Melissa's Idea Garden

I have been a fan of Dean Koontz for around 25 years. I have read most every book he has ever written, though I think I may have missed a recent one or two. At any rate, my hubby purchased this book back in the fall for one of his airplane reading books. I am finally getting a chance to read it.

As usual, Dean Koontz does not disappoint. He takes his well-known love of golden retrievers and combines it with his ability to write page turning novels and creates a great read! If you like golden retrievers or are a dog lover in general, you will love this book. If you like a fast paced, page turner that keeps you guessing up to the last chapters, you will like this book.

This is a story of love, sacrifice, revenge, mystery and spiritual growth.

I give this book 5 stars.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 3:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

In an army hospital at Fort Gordon, Georgia, at 9:17 pm, I came kicking and screaming into the world.

For the next year and a half, my parents lived in Georgia, then Texas, before moving to Lynchburg, VA when my Dad finished his time in the Army. I have been in the Lynchburg, Va area pretty much ever since. We lived in a trailer, and then a house in Forest, VA until I was 9. The trailer is now gone with a huge subdivision in the fields behind where it used to sit. The little brick house still stands. Then we moved to a ranch style home in Lynchburg, but still on the Forest side of town and in Bedford County (though we had a Lynchburg address). We lived there for until I was 15, when we moved about a mile across the road to a home that we had built. When I was 18, I went to the College of William and Mary and spent my summers at home, except for the summer between my junior and senior year when I lived in Williamsburg with a college friend.

I was married 6 days after graduation.We were college sweethearts, but the marriage only lasted a little over a year. Then I returned home to Mom and Dad's. A year later, I met Daniel and moved in with him in a trailer in Moneta. A year after that his kids came to live with us and we moved to a bigger trailer in Body Camp (both of these places still in Bedford County. A year later, we purchased 5 acres of land for 100.00 down and monthly payments in Huddleston (southeastern Bedford County). A year later (after we had chopped down a kazillion trees), we moved into our current home and come this October we will have lived here for 15 years.

Some facts about me:

1. My mom planned ahead. In case I ended up being twins, one of us was to be named Melissa Dawn and the other Angela Dusk. I often thought that I used a pseudonym as a writer, it would be Angela Dusk.

2. My mom's father died on her 20th birthday, 6 weeks before I was born.

3. I always thought it was neat being a Georgia Peach...made me stand out from the rest of my classmates!

4. Melissa means Honey Bee in Greek.

5. I have been writing since I was in 5th grade in one shape or another. I have had many things published over the years.

6. I love being outside (as long as the temperature is comfortable). I love the mountains and I love the beach. I love snow. I love sitting out on a proch as a storm begins to whip up....trees swaying, wind blowing, darkening skies and thunder booms in the distance.

7. Before kids and rising gas prices, one of my favorite ways to unwind was to jump into my 1976 Monte Carlo, roll down the windows, crank up the tunes and just drive.

8. I enjoy doing things with my hands...crochet, embroidery, needlepoint...

9. The gifts I love the most are the ones that show thought and/or are homemade. Some of the most favorite gifs I have received are tennis balls from my stepsons, the complete Six Million Dollar Man and Bionic Woman series on DVD from my husband, a ring from my daughter and a candle from my son.

10. I love to watch movies, read books, play on my Nintendo DS and blog.

11. Before my knee started giving me such fits, I enjoyed hiking and geocaching and swimming and playing tennis.

12. J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter, my stepsister, Denise, and I share today as a birthday! Dean Cain (superman) and I share the same birthday and birth year! Happy Birthday Dean!!

Today has gotten off to a lovely start. At 7:30, DH called and sang Happy Birthday to me. Moments later, Jack and his friend, Brandon, appeared with breakfast in hand (toast, waffles and a banana). Then Katrina and her friend, Kaylie, put on a puppet show for me and sang Happy Birthday. Jack and Brandon headed across the street and Jack sang Happy Birthday to me over the walkie talkie he had left behind. At 8, my mother called and sang Happy Birthday to me and we chatted for awhile. Kaylie and Katrina hung streamers and balloons in the living room and kitchen for me. At about 9:30, my oldest stepson, Bruce, called to wish me Happy Birthday. I opened cards I had received in the mail from my mom and stepdad, my in-laws, one of my aunts, a neighbor, and a friend from England. Then my mother-in-law called and told me Happy Birthday and chatted for awhile.

And it isn't even 11:00 yet! Daniel is supposed to be getting home this evening about 6 pm.

Now for a few pictures...

Posted by Melissa Markham at 10:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)

I recently blogged about a friend who has joined some other friends in starting blogs to tell others what their corners of the world are like. She invited me to join in the 365 days in ______ movement, but I told her, I had a hard enough time keeping up with this blog.

However, I have been having a blast reading her posts (she is funny!) and I have also enjoyed reading other friends' blogs when they talk about where they live, so I think I will post once a week and include pictures of what we have done the previous week. I will probably do this on the weekend.

I thought I would have an intro today to whet your appetite and give you some general information about the county I live in. Be sure to come back on Sundays for more fun stuff!

Bedford County is mostly a rural county. It is the largest (acre wise) county in the state of Virginia and one of the fastest growing. If I want to drive from the Eastern border of the county to the Western border or from the southern border to the northern border, this drive can take between 1 and 1 1/4 hours to complete.

Bedford County has areas of fast growth and more money. Forest, VA has literally exploded since I was a child with fancy houses, high incomes, and the people there have even talked off and on about leaving Bedford County and becoming a town. On the other side of Bedford County, you will find Smith Mountain Lake. Smith Mountain Lake has over 500 miles of shoreline and is the most popular lake to visit in Virginia. A great location for water sports with a State Park full of hiking trails, campsites and a public beach area. We usually try to rent a boat and go to the lake once a year. How long does it take us to get from our home to there? About 45 minutes. The really interesting thing is that we live in Huddleston, VA which goes from Eastern Bedford County all the way to the lake...unfortunately, we live on the Eastern side away from the lake... but that's life.

Bedford County's county seat is located in Bedford City (formally known as Liberty). It is a nice little town where everybody knows everybody else (at least that's what I heard). In the northern half of the county, the Peaks of Otterrise above the horizon. Both Flat Top and Sharp Top are wonderful places to hike and I will see if I can get Daniel to share some pictures he has taken there.

Well, that is enough of an overview for now. Here is a map you can check out.

As you can see Bedford lies between two larger cities: Roanoke and Lynchburg. This makes it a wonderful bedroom community. Further growth has come about in Bedford City area due to the National D-Day Memorial.

Around 30 years ago, the McDonald's in Bedford went out of business. It was the first ever to do so. Now Bedford has a McDonald's, Applebee's, Huddle House, Wendy's, Burger King, Arby's, Long John Silver's, and more. Plus hotels, Wal-Mart and Lowe's just to name a few.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 11:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Sorry that I haven't been around for a few days. I did get in on the bloggy giveaways carnival with some help from my friend Laura, at Laura Williams' Musings.

We spent most of the weekend enjoying our last weekend in Bloomington and getting packed to come back to Virginia. Daniel says the apartment is really lonely without us there. I can tell you that it was a whole lot emptier after packed our stuff up. I didn't think it was all going into the Xterra, but it did...well, most of it - we will be getting the rest when we go back when Daniel's gig is done. We loaded up Sunday, but unlike when we came home the end of June, we weren't chomping at the bit to get back to Virginia this time.

We didn't leave Bloomington until around 9:30. And we spent the night in West Virginia. When we got to WV, we started running into traffic due to road work that was being done at night. After my third 15 minute wait, I decided we were done and we checked into a Wingate outside of Charleston.

The Wingate was very nice. Those puffy bedspreads must be all the rage these days in newer hotels. I want one for my bed...light, but very warm and comfy. We had a good night's sleep and went downstairs for our complimentary breakfast.

Katrina wanted hard boiled eggs and asked if I would warm them up. I have never heated up hardboiled eggs in the microwave...do you know you have to pierce those suckers? I knew that if they got too hot, they could explode, so I only warmed them for 30 seconds. They were really, really cold when we got them out of the container, and they were just barely warm after 30 seconds, so I went for another 20. The microwave beeped, I opened the door, pulled out the eggs and then there was this gunshot sound! One of the eggs exploded...egg on my daughter's face, all over the microwave, the floor and on my shirt and in our hair....EMBARRASSING! And who knew how big of a mess an exploding egg could make!????

I have been using a microwave for over 25 years and I have never, ever exploded anything....until now! That was our most exciting moment on our return trip.

Yesterday we arrived home around 3. I had three loads of laundry to do, a weeks worth of mail to sort, 84 emails and hundreds of comments (spam and non spam) to wade through on my blog. Plus I had to go to the grocery store. I am proud to report, that at 11 am this morning, I am caught up. The unpacking is done. Mail is caught up, phone calls have been made and returned, the last load of laundry is drying and the kids have friends over to visit. All is right with the world.

