Pritt-y Story to Tell

The Inn at Eagle Point by Sherryl Woods

2011-08-18T20:17:00.000-04:00

*Tap Tap*

Is this mic on?

Whoaaaa. Heyyyyy! Long time no "see".

So I just finished The Inn at Eagle Point, which is the first book in the Chesapeake Shores series by Sherryl Woods. I wouldn't classify these as romance novels, but this first one was definitely a drama and romance thrown in to one... is that a dromance?

I liked this first book enough that I'd like to continue with this series. It's about an Irish family that lives along the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. I love the Bay, and I love Maryland, and so this series is meant for me! :) I also enjoy series book (like the Alex Cross series!). The Inn at Eagle Point is mostly about 2 sisters and a man, of course. Abby is Jess's older sister and someone who stepped in to assume the role of "mom" when theirs walked out on them as children. Abby resides in NYC full-time, but has to return to her hometown to help her sister get the Inn on it's feet. The man's name is Trace and I won't tell you which girl he likes :).

You can certainly expect to see more of this series from me in the future!

Snowflower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

2011-06-09T14:25:00.000-04:00

I was told that if I liked Memoirs of a Geisha, then I could be sure that I'd like Snowflower and the Secret Fan. I'd have to agree with this assessment. I loved Memoirs of a Geisha because I learned a little bit about a culture that I was not at all familiar with. The same is true for Snowflower. Foot-binding anyone?

If you've read this book, then you know what I'm talking about! I am SO glad that in our culture, women are not treated like they are in China (at least at the time period that the book was written - I have no idea if these same practices take place today). In short, and this is by no means a direct quotation from the book, women are practically valued as nothing. They exist as servants, as baby makers (you better have a boy!), and women are essentially used by men as a means of social status and as a way to secure their family's financial future. But I'm getting a little bit ahead of myself here...

Lily is the storyteller of this novel that takes you all the way back to her childhood. She shares the story of her life and how she came to be known as Lady Lu, the 'queen bee' of the wealthiest family in her county. Lily's family was not well off, and it was up to them to ensure that they took all the right steps to get Lily married off to the best family possible. One way to help secure a decent marriage was to have the tiniest feet possible - enter foot-binding. Lily's feet were bound (and I have to show pics here so you can see exactly what this is all about...)


The term was 'lily feet' - get them as small as you can get them!

Marriages could be arranged for you even before you became a teenage girl. Auntie Wang, a marriage arranger, pays Lily a visit one day and finds that she has extraordinarily bound feet. She decides to set Lily up with a laotang, meaning "Old Sames". This is an extremely tight knit bond between women, and something that can also make you more desirable for marriage. The laotang Auntie Wang chooses for Lily is Snowflower.

Thus the story begins of two little girls who formed a stronger bond than even a man and wife could ever conceive of having in their county. Snowflower is a story about friendship and the challenges all relationships face at various points throughout their history, including deceitfulness. This book will teach you a lesson about the importance of forgiveness and selflessness.

Have you read this? What did you think?

Next up - Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - in preparation for our summer vacation to Savannah, GA!

The Shack by William P. Young

2011-05-05T15:27:00.000-04:00

I'd heard a lot of hype about The Shack and I was hoping it was going to move me like The Five People You Meet in Heaven or the Lovely Bones - two of my all time favorite books. What can I say - I'm apparently in love with books about death and images of heaven!

The Shack is hard to read at times because the overall story is sad. Mack, the father of several children (I was never clear on the exact number), takes at least three of his kids on a camping trip. Mack describes the day that the "Great Sadness" set in as one that never even got off on the right foot. From the very beginning, he messed up breakfast over the campfire, and as he was trying to get that under control, his son and daughter were out on the lake in a canoe about to embark on danger. The canoe flips over and the son goes under water, while the one daughter Katie yells for help. Mack bolts to the lake and quickly realizes the dilemma - his son's life jacket strap is caught in the canoe, preventing him from coming up for air. As Mack works to free his son from drowning, another tragedy is taking place. His youngest daughter, Missy, was kidnapped during the canoe fiasco. What are the chances of such disasters occurring simultaneously? A mad search ensues and the only thing the authorities find is Missy's bloodied dress laying on the floor of a dilapidated shack in the woods.

Three years pass and the Great Sadness has not even began to leave Mack's heart and mind. One day, Mack receives a note in his mailbox, signed by "Papa", asking him to return to the Shack. "Papa" also happens to be the name Mack's wife uses to refer to God. After some deliberation about the note, Mack sets out on his quest to return to the Shack. Shortly after Mack arrives, he's introduced to three people: Elousia (Papa), Sarayu, and Jesus. These three actually make up the Holy Trinity. So Mack goes on a journey with these three variations of God and learns several things about himself and about Missy's death.

The book ends as a Jodi Picoult novel would - with a twist!

I liked the concept of the book and I found a few things in the book that really spoke to me. Still, at times I found it confusing to follow along with what the three versions of "God" were actually talking about. Overall I give the book 4 stars out of 5!

Water for Elephants - The Movie

2011-05-02T09:19:00.000-04:00

Friday evening Joel & I went to see Water for Elephants in theaters. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the movie mimicked the book, in my opinion. I think that Reese and Edward (I know it's Robert, but he'll always be Edward to me) did a great job portraying Marlena and Jacob. Scenes that were particularly hard to watch were the beatings of Rosie (the elephant) and Marlena and just generally watching August act they way he did. There are very few times when I feel a movie does a book justice, and this time the movie producers prevailed!

Sex and the City... and a d-bag alert

2011-04-26T13:18:00.000-04:00

I cannot imagine that any of us will be purchasing this gem, Deer in the Headlights: My Life in Sarah Palin's Crosshairs, due out this fall.

On to more exciting things, the creator of Sex and the City, Candace Bushnell, is coming out with her second novel chronicling the teenage years of Carrie Bradshaw. It's entitled Summer and the City, taking us through Carrie's first experience in the Big Apple where she meets up with her cousin, Samantha and new friend Miranda. This is supposedly a teenage book, but it won't stop me from eventually reading it :).

Cat & Mouse by James Patterson

2011-04-22T13:26:00.000-04:00

I knew you wouldn't let me down Alex Cross! (Of course, I owe this all to Katie....)

I never thought I'd like murder mysteries. Then I met Alex, fell in love, and the rest is history!

First, you must read the series in order (in my opinion) to get all of the back stories that end up permeating throughout each book. I mean, Jimmy does do a great job of summing them up everytime a prior book's storyline is referenced, but they're such page turners you should just go ahead and read them all.

Now, on to Cat & Mouse. This is a continuation of Along Came a Spider, and the 4th book in the Cross Series. Alex is faced with hunting down former villain, Gary Soneji. Almost all of the book takes place in Washington, DC with a few trips to places like NYC, Princeton, Boston and even Europe. Of course, there is always a twist with Cross novels, always! As usual, Patterson keeps the chapters short and sweet, but the page turning remains addicting. Now, go ahead, go figure out who did it!

M.orr Than a Bag

2011-04-21T12:35:00.001-04:00

A friend of mine from the Motherland recently started her own business making these cute, custom photo bags. The name of her business is a sweet spin-off of her name: M.orr Than a Bag. I've known Megan since I was in high school, and I got to know her a little better as we worked together at the locally owned drugstore. Megan is a wonderful young lady - very intelligent, thoughtful, and an all-around nice person.

one of her latest creations (photo inserts on left side)

She is also a proud military wife and mother of two. Her husband, also my childhood neighbor, is a member of the United States Navy. Megan talks about the inspiration behind her bags on her website:

I am a proud Navy wife and mother of the two most amazing babies, Noah and Avery. We recently moved to New York as my husband is now a recruiter in Oswego. Since he joined the Navy in 2006, we have moved four times. While we do enjoy change and seeing new places, the military has made it difficult for me to reach some of my own goals.

I recently realized that I needed to stop adapting my dreams to fit his schedule and that, perhaps, the plans I had for myself hadn't worked out because I was going in the wrong direction. As much as I love being at home with my kids, I wanted to find something new that I could accomplish for myself.

It's no secret to anyone who knows me that I love taking pictures, but I also love showing them off, and that's what led to the idea of photo bags. I picked out some cute fabric and just started experimenting. With each bag I make, I learn something new. I love each one more than the last, and I would love for the next bag I make to be yours!

If you're looking for a unique gift for someone special (birthday, mother's day, baby shower, etc), or even just yourself, please stop by her site, 'Like' her on Facebook (M.orr Than a Bag) and have a look around! She works with you on fabric choices and add on's. She also offers a 10% discount to all members of the military & their spouses!

*Megan has no idea that I just promoted her on my blog - this was my own doing to try to get her business some publicity.*

Oh How I Love My Tea!

2011-04-19T15:52:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I read about a recent "scandal" involving Three Cups of Tea author Greg Mortenson. I was so shocked to be reading what I was reading - that this book was all a lie?! I absolutely loved this book!

(If you've never read the book and are interested in what it's about, please check out my post here.)

In a very big summation of several articles and the video, CBS/60 Minutes is alleging that a lot of what Mortenson says in his book is untrue and/or highly exaggerated. For example, CBS claims he never got lost on his hike up K2 (which is what ultimately lead him to writing the book) and that he subsequently never built the schools, or at least not as many schools as he claimed to have built. CBS also managed to interview some people who appeared in photos in his book. One such photo was a picture of "Taliban" men who captured him and held him hostage for several days. When CBS asked one of the men in that photo if he was a member of the Taliban, he denied it. (Though, wouldn't you deny if it you were a member of a highly controversial organization? Just sayin'!) Also, CBS, in conjunction with the American Institute of Philanthropy, closely scrutinized the Central Asia Institute's financial statements and deduced that much of the money raised for the building of schools in the Middle East had been used to fund Mortenson's travels within the U.S. in order to promote his book and raise additional funds for CAI. You can find the full report/video on 60 Minutes.

Yesterday, I also received an email from Greg Mortenson talking about this breaking news on his popular book. (I get emails from him because I donated to his organization, the Central Asia Institute). Here is some of what he said:

"The Board of Directors and I made the very difficult decision to not engage with "60 Minutes" on camera, after they attempted an eleventh hour aggressive approach to reach me, including an ambush in front of children at a book signing at a community service leadership convention in Atlanta. It was clear that the program's disrespectful approach would not result in a fair, balanced or objective representation of our work, my books or our vital mission. We also turned down a last minute request for an interview with Jon Krakauer.

The "60 Minutes" program may appear to ask simple questions, but the answers are often complex, not easily encapsulated in 10-second sound bites."

Greg later went on to say that he is currently suffering from a hole in his heart, and is about to undergo surgery, and this also contributed to his reason for not speaking on camera.

While CBS does make some compelling arguments, I don't want to believe them. In regard to the amount of money spent on travel expenditures for raising money for CAI, and how more money was spent doing that than building schools, I think it's somewhat justifiable. "You have to spend money to make money". You have to spend money to promote this organization (CAI) and awareness of what it does in order to raise money in order to build these schools. Also, it says in the book numerous times, which I'm sure is very true, that the cost of building a school over there is FAR less than what it would be to build a school in the U.S.

What do you think about all of this? Do you think Greg is fudging the numbers for his own benefit, or do you think that this could be a case of jealousy - haters of Greg and his mission and being jealous/angry/some-other-emotion about his success and is trying to take him down?

My Crazy Cat

2011-04-12T10:37:00.000-04:00

My cat is a lunatic. Just look at how Joel found him this morning...

"This is the life, man."

Still, he's hard not to love! Happy Tuesday! Two days in a row of 365 Project posts! I'd love to get back on track!

Springtime is Here!

2011-04-11T10:37:00.001-04:00

Thursday I took this picture as I was leaving work.... how beautiful are these flowers? I love springtime!

Then when I got home I took these from our backyard... just wild daffodils popping up everywhere!

All taken with my measly 5 MP Blackberry Camera!

I'm now 36% through Cat & Mouse. Like all Alex Cross books, this one is a page turner. But while I'm not reading, working, or signing up for 5K's like a maniac, I can be found diligently working my way through Lego's Indiana Jones with Joel - all of those games are SO addictive! Enjoy the work week!

Hungry Girl Cooking: Eggamuffin 101

2011-04-07T15:05:00.000-04:00

When my friend Katie first introduced me to the book/movie Julie & Julia, I thought "what a brilliant idea!" - cooking your way through an entire cookbook, why didn't I think of that! Since that book/movie first came out, Katie and I have been throwing around the idea ourselves. I don't intend to become the next "Julie", but I do have a TON of cookbooks that I'd like to get through, and so this past week I made the decision to get started cooking my way through them. The first book I'll be using is Lisa Lillien's 1st cookbook - Hungry Girl. While I've already made several dishes out of this fun book, there are still a plethora of them waiting to be chopped, blended, measured and baked! Still, I'm only planning on making the recipes that I'll actually eat - Lord knows I'm p-i-c-k-y!

Courtesy of here.

My focus this week was on breakfast and dinner. While one does not really need a recipe to make this breakfast item, it was in the cookbook and alas, I made it. If you're not familiar with Lisa's technique, she basically finds ways to help you enjoy your favorite foods that are typically high in calories/fat/whatever. Her spin on the below breakfast sandwich is a variation of the Egg McMuffin from McDonald's. I'm giving you the exact recipe, but I've told you how I made it my own also.

EggaMuffin 101 - 6 PointsPlus
Ingredients:
- 1 regular size Thomas' Light Multi Grain English Muffin
- 1 slice Kraft Free fat free American cheese - I used 1/8 cup of 2% shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 slice Healthy Choice Smoked Ham (or other lean, thin-sliced ham) - I used 2 slices of Butterball Turkey Bacon
- 1/4 cup of Egg Beaters

Directions:
Cook the Egg Beaters in a pan using non-stick cooking spray and toast your english muffin. Once toasted, place the cheese on the bottom half of the bread, followed by the egg, a slice of ham (or bacon), and the top of the muffin. Enjoy!

My work-week breakfast!

A special thanks to Katie for introducing me to this whole idea! It has helped motivate me to get through all of my cookbooks!

Scoot Over Skinny: The Fat Nonfiction Anthology

2011-03-29T10:59:00.000-04:00

I'm just going to cut to the chase here so that your time is not any more wasted than mine was by reading this book - it. was. TERRIBLE. From the moment I started reading this book I knew it was going to be a struggle to finish it. I expected inspirational stories from current and/or former overweight people. However, this book was basically just stories about interactions with fat people, or fat people giving their negative stories about how society has perceived them. Each chapter had a different author, and some of them were written so philosophically that my eyes were burning with each word I read.

