Dining Room Crafts

I have been trying really hard to get my house decorated in a way that I love lately.  My dining room has been a work in progress for a while now and I'm making some serious progress, though I admit these pictures are not the final product.  In an effort to achieve my goal of posting a craft once a week, I decided to post these nonetheless.

I have had this painting for about 6 years and FINALLY got around to framing it!  I went to Goodwill and found a great frame and mat, I painted the frame to match the molding in my dining room and voila!  I had a beautiful piece of artwork for my dining room.

The next step was to find some fabric for a project I decided would be a quick, easy, cheap way to add interest to my walls.  All I needed was some embroidery hoops, some craft glue, and lovely coordinating fabric!  I'm really happy with how these turned out.

The next phase of my wall was a bit harder to come up with... I had a lot of ideas of what might work, but wasn't ready to commit to any of them, until I found a great little shelf for under $6 at Ross!  Then I knew a cute little teacup with flowers would be perfect to tie it all together.  The trouble was, I only had a teacup with sunflowers and blue gingham.  That didn't go with my wall at all!  My first solution to this problem was to use some scrapbook paper to cover the design on my cup, but paper doesn't mold to cups very well... so as I was trying to figure out how to make it work I noticed my fabric (from the hoops) laying on the table and thought, "That would work perfectly!"  So I got out my craft glue again....  

I roughly cut the fabric to the width I wanted.  The first step was to glue down the top edge, so it was a  finished edge.  The next thing I did was glue down each side's edge. After that was done I put a strip of glue along the top of the teacup (not quite the rim) and attached the fabric.  
Once that glue had a chance to set, I attached the fabric at the bottom of the teacup.  I did the two side pieces first, overlapping as needed to follow the contours of the cup.  Then I glued down the opposite side, so like starting at 3:00 and then doing 9:00.  Next I did 6:00 and 12:00 and then filled in the rest as needed.  I smoothed the bottom by adding a thin layer of glue over it all, so it laid flat.  
After the bottom was glued I lightly glued the sides under the cup handle.  Then all that was left to do was add flowers.  I tried just letting them sit in the cup without anything holding them up, but they looked pretty ridiculous, so I added dry beans to the cup and "arranged" the flowers and leaves.
The wall is coming together quite nicely, though I still am trying to figure out the best way to add balance.  I really want a clock in the room.  What do you think?  Would a standup clock that is taller than the flowers work well on the shelf?  In place of the candlesticks or in addition to?  The side with the hoops is long and narrow and the shelf is wide and short, what would you do to make it balance?
This picture is blurry on the top right corner of the art because there was a major glare and I tried to fix it with these results... not great, but luckily you can see what a lovely piece it is in the top photo.  My mom's cousin painted it and gave it to me at a family reunion.

The Spiderwick Chronicles ****

Recently, I read all 5 books of The Spiderwick Chronicles to my 6 year old boy.  I give them 4 stars and B would definitely give them 5.  He absolutely LOVED these books, which made my enjoyment of them so much greater.

The story is about Jared Grace.  A 9 year old boy who moves into a rackety old house with his twin brother Simon, his sister Mallory, and his mom because their dad just left them.  The house belongs to their mother's "aunt" Lucy, who is in the loony bin because she stopped eating.  Jared discovers a Field Guide that was made by Lucy's father, Arthur Spiderwick.  

The Field Guide has fantasical pictures and descriptions of faeries; brownies, trolls, ogres, boggarts, goblins, elves, and dwarves.  The house is even being cared for by a brownie (who, when upset, becomes a boggart) named Thimbletack.  The faeries can only be seen with "the sight" or if they want to be seen.

It is a great adventure story. Things I loved about it:  I really loved the reality of the relationships with the family.  I understood the anger that Jared felt and how easy it is to lose control.   I really appreciate it when  a children's book is really appropriate for children and this one was, for the most part.  I liked the descriptions and pictures of the different creatures, I felt like I could really see them, and I don't generally picture things as I read.  It was a good experience.

What I didn't like:  The only thing that I really struggled with was the kids lying.  I feel like I shouldn't be exposing my kids to these kinds of examples where they get away with bad behavior with no real bad consequences.  

It was a delightful set to read with my kids.  We have since spent countless hours playing Spiderwick Chronicles at home, we each wield a fencing sword and take on goblins and trolls and sometimes even an ogre.  Loads of fun!  4 stars from me, 5 from the 6 year old.  

Just FYI, the movie was SO incredibly different I felt like it shouldn't have even had the same name.  It was hardly even "based" on the books.  I felt like such a book snob as I watched it (same with Prince Caspian).  Just not even close to as good.

Woa!

I can't believe it has been 3 months since I last posted on this blog!!!  I have been reading and I've been crafting, but I guess I haven't been blogging much.  Well, that all changes right here, right now.

I finally got my sewing machine running after it quit mid inseam on Halloween.  It was a silly, easy thing to correct, too!  My sis-in-love Jeni always has a curse or two for her bobbin and now I can join her.  My bobbin thread was wound around itself (sort of) and that is the only reason I haven't sewn anything for 7 months!  

However, since I figured it out... I've been sewing a lot!  I just added a girl's skirt, a sword pocket, and 2 purses to my shop (check it out!).  I sewed some new pillows for my couch (per Jeni's advice, thanks Jen!) which I LOVE!  

My sewing projects have been really simple because I've been starting with finished edges.  My new favorite place to buy small pieces of fabric... Pier 1!  They have adorable napkins with patterns I can't find elsewhere.  The skirt, a purse, and my pillows were all made with napkins.  Isn't that fun?

So, OK, enough of my babbling.  In an effort to be more diligent to this blog I am hoping to post a weekly book review and a weekly crafting project.  Let me know if there's project you'd like to see... even if I have no experience with it, I'm willing to try just about anything and I'd be happy to let you know what works for me and what doesn't.  Until then...

Five Quarters of the Orange ***

While scanning friends' book reviews on goodreads.com, I added Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris to my "to read" list.  One of my friends just happened to notice that addition and brought me her copy to borrow (thanks Susan!) and I just finished it today.

After I finished I was reading some of the praise the novel had been given and the review from the Philadelphia Inquirer summed up exactly how I felt about this book.

 "Harris makes us care about her characters, that alone makes this a novel worth ready.  Her particular skill, however, is for sensory detail... Her prose reads like poetry, and it is a physical experience to fall into her imagery."

The book is about Framboise Simon (I had no idea how to pronounce this and it drove me crazy throughout the book.  Her nickname is Boise and it felt wrong to say it all western US country when its a lovely French name).  She tells the story from her 65 year old self perspective.  Much of the story takes place during the German occupation when she is 9 years old.  During this summer some tragedy takes place and Boise's mother is held responsible, thus changing the lives of her and her siblings, as well as the entire town.

