The Hunger Games

Oh young adult fiction, how I have missed you! I just finished The Hunger Games yesterday and loved it. Back when I was teaching 7th grade, pre-kids, I thought I was up to date on the latest book trends. I read and reread the Twilight books. Now I am so happy to find my way back. (Especially before the movie comes out.)

I couldn't put this book down. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise when I got sick this weekend. I pawned my children off on my sweet mother and aunt, then when to bed with my book.  It's about a bleak world in the future. A strong, female main character that must literally fight to stay alive, who I immediately fell in love with. There's of course a romance (perhaps like a Twilight romantic triangle.) It was such an easy read but it stirred up a lot of difficult questions inside of me. It really made me think long hard about those in our world that don't have enough to eat. Now that I have my own kids - I just can't wrap my brain around watching my kids suffer.

There was some violence, but Collins did a great job making it appropriate for young readers and those with weak stomachs.

Loved it!!! Can't wait to start #2.

Happy Halloween

What a great Halloween! Jack is at such a fun age and was so excited about dressing up with his friends for parties and trick-or-treating. And, well, Will is just always happy (except right now - he just starting crying as I am typing this.)

Jack is a soldier (just like his daddy.) He even wore J.J.'s dog tags and hat. I didn't want to buy boots for his costume so we "borrowed" J.J.'s socks and laced them up. I dyed his shirt and shoe laces in coffee, which worked really well.

Will (Sir William Wallace) is rocking out a kilt for his dad's favorite movie - Braveheart. Apparently Williams Wallace's mother's maiden name was also Crawford so we figured we all must be related. I made his costume and little sword. I velcroed it to his back but put it upside down. So glad he let me paint his face.

We had our annual Halloween party at my house. We all have so many kids that the party is just a big blur to me but the kids had so much fun. And the moms helped clean up everything up before they went home (another of the many reasons I love my friends!) Afterwards, I put my kids both down for naps and I crashed on the couch.

Halloween night we trick-or-treated in one of our friends' neighborhoods as a big group. Last year Jack didn't really understand and only got excited at the last house when they gave him raisins. This year he definitely knew all about the candy and yelled "trick-or-treating" as he ran up to every house.  And he finally let me paint his face so he would be in full camo attire. My boys were just too cute!