Love, Laughter, and Life

Adventures With a Book Lover


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Book Report: Andres and His Rubik’s Cube Madness by Andrea Alvarez #BookBirthday

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Andres and His Rubik’s Cube Madness

Written by Andrea Alvarez

Illustrated by Ana Sebastian

Mascot Books, March 2020

 

Andres and His Rubik’s Cube Madness is the perfect book for these anxious days! If you and your child are stuck at home due to the coronavirus, get yourself a copy of this book and your own Rubik’s cube. Accept the challenge!

Much thanks to Mascot Books for sending a review copy. Happy book birthday, Andres and His Rubik’s Cube Madness (March 3, 2020).

I loved reading this book about Andres. Introduced to the Rubik’s Cube by a new neighbor, Andres was inspired and challenged to try to solve the cube. He eventually discovers that there are Rubik’s Cube competitions all over the world and decided he wanted to compete. Hard work, practice, and dedication helped Andres learn ways to solve the cube.

I was amazed at how FAST Andres and other competitors solve the cube. At the time of the printing, Andres had a personal best time of 8.33 seconds to solve the cube. That is seconds! I take longer to sneeze. Congratulations, Andres!

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Why I Enjoyed This Book:

~ The story is wonderful! Based on a true story, the author (mother to Andres) shares how he decided to accept the Rubik’s Cube challenge.

~ I learned so much about Rubik’s Cubes. There is an entire community built around competing and solving the puzzle cubes.

~ Excellent illustrations perfectly match and enhance the story. The reader is engaged in the story and illustrations.

~ Information is included for readers to use as they learn the algorithms to solve the cube.

~ Good writing and great story telling!

Our state just closed ALL schools for 6 weeks. That’s a long time, friends. I think this book AND several Rubik’s cubes might just help us to fill the long, long hours.

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Amazon Blurb:

When Andres saw the new kid in the neighborhood solve a Rubik’s cube super fast, he wondered if he could learn to solve one too. He tried twisting and turning the multicolored cube but it seemed impossible. With a little encouragement from his mom, Andres began to practice every day. And when he discovered a Rubik’s cube competition to qualify for the biggest championship, he knew he had to try!

Andres and His Rubik’s Cube Madness is based on the true story of Andres a boy who cleverly practiced hard and learned hundreds of algorithms to solve the Rubik’s cube in lightning speed. He was dedicated and persistent, but most importantly, he never gave up.

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Sunday Inspiration

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Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sin.(1)


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Haiku Moment: gnarled

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grizzled and gnarled,

you lichened, weathered, old man;

desert strong sagebrush

 

gnarled by Angie Quantrell

Cowiche Canyon, Yakima Valley, Washington State


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It’s Not Just Rubber Stamping

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We LOVE getting together to play with our toys. Some call it making messes, but we call it fun. And you can’t create and make rubber stamped cards without the creative process, and that means messes are made. Also mistakes, but we use mistakes as opportunities to be even more creative with our oops.

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It’s not just rubber stamping.

It’s crafting

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chatting

applying (or ignoring) theories of art composition

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using our imaginations

sipping tea (or coffee or a special dessert drink)

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solving world problems

singing the oldies, sometimes badly and off-tune (me, always with the wrong lyrics)

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sharing life

telling stories

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listening to music

keeping cats off the table

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playing games

getting older

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sharing resources

enjoying fine literature (or just literature on a CD)

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making goals

going for walks

9A774B91-B6DC-4B24-8213-EAC0DD08F0DEbuilding from each other’s ideas

paving the way to send snail mail messages to friends and family

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making gifts to share

eating too much

0DA4FC29-EC44-49F3-A78E-BBE8624C9BC8recycling (saving rubber stamps from the landfills and reusing paper and craft items down to the tiniest scraps)

storing memories (and collectively attempting to recall long ago events)

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visiting friends

and building love.

 

Completed card totals for this trip: 76

Friends involved in this weekend: 7

Sunday Inspiration

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The lord lives! praise be to my rock! exalted be God my savior!

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Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.


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The 5th Annual Pretty Much World Famous Valentiny Writing Contest!!!

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CURIOSITY THRILLED THE CAT (214 words)

 

The most mysterious gift Pink received for Valentine’s Day was a shiny, heart-covered box.

But saving the best for last, Pink first snooped through the house, using her feline nose, super whiskers, and strong kitty body to locate other special day treats.

What’s in the bag? thought Pink.

Lick,

sniff,

snort.

“Meooowww, I smell kitty snacks.”

 

What’s under the bed? thought Pink.

Creep,

grab,

drag.

“Yow-wlll! I want that catnip mouse.”

 

What’s on the table? thought Pink.

Leap,

twist,

bump.

“Grrrrrr, I don’t like dog bones.”

 

What’s hanging over the chair? thought Pink.

Stretch,

jump,

hook!

“Roooaaarrr! Give me that yarn!”

 

What’s through the cat door? thought Pink.

Race,

run,

skid.

“Pffttt. Go ahead, fly away flutter-by.”

 

Pink sat in the lovely sunshine, pausing to groom her soft fur. Stretching, she dug her claws into the door frame, a forbidden treat. But only if she got caught.

“Pink!” growled Mama Mauve. “Stop sharpening your claws.”

Putting on her best innocent face, Pink strolled back through the cat door.

 

There sat the most mysterious, shiny, heart-covered box Pink had ever seen.

And it was all hers.

 

What’s in my beautiful box? thought Pink.

Dig,

claw,

rip.

“Mmmmm. A furry, fluffy, fantastic pink blanket for me!”

 

Time for a catnap thought Pink.

Scrunch,

scrabble,

curl.

Purrr-fect!


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Throwback Thursday: The Year of Kevin and Angie (Happy 35th Anniversary to Us) #TBT

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Look at the cute guy! He asked me to marry him back in the days of Polaroid pictures. He took this picture and had to mail it to me (snail mail). 1981! What a great year.

We graduated from high school in 1981 and I went off to college. Poor fellow. He thought he would never see me again, lost to one of those studious university boys.

Four years later, after too-many-to-count phone calls (ring twice and hang up to let the other know we were thinking about him/her), boxes of letters and cards, miles and miles traveled to visit each other (I chose a university that was over four hours away from home), and alternating weekend visiting schedule, we were married at our home church.

After a honeymoon to Disneyland (yes, we are a COOL couple), we settled in the lower Yakima Valley to raise our children and pursue our careers.

How long was our dating and engagement period? The total is about seven years. We met in high school, started dating, took a year off, then got back together for good. 35 years later, we are still best friends and more in love than ever.

And they said it would never last.

Take your time, youngsters. Be patient. Wait for the right person. Make sure you are best friends first. And then commit for the rest of your life.

LOL. Old lady Quantrell giving marriage advice. Best ever piece I can give? Base your relationship on faith in Jesus. God has kept us going through good and bad times, and we’ve had plenty of both.

Happy anniversary, my love.


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Sunday Inspiration

Pastel Candy Hearts Valentines Day Social Media Post

 

P.S. Can you tell where I found this photo? Free version! With a love-ly watermark.

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