It's been a while

Yes, I know...it's been 2 months since I've last posted. I honestly can't explain why I haven't posted in quite some time. I'm on the computer all the time when I get home from work. I've read numerous books in the last 3 months. I've read all the True Blood, Sookie Stackhouse novels except the last one. I've read two more Jodi Picoult books. And I'm currently read a new books by Nicholas Sparks called The Last Song. I'm a huge Nicholas Sparks fan and I mean BIG fan. I read The Notebook at least once a year. It never gets old and the movie is definitely one of my favorites. I'm excited because two of his books are becoming movies. Dear John is the first one. I was super pumped when this books came out. It's a good book, but the first book of his I didn't cry. And I usually measure the greatness f one of his books if I cry. Who knows, the movie will probably have me bawling like a baby. It's about a guy who meets a girl and then September 11th happens and he feels it's his duty to re-enlist in the army and get deployed overseas. While he is deployed, he recieves a Dear John letter. A sad thing to think about, but not uncommon to see. And FYI, the guy that plays John is HOTT!!
The next movie of his coming out is actually from his most recent book that I'm reading now, The Last Song. I'm about half way through the book and so far it's about a 17 year old girl who is foced to stay with her dad and little brother for the summer. She hasn't talked to her dad in 3 years and doesn't really want to have anything to do with him. Her biggest problem is making friends and figuring out what to do for the summer in a place she's not familiar with.

Watch more Moviefone videos on AOL Video

Watch more Moviefone videos on AOL Video

Both of these movies look really good and I can't wait to see them!! Think I can talk Mike into going with me? :)

Kids say the dardest things...

I love watching videos of little kids! This little boy cracks me up. Whoever this Trigon company is, has a great advertisement person.








This video just makes me laugh!!




I had to put this one in just because it always makes me giggle and babies are so stinkin cute!

Little girls...

So this is my cousin's little girl Aliseah...I can assure you my cousin does not do any of the actions Aliseah does, so I'm not sure where she gets it from.

Videos from Colorado

Here are a few videos of Kaydence and Ian from my trip to Colorado.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

Well, with the new installment of Harry Potter coming out to theaters next week, I decided to re-read the 6th book. And I was reminded at how much I love Harry Potter and the author J.K. Rowling. She's an amazing writer who came up with an amazing story, inventive words for a whole other world, and fabulous characters. I'm super pumped to see the movie, so I thought I'd leave you with the trailer for it...

True Blood

Alright, so I know it's been a while since I've posted, almost a month. I've actually read a few books, but I'm going to talk about the True Blood series. Mike and I were shopping at a mall one day, and I went into Hot Topic to look at some Twilight stuff. (Yeah, you know, I'm a Twilight freak.) Anyway, one of the workers came up to ask me about Twilight and she asked if I had heard of True Blood. It's another vampire series, but more adult like. Actually, very adult like. But I'm a vampire lover for life now, so I had to try the books.





I've read the first three books: Dead Until Dark, Living Dead in Dallas, and Club Dead. The main character is Sookie Stackhouse. she has a special gift where she can hear and see what people around her are thinking. Vampires are known in the living world and are part of the regular population. The Japanese have created a synthetic drink called True blood for vampires so that they are not feeding off of humans. Sookie meets vampire Bill and instantly falls in love. The books are about some of their trials and adventures together. A very easy read. There is also an HBO show that is based off the books. I've seen the complete first season and let me tell you, it's definitely an HBO show if you know what I mean. Kind of a weird show, but it just attracts you and makes you want to watch more.

Ian Lee Bryan

Well Megan finally had the baby!! Meet Ian Lee Bryan. 7 lbs 7oz. 20 in. long

The Bug and her new brother.




Little Man.




Rachel says he has my cheeks.




Mommy and Ian.

Puppy Likes It!

This is my brother and sister-in-laws new great dane/st. bernard mix Marley. I'm with Kaydence though, I don't think I would lick the sucker either...

Marley and Kaydence

Another video of my Bug

Here is the Bug again. Cody sent this to me last night. She's saying high to everyone in the family. There is a little butt shot and Vjj shot..sorry about that.


P.S. Starr is cute! Not Ugly!

