Is November really half over?!?!

One week till Thanksgiving ... REALLY???

So many things to be thankful for:

- My job that I love
- All four girls remaining healthy (even thru the Swine Flu scare)
- Tim's vasectomy went well and hopefully was a success!
- Pops was not hurt in his car accident PLUS Tim & Pops were able to fix the car with parts from a junkyard
- Kaitlyn joining 2 social groups at school - both started this week and both are geared toward self-esteem building - one is a running group
- Got to visit each of the girls classrooms this week and see what they do everyday
- the 'Best' pediatric dentist around now finally takes our dental insurance and all four girls have an appt in 2 weeks
- addictive Facebook games that help take my mind away for awhile
- Tim's job offer from a company in Delaware (not the offer we were hoping for, but still promising)
- Our awesome date night last weekend - I finally got to eat at PF Changs (Tim's fave) and we saw A Christmas Carol at IMAX 3D and walked around The Tropicana in AC
- Tim loving his new car (BMW)
- having the girls help put away tons of laundry tonight - they even hung them up!
- Tim's safe flights all around the world (I still worry after all these years)
- Awesome family & friends who create the best support group for us
- taking aspirin everyday has helped relieved some of my awful heart pain (at least to get me thru till my next test on Dec 4)
- Mack n Manco pizza (love it! haha)
- I could go on and on but... well the one big thing I'm thankful for is a cozy warm bed to sleep in!! Which is where I'm headed right now! :)

G'night my friends!

We are still ALIVE!!

Hello folks!!

I don't think it's ever been this long in between blog posts for me - I can attribute it to a few factors:

1. An awesomely FUN summer!
2. Facebook - since joining FB, it seems I am better able to keep in touch with friends and family, as well as post pics and update my status every day.
3. Crazy busy with Tim gone at least 3 weeks out of every month.
4. And... well... life just kinda took over a bit more than usual.

SOOOO... I'm Baaaaackkk...!! I honestly cant promise that I'll be posting full Summer updates because frankly, it's so far past that you probably wouldn't even care! And even if you did care, I probably wouldn't be able to remember half of it anyway!

Hopefully I will keep up a little better now and let's get re-connected cuz I missed you! :)

Rewind to May!

Since I'm SO far behind... let's just do a review in photos!

5.2.09 Brian's college graduation






5.5.09 Kaitlyn's birthday





5.9.09 Kaitlyn's party






5.10.09 Mother's Day






5.25.09 Memorial Day










5.30.09 Dorney Park

Manic Monday

Manic Monday #177
CLICK HERE

What is one thing that you would change about yourself if you could?
Increase my patience level

Name three exotic countries you would like to visit:
1. Phuket, Thailand
2. Morocco (Africa)
3. Brazil (South America)

What do you think the secret to life is?
Live with an open mind, Love with an open heart, Laugh with an open sense of humor

Everything She Thought She Wanted

Everything She Thought She Wanted

by Elizabeth Buchan

Published in 2006. 384 pages.

Amazon link

Genre: Fiction, Women's Lit

My Overall Score: 3

What its about (taken from amazon.com): The separate stories of two women--one a career-driven late-20th-century professional and the other a 1950s housewife--are displayed in this novel. Thirty-five-year-old Siena Grant enjoys a life that many women only dream of. A highly successful fashion consultant with her own business, a magazine column, a book deal and an American television show, Siena is also married to a loving, sensitive man. She and Charlie live in a trendy flat and enjoy intimate little suppers. What more could anybody want? For starters, Charlie is dreaming of a country home and children--not a life that appeals to the oh-so-chic Siena.

Meanwhile, in 1959, 42-year-old Barbara Beeching, a married mother of two grown children, lives with her pilot husband, Ryder, in a charming country home and hosts the most delightful little parties. Perfect partners, Barbara and Ryder survived the atrocities of war over England and now face the rest of their lives as Ryder thinks of retirement and Barbara thinks of... Alexander Liberty, a hunky psychiatry student whose passion for her takes her by surprise.

What I thought: Interesting storyline taken from two different yet similar women. I was curious how it would turn out but I never connected with either of the main characters. It felt slow moving to me and I honestly couldn't wait to be finished with this one.

Why I read it & where I got it: I got it at the Ocean City Library Used Book Sale last year and thought it would be a quick read to help me up my annual book count.

Date finished: June 10, 2009

Currently reading: Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs

Dewey

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World

by Vicki Myron

Published in 2008. 288 pages.

Amazon link

Genre: Non-Fiction

My Overall Score: 3

What its about (taken from amazon.com): One frigid Midwestern winter night in 1988, a ginger kitten was shoved into the after-hours book-return slot at the public library in Spencer, Iowa. And in this tender story, Myron, the library director, tells of the impact the cat, named DeweyReadmore Books, had on the library and its patrons, and on Myron herself. Through her developing relationship with the feline, Myron recounts the economic and social history of Spencer as well as her own success story—despite an alcoholic husband, living on welfare, and health problems ranging from the difficult birth of her daughter, Jodi, to breast cancer. After her divorce, Myron graduated college (the first in her family) and stumbled into a library job. She quickly rose to become director, realizing early on that this was a job I could love for the rest of my life. Dewey, meanwhile, brings disabled children out of their shells, invites businessmen to pet him with one hand while holding the Wall Street Journal with the other, eats rubber bands and becomes a media darling. The book is not only a tribute to a cat—anthropomorphized to a degree that can strain credulity (Dewey plays hide and seek with Myron, can read her thoughts, is mortified by his hair balls)—it's a love letter to libraries.

What I thought: First of all, if you dont like cats or libraries, this is not the book for you. I thought it was cute and touching at times. Definitely a fast read and by the end, you do feel some love for little Dewey.

Why I read it & where I got it: My dad had told me about this book when it first came out (he is IN LOVE with cats, hence the recommendation!) so when I found it for 50% off at Borders I picked it up.

Date finished: May 31, 2009

Currently reading: Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs