"Dirty" 30 Adventures... Family Dinner

Week 1 Part 1:
Family Dinner

Dinner at Firehouse in Layton.  Madison and Jaxson were my personal photographers for the evening. So brace yourself for photos...

 Me and Dad

 Me and Madi

 Kristy and Angie

 The Hahn Family

 Derek, Mom, Kris.. and "evil: Jaxson

 Tyler, Dad, Madi

 The Farnsworth Family

 Cleggs... Jordan was tired from his soccer game so he's hiding.

 Me and Jax

ONE of Jax's selfie

JeNae made me this most delicious birthday cake:

Cheesecake on a cookie dough crust.

So. Much. Good!

2 out of 12

February Update:

Make sure you check out Derek's YouTube channel for his hiking updates:

https://www.youtube.com/user/RUTired

Valentines was super

ARK #1

I've now seen Andrea more in 2 weeks than I have in any other year.
Guess that's what happens when you live far away from extended family...

 Game Night
Angie took down her husband.
Derek made a new friend.

Ragnar broke her squeaky toy record.
29hrs from store to complete destruction.
This is the halfway point where she decided to take a nap.

Super warm temps = lots of hiking.

 Ogden Valley

Watched RSL kick butt in the Desert Diamond Cup

Field trip to the Natural History Museum.

Aunt Chell birthday date: Took the Brynners to the Tree House Museum
That kid was running around like crazy! She had so much!

Ragnar got some serious lovin'.
Thalia "loves her so much"!

"Parents & Pastries" PTA event at the Clegg's elementary.

I invited myself.  There was doughnuts.

I read The Stinky Cheeseman to them.

 Jordan is a reading machine!

21.35%

Dr. Seuss is celebrated during the month of March (it's a great month), so when I was scanning some quotes for the classroom I came across this gem.

And the first book on this update is rather full of nonsense :)

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka

Pg. 51

Read this to Jordan & Madison at their elementary school's lil PTA thingy.
So it counts.
This book is just plain awesomeness.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/407429.The_Stinky_Cheese_Man?ac=1
*****

The Magician (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #2) by Michael Scott

Pg. 464

This book just seemed like everyone was tripping over themselves mixed in with some action.  And that action felt desperate at times too.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2402971.The_Magician
***

The Sorceress (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #3) by Michael Scott
Pg. 502

This one is the best in the series thus far.  The author brought in more mythological creatures and peoples with his own spin to it, making things feel believable in a sense.  The action wasn't desperate all the time like the last book.  It also back tracks just enough that if you were to start off by just reading this book, you'll be all set and not annoyed with all the redundant details (but there are times that it feels as such).
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4588949-the-sorceress
****

Demon's Vow (Asylum Tales #3.2) by Jocelynn Drake
Pg. 96

The author is inspired by one of my "fantasy" favorite authors, Kim Harrison.
In this installment of book 3 part 2, you could really tell.  I did enjoy the story and how it led up to something bigger.  Still don't agree that it needed to be split up in 3 parts.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20957430-demon-s-vow
***

Tempted (House of Night #6) by P.C. Cast

Pg. 319

Stab me in the eye with a wooden spoon.
I tap out. I can't handle the 6 books that are left in the series. 
6 BOOKS!
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6262365-tempted
*

Moth (The Moth Saga #1) by Daniel Arenson
Pg. 352

It was free.  A staff said that he really enjoyed the saga and that it's not "fantasy" but still not typical ordinary settings.  Half the world in light only, the other half in darkness.  War started by a religious zealot.  It felt like torture trying to read this book.  I went back and forth on how I felt about characters which is fine, but all the stuff in between just made me not a fan.  Most likely won't finish the saga. Unless I need something to read while I'm waiting for a library book.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18748012-moth

**

Gregor The Overlander (The Underland Chonricles) by Susan Collins

Pgs. 326

I've read this a few years ago with the students, and now again with a totally new group of students. Very creative idea to get away from the pastoral feelings of most settings. And then the author went on to write The Hunger Games...

