End

2011's almost over...  It's crazy.  My trip to Georgia last week went well.  The drive on Wednesday/Thursday wasn't too bad.  No snow, but there was a major rainstorm in Tennessee.  I've also come to the conclusion that Tennessee gas stations use their toilets as grotesque ornaments.  We stopped at two different gas stations and both had clogged toilets for the women's room.  You could tell it was holiday-travel time.

I enjoyed visiting my family over the weekend.  Georgia had some nice 60 degree weather (excluding Christmas day).  It was nice to see them.  And then Christmas came and left.  I got a Nook for Christmas. I've already bought about 6 dollar books.  I'm excited.  I've also signed up for Netgalley which is a site that allows you to request books from the publishers for review (sometimes prior to publication).  I've already got two books that I need to read...  I love reading, but I don't have enough time to read as much as I want to.  So many books, so little time.

And then we drove back to Wisconsin on Monday.  A smooth, 14 hour drive.  The roads were not bad at all.  The only crowds we saw were at the gas stations waiting to stock up on gas.

Now I'm back to work.  Since Monday was a holiday and I don't get holiday pay, I'm working four tens this week.  And let me tell you, I hate ten hour shifts...  I can't wait to be back to eight hour shifts in a little over a week.

I hope you all enjoy New Year's!!  And now I'll leave you with a picture of the ornaments we got for Christmas (because they're awesome).

Sick Puppy

If today has been any glance into the future to help me understand what it's like to have kids, then I think I can wait on the having kids part....  My day began with Gizmo waking me up with his dry heaves.  I then had to rush him into the bathroom, so he could puke on the linoleum (it's easier to clean up than carpet and fabric).

And that's pretty much how my day's been all day.  Gizmo coughing, puking, and dry heaving.  He's puked on me, two blankets, the couch cover, his bed, and various parts of the floor.  And as frustrated as this makes me, I have to try to hide it.  Because Gizmo tries to hide after puking if my voice reeks of frustration.

DId I mention I've been a little sick today?  I came down with a light cold on Friday.  It's been a lot of congestion, and my husband bought me some Sudafed today which has helped.  I also got my tetanus shot on Friday.  So anything touching my arm or putting any kind of pressure on my arm is painful.

We'll be driving down to Georgia on Wednesday.  I'm so excited to be with family this Christmas!!!  I'm not looking forward to the drive, but it'll be worth it.  I'm also planning on working between 10 and 12 hour shifts at work the beginning of this week.  That way I can get as close to my 40 hours this week as possible.

So, throw your happy thoughts my way to help me survive the hard parts of this week.  Because in the end, it'll all be worth it.  (I'm excited to see family!)

Musings

So, I have learned quite a few things from driving in Wisconsin this past year.  And I thought I'd share some of those musings...

- Madison has two main lakes in the city (there's more than that but no one cares).  The capitol sits between those two lakes.  We live on the west side of the lakes.

- The freeway is on the east side of the lakes.  We never see the freeway unless we're driving far.  There's a belt line that goes around the southern portion of Madison (think of two lop-sided lakes as the eyes and the smiley face as the belt line - that's Madison in a happy way).

- I've never had to really drive in rush hour traffic.  Since there are multiple business areas, rush hour traffic mainly affects the southern side of Madison (the belt line).  I drive north and then east to work.  In essence, I go around the lake in the direction that most everyone else doesn't take.

- I get to drive to work when the sun rises.  I leave at about 6:50 every day.  That is the time the sun decides to come up.  By the time I get to work, there's plenty of sunshine.  I also get to drive home to the sunset, and I leave work at 4.  The closer December 22 is, the more likely the sun sets before I get home at 4:30.  This is my biggest regret with the Wisconsin move: it doesn't seem like there's enough sun in the winter time...

- Speed limits are only meant to be followed if it's snowing.  Everyone drives twenty over the speed limit no matter where you are at.  People only go the speed limit when it's snowing...

- Minnesotan drivers are the equivalent of Idahoan drivers in Utah.  Only instead of going ten under the limit like Idahoans do, Minnesotans go the speed limit.  And it drives Wisconsinites crazy...

