The Talens' Tales

That's right! We have moved on to pigtails as well. She looks pretty cute! And here she is doing one of her favourite things, crawling through the exersaucer. Why just sit and jump in your exersaucer when you can crawl through it? Another think Mataya likes to do these days is dance. If you say the word "dance" she does a little wiggle - her version of dancing.

Mataya had her 9 month check up yesterday and she is doing great! She is 19lbs 10oz and 28 inches long. She looks great on her growth curve, which is nice. And overall she is really healthy and doing just what she needs to be doing. In other news, her first tooth made its way through last week. It surprised me a bit, but overall she is doing well with it. A few nights she was up again through the night, but she seems to be back on track the last few days. My little girl is getting big. And she likes to try and get the computer power cords. It is her new favourite activity.

Mom: Hello my smiley Mataya! You are 9 months old today! M(ataya): I can't believe it Mom! It seems like it has taken my whole life to get here. Mom: Well, it has. But anyway, what are you up to these days?  M: I like to move. I can pretty much get where ever I want to go (and a few places I don't), by scooting. I wish you didn't have those gates up, though. The stairs are so interesting. I like to clap and I like to dance when you sing. Mom: What things do you like to eat? M: I really like fruit, Mum-mums and puffs. Most veggies are okay too.  Mom: And how do you like to spend the time that you are awake? M: I love to follow my brother around. But he doesn't like it when I touch his toys. I also really like bath time. And I like to try to crawl in challenging places like the exersaucer. I also like to do some different tricks with my tongue, which makes you and Dad laugh. And I do not like it when someone takes something away from me. That is not very...

This week a stomach flu bug visited our house. Mataya was first, though I had convinced myself all of her symptoms were teething related. Then Joash got sick in bed during the night. I was sick the entire next day and it hit Wilbert this morning. Thankfully, it seems like a 24 hour thing, so you bounce back pretty quickly. The kids are great, and I am pretty close, so hopefully Wilbert is back on track tomorrow. I am thankful  for a husband who has the flexibility to stay home for a good chunk of the day if needed, in-laws across the road to take the kids for few hours and that Wilbert and I were sick on different days. God is good! But needless to say, this was a pretty low key Valentine's Day. But thanks for the fun package, Grandpa and Grandma! And here is a smile from Mataya for you: That's right, we are sporting a ponytail now. Her front section of hair is quite long and was starting to get in her eyes all of the time. So we are now doing the side ponytail, which i...

Growing up, Luca knew he was different than everyone else his age. But the reality of what those differences mean comes together shortly after his sixteenth birthday. In Aquifer by Jonathan Friesen, Luca lives in a world where emotion is not allowed and the truth of the past has been buried. Policed by a group of people know as the Amongus, the citizens of the future world are really not free to make any decisions of their own or feel any emotions at all. Luca however, is different. He was not marked as a child and therefore cannot be read by the Amongus. And he also is the next in line for one of the most important jobs in the world, the Deliverer. Fresh water is a scarce commodity in this future world and each year the Deliverer must travel below the surface of the earth and make a trade with the people who live below the earth to keep the water flowing to surface. When Luca’s father disappears, will Luca be able to take on this important role and save the world? Aquifer ...

Tonight we had a "breakfast supper" with French Toast, eggs and bacon. I personally love breakfast food and could eat it all the time. And I know it is a meal that Joash will eat without complaint. And Mataya and can eat most of it too, now (She has yet to enjoy bacon). So, we enjoy it once in a while. Joash doesn't care all the much for eggs, but he loves his bacon, just like his dad. Tonight, while eating his third strip of bacon, he declared, "I like it so much! Bacon make my heart beat fast! " We are pretty sure that is true in more ways than one!

All Taylor Martin wants is the truth. She wants to know why her father walked out of her life so many years ago. But the more she digs, the more in danger she becomes. Will she be able to find the truth before it is too late? In Shadows of the Past by Patricia Bradley, Taylor Martin seems to be at the top of her field. A psychology professor and criminal profiler, she has been able to solve many cases that seemed so unsolvable.  Yet, she is haunted by the fact that her father disappeared when she was a child. As she gathers more information on what happened twenty years ago when her father left, it becomes clear that someone is out to get her. When she crosses paths with Nick Sinclair while searching for his brother, Taylor knows she has to figure out her past in order to be able to take hold of the future she desires. I certainly enjoyed reading Shadows of the Past. The plot was totally engaging and I read it in about three days. While some of the romance stuff was a ...