Except for the 2 foot long, 1 foot in diameter hornets nest that is growing out of our satellite dish...Expect photos in the future....

I finished watching the first season of Lost and can't wait to get the next season. What a bang - up finish! I couldn't believe it when Boone died a couple of episodes before the end. And now Walt has been kidnapped...what a horrible thing to happen, just when Sawyer, Jin and Walt's dad thought they were going to be rescued. Exciting times!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 9:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Guess what, it is time again for bloggers to unite and participate in a week of Bloggy Giveaway! This is a great time for all (except maybe our clicking fingers and our families that we ignore while surfing through great contests) and I am happy to be part of it.

This month, I have read and reviewed Kathy Herman's Seaport Suspense Series.

I have reviewed each book and if you are so inclined, you can find those reviews by following the links below:

These four books are amazing stories. All of them tackle tough issues that we face everyday and wrap those up in suspenseful stories with a large dose of inspiration. Through these books, you get to watch a family deal with tough issues and how their relationship with God helps them do it. I can't say enough about how much I have enjoyed reading these four books and how I have been inspired by them.

To win, all you have to do is comment below. Sorry, but this contest is only open to U.S. residents. I will pick a winner at random using the random generator on Friday evening, August 1st at 6 pm EST. Good luck! And remember, if you don't win or can't wait, click on my Shelfari book shelf and order your copies today.

Now, that you have signed up here, head over to Bloggy Giveaways for tons and tons more contests to enter! Get your mouse finger ready!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 9:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (94)

I have heard people talk about Lost and how they can't wait to see the next episode. I never watched the program, though I was intrigued by it. So a couple of weeks ago, when I was at the store looking for movies for us to watch, and realizing there wasn't anything new out that we wanted to see that we hadn't seen already, I spied the first season of Lost.

I thought...what the heck...

Monday, I finally got around to watching the first episode and I am now half way through the first season(12 episodes). What a story! Saeid (no idea how to spell his name) is so cute...and so is Sawyer (love those dimples) and is Kate the lucky one with all these fellows drooling over her. The fourth episode when we find out about Lock's physical problems before the crash, blew me away! And when I thought Charlie was dead, I was not a happy camper as he is one of my favorite characters.

So...here I am...joining the hordes that are addicted to this show....well, at least I am in good company:)

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

My husband is a private pilot and he loves to fly. I have a love/hate relationship with flying. I love getting places quickly, but being up in the air leaves me feeling so out of control (though I know it is way safer than driving).

My husband had one tricky flight that involved flying into a thunderstorm after being given inaccurate weather information. He did a heck of a job flying (as attested to by the fact that he landed safely and that one of his passengers, another pilot, said he did a great job!)

I would like to hand out kudos to the pilots who were flying the Spirit of Australia when a 3 meter hole appeared in the side and the plane dropped 20,000 feet! All of the 346 passengers and 19 crew members were able to disembark the plane normally. Way to go pilots! And Praise God for the outcome!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:52 AM | Permalink

Man, this ability to read for hours on end has been so nice. I am going to miss the time when I return to Virginia.

Today, I read Dear John by Nicholas Sparks. I believe I picked this book up at a book sale. I have seen the movies The Notebook and Message in a Bottle and I have read the book, Message in a Bottle. I love the depth of the characters in Sparks' writing. He writes about real people in real situations in such a way that the reader becomes part of the story, becomes entranced by the story.

Dear John is an excellent book. It is a love story. It is a growing up story. It is a story of sacrifice. From a rebellious teenager who doesn't understand his father to a gentleman who learns how to show love, this story will capture you and hold you until the very end.

I give this book five stars. I highly recommend it!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Ever since we arrived back in May, Daniel has mentioned us going to State Farm Water Park. It never seemed to be in the cards though. Since he is a contractor, he is not included among those who get to take advantage of the very nice recreational area that State Farm has set up. But, his boss told him this week that she would get passes for the kids and me to go and we went today. It was 74, cloudy and started raining about 4. I was literally sitting with a towel wrapped around me while the wind blew. The kids weren't bothered by the cold and in fact told me I would get warm if I just got in the water. While the water was heated and it probably would have been warmer than sitting in the chair, I knew that getting in meant only one thing...getting back out and I just wasn't up for it.

The park was very nice (and just remodelled last year). There was a toddler area (no deeper than 18 inches, water spraying and dumping toys. Then there was an area designed for kids that were between the ages of 4 and 8, I would say. Two nice slides. Pool not deeper than three feet. Plenty of place to splash and have fun without much swimming skills.

Then there was a lazy river. And a great big hot tub. And a pool that went from 4 feet deep to 12 feet deep and in the 12 feet deep section there were two diving boards and a fun slide. We lucked out with the inclement weather, because there were only about 3 dozen people there altogether. I was told that yesterday the place was packed. The kids didn't have to wait in long lines to use the diving board and the slide. Katrina loved the lazy river. I shivered, took pictures and read another book.

So without further ado, here are some fun photos:

To top off the chilly fun, we stopped at Starbucks on the way home...Mocha for me, hot cocoa for the kids...in July...in the afternoon... I can only hope this means a cold and snowy winter is on the horizon!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 7:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Now this is a story!

Note that NASA's rebuttal did claim that Dr. Mitchell was on medication or seeking any kind of mental health treatment. Merely that they didn't agree with his opinions. Dr. Mitchell doesn't appear to be voicing opinions, but facts....

Posted by Melissa Markham at 10:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I won this book back in the fall and am finally getting a chance to read it. I have so enjoyed catching up on my reading, but I probably still have 100 books at home that I have acquired over the last few years that I haven't read yet....going to book sales is something I should not do until I have read the books I already have.... Anyway....

This book combines unusual characters (preachers, deacons, mobsters, and detectives) in a quirky story. There are several threads in this story.

1. Mark Hogan has always longed to own a boat, and when his pastor predicts the day for the Rapture, he sees this as his chance...after all, once he's gone, he won't have to worry about the bill, right? (or the mobsters that he borrowed the money from).

2. Reverend Daniel Glory - a crackpot minister who is trying to convince everyone that he has figured out the day of The Rapture. His conviction leads to problems for Hogan and for the mob. Too bad, he didn't pay more attention to his bible reading.

3. Detective Charlie Paschall is an intuitive and smart detective with great skills on the job, but who becomes a bit flustered when he tries to figure out just where he should volunteer at church. Not only does he figure out who kills the minister, but he does finally find the perfect place for him to volunteer.

4. Massey - the mob boss is trying to acquire some land before prices skyrocket...little does he know one of his employees wants in on the action.

5. Detective Griggs - Paschall's partner. Dealing with a failing marriage and the loss of a child, he makes progress in the book towards overcoming his past.

6. Cleaver and Lamb - these are two guys in the employ of Massey. Lamb comes off as dumb and he is intimidated by Cleaver. Cleaver is trying to make some money on the side (and under the nose of crime boss, Massey). He thinks he is smart, but he is dumb as a stick.

So, as you can see there is plenty here to keep you entertained! I liked the book. I find the way that Well brings together characters in unusual ways and has an underlying inspirational message to make for a good read.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. This book is in like new condition and if you would like to read it, I'll be happy to mail it to you for the cost of postage. First come, first serve. Thanks!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 9:28 AM | Permalink

One thing we have enjoyed about our time in Bloomington is having a little more cash on hand to do things with. Daniel has been very generous to us so that the kids wouldn't get bored just being in a small apartment all of the time. Today we went to see Journey to the Center of the Earth.

I love Brendan Frasier and I have always enjoyed the tale of Journey to the Center of the Earth. Though I am not a Vernian, I do love the works of Jules Verne. So, the movie called to me from the first time I saw a preview.

When watching previews, I saw that in some theaters the movie would be shown in 3D. I was pleasantly surprised when we arrived at the theater today to find that we were going to be seeing the movie in 3D (though it meant spending an extra 6.00!). The glasses we were given were nice ones and we got to keep them. They were plastic instead of the cardboard ones that fall apart so easily.

The movie was great! Watching it in 3D was so much fun. It was non-stop adventure once the adventure got rolling (a bit of introduction at the beginning). We laughed, we jumped and we had fun!

The kids and I give this movie 3 thumbs up, or 4.5 out of 5 stars. If you want to go see a fun adventure movie that your whole family can enjoy (except for the very young with a couple of scary 'monster' moments), then go see this and if at all possible, try to catch it in 3D!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 6:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I have long enjoyed playing Civilizationon the PC, as have my husband and Jack. In fact, Jack has been playing for years and I can remember going to museum exhibits and he recognizing people from the past based on his Civilization play. Civilization is highly fun, educational, and addictive!