- The drive home work isn't about the drive; it's about all the planning you can do via cell phone.  Fifty percent of drivers are on their phones in the afternoon drive.  I am completely for making it illegal to drive and talk on the phone at the same time (I'm sure I'm in the minority with this view).

Yeah, that's all I have.  My random thoughts while driving this week.

Update

Work is going well.  I especially like the idea of getting off of work at four.  The only bummer is I have to wake up early in order to be there by seven thirty.  But oh well.  I'm enjoying it.  And the people are great.

Since going back to work, my reading rate has plummeted.  I was pretty much reading a book a day.  Now it's taking me two to three days to read a book.  Oh, and I won a book off of Goodreads.  I'm excited.

I will be doing some online Christmas shopping this weekend.  I decided I don't want to do actual retail shopping because the stores are too busy.  And the feel of the computer underneath my hands is more appealing.

Gizmo really needs a haircut.  His hair's getting long.

Lots of randomness.  Sorry I don't have anything awesome or exciting to say.  Life is good!

Thanksgiving

Happy late Thanksgiving to everyone.  I hope you're enjoying the holiday weekend as much as I am.  I got the Christmas trees up, and the lights on the balcony.  Our cousin joined us for the turkey dinner yesterday.  Knowing that I will never cook as well as my grandparents, I still think I did okay for the dinner.  And he brought the pumpkin pie (which was super delicious).  I had no idea how much I love pumpkin pie until I tasted this pie.  Thankfully, he gave us the leftover pie.

And now I leave you with Gizmo's annual stuff-in-a-stocking-and-snap-a-photo picture...

Woah

So the last two days have been super busy for me...  Tuesday afternoon, I received a call about a potential job opening up.  Long story short, I met with the recruiter, had a phone interview the next day, received a job offer an hour after the interview, and will be starting the job on Monday.  Granted, it is a contract job (meaning it is planned to end in March of next year), but there's an opportunity for me to get my foot in the door and prove my worth.

Now here's the funny thing, I was looking for a laboratory/research job with a biotechnology/pharmaceutical company.  I will now be working with a biotechnology/pharmaceutical company but I will not be working in a lab.  I'll be doing technical support or something relatively similar.  It makes me laugh that both of my backgrounds (biotechnology and computer software) will be beneficial for this position.  I'm kind of excited for this.

I've also been helping with my church's nursery in the mornings these last two days.  Watching the little kids has been a lot of fun.  However two things stand out for me.  The first is being called teacher by a four-year-old (even though I wouldn't consider myself qualified for the title) is very gratifying.  The second is kids are a lot of work to watch.

I think the librarians think I'm nuts.  I've been averaging about seven books being checked out and returned in a week.  Yes, that is what I have been doing with my time - reading.  I'm predicting my reading habits are going to be greatly reduced now that I'll be busy in the daytime.  But I'm still loving this habit of mine.

Hunger Games Trailer

Can I just say I am super-looking forward to this movie coming out?  I need to make lots of friends between now and March.  That way, I have someone to go with me to see this movie.  If all else fails, I can drag my husband to it (unless he ends up dragging me which could very well happen)...

Snow

The first snowfall of the season occurred today.  I took out Gizmo this morning.  He noticed the snow right before he was about to step off of the covered porch and immediately tried to turn around.  Unfortunately, he still had to go potty.  So, in the wet snow he went to do his duty.  As soon as he was done, he could care less where I was because he wanted inside.  Kind of stinks that he was stuck on a leash that was hooked to my arm.  So what should have been a very fast run back to the door turned into a five foot run that ended with him falling over when the leash was stretched as far as it could go.  I had to pick Gizmo up and put him in my jacket since he was shivering so bad from the cold.  Yes, Gizmo hates snow.

