santa...and it's only October. I have even stooped to showing her all the commercials for toys on TV as they gear up for the holidays. I'll try and convince her that this toy would be so much more fun for her than a truck but she just smiles sweetly and says she wants her very own pink truck to drive.

Truly, I knew we were going to have issues with who gets to drive what car and when but I really wasn't expecting it to happen while the kids were still in grade school. Instead now we are having issues of who gets to drive what Power Wheels and when and who gets to use the battery that is fully charged. These toys that give my kids so many hours of fun are truly starting to wear me out. As for whether or not she will get a new Pink Truck, I really don't know. I don't want to give up the extra space but once she starts to work on daddy, who knows what he will come home with. He is so easily swayed by his girls.

What a Weekend

I had a wonderful weekend. I was blessed enough to be able to go and spend three and half days with a wonderful bunch of women from my church community at an ACTS retreat. The time spent there refreshed me both mentally and spiritually. Once again I was reminded of the love that our Lord has for us.

I wish I could say that my husband had as blessed a weekend as I did. But poor thing, his weekend was much more difficult for him. My children did not really cooperate for him and proved extremely difficult for him. But by late last night he was looking a lot better than when I first saw him.


For I know the plans I have made for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a future full of hope. Jer. 29:11

Wordless Wednesday

Another Crazy Week

It's another busy week. With my family in town we are busy running around. I am also going on a church retreat this weekend so will be gone later this week. So I am trying to prepare for that as well. Hopefully next week will be a bit more settled and I can get back to the business of blogging.

Photo Hunters

This weeks theme is curvy.

I immediately thought of all the curvy paths that are around our home. But instead I decided to go ahead and go with my second impulse. And that was the art of glass blowing. I received my favorite vase from a dear friend of mine while we were living in Finland and I treasure it more because of that. It is an Aalto free form wave vase. I find it's style very unusual but very appealing to me. For more on the history of this vase click here.



After looking at the delicate curve of the glass I was reminded of another curve made of much stronger material and one which I am so thankful to have available if the need ever arose. It's the spray hose nozzle from the top of a firetruck that my children and I climbed all over and explored last week. Not quite as delicate as the vase but still amazing at how they can curve metal/steel like that and still have it be functional under extreme use.

So that's my take on this week's theme. For other participants views click PhotoHunt


or visit TNCHICK.com

Happy Birthday Hoss!

Hoss celebrated his fifth birthday yesterday. It's hard to believe that he is five already. He's quite proud to be five since that now means he is an entire hand of fingers. We just had the small family celebration yesterday but he enjoyed all the cupcakes he had at school along with the birthday cake he had at home. Meanwhile all the rest of the kids are completely on board with anyone having a birthday since it usually means two pieces of cake instead of the normal one they are allowed. (Since most the time all they do is lick the icing off anyway, it's a great way to get the cake out of the house). I guess I should just serve a spoonful of icing and call it cake, I really don't know if they would notice the difference or even care.

A Day at the Vet

I have finally won the battle. The battle I am talking about is getting our dog Gigi spayed. My poor husband has been begging to breed her since the day we got her. I always pleaded off saying that there was no way that I can handle having puppies along with the four kids. And then to deal with the kids heartbreak when the puppies would go to new homes. It just wasn't something that I wanted to do. So I have finally convinced him to go ahead and get it done. So I wasted no time at all and scheduled her appointment for the first available one.

So Gigi is at the vets today and we will pick her up tomorrow. I now no longer have to worry about her getting out of the yard while she is in heat. I don't have to deal with doggie diapers on top of the baby diapers and the male dogs in our neighborhood will hopefully stop howling around the times she was in heat. My poor husband is still a little sad but I think he'll manage just fine. After all he is now a responsible pet owner.

A Week out of Whack

It's going to be an out of whack week around here. My dear hubs is off this week. So just by the fact that he is here and we can do things means that my normal schedule is off. Add to it, that Hoss celebrates his 5th birthday on Wed. and that just adds to the unusual schedule. So since we have been out and about today, none of my usual things have gotten done. So now I'm off to play catch up.