Never Blame the Umpire by Gene Fehler Review

About the book:

How do you trust God when tragedy strikes? Kate is having the best summer a sports-loving eleven-year-old could possibly have. Baseball. Tennis. And to top it off, Kate has just started a three-week class where she's discovering a new love: poetry. Then comes the news that tears Kate's world apart. In her close-knit family, Kate has always felt God's love and protection. But how can she trust God now? Do sports or poetry matter when tragedy strikes? In Kate's darkest hour, her mother's faith shines its brightest, helping Kate to see that life is still beautiful and God is still good. Always, no matter what.

About the Author:
Gene Fehler, an award-winning and widely published poet, is the author of ten published books and over eighteen hundred published poems, stories, and articles.

He and his wife, Polly, live in Seneca, South Carolina, where he writes, teaches, and participates in sports. Visit Gene at www.genefehler.com.

My Thoughts:
This book is definitely for pre-teens, or young teens. Even though I am sixteen, I really did enjoy this book. It had a great message and I loved the story behind it.
Kate, the main character, loves to play baseball and write poems. She is getting into that more, when her Mom tells Kate that she has cancer.
Kate doesn't know how to deal with it, and wants to spend all the time she can with her mother.

This story could be hard for some people to comprehend - the death of the mother is definitely a hard thing for Kate to deal with in the story.

All in all, this story is definitely a keeper - the author was awesome - it seemed like I was really in Kate's mind, and knowing how she felt when she was doing things. It was a good plot, and I really enjoyed the book.

This book is for sale March 2010.
Go here to see more about the book:

*I got this book for free, courtesy of ZonderVan.

Favorite Songs

Mom recently posted some of her favorite love songs on her blog - saying her top six favorites.
Well, I'm going to post my top favorite songs - not necessarily love songs - but just my top favorite songs at the bottom.
I'm using the songs that are most listened to on my i-pod...
They are in the order that I like them...
(if you click on the titles of the songs - it'll take you to a video of the song.If you're watching the Jump Then Fall video - that's below, don't forget to pause my music player in my sidebar!)

1. Jump Then Fall by Taylor Swift

2. What Faith Can Do by Kutless
3. Gift Of a Friend by Demi Lovato
4. In God We Still Trust by Diamond Rio
5. Austin by Blake Shelton
6. Temporary Home by Carrie Underwood
7. East to West by Casting Crowns
8. Love Story by Taylor Swift

I also really like Lady Antebellum - and I found a video of them singing the National Anthem. I love the harmony they put into it. If you'd like to see it, go HERE.

Little House on the Prairie

(back row ---Albert, Laura, Pa, Almanzo, Adam, Mary,)
(front row --- Ma and Carrie)

My family has been watching the Little House on the Prairie seasons. I'm really liking them - especially as I get further into the seasons, when the kids start getting older. It's more fun! :D

We are currently finishing up Season 5 - and I really like this season. It's got a ton of dramatic episodes.

My favorite character (s), are Laura, and Albert. Laura is one of my favorites because she's a tom-boy, and so much like I was when I was her age (I stopped being a tomboy around the age of...13, probably).
I am not exactly sure why I like Albert - I just think that he was such a cute little kid - and an awesome character. I love that he was adopted by the Ingalls' family! :D

"Blizzard" of February 2010.

Over the last week....we've gotten SO much snow - definitely the most snow that we've had this winter.

I'll be uploading some pictures from Saturday, and some that I took today - so that you can see how much MORE we have now, than we did just a couple of days ago.

SATURDAY:
The view from my bedroom window. Isn't that tree gorgeous?!

The view down my street:
My house, covered with snow:
A "note" I made for one of my best friends, Kylie
TODAY (Wednesday)

The view up our street...
The view across the street:
Icicles:

Destination Disney

This week for Destination Disney - Mom asked what our favorite Disney Souvenir is. I can't remember most of the things I got - probably meaning I don't know where they are!
I remember that this past time - in January of 2009 - I got this really cool album to put my pictures in~ and I really like that.


It came with a gel pen, to write on the black pages on the inside, but of course, my luck - the pen broke and wasn't able to use it. (After a year, I still don't have it written in...waiting to buy another pen! Haha, such procrastination.)

I love the Disney World Hoodies. I don't have one - but I plan to get one next time I'm there.
Looking online - these two are so cute:

I couldn't find a bigger picture of the second one - but it says things about the 2010 year at disney world. Character names, sayings, that kind-of thing.
Vote and tell me which one you like the best. If you'd like to see them bigger, here are the links:
1.
http://www.disneystore.com/womens-apparel-flocked-mickey-mouse-hoodie-sweatshirt-for-women/p/1258290/308500/
2.
http://www.disneystore.com/womens-apparel-2010-walt-disney-world-resort-hoodie-sweatshirt-jacket-for-women-white/p/1259839/308500/

Be sure to hop over to my Mom's blog and check out Destination Disney. :D