And to make the day better, we had to go to the vet's office.  We've come to the conclusion that Jared's car (the car I happen to be driving lately) needs a new battery.  It doesn't start well at all.  Fortunately for me, there's a battery jump-start thingamajig in the car.  Kind of sucks that I didn't know how to use it before I had to figure out how to use it today.  And what's even more embarrassing than having five or six men pass me while I'm fumbling with the stupid gadget (not one of them offered to help me) is the fact that Jared's trunk doesn't stay open well.  Yes, the trunk door fell on top of my head not once, but twice (you'd think I'd have learned with the first occurrence).  But never fear, I figured it out and got the car started.  And that's just when a nice guy driving by decides to ask if I need help starting the car.  He was probably scared off with my maniacal reply of, "Nope!!!  I figured it out all on my own even if I am missing that Y chromosome!!!!!!!!!!"

Baked Potato Soup

I thought I'd let everyone know about one of my favorite soups of all time to cook.  It is baked potato soup, and it's super delicious.  The recipe I've listed below will feed two people and a little bit of left overs.  Double it if you plan on feeding a family with it.  Also, it goes well with rolls.

Ingredients:

• 6 slices bacon
• 1/3 cup margarine
• 1/3 cup flour
• 3.5 cups milk
• 2 large potatoes (The 5 lb bag of potatoes I buy usually consists of small potatoes in which case I use around 5 potatoes)
• 2 green onions (The green onions this season have been tiny, so I've been using 3 - depends on if you enjoy onions)
• 5/8 cup cheese (I'm a definite cheese person, so I tend to dump about a cup of cheese in the soup)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1.2 tsp pepper

Preparation:

1. Bake the potatoes.  If you're not sure how to do that, read on.  I typically clean my potatoes and fork them (stab them with a fork a couple of times).  I place them in a 400 degree preheated oven and cook them for 45-60 minutes.  45 minutes will give you chunkier potatoes, while 60 minutes will give you mushier potatoes (your soup will resemble mashed potatoes).
2. If you have a husband who likes to cook bacon, then give him bacon duty while you prepare the soup.  Otherwise, you're going to want to cook the bacon and crumble it before you start the soup (unless you're really good at multi-tasking).
3. Once the potatoes are done, you can start the soup.  If you're not good at multi-tasking, then peel and chop the potatoes before beginning the soup.  Also, chop the green onions.  I will peel the potatoes and chop the onions as I cook the soup.  But I have an advantage:  I don't feel the potatoes burn me as I peel them (they're hot).
4. Melt margarine in a pot.  I typically set the burner to medium-low and will gradually move it up to medium while cooking.  Note:  the hotter it is, the more likely you are to burn the soup.
5. Whisk in flour until smooth.
6. Stir in milk whisking constantly until thickened.  I've noticed that the milk doesn't thicken too much. But give it a couple of minutes and verify that the milk has turned warm before moving onto the next step.
7. Stir in potatoes and onions.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently (this is where I use medium heat).  Reduce heat and simmer for ten minutes.  You'll actually get to enjoy the bubbles come up and pop because they make an awesome popping noise (or maybe I'm just weird).
8. Mix in bacon, cheese, sour cream, salt and pepper.  Stir frequently until cheese melts.
9. Enjoy the soup!!

Movies

So everyone knows about the issue Netflix has been having.  First, raising their prices by about 25% (or more).  And then threatening to separate the websites for the mail-in dvds and the instant watch.  Two different websites were supposed to be in the best interests for the consumer?  Yeah whatever...

Jared and I decided to try to look into alternatives to Netflix to see if we could save money.  We have the instant and two-dvds-at-a-time plan.  Our list is typically outdated, so the movies we have we sometimes wonder why we wanted to watch them in the first place.  And they sit in our house for about two weeks before we finally get to watching them.  Yeah, not a good use of our money.

Here's what we found as an alternative:  the library.  Looking at the movies in our list, we could put holds on these movies and potentially have them in a couple of days to a week from now.  Granted, some of the newer movies have about 500 holds.  But if we want to watch them sooner, we can use Redbox.  Redbox only costs a dollar (soon to be a dollar twenty), and we can be sure to watch it (who would rent a movie if they didn't have that "I wanna watch a movie" mood?) and return it within a day.  Bottom line, using the library and Redbox will ultimately save us up to twelve bucks a month (I could get Taco Bell with that kind of money - one of my guilty-but-I-don't-know-why-I-love-it pleasures).

We're still sticking with the instant plan because we use that almost every other day.  So, it's still worth it to us.

