Halloween

We took the kids trick-or-treating tonight. They had such a great time going from house to house in the neighborhood. The baby would actually go in to any house that actually opened their door to give us candy. We had to constantly be holding him back. If not, he would just stand in front of the candy distributor-person and wait and wait to see if he would keep getting more candy. It was actually quite funny. The weather was fantastic - it wasn't hot and it wasn't cold - it was just perfect. We had a blast - check it out.

Current book-in-progress: The Witches of Eastwick

Current movie/tv obsession: Tinkerbell

iTunes Loop: Step by Step - New Kids on the Block

The Witches of Eastwick by John Updike

It took me a while to get into, but once I did I devoured more than half of it in one sitting. I recently saw the movie for the first time, so I had a hard time getting the characters out of my mind as they were portrayed in the movie. For the first time, I actually liked the movie ending better than the book. It fell flat at the end for me. It was just far too descriptive in writing - yet enjoyable at times.

Thursday

I am so tired this morning. I'm in a slump. I'm not sleeping well, I'm reading a book that doesn't really inspire me enough to read it, I'm exhausted, etc. HELP!

I've been trying to read The Witches of Eastwick - and considering, I've been trying to do this for the past 2 days, I'm still not passed page 20. I hate when this happens to me. I'm dying to get back to reading the last 2 Sookie books, but they fall under a challenge that doesn't start until Saturday so I'll have to wait 'till then. Although I'm sure if I started now, I'd probably be done with both by then - ugh. So I'm stuck with The Witches of Eastwick. I'll do my best to get into it today, although I can't promise anything.

Other than that, tomorrow is Halloween, my hubby gets back from Vegas and on Saturday I'm going to see the New Kids on the Block (which I am thrilled about) with my friend Jennifer. So when I think of that it brightens my gloomy day.

Another thing to make me happy, I just ordered some books online. YAY ME! I got Belong to Me by Marisa de los Santos, Testimony by Anita Shreve, The Guernsey Literary and Pottato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and In the Woods by Tana French. I can't wait to get them!

And that's it. Not much going on. blah

Current book-in-progress: The Witches of Eastwick
Current movie/tv obsession: Grey's Anatomy
iTunes Loop: Soulmate - Natasha Beddingfield

The Gathering by Anne Enright

I tried to read this book once before and couldn’t get past page 50. So I decided to give it a second go and can say I feel a bit proud of myself for trucking through. I found it a bit dull and the narrator (Veronica) never warmed up to me. I just didn’t like her - no matter how much I tried. I found the book to be well Very Irish - and there were certain sayings I just couldn’t understand. The plot jumps around all over the place. The thoughts were often disjointed. And to be frank, I just didn't care about a lot of it. Very depressing. My recommendation - pass this one on by.

Wednesday

I peformed my civic duty last night and went out for early voting by myself in50 something degree weather (which is cold for a Miami-an dammit). I stood in line for over an hour and a half but finally got my vote in. Yay me! I'm such an outstanding citizen. I had to stand in the cold listening to all of the older folks in line criticize poor Obama (i.e. he's a communist, and how they plan on leaving "Miami"), etc. Which I guess they don't realize that leaving Miami won't make much of a difference, unless they actually leave the country. But along with being an outstanding citizen, I also decided to uphold my good manners and not comment or be rude. So I grabbed my iPod and just focussed on some good music.

I got home around 9pm since I had to pick up the kids from my mom's house and just snuggled them in my bed (since daddy isn't home). It was wonderful. Since I'm also not very into The Witches of Eastwick yet, I played some PackRat and tried to get into The Gathering (which didn't work either) -Bleh. Hopefully tonight I'll do better.

Your Linguistic Profile:

70% General American English 10% Dixie 10% Yankee 0% Midwestern 0% Upper Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

Current book-in-progress: The Witches of Eastwick and The Gathering

Current movie/tv obsession: Dancing with the Stars

iTunes Loop: Unbreak My Heart - Toni Braxton

Tuesday

Last night once I got home, I was exhausted. It seems that since there has been a slight weather change I am getting a cold - it happens every time. Not that it's very - it's never very cold in South Florida, but just a 20 degree change will get me every time. So needless to say, I am freezing this morning, wearing a leather jacket with boots and all... my boss asked me if I was planning on going skiing (such a fantastic sense of humor huh?)