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/262430.Gregor_the_Overlander

***

Maus, II: And Here My Troubles Began (Maus #2) by Art Spiegelman

Pgs. 136

Reading this book with the students in their history classes as a way for the teacher to go over the holocaust with them.  It still teaches the horrors of the holocaust but without all the heart wrenching photos they'd be exposed to with textbooks and videos.  Our students already have had exposure to those horrors from our 11 million steps project. I'm still not a fan of graphic novels.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15197.Maus_II

****

4,160 + 2,246= 6,406 Total Pages/ 30,000
12 + 8 = 20 Total Books
21.35% Complete

13.86%

The Half Life of Molly Pierce by Katrina Leno
pg.  231

At first I totally thought that this was going to be a story about a radiation. True story.
I was WAY off! This girl gets depressed/sad for who knows why, the author doesn't really let you know other than she had a bad day.   So the girl creates this alter ego that comes out and takes over her life right when she's about to kill herself.
Super depressing. Reminded me a lot of 13 Reasons Why.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18698816-the-half-life-of-molly-pierce
***

The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Famel) by Michael Scott
pgs. 400

Second time I've read this book, the first time being a few years back with the students for English.  I remembered enjoying the book and meaning to read the rest of the series.  So now I am! Just hoping the rest of the series doesn't get all teenagery on me.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17402605-the-alchemyst
****

Dead Man's Deal (The Asylum Tales) by Jocelynn Drake

Pgs. 371

For most of the book I was like "geeze Gage, keep it in your pants!" There was so much going on it seemed a little scattered brained. It wasn't the sequel I was wanting, and it didn't get really interesting until the end.  The next book holds promise but since they're published in e-book format only, I'm waiting until it goes on sale or free like the first two books. This series isn't worth paying full price, esp if the author writes the next book like this one.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16065783-dead-man-s-deal

***

Demon's Fury (Asylum Tales 3.1) by Jocelynn Drake
pg. 100

So the story actually gets interesting and the author ends it.  
What a marketing suck trap! 
Well, parts 2 & 3 are just going to have to wait until the prices comes down. 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20650475-demon-s-fury

***

Ruin and Rising (The Grisha #3) by Leigh Bardugo

Pgs. 471

Waited a year for this book to come out.
Was not disappointed.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14061957-ruin-and-rising

****

The Revenge of Seven (Lorien Legacies #5) by Pittacus Lore

Pgs. 371

I was anxiously waiting for this book to come out, and when it finally did I had several books waiting in line ahead of it. FINALLY got around to it and I was kinda disappointed. I wasn't at the edge of my seat like the others before it. In fact it didn't get interesting until the end of the book! What I was hoping to get exciting turned out to be a dud, then the very end the author threw in a twist and now I can't wait for #6 to be published! 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18606243-the-revenge-of-seven

***

2,216 + 1,944 = 4,160 Total Pages/ 30,000

6+ 6 = 12 Total Books

13.86% Complete

1 out of 12

 It's February-Holy Cow! Here is January summed up:

Personal Concert by Sonja & Bryn

An out of this World date!

 It's close enough to astronaut food...

 Gross. Don't fall for it. Get the real deal!

Supported one of my hurdle girls who is also a cheerleader.

Brought these two with me.

Any team with purple on their uniforms were their "favorite".

 My first & ONLY cheer comp I'll ever go to.

Demetri Martin.

Jokes with guitar.

It's a big deal.

Took my Dad and the Clegg kids to their first Utah Grizzlies Game.

Trust me, as soon as the game started and they saw how aggressive hockey is...

They were on the edge of their seats!

They couldn't believe the ref didn't stop the fight!

Fire & Ice date night.

Holy Smokes & Ice Skating

Video gaming.

Ragnar was not pleased to have to share her seat with Derek.

She slowly pushed him off. It was pretty funny.

My mom has possession of this.

Tyler is jealous.

I am pleased.