Sunday Book Review--12

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I write this review with as much hesitation as I had in actually reading the book. I bought this book four years ago at Walmart for $3.94 in an attempt to improve my reading list. I have always considered myself to be a book nerd to the fullest extent, but I always lean towards what is new and fresh compared to the classics of old. Therefore, I continue to set goals of five classics per year inbetween my "smut" novels as my husband refers to basically anything I an entirely engrossed in. This novel has been started and stopped atleast five different times. It has been floating around in my bedside drawer for the entire four years that I have owned it. I have not been able to focus and enjoy this novel.

In an attempt to "NEST" while pregnant, I have been trying to tie up loose ends. Touching up paint, finishing up unfinished projects, all the little things that don't happen when you have a new baby in the house. One of my things is the stack of "Should reads" that I have floating around. The one's that I have to read, but then always get distracted by something else. Pride and Predjudice was at the bottom of a tall stack of "shoud reads".

I started reading. I read and read. I was proud of myself because I was making progress. And yet, I was beginning to question my mental abilites because, unlike every other book nerd, I was finding no reason to continue on with this book. But...it's Pride and Prejudice. And by God, I'm going to finish this book if it's the last thing I do because I'm sick to death of seeing it in my dresser drawer. So I kept reading.

I can honestly say, I didn't care for the book. There were parts that were good. There were Characters that I enjoyed. But the whole thing seemed rather tedious and painfully long.

I enjoy England and especially old England. I enjoy the courting dance that used to take place in order to "snag" and eligible man. I enjoy the language. I just think it was a bit drawn out for Elizabeth and Darcy to simply end up together.

I'm sure people are reading this right now and completely offended because I just don't love Jane Austen. I apologize. I would like to love Jane Austen. I feel like I should, but she and I just don't mesh. But, it's out of the drawer. I can honestly say I have read it. And I only have four classics to go for my 2010 goal. Any suggestions?

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The Girls are Back in Town

Every once in a while, there will be something that simply calls my name away from my current situation as Mom and wife and brings me back to the girl that I was during college. I don't do this very often. I don't often go out with old friends and relive my college scene. I'm completely content to move on from there and enjoy this current stage of existence that involves maternity jeans and potty training. But....once in a while.....I just get to thinkin'......

And I can't help but remember when I lived in a shitty apartment in the bad part of town (and didn't care). Spent my entire paycheck on cheap clothes that I still couldn't afford (and didn't care). Had nobody to answer to but myself. Was completely engrossed in my passion of learning how to teach school....and also looking for boys that would help pass the time inbetween classes. Eating out with good friends, even if that involved being broke for the rest of the week just to enjoy a nice dinner out. Knowing just exactly which bar you could sneak into and avoid getting carded while you were 20 1/2 and oh so close to being legal anyways. Knowing that this was probably going to be the best time in my life, and enjoying ever second of it. And it's true. It was the absolute best time of my life for sure. I hold my college years dear to my heart for a lot of reasons. And one special show that I associate with friends and Sunday night HBO is Sex and the City.

Every Sunday night we would get a cheap bottle of wine, a brick of cheddar cheese, a cutting board, and a knife. We would watch the show, eat the cheese and drink the wine. It was such a good time for us girls.

After I moved home from school, one friend in particular stuck with me in our love for the show, Mattie. When the final episode ran, she came to my house and we scared my husband while we sat on the couch and cried while Carrie finally ended up with Mr. Big. When the first Sex and the City movie premiered, we met up and of course, went to the show together. And now, the second movie is scheduled to premiere on the 27th. And so we have been texting and organizing our trip to the theatre to continue on the tradition.

I can't wait for next Friday. I usually never leave my kids for something as selfish as an afternoon movie, but this is reason to celebrate. And for two hours, I get to be the girl with the friend, watching the girls who are friends and laughing at all the situations, ooohing and ahhing over the fashion, and enjoying the, "I am SO Charlotte" conversation that will immenetly happen afterwards. And then I will call and check on the kids to make sure everything is okay and to let them know that Mommy is on her way home. Can't wait.

Happy Summer! Finally!

I couldn't hold them off any longer. One nice weekend and it was out with the clothes and on with the swimsuits. And I had to say I was just as excited as they were. It was kind of breezy and really not warm enough for swimming, but good luck convincing these two of that. They ran around the yard in the sprinklers and enjoyed trying to spray each other immensely. They are now convinced it is officially summer and Cameron has told me she is going to only wear swim suits and tank tops. She already has a tan. And I'm okay with that. I love summer too. Love tank tops. Love flip flops and swimsuits. But I DO NOT love maternity swimwear. Nothing more humiliating that a swimsuit with a big tent flap on the front. So I'm not sure how much time I will actually be sporting the suit or rather wearing something that can just get wet. But, knowing this is my last summer of water retention and trying to keep decently covered while sweating my guts out is promising.

