The Leftovers

I can't believe summer is almost over with. I start my semester in 5 days and Connor starts school in 13 days. I can't believe I'm going to have a kindergartner in under 2 weeks! Where did the time go? We got all of his school supplies a couple of weeks ago now we just have to sharpen the pencils and we're good to go. I'm so hoping it'll go smoothly but I haven't a feeling this is going to be a huge adjustment for us.

So for this months book club, it was Jessica's turn to pick and so we read The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta. Overall we were all pretty torn on how we liked the book. A couple of people loved the book and a couple of people (myself included) seemed to not. I felt like there was way to many things left open that could have been addressed. Me & Sarah both felt it would have been more interesting if it would have focused more on the people who disappeared and how that happened. Either way it was a pretty decent book. It wouldn't be one of my first choices to recommend to someone but I wouldn't say not to read it, make sense?

Wild

What a weekend it was. Hope every one's weekend was better than my friend's. Can't believe it's Monday morning already, and of course it has to start out like crap. Connor was in a mood, I slept crappy, figures it's Monday, lol. Oh well, I guess the week can only get better!

So a few weeks ago I finished reading Wild by Cheryl Strayed. This is actually the first book I've read on my kindle! I "borrowed" a copy from the Library for 3 weeks but didn't end up needing it for that long. I enjoyed the book and her journey on the trail. The thing I feel it was missing was more details about after she got off the trail. The story is all about how she changed on the trail and it tells us eventually where she ends up but doesn't really specify how long it took her to get there. Was it something immediate? Otherwise it was a very interesting book and I'm glad I read it.

The Balanced Mom

So as of last night I only have one more class left for my Accounting 1 class! Woho! On Thursday I have my chapter 8 & 9 test and then the final. I'm feeling fairly confident that I will finish the class with an A. I think I would have to seriously screw up on one of those tests to not get an A, and honestly I don't see that happening. But only time will tell!

So recently I finished reading The Balanced Mom by Bria Simpson. The concept of the book is good and some of the ideas in the book are really good but for me it seemed the first half of the book repeated it self almost every chapter just with a few different words added or subtracted. Also a lot of her suggestions cost money, which really isn't an option for some people. I guess I didn't really know what to expect from the book but it did not meet my expectations. It was quick read so if you pick it up it wont be a complete waste of your time but I wouldn't actively seek to read this book.

One Breath Away

So the Festival is this weekend (St. Dennis Festival), should be a lot of fun! I think this is the first !year where Connor really remembers what it's all about, so he's super excited. I made some chocolate chip zucchini muffins for the sweet tooth booth and we're going to try and find some stuff for the treasure chest (but since we waited until the last minute, I'm not sure if we will have time). Also can't wait until Sunday to pay my $5 to get a whole bag of books!

So recently I finished reading One Breath Away by Heather Gudenkauf. This is the third book she's written, and I've read all of her books now. This particular one just came out at the end of June and as soon as I could I put myself on the waiting list at the library. I was excited to read her new book and I was not disappointed. Her writing always draws me in and I always finish her books very quickly. With having children, this book definitely brings to mind my worst nightmare of sending my children to school. Thankfully all turns well with very little injury to anyone in the story. I can honestly say, for once, I did not guess who the villain was and was surprised at the end of the story. If you've read her other books and enjoyed them, definitely pick up her newest one! Now is the wait until she writes another one! I'm sure I'll read that one right away too!

Beyond The Sling

Last night I got some cleaning done. If you know me & Scott we're not much into deep cleaning. Mostly we do enough to get by without looking like complete pigs all the time. However, I would really like to try and keep my house cleaner than its current level but it's difficult to do because of the kids, school, and work. Last night I spent around 1.5 hours cleaning. I cleaned out the fridge completely and I started on our bathroom. I literally took everything out of the bathroom (drawers, shelves, etc) and working on cleaning it and organizing and throwing stuff out. Couldn't finish it all last night but I should be able to tonight.

So about a week and a half ago I finished reading Beyond The Sling by Mayim Bialik. I've been meaning to read this book for awhile and had actually gotten it once before from the Library but at that time I just didn't have enough time to actually sit down and read it. I'm glad I finally got to read it. It reads very easily (read it in only a few days) and briefly touches on all aspects of Attachment Parenting. I follow some of the "rules" of attachment parenting but there are areas I do not. Even if you think attachment parenting is "crazy" I recommend you reading this book to get a good idea on what it's all about. It's really not all that "crazy" it's more about listening to yourself and trusting your instincts that you know how to parent your children. I'm really glad she has a reference section in the back of the book so I can get some more books on a couple of the subjects since within the length of the book she truly could not go into a huge amount of detail.