So while we waited for "daddy" to get home last night - this is what we did... mess around with the camera. In the first picture you will see my son wearing my high heeled boots - he has a shoe fetish... what can I tell you. At least, they weren't the hot pink sandals I always have to look around the house for (those are his favorite).

I wanted to get started on The Witches of Eastwick, but I was just too tired. I did start this morning, but I can tell it's going to be one of those books that will take me a while to get into - hmph.

I'm on my own for the rest of the week. The hubby left this morning for Las Vegas for a management conference and he won't be back 'till the am on Halloween. Fantastic.

Current book-in-progress: The Witches of Eastwick
Current movie/tv obsession: Private Practice/Pshing Daisisu
iTunes Loop: Good-Bye Earl - Dixie Chicks

2008 Reading List (cont.)

39- A Hunger Like No Other - Kresley Cole (9/25/08 - 9/26/08)
40- The Gargoyle - Andrew Davidson (9/29/08 - 10/02/08)
41- The Lucky One - Nicolas Sparks (10/3/08 - 10/11/08)
42- The Virgin Suicides - Jeffrey Eugenides (10/07/08 - 10/12/08)
43- Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris (10/12/08 - 10/14/08)
44- Living Dead in Dallas - Charlaine Harris (10/15/08 - 10/17/08)
45- Club Dead - Charlaine Harris (10/18/08 - 10/19/08)
46- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - F. Scott Fitzgerald (10/19/08)
47- Dead to the World - Charlaine Harris (10/20/08 - 10/21/08)
48- The End of the Alphabet - C.S. Richardson (10/21/08 - 10/22/08)
49- Dead as a Doornail - Charlaine Harris (10/22/08 - 10/23/08)
50- Dewey: The Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World - Vicki Myron (10/24/08 - 10/26/08)
51- Definitely Dead - Charlaine Harris (10/26/08 - 10/27/08)

Current book-in-progress: The Witches of Eastwick

Current movie/tv obsession: Dancing with the Stars

iTunes Loop: Another Bad Day - Daniel Powter

Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris

The saga continues, and like always, Sookie is up to her neck in the drama. There's a bit of everything in this one - including a new main squeeze for Sookie (it's about time). It was fun and quirky and just plain good.

Sunday

We finally went by the pumpkin patch today. Thanks to my procrastinating ways, there were barely any pumpkins left, there were a lot of people there (they obviously waited to the last minute too), and the weather was not at its best. So we stayed for just a little bit. The kids made the best of it and ran around from pumpkin to pumpkin while I chased them down trying to get a decent picture.

Here's what I got:

Current book-in-progress: Definitely Dead
Current movie/tv obsession: Speed Racer
iTunes Loop: none

Dewey: The Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron

To be honest, I picked up this book because every time I passed by it at the book store - the little cat kept giving me those "buy me now" puppy eyes - so of course, I collapsed and bought it. I thought the book was about Dewey, the cat, and it ended up being more about the librarian. They lost me at "Lots of really appalling things happened to me and my family during this time, which I shall now go on and on about for the next 20 pages"... I thought it could have been shorter and I would have liked it to focus more on Dewey and his impact on the Iowa community, and well, the world, then the life of the librarian. If you love cats, books, and libraries, then I guess this is the book for you.

Saturday

All my fantastic plans of going to the pumpkin patch today have gone down the drain. That's what I get for waiting until it's afternoon and the kids have napped. It looks like it will continue to rain the rest of the afternoon/night. No luck today. Hopefully tomorrow.

Current book-in-progress: Dewey

Current movie/tv obsession: The Hulk

iTunes Loop: In the Ghetto - Elvis Presley

Friday

It's about 11:45pm and I'm getting ready to hit the sack, but I decided to upload these pics of my fun evening. My boss was out of town today so he gave us his hockey tickets (4) so we invited my brother and his wife to come along and we had a blast. I for one am not much of a hockey fan but I had a great time hollering, stomping and clapping away.