The Pact

I was talking to Ashley about Jodi Picoult books the other day. They can be a tough read because of their controversy subjects, but at the same time, it's so real and neat to have an author who's not afraid to talk about an Amish girl accused of murder, a tragic school shooting, or teens who cut themselves to get rid of hurt and pain. This book was no exception.
Emily and Chris have known each other since birth. Chris was 3 weeks old when Emily was born. Their mothers were best friends. If Chris feel down, Emily got a bruise. If Emily bumped her head, Chris would cry. They had a connection, something special that not many people experience. Their parents had always hoped they'd form a more serious relationship when they were old enough. That happened when Chris and Emily were on a family vacation together when they were 14 and 15 years old. The families couldn't be happier. Chris and Emily were connected at the hip. Once while eating lunch at McDonald's, chris dared Emily to go into the men's bathroom and stay there for a minute or two. This led to a man doing things to Emily, that she should have told someone about, but never did. chris never knew about what happened in the bathroom. She did not deal with this event till a couple years later. Something happened in Emily. Something changed. Her thought started to wonder...to suicide.
Obviously Chris was against this, but on the night Emily is found dead, Chris is found next to her body, alive. He's convicted of murder, of the one woman he loved, who also happened to be 11 weeks pregnant. Chris knew nothing of her pregnancy. They go to trial, and Chris's attorney is trying to convince the jury that it was a double suicide pact gone bad. Chris sits in prison for almost 9 months waiting for his trial. The most surprising witness helping to defend Chris is... Emily's father. He believes that there is no possible way Chris would murder his daughter.
In the end, we find out the Chris admits to killing Emily...because she asked him to. Would you do the same? If the person you loved so much asked you to end their life, to end their pain, would you do it? If you knew they were hurting, but didn't know why, would you help them move on to another world? Again, I'll say, this was a hard book to read because it talks about such a real event, and something I'm sure is hard for parents of teenagers to deal with, but Jodi Picoult does such a good job getting you connected to the characters and wanting to help save them.

Plain Truth

Another Jodi Picoult book...another great story! This story is about Katie, an Amish girl who'd been convicted of murder. The murder of her child...thing is, she doesn't remember giving birth...and she's not married. This is a major sin in the Amish community. After appearing in court she's given and attorney, named Ellie. Because Katie lives on her parent's farm and she's only 18, the judge decides she's not a flight risk and doens't have to wait in prison for her trial to start. The kicker is, Ellie must stay on the farm till the trial starts to watch Katie since her parents have sort of disowned her. Well her dad won't talk to her, and here mom wants to, but must follow her husband. Ellie follows Katie to hangouts with her friends, to the pond on her parent's farm, anywhere Katie goes. Ellie lives on the farm with Katie's family for quite some time. She has to get permission from the judge and bishop of the community to have elctricity at least in one of the farms so she can do computer work.
Katie's brother, Jacob has already been banished from the Amish community for wanting to continue his education. The Amish stop their education in the 8th grade. Jacob used to hide books in and around the house so he could read without his parent's knowing. Katie's mom used to send her once a month to Jacob's college. Katie was not baptized yet, so she was allowed to speak to members of the banned Amish community like her brother. While at the college, she meets one of Jacob's friends, Adam. When Katie and Adam meet, something happens. Katie's heart starts beating, Adam feels lost in Katie's eyes and beauty. Needless to say, Adam and Katie form a connection with each other that goes farther than it should. This is a great book. Please try it.

Second Glance

This book was very different from her other books. I enjoyed it though. Ashley told me it was about ghosts which I know a lot of people don't believe in, but I've believed in ghosts for as long as I can remember. It comes from my grandpa. He was always telling me stories from his childhood and life about ghosts. My dad has also shared stories with me to validate what my grandpa said. I also enjoy the show Ghost Hunters on Wednesday nights at 9 on SciFi. There are some things on that show that just can't be explained other than paranormal activity. Anyway, the book was pretty interesting. Ross is a paranormal investigator, searching for the lost soul/ghost of his fiance, Aimee. He comes back to visit his sister and nephew. He's had a very hard few years. He was engaged and the fiance died in a car crash they were both involved in. While in his sister's hometown he meets a woman, Lia who he ends up falling for. He feels guilty about this because he hasn't loved anyone or tried to open his heart to anyone else since Aimee. Come to find out Lia is actually the ghost of a young woman who killed herself when she thought her newborn baby had died. She's haunting a piece of land, looking for her lost child where her husband, who is now in his 80s or 90s, has sold it to have a strip mall built on it. There were also some surprising twists in the book that I thought were very creative. If you've got an open mind and you're willing to try a different story, I strongly suggest this book!