The story unfolds, quite slowly, layer by layer as Boise reads through her mother's scrapbook of recipes and ramblings/journaling.  At first I didn't know what to make of the characters, not sure if I wanted to like them or sympathize with them.  I eventually did come to empathize and also like many of them.  But what is really amazing about this book is the storytelling.  Its amazing how intricately the story is woven and unfolded.  And even more amazing is the sensory detail.  You can taste, smell, and feel so much reading this novel.

However, with all that said I don't feel like I can recommend this book to anyone.  It is (like so many other "grown up" books) rated "R" for language and for some pretty dark things happening.  It is also very sad.  Some of the reviews were that it was "sweet" but I think its more like a downer sprinkled with some sugar throughout.  The downer didn't really get me down, and like I said I was able to empathize with most of the characters so I was able to enjoy it.  I really, really hate the language though.  Seriously, don't recommend a book to me if it has a bunch of swearing, I'm better off without it.  Perhaps you think this childish of me, but I am a firm believer that swearing is never necessary to a story.  As an actor, I was always able to convey the emotion without needing the language to convince the audience I really felt that way.  Authors can (and should) be held to the same standard.  When I read to Bryant, if there is a cuss word I just skip it, I don't replace it because there is generally absolutely NO need for it.  OK, I'll get off my soap box now.  

All in all, the storytelling was so well done that I was able to enjoy the book and I give it 3 stars.  I think I may have to stick with Young Adult fiction and some safe classics... darn those modern "grown up" authors.

Ella Enchanted ****-

I loved this book!  It was great.  I didn't know anything about it (if that is the way you prefer to read your books, don't read the rest of the review just know that I loved it), I just picked it up at the library because I thought I'd heard from a friend that it was  a good one.  I didn't know it was a Cinderella story, I didn't know she was "cursed" with obedience, anything.  

I have to say the reason I loved it so much was because Ella herself was so lovable.  It didn't feel contrived or beat into my head repeatedly that she was clumsy.  She was so much fun, I would definitely want to be her friend.

I love, love, loved her mom.  She is exactly the kind of mother I wish I was!  I wish we had been able to enjoy her more in the story, but her effect on Ella was consistently evident in the story.

I loved the relationship with Mandy!  She was so down to earth.  Just had a real solid head on her shoulders, I guess living a full, long life will do that to some people.  What a blessing she was to Ella.

And, of course, I loved the relationship with the prince.  How could you not?! It was fun, real, clean, everything that I remember about my courtship with my honey.  Pure delight!  I knew it had to end happy, but I seriously had no idea how it would get there.

The story was a Cinderella story, but it had such original twists to it that it seemed fresh and new.  It took me only 4 hours to read and I wished it had been longer.  I wanted to keep on enjoying all of the characters for days and days.  If you have a daughter any age over 7 probably, I would guess she'd love it too.  

I give it 4 1/2 stars because I loved it, I could probably read it again today and still enjoy it.  I have not seen the movie, I've heard mixed reviews, but we'll probably check it out from the library on watch it one of these days.  I don't expect to enjoy it nearly as much as I did the book, but it is so rare that I do that it comes as no surprise.  I'll try to let you know how we like it...

To read or not to read...

I've been in a reading standstill the last couple months.  I've started a couple books but, aside from the books with Bryant  and the books I listen to as I run on the treadmill, I haven't finished one in ages.  I'm not sure what I've been doing with my time... let me try to remember anything valuable that I've been able to complete in my reading abstinence. 

I covered the seats on our barstools chairs! That was exciting.  You know how kids aren't always the cleanest eaters?  Well, my kids are especially messy I think.  These chairs were covered in cute stars and stripes fabric, but trust me, it wasn't cute by the time I recovered them.  Rather than have to go through that all again, we put a plastic covering over each seat as well.  Now I can wipe them clean after the kids make a mess and the fabric stays nice and lovely.  It was a very easy project that only took an hour or two.  I wish I had taken a before picture so you could see what an improvement it is, but the after shot will have to do.

I also made some chore charts for our family.  I am always making lists of what needs to be done each day.  I had the idea remembering the checklist I see on the bathroom wall or door in public bathrooms.  There is a detailed list of what needs to be done at specific times and when its done, the person checks it off or initials it.  So, I made my own checklist.  However, mine had to be cuter than those boring and plain checklists that gave me the idea.  Mine needed to be cute, to make me smile as I look at it and eager to go back to it day after day, hour after hour.   As you all know, I need all the help I can get.  So I did a scrapbook type page chore chart... here's hoping I can find someone to laminate...

I've been making a bunch of hairbows too.  A friend asked about doing them on snap clips, so I tried making a couple... I don't have a very good selection of ribbon yet for these, so they are all the same scheme.  But I like some of the things I tried... I especially like the leaf on the flower, but my favorite is the bow, I think it turned out really cute.  

And finally I have been crocheting.  In fact, for Christmas I was able to make hats for my nieces and nephews that turned out super cute! (If I do say so myself) ;)  I asked my SIL to send me a picture of them all wearing them, so hopefully I'll be able to post that soon!

So, I guess I've been doing lots of other productive things... OK, I've done some not so productive other things too.  What can I say LOST is back!!!!  I seriously love that show! If you have been watching you need to call me so we can talk about it, I think my brain exploded with last week's episode!  And it felt so good! :)

Because you just never know...

I saw this giveaway on a friend's blog and HOLY COW!  it would be so incredible to win! So I thought I'd better blog about it too!

If you want to enter the giveaway too just visit this link and leave a comment after visiting bumbleride's website (you can get there from the link provided, as well all the details of the giveaway) telling what you love about bumberide.  For 10 additional entries in the drawing, blog about it.  

Here's good to luck to us!

For the Love of Reading

My oldest boy was having a hard time adjusting to school, I was getting notes nearly everyday from the teacher at the beginning of Kindergarten.  I was at a loss of what to do, but had some recommendations from friends to try a reward system.  He and I had recently started reading together Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and that was just what I was looking for.  

We decided that if he kept his clothespin at the top of the line during school, then we would get to read together.  If he moved his clothespin, he had to go to bed at the same time as his brothers with no reading.

The system has really worked for us.  We have read a lot of books together too.  I love that it is teaching him to love reading even more than he did before.  He sometimes feels he gets picked on because he's the oldest... this provides a special "treat" for that same title.  I also love the special time it is for the two of us.  I hate it when I miss it and Daddy gets to read with him.

So far, since August, we have read 

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• Holes
• The Goose Girl
• The Wizard of Oz
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

We started The Chronicles of Narnia after our Christmas vacation.  We are reading them in chronological order of the story and he is enjoying The Magician's Nephew.  We read one chapter each night and we love it!

One of his Christmas gifts was a set of Ready, Freddy! books by Abby Klein.  They are chapter books with about 90 pages about a first grader named Freddy.  My cutie has started reading these aloud to me and we're on chapter 4.  I can already see a huge improvement on his reading skills.  His dad was reading with us one afternoon and kept looking at me in shock when he would read words like "Frankenstein," "continued," and "instructed."