The Panthers won 4 to 3. It was so exciting! I can't wait 'till my boss is out of town again and I can get more tickets.... or else we just might have to buy some. that was fun.

Current book-in-progress: Dewey

Current movie/tv obsession: The Virgin Suicides

iTunes Loop: Leona Lewis CD

The Whitcoulls List Challenge

Rules:
* Read Your Way Through The Whitcoulls Top 100 List.
* From November 15th, 2008 to November 15th, 2009.
* Pick one of the 4 "Top 100" lists linked below and decide how many books (at least 4) you want to read from that list.
* The initial 4 have to be 'new' reads (new to you, that is).
* Books beyond the initial 4 may be rereads.
* All books may be cross-overs for other challenges.
* Audio-books are A-OK :)
* You may change your list at any time.
* If you read enough books to actually complete one of the "Top 100" lists, I'll make a post in your honour.

Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris

This series makes me laugh every time. The characters remain fascinating and endearing, you can't help having to know what happens next. We read more about the complex Were politics as well as this story introduced plenty of new characters, so I’m very curious to see which way she’ll head with Sookie’s love life. Bill, Eric, Alcide, Calvin and now Quinn.... so many men, so little time. I ♥ me my Sookie.

Thursday

OMG, I am in book challenge heaven! I have found so many interesting book challenges to join. I can't wait to start some of them - although most start in '09. So exciting. But before anything, I must complete all the remaining Sookie books I was able to get yesterday. I bought the remaining 4 so that should last me 'till about mid-next week. And then I have to seriously get into these challenges.

Last night we saw The Happening. Very spooky - I wasn't able to sleep all that well after it.

I'm boring right now - not much going on. Still plan on heading out to the pumpkin patch over the weekend and finish buying goodies for the trick-or-treaters. Maybe go to the zoo.... not sure. blah

Take the Quiz here!

Current book-in-progress: Dead as a Doornail
Current movie/tv obsession: Grey's Anatomy
iTunes Loop: Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol

The 2009 Pub. Challenge

Rules:

1- Read a minimum of 9 books first published in 2009. You don’t have to buy these. Library books, unabridged audios, or ARCs are all acceptable. To qualify as being first published in 2009, it must be the first time that the book is published in your own country. For example, if a book was published in Australia, England, or Canada in 2008, and then published in the USA in 2009, it counts. Newly published trade paperbacks and mass market paperbacks do not count if there has been a hardcover/trade published before 2009. Any questions on what qualifies? Just leave a comment here, and I’ll respond with the answer.
2- No children’s/YA titles allowed, since we’re at the ‘pub.’
3- At least 5 titles must be fiction.
4- Crossovers with other challenges are allowed.
5- You can add your titles as you go, and they may be changed at any time.
6- Sign up below using Mr. Linky.

Have fun reading your 2009 books!

My List:
1. The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane - Katherine Howe (completed 4/09/09)

2. Handle with Care - Jodi Picoult (completed 3/17/09)

3. Laura Rider's Masterpiece - Jane Hamilton (completed 3/29/09)

4. Jantsen's Gift - Pam Cope and Amy Molloy (completed 4/20/09)

5. I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti - Giulia Melucci (completed 4/06/09)

6. The Side-Yard Superhero - Rick D. Niece (completed 3/19/09)

7. The Little Giant of Aberdeen County - Tiffany Baker (completed 1/26/09)

8. Playing with the Grown-Ups - Sophie Dahl (completed 2/24/09)

9. Dirty Little Angels - Chris Tusa (completed 3/14/09)

A-Z Reading Challenge

Read titles A to Z. Commit to reading 26 books theoretically speaking.