I give this book a half star out of 5 - biggest waste of my time ever!

I've had too many so-so books in a row and I just had to redeem myself with a guaranteed 'goody'... I'm reading the 4th book in the Alex Cross Series - Cat & Mouse - by James Patterson. I know this book will deliver exactly the page-turning cravings I've been desiring!

Welcome to the World..

2011-03-24T07:35:00.000-04:00

I present to you the newest addition to my family - my nephew Rexon Vernon S. He weighed in at 8 lbs 12 oz and 21 inches long... born March 23, 2011... the same birthday as our beloved uncle - may he rest in peace.

365... as often as I feel like it

2011-03-24T07:32:00.000-04:00

Yoouuuuuuuuuuu..... light up my liiiiffffeeee.... Starbucks - I do <3 your new logo!

Day ? of 365

2011-03-17T08:58:00.000-04:00

I took a trip to Chick Fil A yesterday for lunch... and I found this little gem and it absolutely made my day! I swear it tasted better in this little packet!

Rain, Rain, Go Away.. Day ? of 365

2011-03-10T13:25:00.000-05:00

I kid, I kid! I love it more than anything when it's a rainy day and I get to be stuck at home... reading or doing whatever my little heart desires...

It is, in fact, a rainy day here in Maryland, though not near as bad as some other parts of this country who are experiencing flooding.

Enjoy your Thursday!

From last week's rainy Sunday @ a nearby State Park

Day 31 of 365

2011-03-07T07:55:00.000-05:00

This was Friday's 'happy pic'... look how cute and tiny! I believe it's a mini-cooper old school.. and the guy driving it looks huge inside!

There's No Place Like Here by Cecelia Ahern

2011-03-04T08:37:00.000-05:00

I'll admit it, I judge a book by it's cover ALL the time. That is definitely one of my top ways for deciding on what book to read next. When I purchased this book, I had just returned from my 3 months of living in Kansas City, MO (aka "The Land of Oz") and was still on a high from everything Wizard-of-Oz related. I had to buy this book based on the cover alone!

So, show of hands who have lost the mate to at least 1 pair of socks in their lifetime? Yeah, me too - so many pairs I can't even count! In fact, it used to happen so frequently when I lived with my parents that I insisted on doing my own laundry because I had those few pairs of socks that were my absolute FAVORITE and I did NOT want to lose them!

So how does this all relate to the latest book I've read, "There's No Place Like Here"? Well, it's simple. "There's No Place Like Here", by "P.S. I Love You" author Cecelia Ahern, is about Sandy Shortt, a girl who is practically haunted when her things go missing. This obession began whenever her neighbor/childhood enemy suddenly went missing, and Sandy simply could not come to terms with where this little girl went. Still, Sandy is also consumed when less important things like socks, books, teddy bears and toothbrushes go missing as well. Eventually, Sandy makes a career out of her desire at finding things. She becomes an investigator for the police department, and eventually opens her own business looking for missing people. The irony is that one day Sandy, herself, goes missing and suddenly discovers all of the missing things she's been looking for her entire life!

I admit that the storyline here was a little unusual for me, and I can definitely appreciate something different! In fact, I believe that many of my favorite books of all time are, in fact, my favorites because of their unusual stories. Still, Ahern did not grab me with this book at all. I didn't find myself having the "don't want to put it down" feeling until the last 15 pages! I give this book 2 stars out of 5 translating to "it was 'ok'".

Next up is "Scoot Over, Skinny: The Fat Nonfiction Anthology". I bought this book about 3 years ago on the bargain table at BN or Borders. In some ways, I do enjoy reading about people's reasons for being 'heavy' and so hopefully this book will be an interesting read.

Day 30 of 365

2011-03-03T10:19:00.000-05:00

Why hello there....

Today's 'made me happy' moment is brought to you by St. Ives Soothing Oatmeal & Shea Butter Advanced Body Moisturizer. I recently bought a travel size version of this to keep in my purse, used it 1 time and LOVED the affects it had, and immediately bought a big size to keep at work. My hands look like sandpaper in the winter months. When I finally ran out of the other lotion I was using, which didn't have such great results, I tried this stuff and was hooked. It smells great, which is a plus for me, but it also WORKS really well. It makes my hands really soft, but not at all greasy. Plus, I love the packaging :).

The weekend is fast approaching... do you have any plans?

Day 22 of 365

2011-02-23T15:54:00.000-05:00

So much for posting everyday! This pic is actually meant to be for Day 18 or 19, but it's making it's way on here for today, Day 22, because when I look at it, it does make me happy still! This picture was taken via Joel's cell phone and texted to me over the weekend. He's on vacation this week in Florida and shared this lovely pic with my envious self, stuck in the north with cold, snow and freezing rain. Goodbye 70's, hello Motherland weather!

Even though it hasn't been a full week since Joel has left for the bachelor party, seeing him here makes me smile (even though a gator is right behind him!).

Day 17 of 365

2011-02-18T15:00:00.000-05:00

I've found that people are automatically in a better mood when we're graced with a few warm sunny days in the middle of winter. I know I'm automatically happy when Doug Hill says: "It's going to be a high of 70 tomorrow!" and it's mid-February! It's days like this that God gives us to help us make it through the cabin-fever season. As I write this, my work day has come to an end and I'm sitting outside of Starbucks enjoying my afternoon in the sunshine! A customer just walked by, wearing shorts mind you, and asked me: "Would you rather have a few teaser days like today, or not have any of this at all until winter is officially over?" Teaser days for me aplenty! He agreed :). I hope you all enjoy your weekends wherever you may be. I will be heading back to the Motherland for some family time, a baby shower, and a dentist appointment. Here's to a joyful weekend!

Day 16 of 365

2011-02-17T14:11:00.000-05:00

Another beautiful day in the nation's capital! Can you see that the sun is shining? Well, it is! Tomorrow will bring another nice day, which I hope to exercise my privilege of working at home by working at Starbucks outside!

Day 15 of 365

2011-02-17T10:32:00.000-05:00

This picture is showing 2 of my happiest moments yesterday, though it's hard to tell. I got home and realized we had another 60 degree afternoon (showing the outside), and second, it's Charles - he almost always makes me happy! This is a pic of him intently gazing at birds and squirrels I'm sure. He looks so content and old here, but seconds later he was running around like a maniac-kitten that he is!

Day 14 of 365

2011-02-16T08:42:00.000-05:00

For Valentine's Day, Joel and I offered our services to the local Ronald McDonald House.

Day 13 of 365

2011-02-14T13:52:00.000-05:00

I'll get back to days 11 and 12 - they are on another camera! However, how AWESOME is this on Valentine's Day!

Day 10 of 365

2011-02-14T13:45:00.000-05:00

How behind am I on this??? Anyhow - love seeing PA in MD!

Day 9 of 365

2011-02-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

My beloved Sheetz Hot Chocolate, need I say more?

Day 8 of 365

2011-02-10T07:57:00.000-05:00

I forgot to take an actual picture of yesterday's 'thing that made me happy' so I had to go searching for one online instead. This is my beloved Arc Trainer, which I was first introduced to at Penn State's White Building. We fell out of touch over the years and have recently reconciled....meeting up for 5 PM jaunts at my neighborhood's gym. This little guy packs a big bunch for me in just 30 minutes... burning 700 calories, as opposed to my former lover, the elliptical, where I could only reach just over 400 in that same amount of time. I love it so much because I really feel as though the tension has left my body by the time I'm done with it. Here's to you Arc Trainer, and many more 5 PM dates!

Day 7 of 365

2011-02-08T11:31:00.000-05:00

An organizer's dream machine! Who knew how much I'd love this little gadget. Thanks to a coworker who has left our office, I am the proud owner of this handy Brother label maker! You can see the first label I made: "Pegasys". Now I won't have to mess up my pretty file folders with the Sharpie....

Day 6 of 365

2011-02-08T11:28:00.000-05:00

I love Tosti Asti Champagne. Charles loves their 'hat'..... while he sleeps on my Vancouver Olympics gloves.

Day 5 of 365

2011-02-07T09:40:00.000-05:00

I love bird watching. Lately we've been having a few cardinals and blue jays hangin' around outside, and they are so fun to watch. They're both such beautiful birds. So I got the bright idea to get a bird feeder - I've already had the pleasure of seeing the little guys eating out of it!

they like to hang out on the compost container

not cool Squirrel man, not cool

Day 4 of 365

2011-02-05T21:56:00.000-05:00

I <3 the Library... even if I have to be there on a Saturday morning studying for my nursing classes...

Day 3 of 365

2011-02-04T10:18:00.000-05:00

Charles HATES having his picture taken. Can you tell? But Cha-Man still makes me happy just the same.. no matter how annoyed he looks :)

Steeler Siting in DC!

2011-02-03T07:47:00.000-05:00

Feb 3...on the Metro

The 365 Project

2011-02-03T07:29:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine on Facebook (shout out to Amanda should you ever stumble to this blog) started doing this 365 Day Project. She explained to me that each day you post on Facebook something you've eaten, bought, did, whatever... throughout one year. I liked this idea a lot, thinking it'd be a great way to actually SEE your memories throughout one year. I decided to participate in this 365 Project, but with my own spin on it. Each day I'm going to post a picture of something that made me happy that day. So here goes!

Yesterday (Feb 2), I had lunch at one of my favorite sandwich shops....

The Turkey Slim goodness!

Certain Girls By Jennifer Weiner

2011-01-31T15:48:00.000-05:00

Have you ever read a book that you couldn't WAIT until it was over because it was so dull, yet were glad you finished reading it because the last 30 pages just blew you away?! Well, that was my experience with Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner. Certain Girls was the sequel to Good in Bed. Both books focus on Cannie Shapiro, a Philadelphia native and writer. In Weiner's first book, Cannie struggled with her weight and the affects it had on romance. But by Certain Girls, Cannie is happily married, and her baby from Good in Bed is now a teenager in Certain Girls. For almost 3/4 of the book, the main plot appears to be all about Joy, Cannie's daughter from a former lover. Joy is your stereotypical teenage girl - wants nothing to do with her mom and everything to do with trying to be the popular girl at school - or at least hang with the popular crowd. She hides things from her mom, lies, takes unsupervised excursions, and attempts to uncover the history of her mom's famous book. Joy's dramas went on and on and ON for a good portion of this book, with a little Cannie drama here and there. I was definitely getting fed up because the storyline seemed to be going no where. Come on Jennifer - I fell in love with your books and now you're letting me down with Certain Girls!

BEWARE FOR SPOILERS (If you're going to stop reading here, thanks for stopping by! :) )

However, as I was desperately trying to blow through Certain Girls so that I could mark off my last book of 2010 on GoodReads, all of a sudden everything changed! Cannie's beloved husband dies of a heart attack out of NO WHERE. This was just the turning point I needed to get myself hauling through the remaining chapters last night.

I cried.... I cried a lot. I actually don't think I would have been so emotionally affected had I not just experienced something similar this past year. At the start of the chapter when Peter dies, Cannie is describing how nice of a day it is - she is gardening, it's baking outside... a typical summer afternoon in the Motherland. Up until she receives the dreadful phone call, life for Cannie is normal. (Well, as "normal" as normal can be these days.)

I actually remember this same description of a day in April 2010... it was a beautiful Spring day in Maryland. Joel and I were just coming home to my apartment after working hard at his house. The sun was shining, the windows were down in the car.. and then suddenly I received a phone call you couldn't possibly think would ever happen on what appeared to be such a glorious day. And life as you know it will forever be changed. You will always remember what life was like before the accident, then after the accident. I imagine that is exactly how Cannie felt as she visited her deceased husband in the hospital that afternoon. It brings tears to my eyes just writing about it and reliving it mentally. A heartbreaking, yet hopeful, ending to the story was that Cannie and Peter were actually in the process of conceiving a child via surrogate. At the time of Peter's death, they did not know the status of the pregnancy. However, just a few short weeks pass and Cannie learns that the surrogate is pregnant with a boy. Can you just imagine? I'm speechless.

I gave the book 3 out of 5 stars on GoodReads. It did have a suspenseful ending, but overall I was still not impressed. But Jennifer, you've written a lot of books that I really enjoyed so I won't give up hope with this one!

Charlottesville, VA Roadtrip!

2011-01-14T17:12:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, January 8, Joel & I set out on our road trip to Charlottesville. For those who are unfamiliar with this "charming" little town in Virginia, it's claim to fame is that it's the home of Thomas Jefferson (Monticello), and also the area in which the University of Virginia resides. I've been wanting to take this trip to Albemarle County for quite some time now, and alas the day finally came.

The trip took 2 hrs 45 min for us. As we continued getting closer to Charlottesville, the vast Shenandoah Mountains provided a lasting view for miles. It was so cold both days (below freezing!) and as we traveled we could see snow falling in the mountains. I always took the mountains for granted before - growing up in the western Pennsylvania region where what I refer to as "hills" Joel insists are actually "mountains". The Blue Ridge Mountains gave us a great backdrop for almost the entire trip.

We arrived in Charlottesville late in the afternoon, and after checking in to the hotel, we headed out to explore what the "Downtown Mall" had to offer. Unfortunately it was so cold that neither of us could hardly stand to be walking around outside, but the Mall area did look intriguing with all of the shops (used book stores - yikes!) that I failed to browse through. Instead, we opted to spend an hour milling around a wine shop, on a search for Tosti Asti (champagne), and left with many other bottles of wine, beer, mugs and a new champagne to try (it did not disappoint!). We dined at the College Inn (the pesto white pizza was bangin'!), and then later downed some of our purchases from the wine shop.

On Sunday we woke up and had breakfast at The White Spot (I love all these college food joints!), and then drove around UVA's campus. I have to say, I was highly disappointed in UVA's bar scene. I kept saying to Joel, "There has to be more than this!". I guess Happy Valley is the only place who knows how to do it right :). We did check out UVA's Rotunda - one of their well-known buildings on campus that goes all the way back to the time Thomas Jefferson founded the school.

The Rotunda w/ TJeff

Joel acting like it's his house!

