Book Club Meeting

Well, we had our book club meeting last night. We had 5 of us there with the promise of 2 more at the next one. Only 2 of us read the book and we both loved "The Goose Girl" by Shannon Hale and were so excited to find out that it was the first book in a series of 4. So, Tara and I are planning to continue reading the saga. Also, it was fun to find out that Shannon Hale is a member of the church and served a mission in Paraguay. She lives in SLC and is married with 2 kids. I found a great website called swaptree.com where you can actually trade the books you own for ones that you want to read. I already have swapped two for two books on my book club list. One which is the book next on our list. Perfect timing. If you have books that you know you won't be reading again, trade them for ones you will.

Filming is going great. I always thought it would be fun to be in a movie, and I was right. It is so cool. I have to admit I was super scared during the first scene that I would freeze up when the camaras were pointed at me, but I have to admit it was much easier than I thought. I did make a few for the blooper reel, when I couldn't help but laugh at one of the other actors. Even though the movie will only be about 15-20 minutes, BYU will have a premiere night of all the senior projects where they rent out a movie theater and invite all the friends and family of those involved in the movies. So fun!

Just a funny tidbit...Chad loves Mr. Bean. He always says to me, "Mom, I wanna watch Missure Bean. Missure Bean!" I guess he loves physical comedy.

Jason will be doing a shuttling service Friday and Saturday nights. I hope this works out for him and helps bring in the extra money needed. I'm just glad he has agreed to stick with Hotel Park City too so he can keep his foot in the door and hopefully get promoted. I just got our ward's 2010 Book Club list done and I am really excited for it. It was hard to keep it to just 1o books. We skipped January because of my procrastination and December we have a dinner. Let me know if you've read any of these. I've only read The Hunger Games (loved it!) Anyways, here is the list:

1) The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
2) The Quilter's Apprentice by Jennifer Chiavernini
3) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
4) Three Weeks with My Brother by Nicholas Sparks
5) Sarah: Women of Genesis by Orson Scott Card
6) Grace Works by Robert L. Millet
7) An Experiment in Criticism by C.S. Lewis
8) Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
9) The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan
10) The Pearl by John Steinbeck

Not a bad lineup eh? I always try to get a little bit of everything from easy read, self-help, religious, non-fiction, classic...etc. I've read most of these authors and love their work and trust them. The others I was told by close friends that they were good, so I feel good about this year. I just miss all my book clubbers from Washington and California. Our group here is pretty small. Maybe this year it will get bigger. I plan on reading lots more books but these are the ones that are set for the book club. If you have come across any great books, I'd love to get referrals.
I just finished the second book of the Lightning Thief series. Logan used to HATE reading and by starting to read to him Fablehaven (great book bytheway) he has caught the bug. He only liked it when I read to him...but after the 4 fable haven books, and the first lightning thief book he now reads on his own. He took #2 to school and would read ahead, he would go in my reading chair in the living room and read on his own. I haven't wanted to do a cart wheel and scream YAHOO for a long time. But seeing him do that is such a "Awesome Mom" moment! I got Tyler reading and Logan and now onto CJ. I missed my window with Brayden. He doesn't like reading but he will do it for school and he has enjoyed a few books. So maybe there is still hope.
I'm reading David Copperfield right now and love it. I love how the classics are so proper. Seriously, they can be ripping someone to pieces verbally but they do it so eloquently. So great! Well, I encourage you all to find a few good books to read this year and let me know if they are good or not. If you need a few suggestions let me know! I got lots of great ideas. If you'd like to be on a cyber book club...go to goodreads.com. It's a great website with tons of people. It's like Facebook for readers. Great place to keep track of what you've read and what you want to read. It makes you feel smarter as you add on all the books you've read. We all like to feel smart once in a while:)
Peace, love and joy in January and GET A LIBRARY CARD:)

Movies, movies, movies

Thursday night I was called back for the BYU movie tryouts. I was the only one doing auditions for my role. I was happy to find out that I have been casted as the main character. The movie is a film student's project. It is called "Jackie O". It is about a parole officer who thinks the system isn't tough enough on the criminals. She thinks the worst about everyone and is mean and a real downer. She gets one latin patrolee and through him and her boss she learns that people can change regardless of mistakes they have made. I've always wanted to be in a movie and I get paid for it too. The director Jordan Harker is a great guy, very nice. Jason and I also have been hired by a shuttle service in Park City, so we can both be earning a little extra hopefully in tips. We hope that starts next week if we pass our taxi driver's test. We also have to be background checks by the airport. Let's hope we can pull ourselves out of the hole we got into in 2009. I think this will be a good year.