Rules:
- How strict is the 26 or 52? I know it isn’t always easy to find those difficult letters. The thought of finding the X’s (for example) might scare folks away. It shouldn’t! I’m a merciful host! (Ask anyone!)
- If you want to give the X’s a go… For authors, try to find an X in the first name, middle name, or last name. For titles, it doesn’t have to be the starting word. Try to find an X somewhere in a title, and it’d count in my book.
- What about children’s books? Children’s books and YA books count along with adult fiction and nonfiction of all sorts. (Poetry and plays too. Short stories count if they’re in a collection.) I don’t see a need to discriminate between “adult” and “kiddie” books. Even picture books can count if you like. Though try to use them in moderation. I used a few picture books to get tricky letters this year.
- Overlaps are allowed with other challenges. In fact, you’d be a bit silly not to take advantage of this!

My List:

A - A Hint of Wicked - Jennifer Haymore (completed 5/21/09)

B - Blindness - José Saramago (completed 1/11/09)

C - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night~Time - Mark Haddon (completed 1/07/09)

D - Dirty Little Angels - Chris Tusa (completed 3/14/09)

E - Evermore - Alyson Noel (completed 8/05/09)

F - Firefly Lane - Kristin Hannah (completed 4/01/09)

G - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (completed 1/19/09)

H - The Host - Stephanie Meyer (completed 3/11/09)

I - I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti - Giulia Melucci (completed 4/06/09)

J - Jantsen's Gift - Pam Cope & Aimee Molloy (completed 4/20/09)

K - Knight of Desire - Margaret Mallory (completed 7/03/09)

L - Life of Pi - Yann Martel (completed 1/23/09)

M - Ms. Hempel Chronicles - Sarah Shun-lien Bynum (completed 1/27/09)

N - Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro (completed 2/01/09)

O - One Fifth Avenue - Candace Bushnell (completed 2/09/09)

P - Playing with the Grown-Ups - Sophie Dahl (completed 2/24/09)

Q - The Other Queen - Philippa Gregory

R - The Reader - Bernard Schlink (completed 1/03/09)

S - The Side-Yard Superhero - Rick D. Niece (completed 3/19/09)

T - Time of My Life - Allison Winn Scotch (completed 1/17/09)

U - Upon the Midnight Clear - Sherrilyn Kenyon (completed 2/10/09)

V - The Vanishing Sculptor - Donita K. Paul (completed 6/20/09)

W - Where the Heart Is - Billie Letts (completed 1/05/09)

X -

Y - The Prophet of Yonwood - Jeanne DuPrau (completed 5/02/09)

Z - The Zahir - Paulo Coelho

2009 Read & Review Challenge

Rules:

- Review each book you read between January 1st and December 31st, 2009
- PLEASE keep your reviews clean & respectful ~ these books we read are the hard work of an author, and we don’t need to be mean. Even if you didn’t like the book, please try to find something you can say that would be encouraging to the author.
- Reviews can be as short, or long, as you wish
- You MAY overlap with other challenges
- eBooks and Audiobooks ARE allowed
- if there will be spoilers in your review, please note this in the subject line of your post so that those who don’t want to read them can skip that review. Thank you.

My List:

1 Disquiet - Julia Leigh (completed 1/01/09)

2 Christmas Jars - Jason F. Wright (completed 1/02/09)

3 The Reader - Bernard Schlink (completed 1/03/09)

4 The Wednesday Letters - Jason F. Wright (completed 1/04/09)

5 Where the Heart Is - Billie Letts (completed 1/05/09)

6 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - Mark Haddon (completed 1/07/09)

7 Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict - Laurie Viera Rigler (completed 1/09/09)

8 Blindness - José Saramago (completed 1/11/09)

9 Secret Vampire - L.J. Smith (completed 1/13/09)

10 Inkspell - Cornelia Funke (completed 1/15/09)

11 Time of My Life - Allison Winn Scotch (completed 1/17/09)

12 The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (completed 1/19/09)

13 Life of Pi - Yann Martel (completed 1/23/09)

14 The Little Giant of Aberdeen County - Tiffany Baker (completed 1/26/09)

15 Ms. Hempel Chronicles - Sarah Shun-lien Bynum (completed 1/27/09)

16 The Thief Lord - Cornelia Funke (completed 1/29/09)

17 Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro (completed 2/01/09)