After my less than happy experience with Myst, which I purchased earlier this month, I went online and did some research. I didn't even know there was a Civilization game for the DS. So I added it to my cart. Last night I played my first game and actually completed it in 2 1/2 hours and had a blast. Civilization Revolution is a little simpler than the PC versions, but I had a great time with it. They have added some new components (great persons for one) and I really enjoyed that. Also, each time I went to build something, I didn't have to go to another screen to see how it would help me, it was right there where I was looking. There are four ways you can win...economic, cultural, domination and space race. I won the cultural way, but was building the final building to complete the economic win and I also was working on the space components. It was so much fun! I can't wait to play again!

I give this game five stars out of five! Jack is loving it too!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 6:16 PM | Permalink

I haven't just been sitting by the pool and lounging on the beach during this trip...I have been busy reading, watching movies and playing video games, but I have also been thinking about returning to the work force. I want to continue homeschooling my children, but I also want to pursue more education for myself with the plan of going back to work, not only to add to our financial solvency, but to broaden my horizons. The kids aren't going to be home forever.

So I have been reading books and perusing websites and talking to people about job possibilities. The tests I have taken point to the following types of careers for me:

Editing (this is a top choice for me, but all indications are that the job market in this area is shrinking)

Nursing (I used to want to be a nurse, but I am not sure I could handle the bodily fluids aspect and I was not very good with remembering things like anatomy when I was in school).

Counseling (I have a degree in Sociology as I wanted to be a Social Worker when I graduated, though now you pretty much have to have a degree in Social Work, anyway, ever since I was a tyke, I have had a knack for listening to people and helping them to put things in their proper perspective. I am very good at mediating...I just don't know if I want to take all of the schooling involved with this and I am not sure what population I would be interested in. Daniel said, he thought I would be great with young moms).

Paralegal/legal (when I first applied at William and Mary, I intended to go to law school, then I switched my mind to journalism, and after two horrible English professors, I switched to Sociology. I enjoy doing research. I have a mind that is good at ferreting out facts and putting things together.)

Right now I am leaning towards the paralegal, and who knows, maybe going on to become a lawyer. One step at a time though.

I am amazed at the number of sites and places out there where you can get information to help you figure out what you want to do with your life. I was the first person in my family to graduate from college on my father's side. On my mother's side I have a cousin who is now a judge in the Shenandoah Valley. My parents didn't really know how to guide me in thinking about my future and what to do with it. They just knew they wanted me to go to college and to have more choices than they did. I knew very little about the job market or what the possibilities were growing up. I wish some of these sites had been available then or that I had known more about career counseling centers (which were out there, but I just didn't make proper use of them).

So, I was chatting with my friend, Carole, and she sent me a couple of links that her now 17 year old homeschooled daughter has been looking at as she tries to figure where she goes from here. I found both of these to be interesting sites. Particularly the first one (though I pretended to be a senior for the purpose of the test). If you have a child in middle school or high school, I would suggest spending some time visiting these links. It's a big world out there and there are so many options. The links can help point you or your child in the right direction. I started out with a few ideas and ended up exploring about 20. One that really suprised me not only because it was a fast growing position that requires only 2 years of school, but because the salary is 62,000 is dental hygienist. I am not sure I want to be poking around in people's mouths...but wow!

Drive of Your Life

Check Out a College

Posted by Melissa Markham at 5:43 PM | Permalink

If you enjoy a good ghost story and don't mind subtitles, you should check out The Orphanage This movie was given 4 stars by Roger Ebert and called a superior ghost story.

This movie is well produced, has a good story line with an ending that I wasn't anticipating. A young woman and her husband return to the orphanage she grew up in. They plan to manage a home for handicapped children there (the orphanage is no longer in operation), but before long, things are definitely out of whack. Their adopted son starts speaking to invisible friends and even leads his mother on a treasure hunt that the friends have designed... (though she believes he set it up). The bizarre fun quickly turns to horror when the boy disappears and can't be found.

I give this movie four out of five stars. I really enjoyed it and it was a fantastic ghost story.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 5:36 PM | Permalink

I have a dear, dear, dear friend who I met when I first started homeschooling. Though we have some very different political and religious views, we enjoy one another's company and she has taught me all I know about Ebay. She is smart, funny, and a treasure trove of knowledge. I have mentioned to her about blogging before, but she has never given it a whirl. Well, there is a list that she is on and one of the gals decided to start up a blog called 365 days in Islip. Everyday, she posts something about her area of the world. After some other of my friends list buddies pressured her, my friend, Carole decided to give it a whirl. Her blog is called 365 Days in The Moonshine Capitol of the World. At the bottom of her blog, you can link to others who are jumping on this band wagon. It looks like a lot of fun and I can assure you that you will enjoy reading Carole's witty posts!

She invited me to join in the fun, but I just can't imagine running another blog, this one keeps me busy enough. But I may try to do a weekly post about where I live once I return to Virginia.

Anyway, this is a great way to get a birdseye view of other parts of the world. So go check out 365 Days in The Moonshine Capitol of the World and other similar blogs. (Cause I know you don't already have enough blogs to read!)

Posted by Melissa Markham at 5:11 PM | Permalink

Well, here we are back in Bloomington. One week from today we will be half way back to Virginia. We have had a wonderful couple of months and we are looking forward to going home.

So, for our last 36 hours in Michigan City, I am sure you are wondering what we did. Sunday we hung around the condo in the morning. Reading, playing DS and being lazy. In the afternoon we went to the beach. The kids and I played in the water. Daniel went out for a bit, but said it was a bit too cold. Katrina and I grabbed a raft and paddled and kicked through a deep area to a sandbar that was probably 100 yards from shore. It was neat being way out there and being able to stand. We played around for about an hour, then Katrina and I let the currents/waves take us back to shore.

While on shore, the kids decided one last great sand adventure must happen.

I guess it is every brother's dream to be able to bury his sister! For more pictures of the burial and subsequent escape, visit me at Flickr.

For dinner we ate at a nice restaurant: Dino's Family Restaurant. It was run by a Greek family and gave me a hankering to see A Big Fat Greek Wedding again. We had a lovely meal and friendly service.

Then we went back to the room and the kids watched POTC3 for the umpteenth time and Daniel and I just enjoyed a peaceful evening before returning to Bloomington. And I did laundry.

This morning we got up about 7:30. I spent about 2 hours finishing up laundry and making sure everything was packed up and ready to go.

Once we got back to Bloomington, I remembered that I had promised you a picture of my shirt that I got at the Four Winds Casino. Check it out!

This shirt called to me. It was sparkly, black and had my lucky number on it. 7 has always been a lucky number, not the least of which is because I was born in the 7th month of the year! My birthday is fast approaching and I am glad I will be home to enjoy it!

This coming week will be busy as we begin the gathering and packing up process and do a few favorite things again before we leave.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Yesterday, I finished reading the last book in Kathy Herman's Seaport Suspense series. One of the biggest suprises for me was to realize that some of the characters show up again in the Phantom Hollow Series. I didn't make the connection until the author pointed it out at the end. That was pretty cool!

Kathy is not afraid to tackle tough issues and this book tackles one of the toughest...racism. It really struck a chord with me because a friend and I had been recently discussing racism. For some of us who don't have racist feelings, it is a huge surprise to find out that there are those out there who still do and who have strong ones. I grew up with a grandmother whose best friend was a black lady. One of my best friends was a black girl, one of my mom's favorite co-workers was a black man and one of the best carpenters my dad worked with was a black man. There was a biracial kid I went to school with who I remember people saying ugly things to him. I actually attended school with two biracial kids that I knew. And one of them, no one ever said anything to her that I am aware of. The boy had a personality that left him the butt of much ugliness. Would he have been picked on because he was biracial if he hadn't had that personality? I don't know.

Anyway, this story addresses the fact that while a lot of us say we aren't prejudice, deep down, we are. We are fine with black people as long as they stay in their place and out of ours. Kathy brings back the horror of the 60s that many of us have only read about in history books and she makes us aware that it is a very current and contemporary issue. Changes have been made, but we have a long way to go.

This story centers around Guy and Ellen Jones' son, Brandon, who is looking for a new direction in his life. He has tried being a big wig in the corporate world (and did very well at it), but inside he was 'dying' because this wasn't the career he wanted for himself. It was the career he had chosen because it would make his Dad happy.

This is another well-crafted story with terrific characters and one that will make you do some soul-searching of your own.

Wanna know the best part? These four books that I have reviewed have all been signed by Kathy. I have taken very good care of them while reading them and now I am going to give them away the last week of July during Bloggy Giveaways. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled and leave a comment when the time is right. One lucky winner will get to be inspired by these stories. And for the rest of you who can't wait, you can alway hit amazon or your local library!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Well, we had another lovely day yesterday, although it was an inside day. We woke up to cloudy skies and pouring down rain. It finally stopped about 12, but everything was saturated, so we decided that yesterday would be a good day to do the one excursion we had planned while we were here. Before we went though, the kids spent the morning playing on their DS and I spent the morning reading.

Daniel has been interviewing some people for a project he is working on, so he wasn't done with that until about 2:30, then we all got dressed and headed for the car and New Buffalo, MI which is about 15 minutes away. For those of you counting...that means another state magnet for our refrigerator...yippee!

