Playground review: Campus Hill Park

This morning's adventure was to Campus Hill Park in Durham.  The drive time was not much.  I didn't have any idea what to expect since I could not find any pictures on the internet of the playground equipment.  I knew there were other facilities there like a baseball field and an indoor pool.  There is a map in front of the rec center that shows you were everything is but the scale is deceiving.  On the map the park looks huge but in reality it is compact.  We parked in the side parking lot where we could see the playground from.  The playground is very nice looking and clean.  There is not any shade except under the picnic areas.  There are no swings.  There are no slides.  The equipment was not fun really at all.  We lasted 30minutes and that is counting snack eating time.  Finn touched everything and tried everything once but nothing kept his attention for long.  The two things he played with for an extended amount of time (like a couple minutes) were the "magic eight ball" spinney thing and the riding dinosaur.  I am giving this playground a HUGE thumbs down because none of the equipment was fun.

 

Book Review: City of Lost Souls: The Mortal Instruments series book 5

City of Lost Souls
The Mortal Instruments series
book 5
by Cassandra Clare

I have to say that I love this series.  I have enjoyed every book of The Mortal Instruments.  I love the world that Cassandra Clare has created.  But has much as I enjoy this series I like the Infernal Devices one even more.  I can't wait till Clockwork Princess comes out next year!  Now that Clare has two different series that revolve around the same world it is fun to find hints of the other in a book.  I won't reveal anything hidden in City of Lost Souls but you will find an OMG realization in this book.  Well, I can't confirm that what I think is true but I hope it is.  There are also a few small things that I think she through in there for fun.  You can find lots of extras here.  I haven't read it all but the few I have are excellent and I want to take the time to read all of them.

The book picks up 2 weeks after the end of the fourth one (City of Fallen Angels.  Which I wish I had re-read before reading this one.  I could remember the overall plot and some of the little things that happened but some of the other stuff I had forgotten and just wish I had it all fresh in my mind.  I enjoy re-reding books and usually re-read books from a series when a new one comes out.  I made the mistake of not doing that this time.  At some point I will re-read Fallen Angels and then re-read Lost Souls again) where Sebastian is being risen up from the dead.  He takes Jace and now they are knit together and if you hurt one you hurt the other.  The bulk of the book is dedicated to Clary, Simon, Izzy and Alec trying to avoid the rules and fix things on there own (adults never listen and never do anything right).  The climax doesn't happen till about 400 pages in but when it does it doesn't slow down till the epilogue which is long (thank goodness) because if she had ended the book on the final note of the last actual chapter I would have torn out my heart and squashed it all over the book.  Trust me though, there is plenty of great turns through the book that keep you wanting to read.  This book has a lot of Alec and Magnus interactions.  I love the character Magnus.  His personality, his abilities and his appearance are so unique and fun.  I like that she concentrated on developing some of the other characters in this book rather then just focusing on Jace and Clary (but there is still a lot of that).  She did an excellent job at showing how subtle the change in Jace and not-Jace is.  At first I didn't pick up on it but after hearing Jace speak I could see how not-Jace was slightly restrained or forcing on trying to be Jace but wasn't.  I know that Sebastian is the bad guy and we aren't supposed to like him but I can't help but like him.  He wants to have Clary love him so much but his sadistic way in trying to make it happen is kind of gross.  But the bad guy thing is totally hot.

So I give this book 5 stars and the series as a whole is 5 stars as well.  I suggest this book to anyone that enjoys young adult fiction and/or supernatural literature.

Playground Review: Burton Park

We visited Burton Park last week and we thought it was great!  The park is located at 

1100 Sima Ave. Durham 27701

It is positioned across the street from an apartment complex.  

You have to park your car on the side of the road because there is no parking lot available for the park.

You can't miss the park.  It is not hidden at all, it is right off the side of the road.

There was a nice shaded area to sit and a picnic area to eat lunches.

The back end and sides are fenced so you don't have to worry about a child roaming that direction but it is open to road in the front, but there is a lot of grassy area to run through before the road.

It was a little drive from our house, maybe not something we would go to regularly or without making plans to meet up there with a friend but the kids liked playing there and we all enjoyed it.