I can see that this skill is giving him confidence in other areas of his life too.  Reading was never my thing as a kid.  I did read The Babysitter's Club books, but that is really about it.  I love giving my boy the variety of characters to relate to and learn from.  I think he can really relate to Freddy.  Last night as we talked about the creation of Narnia, we compared it to the creation of our world by Christ and when I asked him if it sounded similar he said, "its 1 million percent the same!" with awe and wonder in his voice.  

I'm curious what do you to teach your little ones to love reading?  How has it affected their lives? Your relationships? 

The Hunger Games ****

I just read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.  It was a book I saw online that sounded very interesting, but I am always worried about reading something without a recommendation for someone who knows what a prude I am. :)  Well, a friend in my ward was telling me a few days ago about this great book she read and couldn't put down... and lo and behold it was The Hunger Games.  She loaned it to me right then and there.

I read a few pages Saturday night, but was so tired I crashed soon after I started.  Sunday I picked it up again and read about 1/3 of it.  Today, I was a terrible mother and a lousy housekeeper, but I finished it!

I really liked it.  It was different from anything that I have read, though it totally fits in the same genre as The Uglies.  I cared a lot more about the main character in this than I did in Uglies though.  I think its called dystopia, kind of the opposite of utopia.  

It was written in first person and I liked that perspective.  However, it was kind of difficult for me to get around the tense it was written in.  It was all written in present tense, as if it is happening and you're getting a play by play from the narrator.  I don't know why I didn't like it, maybe because I haven't read anything written that way before, but I found it hard to enjoy the first portion of the book as I was getting used to the writing style.

The Hunger Games are a tool used by this society to keep them in check.  24 teens are put into an environment and battle each other for weeks until there is only one left.  That one is named the winner and will have a lifetime of fame and fortune.  The Games are televised 24-7 basically, so the "tributes" as the contestants are called are always monitored by cameras.  It was really easy to imagine something like this being a reality show on some twisted network like FOX or MTV.  Each tribute has a stylist and mentor (a previous Games winner) and there is an opening and closing show with fanfare to compare with the Olympics.

As with most books that I love or hate, it all comes down to characters for me.  The reason I really liked this one is that I really, really enjoyed the characters in this book.  The main character Katniss was enjoyable (though at times I wanted to knock some sense into her).  The supporting characters were my favorite though.  I loved the stylist and mentor, Kat's family and friends.  I look forward to the next books in the series for those relationships to be explored deeper.

The ending left something to be desired, but sometimes you expect that with a first book in a series.  That's not to say that I agree that we should feel that way, but author's are sometimes too unsure of their power to lure us back, I think.  It is a Young Adult book, so it doesn't delve too deeply into human nature or philosophy, I think it could be a good book for those kind of discussions, but there isn't a lot of substance in the book to go on.  A lot of the discussion would have to be what people think the people are thinking.

I give it 4 stars.  Its my kind of book and easy to read.  I am eagerly waiting for Ethan to read it so I can talk to him about it.

The Glass Lake **

I read The Glass Lake by Maeve Binchy a few weeks back.  I remember seeing it on a list of Stephenie Meyer's favorites and a friend in Oregon read it and liked it, so I thought I'd give it a try.  I must say, that while I was reading it, I enjoyed it (mostly) so it seems weird to give it such a low rating.  I even recommended it to my church book club before I had finished it.  However, as I read to the end and finished I had to retract  my recommendation.

Its not that the book wasn't well written.  Its also not that it was filled with naughty stuff.  Those are two things that will definitely ruin a book for me, this one was extremely well written and would probably be rated PG-13 for some language, sexual content and innuendo.  The thing that made this book impossible for me to highly recommend is the feeling it left me with.  

I am an emotional reader, so I tend to take on the attitude of a lot of what I read.  For example, Twilight made me as giddy as a school girl, which is one of the reasons I liked it so much.  I felt good, happy, and madly in love with the man of my dreams.  The Goose Girl, perhaps my favorite book ever, makes me feel excited about new adventures and like I can accomplish anything every time I read it.  Some books have little to no effect on me emotionally, these books are generally given 1 (or 2 stars at most) because I think the job of the author is to get me to feel something.

Ms. Binchy was  a super storyteller.  She had me feeling emotions throughout the whole book, but toward the end I was too filled with distrust and suspicion to really like the book as  a whole.  

Its the story of a family living in a small town built around a lake in Ireland.  The mother of the family married the father because she'd been left by the one she really loved and so she tells him when she marries him that she won't ever really love him the way he wants her to.  They have 2 kids and when they are 12 and 9 (I think) the mom disappears.  Everyone knew she was unhappy, so its not terribly surprising to the small town.  Although, it is very sad.  The main character is the daughter in the family.  And it covers about 6 years of life.  

The story is interesting.  Its written in short spurts of different happenings in many people's lives.  You will not get bored reading it, though its possible to get confused.  I had a hard time with many of the characters because they were so immoral.  It seemed like everyone was making choices that were purely selfish.  The town is pretty much all Catholic, yet very few behave in accordance with those beliefs or standards.  As I read on, I found myself thinking, 'Is this what people in the world are really like?!'  I like to believe that a majority of people know right from wrong and follow through with it.  Maybe I'm naive, but even if I am, I prefer to shield myself from books that are filled with things so contrary to who I am.  That is why I had to give this book only 2 stars.  It would have been 1 if I hadn't enjoyed the first portion so much, its just that yucky feeling that I still feel clinging to my thoughts, that disappointment I feel in the characters giving way so easily to the natural man.

And the winner is...

Allison!!! 

Congratulations!  I will get your prize in the mail Saturday or Monday because we are on our way out of town.

I want to thank all of you for your support and ideas.  

I will need all of you to email me your mailing address so I can send you your prize for entering the giveaway.  You can send it to kim [dot] woodbury [at] gmail [dot] com.  

Don't forget to check back often.  I hope to a giveaway every month or so on this blog.  

I will also be doing some tutorials on different items... let me know what you'd be interested in learning!

hollidaisy will be getting new items frequently too!  I'm trying to keep the prices low so that purchasing is reasonable for anyone interested.

Once again, THANK YOU!!! I couldn't do it without you!

hollidaisy grand opening and giveaway

hollidaisy is my new etsy shop. Come check it out then enter my giveaway... details below.

To celebrate I am hosting a GIVEAWAY!!! C'mon, I know you like free stuff as much as I do... the giveaway will include a Christmas hairbow, 4 Christmas cards, and 6 Christmas tree ornaments. I would love to have your help in getting the ball rolling and this is a great way to say thank you!

There are three ways to enter the giveaway, but the first thing you need to do is check out my shop. You should probably add it to your favorites so you can check back often since I'll be adding stuff pretty often. And feel free to buy anything you like. :o) After you do that, do one (or more) of these three options...

1. Leave me a comment on this post telling me what your 3 favorite things are in my shop. If you have any great ideas to make it better or something in particular you'd like me to make, you can leave that in your comment as well.