We were heading for Four Winds Casino and Kid's Quest. It took us almost as long to find a parking space as it did to drive to the Casino. The place was packed! The first thing we did upon arrival was check the kids into Kid's Quest (and think to ourselves that maybe we should stay there too.

This place was amazing! There was a huge indoor playground, a gym where the kids played things like basketball and kickball, a Wii, other video games, a 'bar' where the kids could eat a snack or meal, board games, tvs to watch, a Karoake area and Katrina's favorite...a Sparkle Salon.

At the Sparkle Salon, Katrina's hair was braided and glittered, her face and arm decorated. She said there were dress up clothes and her favorite Disney programs to watch while she got 'made up'. She loved it! HEre are a couple of photos to show why.

While the kids were having the most fun in the universe, we went and gambled a bit. Neither one of us won big, but we had fun for a couple of hours. I mostly enjoyed playing video black jack and playing a game called Leopard's Claw. On that one, I got three leopard faces that showed up on one spin and I got 30 free spins! That was really, really cool! About three times, I won 10.00 on that game, but then it went away again. I was pleased that I left the casino with part of the money I had budgeted still in my pocket! And a cool t-shirt...I'll try to get a picture of it today or tomorrow to show you.

We had dinner at the Buffet. We wanted to go to the Steakhouse, but when we arrived, we were told it would be 9 pm before we could get a reservation (it was only 6....geez!). It was seafood buffet night...yep, I lucked out and got seafood two nights in a row. They had tons of food...kind of like a cruise ship and the desserts were amazing and varied! I had one plate piled with seafood and one with desserts...now that's my kind of place to dine.

We didn't realize until we got back out in the car to go home that the time had moved ahead an hour when we entered Michigan. Daniel and I planned to meet at 7:45. We played a bit longer after we had dinner. But when we got in the car it was 7:00 according to the car clock, but our phones said it was 8:00...Ten minutes later, we were back to it being 7:00 again...that is sooooo weird being next to a time zone change like that.

We came home, the kids watched television and Daniel surfed the web and I read.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I keep wanting to call Michigan City, Lake Michigan City....my apologies to anyone I may have confused. We are staying in Michigan City, Indiana which is situated on Lake Michigan and we are about 10 minutes from the state of Michigan....

So, what did we do yesterday? Well we read books in the morning. After lunch, we went to the beach and spent the afternoon. The kids did more digging, swimming and building. I spent some time in Lake Michigan too, it was very chilly at first, but once in, very relaxing. The advantage of a huge lake over an ocean is that you don't have those waves trying to knock you over all the time!

We came back, got all cleaned up and had dinner at Matey's Restaurant and Beer Garden. I enjoyed their seafood/prime rib buffet (it was all about the seafood for me). Jack and Katrina had some fantastic chicken and fries. Daniel had steak and crab cake dinner. They were hopping and the chef walked around in his chili pepper pants, greeting everyone and talking to them. It was obvious that this place was a favorite with locals because many people came in and greeted the chef personally.

The food was excellent, the atmosphere/ambience was friendly, and the service was fantastic. Right before we arrived, a group of about 20 came in. This tied up the staff for a bit and they kept apologizing to us for the delay, but let me tell you, they were on top of things, and the only delay I noticed was when we waited briefly to get our menus. One of my favorite moments was when the busboy came by and asked if my hubby was finished. Daniel had eaten his potato, his steak, his crab cake, but he hadn't eaten his veggies. The young man admonished Daniel for not eating his veggies and told him there would be no dessert for him tonight...it was funny!

We had to go by Meijer's to pick up a couple of things. Daniel neglected to pack his swimsuit and I forgot to buy ketchup (Jack can't live without ketchup for his chicken and fries). We also picked up two 1.00 rafts for the kids to play with in the pool and the lake. We came back and played in the pool for about an hour before heading in for the night to watch Stargate Atlantis...one of our favorite shows.

A very nice, relaxing and fun day!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 11:34 AM | Permalink

Yesterday I finished the third of Kathy Herman's Seaport Series. The title of this book is All Things Hidden and it is another winner! Each of Kathy's books always address events that can affect our spiritual life and growth. This book centers on how the past can come back to haunt you, even if you are now saved and a Christian. In this book, the main family that the series follows, the Jones family, is dealing with problems on two fronts.

Owen, the son was a real rabble rouser, but now has settled down, married, gotten a great job and has an adorable son. But even though God forgives us of our sins, we reap what we sow and Owen's past comes back to play a major role in his present.

Owen's mom, Ellen, learns that her aging and estranged father is suffering from Alzheimer's, one of the worst diseases people experience in my opinion. This disease is bad enough in the best of circumstances, but in this case, Ellen and her father are estranged and Ellen struggles with this and her father's nasty attitude throughout the book.

And if that wasn't enough...Ellen's father is witness to a murder...and until the murder is solved, no one in the Jones family is safe...

Kathy continues to exhibit her amazing ability to craft a well written story with characters you will care about and to provide spiritual encouragement at the same time.

Now I am off to read the conclusion of the Seaport Series...I can't wait to see what's going to happen next!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 11:06 AM | Permalink

A friend of mine just sent me an email about a wonderful program by a company Jeld-Wen Windows and Doors. This company chooses one lighthouse a year to restore its windows and doors. The lighthouse is chosen by popular vote. And you can vote for the lighthouse of your choice by visiting this website. BTW, you can vote, even if you are not in the U.S.

I am not going to tell you which lighthouse I voted for because I don't want to influence your opinion, but I will tell you it was a tough choice. I was drawn to some lighthouses for their architectural properties, to other lighthouses for the support they were receiving from their community, and other lighthouses for their history.
Take your time, look at the lighthouses and read their story.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 10:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Go check out this article, photos and video from NASA as we get back images of what Earth looks like from 31 million miles away. This will give astronomers ideas of how to look for other earthlike planets...cool, eh?

Posted by Melissa Markham at 10:02 AM | Permalink

Daniel was done with work early yesterday and we were delighted to head off on our last big weekend excursion. We arrived at the condo at about 1:30 pm. It's very nice. we have a view of the harbor, we are a short walk from the beach (which is still a little long for my problem knee so we will be driving), and the kids love the spiral staircase that leads up to the loft (where they have a bedroom, bathroom and lounging area...)

The only drawback is we are on the third floor...my knee is definitely not happy about all of the steps.

After we unpacked, I headed to the grocery store to get our breakfast, lunch and snacks for the duration of our stay. We will eat supper out. Except for yesterday, we had lunch out on the way here and had supper in.

It was really hot here yesterday. The car said it was 97 degrees! About 5, we headed over to the beach after stopping by to check out the pool that we can see from our balcony. Lake Michigan is beautiful and the kids liked the water, but also loved playing in the sand.

While they played, I enjoyed reading my book and photographing the wildlife and the sunset.

For more of pictures from our first day, you can visit me at flickr

Posted by Melissa Markham at 9:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I was visiting my buddy, Nikowa, at Knowledge House Academy and saw an amazing post she had titled God's Pharmacy. If you needed another reason to add more fruits and veggies to your diet, go check it out. It's a great post!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 9:29 AM | Permalink

Yesterday, Jack and Katrina and I visited Anderson Aquatic Park in Normal, IL.

For 13.00, we gained several hours of admittance into a lovely water park with two waterslides, a diving board, two pool areas, and a spray area (which was mostly populated by toddlers) and a reasonable concession stand.

Jack and Katrina really enjoyed diving in. Here are some pictures of them having fun.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 7:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The winner of the Welkening and Guardian of the Veil is Jen at My 3 Boys and I! Way to go, Jen!

Here is the lucky Random Drawer...choosing lucky number 11!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 6:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Well, I just finished reading the second book in Kathy Herman's Seaport Series. Not only did I enjoy finding out what was going on with the characters I became aquainted with in A Shred of Evidence, but Kathy introduced me to new and interesting characters.

Kathy tackled the tough issue of prejudice in this book and of how people make assumptions about others based on appearance and perceived social status instead of taking the time to get to know the person. To explore this issue, she used the very current and real concern of terrorist attacks.

When I first started reading this book, I found myself wanting to say that people don't really think like this...people are smarter than this....people don't pigeonhole all people based on their religion....but Kathy has a knack for forcing us to be honest with ourselves. One of the things I like most about Kathy's writing is the way she portrays the good and bad in people. She delves into the fact that we all do things or think things that our Creator would not be proud of. She creates characters that are real people who don't have it all figured out, but who are trying, day by day to be better neighbors, better people.

It requires more work to get to know someone and to reach out to people who we may be nervous about. However, Kathy does a great job of showing in the reader that the effort is often repaid a hundredfold.

If you enjoy suspense, real characters in real situations, and an inspirational message, you will love this book! I look forward to reading number three in the series. And remember, keep an eye out....a surprise is coming the last week of July in relation to these books...you are going to be glad you hung around!