Book Review: Soulless: The Manga, Vol 1 (The Parasol Protectorate Manga)

Soulless: The Manga, Vol. 1 by Gail Carriger

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


this was my first comic book/graphic novel/manga of any kind.  i loved it! i want to read more.  i can't wait to get my hands on the rest of the parasol protectorate manga when it comes out.  i can't wait to explore the graphic novel section of the library and see what else they have to offer.  i'm also hoping that goodreads will direct me to some great manga as well. 

I thought the manga version did a good job and telling the story of soulless but it was really shortened.  i still enjoy the book better just because you get so much more information but i loved the illustrations and thought they did a pretty good job interpreting characters looks (in their own anime way).



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Wicked. the boardway musical

My mom and I went to see Wicked for my birthday a week ago.  It was the best thing ever!  I enjoyed it so so much!  I want to see it again so bad!

I really didn't have any idea what to expect.  I have never been to any show of this magnitude in a theater this size. I knew the play was about how the evil witch in Wizard of Oz becomes evil and I have heard the Defining Gravity song before and my mother-in-law told me the book was terrible and strange.  But I did know that the last time it came to town and almost everyone I knew went and loved it beyond reason that it must be good and I must experience it as well.  

When my mother and I were picking out our tickets I was not going to pay over $60 for a ticket, that just seemed insane to me.  We found some that were only $34 a ticket, were way way up at the very top balcony but on the front row of the section.  I thought this would be great because then we wouldn't have anyone sitting in front of us.  That was the best choice.  I think our seats were great!

Here is a picture from my seat.  You can see the gray rail in front of me and looking down at the stage. This is before the play started.  They had a large map displayed with the Emerald City lite up in green.  There was a huge dragon hovering over the stage the whole time and you knew it would come to life at some point (which I still don't understand what that had to do with the story but it looked cool).

 We got there early so we had to wait downstairs at the DPAC (Durham Performing Arts Center) before being let upstairs to find out seats.  It was raining this day so there were lots of people coming in with their shirts soaked.  There were so many differently dressed people.  Some girls were totally decked out in their dresses and heels while others were in jeans and tennis shoes.  I saw one couple in emerald.  (I have ideas for a fabulous emerald hat to wear next time, whenever that is.)  After this wait they let us upstairs but not to our seats yet.  We scanned the "souvenir" OzDust Boutique and passed it up because the prices were astronomical (But I really wanted this shirt!) My mom bought me an icecream.  Well actually it was a gelato in a little cute cup with a tiny delicate spoon.  I wanted something substantial I could lick on a cone but I guess that isn't fancy enough of the theater.  Now they finally let us to our seats.  We have to take the stairs all the way up.  and then even up again but once we sat down there was nothing we couldn't see!  You can find on the seating chart below that we were in section 8 row K seats 313 & 314.

Once seated we were ready for the show to begin!  I had been listening to the music on my ipod all week so I was ready, but I always put it on shuffle so I really wasn't sure of the order the songs would be sang in and even though I heard the lyrics I still wasn't sure of exactly what happens.  I loved the performances of the songs.  The dancers were amazing.  I was jealous of the costumes (or clothes that they got to wear rather).  The story was interesting.  I feel I missed some parts though, either I didn't pick up on them or there were unanswered questions that I might find by reading the book (which I plan on doing before the year is over).  It was a rush to leave the theater and as we walked to the parking deck I was disappointed that I did not get any pictures of 1. my mother and I out on the town for my birthday and 2. with the Wicked poster.  The line to take the stairs and elevator up the parking deck was crowed and LONG.  We saw on the other side another set of stairs so we walked over there and when we did we saw a huge truck with the side painted for Wicked.  Jack Pot!!!  I pulled my mother over and told her we were going to get a picture with it.  I pulled a lady aside (that happened to be the lady in charge of wigs for the show.  cool!!) and she took some pictures for us.  They didn't turn out well (they aren't in the best of focus.  I bet she didn't push the button down half way to focus then push it all the way down to take the picture.  aren't all cameras like that now? so why don't all people do this when they take pictures for other people on their cameras?)  But I am excited that we got some pictures.  I wanted to have us pose like the witches as well (I had plans to do some awesome photoshoping, put our faces on the witches or to make us look like the witches, but i don't think that is going to happen now due to the poor image quality and my lack in knowledge of how to actually use photoshop). 