2. Post a link on your blog!!! This giveaway could reach lots of people if you all put it on your blog and then your friends put it on their blogs... be sure if you do this that you leave me a comment on this post telling me. It can be in the same comment as #1 or a different one. You'll get entered in the giveaway TWICE if you put it on your blog! (three times if you tell me what you like)!

3. If you don't have a blog, don't worry, you can still get in on the fun-though you'll still have to leave me a comment. What I would like you non-blogging folk to do is email the news and links to your friends. If you pass it along to 5 friends, you'll get entered into the giveaway. If you pass it along to 15 friends, you'll be entered TWICE!

Everyone who enters the giveaway by leaving a comment (even if that's all you do) will receive a little thank you gift to let you know how much I appreciate your help. The giveaway winner will be randomly selected on Wednesday November 26-that's the day before Thanksgiving.

So, if my math is correct, you have an opportunity to be entered into my giveaway 5 times! But you'll need to be sure you leave me comments telling me what all you've done to help me. I really, really appreciate you helping me spread the word.

Are you ready? hollidaisy here we come!

Grosgrain is the Coolest Sewing blog ever!

GROSGRAIN MINI STORE OPENING NOVEMBER 6!!!! AND BIG PREVIEW GIVEAWAY!!!!

This gal has some of the most fabulous designs and she does a TWO giveaways a week! Isn't that awesome!!! You should definitely check it out.

If you have a little girl, seriously, check her out. She is opening up a shop soon and I know it will be fabulous!

North and South *****

I just finished reading North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. The author was very highly recommended by my good friend, Dizzie Lizzie. In fact, I believe Liz said that this was her favorite book of all time.

Well, let me tell you, Liz has good taste.

I loved this book! I will admit, it was much more difficult to read than what I've been reading lately, so it has taken me a lot longer to finish than normal. That has nothing to do with how much I enjoyed it though. At first I found this strange, but as I thought about it, I realized it was like a bowl of ice cream. On the few occasions that I allow myself that indulgence, I get out a baby spoon. I take tiny bites and eat really slowly, so that I can enjoy it for as long as possible. I could only read this book in quiet moments, rather than when the kids are playing or watching a movie. So, those moments I could steal away it was an indulgence and even though I only got a baby spoonful at times, I savored it bit by bit.

This story is about Margaret Hales. At the beginning of the book she is returning to her home and parents in the southern town of Helstone from her aunt's home in London. She loves her parents very much and I love the way the relationship was built. Her father is a vicar, but develops doubts in his beliefs and feels he can no longer maintain his position in the church and thereby must leave their home. Feeling it would be too painful to be in any country that resembles Helstone he opts to move his family to as different a place as possible, Milton in the north. Milton is a manufacturing town, with all the grit and grime that come along with that. The family are shocked and despaired by the move, but make acquaintances and even friends in the new town that is struggling through its own crisis of a strike.

I loved the way the novel explored so many levels of human thought and emotion, as well as social thought and emotion. The sociology major in me was intrigued by the battle between the working class and the masters and then in the "experiments" that occurred toward the end.

I loved the romance and the admiration that was felt for Margaret. I loved the builing up of admiration and romance within Margaret. I loved the study into the role of women in different classes. I loved the way it was written with chapter titles; I thought I knew what the chapter would entail and then I was surprised as the title would be fitting to another aspect of the story. I loved the theme of faith throughout the book. I loved most of the side characters and the depth they all brought to the tale.

I think most of all, I loved Margaret. I loved the way she started as so good. And I love the way she developed and became better. I love the way she was respected by all for the way she lived and treated others even though she did not fit the "mold" of either the north or the south ladies. She was truly a commendable character and one that I feel better for having "known." She exemplary in so many ways, goodness, virtue, purity, charity, humility. The list could go on. One thing I loved about her was that she was always thinking of how to help others... I also felt very sorry for her in this regard. She would put off her own needs forever if it had been needed of her. She never thought of herself as all of these things but only saw ways to improve. Yet, she didn't really sink into self-loathing either. She was just awesome and in so many ways the woman I hope to be.

Aside from two things this book was practically perfect. Those two things for me are: the dialect of the workers in Milton and the ending. The was the dialect was written was so difficult for me to read and understand. I found myself reading some passages two or three times to gain their meaning. This, I'm sure, is a fault ofmy own and not of the writing. The ending, however was extremely abrupt and there is no follow up to the happiness we hope will ensue. All in all, though I have to give this one 5 stars. From the first moment I started reading it, I loved it. I was anxious to see where it went and I was not only satisfied, but happy as it got there. Five stars *****!

Tag I'm it...

I have been tagged 4 times in the past few weeks... they are all similar enough that I'm just going to do one. So if you're dying to know 7 random things about me, here you go...

• I love cheese! Simply delicious... although not the yucky stinky kind my brother got from Switzerland. Tillamook medium cheddar is the best!
• My closet is color coordinated.
• I love to bake... since I'm not eating treats lately, I have been making the most delicious granola.
• I love children's shows. When I was in the hospital and could watch whatever, I found myself watching Phineas and Ferb on the Disney Channel. I'm seriously hoping they release it on DVD, it is my favorite! I also will watch Arthur or Cyber Chase over most other shows.
• My house is always a mess. And I usually don't care, as long as its not that messy.
• I used to be a morning person, but now I'm not. I'm not a night owl either, though. I just really like to sleep.
• I'm supposedly training for a half marathon, but I've only run twice in the past 3 weeks. Go figure (just not in the direction I'm hoping for).
• I'm not really into tagging people, so you're off the hook (unless you want to do it).

Auction and Giveaway on My Tiny Star

An amazing artist, Star, is having a giveaway and auction on her blog. All proceeds of the auction go to the NieNie fund. You should definitely check out her work! You can also go to her etsy shop.

I hope to be getting my etsy shop up and running by Thanksgiving, but I've got a lot of work to do. I'll keep you posted on the progress!

Stardust **-

Ethan and I read Stardust by Neil Gaiman on our way to and fro San Antonio. I liked it, but it was nothing spectacular. My brother Dennis recommended it to me a while back and I seem to recall him telling me there was a "sex scene" at the beginning, though I had forgotten before I read the book. It was horrible reading the book out loud in the car with my kids in the backseat. I had to skip some things, so Ethan got the PG version, rather than the PG-13. There is also one inexcusable curse word.

The story follows Tristran (I was 2/3 through it before I realized his name wasn't Tristan) into Faerie on a mission to find a star that fell from the night sky. Along the way he has many who help him in his quest and many who are on the same mission and will do anything to achieve their goal. It was violent at times... I mean graphic! Again, not the best idea to read with kids in the back seat.

I liked the story itself-though I found it less than compelling. The prose was hard for me to enjoy. And the "adult" nature of so many of the events was pointless to me. I found it annoying, we could have had a better experience with the novel had the naughty stuff been left out. It was more of a distraction than anything- even if I hadn't been reading it out loud with kids around. So, because of the story it gets 2 1/2 stars... I liked it, but that is the extent of my enjoyment. That coupled with all the garbage, I have to bring it down to 2.5, looking back I think it was just OK.