Fifty Shades - Series

Back from a day full of "camping" at the Moore's house. Had a lot of fun today, and after being so sick last night, I felt so much better! Also, my ear is doing a lot better too. I've only had to take Tylenol once today, where as the last couple of days I couldn't go more than about 5 hours without taking more, so that's a good sign!

So recently I finished reading the whole series of Fifty Shades by EL James. I read all 3 of the books in a little over a week, so I obviously enjoyed reading them. I really enjoyed the characters and I'm glad the entire book didn't 100% focus on the "adult scenes". From the way people were talking about it I thought it would be too over whelming and I wouldn't enjoy them, but I did. It's definitely not a type of book I would normally read but the characters kept my interest enough to finish out the entire series. Have any of you read the series? What did you think?

Her Last Death

Going camping this weekend. At least this will take my mind off of my test #3 that I took last night. I think I did well but I always question it until I see that score posted - which wont happen until Sunday night or Monday morning probably. I know that it wont be posted until then but that doesn't mean I still haven't checked several times today to see if it's been posted, lol.

On my birthday I finished reading Her Last Death by Susanna Sonnenberg. I enjoyed the story and thought it funny and outrageous at times but I really have a hard time believing that that stuff really happened to her growing up. It's just so ridiculous and horrible at times that it almost feels made up. As long as I pictured it as not-real I enjoyed the story and it was pretty quick read. Since then I've read several other books that I will post about, but currently I am finally reading "Beyond The Sling."

Water For Elephants

Lazy Sunday around here. Read a book, slept in late had a nap, great day in my mind. However, I didn't go to the grocery store, so we'll be scrapping by the next couple of days until I can get there on Tuesday or Wednesday. Oh well, it was worth it. Today was the only day in the month of July that I didn't have anything written on the calender!

So for this month's book club we decided to read Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen (we'll be meeting to discuss next Friday). It was a very quick read and I really enjoyed reading it. While reading it I could totally picture the movie, and I hope when I see it I wont be disappointed by it. The only part of the book that I did not like was the part with Walter & Camel. I really wish that would have turned out a little differently. Scott actually was "reading" (he gets the CD's and listens to it on the way to and from work - he's not much of a reader) it at the same time, so it was kind of fun to discuss and give eachother little hints about what was going to happen next.

The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest

So yesterday John & Don came over to the house to do a majority of the trim work for our flooring. We wanted to finish that up before the appraiser comes to the house on Friday (we're re-financing). They did get most of it completed, just a few little pieces here and there that need to get completed. So glad we got that taken care of, we really appreciate all their hard work!

So recently I finished the third and final book in the series, "The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest" by Stieg Larsson. Wow. What a series! I really enjoyed reading the entire series and liked how he finished everything. Like the other two books there is a lot of background information, which some of it I lost track of and couldn't keep straight, but overall the stories flowed very smoothly and kept my interest. I really can't wait until they come out with the other movies, it'll be interesting to see how closely they follow the storyline.

The Story For Little Ones

So after checking a bazillion times on Friday and Saturday my instructor finally posted my grade for the test at 12:33 a.m. this morning. And, guess what? 104%!! LOL! Didn't even realize you could get over a 100%. The only thing I can think of is he curved it slightly and added extra points onto everyone scores? Not sure, wont know until tomorrow night, but I'm happy!

So recently we finished reading "The Story For Little Ones". I'm so happy we stumbled upon this when visiting Crosspointe Community Church in Michigan. The chapters are perfect size to read to the kids, and actually we would read it twice, just to make sure Connor heard most of it, and then we'd ask him what happened in the chapter. We're not a very religious family, and only attend church once in a great while, but I do what my children to have some sort of basic knowledge in religion and when they're older they can choose for themselves.

These Things Hidden

So, if you currently live in the state of Wisconsin, did you go out and vote? Today was an important vote and actually the only time I've voted besides the presidential elections (2 of those now). I keep checking on CNN at the updated results and it's looking to be in favor of Walker. I guess we wont know for sure until tomorrow though, so I'll keep checking in hopes that it changes.