It was a great birthday gift. 
It was nice to go with my mom. 
And I can't wait to see it again!

SURPRISE!! my 30th birthday party

The date was Friday April 27th.
The plan was to eat dinner with our friends the Gertsch's.
Our destination The Carolina Coffee Shop on Franklin Street
Time 7:30pm
This is the story of how it all went down.

Since we were driving by their house to get to Franklin Street and we have free parking at Shad's office right off Rosemary I told Doreen we would pick them up.  She said her sitter should be at her house at 7:30.  We got there a little early so she invited us in because her sitter was not there yet.  She opens the door and I see friends hiding behind the couch jump up at say "Surprise!"  I step into the door way and get pelted with confetti from both sides.  I was surprised.  I was not expecting this at all.  Immediately the 7lb 3 layer dark chocolate Costco cake was lit with 30 candles and everyone sang Happy Birthday.  I managed to blow out all the candles in one breath.  After this people started coming up and chatting.  I am not one to feel embarrassed but during the first 30 minutes or so I felt very awkward.  Everyone was there for me and everyone's attention was on me.  I didn't know how to stand or what to say.  I was also hungry.  I was expecting to go to dinner but everyone else knew we weren't so they ate (even Shad, sneaky bastard!).

My friend Doreen is the one opening the door.  This was her house and she was the mastermind behind the whole thing (along with Shad).  Molly is my very good friend ready to strike with confetti on the left.

Then confetti stuck great to my hair!  It was a fun and special touch. I love Shad in this picture! so cute.

30 candles for my 30th birthday.  love my chin rolls.  LOL :)

 A lot of smoke is produced when you blow out 30 candles.  We all started wafting it away so the apartment's sensitive smoke detectors wouldn't go off.

I spent the evening chatting with my friends that were able to come and eating cake and cupcakes.  Matt put on some of his mix CDs from "back in the day" and we rocked out so some hip hop that everyone remembers from high school (or at least when I was in high school).  Soon everyone had to scatter off to get their kids in bed so we stayed and chatted with the Gertsch's.  It was a great night!  I'm very thankful to my friends for loving me and wanting to celebrate my birthday.  I'm thankful for Doreen and Shad for having the idea to do this for me and following through with it.  It was a great birthday!


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In more birthday news......

My mom and her boyfriend, Craig, came to visit on Sunday and they hung up the headboard from our bed they made us.  Our bedroom is starting to come together now.

Monday was my actual birthday so we ate left over cake with the kids and opened my gift, Just Dance 2 for the wii.  I love these games!  Finn was excited too "dance dance" he kept saying.  When we tried it out he even danced.  He sure knows what to do by watching us. 

I found out later that Shad's plan for my gift was to buy Wicked tickets for us.  BUT I had already gotten some.  I have known for months that Wicked was coming to the DPAC in May.  I missed it last year and hated that so I was not going to miss it this year.  I checked out ticket prices.  Asked Shad if he wanted to go.  He gave me a disgusted look and said "Not for $40 a ticket.  Why do you?"  "UM YES!!"  (and to myself I'm thinking tickets are more like $60 a piece but I'm not going to say anything.)  I later sometime asked Molly if she would like to go see it with me and she said she couldn't.  A week or so after that I'm talking with my mom and she asks me what I want for my birthday and I said "funny you should ask.  I want tickets to Wicked.  Shad doesn't want to go and Molly can't.  Do you want to go?  I'm going to go regardless, by myself if I have too, but it would be nice to have someone to go with."  She thought about it.  Looked at tickets and we eventually found some we liked.  They were cheap and our seats are way at the top but I am so excited!!  Anyways, so after my birthday I found out that Shad was going to buy us tickets as a surprise but then I went ahead and bought them.  Well, in my defense he shouldn't had made it sound like torture to go see Wicked (i have to admit that I felt a little hurt that he didn't want to do something with me that i wanted to do even though he didn't want to after that first conversation).  If he had said "maybe" instead of "no" then I wouldn't have had to ask Molly to go and then my mom to go with me because I would have thought that he would want to go.  but then I would have asked him repeatedly about when can we go and when can I buy tickets.  O well.  that was nice that he wanted to surprise me.  sorry i ruined it. 