Perfect Match

I have to admit, this book was a little hard to read. It's about a little boy who has been molested by a priest and the struggles the parents go through. Nina, the mother of Nathan, obviously has a very hard time with the sexual assault that has happened to her son. Nina is a full time district attorney who prosecutes child molesters every day. On the day of court for the man being prosecuted for molesting Nathan, Nina walks into the courtroom late. As they are reading the rights to the priest, Nina walks up to him and shoots him in the face killing him in front the judge, a jury, and her husband. Of course there is proof that she did it. There are all kinds of witnesses in the court room that day along with news station cameras. So now, Nina needs to find someone to defend her. And when it comes to DNA tests and results, the man Nina shot, did not inflict any harm to her child. Should she go to jail for shooting a man who she thought did something so wrong to her child? How far would you go in the name of love-and justice?

I love my Bug

Here are some videos of Kaydence from Gatlinburg. I already miss her so much and can't wait to see her again hopefully in July when I travel out to Colorado to meet the new baby, Carson and help Megan out.

Congrats Brooke and Clay!!

Just wanted to throw a shout out to Brooke and Clay and say congrats on getting married!! The wedding was a blast!

Me, Brooke and Nicole before the wedding.

All the girls: Maria, Shana, Angie, Me and Nicole.

Me and Mike.

Gatlinburg Trip

This past weekend we went to Gatlinburg with my family. Since my brother's homecoming from Iraq he wanted everyone to take a weekend and go there together. We had a blast. It was loud since there were 5 kids under the age of six there and the 4 oldest don't know the meaning of the word quiet or whisper, but it was also interesting. I let my uncle have the extra bedroom, which worked out since he could have all his grandkids sleep with him, which Mike and I were on the pullout couch in the living room. So that means when the kids got up for breakfast, we got up too. I'm not much of a morning person, but got up at 8 both mornings. Saturday morning we got up, my uncle made everyone breakfast which included biscuits, gravy, bacon, hasbrowns, omelets, and sausage. Needless to say we were pretty stuffed.

Then we all go ready and were out the door by about 11:45, which is pretty good for 17 people. Half of the people went to the Ripley's Aquarium, all the kids did, and Me, Rachel, Chad (Cody's friend), and cousin walked around downtown Gatlinburg. About 1:30 we drove back to Pigeon Forge and headed to Go-carts. I'm not much of a go-cart rider and it was $8 for one ride on one track, so I passed and told Mike to do it. I also sat with Megan since she's 7 months pregnant and can't ride them either. At 2:30 we headed over to Dixie Stampede and got ready for the show. It didn't start till 4:00 but there was a pre-show and everthing. The kids absolutely loved it. My cousin's little girl didn't touch a thing on her plate because she was so enthralled with everything that was going on. I had to keep reminding Amerika to eat.

Then we headed back to the cabin and relaxed for a bit. I had a big headache so I laid around for a bit until Megan said she needed to go to Walmart. So we got in the car and ended up taking a long scenic route with a few wrong turns, but we eventually made it there. Came back and played some games like Clue, then we played to rounds of Charades. Found out after we left on Sunday night one of the Charades Rachel had to do was Pussycat Dolls. I can only imagine how that went.

Sunday we all went out and got an old time photo. Which took forever. I have never been to a place slower than the one we went to. It was horrible!!! I wanted to pull my hair out. After the photo, Mike and I headed to the outlet mall. I became a little happier. The only store I really wanted to hit was GAP. I got some cute clothes. Two cardigans, two tank tops, a skirt, and a dress. And I wanted Mike to look for a suit. We ended up with a suit, 2 dress shirts, and 2 ties for $180!!! He picked out one shirt and tie and I picked out the other. I'm excited to see him in it this weekend for the wedding.

In the end, it was so nice to see everyone and spend time with them. I love spending time with my cousin. We get along so well and just understand each other. We've gotten pretty close over the years so it's nice to have someone I can connect to like that. We're talking about going to Vegas this summer with our husbands for a little trip. Should be fun. And because her husband works for an airline we can get cheap cheap plane tickets!! :) And I LOVED LOVED LOVED seeing my bug. She is my absolutel world. I wonder sometimes that if I love her that much, how much am I going to love my own kid. I also am glad I got to see my brother since I hadn't seen him since like August. I am so proud of him for serving our country. Here are some pictures from the trip.