Applying for jobs

I haven't been in the "real" work place since I was about to give birth to Brayden 15 years ago. I have been applying to jobs all over the place. Mainly clerical work. I just had an interview at the Silver King Park City Resort to be a scheduler/reservationist. I felt the interview went well, but he showed me the work area. Understand that this resort is amazing and beautiful and makes you cozy and you want to move in immediately. Then he opens the door to the cubicle area and there are no windows and you feel like you've walked into a white trash trailer. (Pardon the expression) I'm not sure if I could handle being in that place for too long. We desperately need the money so I don't have much choice. I am also applying at restaurants to be a server. Jason is speaking with a man who has a shuttle service in Park City. If he accepts women, I would rather do that. I'd get to be in the sunshine, talk to real people and get tips$. I never wanted to leave the home to work but necessity has taken our circumstances over. Anyways, life is always changing and bringing on challenges...Bring it ON! Our family can handle it. It is a new year and I want to be stronger and better. I just hope my kids can handle only seeing one parent at a time. *SIGH*

Finally!!! A Job for Jason

Jason and I went to Park City today and were applying to different restaurants to be servers. A good friend and owner of the Hotel Park City (where Jason worked for a couple months when we first moved here) called and told Jason about a job at the Hotel Park City. We went over there quickly and he was offered the job of night auditor/security immediately starting tonight. Even though the hours are not too desirable we are thrilled that he has a job. He will be working 11pm-7am. I also applied at the restaurant there. It isn't ideal but he has his foot in the door, knows the staff and likes working with them and hopefully will be able to move up the corporate ladder eventually. I have been applying to tons of places too, but I've been out of the workplace for so long. I'm a little nervous about it but dang, we gotta pay the freakin' bills. Anyways, that is the update and we are happy!~

Well, 2 more days until Christmas and today is our 1 year anniversary of moving into our house. Leaves a moment for reflection and all this year has been for our family. I can't say it has been our favorite year, it has been one of the hardest yet still good. I love our home and our new friends and being close to family. Financially it has definitely been the worst, but all trials come with blessings. Our ward family and my parents have truly come to our rescue. I know we are in the right place at the right time, I just hope I am passing this test. I doubt I am passing with flying colors, maybe a C+. But I am grateful that we are being looked after. I don't know what 2010 will bring but whatever it does bring at least we will have family and friends to support us with love and a listening ear...Merry Christmas and give all your loved ones great big hugs and love words in their ears!

Las Vegas and Movie Making

Aside from the "Wo is me" deal in the last blog, last weekend was really cool. Tyler and Brayden were invited by Becca Thomas to make a "Short" (short film) Thanksgiving weekend. Let me explain. Last year my oldest 4 kids were in a BYU film student's final project. Tyler was casted as the main character. It was so fun and exciting for them to be a part of it. So, just recently Becca (BYU film student) called from NYC (she is studying at Colombia) to create a short film...basically 10 minute excerpt of a movie she wants to do. She will send the film to festivals and try and get funding to do the whole feature film. She loved working with my boys so much that she called them up to shoot this "short" over Thanksgiving. We shot part of it in Toquerville, UT and then some in Las Vegas. It is about 2 brothers who are kicked out of a polygamist colony. One goes back (Brayden) and the other sneaks into a woman's car and she discovers him and gives him a ride into Las Vegas. It is a lot of waiting around for just the right moment and camara set ups. Saturday was a 17 hour shoot day. We had to be shooting before sunrise to get a shot of him sleeping under a bush. It was tedious at times...especially with a German camaraman. He was cool to listen to and watch. I did read 1 1/2 books. That's how much time we had to wait. Plus, it was freezing. You wouldn't think it would be that cold in southern Utah but oh my, it was! They did get paid and we are hoping and crossing our fingers that they will get to do the feature film.
It is so great seeing my boys making a movie. Tyler is enjoying it so much that he wants to keep doing it. He has caught the acting bug!

I also had so much fun with "Annie Get Your Gun" that I didn't want to stop acting, so I auditioned for a BYU film and I have been called back. It should be before Christmas really begins and the shoooting will be in January. I would love it because it is actually a paying job. 2 birds, one stone. Fun with talent and money to go with it:) I'll keep you updated.