Movie Review: The Incredible Hulk

Shad and I watched Hulk tonight.  We are gearing up for The Avengers movie that should be out soon.  I have never seen a Hulk movie or show before even though I have been aware that they exist and what the loose plot line is.  (you know hulk mad cue big and green) I definitely think the Hulk is the sillier of the super heroes but they all have a silly quality to them.  The movie was enjoyable.  I thought the action was pretty intense and there was a lot. I thought the CGI hulk looked really good, not fake.  I couldn't complain about watching a movie with Edward Norton in it either.  I have always had a soft spot for him since falling in love with Fight Club.  I can't really pinpoint what it is about him I like.  He has a sweet but scratchy voice and a bad ass quality behind his lean exterior.  The only thing I can really complain about this movie is something that they put in most action movies and that is the love story part.  It never plays that large of a part but it is always there.  The hero is in love with a girl he feels like he can't have.  Said girl loves the hero too and can't understand why they can't be together.  They end up together briefly and hell breaks loose and hero must save girl.  There is some romantic rain scene and kissing at some point with a few close shots of them getting naked before falling into bed together.  Cut to the next day when all hell breaks loose.  I guess I always get a tiny bit uncomfortable and roll my eyes when this stuff happens.  Maybe I'm not a sap.  I know I'm not the most affectionate person.  I do enjoy a good romantic comedy (even the super cheesy ones and that Shad and most men refuse to watch) but in those movies kissing and sap is expected.  In action movies they kind of hit me off guard for some reason.  Is it there for the chicks?  Is it there to give the hero a reason and purpose to fight evil?  Is it there to make the hero appear more realistic because he can love just like everyone else?  All of the above?  Shad says The Avengers movie plot line for Hulk picks up where this movie left off, so if you want to but fully up to speed for The Avengers then rent the Hulk (make sure it is The Incredible Hulk from 2008).

 

book review: Heartless an Alexia Tarabotti Novel (The Parasol Portectorate #4) by Gail Carriger

Heartless by Gail Carriger

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


this book read alot faster then the others.  i don't think it had less pages...it didn't feel like it had any lag time and about 3/4 of the way through there is a huge "WHAT?!!" happen.  i love it when books through something at you that you never say coming in a million years.  most of the time you read and book and you really like it but when something happens you are like okay i saw that coming or okay i can see why that happened that way but when something happens that you never thought could even be becomes it is so cool.  this book as that.  i of course won't tell you what it is but if you read the books from the first one and then get to the part i'm talking about you will be like "WHAT?!!"  but the story line has several turns in it that i didn't really see coming and as they were happening i was thinking to myself "how are they going to get out of this one?" or "how are they going to fix that?"  i like how everything went and i look forward to seeing what takes place in the next one.  my favorite line in the book describes my 2 year old son perfectly



"Madame Lefoux's son was a cheerful towheaded creature with an unfortunate nose for mischief.  There was no malice to his actions, but his mere presence resulted in a kind of microcosmic chaos that kept his mother on edge whenever he was in residence."



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Movie Review: Wild Target

I wanted to watch a comedy tonight.  Shad chose this one off our Netflix watch instantly cue.  He said that one of our friends suggested it.  I couldn't remember that but I said it looked okay.  Well we watched it and it was so funny!  I love Bill Nighy.  He is British so of course he has an accent but his inflections when he speaks are distinct and unique.  One thing I noticed about him though in this movie is he always held his little finger and ring finger on both hands tucked to his palm and the 3 other fingers were the ones he used all the time.  Was this a character thing or does he have something wrong with his hands?  Emily Blunt is super cute!  Did you know she is married to the guy who plays Jim on the American version of The Office?  i didn't, shad told me that.  In the movie I love her clothes!! She dresses how I would like to dress.  bright tights.  poofy skirts. big necklaces.  she wears outrageous heels, which i do not want to wear, i mean i would if it was comfortable and practical but it isn't.  Then the wonderful surprise of Rupert Grint popped up.  OMG he is so cute!  hahaha  I enjoyed seeing him play someone other then Ron Weasley.  and in this movie he is rather comfortable taking baths and not wearing clothes.  don't mind that at all.