So for this past book club we had to read These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf. This is her second book that she's released (her first one we also read for book club almost 2 years ago, and her 3rd book will be released later this month). I really enjoy her style of writing. From the get go she sucks you into the story and only reveals bits and pieces along the way, making you want to keep reading. I enjoy her writing so much that I've written in my planner the day the next book comes out so I can request it from the library.

The Girl Who Played With Fire

The weekend is just about over. I'm actually the only one awake right now, everyone else is passed out in my room. It's so funny. I spent so much time planning and decorating super cute rooms for both kids but yet almost every night (and for Savannah that is 100% every night) they both sleep in our room. I know some people think kids need to sleep in their rooms, but want to know what? Kids grow up to fast. If they want to sleep in our room I'll let them.

So recently I finished reading book 2 of Stieg Larsson's series - The Girl Who Played With Fire. These books are pretty large and I'm always a little intimidated by them at first, but I end up reading them fairly quickly. Although, like the first one there is some of the back story that I find a little boring and not always 100% necessary I enjoy the book overall. This second book leaves you hanging and leads you right into the third book (which I've started now). Can't wait to finish the series! No idea what I expect for the ending!

Bedtime Favorites

Saturday morning - typical day so far. We've been to karate and the library and I've got my grocery list ready to go and I'm about to head out the door. The rest of the day will be spent reading a book and getting Connor's B-Day invites printed and ready to hand out to family & his friends at school.

A couple weeks ago we finished reading Disney's Bedtime Favorites. The Moore's gave the book to the kids (I believe for Valentines Day). This book is perfect for night time. It has all your favorites in it with new stories that are the perfect length for young children. We would read one of the stories every couple of nights so it lasted a few months for us. Now we have to figure out the next book we're going to read (alternating with Connor's "The Story").

Crucial Conversations

As I dropped Connor off today at school is teacher said something about only 10 days left in the school year....... what? OMG! My baby is almost done with his "first" year of school. They're actually having a little graduation ceremony, which I still think is silly, but I know it'll be super cute and I will probably cry, lol.

So for my Business Communications class we had to read two different books. Crucial Conversations by Patterson, Grenny, McMillan and Switzler is the book we had to read the second half of the semester. I know I learn a lot from textbooks but sometimes it doesn't seem clear where I will use this information. This book however is completely opposite. Not only is this going to be the first book that I keep from school it is a book that I recommend to anyone. It teaches you the tools to have conversations more effectively and to help other people share their knowledge as well. If you are a businessman, a teacher, mom, anyone really could benefit from this book. I believe I got it off of amazon for really cheap so I recommend checking it out.

Arcadia

Monday already? Where did the weekend go? We didn't have a horribly busy weekend, I went to Scott's cousins' bridal shower yesterday and Connor & Scott went to see the Avengers but other than that it was a pretty lazy weekend. Anyone do anything fun?

So a few weeks ago we held our book club at Aunt Missy's house. The book this time was Arcadia by Lauren Groff. I actually hadn't finished the book in time for book club (the wait list at the library was super long and I only receive the book the Monday before book club). However, since then I have finished the book. The book was interesting and kept me guessing. There were parts of the book that seemed not to be resolved that I wish were. I think the hardest part of the book to understand was the first section. The sections are written in the perspective of the main character at different times of his life and the first section was when he was five. It was hard to understand what exactly was going on but some of the things were answered later on in the book. After you get past the first section of the book its fairly easy reading. I didn't love the book but it was interesting enough that I would recommend it.

The Hunger Games Trilogy

Woho, Vacation Baby! I am officially off of work until April 9th! Other than maternity leave I haven't had a solid week off of work since my honeymoon! Super excited! But before we start the fun part of the vacation there is lots of stuff to do. We have to finish packing, Scott & I both have homework we need to do, Connor has Karate and a birthday party tomorrow and we also have Easter pictures, busy busy.

