Saturday, February 23, 2008

A trip to the library!

Before I start..........I have to say Congratulations to the sweet Michelle over at Big Blueberry Eyes. Guess what???? The wait is over, little Lucas Tyler was born at 12:25am....I'm SO SO thrilled for Michelle, Joe and Kayla. Go on over and congratulate them :)

Come on let's head to my library together.

I don't think I have to explain my love for books or my weekend library trips, I mean really, if there's a library around I'm THERE. When I walk into mine now, the ladies smile and know my name....but then I wonder, are they smiling because they're happy to see me or because they're thinking "Oh good Lord, she's going to check out half the library again......quick hide the books"

Either way, I don't care, because the minute those doors open you get that library smell. You know what I'm talking about don't you? The book scent, you can literally smell the pages of every book on every shelf and it makes me giddy.....who needs drugs when you can have a good book? I personally think that they're as addictive!

So first let's drive there, it's a beautiful day outside, sunny, only a few very thin clouds splattered across the sky, it looks like whoever was in charge of setting up the clouds in the sky this morning, had to leave in a hurry LOL

When we first got to the base back in July of 2007, this overpass was under construction, the point is to connect the two sides of the base and not have the military families go through multiple gates in and out and in and out. It gets a little frustrating when you have to keep pulling out your ID card.......but it also gives quick access to the troops from the working side of the base to the housing area.

So on the 25th of January 2008, the bridge was opened and dedicated to Maj. Troy Gilbert, a Luke pilot who was killed in Iraq the same month construction began on the overpass in November 2006.


Curt and the kids don't like going over this bridge, something about the height and too curvy or whatever, I don't know, I don't pay attention to silly things like that, I just drive LOL

As soon as we come down on the other side, we continue ahead to the library, but on our left you will see the Base Chapel and the Airplane Park, where you find the static displays of Jets that used to fly.

And here we are at the Base Library. Oooohhhhhh Aaahhhhhhh, I get all excited just looking at it.

Here we are, now this is looking in from the entrance, to our right is the check out desk and ahead......well ahead is nothing but goodness, I'm seriously, just good wonderful books.

My first stop was the Children's room, the kids LOVE it in here.

The first thing Nicholas does is usually go on over to the ladybug and the other bean bags and lounge out, give him a book and he's a happy camper.

For him today, I picked out:

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Miss Spider's Dashing Through the Snow

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A Blue's Clues Holiday

Next time I'll be getting these:
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see? by Bill Martin, Jr.
The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister
Corduroy by Don Freeman
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise
Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney

Now we're moving to the Young Adult Section to get Jasmine some books.....
She LOVES this room and especially the shelf right in front of us, see it's filled with American Girl Books and she's absolutely addicted to them. After reading all of her Felicity books she is now moving to Molly......so I got her the first three in the series.
Meet Molly - Book 1
Molly Learns a Lesson - Book 2

Molly's Surprise - Book 3

So now that the kids are taken care of it's time for mommy and boy oh boy am I happy LOL

I love my children dearly and would do anything for them, if I have an idea of which books I'm getting and have the list with me, I take the kids with. But on days like today, where I just wanted to browse and see what I could find, what would get my attention, I prefer going alone and since Curt would rather stay at home with the kids, it works out just fine for me.

Here we are at the main reading room and you see those big brown leather chairs???
I tell you, they are the MOST comfortable chairs EVER. I try not to sit on there too long because if I do, I'm guaranteed to fall asleep with a dozen books surrounding me. I'm sure someone would find it hilarious and who knows my picture would probably appear in the base newspaper LOL

Without question one of my favorite sections to look through is this one.....the cookbooks!
I run my fingers through the spines of the books, I pull one out and browse through it, I put it back, I pull out another, I smell the pages (ok maybe this makes me weird but I can't help it).

You may wonder how I pick a book, by it's cover. I know, I know, what's the saying:

Never judge a book by it's cover

But that's what I do, what first catches my eye are the covers and I often will surpass any that don't appeal to me, anything that is too boring or not colorful and catchy. I like cute graphics on the front, or a yellow or pink cover, maybe a romantic couple in a beautiful landscape......ohhhhh landscapes. Anything with an old victorian house is sure to make it into my hands.

This time though, I didn't get any cookbooks, I stuck to one my newest favorite authors....Phillipa Gregory.

Earthly Joys - Phillipa Gregory

The Constant Princess - Phillipa Gregory

The Favored Child - Phillipa Gregory

Anne Boleyn - Norah Lofts


After reading "The Boleyn Inheritance" I've become so fascinated with King Henry VIII, his court, his wives, the whole shebang. So I'm looking for books that teach me more about it. Anne Boleyn was his second wife, the one that he sent to be beheaded on charges of adultery and incest so I picked up her biography and can't wait to read it.