the premise of the movie is that Vicker Maynard (Nighy) is a world renounced assassin that has been hired to kill Rose (Blunt) but of course he can't because he becomes smitten with her.  Throw in Tony (Grint) who pops up and becomes Maynard's apprentice.  Of course they don't know Maynard is an assassin that was sent to kill Rose.  do they find out?  What happens to Maynard because he didn't follow through with the kill he was hired to do?  How crazy is his mother??  What did happen to the cat?

I would strongly recommend this movie if you have an evening to kill and you want to laugh.  For those that care I can't remember any bad language but there is some sexual noises at one point and of course lots of bare chested Grint.

My Excuses

It has been a long time again since I have written anything.  Why is that?  Well the answer is I have been spending pretty much all my free time reading.  I picked up a couple of books from the library and felt under pressure to finish them without having to renew them.  I also frantically read Hunger Games again so that I could have the story nice and fresh in my mind to see the movie.  Which I have seen and thought was great!  I have watched several movies recently and kept thinking that I would spend a day writing reviews for all of them.  I might still do that.  I guess I'm still not in the habit of writing on the blog everyday or at least regularly.  But there are lots of things I'm trying to figure out.  For weeks I was feeling really super tired.  I would go to bed and wake up in the morning feeling just as tired.  I couldn't figure it out.  I changed my diet for a few days doing a clean/detox diet where I eliminated foods like dairy and wheat to see if those were affecting me.  I also went to bed at 10:30 sharp.  I wasn't feeling that much different.  I then started forcing myself to get up at 6:30 and go running.  WOW that did it!  That is what my body, mind, and spirit was missing.  I have found that no matter what time I go to bed at night if I don't get up to run my whole day is just off.  Running in the mornings get me up and my blood flowing and endorphins shooting through my brain and since I chose to get up on my own terms I don't hate my children for waking me up.  I am now dressed so I feel better about getting my kids ready for school.  I am also now sweaty and stinky so I have to shower which makes me get gorgeous for the day ahead.  Now I am on a role and just keeping moving from there.  I have chosen not to get up a for a few days and on those days I am a slacker.  I snap at my kids.  I sit around the house.  I stay in my pajamas all day.  I end up eating out for lunch instead of eating well like i want too because I'm trying to lose that last little bit of weight that just won't come off.  So I have learned that no morning run + fast food = a cranky tired katie.  (check out my 2012 book list to see what i've been busy reading the past month or so)

Movie Review: 3:10 to Yuma

We have had this movie sitting in our home for weeks.  When Shad got it from Netflix and said it was a western with Christian Bale.  That made me interested but not enough to say Alright lets watch it now.  Then I forgot about it.  I'm busy most nights, if busy is reading, crafting, watching Biggest Loser or going out to do something else, so it wasn't brought up much to watch it.  Then came one night last week.  I said I was going to read all night because I wanted to finish this book and suggested he go ahead and watch his movie because I know we have had it a long time.  But then when he came down to actually put it in I decided to stay and watch too with the clause of I can always go upstairs if I don't like it.


Let me just tell you that this is a great movie.  Christian Bale isn't his tough unstoppable strong masculine hot batman "self" he is rugged and dirty, down on his luck and looked down on by his town and son, but he is unstoppable.  He volunteers to take a super bad ass outlaw (Russell Crow) to catch the 3:10 train our to Yuma city where the jail is.  They have to get Crow there with his band of merry men after them and through Indian country.  Everyone has a gun and is not afraid to use it or get shot with it.  You know that Crow is bad but you can't help but love him.  

