Book Review #68


Well I finished my book!! It only took me getting sick and lying on the couch all day but I finished it. Woohoo.

From Publisher's Weekly:

"...set during the nascent civil rights movement in Jackson, Miss., where black women were trusted to raise white children but not to polish the household silver. Eugenia Skeeter Phelan is just home from college in 1962, and, anxious to become a writer, is advised to hone her chops by writing about what disturbs you. The budding social activist begins to collect the stories of the black women on whom the country club sets relies and mistrusts enlisting the help of Aibileen, a maid who's raised 17 children, and Aibileen's best friend Minny, who's found herself unemployed more than a few times after mouthing off to her white employers. The book Skeeter puts together based on their stories is scathing and shocking, bringing pride and hope to the black community, while giving Skeeter the courage to break down her personal boundaries and pursue her dreams."


I love this book. How could I not? The subject matter is heart-wrenching and powerful. The message of the book that human beings are human beings regardless of race, gender etc. is so important.

I remember the first time I had an experience that set me reeling. My family had just moved to Houston; I was waiting to go to BYU; and that summer I worked at a TCBY Yogurt store. Our manager was a feisty African American woman named Sonja. One day a customer came in and asked who our manager was...one of my co-workers...a boy my age replied, "Our manager is Sonja...the colored girl who works here." I about died of mortification on the spot. The customer just replied with "OK...I know who your talking about. I'll come back later when she's working." I had no idea such words were still in use...especially from someone my own age. I was very naive. Unfortunately such attitudes are still alive...hopefully much less so...but they can still be found.

This story is told from the alternating voices of three women: Aibileen, Minny and Skeeter. Each woman has a clear and distinct voice and perspective. I loved Aibileen from the very first page. I love her quiet grace and power. My heart broke for her trying to teach little Mae Mobley that people are people regardless of their skin color. I came to love Minny who was all in-your-face, fierce and independent. Her courage and bravery were inspiring. I loved Skeeter who had her eyes opened and began to see those around her in a new light. I loved that she had the courage to reject her former lifestyle to be true to her own new found understanding. These three women are so real to me. I feel like I could go and find them...that they are out there somewhere. I love when characters are so well-written and developed that you just know that they exist somewhere "out there."

This book is extremely readable and hard to put down. At every free moment I just wanted to snatch this book up and read whatever I could. I love it when that happens. I feel a loss now that I am done. I want to sit in Aibileen's kitchen again. I want to follow Minny around the Foote's house as she gets after Miss Celia. I love those ladies.

My only complaint is that I feel like the book builds and builds and then the ending is abrupt and unsatisfying. I need more. Don't leave Aibileen and Minny that way...Minny's still pregnant for heaven sake. I need more information...I'm still worried about the future of these fictional characters. Miss Skeeter needs to find love. Miss Hilly needs her butt kicked. I'm hoping for a sequel.

I appreciated the Author's Note at the end of the book where she talks about her own childhood and the black maid Demetrie who helped raise her. It brings authenticity and vulnerability to her writing.

Now I have GOT to find me a recipe for a Carmel Cake!! And...I need to return this book to the library where it is hugely overdue.

My Rating: Excellent-ish. It would be a full 5 stars except for the abrupt ending.

Still Here and Hanging On

So much for blogging more huh? Well...I would if I had a minute to sit down and actually do it. Right now I have about 10 minutes so here is what is going on.

We've been doing a little of this...

Kristin, Stacey and Kelley

The whole crew

A lot of this...

We raced one of these...

Oooh...Black Trans-AM...my third grade dream car and apparently Kameron's too.

I've done a little bit of this...

Going to garage sales and finding some cool vintage stuff for our next Sisters Creed Sale.

Not enough of this...

That would be crafting. I've got so many projects I want to do but haven't gotten around to them yet. So far only rose balls for Bryn's birthday decorations and hair bows for the girls because we were down to about zero.

We celebrated the arrival of this little cutie...

Liv Lauren Johnson...who is our darling new niece. Congratulations to Brett and Marissa!!

I've been trying to read this...

Which is so darn good but there just aren't enough hours in the day and it's already way over due at the library.

Throw in...roadshow, piano, digging out flower beds and the garden, sanding and refinishing the deck, Time out For Women, drill team practices, end of the year projects, upcoming field trips, trying to put together a presentation for Women's Conference with my friend Andrea, our approaching 15 year anniversary, Mother's Day and on and on...you get the picture.

What was the point of this post? Oh yeah. I'm still here. Barely. :)

It's Official- Bryn Kaitrin is one!!