If you don't have a library card or haven't looked into what your library offers, then you're really missing out.  I love the City of Madison's library system.  My local library is really small and hard to browse for books, but I tend to browse for books online now.  All I have to do is put a hold on what I need, and the library will have it for me within a day or two (unless there's a line of holds ahead of me).  Using your library for your media is a definite potential for saving money (even if you happen to get hit on by random people while there - a story for another time).

Hair

I dyed my hair about a week ago.  It's a little redder and darker than it was beforehand.  I have pictures, but I don't think the pictures show enough red.  I have gone from a dirty blonde/really light brown to a red-brown.  I think I like it.

Before

After (so it doesn't look much different - I promise there's more red to it now)

Family

My mom and my sister are in town this weekend.  They've been here since Thursday afternoon.  And we've had a blast.  During our down time moments, we've been reading books.  I'll probably post more about what we've done this past week at a later time.  Not sure if there will be pictures since we haven't really pulled the camera out yet.

Time

My last day at work was yesterday.  It was fairly uneventful except when I sliced my thumb open.  Yes, imagine me trying to recycle paper by trying to remove the spiral binder from my notebook.  The metal spiral sliced down my thumb.  I must be super accident-prone because I still can't believe it happened.  And the cut is deep enough that I can feel it tingle...

I have an interview on Monday.  I'm excited and hoping for the best.  I'll let you know what happens in the future.

I asked for a lot of book recommendations from friends and placed about fifteen holds at my library.  I have eight books at home with me now waiting to be read.  I also opened a GoodReads account and received some book recommendations that way.  Let's just say, I know how I'll be occupying my free time in the next couple of weeks.

I made an eight layer dip for the football games today.  Jared appreciates my cooking.  I'll be making home-made baked macaroni and cheese tonight as well.  One of the nice things with having a lot of free time is being able to cook homemade meals.  I've missed those...

Reading Blog

I recently made a reading blog.  So now you don't have to deal with my pesky book posts.  But if you enjoy those, then you can check them out on my new blog.  I'll also take suggestions for a better blog title and recommendations for good books (my list of books to read is getting dangerously low).

Cold

I help out with the nursery at church.  It helps give me my baby fix for the week.  Unfortunately almost all babies came to church with runny noses last week.  One of the little babies always recognizes me from afar, comes near me, and decides I wasn't who he thought I was.  Anyways, all those runny noses equated to me receiving a cold during the week.

It started off with a really sore throat.  After that was over, I was wondering if this would be a sinus-free cold that only gives a very sore throat.  Fat chance.  My voice is low, and my throat isn't as painful, but my sinuses are full and slimy...  Ugh, I hate colds.  I believe the last time I had one was over a year ago.

Maybe it's an indication that if I'm not ready to be sick with colds constantly, then I'm not ready for babies...

I've been checking our finances in preparation for me to be jobless for a couple of weeks.  It's kind of disheartening to know that we achieved our dollar-amount goal in savings to prepare for buying a house, but the money won't be used for that purpose anymore.

Let's hope I find a job I like soon.  And preferably one with less stress (I'm sick of all the grey hairs popping up)...

Reading Habits

So, I've been reading quite a bit.  I'm thinking of starting another blog to separate my reading habits from my other life.  I might turn it into a better review process instead of just a record of what I have read (it's sad when I can't remember if I've read the book before or not).  We'll see what comes up in the next couple of weeks.

Firelight by Sophie Jordan

Reading about Dragons.  I enjoyed how this plot played out however I hated how it ends.  Granted, it's set up for a sequel that was released last month.  Let's just say there are some parts of a teenager that I am super glad I outgrew...  But I still enjoy young adult books.

Stork by Wendy Delsol

This book was definitely interesting.  It involves a secret society that chooses who gets to give birth to select babies (hence the title), but it goes around how the girl deals with life.  In a new school, newly divorced parents, went from sun to cold in 5 seconds flat (California to Minnesota).  Yeah, I don't like snow either...

