Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

Seriously, though. On the 20th I taught Sunday School and our ward presented its Primary Program, which involved a musical number by the kiddos and me AND a musical number with the Primary kids and the youth in addition to the littles’ other songs and speaking parts. That night we finally had my 16-year-old’s birthday dessert, with my sister and parents over for good measure; the following morning I went to Costco, put soup in the crockpot, brought the crockpot to my aunt’s, took my oldest to one appointment and my son to another, and went with my older girls to that aunt’s house for a bridal shower for my nephew’s fiance. (Hence the presence in Utah of my sister, my brother’s family, and my parents.) Tuesday was my ‘hit Walmart for Pie Night and Thanksgiving shopping’ day, and two and a half pies got made before bedtime; I finished the half pie with my hubby on Wednesday morning before he left for work, after which we did virtual piano lessons (oh, the cough that lingers!), my second girlie got a significant haircut, and more pies were made before we packed for Clearfield and drove there to make the last one. Pie Night meant all the kids got to bed late, but the littles never sleep in much at Grandma’s house (the big girls, of course, were sleeping over with cousins). My fabulous mother-in-law made biscuits and bacon gravy for breakfast, which was lovely, and since we ate our Thanksgiving dinner around 4-ish, the day was a pleasant progression of NOT-rushed dinner preparations. Dinner was lovely as well, and there were some games, a slow stretch while missionary families talked to their missionaries, and then more games before we headed home. (We were thinking we’d stay over, but decided against it). Blessedly, ALL the kids slept in the next morning, and while people were still tired, we unpacked and cleaned while the World Cup played in the background. Yesterday involved more cleaning, more soccer, and a doctor’s appointment for the never-ending cough; my youngest gets a course of antibiotics under the assumption that it’s likely sinus infection-y by now. Today my hubby subbed in my daughter’s primary class after helping me try to set up the Zoom for our women’s meeting (the less said about that endeavor, the better); we got home in time for me to throw some pumpkin bread in the oven before heading back for tithing settlement, but we managed at least SOME of our Sunday family things. The tree even made it up, although it’s still naked!

Anyway. I haven’t the energy to list and review our pies tonight, so instead you get a brief review of Katherine Center’s How to Walk Away, which I finished listening to last night. I enjoy her stories of healing and reconciliation peppered with romance, and while this one felt weightier in some ways–the heroine’s spinal cord is crushed in a plane crash at the very beginning–it was still hopeful and satisfying and sometimes hilarious. The short story included at the end of the edition I listened to was a delightful surprise–a lead-in to her Things You Save in a Fire–and the whole audiobook was incredibly compelling for me. If you’re looking for women’s fiction with substance, growth, and happy endings, this one’s another win from Katherine Center.