Catcher in the Rye

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Catcher in the Rye

By J.D. Salinger

I just finished this book for the second time.  As I mentioned in WAYRG, I read this book in high school and I wanted to reread it to see if I might have a different view of it now that I am an adult.  Basically, I can appreciate it a little more, but I can't say that I really like this book.  The author definitely is able to create a unique voice for a character such that you don't mind reading a book all about what is happening in his life.  My biggest problem is that I completely do not in any way relate to the character and the author doesn't really help me connect with the character.  I'm not sure I blame the author, he definitely does a good job of presenting the character but there is no way he can be sure every reader will identify with a character.  I guess I just can't even connect with the character at all just because it's hard for me to sympathize or empathize with him.  I think this is mainly because of the way the story is told.  I'm not sure I'm making sense!

Let's just say that Holden Caulfield is just not a character who I can identify with and, for the second time, I feel like it was just annoying to read all about this kid's life when in the end, it really doesn't help me grow as a reader.  

Please, if you are a Holden fan or a Catcher fan, tell me why you are and help me see the light!  I really want to like this book, I think I just need some help.  Let this be a good example that books are not one size fits all.  

Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports

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Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports

By James Patterson

I love this series!  I think this is such a fun series with great characters.  Max, the main character, is really funny and is always making me laugh.  This is the third book in the series about a group of kids who are part bird and who are trying to escape from and bring down the mad scientists who created them in order to save the world.  I liked this book as much as the others.  There was lots of action, a little more drama...and definitely more romance, which I love.  Not too much gushy romance, just a little, but it made the book more interesting to me.  There were a few twists and turns along the way.  I think this is a must read...after you read the first two in the series, that is.  

King Dork

Most Recently Read Book:

King Dork

By Frank Portman

I found this book at the library randomly and just finished listening to it yesterday.  This book was really a funny book after I got into it.  It's basically a year (or so) in the life of a sophomore boy in high school.  He's pretty much a dork and doesn't really have too many friends in school.  It's a totally different perspective from what I have read before.  There are some mature ideas in this book so I would definitely recommend this for at least high school students.  A perfect book for any boy who's into music, too.  

5 Fall Favorites!

5 Fall Favorites!

1. The beautiful color-changing leaves!  I love that we live in a part of the country that has four season, especially in the fall, when the leaves change to yellows and reds and oranges.  I love it.  I remember as a kid we used to drive around in Lake Forest to see all the trees.  When I lived in DeKalb, I remember going home and seeing the leaves and realizing how even from DeKalb to Lake Forest, the scenery could be so different even.  It's not fall without changing leaves!

2. The cool sweater-wearing weather.  I love being able to go out in a sweater but not needing a coat just yet.  I love being able to wear my vest, too.  

3. Halloween!  That includes dressing up, trick-or-treating, and carving pumpkins.  This year we have had so much fun with Jordan.  He loves pumpkins.  Everywhere we go he looks for pumpkins. 

4. Pumpkins...in food!  I love carving pumpkins, but I love eating pumpkins in food just as much!  Pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, pumpkins pie, pumpkin donuts, pumpkin coffee...it's pumpkinlicious!

5. Apples...crunch!  I love the apple season, too.  We love to go to the apple orchard.  Edward's has the best apple donuts.  Mmm...freshly baked, they are so yummy.  I love caramel apples and apple cobbler.  

Playhouse Disney 2008

Mickey!!!  We were so excited to go see Mickey on the 18th.  Playhouse Disney came bringing Mickey and his friends, the Little Einsteins, Pooh, Tigger, and Darby, and Handy Manny.  Jordan went with his cousin, Alex, and his friend, Chloe.  We were up high but we were in the first row so it was super easy to see the stage.  Jordan sat in the comfy theater chair at first and then he stood up and danced for part of the show.  It was his first ever theater experience.  