Artemis Fowl The Arctic Incident ****

This is the second book in the series and I like it a lot more than the first one. In it, Artemis receives word that his father is alive and he plans a rescue mission. He also gets pulled in to the fairy world to help them solve some problems.

I don't like to give a lot of info in my reviews, because I don't like to give spoilers. The biggest reason for this is that I like to read a book knowing as little about it as possible. I want to experience it all.

I think the primary reason I liked this one so much more was that Artemis had some redeeming qualities. In the first, he had nothing going for him, but this time I felt sympathy for him and wanted him to succeed. On top of that, my favorite characters from the first book were in this one and they all worked together to achieve their goals. I really enjoyed it.

Perhaps my favorite part of the book was the story following Foaly. Foaly is just a great character! The characters were all more enjoyable this time around, perhaps because I have a "relationship" with them already.

It wasn't my all time favorites, but I loved it! It was fun to read and it was fun to see the connections made by the characters I've grown to love.

The Alchemist The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel ***-

I recently read The Alchemist Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, by Michael Scott. When I saw this book, I laughed as I read the author's name. Good old Michael Scott or as Ethan and I refer to him, Michael Scarn. I seriously thought it was a spin-off book from Harry Potter. We looked up Nicholas Flamel on Wikipedia and he was there along with a lot of information. I still just sort of thought, "You know, its a wiki...people have just created this info like they do with LOST."

Well, apparently I was wrong and it made the story so much more exciting... even though its not a "true" story. Just the fact that the characters (at least some of them) were real people that had fascinating and sometimes mysterious happenings in their lives.

The story is about a brother and sister, twins Sophie and Josh, who get caught up in a magical world they had no idea existed. Nicholas Flamel is the possessor of the Philosopher's Stone (sound familiar?) and an ancient book that has many secrets and magic within. The book gets stolen from him by John Dee (another true character). The book is about the twins, Flamel and some others trying to get it back and prevent more bad things from happening-like the end of the world as we know it. It is the first book in a series of (I think) seven.

I liked the book quite a lot. I think because its the first book in a series, it had a lot of development that needed to happen, so if you read it be prepared. The author did a great job of creating the magical world. The characters were real enough and fun enough to get into. I liked the relationship of Sophie and Josh. I always wanted a twin brother. There was humor, mystery, action... a little bit of everything. The author's writing was a just a little less than compelling. It was hard for me to really get into it.

I think I am a bit tired of fantasy/sci-fi. I think I would have enjoyed this one more if I'd been less so. Even under the circumstances though, 3.5 stars out of 5. And I'm really looking forward to reading The Magician, the next book in the series. It will just have to wait a couple weeks.

Shakespeare's Secret ***

I read Shakespeare's Secret by Elise Broach yesterday. I enjoyed it. It wasn't anything spectacular, but it was enjoyable.

It is a story about a girl named Hero (after the character in Much Ado About Nothing) and a search for a diamond that could lead to answer of the "Who was the real Shakespeare" question. Hero and her next door neighbor, Mrs. Roth along with the hottest boy in the 8th grade, Danny Cordova embark on the adventure together.

I liked the mystery involved. Both mysteries, I guess you could say; finding the diamond and the Shakespeare mystery. The book was obviously written for young readers (the main character is in the 6th grade). Therefore, the web woven wasn't very intricately, just enough to keep it somewhat interesting for an adult.

The Shakespeare mystery was what I enjoyed the most about this book. I've heard the arguments that perhaps William Shakespeare isn't really the author of the plays and poems, or at least all of them. I don't know a lot about it, really. This book gave me a little insight into some of those arguments for or against. The details and accounts in the book made me want to read and learn more of the period and of various historical figures like Henry VIII, Anne Boylen, and Elizabeth I.

I read it in a day, so you can see it was an easy and enjoyable read. I would recommend this one to my young reader friends, or if you have kids in the 4th-7th grade reading level you might want to check it out. Its always good to read something that encourages you to read and learn more, right?

Book Of A Thousand Days *****

First, I just have to say it... I love Shannon Hale! She is hands down my favorite author!

I just read Book of A Thousand Days and I loved it! I love the way Shannon Hale lures the smells, tastes, sights and sounds out of words. I don't think there is another author who influences my sense as she does.

This book is written in a completely different style. I wasn't sure I was going to like it when I started about 20 hours ago. Its written as a book of thoughts or a sort of journal. The narrator of the tale is a mucker (she sings songs to heal, help, soothe, etc.). This is sort of Hale's specialty in so many of her books the characters have special gifts with a language of sorts. I find it fascinating. Dashti, the mucker and narrator, becomes a servant to Lady Saren and gets locked in a tower with her. She starts writing this book to fill the time and lonliness. One thing I really enjoy about Hale's stories is that I never quite know what to expect in the resolution. I generally expect a happy ending, but I'm never sure what that happiness will be. I go throughout the entire book just anxious to see how the problems will be resolved...not like so many other books that are quite predictable. I also love that I love the character she develops. I want the problems to be resolved and for everyone to be happy because I really care about the characters. That is a sign of a great writer to me...making characters that feel or rather, that make me feel. This book has those kinds of characters, I was swept away and I couldn't put it down.

This book, like most books that I enjoy are in the Young Adult category and it is targeted at a younger audience, but I loved it! It was an easy read (obviously). I can highly recommend it to pretty much everyone!

Artemis Fowl 3.5***-

I finished reading Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer yesterday. It was a pretty good book. It was definitely different from what I expected, though. When I see a title of a book, and it is a characters name, I tend to expect that he will be the hero of the story...or that I will at least sympathize with his character. That wasn't really the case with this story. Artemis is the villain of the story, granted he does have some issues that made me a bit sympathetic to his situation. However, those sympathies did not lend themselves to the villainy he engulfed himself in.

First of all, he is 12 years old and a prodigy. That concept appeals to me as I really enjoy the characters of Ender and Bean (and many of the Battle School brats). His parents are less than available to him for one reason or another (don't want to give it all away). However, the lengths which he is ready and willing to go to to achieve his goal (MONEY! and lots of it) are just inexcusable.

Aside from him being the "hero" of the story I really liked it. I loved the other characters. Short, Root, and Foaly were great fun! Even Butler and Juliet were enjoyable. The plot was a very interesting story. A boy genius deciphers the end all say all fairy magic book, kidnaps a fairy all in an effort to make back his family fortune. I loved all the magic. I loved the different kinds of magical beings and their different "gifts" (some very funny). I even liked the way it ended for the most part.

I believe that there is a series of books following Artemis (and hopefully the other characters, the ones I liked a lot). I will be reading at least one more to see where the author goes. I would give this book 3 1/2 stars of 5. I did like it, more than just liked it...but I don't know if I could say that I loved it. I would recommend it, only if you enjoy a fun fantasy novel that is quite obviously written for younger readers. I don't think everyone would enjoy it...but I know some would enjoy it more than I did.