Jeaniene Frost

Destined for an Early Grave     First Drop of Crimson

 

Eternal Kiss of Darkness

I had to keep going in my vampire series.  I have two books left to read in this series.  I've really enjoyed these books.  And as much as I hate the covers and the fact that they're in the romance section in the library, I'll still read these.  Yeah, you had me at vampire...

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

This book had a really interesting concept and goes through how a town deals with suicide.  One girl's life was hell to live, so she made sure all the reasons why she decided to die knew about it.  Granted, a person may make your life hell, but taking your own life is still a choice you make.  The girl was just as guilty (if not even more guilty) than those she blamed.  However it was a good read, and I think everyone needs to be reminded about how our actions affect others.

Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky

This book holds an award that very few books will ever receive from me.  It is the award of putting me to sleep.  It was a good plot and made you think, but it was too slow for my tastes.  It's set in the future where people only interact with each other online.  It's a very realistic future with the way the world's heading, and I think that's what makes this book a little disturbing.  If there happens to be a sequel to this book, I'll most likely read (regardless of how easily it might put me to sleep).

What I Said and How I Lied by Judy Blundell

I'm not going to lie, I randomly picked this book up because of the cover.  This is set after World War II, and it's a realistic story about a family who manages to get themselves into some worldly troubles.  The daughter, a 15-year-old girl who's desperately in love with a 23-year-old veteran.  I'd honestly say this story was just stupid and dumb.  But a couple of days afterwards, it was still in my mind.  If you were left with a very difficult decision, would you do what's right by your family or what's right by a moral society?

Trickster's Choice by Tamora Pierce

Tamora Pierce was one of my favorite authors as a teenager.  So, I decided to try this book in tribute to one of my favorite authors.  And yes, I enjoy reading young adult books, but there are some I shouldn't pick up anymore.  This plot fell falt for me.  I had it picked about 20 pages into it.  If you're not familiar with Tamora Pierce, her books are always set in a fantasy world where there's magic and all sorts of things.  They're really good reads, but I didn't enjoy this one as much.

Die for Me by Amy Plum

For people who love reading anything supernatural but are kind of sick of the vampire/werewolf bandwagon, this book is for you.  It has a supernatural twist to it that is totally interesting.  I don't care if the plot was a little obvious once things were explained a little, I still enjoyed it.  And I want to read more of her books.

Spell Bound by Kelley Armstrong

I should have read this book in the summer time when it came out, but I forgot to.  Kelley Armstrong is one of my favorite authors, her twelfth Otherworld book doesn't disappoint.  This book is from spell-caster Savannah's point of view, and I enjoyed it.  I don't want to ruin the plot or anything, but you see a lot of the characters from other books in this one.  It seems like the books are all culminating to a huge event.  But again, I'm sick of the cliff hangers already.  Even if this isn't one of those cliff hangers that cause you to throw the book across the room after finishing the last page, it's still a cliff hanger.

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

I just finished this book today.  And I enjoyed it.  It seemed like it was set in the future after human civilization collapses (I'm just guessing here).  It has a Southern twang writing style that I absolutely loved reading (you Mark Twain kind-of-but-not-really twang).  It's from Saba's point of view and follows her life after her brother, Lugh, is mysteriously taken.  The one issue I did have with Saba is how poorly she treated her sister.  I wanted to wring her neck most of the time when she talked to her sister.  Anyways, it was an interesting book to say the least.

Still Here

Yes, I am still alive.  I've just been up to the usual, going to work and reading books.  Now that Jared goes to night school, I don't see him all that often.  But that'll change soon.

My mom and sister will be out here in three weeks.  We're going to have a blast showing them around the town...

I have been busy looking for a new job.  It's been interesting to say the least.  But again, not a whole lot to talk about.

The fall colors are beginning to show.  The tree leaves aren't green anymore.  And it's been freezing outside these past couple of days.  If I'm considering 60 degrees (40-50 at night) to be freezing, I'm in for a surprise come winter time...

Yesterday, I attended an intensive bible study.  It was a four hour session starting at seven pm.  The topic was the biblical perspectives of Heaven and Hell.  Let me tell you, information overload and a lot of food for though.  By the end of the night, I was super tired and getting a little confused.  Anyways, there was a lot of information I took out of the session, and I have so many verses to follow up on.

