数独 Sudoku

Josh, loving a good challenge, and really enjoying his programming class, has taken on the mission of getting 100% and exemption from the final by creating a C++ program that completely solves any Sudoku puzzle it is given.  And his teacher has informed them that the last test for their program is the most difficult Sudoku known to man!!!  
So, this turned out to be a challenge that I was glad to be a part of because I like Sudoku, too.
Here are some pics of the "Day of Sudoku" I ended up obsessing over yesterday.  :)  It was really fun.

PS I do show the solution to said difficult-est Sudoku puzzle, so if you care not to know it, please avert your eyes.  There are also some challenges I came up with for myself.  See if you can do it, too!!

Challenge #1: Can you solve the "World's hardest" Sudoku?  . . . without guessing?

Josh and I did do it . . . which makes me think that it isn't the "world's hardest."  But who am I to judge?

Challenge #2:  Create your own board, starting with nothing.  I tried it once (began with 1-9 along the first row, then filled in the numbers one at a time...).  Next time, I think I'll fill in a box of 9 with 1-9 and see how that goes.  Happy Puzzling!

What Are Words?

Indeed.  "What are words if you really don't mean them when you say them?"  These are the beginning words of the chorus of Chris Medina's song, "What Are Words."  Even though I don't follow American Idol, this story really touched me when I heard about it and I wanted to share, for those who aren't into the AI scene.  This song was specially written for Chris because after his fiance got in a car accident, resulting in traumatic brain injury, he decided to marry her and stay with her.  His devotion and heart are evident in this beautiful ballad.  It makes me think of how precious our marriage relationships are, how we commit to each other for ever and ever, through the good times and the harder times.  Forever and Ever, No Matter What.

Anywhere you are I am near.
Anywhere you go, I’ll be there.
Anytime you whisper my name, you’ll see
How every single promise I’ll keep
Cuz, what kind of guy would I be
If I was to leave when you need me most?

What are words
If you really don’t mean them when you say them?
What are words
If they’re only for good times then that’s all?
When it’s love, yeah, you say them out loud
Those words, they never go away;
They live on, even when we’re gone.

And I know an angel was sent just for me.
And I know I’m meant to be where I am.
And I’m gonna be
Standing right beside her tonight.

And I’m gonna be by her side;
I would never leave when she needs me most.

What are words
If you really don’t mean them when you say them?
What are words If they’re only for good times then that’s all?
When it’s love, yeah, you say them out loud
Those words, they never go away;
They live on, even when we’re gone.

Anywhere you are I am near.
Anywhere you go, I’ll be there.
And I’m gonna be here forever more.
Every single promise I’ll keep
Cuz, what kind of guy would I be
If I was to leave when you need me most?

I’m forever keeping my angel close.

Mommies

My appetite for reading has been insatiable lately.  For the last week, I've been devouring Jerry Spinelli, author of Maniac Magee, Loser, Smiles To Go, The Library Card, Stargirl, and more.  I love reading.  I love reading his books in particular because of the blaring, yet, between-the-lines messages he sews in.  One in particular I wanted to comment on because of the way my heart ached when I read.  The main message of the entire book, Library Card, is the magical transforming power of a book, but the additional message about mommies really struck me today.


Sonseray is a troubled teenager, destructive to property, unthankful, seemingly unwanted, wearing his uncle into the ground as they move in a broken down car from town to town in search of a new place where they can start over ... again.  Anywhere they go, he is always searching.  He goes to malls because he knows there he will find what he is sniffing out.  Mothers.  He hates the smug kids who ungratefully and unknowingly take advantage of their mothers, "Here, hold this."  He has a keen ear for the scolding and reprimanding mother.  He loves to hear it.  It is what mothers do who love their children.  He wishes he had a mother who would scold him ... and then into who's arms he could run.

I almost cried in this part of the book.  Children need mommies!  Adults need mommies!  I know I need mine!  How cold the world is becoming because moms aren't choosing to be the mom and because of those moms that aren't moms yet are refusing to become so.  This may not make much sense.  I'm referring to the article referenced by my friend Becca in her blog.  After referring to an article, she lovingly and boldly stands up for mothers who are choosing to sacrifice self for their children and for humanity.  I applaud her and all mothers, all women.  For we are all mothers; it is our divine gift as women, have we children or none.

On a lighter note, remember the all-too-true cry of little Maggie, as she's being carried by her father, Peter Pan, safely away from the dreaded pirate Captain Hook, "You need a mother very very badly!!"

We cannot abandon our children to the world's pirate cry of Save Your Self.

Wedding Weekend!

This weekend, my best friend Jess got married to her sweety, Darrell.  I'm so grateful to my own sweety who looked up how long it would take to drive to Lake Tahoe, showing that we could make it to her wedding for just 12 hours on the road.  The wedding was beautiful, full of loving looks and giddy giggles and happy tears.  I'm so glad she found such a wonderfully kind and strong man.  She just posted today (as Jessica Moyers (!!)) that she  "is perfectly and incandescently happy" and I am thrilled for her!

They had a simple luncheon with delicious food and lively conversation :), and yummy wedding cake for dessert.  The wedding was on some charming stone steps in a beautiful wooded area.  And then, with a few pictures and happy well-wishes for the newly-weds, we said goodbye.  Sadly they only had the next day for a honeymoon before they had to report back to Intelligence School (Air Force) in Texas, but now they are together and that makes going back to work so much sweeter.

Josh was able to snap a few pictures of the cake, the cutting of the cake, the sparkling apple cider (in all three colors!) for the best man's toast, and beautiful Jess (beautifully married, smiling with her flower-girl niece).  I was so glad I was able to be there with her!  Congrats Jess and Darrell!