Here's a few more links if you're interested:

History of the Monarchy
The Six Wives of Henry VIII
Tudor History
Anne of Boleyn


Hever Castle was given to Anne of Cleves in1540 in her divorce from Henry VIII. Anne owned the Castle until her death in 1557.


So there we go, we have our books and we're ready to head back home.

14 comments:

SueakaNana said...

hi sandra, so how are you on this fine saturday? You took us to the library, I just wanted to let you know that Tasha our youngest dtr. is loving the Ann Boleyn books, did i get that right she has about three of them stacked on her kitchen counter ready to return to her friend, she said Mom they are the best. I am reading and have to say almost finished the Nicholas Sparkes At First Sight. I don't read as fast as you gals, but just wanted to tell you about Tash reading those same books. Hope your familia is doing well, we are all fine here, enjoying a bit of a warming trend and the snow has dropped at least two feet, the temp. is about 7 degrees above zero a nice change from -20 i don't want to mention the dirty s word in case i jinx us. ttyl Sue

Mari said...

I love libraries! It looks like your base has a nice one. Have fun reading!

Cheri said...

That was a fun post. It was neat to see all the scenery where you are- even if it makes me a little jealous seeing all that blue sky and sunshine!

Lulu said...

i would love to read the favored child..That sounds intersting to me..
I crochet so much, i dont read anymore..I miss it, i love books..
Thanks for taking us to the library with you this saturday..i always enjoy going with you places..:-)

A Captured Reflection said...

I am a total Henry VIII era fan, oh I loved those Phillipa Gregory books. Suzannah Dunn has written "The Sixth Wife" about Katherine Parr (was very good!) and I am currently reading Carolly Erikson's "The Last wife of Henry VIII" which is also about Katherine Parr and again is a great read. Even as a girl I was a total fan of this era and reading all I could.

Alison Weir has written some great titles too. One of my favourites has been "The Innocent Traitor" which is about Lady Jane Gray who was briefly Queen.

The movie "The Other Boleyn Girl" starring Scarlett Johanssen (sp) is due out in NZ 6th March...do you have it at the movies over there too?

Bonnie said...

Oh my goodness Sandra, this post took me back !! You know, I lived on military bases almost my whole life. (my Dad was in the Navy 20+ years !) There were a couple of years where we lived off base, but apart from two years, I always went to DODS schools, on the base !! That trip into the library ... it wasn't just a library, it was a military library and it really brought back memories ! I'm a library lover myself. My library has carts ... I use one ! I get too many books to carry !!! CRAZY ! Anyway ... I loved the talk of gates and ID cards. Oh how I miss my ID card and having to use it everywhere I went !! Like ... the commissary and the exchange !! Funny, isn't it ? Missing an ID card !! Oh well ... that's me !! :)

Kelly said...

Thank you Sandra, for sharing in such a wonderful fashion.

I remember the Mountain Home library most of all the libraries I've ever been to because I used to take the kids with me when I could. The had a great kids section, even though it was a small library and it was such a great adventure for us all. No visit was unappreciated.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the tour of your library, wow it's so huge...lol our village library is about the size of your children's room :) Thanks for the author tip I'll have to check her out.

I'm so amazed by how blue the skies are near you, so beautiful!

Hugs and love

Sarah x

Michelle said...

hi sandra. thanks for taking us to the library with you,I love the children's section!! We love going to the library here and Mckenna loves loves the puzzles there!!! *while I check the books out for her*
!thanks for you lovely comments on McKenna's hair :-) have a great week..

Stacy at Exceedingly Mundane said...

What an awesome post! Love the photos and the descriptions. You're brave to take your camera inside, I'm a wimp and wouldn't do that in my library, hehehe! I know what you mean about libraries though. I love going to ours, and whodathnunkit, I went on Saturday also! Ours was having their thrice-yearly-Friends of the Library sale, so I went and browsed and bought 4 books. I have been wanting to read some Phillipa Gregory also, love that you're so immersed in her right now :) Happy Reading, and thanks for sharing your library with us!!!

Jillina said...

all those real books look so heavy. -.-

i agree with curt and the kids, whatever the bridge problem is. bridges are dangerous anyways -.-

*hugs* have fun reading! that was a fun trip to the library! i'll stick with my ebooks, they're not so heavy. :D

Jen said...

Your library is awesome. We love ours too.

AlaneM said...

Hi there, thanks for the trip to the library! My dad was a Elementary school librarian for many years & I'm sure I got my love of books from him. However, I did not get his organizational skills. Libraries are bad for me because I end up buying a book every few months. I simply cannot return a book on time, (sigh).

Michelle said...

First of all, thanks for the congrats to us on your blog! :)

Looks like you guys have a pretty big library! I enjoy going to ours too (and Kayla loves plopping down in the bean bag chairs w/some books!) but it doesn't seem near as large at the one you guys have!