I give this book 5 stars.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Today, I took the kids to see Wall-E. I love PIXAR and Wall-E is a cutie. But I was disturbed to watch yet another movie that is very thinly guised as a sermon for children. Wall-E is the only surviving robot on an Earth filled with junk and he is plugging along trying to accomplish his directive alone. His directive is 700 years old and it is to clean up the junk left behind by the humans.

There are signs everywhere that indicate a huge company that was leading people around by their nose telling them to buy, buy, buy. Then the company creates spaceships and sends humans off into space on a five year vacation while the Earth gets cleaned up. 700 years and generations later, what is left of the human race is fat, drinks their meals from a cup, and rides everywhere on hover seats. Wall-E and a Captain with hope in his heart lead the way to a better future for everyone.

Wall-E is cute. The story is an oversimplification that I am afraid children, who look at the world very literally, won't be able to sort out the fun from the unlikely.

I give the movie 2.5 out of 5 stars.

The kids liked it a lot though...so they give it two thumbs up!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 10:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

First, the summary:

Simon (Ian Michael Smith) and Joe (Joseph Mazzello) are best friends, bound by broken families and their misfit status: Simon is a dwarf, and Joe is illegitimate. As Simon searches for a destiny bigger than his underdeveloped body and Joe hunts for his father, the boys face a devastating blow. Ashley Judd plays Joe's mother, and Jim Carrey narrates this film based loosely on John Irving's novel A Prayer for Owen Meany.

Second, my thoughts:

This is an excellent story. Simon Birch is a movie that reminds us we all have a role to play in this world. It may be as small as a smile or as big as saving someone's life. And no matter what our size, our means, our social status, we have what we need to fulfill our role, if only we keep our eyes and our heart open and ready.

This movie is a tear jerker, so bring your tissues.

I give it 5 stars.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 10:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Watch this lovely video from National Geographic. After being rejected by its mother, this red panda has found a haven and survival with the zookeeper's tabby cat. Unfortunately, its sibling was too weak, and did not survive, but hopefully this little guy, with the help of a feline mommy, will make it.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 7:45 AM | Permalink

I just thought I would take a moment and talk about my movie and book reviews. I read a lot of books and watch a lot of movies. There are lots of books and movies out there. When I read things or see things I like (or don't like), I like to pass that along to maybe save you some time or maybe intrigue you into looking at something you wouldn't have otherwise.

My movie reviews are not designed to tell you exactly what is going on nor are my book reviews. I just want to give you a little bit of information to pique your interest, tell you why I liked it or didn't like it and move on. So my reviews are short and sweet. Plus, I figure with all of the information out there, you would probably like to have something short to read for a change!

And lastly, I always give a star or thumb rating or both. These are based on the movie and its particular genre. Just because I give Charlie and the Chocolate Factory a 5 and Gone With the Wind a five, it doesn't mean the movies are equal. It just means that for their genre, I think they are among the best.

Okay, now I will return you to your regularly scheducled program!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:47 PM | Permalink

The kids and I just finished watching Underdog. When I was growing up, I loved watching the Underdog cartoons and when I saw they were making a movie of Underdog with a real dog, I was skeptical. But Jack put it on his Netflix list, so today we watched it. I have to say, I really liked it. It was cute, well done, and funny. Much like the 'real' Scooby Doo movies, the movie makers captured the essence of Underdog and moved it to the big screen.

Check it out, you and your kids will probably enjoy it!

The kids and I give this movie three thumbs up, or four out of five stars.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

The Eye with Jessica Alba is a good horror/thriller movie. This movie has similarities with The Sixth Sense, Stir of Echoes, and Final Destination. There are elements of the story that aren't new, but the way they are combined makes for a neat twist. Jessica Alba does a wonderful job as a woman who has been blind for 17 years, and now has a corneal transplant that will give her back her sight. With her new vision comes disturbing images that turn her world upside down. With the help of her vision therapist, she gets to the bottom of what is going on and life changes for many.

We give this movie 2 thumbs up, 4 stars out of 5.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:37 PM | Permalink

Drillbit Taylor is a fun movie with Owen Wilson. This is a comedy and should be enjoyed as such. It is a feel good movie about kids needing to learn to deal with school bullies. Owen Wilson is a homeless guy looking to make money for a trip to Canada. He ends up getting hired to be a bodyguard and helping the kids and helping himself.

This movie is full of laughs and if you like Owen Wilson, you are sure to enjoy it. Be warned, this movie is a meant for a teen audience, so you get some of that teen humor that isn't always appreciated by adults.

We give the movie 2 thumbs up, 4 stars out of 5.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:30 PM | Permalink

Sleepwalking received high praise from some, but Daniel and I don't agree. It is a movie about a mom who has some really messed up priorities (but is still an improvement from the person her own father is). It is a movie about an uncle who does the best he can by his abandoned niece and in so doing, ends up having to confront his own past and his father. In the middle is a young girl who vascillates between being difficult and being agreeable (pretty much a normal teenager). The movie just didn't do much for us.

You may enjoy it, but if you don't like 'real life drama' type movies, I would stay away from this one.

We give it two stars out of five.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:18 PM | Permalink

Yep, I know The Hustler is 47 years old, but it is very good. I had never seen it before, but Daniel picked it up a couple of weeks ago. He is a big Jackie Gleason fan.

You may not believe that a pool game can be exciting, but this movie will change your mind.

Add that drama to top notch performances by Jackie Gleason, Paul Newman, and George C. Scott. Then stir in real life drama and the excitement of the hustle, and you have a movie from the past that still is a great movie to watch today.

We give this movie two thumbs up!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:12 PM | Permalink

Today, we went to meet a couple that Daniel knows from work and their family. Lisa and Ryan have four children ages 2-13. We met for a picnic lunch of gondolas, chips, fruit and cookies. Gondolas are a local treat made by Avantis. Yummy bread with salami, ham, lettuce and cheese. I went to Meijer's and found some wonderful fruit for us...we had cherries, strawberries, blueberries, watermelon, bananas, and grapes...I love summer time!

The kids liked the spray park! I got a couple of good shots of Katrina at play.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 6:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I am delighted to be reading another series by Kathy Herman. This is the first out of four in her Seaport Suspense Series.

This book is 333 pages long. I began reading it last night and finished it this afternoon (and we were out today for a few hours). That alone speaks volumes as to how good this book was. From the moment I picked it up and started reading, I was hooked.

This book is chock full of intriguing story lines, likeable and interesting characters, and more suspects than you can shake a stick at. I kept turning pages because I really cared about the characters and wanted to know how everything was going to turn out. A prime theme in this book is how we often jump to conclusions with just the littlest bit of evidence. For instance, you see a neighbor out at a restaurant with someone other than her hubby and suddenly you become convinced she is having an affair. Or you overhear part of a conversation and you not only believe the worst of a person, but you run off and share your new found information with others.

Gossip is a horrible problem in our society. Whether our motives are 'good' and we are 'looking out for someone else' or whether we are using what we know or what we think we know to hurt someone or to pump ourselves up with self-importance because we are in the know, gossip is wrong and should be shied away from at all costs.

This book really brings that lesson home on many levels and shows several ways that gossip can become spread and how it can hurt. The thing is, that Kathy really explains this, but she doesn't tell us, she shows us in a gripping tale where the life of a child hangs in the balance and where the lives of others are on the chopping block.

I can't wait to read the next in the series. Be sure to tune in for reviews of the other three books in the Seaport Series and then a surprise for you!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 5:32 PM | Permalink

A couple of days ago, I wrote a review of Myst. I was pretty unhappy with the game and as I went in search of assistance, I discovered that others were having difficulties with the Nintendo DS format. I was frustrated because the audio was poor and with some parts of the game, that really matters.

Well, I am happy to report that I have a bit better opinion of the game today. First of all, here is a great walk through that I found. It is for the PC game, but it works pretty well with the DS version.

I have two suggestions for you, well, maybe three...Get a good pair of headsets. When I first started playing, I was relying just on the DS speakers. DH suggested I try headsets, and let me tell you they made a world of difference! Really! Secondly, when you go to the Selentic Age where you have to play the keyboard notes, try counting if you have a hard time getting the exact notes... in other words, if it is the first C and the first C is 8 notes up the keyboard, then count 8 notes up on the other contraption. That worked really, really well for me.

And thirdly, the walk through was great, but do try it on your own first. Once I started using the walkthrough, I didn't want to quit. It is a tough game, but persistence will get you through.

Good luck!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 11:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Sinus infections are glorious things. They make me fell like moving and I tend to get lots of reading done while I am laying on the sofa trying to breathe! So even though I just finished The Welkening and reviewed it two days ago, now I have finished the second in the Three Dimensional Tales series and want to share my thoughts on Guardian of the Veil.