We had lunch at Padow's Hams & Deli before we headed to Monticello - the home of Thomas Jefferson. Monticello was AWESOME.

holding hands with the little Lego's Man outside the deli

What a beautiful home! I just couldn't get over how amazing it was - built on top of a large "hill" overlooking Charlottesville. It offered amazing views, beautiful grounds (which I'm sure look much better in the spring/summer/fall), and an architecturally savvy home. Imagine building something this grand back in TJeff's time... just imagine people! I loved it AND the guided tour - I would strongly recommend this if you ever make it to Charlottesville.

TJeff & I before the trip to his house

Monticello!

Downtown Charlottesville from Monticello

neat tree on the tjeff property - the branches grow down to the ground

leaving Monticello

We finished off our trip with a stop at the Thomas Jefferson Vineyard, and finally headed back to Mary-land.

Hamburger Soup

2011-01-11T15:19:00.000-05:00

I stumbled upon this recipe last week as I was diligently going through my Google Reader, and I knew I wanted to try it out. It's from Kim Bensen, who is a woman who lost a tremendous amount of weight and now has her own weight loss plan available online. Anyhow, as I was making it last night I thought "Man, I'm going to end up hating this and then it will all be such a waste", which usually seems to be the case when I make soup - mainly because I try to be adventurous with the veggies, and I should just listen to my gut - I hate veggies! But alas, I attempted this soup aaaaannnnnddddd.... I loved it! It will be my lunch for the next 2 days. My alterations to the recipe were 1 cup of celery instead of 2 cups (I hate celery), 1/2 of a diced onion, and instead of canned tomatoes, I used canned petite crushed tomatoes already seasoned with basil, etc. (I had suspected that just plain canned tomatoes would be a little bland.). Well peeps, my decision was a good one because this soup was full of flavor and even a little spicy (hot spicy). To me there is nothing better when a recipe says "combine all ingredients", making it almost a no-brainer to achieve a quick, yumtastic meal. If you decide to try this, let me know what you think!

Hamburger Soup


It was almost gone!

* ¾ lb 93% fat-free ground beef
* 2 cups canned tomatoes, diced
* 3 cups carrots, diced
* 2 cups celery, diced
* 1 onion, diced
* 1 tbsp salt
* ¼ tsp pepper
* ¼ cup uncooked brown rice
* 8 cups water
* 3 beef bouillon cubes

Put all ingredients into large pot. Bring to a boil and stir to break up meat. Lower heat and simmer for 45 minutes. This makes 12 servings - 1 cup per serving. Weight Watchers PointsPlus Value = 2

2011 Book List!

2011-01-03T10:59:00.001-05:00

I didn't quite get through my entire 2010 book list, so they have now been pushed onto my 2011 book list as a result. I'm determined to get through these, and maybe even a few more! Let me know what ya think, or if you've read any of these!

Hilary's 2011-pritty-good-books- book montage

Hilary's favorite books »

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T09:05:00.000-05:00

Outcasts United by Warren St. John

2010-12-22T07:56:00.002-05:00

Outcasts United took me way too long to read... and so it is with great pleasure that I finally bring you this post - signaling the end!

St. John's book is based on a true story that takes place in a small Atlanta suburb called Clarkston. This Georgia town happens to be the landing spot for many refugees making their way into the United States. If you're from a small town similar to that of Clarkston, then you can probably begin to imagine the issues that would occur when a large volume of "foreign" people take up residency in your town! In short, many locals were NOT accepting of the rapidly growing diversity that was consuming their neighborhoods. Still, throughout all the opposition, a young Jordanian immigrant, who had lived in the U.S. for many years prior to moving to Georgia, managed to create a soccer team comprised solely of refugee boys. Outcasts United is mainly about this group of young men and boys, a soccer team aptly named the Fugees. The book talks at length about the struggles of uniting a diverse group of boys, the challenges faced with each practice and soccer game, and how the city council of Clarkston tried to sabotage the Fugees' success as a formal soccer team.

If you enjoy reading books about struggles over diversity/culture and/or soccer, then this book is for you! I read this book as part of my church's book club pick of the month. It was also the One Maryland One Book for 2010.

I gave this book 2/5 stars on Goodreads.com.

The next book on my 2010 Book List is Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner. I needed a light, girly read to round out 2010! My goal would be to finish this book while on Christmas break.

Speaking of that upcoming holiday, I want to wish my readers a blessed Christmas and joyous New Year! It is my hope that you are able to find peace in the meaning of the Christmas season, and happiness looking forward to 2011. I, for one, am hoping that 2011 brings positive change to my life. As many of you know, 2010 was dotted with illness, funerals for my uncle, grandma and grandfather, and of course, no year would be complete for me without moving. I am looking forward to continuing my nursing education, exposing myself to new opportunities, and of course, reading more books!

Merry Christmas!

Photo of the Day?

2010-11-23T10:08:00.001-05:00

Merlin & Charles face off - protected only by a pane of glass...

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

2010-11-02T07:58:00.000-04:00

Over the weekend, I finally finished Kathryn Stockett's The Help. Quite the read, I must say! I really enjoyed it, although I will admit that it was not the BEST book I've ever read, but it was certainly a page turner.

The Help is about black maids living in Jackson, Mississippi in the 1960s. Many maids, according to Stockett, faced a lot discrimination in their jobs at this time - from being forced to use separate bathrooms in the houses they worked in, to being accused of stealing. The Help takes you on a journey of several different characters' perspectives - told in large part by the maids and Skeeter, a white girl who quickly becomes an advocate for encouraing "the help" to tell their stories in a book she is writing. What I liked most about this book was how a young woman, despite popular opinion, decided to stand her ground for the black community by writing this book about the maids' lives. Skeeter lost her entire social life as a result of her non-conformance to the white socialite crowd in Jackson. This could have ruined her life entirely, but yet she kept on doing what she set out to do - write this book. I so very much admire people for standing up for what they truly believe in, especially in a time in this country when segregation was very real, and punishment for favoring the minority was severe. Another favorite aspect of the book for me was Aibileen's ritual of writing down her prayers everyday. I will admit that I often get distracted when praying - my mind starts wondering - and I thought this was such a genius idea and one that I will incorporate into my daily routine!

I would give The Help 4/5 stars, and would definitely recommend it to you as well! If you liked the Secret Life of Bees, then you will like The Help... but I stil liked the Bees even more! :)

Outcasts United is up next...

Catching Up

2010-10-27T12:11:00.001-04:00

Blogging on a regular basis? Fail!

I have good excuses, I promise!

Just a week and a half ago I completed move number 12 in my lifetime. People have said: "It must get easier since you've done it so many times." That is a big, fat NO! Sure, I have acquired moving strategies from doing it so many times, but we're talking about how my very first move to Duquesne University was simply an SUV full of stuff. Now I'm hiring movers and a using a large Uhaul-style vehicle! As time goes on, more crap is acquired, and therefore it does NOT get easier. It takes me longer to pack, longer to move, you get the idea. Alas, on Oct 15 Charles and I left my lovely apartment and moved in with J-J. I have been working ever since to get my bedroom in order and "just right" - making it my home away from home for the next....I don't even know how long at this point!

On top of moving, school is still going on. That bit of fun does not stop for moving unfortunately! I spent a hasty Monday evening this past week catching up on assignments and turning papers in. I even scheduled Spring 2011's classes just yesterday! Holy cow I am a real college student again! That is still a huge shocker for me! I'm okay though - I'm keeping up and getting AWESOME grades and enjoying the lifestyle I have been forced into as a result.

I vowed that I would not let my reading habits slip under the rug like they did at Penn State. Still, I am a slooooow reader and almost a month later I am still reading The Help. A GREAT read, but my time is limited between work, school assignments and leisure time! I have about 40 pages left and then I'll be on to the Maryland One Book selection for 2010 - Outcasts United. I hope to give my review for The Help this weekend!

This past weekend I traveled to my sister's house in central Pennsylvania to visit with my niece. She is so much fun, and also FUNNY. Two years of age and she knows so much already. So polite and energetic and just so darn cute too! We took part in some fall activities - jumping in raked-leaf piles and carving pumpkins....


Grace and her kitty, Jack

Relaxing after a long weekend of fun with Aunt Hilary! :)

"Lay down Aunt Hilary so I can throw leaves on you."

Here it comes....

success!

Our pumpkins - I did the cat one on the left (free hand thank you!)

P.S. I'm going to be an aunt again come March 31!

Where's Charles?

2010-10-14T11:01:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow is moving day, and my cat is absolutely loving the conditions in the apartment right now. It's like his own personal jungle - complete with ankle ambushes from behind boxes and "mountain climbing"... Tomorrow at this time the movers will be here.... wish me luck!

Susan G. Komen for the Cure #fightbreastcancer

2010-09-30T06:34:00.001-04:00

Did you know that every 69 seconds a woman dies from breast cancer somewhere in our world? That is a TERRIBLY alarming rate of death! PLEASE visit the link below to find out how you can help find the cure for breast cancer!

Home - Susan G. Komen for the Cure #fightbreastcancer

**In Loving Memory of Aunt Lynda Bashline, who lost her fight, but will never be forgotten...- September 9, 2003**

“Well, it’s a long way to Richmond…

2010-09-20T20:27:00.002-04:00

…rollin' north on 95."

Actually, it's not a long way to Richmond from where we are at all.. and while we weren't actually heading north on 95, I still like that song and think of it every time I think of Richmond.

As I said before, we first traveled to Yorktown, VA – a very historical and colonial town set along the York River. While here we toured a huge boat, did some shopping, and a lot of walking. Where there is water, there is fish, and Joel took part in that activity as well.

York River behind us...

The Peacemaker

From Yorktown, we traveled west to Richmond – a short hour and 15 min drive on I-64. I have been saying for a long time now that I wanted to go to Richmond for a little weekend trip. Neither Joel nor I were familiar with this city at all, so we had to improvise. While we arrived there Saturday afternoon with plans to explore the city, unfortunately I got a really bad headache after checking in to the hotel and that ended the rest of my day. I also think that my body needed some rest after battling this sinus infection and I simply could not go any more. After getting some much needed R&R, Joel and I headed out early Sunday morning to start our expedition of Richmond. Our first stop was Starbucks of course! After that necessary pit stop, we headed up to the Virginia State Capitol building, which resembled the White House is many ways.

Joel is King of the Self-Timer

that is me! Gives you a good scale...

It was so quiet around the capitol, hardly a soul was there!

After that, we headed down Monument Row on our way to the University of Richmond.

Monument Row

I know several people who claim this school as their alma mater, and I wanted to check it out since we were near it. It was a really nice campus!

Joel graced the campus with his presence...

After UR, Joel and I headed back in to the city for our canal ride along the James River. En route downtown, we came upon this really cute town called Cary Town. It reminded me of College Avenue in State College – lots of little eccentric shops, including my FAVORITE – Ten Thousand Villages! If you EVER go to Richmond, I would HIGHLY recommend checking out Cary Town right on Cary Street. Virginia Commonwealth University separates it from downtown Richmond – it's really easy to get to!

Random dog car in Cary Town

After the mini shopping spree in Cary Town, we made our way back into the city to embark on our boat ride through the canal. For $5, this boat ride could not be beat! While it was not really scenic, the awesome guide made up for it! He was full of humor and great historical tales about Richmond – it was the perfect end to our overnight trip to Richmond.

Actually, the really perfect ending to our trip to Richmond was our stop at the Bass Pro Shop on our way home! Joel loves this place for obvious reasons, but I love it because it is just HUGE inside with so much to look at. Plus, I love shopping and this place really has it all from food to clothing (including women's) to fishing supplies to a gigantic fish tank with live fish to every taxidermy-ed animal you can think of.

I almost forgot! The REAL ending to our trip was actually a stop at the Charles Country Fair!

Petting the sheep :)

Our next trips will include falls trips to Ocean City, MD, a road trip to Pennsylvania to check out the pretty fall scenery, and potentially a New England trip – a part of the East Coast I have yet to see!

Weekend Travels

2010-09-19T08:56:00.001-04:00

This weekend Joel & I decided to take a road trip down south. Our first stop was Yorktown, VA, part of the "colonial triangle" in southern VA - Jamestown, Yorktown and Williamsburg. We're currently in Richmond... anyhow - below is a pic from Yorktown - such a cute, little, historical VA town!

Route 17 bridge spanning the Yorktown River

The Key To Making Friends At Work

2010-09-15T15:44:00.000-04:00


If you put candy out....they will come...

Happy Wednesday!

Eat, Pray, Love

2010-09-14T20:29:00.002-04:00

*Knock* *Knock*

Hello? Anyone still out there?

It's been 2 months since I've last posted – literally – July 15! But you've probably noticed that if you were even somewhat of a regular follower of Pritty Story to Tell. Summer has come and gone, and I'm actually happy about that for once. The heat, and combined humidity, in Maryland was the most intense I've ever experienced in the last 4 years of living here. Fall was a welcome change!

During the month of August and for the first few days in September I slowly made my way through Liz Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy the book. No, it was because the only chance I find time to read is during my evening commute home from work. And lately, I have been the one driving that commute, not Boss Man (my bus driver). Anyhow, I'll be short and to the point. I loved the Eat and Love sections, and the Pray part was only so-so for me. The book started off strong with her wit, and the ability to engross me in her life struggles. I just constantly found myself laughing out loud or smiling when reading Eat, which mostly took place in Italy. Pray was the longest section and the tone of the book completely changed. It was a more serious section and very intimately outlined her experience in India, which, in short, involved a lot of prayer! Then came Love… and unfortunately I did not complete the book before I went to see the movie with my book club, so the Love section (Bali, Indonesia) was partially ruined for me. By the time I got to Love, I was half-a$$ing it because I knew what was going to happen, and being that it took me so long to get through this book I wanted it to be done. On a 5 point scale, I would give this book a 3.5.

As for the movie, I really enjoyed it. I felt like they did a decent job at recreating the book, with a few notable differences. But just a few – Julia Roberts was great. Was it a blockbuster? No, but it was a great Sunday afternoon matinee.

Next on the reading list is The Help. I've had quite a major diversion from my 2010 Reading List, especially since I've read a lot of the book club books that I was not intending to read. However, I did plan on reading 22 books this year and I've only made it through 9. Don't think I'll be hitting that 22 mark!

Lastly, I never thought I would find myself saying that I am back in college again… but holy Moses I am! Last week was my first official week in Nursing school. I have 2 online classes this semester, and so far it is more than manageable. I'm actually really happy to be back in school again! Good thing I have this in writing, so in another approximately 3 years from now when I'm done with school I can re-read that statement for proof that I was actually happy….to be doing homework again.