**************SPOILER********************

Now I have to share how I wish the movie had ended.  Now if you read this that means that the actual ending will be ruined for you.  So do not read on if you do not want to know the ending of this movie.  Come back and read it after you have watched the movie.


Evans and Wade run to the train and pull the door open and Wade jumps in and gets behind the bars of the train's jail cell.  Evans is seeing him off when Wade's right hand man, Butterfield, comes up behind Evans and shoots him.  It gets him in the shoulder and he slumps over.  Wade jumps out of the train angry and tells Butterfield to stop.  Butterfield is still aiming his gun at Evans as he tries to stand.  Wade tells him that Evans isn't worth being shot and to hand his gun over.  Butterfield hesitates but listens.  Wade admires his favorite gun with the gold cross on the handle then holds it up and shoots Butterfield in the chest followed by the rest of this posse that are gathering around them.  Will runs up to help his dad up and Wade makes eye contact with Evans, nods his head then gets back on the train and behind his cell.  As the train pulls out you hear Wade whistle and his horse comes a running after the train.  

THIS ending leaves you to believe that Evans lives.  Which I think is better because I'm so sad that he has to die after all the hard work he did in getting Wade to the train in extremely difficult circumstances.  He finally has made enough money to help his family and prove to them that he isn't worth anything.  Wade goes off to jail and then later escapes only to then return to help Evans and his family on their farm and chooses to give up his outlaw ways because he has found such a great friend in Evans.  The way it actually ends makes me think that after Wade escapes from jail (which he undoubtedly will because he already has twice) that he sends money to Will and the Evans' family to help them pay for things they need.  It is just so hard in movies (and books) when a character you love and have grown attached to dies. 

a week without coke

It has been a week and 2 days since I've had a coke or any other soda.  Things have gone okay.  There have been times when I have really wanted one because I'm tired or stressed but I've made it through.  I have been more cranky and I have felt more tired in the afternoons.  I am so used to having a coke with lunch that I don't have that pick me up for the early afternoon.  It is also hard to break the habit of stopping by the gas station on my way picking up Brody from school and get a coke from the fountain.  This gives me a little AHHHH moment and cleans away some of the stress of the day and gives me a boost to get through the rest of it.  I can also tell that my body is trying to make up for the lack of sugar it has been getting from the cokes and I am craving sweets more.  So many times when I have wanted a coke I have grabbed a cookie instead or a reeses cup.  But I'm finding that there are other choices when you go places to eat out like lemonade (chickfila's is really good!) or a fruit punch drink.  When we had game night I bought a special Cherry Limeade drink so I would still have something fun to drink but not go for the sodas.  I did really well. 

I NEED A COKE!!!

I love Coke.  I like Dr. Pepper, Cheerwine is good, and Pepsi is alright, but I love Coke!  I like canned coke in my fridge.  I like fountain coke from the gas station up the street.  A coke is always the best drink with fast food or food at restaurants.  On afternoons when I'm stressed and tired grabbing a coke always uplifts me and gives me a calming boost to keep going.  When I'm stressed from a long day of being busy a coke helps relax me and calm my nerves. 

BUT......

I'm finding that I reach for this way to often.  I can't stop with just one.  One today means two tomorrow and before I know it I have had nothing to drink in a day except coke.  This isn't healthy.  It also hurts to see my 2 year old scream when I take the cup, straw and coke away from him.  I can't drink it around him because he begs for it, and I always give in and let him have what he wants.  I don't want my child to think drinking soda is good or be the drink that he craves and asks for all the time.  I know soda is not healthy for me.  I know that sugar is adding to my weight gain or lack of weight loss that I'm always working on.  I know that caffeine is addictive and that the church frowns on it.  I know the acid and coloring is bad for my teeth.  It is time to stop.  I've tried to stop before but it never lasts.  I always pick it back up.  This has to change.  I've even googled how to overcome addiction and how to overcome addiction to caffeine. 

My name is Katie and I'm addicted to Coke. 

I need encouragement and support in quieting coke.  This is going to be hard.  I hope I can do it.  I'm expecting to be tired and get headaches.  I need to replace this urge to grab a coke with drinking water.  I really want to pick up my running speed.  I have noticed that when I drink too much coke it makes me sluggish and I can't run as fast.  I know that even when I'm thirsty I will grab a coke instead of water and soda is one of the things that makes me thirsty in the first place!  I can do this. 