I enjoyed this second book. The first book ended in such a way that that could have ended it. But endings are often merely beginnings and as we find in Guardian of the Veil, the teen misfits really only began to find themselves in The Welkening. The Guardian of the Veil introduces new surprises, new characters and new relationships. The teens begin to grow in their new found strength, much as a Christian grows after taking the first step in committment to Christ. We like to think that by making that acceptance, everything becomes right immediately, but it does not. It takes time, we have to grow. We have to learn and in reality will spend the rest of our lives growing to be better people. The Guardian of the Veil is all about that growth. About how we often take a step forward and a step backward. But, I don't want you to think it is a preachy tale. I didn't find it to be so. I found it to be an intruiguing fantasy story that pulled me in and made me think. It had me rooting for the characters and empathisizing with them.

I have greatly enjoyed these two books. I am not sure if there will be a third in the series, but I hope so. In the meantime, I would like to share these two books with one lucky reader:) Yep, I did mention giveaway and I know it has been awhile.

So, here's what you do...I don't care where you live...you are eligible for this giveaway. That's right, if you live on a remote island in the South Pacific, as long as you can get mail delivery, I will mail these two books to you if you win. So, just leave a comment below, and I would love to know why you would like to win (are you a fantasy buff? Have my reviews intrigues you? Do you want to give these books as a gift to someone?) I will hold a random drawing next Wednesday evening (July 16), sometime after 6 pm EST.

BTW, these books are in good condition. The first in the series is an advance uncorrected proof that I received in a giveaway and was not available for sale. The cover got bent a little on it...just today. Sorry abou that. The other book is in great condition. Both are paperback.

So, what are you waiting for? COMMENT!!!! And tell your friends too! If you do blog about it, come by and leave me another comment so I will know you blogged about it and I will give you a second chance in the random drawing!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 4:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (13)

Back in the late summer, early fall, I won a copy of a book called Guardian of the Veil by Gregory Spencer. I put it on a shelf to be read and as I won books, bought books at sales and was given books to read, it got lost in the pile. Have I ever mentioned to you how much I love books?

Anyway.... I brought it with me to read in Bloomington. Alas, I discovered it was the second in a series. I started reading it anyway, but decided I really wanted to read the first book, so I ordered it from Amazon.

The Welkening: A Three Dimensional Tale - is an amazing book! And has the complexities that endear us to other similar tales such as Tolkien's Lord of the Rings books, Donaldson's Thomas Covenant series, Brooks, Magic Kingdom Series, and The Chronicle of Narnia series. All of these books create other worlds that are on the other side of our own. They are full of flawed characters who rise to the occasion and end up doing amazing things.

The Welkening is a tale of four teen misfits. It is a tale of overlapping worlds that are all related. I was drawn into this tale. I related to aspects of the characters (especially Lizbeth), and I was suprised to learn who the villian of the story was. If you enjoy epic fantasy tales, I believe you will enjoy this book. I give this book four out of five stars. Why not five? Well, if I give everything five stars, you will begin to doubt me! BTW, on the back cover, this book has an enjoyment guarantee. If you are not totally satisfied with the book, you can return it (with original receipt, note as to why you didn't like it, name, address, and you must do it within 60 days of purchase). You don't see those kinds of offers very often!

I am getting ready now to start on the second book in the series. Keep an eye out...book giveaways are on the horizon...

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Well, I tried a new game for my DS this month. I got MYST. I have been toying with it the last couple of months, but let me tell you, I wish I had read some of the reviews out there before getting it. I had the game for PC years ago and never made much headway with it. I was intrigued by it, but had much more success with 7th Guest and 11th Hour.

Since it is on DS, I thought I would give it a whirl. Hey, maybe I am smarter now...maybe becasue the platform is now the DS, it has gotten easier...wrong on both counts.

If anything, the game has gotten harder. I am stuck in the first world I went to visit because even though I have my sounds lined up in proper order, the game refuses to recognize that! I even went online to a cheat site (which I try very hard not to do)...I put the game up last night, feeling more than a little bit disgusted with the whole thing. I will give it a couple of days and try again, but all of the reviews I read, said the same thing...the audio on the game is hard to understand and that is an important component of the game.

Moral of the story...LOOK FOR ONLINE REVIEWS BEFORE purchasing...you can often save yourself a lot of grief and money too:) Also, be sure to share your two cents about games, books, movies, etc. It helps people make better decisions.

I have written a second review of this game after playing around with it some more. Be sure to check it out before you make a decision.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Jack and Katrina have become Indiana Jones fans in recent weeks. And Jack saw this game by Best Buy at Hasbro and has been asking me about it for the last month. So yesterday I got it and today the three of us played it. The game took us about 2 hours. Like Scene It, it is fun seeing the movie clips from the show.

The game is designed for 2-4 players. There are traps, secret passageways, and chances for battle as well as the opportunity to discover all three relics from the first three movies. There are Fortune and Glory Cards, boulders you can put in the paths of your opponents, gold coins and medallions. You build the temple of relics as you play. It is a combination board game and DVD game.

I was pretty frustrated with it. It required memory skills I didn't have and speed with the DVD remote that I didn't have. I didn't succeed in obtaining any of the relics though I tried numerous times. The children became frustrated as well. Getting the Ark was particularly difficult. But when it was all over, they wanted to play again. I wanted to run away....

Unlike a game like Monopoly, this game to me, seems to have a short life span. The basics don't change. The order you obtain the relics changes, the way you build the temple changes. The cards you get change. But the challenges don't change. Play it enough times and it should become second hat. I am not opposed to the kids having some frustration in their lives. After all, in a world where it seems so much comes so easily, it is good fro them to have to overcome frustration, even better if they can learn to do it with a smile.

I give the game a 2.5 out of 5 possible stars. It is fun and the kids are overall enjoying it. But, for the price and the amount of life I see this game having in our house, it wasn't worth the 24.95 we paid for it. If you can get it on eBay or borrow it from a friend, that would be my suggestion.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 7:31 PM | Permalink

When we booked our trip to Chicago, Daniel used Expedia. He wanted a top notch place to stay in the Windy City and let me tell you, he definitely found it.

The Sofitel Water Tower is located at 20 East Chestnut Street. Many wonderful things are within easy walking distance including: The Historic Chicago Water Tower, Water Tower Place, The Hancock Building, Navy Pier, Michigan Avenue (Magnificent Mile), and McDonalds (for those picky eaters).

The accomodations are luxurious. We had two rooms, one for the girls and one for the guys. Katrina and I had a king size bed with the softest mattress and pillows you could imagine. There was a desk and chair. And a bathroom with a shower and a bath. Instead of the tiny bottles of shampoo and conditioner that one usually receives, there were larger containers that lasted our entire vacation. There was a mini bar/refrigerator, which we didn't make use of. A flat screen television. Robes to wear, a safe and plenty of closet and dresser space. There were magazines and information on places to see in the Windy City.

Daniel and Jack's room had a bath that was the same as ours. Daniel had a king size bed and his bedroom could be closed off by doors. Then there was a living room type area with television, sofa bed, computer table which we also used as a dining table, a coffee table and chairs. Plenty of space for us to spread out in, relax in and eat in.

The first day, we checked in and because we are such computer people, the first thing we did was plug in. Well, we were disappointed that it was 10.00 a day, but Daniel went on and paid it. I got unpacked and then headed out with Katrina to pick up our Go Chicago Cards. As we were leaving the room, Melodie, a Conceirge, came to our door. She apologized for not being at the front desk when we arrived and she had some items for us. There were pamphlets about things to do in Chicago and an envelop with something that she said she was sure we would enjoy. She told me to let her know if she could help us set up anything during our stay and she stayed at chatted with us for several minutes. In the envelope was four tickets for four free days of internet usage...this would have been great had we not already signed up for our four days. But I was so tickled with the gesture.

Throughout the stay, there was that constant feeling of being special. And the feeling that the staff wanted to make our stay there the best.

Katrina and I headed into town. Upon our return, we found trays had been delivered to both of our rooms. On these trays were a few sweets and water and sparkling mineral water along with a note from the manager welcoming us to the hotel. WOW! I also noticed that the girl room had soaps and lotions that were more 'girlie' and the boy room had manly ones. Talk about attention to detail (also, there was more chocolate on Katrina's and my tray than on Jack's and Daniel's....

Each night, turn down service was offered. This included fluffing of pillows, turning down of bed, water for everyone in the room, replenishing of towels and refilling of minibar if needed.

There were people waiting to open doors for us when we left and entered the hotel and they were always pleasant and smiling and said stuff like 'Have a great day.' When we called for room service or any questions, whoever answered the phone addressed us by name.

Probably the thing that impressed us most was when we returned to the hotel on Sunday evening. It was about 6:30. We were hungry, tired and still a bit disgruntled over our cancelled cruise. Melodie, who had only seen us three days previously in our room, came from the concierge desk and greeted us by name. She asked how everything was going and talked with us for about 10 minutes. I was floored. Within about 15 minutes of our return to the room, two more trays arrived. The one in Katrina's and my room had sweets , water and sparkling mineral water. The one in Daniel's and Jack's room had sweets, water, sparkling mineral water, and a bowl of fruit, along with a note from Melodie. It was a much appreciated gift that refreshed us and just really topped off our day.