I know this might be sad, but I was just as happy to see Mickey as Jordan was.  I can't help it, I love that mouse.  I have told Chad before that I am still sad that our Disney vacation is over with.  Seriously, it can easily bring tears to my eyes just thinking of the fact that we are not in Disney World any more.  I can't really explain it...Disney World is a real getaway where you just forget about everything in the real world and things like bills and taking out the trash, plus everyone is so nice, there are fun things to do around every corner, and cool places to eat.  It's just fun.  I guess that's what Walt Disney set out to do, but I'm not sure everyone loves it as much as I do.  I kind of think my sadness is probably a little on the weird side...but I can't help it!  Mickey, you are the mouse!

We tried to take a picture of all three kids...and you can see how it turned out.  Chloe was still kind of sick, Alex was watching Mickey, and Jordan was...well, I'm not sure what he was doing.  But, here they are anyway.  

Mickey and his friends!

Jordan and Alex were so excited to be right in the front row where they could see. 

Jordan, Mom, and Mickey.

Chad, Mickey, and Jordan.  

Adrian Peterson Fall Festival 2008

On Columbus Day, Chad was so excited to take us to Adrian Peterson's Fall Festival.  Adrian Peterson is a football player for the Chicago Bears.  We were able to meet tons of Bears, Jordan was able to play and eats lots of food.  I think my pictures are out of order, but they're all here!

Chad, Jordan, and Tommie Harris

Jordan playing in the mini-ball pit. Yes, we do let him play in germ-infested ball pits.    

Jordan and I riding the train.  Choo choo!

Kevin Jones, running bac.k

Jordan, me, and Matt Forte, our rookie running back. 

Matt Forte signing the ball Chad chose for all the players in the backfield to sign.

Me, Jordan, and Rashied Davis, a wide received... and one of my favorite players!

Roberto Garza, Jordan, and me. 

Chad, Jordan, and Desmond Clark.  

Me, Chad, Jordan, and Jason Beekman, an offensive lineman.

Jason McKie, the fullback for the Bears.

Garrett Wolfe!!!!  Another Vincent household favorite!

Adrian Peterson, this is the player who hosted the entire event to raise money for a charity he supports.  

Mall Rats

Mall Mondays!!!  Here we are at the mall!  We have been meeting up with Maddy, Kathy, and Marc (Kathy works with Chad), and Alex, Silvia, and Rob (Silvia is my cousin) to play at the mall.  The kid have a great time...although now they are starting to realize there is way more to the mall than playing inside the play area.  Jordan was waiting for his friends to come on this day and playing on the frog.  

For dinner, we usually get chicken nuggies Happy Meals from McDonald's for the kids.  Jordan and Maddy were dancing under this mall sign because it played music. 

 I tried to capture their dancing but Maddy was more interested in seeing the picture.  I love how they dance!  

Country Bumpkin!

We found a gem this fall at the Country Bumpkin, a cute little pumpkin patch near our house that is just Jordan's size!  It is seriously less than 5 minutes from our house.  For $5 we bought a wristband for Jordan and he was able to jump in the jumpy inflatables, pan for gold, go through the hay maze, see some farm animals, and ride a giant tractor.  Everything was perfect for him and he had a blast running around with all the other kids!

This was the first time Jordan really had fun jumping in one of these things.  He was laughing like crazy and running around in this thing.  Chad and I were cracking up watching him!

You can kind of see the smile on his face!
We were able to watch through these windows in the sides and Jordan would come up and try and say hi to us.  Too, cute.  
Here's Jordan panning for gold.  He loved to put his hands in the water and push the rocks around.
Here he is with all the other kids.  I love how he is not afraid to get in there with other kids, even big kids.  He loves to be where the action is!
Jordan and dad driving the big tractor!
Jordan and I riding the barrel train!  This was an extra cost but we had a coupon for a free ride!  We were pulled through a pretty long trail by a four wheeler.  Jordan kept saying, "Choo, choo!"  It was adorable!
Jordan loves climbing up into big chairs.  And he loves pumpkins!  He tries to pick them up and we taught him to just go and pet the pumpkins instead of trying to pick them up.  He'll usually try first and then declare, "heavy", although it sounds like, "havy" when he says it.  Every where he goes we hear, "Ooo, punkin!"
More water!  He loves to look in the water and throw rocks in water.  From this pictures it seems he doesn't love to pose for pictures...
Jordan had so much fun at our little pumpkin patch!