Keeping a Journal

If you check my family blog, you saw that recently my mom celebrated her 60th birthday. For her gift I will be interviewing her and then writing her personal history... on one condition, she has to start writing in a journal of her current experiences. :o) So, I made this one for her. She is on her way here right now, and I'm so excited to give it to her!

I was telling my sis-in-law what I was doing and she asked if I write in a journal and I said I blog. I recently downloaded BookSmart software from blurb.com and it can slurp your whole blog and you can publish it into a book. I think we'll probably do that with a lot of our posts, it will be fun to see it in that format. I love looking through photo/scrap books, but haven't done a great job keeping up with them... so blogs are great for me! I don't put all my emotional garbage in either, so maybe generations down the road will be able to look at me as a somewhat sane person. I have just enough ranting to make me seem normal, to those that don't know better! Photo journals are good and you all know I can ramble on and on... so trust me, posterity, you'll thank me for this kind of journal!

Now, mom, if you want to start blogging as much as me you can just frame this gift, but if you're not up to blogging it all, just keep the journal in your knitting bag and write in it once a week or so on the train...we'll thank you for this kind of journal!

The Wednesday Letters **

September's book for our ward book club is The Wednesday Letters by Jason Wright. I just read it this week and thought I'd post a review of it.

I didn't really like this book. It wasn't bad, I guess, but I couldn't recommend it to anyone. It is the story of a family. The parents die in their old age and the kids all come together for the funeral. They discover that their dad wrote a letter to their mother every week... wait for it... on Wednesday... get it, the title? eh?

First of all, it takes almost half the book before they get to the letters, this bugged me. They also uncover a deep, dark family secret through these letters and have to deal with it. I guess the reason I didn't like the book was mainly because I didn't really care about any of the characters. Oh, wait, I did really like A & P. The aunt seemed to be a cool character too, but we didn't see much of her. Maybe it was because the author wanted to keep it short and simple, but the character development left much to be desired.

The other reason I didn't like this book was the ending. It seemed so juvenile. When I was in 7th grade I went to Gifted and Talented camp for writing. While there we wrote a book about the meeting of the trans-continental railroad with the Golden Spike. I recently found and read the chapter that I wrote and I laughed at myself. The ending of this book totally reminded me of my chapter in the book. My mom will get mad at me for this, but have you ever watched Murder, She Wrote? You know at the end, when everything just comes out. That's how this was. There wasn't enough build up to the moment, not enough foreshadowing (though there was some, I guess). Because of this lack of build up, it seems the book was trying to make a giant leap and it fell flat on the ground, for me.

Have any of you read this book? How did you feel about it? I am more than sure that there are people that really like this book, I am just not one of them. If you are, please tell me what I missed. I give it 2 of 5 stars, luckily it was an easy and quick read, otherwise I would have just stopped reading and wouldn't have this lovely review for all of you.

Breaking Dawn ***

I read the final book in the Twilight saga this weekend and I'm dying to talk to others about it! Ethan hasn't read it so he won't let me talk about any of the stuff that I loved or loathed, so I'm going to post it here. I would LOVE to have you join me!

A Book Review! Enchantment ****

I know, I know...what a slacker I've been! I haven't read the last book even still! But I have read another book and so I thought I'd review it here.

Enchantment by Orson Scott Card is a story about a modern man,Ivan, who discovers that fairytales are based on actual events as he magically enters one in the 9th or 10th century. While he is a little boy he comes upon a "sleeping beauty" being guarded by some unseen monster. As an adult he returns to the site just to prove to himself that he imagined the whole thing, but she is still there. She is trapped in a world between time with bridges into her world and ours. When he awakens her she tells him to propose marriage, so he does. He then follows her into her world and tries desperately to learn how to be a proper "king" all the while trying to evade the evil witch who cast the spell on sleeping beauty, none other than Baba Yaga.

It sounds rather silly as I type about it, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was such a fun read and I totally recommend it, unless you absolutely despise magic and can't get past it enough to enjoy a fabulous story. If that is you, you should open your mind and imagination a bit and enjoy a good fantasy story! ;o)

I give Enchantment 4 out of 5 stars, only because it had bad language that put this one in the PG-13 category. I hate that, it can totally ruin a book for me! It wasn't bad enough to ruin the book, but it definitely made it unworthy of 5 stars.

Getting in touch with my feeling...

Sorry I didn't post questions on the June book. I didn't read it. I plan on it still, I just haven't been able to get to a library (or bookstore) to find it. I also have had a lot of other stuff on my mind, so again, sorry.

My sister-in-law did this on her blog and since I've been a whirlwind of emotions lately I thought it would be good for me to do it too. You don't have to read it, it was mostly for therapy...it may give you insights into a scary mind...

I am: a Mormon wife and mom.
I know: that I am loved.
I want: to stop being so grumpy.
I wish: that this baby would turn and that we were in our house.
I hate: dealing with grumpy kids in such closed quarters!
I miss: having all my stuff and room for it.
I fear: that my kids will be ruined by my mothering.
I feel: disappointed that things aren't going well for our family.
I hear: Phineas and Ferb (A show on the Disney channel that is awesome!).
I smell: the remains of peanut butter and jam sandwiches.
I crave: baked goodness.
I search: the internet for info on C-sections.
I wonder: how I'm going to get the kids to sleep tonight.
I love: my husband and my boys.
I ache: all over my abdomen, the doctor didn't take it easy on my yesterday.
I care: too much about what others think.
I always: eat too much!
I am not: as great as people give me credit for.
I dance: because I love it, though I'm no good.
I sing: not nearly often enough lately.
I cry: when I'm overflowing with emotion.
I don't always: treat my hubby like he deserves.
I write: in my journal when I can't talk it out with someone for one reason or another.
I win: when I play "Encore" against Jane at 3 am.
I lose: whenever I play a strategy game again my brothers.
I never: want to be hurt those I love.
I listen: to my loved ones.
I can usually be found: sitting down somewhere.
I need: to be needed.
I am scared: of the water.
I am happy about: buying a house I can decorate!
I think: about way too much when I should be sleeping.

OK, so I didn't get too deep...but it was fun! Tag to anyone who wants to play!

June Book

Our book for June will be Eve and the Choice Made in Eden, by Beverly Campbell. I have heard some mixed reviews on this one, but mostly good. I'm excited to review it and discuss with all of you.
From DeseretBook.com, "Is the way that women evaluate their own worth affected still by the biblical story of Mother Eve? Author Beverly Campbell suggests, "In much of the literature and in most of the histories referring to women there is an undercurrent of apology, as though there is something not quite 'all right' about being a woman. In looking for the source of this unease, I came to recognize that it could be traced to accounts of the Creation and to the ever-prevalent and negative characterizations of Eve."