Happy reading friends!

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba

2010-07-15T07:36:00.000-04:00

I've read two books in the last two months that have really made me realize if you put your mind to anything, it can happen! The first of those two books was Three Cups of Tea, and the second is The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. Here, we have a boy who lives in very poor conditions in Malawi, Africa. After having survived a famine during his early childhood and seeing the toll the lack of food put on his family and neighbors, he became determined to find a way to stop the suffering. Hence, this young man starts studying books at the library on how to create wind energy, and voila - the windmill! Of course, I'm leaving much of the details out here, but you get the idea. This kid was a pre-teen when he built this windmill, and also a child who lacked a lot of education that most of us are used to. The poor young man couldn't go to school b/c his family could not afford to make the tuition payments. But still, he pressed on and built this structure that ultimately gave his entire village a ray of hope!

When I found out what this book was about, I was a little concerned that a lot of time would be spent discussing the technical details of how energy is generated into electricity, etc etc. However, the majority of the book gave a really great background on the conditions that this young man faced, which I think was necessary to know in order to understand the magnitude that the windmill had on this village. There might have only been a chapter or two in the entire book that somewhat focused on the technical details, and even that wasn't that bad!

I enjoy books like these - they remind you to be grateful for what you have, and that fancy cars and houses and clothes and any other material things don't really matter so much in the grand scheme of things!

The Lost Symbol is next!

Last Kiss by Luanne Rice

2010-06-25T09:21:00.002-04:00

Last Kiss was an AllYou Magazine book club selection. Since I read all of those books, I had to read this one as well. The book was a quick read. It was about a country-music singer named Sheridan who loses her 19 year old son, Charlie, in a murder in New York City. Charlie’s girlfriend, Nell, hires a private investigator to find out what happened to him. The P.I. happens to be Sheridan’s ex-boyfriend from many years ago. And thus the romance/mystery novel begins. Gavin works to figure out what has happened to Charlie, while Nell tries to cope with the death of her one true love. Eventually they discover how Charlie has died – and they lived happily ever after….

I’ll give it 3/5 stars. It was ok – I’m more than ready to move on to the next book! The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is the next book on my list – selected by the church book club. More on that to come soon!

Peace Like a River by Leif Enger

2010-06-24T08:37:00.004-04:00

Let's face it - I'm in a reading slump! The last two books I've read have been mediocre at best, and I'm not even sure I'd go so far as to say that Peace Like a River was even that good! I will admit that it started out strong, with a murder of two young boys within the first few pages, but it quickly took a nose-dive.

Peace Like a River was a selection made by the book club I'm in at church. The story is told by a young boy named Reuben. Reuben has two siblings - a young sister named Swede and an older brother named Davie. The story basically begins with Davie's girlfriend getting attacked in her high school locker room by these two unruly boys. Davie's father, the school janitor, hears the girl's shrieks and comes running. Davie's father hits or threatens them (I cannot remember which), but it angers the unruly boys so much that they vow to get him back. A short time later, these boys kidnap Swede from her house, but is quickly recovered by the family. Now that the boys have hurt two people who are close to Davie, Davie is determined to put these boys in their place. Again, a short time after Swede's kidnapping, the boys return to Davie's house in the middle of the night, but this time Davie shows them who is boss - he shoots and kills them both! So at this point in the book, I was pretty enthralled! It sounded like the making for a good legal battle...

Davie is naturally put on trial for the murder of these two boys, and the jury seems to sway between their sympathy for Davie's situation and that of the family members of the two boys. I guess Davie sensed that he wasn't going to win the trial, so he breaks out of jail. This is pretty much where the story starts to go down hill. The bulk of the book is spent talking about how the family goes west in search of Davie. The ending does pick up a little with an unexpected romance between Davie's father and a woman they meet along the way, as well as Reuben's secret meetings with Davie.

When we discussed the book at the meeting, all but 1 of the ladies said they would NOT recommend this book to their friends! So - I shall not bore you with any more details :).

My next book, which I am nearly done with at this point, is Last Kiss - an AllYou magazine book club read! I'll be giving my review on that within the next day or so - as of right now it's not a slam-dunk winner, but a vast improvement over these last two reads. Stay tuned!

A Trip to the Beach

2010-05-31T20:14:00.015-04:00

Two weeks ago Joel, his father & brother and myself took a long weekend trip to Ocean City, MD. This trip had been planned for months and it came at just the right time. Joel wanted to get there for the 'striper run' - he coordinated our trip right down to the phases of the moon (a striper is also known as a 'rockfish' or 'striped bass'. The striper run is when all the fish migrate north again after the winter.) After traveling to Pennsylvania for 3 straight weeks, enduring the loss of my uncle in the midst of that, a relaxing trip to the ocean was just what the doctor ordered!

The view from our balcony... & a crab-shaped cloud to boot!

The fishing had to begin almost as soon as we got there - Joel was ansy! That's him cutting up his bait, which was another type of fish.

So that just meant while Joel fished, I played around with some photography...

I'm proud to say I'm a close second to his love for fishing...

His 15 foot pole - it catches 'big shit'...

He was so excited to be fishing after a long, harsh winter in Maryland...

It is my hope that someday I will get to live next to this..

A heart I drew with our initial in it :) - JJ in the background

trying to go for the big one!

found a horseshoe crab with some mussels that decided to hitch a ride...

sadly for Joel - this was the 'big catch' of the trip - a stingray!

A partial view of the Ocean City boardwalk - I believe it's 2 miles long

As with many vacations, they are never quite long enough. We all could have spent a bit more time at the beach!

Ocean City - May 2010

A Little Update on Charles

2010-05-31T19:54:00.007-04:00

I have officially had Charles in my possession now for 3 whole months. What an adventure this has been! From hissing at me every time he sees me to knocking plants over to cuddling up to me when I take naps on the couch. He is still a little hellion, but just look at him...

Trying to help out when I work at home...

Overworked & underpaid..

What everyone desires to wake up to on a Saturday morning...

What I like to call "bat-cat" or "Queen of Sheba"..

And even though he acts more like a dog than a cat, I still can't help but love him!

Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult

2010-05-19T20:04:00.004-04:00

Jodi, normally you keep me coming back for more with all of your books. I hate to say it, but Vanishing Acts did not do it for me. I never thought I'd ever find myself saying that about a Jodi novel, but alas, the time has come.

Vanishing Acts is the story of a woman, Delia, and her father, Andrew, and the discovery that Delia is not who she thinks she is. When she was just a young child, her father 'kidnapped' her from her mother. As the story goes, early on Andrew is arrested at their home in New Hampshire and taken back to their home state of Arizona to await his trial for kidnapping. Keep in mind that at this time, Delia is an adult woman – I would guess in her late twenties/early thirties. Of course she is flabbergasted at her father's imprisonment, and travels to AZ to be near him during these difficult times. None other than Delia's boyfriend, Eric, is picked to represent Andrew. Eric is a recovering alcoholic, which provides an ironic (or not really) twist to the story.

I couldn't help but read some other book reviews while I was in the midst of reading this book. Many were negative, stating how the plot line was predictable and how there was a lot of unnecessary storytelling – I agree with the latter part of this for sure. There was a good chunk of the book devoted to a story of this Native American woman who lived next door to Delia and her daughter during Andrew's trial. I don't really see the point to that woman's involvement at all. Then the book ends in typical Jodi fashion – causing you to wonder what the truth really was! Was Andrew lying about why he kidnapped his daughter? I won't reveal what his reasons were, but if you did read this book – please let me know – I want to know your thoughts!

I'm not giving up on you yet Jodi! Of all the books of yours I've read, this was the only flop in my opinion. I look forward to reading others by you soon!

Next up on my list is Peace Like a River by Lief Enger. This is a book club selection from my church's reading group. Stay tuned for more!

Lost But Not Forgotten

2010-04-24T14:10:00.004-04:00

It brings me great sadness to share this news with you. On Friday, April 24, my uncle, Donald Miller, was killed tragically in an automobile accident. He has sadly left behind my aunt Patty and son Brice, age 9, as well as many others who loved and cared dearly for him.

As a result, I am returning to Pennsylvania on Sunday morning. I ask that when saying your prayers, you throw one in there for my aunt and little cousin - they need all they can get.

A song very fitting for our situation..

Toby Keith More CMT Music More CMT Music Videos

Sex & the City News!!

2010-04-22T08:55:00.004-04:00

I had to quickly share this bit of news with you! It's almost as exciting as the latest addition to the Twilight series! The Sex and the City creator, Candace Bushnell, is coming out with a book about our beloved Carrie's life - pre-New York! YAY! Although this book is to be geared more toward the teenage audience, that certainly didn't stop me with Twilight, and it won't stop me with this. The book is going to outline Carrie's life as a teenager in Connecticut. I have literally watch SATC since its debut on HBO YEARS ago. In fact, I was probably too young to be witnessing that stuff at the time, but I turned out okay right? :) The title of the book is called "Carrie Diaries" and will be released on Tuesday, April 27. Candace also plans to release a second book in this series (or mini-series, we'll see) in the summer of 2011, which will depict Carrie's first year in NY, and when she met Samantha. I'm squealing over here with joy people - I cannot wait to read these!

Three Cups of Tea - By Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

2010-04-20T08:18:00.002-04:00

I've recently finished reading Three Cups of Tea. Back whenever I purchased this book, my attraction to it was the word 'tea' in the title (yes, I do judge a book by it's cover). I love tea - all kinds of tea! And if you know me, then you know my favorite is Chai! But, I digress. I recently discovered that the book club at my church was reading this, and I thought it was about time to pull it out and give it a shot myself. It was, afterall, on my 2010 book list.

Three Cups of Tea is about an American mountaineer named Greg Mortensen. Greg takes a trip to northern Pakistan to attempt to climb K2 - one of the highest peaks in the Himalayas. However, Greg doesn't make it to the top because a fellow climber falls ill, and they are forced to quickly descend the mountain. Upon their descent, Greg gets lost and eventually ends up in this Pakistani village where he is taken in by the village leader, Haji Ali. The village is so gracious to Greg that he promises to build them a school as soon as he can raise the money in return for their generosity. Throughout the next 10+ years, Greg manages to raise money continuously for the building of schools all throughout Pakistan. Greg's first trip took place in the mid 90s, so as time goes on in the book, eventually it brings us to September 11, 2001, and the chapter titled "A Village Called New York" addresses the events of that day from the perspective of a small village in Pakistan. This was one of my favorite chapters because it really showed the innocence of many people in the Middle East, which I think is something many people in the U.S. don't think about or don't realize. This chapter is titled as such because the village leader where Greg was staying during this particular visit was listening to a very staticky radio broadcast that day, and heard about the attacks. He ran to wake Greg up, and said to him: "Greg, Greg - a village called New York has just been bombed." I just found it heartbreaking reading this chapter and that sentence. It just goes to show how many innocent people in the Middle East are being affected by this war our country is fighting. That village didn't even know what New York was! The different towns where Greg built schools helped him realize that the key to solving terrorism was to educate the Middle Eastern children - essentially helping them learn right from wrong so they can make an informed decision when extremists come their way attempting to entice them with their radical ways.

I really enjoyed the book - it wasn't always a page turner, but I did learn a lot about the Middle East. It was also very inspiring - if everyone had the determination that Greg did/does, much would be different in this world today. Out of 5 stars, I would give it 3.5/5.

My next book is Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult! Happy Reading friends!

Welcome to the World Conner Joel!

2010-04-06T08:06:00.004-04:00

This is the newest addition to my family! Conner Joel Pribesh (lovin that middle name!) was born on April 5 and weighed in at 7.8 lbs. I cannot wait to see this new little man!! He is my cousin Angie's son and lives back home in Pennsylvania. AND he was born the day after my birthday - yay! April truly is the best month!

Twilight, Real Housewives of NYC, & Little Women - Oh My!

2010-04-05T10:29:00.008-04:00

I just love sharing book updates with you! It makes me feel good to not only share current book events with you, but to also help promote books about things that I love and/or enjoy! Yesterday I nearly jumped in my chair when I saw that Stephenie Meyer (Twilight author) is coming out with a 'novella' in relation to Eclipse in June! AHH!! This book is about the vampire Bree, and her short lived story in Eclipse. The book is called "The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner". I'm having a hard time remembering her appearance in the book - I think it says in the article that she was only talked about for 10 pages - but regardless I will be buying this very soon! I may also have to squeeze this in to my reading reperatoire for 2010 because I just need some more Twilight in my life.

The next book news I have to share is about Jill Zaren - one of the rich ladies from The Real Housewives of New York City (on Bravo). I just saw this bit of news this morning. The book is called Secrets of a Jewish Mother. Ironically, I just watched the episode this past weekend where they were doing a photo shoot for that book, and now it's come out! I doubt I'll pick this one up just because I didn't care for how her mother acted on the show. She was rude and snotty during the photo shoot. I just love this show by the way - in particular, the NYC ladies. I actually quit watching it for awhile because after I got HD, I found myself only indulging in the HD channels. Then I made this accidental discovery a few weeks ago and found like 30 extra HD channels that I didn't even know I had, and Bravo was one of them! Now I'm really hooked again on the show AND the Millionaire Matchmaker! I cannot get enough!
My last bit of book news is about the author of Little Women, Louisa May Alcott. Remember that book/movie? The movie had Winona Ryder in it? Anyhow, Kelly O'Connor McNees has written a book about Alcott's love life, which apparently Alcott never married. The book is called "The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott".

That's all the book news I have for ya for now!

Weekend Recap

2010-03-29T20:29:00.009-04:00

Another productive weekend!

Friday was my "off day", so I used that time to get my oil changed (I just LOVE my new car!) and pick up some items from Wal-Mart for a little slow cooker action this weekend. I own the Fix It and Forget It Lightly cookbook and I LOVE it! I love my slow cooker because it's just SO easy and the end result is always perfectly done, especially when the ingredients involve meat! I made two meals this weekend from the S.C. - one from the book mentioned above called Beef Lite, and then just one of my own - called Chicken & Stuffing (I just made that up).

The Beef Lite recipe is below. Joel & I both really liked it - it was very hearty. The picture I took is from my lunch today.

Ingredients:
1 pound extra lean ground beef
1 package dry onion soup mix
1 10 3/4oz can of 98% fat free cream of mushroom soup
1 10 3/4oz can of 98% fat free cream of celery soup

1. Spray slow cooker with fat-free cooking spray or insert 1 liner.
2.Combine all ingredients in slow cooker
3.Cook on low for 6-8 hours. (mine only needed to be done for 6 hrs).
4.Serve over rice.