Monday morning, I took postcards downstairs to mail to friends and family. Melodie was at the concierge desk, so I stopped to speak with her and thank her for the trays from the evening before. She said that it looked like we had had a long day and could use some refreshments. We talked again for a while and she wished us a good day at the Science Museum (we had told her the night before we were going there, even though later we changed our mind). I was impressed with her service and her kindess and her attention to detail. While we were talking, she asked if we had been able to use the Tmobile cards that she had given us for free internet. We told her that we had already logged in, but we really appreciated it. She told us she couldn't believe we had been so quick (obviously her experience with computer geeks is a bit limited;) I told her that it was fine, that we really appreciated their thought. She said, 'But it was our intention for you to have that gift.' So then she comped one night of our valet service (which was 44.00 a day). Absolutely incredible.

When we were ready to go, the bellhop got our luggage. The valet brought the car and we were on our way.

I don't know if we will have the opportunity or means to stay in a Sofitel Hotel again, but if so, I look forward to it. The service makes all the difference.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Sorry that I didn't blog yesterday, but I was just too pooped to pop last night and I had a killer headache...but I am getting ahead of myself...

For those of you who want just the pictures, here's the link to the photos that I took yesterday. Enjoy!

Now on with the story...

Sunday was another beautiful and sunny day. Unfortunately, Daniel had gotten very sunburned the day before while we were on the double decker tour. We were hoping for a cloudy day. We decided we would take a taxi to Navy Pier instead of walking and we would work at keeping Daniel out of the sun as much as possible. Plus he wore his newly acquired House of Blues hat.

We were told by all of the tour guides that Navy Pier was one of the highest ranked tourists spots in the country. Our taxi driver didn't have the same positive attitude. Instead, he reminisced about the days when he had his friends fished from the pier and spent nights out there before it became a tourist trap...uh, I mean draw.

We first checked out the IMAX, thinking it would be a great way to keep Daniel out of the sun. But we missed the 10:00 am showing, and the next thing coming up was Kung Fu Panda. If it had been in 3D, Daniel and I might have been tempted, but the price of 15.00 for an adult ticket to see a movie we could see in Bloomington for 1/3 of the cost at a matinee wasn't much incentive to see it.

So we walked along. We quickly spotted the Spirit of Chicago, the ship we were to take for our Sunday brunch cruise. Something we had all been greatly looking forward to.

We walked through the Navy Pier and were delighted that the shops were under roof and Daniel could stay out of the sun. We bypassed the shops and the eateries and headed out towards the end of the pier for the Stained Glass Window Museum. I love, love, love the beauty of stained glass and I took several photos. The one that came out the best, I will share here. The rest you can see on the above photo link.

Isn't that beautiful? We also stopped and looked at some art. I got a couple of fun pictures of the Katrina and then of Jack, Katrina and Daniel sitting on the fun art/furniture.

After perusing through the stained glass section, we still had almost an hour before we were to board the Spirit of Chicago (boarding at noon, leaving at 1). So I took the kids up to ride the Carousel and the Ferris Wheel. Both left something to be desired. The Carousel was one of the slowest things I have ever been on in my life and it only went around a couple of times before stopping. The Ferris Wheel only went around once, and you never went around at a speed greater than a slow walk. They did this because they are constantly loading and unloading people. It was nice to see everything from high up, but I felt like I had been cheated out of a good ride.

So then it was time to get our ship. We go to the kiosk where the agent politely tells us that there weren't that many people signed up for the cruise so they had moved us to the next ship which was The Odyssey...okay, no problem. We start heading down the dock, then realize our ship is pulling out! Apparently, we were supposed to have been contacted (along with the other people who had arrived on time for the Spirit of Chicago's departure) and told to come earlier...but we were not contacted and so we missed out on our ride. They offered to put us on the dinner cruise, but we had picked the brunch because it was the one that served kid friendly foods.

We were not happy, but what could be done?

We went into the Navy Pier and grabbed lunch, then we took a taxi to Adler Planetarium. While we were there, we enjoyed the exhibits and three shows - two that were planetarium shows, one that was 3D. After all the walking and three nights of not sleeping well (not sure why, the beds were amazingly comfy and it was quiet, I just couldn't sleep). Anyway, I was bushed. I almost fell asleep on the taxi ride back to the hotel. We ordered a yummy dinner of gyros, kabobs, feta cheese and baklava. But by the time I was done eating, the headache that had been threatening all afternoon arrived in force. I went to bed within an hour of dinner (hate doing that) and slept for about 11 hours...I finally slept!

We were supposed to get up and go to the Museum of Science and Industry today, but we were just all tuckered. So we took our time packing and waking up, then headed back to Bloomington.

All in all we have a lovely time. I will be making a separate post about the Sofitel, but it is time for me to head to bed. So that will wait until tomorrow. Thanks for coming along on our travels with us! Hope you enjoyed it.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 10:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Yep, folks, you heard it here first! NASA has announced the next astronauts that will be heading to the moon. You can see their picture here. NASA has decided that a family would be a great choice for the next mission and I am sure you will agree. Of course, the fact that the family had all recently gone on a shopping spree at the House of Blues was what clinched NASA's decision.

"This family is on a mission from God," one NASA spokesman reported.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 9:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Today was long and busy and I am pooped.

I was up around 6:30. I showered and then read a bit before spending over 1/2 hour trying to wake up Katrina who was very, very tired... We went and had breakfast at Starbucks...just what I needed to jump start my day!

Then we got hooked up with the Gray Line On/Off Trolley/Double Decker tour. It is a two hour tour of the loop and we were tickled to be on the top of the bus...though Daniel now resembles a lobster due to his fair skin.

We had a great guide who told us all about the architecture of the area. We rode the whole tour without getting off, then we got off in the restaurant district and went to the House of Blues for lunch. It was neat being there and since we love the movie, The Blues Brothers, we went a little crazy in the souvenir shop...you'll be able to see what I mean tomorrow... Then we got back on the trolley (we were glad to be out of the sun). We went to the Field Museum. Way too much stuff to see in the 2 hours we had. We did make a point to see Sue, the T-rex, the Egyptian exhibit, and an exhibit where we were shrunk down to less than 1 inch in size. I loved the Egyptian section, particularly the mummies, the artifacts and the fact that part of the exhibit was made of actual stones from an actual 5000 year old tomb. That was absolutely amazing!!!!!! The art work on the walls....it was just incredible! Unfortunately, it was too dark for any of my photos to turn out.

Then we got a trolley back to the beginning and headed home. It is 9 pm and we are going to sleep and get ready for another busy day. You can check out photos from our Chicago Tour at my Flickr account.

And for all of you who are commenting, thanks so much. I spend time this morning answering, but then realized that even though I am on the internet, my emails are not going out of Outlook. Don't know why. Daniel is having the same problem. But never fear, all of those emails will get sent when we return to Bloomington! I am glad you are enjoying reading about our trip.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

This morning I woke up to an invitation to include my Malayan Sun Bear photos in an article on the Serious Underestimation of Wildlife Extinction Rates.

A wonderful way to start my day!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Well, we saw the fireworks. Actually, they were a bit disappointing. They started about 15 minutes early and lasted for about 10 minutes. As we were walking home, we saw other fireworks in the distance...maybe we attended the wrong show....

Because things had ended so early, we treated ourselves to a 30 minute horse carrige ride. It was absolutely wonderful and made Katrina's night.

For photos of our evening, you can check out my Fireworks Set on Flickr.

It is hard to take pictures of fireworks, but my camera has a fireworks setting, I had to try it out...It was fun and some of the effects were very cool!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 11:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

First a couple of moments I forgot to mention yesterday. We ordered Deep Dish Chicago pizza for supper! They sure make it different here...and one piece is a meal! I would never say that back home. A corn meal deep dish crust. Then comes a layer of cheese, then veggies or whatever toppings, then the sauce. It was about an inch thick and it was awesome!!!! Also, as it was our first night here at the Sofitel, we were surprised with trays of milk, cookies, chocolate covered strawberries and bottles of water from Norway. Very neat!

Last night Katrina, Jack and I watched the fireworks from our bedroom windows. It was cool, even though we couldn't see them completely for buildings. Tonight we are walking to Navy Pier to see the big firework show.

Today we got up a bit earlier than planned. I told Jack that we would try and leave by 9. Well, at 7, I was still in bed, thinking about getting up when a knock came at our door. Jack couldn't believe we were still in bed. He thought it was 9! He had just woke up, looked at the clock on his computer (which said 8 a.m. because it is on East Coast time). Instead of subtracting an hour, he added an hour and viola...it was 9!!!! He got up and dressed quickly, let me tell you.