She writes of three levels from which the story of Eden must be viewed: as historical fact, as a series of symbols and metaphors, and as a place for a beginning our own search for spiritual understanding and relevance in life. This compelling book may change forever your perception of our first parents and the choice they made."

Cards Galore!

For Mother's Day I made my mom and mom-in-love some cards to have on hand. I just wanted to keep a record of my creations so I can remember what I like and don't like.I love using paint chips to make cards. At Lowe's they have one paint brand with the square cute out already, it is perfect for card making! Paint chips are great because they're colorful and they're free!

Scarlet Pimpernel Discussion

Finally getting around to posting questions, sorry for the wait. My life has been a little busy the past few weeks, if you want an excuse. ;o) These questions were taken from GradeSaver.com.

1. Do you consider the narrator to be impartial? Does the narrator ally him or herself with a class, a country, a cause?


2. Who is the central protagonist in The Scarlet Pimpernel? In other words, who carries the emotional weight of the novel?


3. How is point-of-view a crucial device in the rendering of Percy? Do we ever experience events through his perspective? How is his heroism dependent upon the way he is seen?


4. At what point does Lady Blakeney become a sympathetic character? Would you consider her an unlikable character as she initially appears?


5. What purpose does the Comtesse de Tournay serve in the larger arc of the novel? Why do you think she disappears after the first section of the book?


6. How does Chauvelin manage to be a threatening villain without ever having to engage in physical combat with the Pimpernel? Is he ultimately threatening?


7. How is the Scarlet Pimpernel flower a larger motif for the themes of the novel? Does it fit Percy as a character?


8. Why doesn't Chauvelin have to die at the end of the book for a successful resolution? Would the novel have been more satisfying with a different resolution, or does the resolution as Orczy presents it fit the tenor of the book as a whole?


9. How does loyalty play a key role in the distinction between Percy succeeding and Chauvelin failing in achieving their goals? Are these respective men's followers equally loyal to their causes? Is their loyalty distinct?


10. Is Percy a less admirable hero for never physically taking on his enemies? What is his ultimate goal as the Scarlet Pimpernel?

Simple Pleasures

I've been tagged by my friend Liz.  Its a pleasant one and easy, so here goes...

List 5 Simple Pleasures.

1.  Listening to Ethan play the guitar and singing with him.

2.  My boys' laughter.

3.  Reading a fun book.

4.  Having a clean house.

5.  Looking at pictures of my family as we've changed throughout the years.

Creative Therapy

Just the other night I spent a couple hours making hair bows, when I was done I was beaming from ear to ear.  I told Ethan, "That is the only therapy I really need!"  I love to create things (especially when they turn out so great!)!  Here is a sampling of my latest creations:

I did a "Baby Shower in a Box" for my sis-in-law in MO.  She wanted some thank you cards and I fiddled around until I got something I liked and could make 15 of...

I also made my sis-in-law a blanket, as I was at Walmart to get ribbon to complete it I found this fabric.  She loves frogs, and so I couldn't pass this up.  I decided to try doing a "tag" blanket for her, this was the result.

Since she is having her first girl, I sent her a bunch of hair bows/clips... I feel like I'm getting pretty good at it now that I've had some practice (let me make it clear that these are the ones I've been practicing on, and are in no way perfect).  I should be rearing to go by the time my baby girl arrives...

My mom's boss went to a scrapbook fair and returned to give my mom some ribbon and flowers. She said she knew we liked to make cards and these were discontinued so they were cheap.  She figured if my mom didn't want them that I would, she was right!  Thanks Barbara!

Sorry some of the pictures aren't very good.  I need to get better at it, if I plan on selling stuff online.  Thanks for looking, its always fun to share what I love!

My new do...

I was able to have my sister-in-law Brindy cut my hair last weekend... what do you think?

I think this is funny...

You Are Pocahantas!

Free-spirited and wise. You have a strong passionate spirit that touches and changes all who know you. The wisdom and common sense that you have is really what guides you through life. Even so, you also have a very playful side that loves adventure and excitement.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

I think this fits me a lot better than Marianne Dashwood, maybe thats because its all positive. I'm so vain!

Why Have a Book Club...

I am currently reading a book entitled, "Men with a Mission 1837-1841 The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the British Isles."  When I got up at 4 this morning I read a passage that really impressed me.  The section of the book is discussing how important it was for the Apostles to be "observers of the world around them."  Brigham Young advised his son Brigham Jr. in 1862 to

"improve yourself to the utmost in studying good books and in associating with, and listening to, and profiting by, the conversation and experience of good persons."

So, my few fellow readers... thanks for helping me to follow a prophet.  I can read good books, but I need  you in order to follow all of his counsel.  

One other thing that Brother Brigham said (to a different son in 1855) I really liked...

"Listen attentively, and observe minutely the manners, customs, and remarks of all, for from the most humble of our fellow creatures an observing man can learn something that will be useful to him in after life."

I love this!  I try to be observant, but I don't know if I've placed the reason.  I completely agree that I can learn from even the "most humble of [my] fellow creatures."  It just validates that we are each important, not only to our Father in Heaven, but also to our brothers and sisters on the Earth.

Just for fun

I visited a blog recently of a girl I went to high school with, she had a link to this jewelry giveaway and in order to participate I need to link her to my blog... so here are the rules.  This jewelry is beautiful... I hope I win!

Just follow this link to Tickled Pink!  and you'll find the link to her new etsy shop Sass and Savvy Jewelry.  If you like what you see, you can enter too... but only until this Saturday!

UGLIES ***

So, I finished UGLIES by Scott Westerfield yesterday. It was a pretty good book. It was definitely an easy read with an interesting story, but it was lacking something for me. I wasn't totally involved with the characters and the story until perhaps the last section (its divided into 3 sections). The picture is Book 1 (UGLIES) and 2 (PRETTIES) of this 3 book series, the last book is called SPECIALS.

There were certainly things I enjoyed about the book. I really like science fiction, where an author has created some future for our (or other) world. It always intrigues me to see how imaginative an author can be while keeping it somewhat believable. This story takes place about 300 years from the time that the earth is nearly destroyed by humankind, that aspect of the story, to me, was fascinating. I also liked the main characters, Tally (I went back and forth while reading on whether to pronounce it with a long or short "A" sound), Shay and David. They weren't quite as captivating as other sci-fi characters for me, but they seemed real enough and I enjoyed my time with them.

There were things I didn't like about the book as well, most notably, the author seemed to have an agenda and the ending. Westerfield's agenda was mostly illustrated in his depiction of the "Rusties" (humankind before the earth's near death experience). I may be the only person that felt like he was trying to push some tree-hugging, but that was the impression I got. It frustrates me as a reader to feel like the author is using the story to manipulate me. The other thing I really disliked about the book was the ending. You know when you see a movie and its pretty good, but then the end isn't really the end... in order to see the real end you have to see the next movie... that is how this book ends. I feel like the author should just feel confident that he's written a good enough story that he's left the reader wanting more in such a way that will have to read the next one... not because the story isn't finished, but because the reader isn't finished. I don't know if that makes sense, but that is the best I can describe how I felt about the end of this book.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I don't feel like I've gained any great insights into humanity or into myself, but I enjoyed myself. I'd probably give it 3 out of 5 stars... meaning I liked it. And I will be reading the next books in the series if for no other reason than to get the rest of the story.