On Saturday, I took a trip to Target and bought my niece her birthday gifts for the upcoming "turning 2" day in May! These days I'm either buying for weddings or baby showers, so I also picked up some baby gifts at TJMaxx for my both of my cousins' soon-to-be bundles. TJMaxx really is the place to buy your baby stuff people - it's cheap and cute! I still have a few more things to buy for each of them, but at least I got a start on it. It's been looming over my head for months and the one kid, Conner, is due any day now so I need to step it up! In the evening, Joel & I had a "datey date" at the driving range. This was my first time at a driving range, so I was skeptical at how fun this would actually be considering the only golfing I do is in the 'mini' form. It was fun though! Joel and I each started off with our own bucket of balls. I was able to hit a few past the 100 yd mark - not bad for my first time! Joel hit two buckets of balls and by his second bucket he really got into the swing of it (no pun intended! :) ), and really started launching them through the field. I'd really like to do it again, but I need to get some pointers on form, and all that crap, from my dad first.

We had such a great time!

Appears as though I know what I'm doing...

After the Palm Sunday service, I came home and made the second slow-cooked meal of the weekend, Chicken & Stuffing. That recipe is also below. Sunday was another great day because I got to spend a few hours talking on the phone with my best girlfriend from home. We don't get to talk much, but when we do the conversation lasts - and it's always just what I need! She currently lives and works in South Carolina, and she gave me some great advice about my next career pursuit. I took the first step today and contacted the local college to get more information on what all I need to do to get enrolled for nursing school. Will any of my hard earned Penn State credits count? How long will it take? How MUCH will it cost?! It has been a painful realization that I really don't like the field of work that I'm in, and I know I probably never will. For a long time, I dreamed of going back to school for pharmacy, which had been one of my picks for a degree back when I was 18. However, she brought to light that some of her pharmacist friends were hating their jobs b/c they were bored and did nothing all day at work because their pharmacies weren't that busy. Plus, the schooling for pharmacy is more than I'm willing to committ to at this point, so the next best thing for me would be nursing. Stay tuned for more updates as I learn more!

The weekend ended on quite a painful note. I was reading an article in Woman's Day about little things you can do to keep the spice in your life - one which was do something different to your hair. Now, I'm not REALLY attached to my hair at all, so I don't mind experimenting - especially with color. The last time I dyed my hair was back in July of 2007 out in Kansas City. I decided I was done with the highlights and needed to return to whatever my natural color was. I've been a light brunette ever since! However, I did love my blonde hair and so I figured, what the heck, and I picked up a highlighting kit at Target. Now, I know what you're thinking - what are you thinking trying to highlight your own hair!? Well, that's where Joel comes in :). But first I must digress. Here's the deal, back when I used to get my hair highlighted at home by my hair dresser, she used that terrible cap - you know the one with the tiny holes in it that you use this hook to pull the hair through? It was PAINFUL. I swore I'd never do it again once I had a job and could afford foils (I believe the highlight in a cap was only $15-20! seriously!). So, when I saw this kit at Target, and I saw the cap, I thought to myself - maybe it won't be so bad if I'm doing it myself. HAHA! WRONGGGGG!!!!!!! I was too optimistic - my hair is too thick and too long for the cap! I started doing it on my own, then I needed Joel's help for the back - let's just say it took about 3 full hours of painfully hooking and pulling hair through teeny tiny holes until it was over. DEFINITELY not worth the money saved in the process - NOT.....AT.....ALL. Anyhow, as I mixed the color, it became quite clear to me that I really wasn't going to have enough to cover my whole head. I made it work, but it probably would've turned out a little better had I bought two boxes. It actually doesn't look bad in my opinion, but I think I'll have it touched up in about a month or so - just to get to those spots that could've used some more bleaching action! By the way, did any of you actually pick up on the fact that I mentioned Joel and how he helped me do this?! He actually did most of the pulling through because it was quite hard for me to see the holes as I got further back my head. How awesome is that? I love him so much! :) Although, he might not be happy that I publicized this!! However, I did grab a shot of my new best friend who continued to surround himself with my wincing and moaning almost the entire time! He has become SO cuddly over the last few weeks - he is just like my very own living-breathing baby doll - in cat form. I'm tempted to put a little dress on him!!!! hahaha

It's not terrible, but it could be touched up!

Chicken & Stuffing

1 10 3/4 oz can of Cream of Chicken soup
1 Box of Stove Top Stuffing Mix - Chicken Flavor
2 cans of Milk (using the soup can to do the measuring).

3 Chicken Breasts (or however many you'd like - it's completely up to you).

I cooked this for almost 6 hrs on low as well.

Throwback Thursday

2010-03-25T12:44:00.004-04:00

While in college I would have referred to this day of the week as something else, today I'm going into my collection of pictures from back in the day. Below is a picture of my beloved niece, Grace, and my boyfriend, Joel. I had uploaded this picture around Thanksgiving of 2008 - I cannot believe this little lady is going to be 2 in just a few more weeks!

Time is a River - Mary Alice Monroe

2010-03-22T08:05:00.003-04:00

This is the second book I’ve read from All You’s Book Club. Once again, it was a winner!

Time is a River is about a woman named Mia and her life as a breast cancer survivor, newly divorced woman, persistent fly fisher-woman, and investigator of sorts. Mia is from Charleston, SC. After she was diagnosed with cancer, her marriage with her husband fizzled – he couldn’t deal with her disease and the hardships that went along with the treatment. Mia was convinced that because she was no longer his ‘trophy wife’ once the cancer came, this spawned his cheating. What a weak, sad jerk!

Fortunately, Mia had a loving sister who sent her away on a trip for survivors of cancer called Casting For Recovery. This was a group about teaching women how to fly fish. There she met her fishing guide, Belle Carson. After Mia discovered her husband was cheating on her, it was Belle who reached out to give Mia a hand. Belle offered Mia the chance to stay at her fishing cabin near a small town called Watkins Cove. Mia arrived at the fishing cabin as a disheveled and fragile woman – a fresh cancer survivor, but also a wounded woman after the discovery of her husband’s infidelity. It was in this cabin that Mia’s outlook on life completely changed, thanks to a town’s legacy of an independent woman named Kate Watkins. The cabin Mia was staying in needed a thorough cleaning, and during that process she came across some diaries written by Kate and her father. It turns out that the cabin was owned by Kate, who ended up being Belle’s grandmother! Through the stories in these diaries Mia finds comfort, strength and perseverance to turn her life around. Additionally, Mia learns that Kate’s life holds such a strong legacy in Watkins Cove because Kate was the center of a murder investigation. The majority of the book focuses on Mia’s investigation of Kate’s life to find out what really happened in this alleged murder case.

And what story wouldn’t be complete without some romance? As Mia spends her summer in Watkins Cove, she meets Stuart MacDougal – a construction worker/engineer/architect who is working in the area. They share a love of fly fishing and the relationship blossoms from there.

I liked this book because it talked about fishing, which made me think of Joel who LOVES fishing, so anything that makes me think of him makes me happy! I also liked the storyline – circumstances that are sadly true to life in today’s world, and also how this woman picked herself back up and overcame it all. While at most times I did not find the book a page turner per se, it was still well written.

I give it a 3.5 out of 5.

In other book news, for those Twilight fans out there, Stephanie Meyer’s famous book will be available in a graphic form. While I love Twilight, I will not be buying in to this latest Twi-craze.

Did you read Atonement? I did, last year I believe, and while it graced Hollywood recently, it will now be gracing opera houses near you. It appears that England, Germany and the US are all considering co-producing it, and it could be out as early as 2013.

Next up on the book list is Three Cups of Tea! Happy Reading!

Charles In Charge!

2010-03-08T14:02:00.007-05:00

Remember that show? I've been singing the theme song to it ever since we decided on the name for this kitty. Well, let me just tell ya, this Charles is SO not in charge! He is more like the definition of a "scared-y cat". He is just an emotional train wreck - loving the attention when he gets it (as seen in the pics below), but all the same hissing at me when I initially pick him up! He currently hides in the bathroom behind the toilet and only comes out when we bring him out. I may have to see if the Dog Whisperer would be willing to take a look at him. But alas, please welcome Charles!

He's giving that awesome kitty glare that I so love!

He looks so peaceful here! There's hope!

When he's not hiding behind the toilet, he hides under the end tables!
(Ignore the Christmas presents we still have for Joel's brother & his g/f!)

He's a ham! There IS potential here!

It's hard having a cat who doesn't want to be all over you from the very beginning. ALL of the cats I had growing up always wanted held! And while Charles seemed to be fine yesterday (evidence in the above pics), today he wants NO parts in being held. *Sigh*.

Hope you had a great weekend.... while I pet-sat this little crazy kitty!

Tiger & Kelly - Another Mistress?

2010-03-05T08:37:00.005-05:00

Just kidding!

I have some book news to share – some interesting tidbits I’ve found in the news over the last few days. First, apparently the Tiger Woods camp will be publishing a book this June on the infamous golfer. The book will be titled: "Unplayable: An Inside Account of Tiger's Most Tumultuous Season". Another book also slated for later this year will simply be called "Tiger Woods", written by People Magazine's Steve Helling. Find out more about it here. What do you think? Would you read this simply in light of his sex scandal?

Are there any Hills or City fans in the house? If so, the no-nonsense boss at People's Revolution, Kelly Cutrone, is coming out with her own book! It will be titled: "If You Have to Cry, Go Outside: And Other Things Your Mother Never Told You." This one I may actually pick up - she offers some advice on workplace behavior as well as stories on her own professional development - I'm sure it will not disappoint! I think she's super harsh, and I'm so happy my supervisor isn't her, but I can appreciate her drive and hard work for sure.

It has been a good week thus far, despite a slightly rough ending on Monday. This is my first week in my new office, and everything has been great - the people, the transition into new work, and the facilities! The building is MUCH newer and more modern than the one I was in, and the bathrooms rock compared to the 60s style (or possibly older) rooms we had in the other place. Bathrooms are a big deal to me! I cannot be comfortable in unkempt facilities - although our janitorial staff did do the best with what they had.

Moving on.. haha.. I call myself a 'power commuter' because I get up in the wee hours of the night to make my trek downtown each day. My day begins at 4:27 AM and ends between 9 and 9:30 PM. Now, because of this new position, I'm a hardcore power commuter b/c I'm utilizing almost every form of transportation - my car, a commuter bus, the train, and walking! On Monday afternoon, I began my journey home with the standard dash between my office and where I get on the bus. Picture this - a line of 30-40 people standing on a sidewalk at a bus stop. I am near the end of this line. Two commuter buses pull up, both for the same route. The majority of the line walks toward the first bus. I glance to see if any others are making moves to the second bus, no one is, so I proceed. Out of nowhere these 2 men came up behind me just as I'm ready to board the bus and the first man puts his arm up in front of me, blocking me from stepping onto the bus. Of course, I was caught off guard, because as I said, I did not notice anyone migrating toward that second bus. The man told me in a snotty tone that I was cutting line and I needed to move. Then the next man in line mumbled some smart ass remark. Then, as though we've rescinded to elementary school, the bus driver and some ladies on the bus start busting out laughing, taunting me with "Well you told her" and those 2 jerks joined in with the laughter. It was a sweet ending to my first work day to say the least. I don't get how people can be so rude!

Did anyone else watch the birth of Pam and Jim's baby on The Office last night? Man, do I LOVE that show!! My favorite parts were seeing Dwight get out of Pam & Jim's bed naked, and then Jim demonstrating to Pam the proper way to breastfeed! HAHA!! It was hilarious!

P.S. - Stay tuned everyone - Charles will be on his way home this afternoon!!!

P.P.S - I cannot get this underline to go away - sorry - it's a distraction!

Becoming a Better You (Joel Osteen), Crab Legs, Parties & More!

2010-02-27T17:13:00.002-05:00

I had to share our awesome dinner we had the other night – Alaskan King Crab Legs! Definitely one of my favorites, and Joel, being a former seafood restaurant head chef, makes them oh-so-well! Eating these allowed me to pretend I was at the beach for a moment, enjoying a nice, evening meal by the ocean – I'm so looking forward to spring and summer! They're VERY simple to make too! All you need is a large pot with a lid, a steamer basket, a few bay leaves, and some Old Bay seasoning. You drop the bay leaves into the water and season the water with the Old Bay. Then you also season the crab legs with Old Bay and then steam them for about 10-15 min (keep them cooking for just a few minutes longer after they just start turning red). Serve right away because they get cold fast!

~Served with butter & Old Bay – nothin' better!~

Thursday I celebrated my last day in the office. It was a great day – they had a little party for me complete with cake that I couldn't enjoy (but will freeze for post-Lent), 2 cards, and a $60 gift card to Starbucks – here I come Chai and London Fog! Perhaps the reality of it all will set in after Monday. I'm slightly nervous for Monday, because the first day of work, for me, is always the most stressful. It doesn't even matter that I know most of the people where I'm going – I'm still a little uneasy! I look forward to the day when I'm celebrating my last day at work in the DC area! Hopefully that will be someday soon!

~my girl, Katie, & I on my last day~

Also, I have a special surprise at the end of this post!! I can't wait to share it!!!

Moving on – I also FINALLY finished my latest book, Become a Better You by Joel Osteen. This is the second book of Joel's I have read and it didn't disappoint. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is struggling with life, and we all are, so you should just go ahead and pick it up on your next trip to the store! For those of you who don't know, Joel is an tele-evangelist out of Houston, Texas who took over Lakewood Church after his father passed away several years ago. Joel's service airs on Sunday mornings (check local listings), and he also shares that service on Itunes (for free) as a podcast either in video or audio. Check it out sometime if you haven't already done so – they are less than 30 min long. The book highlighted 7 subject areas: Keep Pressing Forward, Be Positive Toward Yourself, Develop Better Relationships, Form Better Habits, Embrace the Place Where You Are, Develop Your Inner Life, and Stay Passionate About Life. Each of those seven sections ends with action points – ways in which to apply what you've just read.