And tomorrow, I get to satisfy my baby hunger by helping out in the nursery.  Super fun.  I love weekends...

Forward

I'm trying to figure out if I should start writing again.  I know I need to write down the million plots that I have stuck in my head.  That way, I can keep better track of them.  And who knows, maybe it'll spur me to start writing again...

I've also decided I might try my hand at creating applications for phones.  Haven't decided whether to start with Android, iPhone, or Windows.  I guess I'll have to see which languages they support to determine which ones will be easier for me to pick up on.  My first idea is to create an application that helps you budget your money.  I've got a few ideas going.  And if nothing else, it'll help me with my budget.

It's been fairly chilly this past week.  We had a freeze alert Wednesday night, but I don't think it got quite that cold.

Whirlwind

This week has been:

- surprising

- difficult

- long

I was left with making a major decision.  And I'm finally happy I've made that decision.  I'm beginning to feel better about it.  It's nice to know I have my family to support me.

As of right now, I'm not ready to talk about what's been going on lately in my life.  But I'll open up more in the next few weeks.  All I can say is I'm excited for what the next journey in life will bring me...

Yay!!

My family is in town for the weekend.  It's been a lot of fun.  And the fun will continue!

Utah State played at Auburn today, and they almost won.  They were not slaughtered.  Wow, my mind has been blown away.

And the clutch in my car has been going out.  But the cable decided to snap today.  How lovely...

Isn't my day full of surprises?  At least I've enjoyed it!

Entitlement

This world has gone to the dark side.  Too many people have that feeling of entitlement.  I'm alive and breathing, therefore I deserve a computer.  Or a sports car.  Or something else that I shouldn't have to work for.  Has anyone else noticed this?

Anyways, not much to say these past couple of weeks.  I'e been working and reading tons of books.  Also, Jared and I have decided to train for a 5k.  We still need to find one to sign up for, but we're doing good.  Running keeps me sane.  Although I do believe I need new running shoes...

Choices

There are so many things to choose from in this world.  For example, Jared's going back to school this fall. If he quits working in retail, he can get more involved with school, volunteer work, or whatever.  And we'd be able to spend the holidays with family instead of by ourselves (one at work, the other sitting on a couch).  But can we afford for him to quit work?  Is money really that important?  I don't know.  But I'm leaning more towards the ability to go to Georgia and spend Christmas with family rather than by myself (sorry Utah, you're too far for a quick vacation).

And I have decided there are two paths I could take when I go back to school.  Yes, I have decided I will be going back to school.  When?  Who knows, probably in the next year or two.  It all depends on whether or not we can afford it, and if I'm still liking my job and the ridiculous amounts of work I have on my plate...  But how do I choose which one is for me?

I could either go back to school for a teaching emphasis in mathematics.  Call me crazy, but teaching calculus at a community college has been a dream job of mine.  I love calculus and math in general.  And I'd probably be able to get scholarships/grants to help me with my master's degree.

Or I could go back to school with the plan to get my physician's assistant degree.  It's like being a doctor, but requires half the time (and you have to work under a physician).  This would require a little more schooling and be a harder program to get into.  But it'd be worth it.  Working as a doctor in Family Medicine has been a dream of mine as well.

So, which do I choose to do?  I have no idea.  But I do know I have a lot of time to figure it out.  I just want to choose the best one for me before I go back to school.

And the sad thing is...  With these plans of mine and Jared going back to school, we're never going to be buying a house nor having kids.  We're still attempting to save for a house in the hopes that we'll have enough by next spring to start looking.  But who knows how well that plan will turn out?  And as a teenager, I said 24 was a good age to have a kid.  Nope, not going to happen.  Although technically in Wisconsin, having a kid in your early/mid twenties is a very young age to have a kid.  So, maybe I'm doing okay on that part.  I'm just a little eager to move into the future and see that family I always dream of...

Late Night Reads

It's been about two months since my last book post.  So I though I'd let everyone know what I've been reading as of late...