18 Confessions of a Shopoholic - Sophie Kinsella (completed 2/02/09)

19 No Rest for the Wicked - Kresley Cole (completed 2/05/09)
20 One Fifth Avenue - Candace Bushnell (completed 2/09/09)

21 Upon the Midnight Clear - Sherrilyn Kenyon (completed 2/10/09)

22 One Silent Night - Sherrilyn Kenyon (competed 2/12/09)
23 Outlander - Diana Gabaldon (completed 2/19/09)
24 Confessions of a Former Child - Daniel J. Tomasulo (completed 2/22/09)

25 Playing with the Grown-Ups - Sophie Dahl (completed 2/24/09)
26 M is for Magic - Neil Gaiman (completed 2/25/09)
27 The Mistress's Daughter - A.M. Homes (completed 3/03/09)
28 He's Just Not That Into You - Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo (completed 3/06/09)

29 The Boy in the Striped Pajamas - John Boyne (completed 3/07/09)

30 The Host - Stephanie Meyer (completed 3/11/09)

31 Dirty Little Angels - Chris Tusa (completed 3/14/09)

32 Handle with Care - Jodi Picoult (completed 3/17/09)

33 The Side-Yard Superhero - Rick D. Niece (completed 3/19/09)

34 Stardust - Neil Gaiman (completed 3/22/09)

35 Matrimony - Joshua Henkin (completed 3/24/09)

36 Nineteen Minutes - Jodi Picoult (completed 3/28/09)
37 Laura Rider's Masterpiece - Jane Hamilton (completed 3/29/09)
38 Firefly Lane - Kristin Hannah (completed 4/01/09)
39 Shoot the Moon - Billie Letts (completed 4/04/09)
40 I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti - Giulia Melucci (completed 4/06/09)

41 The Lake that Stole Children: A Fable - Douglas Glenn Clark (completed 4/06/09)
42 The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane - Katherine Howe (completed 4/09/09)
43 Girls in Trucks - Katie Crouch (completed 4/12/09)
44 The City of Ember - Jeanne DuPrau (completed 4/13/09)
45 The People of Sparks - Jeanne DuPrau (completed 4/14/09)
46 One Deadly Sin - Annie Solomon (completed 4/16/09)
47 Jantsen's Gift - Pam Cope & Aimee Molloy (completed 4/20/09)
48 The Late, Lamented Molly Marx - Sally Koslow (completed 4/22/09)
49 The Blue Notebook - James A. Levine (completed 4/26/09)
50 The Forgotten Garden - Kate Morton (completed 4/30/09)
51 The Prophet of Yonwood - Jeanne DuPrau (completed 5/02/09)
52 My Little Red Book - Rachel Kauder Nalebuff (completed 5/04/09)
53 The Simplest of Acts and Other Short Stories - Melanie Haney (completed 5/05/09)

Raptor: 1 / Me: 0

I could survive for 38 seconds chained to a bunk bed with a velociraptor

Created by Bunk Beds Pedia

The End of the Alphabet by C.S. Richardson

A dying man's wish to travel the world from A-Z... this beautifully written little story will give you pause to think about your own mortality. Ambrose has been told he has a month to live - seems like a rather depressing topic. But the emphasis is on "Live" - and live he does. Beautifully written. Not a single wasted word. Simplistic and enjoyable read.

Wednesday

I've been so busy all week with work and with just my every day stuff. I'm super excited about all the books I have lined up to read for the fall and early next year. Some of them are out of my comfort zone, but I can say that it will be a nice change (hopefully).

This weekend I have to take the kids to the pumpkin patch - it's a yearly tradition of ours and if I'm not mistaken this is the last weekend that I'll be able to take them since next Friday is Halloween. I was trying to convince Julio to throw a kiddie Halloween party but he didn't budge.. bleh. That's alright. I told him we would do one next year for Jenna's birthday. Do like a cute little Kiddie Halloween Birthday Party. All the kids have to come dressed and we'll do all the fun Halloween games (i.e. bobbing for apples, etc.) It should be different and I'm sure she'll love it.

I'm going to the bookstore today during lunch - I'm all out of Sookie books and I NEED MORE NOW! I have to buy the next 4 and then I'll be all caught up.