In Keep Pressing Forward, Joel talks about stretching yourself to the next level, staying faithful to God and challenging your faith in Him to move to the next level of your life. This section also touches on generational blessings, which are blessings we receive from our ancestors (not prehistoric ones – but grandparents, etc). These blessings come to us from how they've lived their life, such as parents who were able to completely provide for their families, and instill a Godly way of life in their children, which in turn can and will be passed on from generation to generation. Likewise, those who have family members who suffered from defeat (alcoholism and other addictions) also pass that on to other generations. This doesn't mean that every descendant will be an alcoholic, but they may struggle with other addictions or feelings of defeat in their lives. Part two goes on to talk about how important it is to Be Positive Toward Yourself. We need to stop listening to people who tell us we cannot do things. We need to disassociate ourselves from those who are constantly dumping their negativity into our lives, which in turn makes us feel badly. And we need to start accepting who we are and having confidence in ourselves. Developing Better Relationships is the subject area in part three. Here, Joel addresses the need to bring out the best in people – compliment people, tell them you believe in them and that they can do whatever they set their mind to. Keep strife out of your life and take a stand for your family. If your husband, wife, son or daughter does something you don't agree with, say not replacing the toilet paper when it runs out, don't get bent out of shape – just accept it and move on. Allowing small situations such as that to seep into your lives will start to wear down your relationships. It's simply not worth it. Then, we can also stop assuming responsibility for the happiness of those around us – this is part four – Form Better Habits. While we should be kind to everyone, we should be our top priority, and then our families. Still, we cannot take on a false sense of responsibility for those around us and their feelings. Part five spoke the loudest to me, although each section really did, but Embracing the Place Where You Are really nipped me in the butt. It is no mystery that I've been unsettled with where I'm at in my life right now. While I've been trying to make it better by getting a new job, moving to a different part of the metro area, and forcing myself to take on new hobbies, I'm still not where I thought I'd be at 25! With that said, part five is self-explanatory! Developing Your Inner Life, part six, focuses on developing a tender conscience. This means that we should thank God when our conscience alerts us to things we know we shouldn't be doing – maybe unethical things in the workplace, or even to our families. Some people learn to shut off that little voice in their head telling them they're doing something wrong so much so that they don't think twice before committing un-Godly acts. There is plenty of evidence around us these days of people who have shut off their conscience entirely. And finally, part seven, Stay Passionate About Life, tells us we should always live expectantly in God's eyes. We should always wake up with excitement for the day, knowing that our God will be there with us and fulfill our needs each and every day – and we should expect this.

Those are just a few things that were touched on in the book, but I did not even do it one ounce of justice! There is plenty more of great information to absorb from Joel. If you do end up reading this book, I would love to hear your thoughts on it, and what your favorite part was!

Now, last but not least, please welcome Charles – the new addition to my family!!! He will be coming home on Friday, March 5! I can hardly wait! I've wanted a cat ever since graduating college and the time was never right until now. I cannot wait to take care of this little guy! While I love taking care of my beloved plants, they certainly are not available for cuddling, and Charles will totally fulfill that purpose! I've been searching high and low for kittens online around here, and I've had a tough time finding one that met my specifications. I wanted a long haired kitten, but all I found were a bunch of long and short haired adults. But apparently they go like hotcakes – and when we visited the animal shelter yesterday, I knew he was the one as soon as I spotted him. See, I hesitated to get another black cat (RIP Hershey!) because Joel's giant cat is a huge, black, long-haired, furry monster of a feline. I thought we should bring in some variety – say an all white cat instead? However, when I saw Charles, I could not resist. I guess he had been rescued as a stray, and had just arrived at the shelter yesterday – so my little darling didn't have to be there long before I came to his rescue. He will be off to the vet for his checkup, shots and neutering, and then I'll pick him up Friday at some point. Since he was nameless, we got to give him his name and chose Charles for the name of the county I live at in MD. I wanted to give the little man a name that somehow represented both Joel and I. YAY!

This 'n That

2010-02-23T15:17:00.005-05:00

Happy Tuesday!

I’ve got a few tidbits on my plate for ya today! Let’s start with the latest on work to get that crap out of the way, and then we’ll end on a slightly higher note – sound good?

So, this is my last week of work in my office. I work in downtown Washington, DC for the federal government, and have been with my agency for 3 ½ years. The relationship with the agency won’t end, however. I’m actually moving to another office – this time in our Virginia location. This move is so long over due. As I stated in a previous post, there is a lot riding on this decision. What got the ball rolling was my lack of work, which ultimately lead to many, many days of sadness, frustration, anger, resentment, and then back to extreme sadness. What sealed the deal was when I learned that, in less than a year, the headquarters would be relocating to another area of the city that would make for an extremely inconvenient commute for me (try 2 hours one way!). No thanks! It’s pretty hard to make that sacrifice of your time each day going in to a job you’re not fond of…. AT ALL. Fortunately, I had already established a great relationship with my future boss, and when she offered the job to me for the 5th time, I knew it was finally time to go! As an added bonus, she used to work in my current office – so I feel pretty confident and comfortable with my decision. It can only get better! The downside to leaving, as with any job, is that you’re leaving those few people in the office who really helped get you through the tough times (shout out to Katherine!!). In the end, I’m not really sad or upset because I’m not really leaving at all, I’m just going to work in another office. It’s not at all like the time I left my job at the drugstore – I was practically heartbroken and crying at that point!! Still, once I get to the new office, I have a lot of thinking to do. Do I want a complete career change (nursing/pharmacy), OR do I want to try to do a ‘best of both worlds’ scenario and get a job in IT/healthcare? It’s a tough decision, but one that has to be made, because I already can say without a shadow of a doubt that IT/finance is NOT my cup of tea. So why am I taking another IT/finance job? The answer is simple: to keep my sanity, to gain some valuable experience, and to help me make an informed decision when I decide to leave this field. I need to know definitively that this subject matter is not for me, rather than basing that solely off of one negative experience in another office. The countdown is on!

Now onto some book news! I’ve never read any Danielle Steele books, but this morning while perusing through my MyYahoo Reader, a headline on USAToday’s Book section struck a chord with me. She has recently written and published a book called Big Girl – centered on a plus-size woman’s life. Now, I must go off on a tangent…

People are forever asking me how I make my book lists/selections, and I find myself stammering for words.. “Uhhh ya know… uhhhh… best seller lists?”. I don’t know why it’s so hard for me to answer that question on the spot! Given some honest thought though, I’d say I pick my books in a variety of ways. Yes, I partake in best seller list selections, but I also base a lot of my decisions on previous books I’ve read (i.e. Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Weiner to name a few – I’m hauling through ALL of their books). Also, I get ideas from talking to others, also from the former book club I used to be in (still on their listserv), and then also from reading news articles about upcoming books – whether it be articles online, or ones out of People Magazine. By the way, I love People’s book selections – I’ve read plenty! If I’m going to include People, I have to include AllYou magazine in this as well – they have a great reading series in which I’ve bought every book off their list! And to further explain – AllYou magazine is, hands down, my favorite magazine. I feel like it is a young version of Woman’s Day or Family Circle for ladies in their 20’s/30’s. It has a nice variety of everything (fashion/health/around the home decorating, etc), includes a ton of coupons (I’m the Coupon Princess according to Joel), and has an overall feel-good tone. It doesn’t include any of the smut that Cosmo or Glamour offers – so beware of if you’re into that! I cannot say enough good things about it – and I’m not being paid at all to say this! I just like to give credit where credit is due! Seriously – check it out!

Baaaaccck to what I was originally talking about! Books about plus-size women always resonate with me, and so I threw Big Girl onto my “to-read” list on Goodreads. I definitely get the feeling at times that once you’ve read one book on weight issues, you’ve read them all, but after reading Danielle’s interview with USAToday, I’m willing to give it a shot! She seemed to be a down-to-earth kind of gal and I liked the tone she gave off in her interview, so yes Danielle, you have made it onto my list of to-reads!

That’s all I’ve got for you today, my little virtual friends! I hope that your Tuesday ends on a high note!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies – am I cheating?!

2010-02-21T17:16:00.006-05:00

Had ya worried didn't I? I JUST posted about how well I'm doing on my Lent journey with giving up sweets, and now I'm blogging about cookies?? Actually, these aren't what you think… listen up!

I never realized how many sweets much crap I ate until these last few days. It's astonishing really. Despite being on Weight Watchers for the last year and a half, I still find ways to sneak in snack cakes, fat free ice cream, chocolate, granola bars, Pop-Tarts, etc into my daily diet. In fact, since I'm not a big veggie eater, I'm always quick to reach for the sugary snacks, rather than the more sensible, filling and probably more tasty option. Who am I kidding – is a salad really more tasty than some Ghirardelli? At any rate, it has been challenging for me to eliminate the sweets, and so I found one healthful way to get my sweet fix w/o including any junk into the mix. I searched my Biggest Loser cookbook for a healthy alternative, and found Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies (pg. 196). Three simple ingredients: pitted dates, old-fashioned oats, and peanut butter! This is my kind of snack – simple, quick and delicious!

Biggest Loser's Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

12 Pitted Dates
1/3 c. Old Fashioned Oats
1 Tbsp Reduced-Fat Peanut Butter

Simply chop the dates up in a mini-food processor until the dates stick together in a ball. They need to be very finely chopped! Transfer the dates to a small mixing bowl, and add the oats and peanut butter. You can either mix with your hands or use an electric hand mixer. I found it was easiest to do with my hands, since when I tried the mixer the oats began flying all over the place. Once well mixed together, divide the cookies into 4 small balls. Place each ball between 2 sheets of wax paper and press down on each ball until the cookie is 3" in diameter. The serving size is 2 – where you get 2 cookies per serving. If you're a WW follower, I calculated these at 4 POINTS per serving. I found them very sweet and filling, especially since the fiber is coming at you left and right from the PB, dates, and oatmeal! If you make them, let me know what you think – I definitely plan to be munching on these in the near future!

White Bean & Sausage Stew

2010-02-21T16:06:00.002-05:00

As promised, I’m posting the recipe to this stew I made on Friday, courtesy of All You Magazine. My review of the stew is 2 out of 5 stars. First, my substitutions only consisted of the sausages – I used Shadybrook Farms Turkey Hot Italian Sausages. The rest I used exactly as stated below. To me, this stew lacked flavor and moisture. After the stew has cooked for 2 hours, you then have the option of adding some additional water, which I did not do because at the 2 hour mark, there seemed to be plenty of moisture in the crockpot, but not enough, because it was very dry when it came time to eat. Maybe if I did this over, I would not have drained the tomatoes – that could have added some additional moisture. I found the stew to be very bean-y, and it definitely yielded more than 4 servings! Joel and I are still eating it, and to make it somewhat better, we’ve been adding cheddar cheese and water to the dish after microwaving it. It wasn’t the worst meal I’ve ever had, but I won’t make it again.

On another note, I’ve had a great weekend thus far. Yesterday, Joel’s mom, Joel, and myself went shopping for kitchen cabinets for their house. While it was an unsuccessful trip, we had a good few hours together – driving through parts of MD and DC that I’ve never seen before. I always enjoy seeing new parts of this city, even if it is the ghetto! On the way back to the apartment, we did some grocery shopping and then took a trip to Wal-Mart for some insect killer. I’m having a big issue with my houseplants and gnats. Gnats are really annoying – flying around your face when you least expect it – the occasional one flying up your nose! Eww! I Googled a solution to this problem and found various options, including placing apple cider vinegar and/or wine next to each plant to attract the bugs, which will then kill them and help you identify which plant is the culprit. I don’t actually think I need the vinegar in order to figure this out! I tried it anyhow, and less than 24 hours later, I have yet to spot any gnats in the vinegar or the wine. Either way, I had a feeling this method wasn’t going to work, so I bought some insect killer for houseplants last night – I’m trying it out on 2 of the suspect houseplants to see what happens – my fingers are crossed that the spray only kills the bugs and not the plants! If you know me, then you know I love my plants dearly, but I do NOT love these bugs! I’ll let you know!

And on a final note, I’m progressing well on the “no sweets for Lent” situation. The first 2 days were rough, but yesterday I bought a ton of fruit that will hopefully help combat these sweet cravings I keep having. Fortunately I’ve been at home more than I have been in the office since Lent began, so that has helped out. It’s usually around 2 PM, or immediately following lunch, that I get the huge sweet craving! I will admit that thinking about why I actually gave up sweets is helping me a lot – rather than if I simply gave them up to try to help myself out on Weight Watchers.

Now, back to this Nascar race! Go Jeff Gordon, Go!

White-Bean and Sausage Stew
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 hours

6 (3 oz.) Italian sausages
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 (15 oz.) cans white beans (Great Northern or navy), rinsed and drained
1 (28 oz.) can chopped tomatoes, drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 tsp. dried thyme
Salt and pepper

Poke holes in sausages and put in a large nonstick skillet. Add 1/4 cup water; bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook sausages, turning, until lightly browned and water has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes and thyme.
Put half of bean mixture into a slow cooker. Arrange sausages on top, followed by remaining beans. Cook on high for 4 hours. Check after 2 hours and add water if mixture looks dry.
Remove sausages; slice thickly. Season beans with salt and pepper. Return sausage to stew. (Stew can be kept, frozen and tightly sealed, for up to 1 month.)

Yield: 4 Servings

Do You Ever Have This Issue?

2010-02-18T15:52:00.001-05:00

I’m 2/3 of the way through “Become a Better You.” And just like Joel Osteen’s other book, I love this one as well! This book has so much good information, that it’s hard to remember it all. Have you ever read a self-help book and at the time of reading it you’re thinking “Yeah, this is great, I’m going to put this all into practice”, but just as soon as you lay the book down, you practically forget what you read? That’s just how I feel with Joel’s books – the stuff he talks about is so great, and makes perfect sense, but then I have a hard time recalling all of those great things I’ve read about and applying them to my day to day life. Maybe I need to start taking notes or carrying a highlighter with me!

On another note, I’m really looking forward to the weekend! I don’t have any special plans, but I have a good feeling it’s going to be a productive one – I’ve been on a good roll since the week off of work due to the snow… I love it! I’m also looking forward to making some delicious food – cooking and thinking about cooking always calms my spirit, and that’s what I’m needing right about now. I’m thinking about making this White Bean and Sausage Stew tomorrow – I’ll post the link to the recipe later – it sounded good, and what isn’t good that comes out of a slow-cooker right?

News, News, News!

2010-02-17T15:41:00.002-05:00

Going to try something a little different today on Pritt-y Story to Tell! Since it’s taking me a really long time to get through my current book and I don’t anticipate a post on that anytime soon, I figured I’d throw out some book news to the people – I know you want it!