Other Fun Stuff

I volunteered to decorate a cake for our Relief Society Birthday Party.  I wanted to do something really springy and this is what I came up with.  I got a little carried away, but everyone oohed and awed, it was fun.  Not what I envisioned, but I liked it alright...and the really important part...the taste, was perfect!  Oh and it earned me the responsibility of teaching a cake decorating class next month.  Anybody have any great ideas for teaching?

I think what I liked best about the cake was the leaf border around the bottom, it was so much fun to make and I think it looked lush and delicious!

Many of you know that I love to make cards, well, these were some fun ones that I "mass" produced one afternoon... they were so easy!  Mass producing is great, because you just cut the same things repeatedly and then glue the same, etc.  Granted, they could have ended up cuter, but for the amount of time and energy I put into them I think they are fabulous!  Then you end up with a lot of cute, handmade cards you can use for any occasion!

Book Tag

Jeni just got her first tag and is really excited! She just tagged me with this interesting one...

Here are the rules:
1. Pick up the nearest book (at least 123 pages).
2. Turn to page 123.
3. Find the 5th sentence
4. Post the 5th sentence on your blog
5. Tag 5 people

Book: UGLIES by Scott Westerfield (my current read)
Sentence:

Tally collapsed onto the bed, covering her face with her hands and sobbing.

Tag: Terra, Liz, KellyAnne, Kim V., Camille

I haven't even gotten this far in the book yet, so I have no idea what Tally is so upset about.

If I didn't tag you and you're dying to do it, please do...if I did tag you and you hate being tagged, please accept my apologies and I will not hold it against you if I don't see this on your blog! ;o)

For book club in my ward last month we read Jane Eyre, we all had different editions and learned that each edition had a different number of pages...wouldn't it be funny if we all had this tag then...

Which Jane Austen Heroine are you?

I found this on a friend's blog and thought it was fun...check it out and post your results in the comments. I don't necessarily agree with this one, but many of the characteristics do fit. Maybe I was just in an emotional mood while taking the test.

Take the Quiz here!

You are Marianne Dashwood of Sense & Sensibility! You are impulsive, romantic, impatient, and perhaps a bit too brutally honest. You enjoy romantic poetry and novels, and play the pianoforte beautifully. To boot, your singing voice is captivating. You feel deeply, and love passionately.

Freakonomics Discussion ***

OK, so now you've read it (or are reading it) let the brawl begin...OK, no brawling actually, let's be nice to each other. :o) I'd love to hear your thoughts on the book and ideas presented therein.

Some of the questions may contain "spoilers" so I have indicated which chapter the question is dealing with if you really don't want to get any info about the content of the chapter before reading it.

• What is the purpose of the book?
  
• From the Introduction:Do you buy Levitt and Dubner's claim that conventional wisdom is often wrong? What is the role of conventional wisdom in society?
  
• From Chapter 1: Why do you think more parents at the Israeli day care came late after the financial penalty was added? Are their situations in your life where guilt is a better motivator than money?
  
• From Chapter 1: Do you believe Levitt and Dubner's findings about Chicago school teachers and sumo wrestlers cheating? Did the findings surprise you?
  
• From Chapter 2: How do you think the Internet is changing the information advantage of experts and secret societies (like real estate agents and the KKK)?
  
• From Chapter 3: Were you surprised by how similar the Black Disciples' organizational structure was to corporations like McDonalds? Why do you think people perceive drug dealers as well off financially?
  
• From Chapter 4: Do you buy Levitt and Dubner's argument that the drop in crime in the 1990s was the result of Roe v. Wade? What are the strengths and weaknesses of their argument?
  
• From Chapter 5 & 6: Do you agree that their is little parents can do to influence whether their children are successful? Do you think there are high-end and low-end names?
  
• Rate Freakonomics on a scale of one to five.
  

Remember, next month's book will be Scarlet Pimpernel, I'll try to post questions before the 15th!

Blogging Woes

I have had a few people have trouble accessing my blog since I change to my "cute" background...so I thought I'd change it to a regular blogger template and see if that fixes the problem.  Please let me know if you're having trouble or if this takes care of it!

Thanks!

April Book

Well, the people have spoken and the book this month is Freakonomics by Steven Levitt. I just finished it today and I think it will be a good discussion...that is, if you'll join me! It is a really easy read (I started it Sunday and only read while the kids were in bed for the night-keep in mind that this prego body of mine cannot stay awake very long while reading).

I do have to warn you that it has some controversial topics discussed and there are a couple of places that have bad language. To warn you in advance, the first happens in Chapter 2, How Is the Ku Klux Klan Like a Group of Real-Estate Agents? (page 70) in a conversation between two guys Kevin and Bob. Its not pertinent, so skip it if you'd like. The next chapter is Why Do Drug Dealers Still Live with Their Moms? In it there is a lot of discussion of gangs and there is a lot of bad language from their quotes. I'm sorry if you're terribly offended by our choice...I honestly didn't know the content when I suggested it, I'd just heard great things about it.

I hope you'll read this one, its not our typical read by any stretch of the imagination. It was quite enjoyable and offers some new perspectives to many subjects. And like I said, it should prove to be a great discussion. I'll post questions by April 8 and then you can respond as you read. Thanks for voting!

Oh, one last thing...since The Scarlet Pimpernel was such a close second (it really could have been a tie, if you read the comments to the post below) we'll plan on reading it in May! I'm going to go get my copy from the library this week.

April Anniversary!

Next month marks my first anniversary with blogging.
Help me celebrate by reading with me!

I'm posting a survey on the right, please vote for your choice to read in April.

Also, in the comments, please give me your ideas for future books.
If you'd like to be in charge of selecting the book and questions
I would love to have you! Let me know!

OUTRAGED!

I love the TV show LOST...this comes as no surprise to any of you. One of my favorite things to do after watching an episode to visit lostpedia to see what other people theorize about happenings in the show. I know its silly, but its fun. I have even had it linked from our family blog under "favorite sites."

Well, last night as I was reading about a new character I noticed on their sponsored links some very inappropriate pictures. I immediately closed that window and was appalled and outraged.

I know a lot of people think that stuff is OK, its the norm...yackety-schmackety. If people want to destroy their minds and spirits by viewing such vulgar material that is their prerogative. However, I choose to not subject myself to such vileness and feel completely angry, indignant, even livid when that choice is taken away from me.

Shame on those that prey on innocent web browsers. I thought I could trust a site and learned, regretfully, that I was wrong. I have since written a letter of complaint to the administrator of lostpedia expressing my concern and hope to make a difference, though I doubt I will-I'm losing my hope in humanity.