That's all I've got - tootles.

Current book-in-progress: The End of the Alphabet
Current movie/tv obsession: The Happening
iTunes Loop: Kindly Unspoken - Kate Voegele

Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris

A great book! It's not rocket science of stellar writing, it's just guilty, good fun. It was interesting to see the interaction between Sookie and Eric. But also, this is the first book where all the worlds collide - shifter, vampires, witches, fairies, and poor Sookie. I loved vulnerable Eric.

Favorite quote in the book:
"Then a piece of him touched me. He wasn't standing that close. Yikes. Yahoo. Yum." -Sookie Stackhouse; Dead to the World

The Genre Challenge

Another book challenge is being hosted... a genre reading challenge - which of course I must partake in. Book reading challenges = my new obsession. It's that darn OCD again.

Rules:

- This challenge will run from November 1, 2008 – November 1, 2009
- You may not read more than 1 book per genre
- All books must be read within the challenge period
- No crossovers within the challenge, each genre should have a separate book
- Crossovers with other challenges are allowed
- Audio books are allowed, graphic novels are not
- You may make a list of books, but that’s not mandatory and you can change your picks at any time before or during the challenge

Here is my list of categories:
1- Action
2- Detective

3- Thriller
4- Fantasy

5- Sci-Fi

6- Mystery
7- Realistic
8- Crime
9- Historical
10- Romance

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald

This was surprisingly entertaining, thoughtful, and wrapped up in a very short, well-written package. I found that I just simply enjoyed the story, and let myself be carried away with Benjamin Button and his reverse journey through life. I am extremely excited to watch the movie, as I'm sure it will be a masterpiece to behold.

Club Dead by Charlaine Harris

The mischief and mayhem continue! Ah Sookie, those sexy supes just keep getting you into more and more trouble. And boy is it entertaining for the rest of us to read. Down with Bill!! Eric Forever! This is a great book, just as the two before were. I am sooo hooked.

Sunday

I'm so blah today. I honestly don't want to do anything. Julio just took the kids over to his parents house. So once I pick up all the mess, wash dishes, put some clothes in the washer and pick up the rooms upstairs I am going to read. It is "ME" time. Yay me! I figure I have a couple of hours because when they do get back the little ones should be napping!

So I'm off - tootles.

Current book-in-progress: Club Dead and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Current movie/tv obsession: Leatherheads

iTunes Loop: The Hairspray Musical Soundtrack

Saturday

Well it's about 11:45pm and I am in bed - just finished watching Sarah Palin on SNL (which I found hilarious). I LOVE TINA FEY! She was great.

We got back from seeing Hairspray about 25 mins. ago. That was great too! I loved it. It was one of those shows that I couldn't help smiling the whole way through. The songs were great. The acting was spectacular. It was awesome. I loved the colors and the costumes. My husband says it's because I live my life in hypercolor like that. I think it's true - I do. LaLa Land.

Last night we went to see the Secret Life of Bees. Obviously, not everything in the book was in the movie but then again it was only 2 hours long. I found that they stayed true to the book. I really enjoyed it. Queen Latifah and Dakota Fanning were unbelievable. I laughed, I cried - yep, just like the book. Watch it.

I spent the morning at my grandmother's house with the kids. They had a blast like always. From there we went and while Jenna napped, I went to do groceries at Target with the baby. Shortly after that, I had Julio drop them off at my mom's so that we could start getting read for the show. and the rest is history.

I haven't had much chance to read today but I will make a point to do so tomorrow.

Current book-in-progress: Club Dead

Current movie/tv obsession: The Secret Life of Bees

iTunes Loop: The Phantom of the Opera Movie Soundtrack

Friday

If I can get a babysitter tonight I will drag my hubby to the movies so we can watch The Secret Life of Bees. I absolutely loved this book and I can't wait to see the movie. We also have tickets tomorrow to go see Hairspray so I'm excited about that too. I love Broadway and since I'm nowhere near New York, I go see whatever shows are travelling. It's my fix!