Books I've read in 2012

My goal is to read 28 books this year.  I have kept track of the books I read the past couple of years and have come no where close to my goals.  The goal keeps getting smaller every year. 

This is my ratings system:
5 - Best book ever! Everyone must read it! I love it! I will read this book over and over and over again.
4 - Great book. I would highly recommend it. I'll read this book again.
3 - Good book. I enjoyed it.
2 - It was okay. Not the best.
1 - Not Good. Why did I wast my time?


I enjoy re-reading books so that is how I base my ratings and what I think of books.  3 stars doesn't mean I didn't like the book it just means I didn't love it enough to re-read it sometime in the future but I did enjoy reading it once through.  I'll mark books that I've re-read this year with a * in front of the rating.  I hope you find something you are interested in reading.

January
Prodigal Son (Dean Koonz's Frankenstein #1) by Dean Koontz -- 3 stars
Inheritance (Inheritance Cycle #4) by Christopher Paolini -- 5 stars
Ava's Man by Rick Bragg -- 3 stars
The Asylum (The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries #5) by L.J. Smith, Kevin Williamson, Julie Plec -- 3 stars
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After by Steve Hockensmith -- 2 stars
Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1) by Cassandra Clare -- *4 stars

February
Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2) by Cassandra Clare -- 5 stars
The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands by Laura Schlessinger -- 5 stars
Persuasion by Jane Austen -- 4 stars
The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom -- 5 stars
Escape Children of the Holocaust by Allan Zullo -- 3 stars

March
Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer (Twisted Tales #2) by Maureen McGowan -- 3
Soulless (Parasol Protectorate #1) by Gail Carriger -- 4 
Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns -- 5 
Changeless (Parasol Protectorate #2) by Gail Carriger -- 5 
Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk -- 5
The Compelled (The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries #6) by L.J. Smith, Kevin Williamson, Julie Plec -- 4

April
Blameless (Parasol Protectorate #3) by Gail Carriger --  4 
The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1) by Suzanne Collins -- 5
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys -- 4
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford -- 4 
Heartless (The Parasol Protectorate #4) by Gail Carriger -- 4 

May
Soulless: The Manga, Vol. 1 (The Parasol Protectorate Manga #1) by Gail Carriger (author), Rem (Illustrator) -- 5
City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments #5)  by Cassandra Clare -- 5

Movie Review: Sherlock Holmes Book of Shadows

Date night last night took us to the 2dollar theater in Raleigh to watch Sherlock Holmes: Book of Shadows.  I really enjoyed the movie.  I loved Robert Downey Junior's English accent.  I think the cinematography was awesome!  The costumes and makeup were so fun.  I loved how there would be scenes slowed down and sped up to show details or emphasize certain parts.  I think this movie showed how insanely genius Sherlock Holmes is.  I haven't read any of the books so I'm not sure how he "really" is supposed to be but I like the corckyness that Downey gives Holmes.  The plot is definitely one of those problem solve movies that move quickly and give information fast so I missed a few pieces when given but it all "makes sense" in the end.  But of course there is also that piece that we don't know about till the end because they chose not to show us part of Holmes's plan.  I also really enjoyed the friendship between Holmes and Watson.  Do friendships like this exist in real life?  I hope so because I want one.  Watson knows what Holmes in thinking and he gets how Holmes works and plans so once he sees that Holmes's ridiculous plots plan out he can go right with the flow.  They have an understanding of each others language and can help each other out in times of need.  I would suggest this movie to anyone that wanted to have a fun night watching a movie.  It should be out on DVD soon so go rent it.  I would watch it again just so I could pick up on things I missed the first time.  And truthfully, Robert Downey Junior isn't hard to look at.

Finn is 2 years old!!

February 2010

My baby is two.  I can't believe it.  2 years ago I was screaming at the mid-wife to "GET IT OUT OF ME!!!" and then hearing the sweet words from Shad telling me that HE is here and okay.  