We celebrated Bryn's actual birthday this weekend. She turned one on Saturday April 10th (a birthday that she shares with her "birthday twin" my fabulous friend Tiffany.) Brynnie partied hard this weekend.

She got an early birthday present from Mother Nature ...somehow she received curly hair for her birthday. In the past two weeks her hair in the back is starting to get curly and I couldn't be more thrilled. It looks darling. Kameron, my other curly-haired child, hates his and always wants his hair cut short. I hope Bryn's stays curly. Fun.

Bryn celebrated her special day by shopping and going out to lunch with her mom and Grandma...and then headed to Pizza Hut where she chowed down on some cheese pizza which she loved with the rest of the family.

Mom and Dad were in on the celebration too

She had a pink party with a pink cake at home with our family because she is truly our Pinkalicious girl.

The birthday girl patiently waiting for her party to begin.

Bryn doing her funny face

Bryn's cake is the same design as the cake that I had for my first birthday and that Reilly and Ailey also had. It's a tradition. It was a delicious triple layer homemade vanilla cake with homemade cherry buttercream frosting. It was so good!!

Look at that cute girl!! How is she already one? Where has the past year gone?

Look at that sweet face. Don't you just want to kiss it?

What 1st birthday is complete without rubbing a little birthday cake in your hair?

After all her celebrating this party girl was pooped.

Happy Birthday Brynnie Buttercup!! We love you!!

Easter Extravaganza 2010


What a fun week/weekend. We have just come off of Spring break; it was Conference Weekend; and Easter Weekend. The weather was horrible basically all week...but on Easter Morning the sun came out. Perfect timing.

Brynnie had a great first Easter. She loved the plastic eggs.

Bryn and Ailey got matching Easter dresses...Reilly is too big for the matching dresses...sniff

Kameron looking thrilled...was he blinded by the sunshine that he hadn't seen for so long? :) All Kameron wanted for his Easter outfit was a nice tie from Nordstrom. Very easy to please.

Reilly

We had a great Easter morning, watched the first session of Sunday General Conference (What a great conference we had!!), and then headed out to the lake to gather as a family for a wonderful Easter Dinner and Easter Egg Hunt.

My Aunt Marji and Uncle Dennis and several of their children and their families were all in town and we had a great time visiting with them. It really was such a great reminder on Easter of the eternal nature of families and the great gift of the Atonement that allows that to occur.

Bryn ready for the hunt and waiting patiently while the dads and teens hid the eggs. Then the madness began.

Daddy and Bryn hunting those eggs

Ailey, Reilly and Zeke

Dane

Kameron

Bryn loved hunting eggs. She had so much fun with those plastic eggs...who cares about the candy inside?

Such a cutie!!

It was impossible to get everyone to look at the camera and someone was always crying.

The best of the bunch!! From left on the bench: Ashlun, River, Dane, Gabe, Ailey, Reilly, Baby Lola, Daxton, Breckley and baby Kesli. On the front row: Kameron, Bryn, Elle, and Zeke. Do note that by this time both Bryn and Elle were howling.

Ken, Mom, my uncle Steve and my cousin Kellen

River and Ailey

Elle and Bryn

Gabe

John, Dane and River

Tyler, Mom, Elle and my cousin Jaymon

Elle

Jaymon and Kelley...the original Ailey and Dane

Dax and Kam

Zeke and Gabe

Reilly, Granny and Maklun...when did these little girls grow up!?!

Fixing dinner

Kellen (the daddy...crazy) and his darling baby girl Lola

Ashlun and Ailey...these girls had the best time together!!

Ailey the crazy boiled egg girl. She LOVES hard boiled eggs. When I was boiling our 4 dozen eggs for the Easter Egg Hunt our house smelled disgusting. Ailey walked into the house, took a big whiff and said "Oh my mouth is WATERING!!" Only Ailey.

Cousin pyramid

Bottom Row: Maklun, Reilly, Zeke and Gabe

Middle: Breckley, Dane, and Kameron

Top: Jaymon

And they all fell down

Then some adults got in on the action:

Bottom: Jessi, Uncle Dennis, Jaymon, Gabe
Middle: Reilly, Maklun, Gabe, Kameron
Top: Breckley, Ailey, Ashlun

Many of you have waited for this video and here it is...Elle can crawl but she likes to get around this way because she can go so much faster...for your viewing enjoyment:

Then out came the dress-ups:

It wouldn't be a family gathering without dressing up. Lookin' good guys!!

Happy Easter from our family to yours!!