I've been holding back on buying tickets for some of the shows coming now in November and December because I normally spend about $200 on our tickets and I'm saving for Christmas. But come January I'm back to buying normally - plus there are so many great shows coming in the beginning of the year (i.e. Cats, Jersey Boys, Chicago, Mama Mia!) just to name a few. I MUST SEE THEM ALL!

Nothing much else planned for the weekend. I have to clean house, wash, dry and put away clothes, change bed sheets in all 3 rooms, etc. fun times! I also want to try to take Jenna to the park with her bike so she can ride around in a bigger space than my backyard.

Current book-in-progress: Living Dead in Dallas
Current movie/tv obsession: Grey's Anatomy
iTunes Loop: Fools in Love - Inara George

Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris

These books are deliciously funny and clever. The second installment of Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire novels. Everything is going swimmingly for our favorite interspecies couple, except for the whole missing Vamp in Dallas thing. So of course, it is up to our Sookie to save the day. Or night. I'm running out of synonyms for "Awesome."

Thursday

I'm happy today! Why, you ask? Well, because I went to the book store and bought me some BOOKS! woot. I love buying books - this makes me happy. I bought the next 4 Sookie Stackhouse installments, The Reader, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Dewey and The Witches of Eastwick. yay! I can't wait to read them all. I also wanted to get The Widows of Eastwick but I decided to wait on that. Actually, I wanted to get many, many more, but I decided to wait. So much to read so little time! I am in Sookie mode right now. That's all I want to read at the moment.

Current book-in-progress: Living Dead in Dallas

Current movie/tv obsession: Presedential Debate

iTunes Loop: Catch My Disease - Ben Lee

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

First I want to say that I absolutely love the name of the main character: SOOKIE STACKHOUSE - I find it so imaginative and creative. This book is junk food for the brain. It's also a little like crack, you just NEED that next book. I will admit I passed this book several times while at the book store and once I picked it up all I could think about was "one should never judge a book by its cover". Let's be honest, it's hard not to. Despite what this book's cover leads you to believe, the book is not for kiddies and a surprisingly fun read. A new take on the vampire genre that will leave you craving the next installment.

Book Awards II Challenge

10 months. 10 award winners.

Rules:
- Read 10 award winners from August 1, 2008 through June 1, 2009.
- You must have at least FIVE different awards in your ten titles.
- Overlaps with other challenges are permitted.
- You don't have to post your choices right away, and your list can change at any time.
- 'Award winners' is loosely defined; make the challenge fit your needs, keeping in mind Rule #2.
- SIGN UP using Mr. Linky below.
- Have fun reading!

Here is my list:
1- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - Mark Haddon (2003 Whitbread Book of the Year Award) (completed - 1/07/09)
2- The Gathering - Anne Enright (2007 Man Booker Prize) (completed 10/29/08)
3- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson (2006 Glass Key Award) (completed 12/12/08)
4- Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris (Anthony Award for Best Paperback Original 2001) (completed 10/15/08)
5- Doubt: A Parable - John Patrick Shanley (2005 Pulitzer Prize) (completed 12/27/08)
6- Blindness - José Saramago (1998 Nobel Prize) (completed 1/11/09)
7- The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao - Junot Diaz (2008 Pulitzer Prize) (completed 11/6/08)
8- The End of the Alphabet - C.S. Richardson (2007 Alcuin Award) (completed 10/22/08)
9- Inkheart - Cornelia Funke (2004 Book Sense Children's Literature Award) (completed 12/17/08)
10- The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - Ann Brashares (2004 YRCA Award) (completed - 11/13/08)

My 1st Book Reading Challenge

So lately, I have been noticing on some of the blogs I've visited links to reading challenges - and like the nerd that I am, I have decided to join one. This is not a very strenuous challenge as I can list the books I want to read and all I have to do is read them from 9/22/08 - 12/20/08. I am obviously starting a little bit late but I know I will be able to get my reading list done within the time frame set and of course provide my input on each book read.

