Castle in the Clouds

This was supposed to be an easy, carefree weekend.  One of those rare weekends where spontaneity is possible because plans were not made ahead of time.  We could lounge on the couch, work on our hobbies, or even do a little shopping.  And, no, I'm not referring to the necessary evil of grocery shopping, but the much more enjoyable version where you get to buy things that actually make you happy. Because the oldest boy needed some pants and the youngest could use a new pair of shoes, I decided to head into the city to do some shopping at Kohl's.  Of course, my decision to shop there was not quite so altruistic.  Mama needed a new bathing suit! So, I pack the kids up and head into the city.  The youngest picks out his shoes . The oldest tries on a few pairs of jeans and ends up with two in the basket.  Did I mention we have to shop in the men's department now?  That he's wearing size 29?  My baby is growing up! Then it was Mom's turn.  I was looking ove

Reservation Blues by Sherman Alexie My rating: 4 of 5 stars In a lot of ways Reservation Blues reminded me of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude . Repeatedly I found myself thinking of the similarity in technique, the blending or bending of time and space. One significant advantage this book had over Marquez's, though, was the fact that the characters were at least easily identifiable by name alone. View all my reviews

Dragonsblood by Todd McCaffrey My rating: 4 of 5 stars It's been a long time since I've read anything set in the Pern universe. Oh, how I missed those dragons and their little Pernese brethren. This particular book is Todd McCaffrey's first solo foray into the Pern his mother created. While there's no denying there are stylistic difference, I thought Mr. McCaffrey did a fair job in continuing the saga. One last thing...I might have gotten a smidgen teary-eyed near the end of the novel. View all my reviews

There are so many things I've already forgotten about my boys growing up, so I've decided I need to make more of an effort to record these fleeting moments of childhood. KC turned thirteen last Friday.  Although his birthday didn't create the mythical teenage monster every parent fears, his personality has been gradually changing over the last several months.  He's a bit more willful now and isn't afraid to voice his opinion.  (At least, not with Mom; with Dad, he's still a bit more hesitant.) His willfulness sometimes crosses over into moodiness, but that's mostly directed at his brother, which I think is perfectly normal even if it is annoying beyond belief.  As an official teenager, his mouth does occasionally get him into trouble, though.  He doesn't always know how to read the nonverbal cues or is unaware of proper social etiquette.  He doesn't always respond to people who approach him with a friendly hello.  He's still learning the ins