5 Aunt Jacquie Favorites!

5 Aunt Jacquie Favorites!

1. She drives me crazy like only a sister can!  And, I admit, I drive her crazy, too.  I think it's part of the job title.  

2.  She loves to come over and play with Jordan.  She loves her nephew.  It's fun to see her hang out with Jordan.

3. She loves to read fun young adult books and gets into them as much as I do!  This summer we had so much fun reading the Fablehaven series, the Percy Jackson series, the Maximum Ride series, and, of course, the Twilight series!

4.  She's very sentimental.  Our dad calls her Princess Tender Heart and she does have a serious tender heart when it comes to sentimental stuff from our childhood or last week. 

5. She loves Full Moon ice cream.  The girl knows what she likes, and one think she likes is Full Moon ice cream from Sweets, the ice cream/candy shop in downtown Lake Forest where we grew up...not to be sentimental...

5 Papa Jack Favorites!

5 Papa Jack Favorites!

1. Papa Jack is always the voice of reason.  Ever since I was a kid I could always talk things out with my dad and he could help me figure out what was going on and how I could deal things.  I have fond memories of waiting for the bus with my dad talking about life.

2. Papa Jack always has a good hug in him.  Papa Jack is just a big teddy bear who is always ready to wrap you up in a great hug. 

3. Papa Jack comes to the rescue when you need him.  Any time I had a car problem or a house problem or any other kind of problem, my dad was only a phone call away. 

4.  Papa Jack always has encouraging words of wisdom.  Papa Jack has some great words of wisdom in him, my favorite: Nothing is impossible if broken down into manageable segments, stabilized by faith, and purified by belief.  It's  a classic.

5.  Papa Jack is a great cook!  No one can deny the man can cook and we love it when he does!  

Happy Birthday Aunt Jacquie!!!

Again...it was almost a month ago...but not entirely a month ago so I don't feel entirely bad.  Anyway, Happy Birthday, Jacquie!!!  Doesn't she look cute in her bowling t-shirt?  We were excited Jacquie was home so we could celebrate her birthday with her.  

Aunt Jacquie loves Jordy and Jordy loves his Aunt Jacquie!

Jacquie was excited for her presents, who isn't excited for birthday presents?

Oh, the anticipation!  I love birthdays!

Happy Birthday Papa Jack!

Happy Birthday Papa Jack!  It's been a few weeks...but we did celebate Papa Jack's 60th birthday!  We had a fun island-themed party out on the back patio and in the basement.  The family had fun hanging out and relaxing.  Papa Jack got his Tassimo coffee maker and lots of fun coffee!  

The Birthday Boy!

Alex and Silvia

Wyatt and Sawyer

Chad and me

Guise and Raul

Aunt Kandi and Gamma

Uncle Eric

Aunt Jane and Aunt Jacquie

Jordan and Wyatt playing in the pond in the back.

Everyone had so much fun hanging out.  The boys liked being in the back and playing in the water.  They jumped after the frogs that were everywhere.  It was a beautiful night.  

The Wright Three

Most Recently Read Book:

The Wright Three

By Blue Balliett

I didn't realize this book was the second in a series...but it didn't really matter that I read it out of order.  This is a historical fiction book, which means parts are based on true facts or part of history.  This books happens to be about three kids who help to save a house that was designed and built by Frank Lloyd Wright, a very famous architect.  There are plans to tear down the house but the kids find a way to save it.  They have a mystery to solve because they think they see someone in the house.  This book was a very fun adventure mixed in with the history part and even some math and art things, too!  Plus, this book is set in Chicago.  I love to read books that are written in Chicago.  I can't wait to go back and read the first book in this series, Chasing Vermeer.  

I especially liked this book because I recently read Loving Frank for book club and it gave me some background about Frank Lloyd Wright.  I think this book will be really fun to read with Jordan some day.  I would love to read this with him and eat red herring fish (Swedish fish candy)  and take him to visit the Robie house.