So here’s the news, short and sweet: Apparently one of my favorite authors, James Patterson, is breaking in to the comic book world! I saw here that he’s looking for a way to essentially broaden his horizons into the Hollywood realm. “Witch & Wizard” and the “Murder of King Tut” will be his first books adapted to the comic book world. This new series will be available in May & June of this year, just in case you cannot wait! I’m a JP lover, but definitely NOT a comic book lover, so I’ll pass on this one Jimmie…

Also, I think I’ve finally decided to expand on this blog to include non-book related items. Since we had a week long vacation courtesy of winter weather and the government, that meant I did absolutely no reading. As much as I would like to continue reading when I get home at night, I cannot. I want to spend as much time with Joel as possible before he goes off to work, and that never allows any additional reading time. Also, since all of my reading takes place on my daily commute, and I had no commute for over a week, we arrive at the same excuse – no reading was done! AND, sometimes I feel like I have other interesting tidbits to talk about, and I’d like to include them on my blog, but then I think “this is supposed to be about books, not ‘other’ stuff”… says who? It’s my blog, I’ll make up the rules as I go, right?

So I know some of you, thanks to Face-space, have found out about my blog and *fingers crossed* have decided to pop in every now and then to check it out (Courtney/Megan!!). Thank you in advance! Then, you may have also seen my question I posted on my status message this morning about going back to school for nursing or pharmacy. I’m seriously considering this. I’ve been miserable with my current job for well over a year – not liking the work, not liking the commute, not liking the city itself, and just not liking the subject area (IT/finance). So, recently I made the decision to switch jobs, and while this has not yet happened, my wheels are already turning for what to do when Joel and I decide to actually leave the nation’s capital all together. My hope is that with the new job and new position, I will have some fulfillment at the end of the day – where I can say I made a contribution to the organization and have helped make a difference. However, I still think that, in the end, in the bigger picture of life, IT/finance isn’t for me. Now, IT and healthcare? MAAAAAYBE…. I don’t know! It’s hard to say since my experience solely lies in finance. The idea of going back to school somewhat excites me, but then again I love my freedom that the working world has brought to me, not to mention the money flow . I love NOT studying, I love NOT doing homework – I’m still not over the shock of the amount of time that going to college fulltime cost me! I’m still getting over the It’s-Sunday-and-now-I-must-cram-for-this-week’s-exam/assignments/etc dread, and it was ALWAYS dread for me. College was supposed to be a 1 time only thing, but now I’m reconsidering an entirely different career path, which means going back to school and giving up my time… *sigh*. What to do, what to do… I welcome the advice here…

I do know one thing – I’ve taken a giant, positive step in the right direction – and that is getting out of the current situation I’m in. While I have a job that currently pays the bills, with even some left over to have some fun, I want to at least make sure that it’s not causing me misery. With the new position, I’m hoping I can at least enjoy some of what I do, and not come home every single night frustrated and wishing I wasn’t in this city to begin with! That was step one – “Get out of current situation ASAP.”… Check! Step two – “Figure out what Hilary REALLY wants to do with the rest of her life”….In Process!

The Next Big Thing by Johanna Edwards

2010-02-03T07:50:00.006-05:00

I’ve been slacking big time in the blogging department! There’s been so much going on with the holidays and buying a new car…and my ‘mild’ obsession with Legos Star Wars on the Wii that I’ve neglected my dear, little, old blog. Whoa is me.

Alas, the first book I read off my 2010 book list was “The Next Big Thing” by Johanna Edwards. If you have an interest in reality television, particularly ones centered on weight loss, then this book is for you! It was a very easy and entertaining read. I actually really enjoyed it and looked forward to my lengthy commute home so I could dive in. It was literally like a soap opera in print!

“The Next Big Thing” is about an overweight girl, named Kat, from Tennessee. This book delivers nothing short of dramatic situations – from her internet relationship with a European hottie, to her stint on the reality television series, From Fat to Fabulous. I’m not one to judge internet relationships – that’s how I met my boyfriend of 2.5 years! However, I did not lie to my boyfriend about my looks – Kat did. She had Mr. European Vogue convinced she was a size 4 skinny minnie – oops! She had good intentions though. Kat’s plan was to finally lose her weight by trying out for the reality show, and then meet up with her boy toy after the show was over. The book goes through the trials and tribulations of getting cast for a reality tv series, then once Kat is accepted onto the show, it’s a lot of pages surrounding her life in the From Fat to Fabulous house. The House can be thought of as a Real World type setting – where there are only about 6 girls who live in it and are competing for the prize of the most weight lost, plus a nice chunk of change to go along with it. There’s the same type of drama that happens as well – there’s a vixen, an innocent one, a few normal people, and woman who blames her 7 year old child for her weight gain. What I found interesting about the depiction of the Show was, when relating it back to reality shows we watch on TV today, you forget that there is a lot of downtime off camera. On the show, they had the ladies play games, and planted little seeds for dramatic encounters to ensue, but overall there was a lot of time where they’re just in the house doing nothing. Yeah, they can work out (and are supposed to given the premise of the show), but they don’t have TV, books, magazines, etc to entertain themselves – they just have each other. And in this case, that’s not a good thing b/c Kat doesn’t get along with most of them.

By the end of the book, and the Show, a few wrenches are thrown into the loop. Other reviews have said the ending was so predictable – I, for one, did not predict the ending. I won’t spoil it for you unless you really care to know though – send me a message if you do!

Overall, I really liked the book. On a scale of 1 – 5, I’m giving it a 3. It was a good chick-lit style novel and had me wanting more!

2010 Book List Bonanza!

2009-12-24T08:03:00.002-05:00

I'm pleased to share with you my list of books for 2010 - I'm very excited to get started on these!! :) My goal for 2009 was to read at least a book per month. However, I managed to read a total of 19 books all year, and I could have definitely made it 20 but I wanted to take some time off and catch up on my magazines :). I'll be getting started on this list come Jan 1, and I'm VERY much looking forward to it! I hope you enjoy :)

Hilary's favorite books »

Mitch Albom's For One More Day

2009-12-23T09:09:00.007-05:00

I recently read Mitch Albom’s “For One More Day”. I’d give it 3 stars out of 5. I had high hopes for this book, since one of my all time favorite books was “The Five People You Meet in Heaven”. I did also read “Tuesday’s with Morrie”, and it was good, but not near as wonderful as TFPYMIH.

For One More Day kept me turning the pages as I constantly wanted to find out what was going to happen to main character, Chick, next, or how his deceased mom was going to teach him yet another valuable lesson of life. I particularly enjoyed the chapter dividers titled: “Times my Mother Stood Up for Me” & “Times I didn’t stand up for My Mother” – or something similar to that – I don’t have the book with me now to do a true, direct quote! :) Regardless, these little inserts were tidbits of life lessons in their own way – times that Chick has reflected on from his childhood and probably regretted in most cases. The main take away of the book for me was to take advantage of the time you have with your parents right now – make amends with whatever issues you have with them now while you still can because they won’t be with us forever! Also, that issue you have with them that you continue to harbor will most likely blow up in your face in the form of depression, alcoholism or some other type of negative behavior. This was the case for Chick – who defied his mother to gain his father’s approval and attention repeatedly throughout his child and adult life, and as a result missed out on one of the last moments he had to share with his mother before her death. In the end, Chick was defied by his own family and was left alone to alcoholism and attempts at suicide – not a lifestyle I think any of us desire!

It was a quick read, and if you’re a fan of Albom’s other books I’d still recommend it simply because how can you NOT read all of the books by one of your favorite author’s!

Stay tuned for my 2010 reading list! I'm so excited to put it together :)

MULTIPLE BLES8INGS – Surviving to Thriving with Twins and Sextuplets

2009-11-20T20:09:00.002-05:00

I purchased this book a year ago the day it first came out. I bought a copy for both me and my sister, since, at the time, we were both huge Jon & Kate fans. Actually, I was a Jon fan, my sister was a Kate fan. A year later I have finally read it. I'm quite glad I waited, given the outcome of their marriage.

What I liked:
Since I prefer to be positive when I can, I'll start with what I liked about the book. I liked how every chapter began with a Bible verse that foreshadowed what the upcoming chapter would be about. I also liked how the book intertwined religious aspects, constantly referencing Kate's gratitude to God for getting her through each trying time of her life. I also enjoyed hearing the story of Jon & Kate prior to their show on TLC. In short, they struggled to have kids, and underwent fertility treatments in order to get pregnant with the twins and later the sextuplets. At the beginning of the book, it was hard to imagine this was the same Kate who I watched on television so often. In the first few chapters, I felt she genuinely expressed her gratitude toward Jon for his patience during her tribulations at getting pregnant both times, as well as other sincere remarks regarding other events in her life up to that point. The book talked extensively about how many volunteers were required, for at least up to one year regularly, to help the Gosselin's get through each day. I found it remarkable that they were able to make it through some very trying times financially and how there were so many generous people donating their money, time, or supplies. I kept trying to put myself in their shoes, and I can only imagine how difficult it would have been accepting people's generosity. I would feel so guilty taking all those donations, but at the same time, it was so wonderful that people were reaching out. I think the Gosselin's truly needed those donations, and I'm not judging them at all for accepting them – I'm sure they had no choice! I was overwhelmed just reading their story about their financial and emotional struggles. One thing is very clear to me – Kate loves her children. The book was also well written. It had a nice flow, and I had a very easy time reading it and getting right back into it each time. It also took me just 5 days to read.

What I Didn't Like:
As I was getting ready to write this blog entry, I was examining the outside of the book and happened to notice that the book was categorized as: Religion/Christian Life/Family. I found this very ironic considering the recent events in their life. Kate talked extensively in the novel about how God gave her strength through this and that, and how Jon was her rock, but how much of that was real? Trying to look at it strictly from the book's point of view, and not the show, I did at first think I had it all wrong in the beginning of the novel. Kate, at first, seemed quite selfless. However, as the book went on, her true self began to shine – her demanding, abrasive, impatient, selfish self. I also wondered what part of the book Jon took part in, since it was written in Kate's voice and from her perspective throughout, yet his name was on the book as the author.

In the end, knowing what the outcome of this life of "thriving" with multiples was, I felt sad, mostly for the children, that this life quickly fizzled out. As I sat here writing this, a commercial came on TLC announcing the series finale of Jon & Kate Plus 8. Just watching that commercial also made me feel sad – sad for those kids, and sad for a marriage that seemed to dissolve so quickly and easily. If I would have read this book a year ago, hearing how strong Kate supposedly is in her faith in God, I would have never expected their marriage to end. If you had once been a fan of the show like me, I think you can continue to live your life just fine without having read this book. It doesn't change my thoughts or opinions about the situation this family is going through, it just makes me feel worse. I give this book 2.5 stars out of 5.

Next up – For One More Day by Mitch Albom.

Coal Run by Tawni O’Dell

2009-11-18T20:24:00.003-05:00

I'm always curious about how readers choose the books they read. That's one of the first questions I'll ask a fellow reader – "What made you want to read this?" So, how do you pick your next book? Do you judge a book by its cover, and pick up the cute/interesting/neat-looking novel? Do you ask around for recommendations, and make your selection based on the feedback you receive from your fellow readers? Or, do you search some of the well-known bestsellers lists online to make the choice for your next big read? Perhaps a combination of all these things? I did none of these methods when selecting Tawni O'Dell's Coal Run. In fact, my reason for choosing this book was simply because I had read O'Dell's first book, made famous by Oprah and her Book Club. That first book was called Back Roads. I chose to read that one because O'Dell is actually from my hometown in rural Pennsylvania. When she came out with Coal Run, I knew I had to get it.

I liked how Coal Run began with a look at main character Ivan's childhood in a small, rural western PA coal town. The first few pages were spent revealing a tragedy endured by this small town, when the local coal mine, Gertie, exploded killing many of the local miners. Among the victims was Ivan's father. (Not to worry, that bit of fact is not a spoiler by any means!) After the first few pages regarding his childhood, the story fast forwards to a week in the life of narrator Ivan. The rest of the story is spent revealing little secrets about Ivan's past, from his life as a famous Penn State football player, to his career-shattering injury, to his present day life as a former-local-hero-turned-alcoholic. I found bits and pieces of the story moving and also humorous. I liked Ivan's passion for Crystal, an acquaintance who was nearly beaten to death by her husband. I also enjoyed having a perspective of a male narrator – I don't believe I've read a book in the past with a male telling me the story! His perspective alone provided some humor. I really enjoyed the Penn State reference, being an alum myself! Also, what I like about O'Dell's writing is that it's very relatable for me – in the last two books she's written, they have taken place in western PA towns similar to the one I grew up in. Also, I'm a coal miner's daughter and I honestly had a hard time reading the detailed account at the beginning of book – in fact, it brought tears to my eyes at times.

What I didn't like about the storyline was the lack of drama. I had hoped for more elaboration on Ivan's well-kept secret. I had also wanted to hear more about what was going to happen to the Raynor family, the same family Crystal was married in to. There was no elaboration on his "relationship" with Chastity either. I felt like in the end, I was wanting more, but it was all over. I'm also not entirely sure I understood what the book was supposed to portray – perhaps the troubled life of a former all-star college athlete? I'm sure it was deeper than that and I just missed it.

Out of 5 stars, I would give this book 2.5!

Next up – drum roll…. – Multiple Blessings by Jon & Kate Gosselin!

The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl

2009-11-01T16:14:00.002-05:00

Well it's been awhile since I posted here. You can thank a month full of weddings and a move from one state to another for that! It took me WAY too long to get through this book, and not because it wasn't good either. In fact, I loved it! Thanks to my lengthy bus ride to work, I was finally able to finish it this week. Below is my review:

I stumbled across Shauna Reid's blog about 8 months ago. Shortly after I started following her blog, I noticed that she was coming out with her first book. Being the book lover that I am, and a big fan of her blog, I had to buy it. I actually ordered it from the UK, b/c it wasn't available in the US yet and I HAD to have it. As I've already mentioned, I LOVED this book! I honestly felt like Shauna wrote this book for me. The same weight loss struggles she'd had, I've had. I loved how candid she was about her weight loss journey. I was moved by her story of growing up while living in Australia, with constant critiques from her mother regarding her weight – something I can totally relate to! As she talked about her lifestyle as a 300+ lbs 20-something female, I could totally relate. While I've never been that heavy, I could fully understand her experiences with not wanting to do certain things because of how she looked. She even went so far as to make a list of things she'd do when she was skinny, which she ticks off throughout the novel. She talked about how one time her friends got all dressed up to go out, and how she had nothing to wear, and began to feel fat and gross, and so at the last minute she opted out – definitely something I've done on many occasions. At many points at the beginning of the memoir, I had tears stinging my eyes, simply because of the realization that there are other people out there who can relate to a 'fat-girl' way of life. Shauna spelled it out so well. This book was so inspiring and I would recommend it to anyone – from the skinny-minis to those who've struggled with weight loss as well. I think it's important to understand how debilitating a life of obesity can be – it's more than just the physical aspect of being overweight – it's all the emotional trials that go along with it.