Tonight is Cameron's first tee ball game. I'm trying to manage the whole eating dinner before sporting events at dinner time thing, so I"ve been cooking since 3:30 this afternoon. The oven just beeped so it's time to eat and dash to the fields. Pictures to come of the big event, I'm sure!

Move Over Minerva Jane

Take a good look at the picture. Notice that Tucker is wearing dress up clothes and has Cameron on a leash. He is carrying a baby. Notice she is extremely proud of this situation. At first glance, I thought this was cute. Then I got to looking closely and I realized that they could very much be making some kind of statement towards transexual rights in a speaking out parade. Seriously, these people would kill for this look. And the leash, I'm sure makes some kind of statement.

All jokes aside, they really do enjoy playing house together. And Tucker, I'm sure, will benefit from a new baby brother in the house, as he doesn't know anything except how to dress like a princess. I've tried. He has a Superman costume. He has a Handy Manny hard hat. He has guns and swords and all the kinds of things that boys like. And he does. But he really likes to dress up with Cameron. So maybe when it's two against one he'll decide that princesses just aren't his style. I hope. For now, it's cute. And somebody has to set the styles for the next GLB Parade. Move over Minerva Jane!

Easter Photos

Only a month and a half later, I finally decided to download some early spring shots and I just had to share these with you. Here are the kiddos at the freezing cold early morning egg hunt at the park. We usually go and sit with the Easter Bunny after the hunt.

Cameron intently dyeing her Easter eggs. This was the first year that she was patient enough to actually get a good color on her eggs.

Tucker, on the other hand, has his own method to dyeing eggs, and it doesn't involve utensils of any kind.

Here he is thinking he's being sneaky, even though I already told him not to use his fingers in the dye.

Some cute Easter cupcakes the kids did with their Grandma. I thought these turned out awesome. And so easy to make.

Matt is back to moving equipment up to the woods, which means back to work for the loggers in the next few weeks. They have to wait until it quits raining and it dries up enough that they can actually get to the job site. At this rate, with still not a whole lot of of warm weather, I'm surprised they're getting ready to go, but it will probably work out fine.

I am enjoying a lazy cleaning day since I mopped and sanitized yesterday. Still doesn't take much to exhaust me into being lazy, and today it is windy and cold and I'm wearing sweats and doing nothing. Getting ready to put some taco soup in the crock pot.

I did manage to get another few cards made last night so I will post those here in the next day or so. Have a wonderful day!

Sunday Book Revie--11 (late)

A quick post while my potatoes are boiling for dinner and the kids have ran to town with hubby.

Into Temptation by Penny Vincenzi


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The third and final book in the Lytton Family Trilogy. Penny VIncenzi finished with a bang and I enjoyed every page to the end of this book. I was a little surprised at how she finished up some loose ends and left some still hanging, but all in all, an excellent trilogy. I would highly recommend it for some light, but worthwhile, summer reading.

This book continues on with the Lyttons who have moved to New York, the Lyttons who have stayed behind in London, and the one's who are floating between the two places. The twins are now in their 40's and Cecilia is on the brink of retirement, but still running Lyttons.

The end of this book is by far the most exciting part, with the discovery of Cecilia's life journals. These end up in the wrong hands and all of the Lytton family secrets are on the brink of discovery.

I enjoyed the way this book finishes out Cecilia's life. I really feel that as a character, I know her inside and out. And I even find myself thinking about her, so I would say that's the sign of a well developed character. Some of the others are less than developed and pretty basic, but all in all, it all tied together nicely.

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Zoo Themed Page and Card

Good morning and hope I didn't alert you with two posts back to back. I have been so excited to work in my new scrapbook room, so I thought I would share a few of my creations with you. I used some Wild Animal Paper, didn't catch the manufacturer, but cute cute cute. I have some zoo photos from last springs preschool field trip that were desperately needing scrapbooked.

Here is a close up of the title, but I guess you still can't tell that around the top of the Zoo Title is says "Preschool Trip to the".


And the full two page spread...

And my goal of using up all scraps on cards was fufilled by making this birthday card for my nephew who will be turning seven next month. I happened to have this aligator stamp and it went with the paper pretty well. Pretty basic design and embellishments, but my goal is to not end up with mass amounts of scraps that are old and outdated. I will either make a simple card to use or give them to my daughter and quit with the hoarding of scraps and paper.


Hope you have a wonderful weekend and a Happy Mother's Day. I'm hoping for some time to continue touching up paint in my new room, but there is always a distraction these days, so we will see where the weekend goes. Unfortunately, I don't believe warm and sunny weather is going to be a distraction. Looks are deceiving, as it's sunny and bright, but windy and freezing cold. Poor kids, get all excited to go play and come back in freezing cold ten minutes later. Gotta love Spring in Idaho.