Here's my Reading List:

- Club Dead - Charlaine Harris (completed 10/19/08)

- Dead to the World - Charlaine Harris (completed 10/21/08)

- Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World - Vicki Myron (completed 10/26/08)

- The Witches of Eastwick - John Updike (completed 10/31/08)

- The Gathering - Anne Enright (completed 10/29/08)

- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - F. Scott Fitzgerald (completed 10/19/08)

- The End of the Alphabet - C.S. Richardson (completed 10/22/08)

- Dead as a Doornail - Charlaine Harris (completed 10/23/08)

- Definitely Dead - Charlaine Harris (completed 10/27/08)

- All Together Dead - Charlaine Harris (completed 11/04/08)

- From Dead to Worse - Charlaine Harris (completed 11/09/08)

Wednesday

It's just one of those days!

Current book-in-progress: Living Dead in Dallas
Current movie/tv obsession: Dancing with the Stars
iTunes Loop: Gimme More - Britney Spears

Tuesday

I am so TIRED today! so what's new? I was actually planning on hitting the sack early last night, but Michael and Anais came by with all their pictures from their honeymoon in Europe that I couldn't resist staying up and watching them. I WANNA GO! The pictures were amazing. I NEED to go to Europe and see these places. What views, what scenery, what color - ahhh, I WANNA GO!

I'm not feeling all that great today. My stomach has been acting up since after lunch yesterday and I've been a frequent visitor to the toilet since - ugh. This hadn't happened in a while - but I guess all that healthy (insert sarcasm) food I ate while at Disney didn't help my situation.

Lucky for me Julio is in town this week so I get to relax a bit with some help from him with the kids. Hopefully we get to bed early tonight and I am able to catch up on some zzz's.

Tootles.

P.S. - I LOVE SOOKIE STACKHOUSE! I'm dying for it to be lunch time so that I can run to the car and read some more. Okay, carry on.

Current book-in-progress: Dead Until Dark

Current movie/tv obsession: Private Practice

iTunes Loop: She's My Kind of Rain - Tim McGraw

Monday

I'm back to work today... the excitement is just overwhelming.

I am so tired. My feet still hurt from walking. My arms are sore from carrying James around. I AM EXHAUSTED!

Other than that, I can tell I am going to have a fun-filled work day ahead of me today. bleh

Current book-in-progress: Dead Until Dark
Current movie/tv obsession: none
iTunes Loop: Let the Bad Times Roll - Paul Westerberg

The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides

Jeffrey Eugenides is a very gifted writer. The simplicity in which he writes is captivating. His descriptions make you picture and feel what he wants to broadcast to you so clearly. The fact that it’s written from an outsiders perspective really makes you feel like your watching this train wreck of a family’s life unfold before you. I was kept wondering all throughout the book, and then at the end it sort of shocked me even though the title of the book kinda gave it away. One of the most beautiful novels I have ever read about teenage love, obsession, religion and death. I highly recommend it.

Sunday Blues

We drove back home today. James cried half of the way home until he basically passed out from exhaustion. Jenna also fell asleep towards the end. I read the whole ride - The Virgin Suicides. It is fantastic and I love the way it is written. I'm more than halfway through so I think I'll finish it tonight. Once we got home I unpacked and did laundry and put away clothes... same 'ol, same 'ol. And after reading, I am hitting the sack.

Current book-in-progress: The Virgin Suicides
Current movie/tv obsession: Blue Sky
iTunes Loop: Amarillo Sky - Jason Aldean

The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks

Although I am a big fan of Nicholas Sparks, it pains me to say that this book was pretty much a waste of time. I think it was his worst book yet and I should know, since I’ve read every single one of his other books. The story was okay, but it lacked the emotion and excitement that the others had. It obviously was a love story as all his books are but it was just lacking something. The ending felt rushed. It just didn’t click with me.

Disney Trip Day #4 (cont.)

After our fantastic morning at the pool, we headed out to Epcot Center around 4:30pm. We were able to ride our favorite rides (especially Nemo - which once again was a big HIT) and went along the World Showcase. We had dinner in Japan and of course watch Illuminations. The kids loved it and made it back to the room awake since the park closed at 10pm.

Once again, here are our pics:

Current book-in-progress: The Virgin Suicides

Current movie/tv obsession: The Wizard of Oz

iTunes Loop: none