Next up on the 2009 Book List is Tawni O'Dell's Coal Run. I will try very hard to have a post on here before I finish that book – life is slowly starting to normalize now that I've moved and am getting settled in to the new place! Take care everyone!

Doh! (said to the tune of Homer Simpson)

2009-10-06T20:32:00.001-04:00

I had just arrived inside the Metro station, quickly stealing a spot along the crowded platform, and reached into my bag only to discover I had forgotten my book in the office!!! AAAHHHH!!! Having no book to occupy myself for the commute sure does make for a long 40 min train ride home! There was actually a moment where I contemplated running back to the work place to grab the book…just for a split second. I have been so engrossed in this book since having started it on Monday, and honestly, if rush hour wasn't such a mad house in this city on a daily basis, I would have ran back for it! Anyone who's visited/lives in DC can attest to that I'm sure!

The book is The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl, and I'm having trouble putting it down (well, not enough trouble that I was able to forget it obviously!). I have a good excuse for it not being in my bag, however. Although this wasn't the case today, some days I am so raveled up in my book that even when my train arrives at my stop downtown, I will continue to read the book for the 4 blocks I have to walk to my office. I'm sure I look like a complete fool/nerd doing this! Who cares – a good book is worth this silliness! At any rate, my luck was working against me today. After I arrived at my desk, I began my morning routine which includes turning on my computer immediately upon arrival. It takes so long to boot up, so this morning I decided to finish the chapter I was reading. I rarely do this – usually I turn on my computer and start preparing my tea or putting my lunch in the fridge. Today I couldn't put the book down! Of course, who walks around the corner to my desk but one of top managers. Great. It was one of those moments where you'd almost look just as bad explaining "I swear I wasn't reading on the job", as opposed to just sitting there and acting as though you weren't doing anything wrong. In reality, I was 10 min early, and I was just waiting until my computer was ready to go. But still!

For once I'm actually looking forward to going to work tomorrow…but only to get my book!

Happy Reading!

I Now Have a Strong Desire to Knit

2009-10-03T19:38:00.005-04:00

I just finished reading The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs. I had high hopes for this book & I will come right out and say I was disappointed. However, it does make me want to take up knitting. hehe

Before I begin, I've glanced at other blogger's book reviews and noticed how a lot of them start off by giving a synopsis of the book, and then the blogger gives their thoughts. I tend to only read reviews about books AFTER I've read the book, so I'm going to skip the synopsis piece. Sorry for those who were hoping for the traditional book review! With that said, there will most likely be "spoilers" ahead.

So moving on… I expected this book to be more focused on the Knitting Club itself instead of the life of the shop owner, Georgia. I had envisioned a more "Sex in the City" plotline, where there would be a handful of main characters and each one would tell their own story, with all this great drama happening during Club hours (obviously I did no research of my own before reading it). While there were a handful of Knitting Club members, their lives were not the focus of the book. Sure, their lives were mentioned with some mini-drama: a grad student who cheated on her med-school hubby, a wanna-be lawyer, a wanna-be purse seller, and a wanna-be momma. I had simply hoped for more drama.

Still, I want to try to focus on the good of the book, despite my lack of excitement regarding the story. I enjoyed how after so many chapters there would be a page on knitting techniques. In the end I came to realize, at least to me, that these section dividers told a story more deeply than just knitting how-to's – they actually seemed to reveal life lessons camouflaged by the practice of knitting. I was also thrilled whenever Georgia was able to get back with her daughter's father, James. Really, who doesn't like to see the trials and tribulations of love result in a happily-ever-after? No? Well, I am actually a romantic at heart, so I do! However, this wasn't entirely a happily-ever-after type story. Obviously a woman is going to have some resistance with allowing a man back into her life who once exited so quickly and easily out of selfishness. Perhaps one reason for my lack of love toward Knitting was that I didn't actually love the main character. I just had a hard time getting in to her story and situation. I liked that she was from PA, and I liked her story with her ex-best friend-turned best friend, Cat. For those who've ever had some rocky friendships, and I'm sure you've had, don't you just wish they'd all end up like this? Still, Georgia seemed very uptight and stressed out, which is no surprise given her lifestyle as a sole-proprietor. She just didn't reel me in like I like to be reeled in by a main character! I felt like a 20lb bass swimming around in the Potomac just waiting to be caught, and the fisherman didn't use the bait I liked (that analogy is for Joel!). Now, I loved Anita, Georgia's mentor and pseudo-mom, and I loved James, the ex. I really had a little yearning in me when I would read their stories. I was pulling for James – I knew he deeply regretted leaving Georgia and was willing to do whatever it took to make it up to her. I was also pulling for Anita and Marty, the deli/building owner, to get together and have their own little happily-ever-after.

I must admit that I never anticipated a death in this story, not for one second. I figured after Georgia got cancer, it would somehow work itself into the ending of the story in a different way than the way it did! And while I actually liked the twist that the story took when Georgia died, only a few more pages later and the book was over! "Just when it was really gettin' good…!" So, would I recommend this book to others? Eh. BUT, I do plan to read the sequel, Knit Two, just because I always have to read sequels, and also because I'm not giving up hope for Kate! I'm holding out faith that her second novel will be much more worthwhile.

P.S. Did anyone make Dakota's muffins or Darwin's sweater (the recipe was in the back in case you didn't notice)? I definitely plan to make those muffins, and I'd like to try to knit soon (it was on my list of New Year's Resolutions), so I think I'll start with that one!

Next up is The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl! Happy reading!

2009 Fall into Reading Challenge

2009-09-27T13:50:00.008-04:00

Since I’m new to the blogging community, particularly the book blogging community, I’m trying to participate in as much as I can not only to help establish my blog, but also because I love reading – that is what I’m here for after all! With that said, this is my 2009 Fall into Reading book list:

1. The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl – Shauna Reid

Chosen b/c I am on my own weight loss journey right now, and I love her blog!

2. Coal Run – Tawni O’Dell

I loved her book, Back Roads, which took place in the town I grew up in!

3. Multiple Blessings – Jon & Kate Gosselin & Beth Carson

I used to be a fan of this show, although I am no longer since all that has transpired with the family. However, I did buy the book awhile back and would still like to read it.

4. For One More Day – Mitch Albom

The Five People You Meet In Heaven was my ALL time favorite book, and he has not disappointed me since!

For 2009 I had created my own challenge list, aiming to read 1 book per month (I’m a slow reader!). However, I managed to get through all 12 plus 4 more (thanks to the Twilight madness!), so I’m looking forward to this mini challenge to round out the 2009 year!

Happy Reading! :)

Black Friday...in September...on the National Mall?

2009-09-27T10:49:00.017-04:00

As we made our way down to the National Mall for the Book Festival, I couldn’t help but think about Black Friday, and all the madness associated with that ever popular day-after-Thanksgiving shopping spree. You’ll understand why soon!

As soon as we got onto the Mall, it was already so busy with people wandering around everywhere (hint #1!). (Sometimes I’m still so naïve and forget that I do live in the Nation’s Capital, and the significance, and crowds, that go along with it.) I just had no idea what kind of madness this festival would attract since this was my first time attending. Well, it attracted quite a large one to say the least!

My 2 friends, Katie & Jess, and I formed a game plan pretty quickly. Katie & I knew we wanted to see Paula Deen, and therefore we knew we had to buy one of her books. We headed over to the Borders book sales tent, and quickly found the table with her books for sale. Since this was my first time attending a book event like this, I didn’t know what the limitations were for the author to sign them. Would they personalize them? Was there a limit to how many they would sign? Fortunately, I had asked the Borders staff member milling around the tent. She informed me that while Paula Deen would sign any of the 3 books they offered for sale, she would only sign those books if you had purchased the Cookbook for the Lunch Box set. This was a book for kids! It put bit of a damper in my plan. Aside from personally wanting to meet Mrs. Deen & have her sign a cookbook for myself, I also wanted to get Joel’s brother a signed copy of The Deen Family Cookbook. (His brother is now in culinary school, inspired to take such a career path because of his love for the Southern Belle.) The Borders staffer didn’t know if Paula had a limit on the books she would sign, so I only bought those 2 books – 1 for Joel’s brother, and then the children’s one for my niece. No offense to Paula or any other diehard fans, but I already spent $50 on just those two purchases, I wasn’t chancing buying a third book that she wouldn’t sign.

After all that hoopla in the book tent, the three of us headed over to one of the tents where James Patterson (woo hoo!) was giving a talk on his children’s book series. While I have no interest in those, I do love Jimmy and his Cross series so it was worth it just to see him anyhow. Really, if Patterson knew my obsession with his fictional character Alex, he would totally want to hire me as his assistant. (Because I didn’t want to let my current employer down, I decided not to reveal this bit of info to Jimmy.)

Me & Jimmy

After Jimmy was done speaking, Katie really needed to get her cup-o-joe, so we started to head in the direction of Starbucks. This was also in the same direction where the author’s tents were for the book signings. Now, where does my reference to Black Friday come in? Paula Deen’s tent was set up next to John Grisham’s, so we wanted to check out the line status. Well, as you probably have guessed by now (since you’re smart and I tend to be naïve in most cases), Johnnie’s line was at least 200 people deep at this point, and he wasn’t due to be at his tent for at least another hour and a half! Ugh! It was only a little after 10 AM and Paula Deen wasn’t set to sign until 1 PM, and she already had a small line of about 20 people approximately 2.5 hours prior to her signing! CRAP! How was I going to see her give her speech, and then get a guaranteed spot in line for that southern-style John Hancock?!

John Grisham

There are always sacrifices that have to be made for events like this! Just like during Black Friday where you can’t be two places at once (or three….or six!), so you try to bring other team members on board to stand in lines for you at other stores while you’re at another store at 3:00 AM waiting to snag two $300 laptops (regularly priced at $800/ea) when they open at 8 AM. Well, alas, I certainly could not be at her tent to hear her speak, AND be in line to guarantee that I would get her signature, so I had to make that dreadful decision – I stood in line.

I mean, heck, my objective was to get a gift for Joel’s brother, and to get pictures of her and I (which didn’t happen FYI). The authors were only scheduled to sign for one hour, and Mr. Grisham was such a nice man that he extended his an extra hour and he STILL didn’t get through that line of people. The line just continued to grow and after 2 hours it was cut off. How sad for those folks who didn’t get to fulfill their dream of meeting the famous author! I was not about to let that happen with Paula, so I took one for the team and stood in line for 2.5 hrs to meet her. While I’m happy I got her signature, and I understood the rushed process in order to do so, I was still disappointed that I didn’t get my picture with her! Also, we all learned about 10 min prior to her signing that she would sign any book you brought – no need to have that Lunch Box book – which by the way, I learned it was pre-signed after about an hour of standing in line (a fellow “lineman” told me that while we awaited our 2 seconds of southern lovin’.).

In the end I did not get to see any other authors but the ones I mentioned above – I knew Jodi was counting on meeting me (I’ll try to see you in Bailey’s Crossroads next time, I promise!). I still had a good time though, but next year I am going to scrap the signatures and just hear the authors talk. I’d rather have that experience instead, rather than the rushed 2 second-cattle herd through a line. I would totally recommend the Book Festival also, which I learned was started by Laura Bush during her hubby’s presidency. Neat! It was a great experience to share in the love of books with so many people, and get the opportunity to see those people who help you go away to another place in time with their amazing books!

Book Festival 2009 - Here We Come!

2009-09-24T16:02:00.008-04:00

*Image Courtesy of Library of Congress

This Saturday is the Library of Congress's Book Festival. I am SO excited to go see this with my friend Katie. Some of my favorite authors have made their way to our Nation's Capital for this special event including Jodi Picoult, James Patterson (good ole 'Jimmy' in our book), and my childhood favorite, Judy Blume. Also making an appearance is "Just add 20 sticks of butter ya'll".... Paula Deen!!! I really cannot wait to get there Saturday morning, and I hope that I get the opportunity to see all of the authors on my must-see list. Paula Deen will have to be our first stop simply because I love her, her show, her food, and most of all - her accent! This will be my first Book Festival, but I hope it's so special that it can become an annual outing for Miss Katherine and I! Stay tuned for a good story and hopefully some awesome pictures of me and that southern belle!

Passionate About Having A Passion

2009-09-19T14:17:00.004-04:00

I love books. I love to look at books, hold books, smell books, and buy books. Why, then, did I choose a career path that involved nothing about books? I almost daily find myself wondering why I went into the field I did when one of my life's passions stares me right in the face each morning as I take the train into downtown. No regrets, however!

Either way, here I am in Blogger land - ready to spill the beans on books I've read, are currently reading, or just happy little book findings along the way. I'm not new to the blogging community - I've been reading blogs faithfully over the last year and a half. However, I am moderately new to having my own and sharing my thoughts.

My reason for creating this blog is because I always find myself wanting to converse with others about the book I'm currently reading. I used to be apart of a book club, but quit because I just had too many books of my own I wanted to read, and I couldn't keep up with their books and mine. Other than hopes of my blog generating conversation, I also just wanted a way to pay tribute to the book of choice at whatever point in time I am reading it. I often finish a book with mixed feelings - happy because I've finished and found out whatever was meant to be discovered, but guilt because I just throw it in my Sterlite storage container and move on to the next book without much thought. Of course, I'd like to sit and ponder what I had just read in that book, but a minute or two of thought, then tossing it away doesn't seem right to me. I'm not a fast reader by any means, but I'm also not the kind of reader who wants to read books in search of great themes or writing styles or all that goes along with reading classic literature. Granted, I enjoyed the teacher-guided classic lit books in high school/college, but now I personally just want a "mindless read" - something that will both entertain me, but not cause me to stress over getting through all the thick analogies and themes.

With all of that said, I look forward to documenting all things book-related!