So we finally started up book club again! I received an e-mail a few weeks ago from Jeni and we all decided to start up again and meet tonight. They really wanted to read The Hunger Games and although I had heard of it and knew a movie was coming out I really didn't know what the hype was all about. They had mentioned possibly talking about all three books but I realistically didn't think I could read all 3 in that short of amount of time. WOW was I wrong! I started the first book last week Tuesday afternoon and finished the 3rd book this past Sunday night. Sarah was nice enough to lend me her kindle so I didn't have to buy the books (the waiting list at the library is ridiculously long!). OMG I loved them! I have to say the first is by far the best but I still enjoyed the 2nd and 3rd a lot. The detail in the first book was just so amazing that you really could picture a movie being created out of it. I really can't wait to see the movie now. Jessica and I are waiting until it gets to the $5 Tuesday/Wednesday night to go see it! Did anyone else read all 3 of the books? If so, did you read it in a ridiculously short amount of time like I did? I recommend everyone to read this book I can see how a vast range of people would love it. They did make it a book on CD so I have Scott's name on the list so he can "Read" it too, but it may take a few months for him to get it the list is pretty long! Hopefully he'll get it by the time it goes into Redbox so we can rent it! (Cause I know I'm going to want to watch it more than once)

Raising Your Spirited Child

So it's Friday already! Only 9 more days until we leave for Disney, yay! But the time is going to fly by - lots of stuff to do in the upcoming week - we really need to start packing now! Any advice on traveling on a plane with 2 children? Any help would be appreciated!

So this past week I finished reading Raising Your Spirited Child by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has a child that can be "difficult". The best part of the books for me was realizing everyone has a different temperament and the way they naturally react to situations can be different than yours. This really helps you put yourself in someone elses shoes and realize sometimes they aren't reacting in a way to try and tick you off, it's just their natural response. The book was also great in making you realize how important positive words are when describing your child. Instead of difficult you can use determined or some other word that sounds better. The book also helped me realize why I react to certain things in some ways and helped me realize steps I can take for me and Connor to make life easier. Now onto the next books - The Hunger Games Series.

The Mommy Chronicles

Just finished working out. I've finished Day 24 of the 30 Day Shred, and I've also worked out 6 other times, so avering more than every other day. Still not seeing much for results, which is pretty depressing. I've lost about 3 pounds but I feel like it should be more than that with how much I'm working out..... I still have about 10 more to go. Come on pounds, get off me! I'm going to Florida in 39 days and really don't want to be fat in my swimsuit!

So last week I finished reading The Mommy Chronicles by Sara Ellingston and Stephanie Triplett. The pregnancy part of the book was pretty comicle to me as I could relate to that but for the births and afterwards I didn't enjoy it as much. Don't get me wrong, overall I enjoyed it and it was pretty funny but there were just little comments here and there that made me want to slap these women. They were pretty hard to relate to and I think that's why some of it rubbed me the wrong way, we're just completely different people with different parenting styles. I honestly think I would have enjoyed it more if I would have read it after giving birth to Connor than now because I was less educated in certain things then.

The Vaccine Book

I'm so tired. Ate way to much food today........... really don't want to exercise tonight, but I really need to since I haven't done it since my class last Thursday night. 47 Days Until Florida, ideally I would LOVE to lose 10 pounds but I'm thinking 5 is a bit more realistic, so we'll go with that.

So I recently finished reading The Vaccine Book by Robert W. Sears M.D., FAAP. I had never thought about questioning the vaccine schedule of my children until I read Creating Healthy Children. I really wish I would have questioned things a lot sooner and read this before Connor was born, but unfortunately I didn't. This book was recommended by a friend, who said it was the most "down the middle, straight facts" of all the vaccine books she's seen. I'm glad I now have the information I need to make an informed decision that will work for my family and me and what I feel is best for them. I do feel vaccines are important, but not all of them, and not necessarily in the time frame and amounts they are given. I urge any new parent or going to be parent to read this. You may still decide to go with what your Dr. recommends but I fully believe you can't make an informed decision until you have all the information. This is a book I picked up at the Library and will either purchase it for reference or check it out a few more times. It's a lot of information to absorb at once and it'll be nice to go back and review. Now I'm going to read a book that Chrissy lent me (I'll actually probably finish it tonight!)

The Best Of Me

So Connor has off school today, and of course he didn't let me sleep in at all! I don't know why I thought I would get to sleep in, he never lets me! Also, anyone know a good plumber? Or sink is still not working it seems so I think we'll have to call in a professional. Hopefully it wont cost to much!

So Thursday night after my workout class with Chrissy & Cat I stayed up and finished reading The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks. I love Nicholas Sparks and this book was no different. I somewhat predicted the ending of the book but I still enjoyed reading how it happens. I really should take my time reading Nicholas Spark's book's because he only does one a year so now I have to wait until the end of this year/beginning of next year for the next one he just started writing. Can't wait!