Night Huntress Series by Jeaniene Frost

 

So, the first book was another book that Jared got me for Christmas.  And I thoroughly enjoy these books.  I know, I know; it's another vampire series.  But I love reading vampire, paranormal stuff.  What made me laugh really hard is that these series fall under the Romance section and not the Fantasy/SciFi (like all the other vampire books I read).  Who knows, maybe these books will draw me to the Romance section. Anyways, I'm still working my way through the series.  Since I got a library card, I've kind of taken a break with my vampires.  I recommend these books for people who like vampires (not the sparkly, shiny kind).

Starcorssed by Josephine Angelini

And now I'm moving towards the Young Adult section.  I can't help it; there are many books out there geared towards teens that are absolutely great to read.  Anyways, this book has the Greek myth paranormal label.  I enjoyed this book, but I wanted to throw the book out the window when it ended.  Let's just say, I'll be anxiously awaiting the second one.  I will say this though, I'm kind of tired of the doom-struck lovers theme, but it always makes for a good plot.  Still a good book.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

Having read the Twilight series before every female went gaga over Robert Pattinson, I thought it was about time I read this book.  I remember hearing this book being advertised as from the point of view of a 'bad' vampire.  Definitely not the best book I've ever read.  And I don't think Stephenie Meyer knows how to write from the point of view of a bad person, er, vampire - whatever.  No matter how evil the character's supposed to be, she manages to find some good in the character.  And there's nothing wrong with that; it's just, I wanted an evil vampire...  I guess I'll stay with the adult fiction when it comes to my vampires.

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

Reading this book made me wish I was a rich, privileged, spoiled-rotten teenager growing up.  Anyways, this book is a historical fiction book, and it gets into the French revolution era.  Tying the history together into the present was done really well.  However, I never quite fully grasped the meaning of this book's simple theme until a few days after I finished it.  I believe it was written well, and I'd recommend anyone who likes to read young adult books read this.

The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell

I thought this book was one of the worst books I have read in the last year.  It's set in the eighteen hundreds which is what drew me into reading this.  I mean let's face it, reading about corsets is better than wearing them (they fascinate me for some odd reason).  Anyways, I feel this book's plot lacked a lot of depth.  It did not do a good job explaining things, and I did not feel an actual climax.  It kind of made me think 'short story' stuck in a novel.  However, the title was cool.  I had to look up the word about halfway through the book, and then it all made sense...

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

This book is really, really good if you like the kind that question ethics and morals.  Just reading about living in a space ship your whole life made me feel claustrophobic.  This book weaves deep into a person's beliefs on what is right and wrong in regards to your self and to the collective group.  As the plot unwinds and explains the non-normalcy going on, you begin to question things.  Reading this book made me see all sides of the story and feel where each character was coming from.  I was definitely questioning if what I thought was right was really right at the end of the book.  I also have to point out, this book had two narrators.  I'm the kind of person who enjoys reading 1st person, one narrator books.  So, transitioning to this style was difficult at first, but I didn't care anymore after the first hundred pages...  A definite must read because it was really, really good.

Tomatoes

Did I mention that one of my tomato plants reached five feet?  It was taller than my corn stalks...

It outgrew its metal cage and became too heavy.  So,  the tomato plant fell over.  It almost killed my peppers when it fell over.

We had to tie the cage to a stake to keep it from falling again.  And the rest of my plants are okay now...

Still got about 60 tomatoes coming.  I've been harvesting about 5 grape tomatoes and two cherry tomatoes a week.  And now the big boys are beginning to ripen...  Those numbers are about to go up.

Cade's Cove

While in Gatlinburg, we hit the town and bought lots of taffy and fudge.  We also went tubing down a river.  We stopped at Cade's Cove to see the beautiful Smokies and the history of the area.  We also stopped at Ober, Gatlinburg which has an alpine slide that is lots of fun and a very beautiful view...

And that's my vacation in a nutshell...  Now onto more pictures.

 Funnel spiders.  Yes, it was freaky cool...

 Mushrooms

 Before

 After (Jared's playing with the camera and it's cool!)

 It has a lock!!

 You can see a little of the infamous smoke.  It was kind of disappointing that the mountains weren't super smoky for Jared's first trip.  Oh well...