Summer Reads For Everyone!

Weather you are Hitting the Beach, Sunning by the Pool, Camping in the Pines, Sitting Lake Side, Road Tripping, or staying in Air Conditioning this Summer, we all could use a good Summer Read! Books take us places we've never been, and let us look at the world through eyes not our own. I'll share with you some of what I've been Reading this Summer, and hopefully you find something that perks your interest and makes you want to pick up a Book!

 For the Young Adult Reader, who loves a good romance,

Everything Everything by: Nicola Yoon

My Daughters and I all loved this Book & then saw the Movie together! 

It's beautifully descriptive with an unusual story line. 

Adventure with a Twist

Leaving Time by: Jodi Picoult

If you like Books that aren't just what they seem, 

or simply love Elephants. :)

If you're a Non-Fiction History Buff, 

or just love Books about Women's Friendships

The Astronaut Wives Club by: Lily Koppel

is for you.

 Long to spend your summer on the East Coast?

Or like to explore Family Dynamics?

Body Surfing by; Anita Shreve

will let you do both!

 Since I am about to become a "Glam-ma" for the first time,

and my son is a Park Ranger;

Our Great Big Backyard by: Laura Bush and Jenna Bush Hager

Inspires kids to explore our National Parks! 

 My next Read is Christian Fiction

The Blue Bottle Club by: Penelope J. Stokes

A look back through time,

exploring women's lives.

This is not your light Summer Read.

Everything I Never Told You by: Celeste Ng

 Is a darker look inside a complicated Family

set in the 70's, but relevant today

Well, I Hope you see something that perks your interest and makes you want to pick up a Book or two! If so, tell me; what are you Reading this Summer? And where are you taking your Books to? 

More Exciting News!!

 As you know I will becoming a "Glam-ma" this August! Yay! Well, we have more good news; my oldest son, and his wife announced they are expecting their first child in November! That's right, I will become a Glam-ma TWICE this year!! #DoublyBlessed We are all so excited! We'll have two little ones, Cousins, who get to grow up together. Our family is growing, and we couldn't be happier!

Kyle & Katie came over for dinner back in April, he was wearing a T-Shirt that said "Dad Bod", while hers said "Eating For Two!" :) We clapped & screamed! They announced it publicly on Mother's Day, by posting the picture above, which they took a trip to Disneyland to capture. So cute!  Congratulations you two! We're so excited for this new 'Adventure Land' you are stepping into!

Exciting News!

 Come August here in Arizona, this little snowman will be long gone. 

But there will be a new little Forbis joining our Family! 

That's right. I will become a "Glam-ma!" 😊 

We are so excited and couldn't be happier! 

Congratulations Zach & Kendra!! ❤️

We as a Family have been sitting on some very Exciting News! If you've read my Christmas Letter  you would know what I asked Santa for, we'll my wish is being granted. :) On Jan. 2nd, we Skyped with our son, Zach, and daughter in law, Kendra, and they let us know they are expecting! I screamed! My Girls cried! We are all so excited! My Husband and I, now with two married children, have been looking forward to this next step in life of having Grandchildren.

 

They wanted to wait till they were beyond the first trimester to make it public, so as the time neared, we planned a day trip up to Flagstaff, Arizona. Since Zach & Kendra live in Page and the rest of us are in the Phoenix area, this is about half way for us. We got to sled and play in the snow and have dinner together. It was a great day! Our goal was to take some Pictures we could use to announce our happy news. My Niece went up with us and was taking our family picture around a little snow man we built, and jokingly said "This looks like a Baby Announcement!" We all laughed hysterically, then let her in on our secret! I have joked with my kids that when the time came for me to become a grandparent, I could not be called Grandma! That sounded too old! Then one day a saw a license plate that said "Glam-ma" and I knew that would be me! :)

My Thoughts On Inauguration Day;

I learned that when he says "Make America Great again", what he really means is Make America Rich. And as Kate Spade likes to quote Dorothy Parker "I've never been a millionaire, but I just know I'd be darling at it." I'd like to give it a try! So, go right ahead Mr. Trump! :) I was hopping his Inauguration Speech would be more Unifying, as opposed to Divisive, but I was once again disappointed. It was sad that there was less of a crowed than in years past. Though it is clear, we are a Nation divided, when just eight years ago we we're so United. And Proud to be Americans. Here is a little Post I wrote on that Inauguration Day!

My favorite part of the day was getting to see Elisabeth Dole. I'm a "Huge" fan of hers! (See what I did there?!?) I Love her, and It was so Amazing to see each former President, including our new President as well, make their way over to Bob and Elisabeth Dole to speak to them and shake their hands. It did my heart good! I was also very happy when Donald Trump Thanked Hillary Clinton for being there today. See, that wasn't so hard. I also should let you know that I am wearing my 'Madame President' shirt as I write this, and as I watched today, as it may be the last time that I get to wear it. Sad.

 A couple things I hope will change as Mr. Trump takes office; as you know, I Love Twitter and Social Media, but I strongly believe there is No place for mean tweeting, or bullying in the highest office in the land. Please stop. You have much more important things to worry about now. We're all counting on you. We want you to succeed. We want you to do great things. To Rise to the Challenge that is before you. And no, you didn't win the popular vote, which means the majority of Americans didn't vote for you. But that doesn't matter anymore. You are now their President. You must fight for them. People are fearful. And understandably so. They have heard terrible, awful things come out of your mouth, things about Women, Races of people, and entire religions.  It's up to you now to turn that around. You say you didn't really mean some of those things, well, it's time now to prove it! We are coming off an administration that whole heartedly supported Women. Who always took the high road, even when terrible things were said about him and his family. I am hoping you too, in your new position, can do the same. You have big shoes to fill. Will you be the champion for all Americans? Those born here, and those, like your own wife, who come here from other parts of the world. Our Children are depending on you. Be Great!

29 Years!!

 To Have and to Hold, 

 

 

from this day, Forward

 

 For Better, or for Worse

 

For Richer, for Poorer

 

 In Sickness, and in Health

 

 To Love and to Cherish

  

 

 Till death do Us part

 

 according to God's Holy Ordinance

 

 thereto I pledge thee my Faith

 

29 Years!! 

Happy Anniversary My Love

15 Years

It was one of those days we all remember exactly where we were. As for Me, I was at home with my two 3 year old daughters, my boys had gone to school. I turned on the Today Show. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It was a sad time already, as I had just lost my only Sister a month before. We went to the Church where my husband was working, they had brought in a TV to watch and Pray. I remember my little girls saying "Daddy, we already watched this one with a plane flying into the building!" And I was so grateful they weren't old enough to understand what was really going on.

My boy's were in 4th and 5th grades. They were told and watched at school, then were sent home early. We had many conversations following. Adults couldn't understand it, let alone children. I've read "Let's Roll" and other books, and we've watched the Movies made about that day. Then when my boys were teenagers we got to go to New York. We stood at the Memorial as it was being built. When you stepped off the subway, you just felt a hush in the air. I think it truly is the only quiet place in the city.

A few years ago, John & I got to visit Washington D.C., another awesome city. Below is a pic we snapped of the Pentagon, that was also hit on 9/11. In both cities we heard stories from people who were there that day, and what they lived through.

My oldest son, Kyle and his wife, Katie spent their Honeymoon in New York. All the Pictures of the 9/11 Memorial and the new Freedom Tower, he took. The ones with the Twin Towers in them I got off the Internet, as I wanted to show some before and afters.

We will not forget.