May 2010

December 2010

April 2011

Finn is such a joy to have in our home.  He loves to play and laugh and follow his siblings.  He also loves to scream and throw.  He chooses not to listen even though he understands.  He spends every minute of the day either driving me absolutely insane! or being so cute and lovable.  He likes to stand while he eats and chooses not to use his spoon or fork even for oatmeal and yogurt.  But he has learned to say "done" then place is bowl or plate in the sink.  He doesn't say many words or many signs, but enough that he gets his point across.  His NO and YES are very expressive.  He loves Blue Clues and Super Why.  He enjoys letters but doesn't know what they all are, most of them are A, B or O.  His favorite and best is Mario.  He wants to watch Brody play Mario on the Wii all the time and loves to cuddle with his little mario, along with 2 blankets, every time he goes to bed.  He might still hit when he is mad but he also gives plenty of kisses and likes to cuddle up with mommy on the couch.  I ask him "Are you my baby?" and he happily says "Yea."  He enjoys climbing to the very top, exploring in the woods, and throwing balls.  His pacey is always in his mouth.  He is an active ball of energy always on the go and I am just crazy about this little boy of mine, crazy in love and crazy I'm-gonna-strangle-him!

August 2011

October 2011

Briar's 4th Birthday

Briar turned 4 at the beginning of January and even though we celebrated on time as a family I didn't get around to her party for 3 weeks after.

she got a long sleeved dress from her Nana Lois so this is now our only "winter" dress so she wears it to church every week.

We got her 2 board games.  One is called Snack Attack and I picked it out because she is always asking for a snack.  The other is a cup cake making game.  She also wants to help us bake/cook but that isn't always possible so now we can play this game any time she wants (no real edible ingredients used).  And a look and find book, because she loves those.

 For Christmas my mother-in-law gave myself (and Briar) a how to book on decorating cup cakes.  We gave our first ones a shot and they turned out pretty cute.  Pink Flamingos!  The wings are melted pink chocolate wafers.  The head is a pretzel with a jelly bean attached with the same melted chocolate as a head and a gummy savor beak.  Make the frosting sparkle but rolling it in tinted sugar.  Yummy!

 

 

 

Briar's party took a couple of weeks and my girlfriends were so willing and kind enough to push back plans after 2 cancellations and changes. But when the day finally came everyone had a wonderful time I think.  Our 4 princesses and single prince adorned their crowns with jewels and covered their hand mirrors in pretty stickers so they could look upon themselves in spender.  The feast could not begin though before they located Lumiere's candles so our luncheon could be served.  We dined on croissants and apples with pink lemonade. 

 

 

 

These cup cakes were from my aforementioned cup cake book.  they are supposed to be roses (made from fruit roll ups) but they seem to have wilted by the time dessert was served.

the king served up lemonade but the yellow cups i bought at the dollar store were cheap and leaked their contents so regular plastic cups were brought out.

strawberry shortcake.  always loved!

legos.  a new favorite.

I was having a play date with my friend and was discussing Briar's new love for legos after her brother receiving so many for his birthday a few months before.  She got a box of girl legos for christmas and enjoys playing them very much but beyond the box she got at christmas there isn't much other choice out there for girls that like legos.  Everything is boy geared, star wars, ninjas, pirates (not that girls don't like these things but where is the pink and purple and brightness?).  then a week after briar's birthday and most likely 3 weeks after this conversation i glanced a few boxes of new girl geared legos and what did my friend get briar but those legos that she saw at target as well and remembered our conversation.  Friends are so great!

After our party the girls were escorted in their finest attire to a viewing of Beauty and the Beast in 3D (now do you understand why Lumiere, hand mirrors and roses were at the party?).  This was brody's first 3D movie.  he wore the glasses the whole time and said that "the movie looked real."  Briar refused to wear the glasses but when i would peak to see what the movie looked like without glasses it was only slightly blurry.  I guess she didn't notice or wasn't bothered by it.   before the movie was the best part though.  there was a short film about the wedding day of Tangled characters Flynn Rider and Rapunzel.  I was laughing so loud!  It really was one of the funnest things i have seen.