We spent about an hour waking up, then headed to McDonald's for breakfast.

After breakfast, I grabbed us a cab (it was easy peasy) and we headed to Shedd's Aquarium!

What an amazing place! I took 208 photos, but in the end, only 38 of them made the cut for you, faithful reader. It is really hard to take pictures of critters underwater and behind glass. But some turned out okay and a couple turned out really well. You can check out my Shedd Aquarium Set at Flickr.

We were at the Aquarium from 9-2 or so. Our Go Chicago Card was awesome. We arrived a few moments before nine and the line for the aquarium already had about 100 people in it...and no I am not kidding! But we got to go to the doors marked 'will call'...a special interest for those with the Go Chicago Card. We were in touring in no time...

After the Aquarium, we met Daniel at the Sears Tower and proceeded up to the Sky Deck. Again, our Go Chicago Card moved us ahead in lines. And the view was awesome. The last few pictures of my Flickr set are from the Sky Tower. Check out the tons of people at A Taste of Chicago....amazing! Then we came back to the hotel. Daniel and I ordered Chinese and I walked a couple of blocks to McDonald's for the kids' dinner.

We came back to the room and laid out our plans for tonight and tomorrow. The kids and I are going to see the fireworks tonight. Daniel just isn't that interested in seeing them, plus he was to be well rested for our adventures tomorrow. Having flat feet keeps him from joining us with a lot of things.

Before I head off, I am going to share a couple of my favorite photos from today here:

Years ago, I started a tradition of keeping handwritten journals of our vacations. As I have said, we love to travel and it was a great way to keep up with fun things we did and have them to review later. Now, I can do the same on my blog and the whole world can have the joy of reading what we have been up to...

So for today... Katrina and I hit the Goodwill this morning. I had forgotten to pack her a jacket and the evening temperatures here are going to be a bit cool (plus, it is the windy city and we had some wind today). While at the Goodwill, I also found each of us a patriotic shirt to wear for tomorrow! I couldn't believe I was able to find one for each of us the day before the Fourth of July.

We left for Chicago around 12. I volunteered to drive in...whatever was I thinking? But our Garmin GPS directed us right where we needed to be. There was a bit of traffic of course, but we survived and I didn't cause any accidents:)

Our hotel is something else. The valet ran away with our car (which we are leaving parked for the duration). The bellboy helped get our luggage to our room. The concierge wasn't at her desk when we arrived, so she made a special trip upstairs to our room to introduce herself, give us some tips and give us four complimentary days worth of internet hookup....unfortunately, we had already paid to hook up by the time she came to see us...grrrr....

Daniel ordered Chicago Deep Dish pizza because he felt like since we were here, we should definitely sample that. Katrina and I found directions on google maps so we could head to Shops at Northbridge to get our Go Chicago Passes. On the way, we passed a Ghiradelli shop, a Hershey Shop, the Chicago Historic Water Tower, Water Tower Place, a Disney Store, Neiman Marcus, Macy's and many more. It was easy to spot the tourists...we were all looking up at the tall buildings and consulting maps to figure out where we were.

After we secured the tickets, Katrina and I marveled at some art work along the sidewalk:

We also listened to some fun tunes on a saxophone and watched a 'Tin Man' (guy painted in silver) do the moonwalk.

We took a couple of photos of the Historic Chicago Water Tower and the Water Tower Place Mall (which I have been told is a primo place for shopping).

And then we stopped at the Hershey Store. Katrina just had to go in and see the 10 lb candy bar that was on display...As we walked in the door, we were greeted by a gentleman handing out chocolates. We were surrounded by the sights and smells of chocolate. We saw children going about with Hershey Factory Worker hats...well, the hats were free, but after watching the fun, I went on and paid for Katrina to get an id and a bucket of chocolate.

More pictures will be coming soon. Now we are settled in and will see what we can see of tonight's fireworks from our windows. There are more fireworks tomorrow night at Navy Pier and we plan to go see those.

Have a lovely Fourth of July!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 9:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

When he returned from Go Tell Camp with his bible under his arm.

Jack had a wonderful time and is already excited about going next year.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I have a bloggy friend, named Nikowa, who writes on her blog, Knowledge House Academy. She is suffering from the untimely loss of her 46 year old mother. This is a situation where like Heath Ledger and Anna Nicole.

Her mother was prescribed too many medications by the same doctor that had interactions and led her mother to take her own life. This is not just something that can happen to celebrities, it can happen to our moms, dads, brothers, sisters, brothers, friends, us.

Please stop by and visit Nikowa. Offer your words of comfort and support. And maybe, her situation can help you or someone you love before it is too late.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 9:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

...and that is what has helped to make hanging out in Illinois so much fun for me. I am hoping some of Daniel's and my love for travel will rub off on them.

Tomorrow we will be leaving for Chicago, apparently along with 2,999,996 other people...oh well, at least there will be plenty of opportunities for 'socialization'!

While there, we will be staying at the Sofitel Water Tower. Daniel found this place through Expedia.com and chose it for location and rating. It looks very posh (I am always worried I will stand out in some way as not posh enough when Daniel picks places like this). We are hoping for a high up room with a great view of the fireworks (which if I have figured right, there will be fireworks Thursday night, Friday night and Saturday night! The kids will be in heaven!

On Friday, the kids and I plan to spend the day at Shedd's Aquarium. Not sure if Daniel will join us as it isn't his thing, but we are very excited about going. And my favorite reptile will be there too! We purchased the Go Chicago Card and we will be using it to go to Shedd's Aquarium.

On Saturday, we will use our Go Chicago Card to take either the North Side Tour or the Gray Line South Shore Tour. We will try to take the other tour on Sunday morning.

Saturday afternoon I want us to visit the Navy Pier which seems to be Chicago's Fisherman's Wharf. There are rides that we can ride courtesy of our Go Card... that Go Card is a great deal! We used it when we visited San Francisco years ago. And I am not getting paid for this, just wanting to share a way for you to save money when visiting big cities. Anyway, we can ride the Ferris Wheel, the Carousel, and the Wave Swinger Ride. We can also play Adventure Golf and maybe ride The Lighthouse. The downside is that our tickets make it so we have to go there before 5:30 pm...oh well, it will still be fun.

I am trying to talk Daniel into a Fireworks cruise on Saturday night...

Sunday afternoon, we are going on the Spirit of Chicago Sunday Brunch Cruise. When we get back, we are going to use our Go Card and visit The Sears Tower Sky Deck

We will also use our Go Card to visit the Museum of Science and Technology, probably on Monday.

Monday evening, we head back to Bloomington.

I am not sure, but I think we are going to need to take a nap after our busy time in Chicago.

I haven't decided if I will take my computer with me or not...but either over the weekend or next week, I will share pictures of our visit. And maybe some video too!

I hope all of you have a wonderful Fourth of July weekend!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 4:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Two years ago, I signed up for Netflix. DH prefers to own the movies he watches, but there are lots of movies out there that you don't find at the local stores. Plus the whole idea of having movies arrive at my home in my mailbox and being able to choose from thousands of titles was very enticing to me. I have to say, I am enjoying Netflix, even though Daniel refuses to watch any movie with me that I get from there. It goes against his principle...though he will watch movies I borrow from the library, go figure!

Anyway, we have gotten lots of use out of Netflix. The kids and I have found tons of documentaries that we have used in our homeschool studies. I have introduced them to some of my favorite television shows from when I was a kid (Wonder Woman and Star Trek). I have watched movies I have never heard of and shared some Disney classics with them - The Love Bug, The Cat from Outer Space, The Shaggy Dog (the first one) and more. About 6 months ago, I learned about profiles. I set the kids each up a profile and now they go in and pick the movies they want to watch. I get to set the ratings limits. It's awesome. Now when a movie under my profile goes back to Netflix, it picks the next one in line from my profile. If Jack's movie goes back, then he gets sent the next under his profile. This is awesome and a great time saver. I was going in and having to manipulate my list based on whether I had a movie lined up for me or for the kids and manually move things around. I was soooo happy to find the profiles feature.

About a month ago, Netflix sent round a letter saying that beginning September 1st, they were doing away with profiles. WHAT!!!! Their letter said this would help them to provide better service. I couldn't figure out how that would be...So I called and politely lodged a complaint. I told the very nice person I spoke with that we used the profiles a lot and I was really disappointed that they were being removed. I told him that I realized they probably wouldn't change their mind, but I felt it important to let them know how I feel.

Yesterday, Netflix sent round another email that they will be keeping profiles. Apparently, I was not the only one unhappy with this change. It is so awesome to have a company that actually listens to its customers! Thank you Netflix!

And if you have been thinking about joining Netflix but haven't been sure, I just want to say, go for it! The company is responsive to customers, they have 24 hour phone customer service (real people here) and they have more movies than you ever have time to watch! And no, they are not paying me to say any of this! But when a company shows that my opinion matters, I want to share that with others!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 10:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)