I was just catching up on my friend LaRae's blog and I noticed her "books I'm reading this year" list. I spent some time on Amazon looking them each up and reading excerpts. It made me realize once again how many good books there are in the world and how I'm never going to have time to read them all.
It's always a frustrating realization for me...I LOVE to read. Always have...since the summer after third grade when we moved to New Mexico and books were the only friends I had in that new place. I can remember sitting on the bed in the room I shared with my brothers and reading all summer long. I have never quit...I always have at least one fiction book I'm reading upstairs and one downstairs. I have a "church book," a "serious book," and a classic most times too. I read my scriptures and my church lessons and magazines. I read three scrapbook magazines, Good Housekeeping, Family Circle, Family Fun, Desert Saints, LDS Living, Boulder City Magazine, and Woman's Day.
When I find a new author I enjoy I have to read every book in the series, most preferably in order. I read while I curl my hair; I read while I put on my shoes in the morning; I read while I wait at the doctor and dentist; I read while I wait in the car to pick up the kids after school; I read at least a little in bed every night no matter how tired I am. I listen to books on CD when I drive the car alone. I sometimes even sit down in a chair in the middle of the day and read for ten minutes.
I love the feel of books. I love to hold them in my hands. I love to see them on my shelves. I love the feel of the paper and the smell of the ink in new books. I love to bend the spine and flip the pages of a new paperback. (Sorry, Amy.) I just LOVE books. One of my favorite children's books is "Inkheart" and if you've read it, you'll immediately understand why.
There are four things I LOVE to do when I ever have any spare time. I love to scrapbook. I love to sew, especially quilts, dolls, and kids' costumes. I love to write. And I LOVE to read. But if I had to give up everything else and only do one thing I love, I would have to choose reading. If I couldn't read, my life just wouldn't be the same.
I'm so grateful to have the opportunity to indulge my "passion."

Baby Sydney

I am constantly amazed by what happens to me when a new child joins our family. I am one of those strange people who feel no bonding to a baby before birth. Even during my own five pregnancies, I never felt connected to a real person till after they were born. From talking to other mothers, I realize this is odd, but for me it is true nonetheless. So I always worry if I could possibly love the one coming as much as I do the ones I already know and love.
Thus, the amazement when the child is born. I got to be present at Sydney's birth, and from the moment she was "out" I felt an amazing rush of love for her-so strong I could hardly stand it. She was my sweet little granddaughter-already showing her strong personality by lifting her head and looking all around the delivery room. She did not want to miss a thing. I loved her immediately and tremendously.
And it continues. Every time I see her adorable little face I just want to squeeze her and kiss her. Her open-mouthed, crooked little smile is so precious and her squeaks and squeals are adorable. I wait anxiously to see what cute things she does as she gets older, yet I don't want these precious baby days to go by too quickly. I am so grateful Heavenly Father sent us to earth in families and gave us an unending supply of love for them. I'm so happy to have four beautiful grandchildren and another on the way. Life is grand! It truly is "a wonderful life."
And honestly, have you ever seen a little girl any cuter than this??? I don't think so!

In case anyone hasn't seen her yet, this is Sydney Noelle, our newest little granddaughter, born to Jimmy and Allyson November 22, 2006. She has the sweetest little face, the cutest crooked-y smile, the happiest "voice" and the most adorable legs you'll ever see. We love her lots!

Learning exercise

This is a test, this is only a test. I am learning how to post a picture on my blog with my online/on phone tutor, Allyson. Thanks Ally for bringing me into the new age. As you can see, Amy and I went with our good friends, Hayley and Vicki to Disneyland in January. It was a fun girlie trip and my feet have never hurt so badly, even when going full speed across the park all day with the "little girls." Now that I know how to do this, hopefully I'll update a little more often. Thanks, Lori and Ally for finding me and reading!!

21st Century

Hello, friends and family,

I've decided to join the 21st century (and borrow a page from the books of Lori, Loretta, and Allyson-thanks girls!) and have created the Jeff and Linda Sargeant family blog. We'll see how it goes...The name refers to my favorite movie-you know, "It's a ..." We just watched the colorized version once again last week and I am always amazed at just how much I LOVE that movie. (And I make no apologies for preferring the colorized version. I am definitely a boomer and prefer color over black-and-white any day.)