Kaydence in her tutu I made her and the leotard I bought for her too.











All the kids: Aliseah, Kaydence, Trapper, Amerika, Amelia.









Kaydence swimming with Cody.












The Bug sitting outside Ripley's Aquarium.











Me and the Bug. Love that smile!!












Probably one of my favs...two extremes...we've got a pouter, and a smiley face.

Nineteen Minutes

Ashley got me hooked on this author. She's more of a serious read than I'm used to, but still very good. This book kind of got to me. It's about a boy who gets bullied for 12 years of his school career and then ends up going into the school one day and shooting some of his classmates and teachers in 19 minutes. The more I got into the book, the more I got angry for both sides it was taking. I'm a big advocate of anti-bullying, so I felt really bad for Peter for being bullied all the time. There was even one instance in high school his junior year, that the group of "popular kids" come up behind him in the cafeteria and depants him, including his underwear. I can only imagine the humiliation. On top of that it's in front of his love interest, Josie (also a friend since birth until peer pressure gets to her and she goes to the popular crowd.) So on one side I'm thinking, these kids are just mean and how can no one be doing anything to stop this bullying which is clearly taking a toll on Peter, but on the other side I'm thinking...seriously, how could you go into your high school and shoot randomly at students, some of who he didn't even know all because of some stupid classmates.
It also got me thinking from a parent's point of view. Although I'm not a mom yet, I can only imagine what Peter's mom and dad are thinking. His dad is actually the one who showed him how to use a gun and used to take him hunting with him. Is he the reason Peter did this with a mixture of the bullying? Did his mom not pay enough attention to him growing up? He also had an older brother Joey, who he just couldn't quite live up to in his parent's eyes. Is this the reason Peter went on a rampage? To show people that he could live up to expectations and be in charge of something?
If you're in the mood for a book that makes you think and really feel the characters I recommend this book and any other by this author. She also put some interesting websites in the back I think you should check out. The first one is 10 myths about school shootings. The next one is a timeline of school shootings since 1996. It includes some from other countries too. There also happened to be a school shooting just today in Germany. The last webiste is an antibullying website designed by and for kids and teens. I think that's one of the greatest things you can do is really get the students involved in the antibullying process so that they can be held accountable for their actions. I'm not saying it will help all students, because there's always going to be that one or two who don't care.
If you were in Peter's position what would you have done? He told teachers, but nothing was ever done. Sometimes it makes it worse. The person who is bullying finds out he's been told on and then retaliates against their enemy more. How would you have felt if you were Peter's parents? Would you blame it on yourself or their surroundings?

The Birthday Bug

I had to post this video of Kaydence. I made her this tutu for her birthday and my brother got a little video of her dancing. I can't wait to see her in about a week and a half.

A little Loopy...

Oh my gosh!! My friend sent me this link to this video and I am laughing so hard I am crying, like literally tears are streaming down my cheeks...check it out!!

New Moon

Yeah, I know, it's been a while since I've been on here. But I have a perfectly good explanation...I've been re-reading New Moon from the Twilight series. I reread Twilight (the 1st book) before the movie came out...and after I read a few other books, I decided it was time to go to New Moon. There are not enough words to explain how I feel about Twilight. Stephanie Meyer is a genius!! Thanks to Maria for getting me hooked onto Twilight. I know this sounds horrible, but I read through the first 2 books on my honeymoon. :)



So the basic story of New Moon is that Edward finally realizes how dangerous it is for Bella to be around his family. Especially Jasper who is still new to the "vegetarian" life style of a vampire. So Edward decides to tell Bella his family is leaving and that he doesn't want to be with her anymore. Of course Bella is devastated and doesn't know what to do with her life. Bella kind of walks around like a zombie for a while, until she starts to hang out with Jacob, an old family friend. She starts to laugh and smile again. She also realizes that when she's doing something stupid and dangerous (the one request Edward made to Bella not to do), she can hear Edward's voice. So she has Jacob rebuild some motor cycles and teach her to ride. She wants Jacob to take her cliff diving. All the while, Jacob is turning into a werewolf...yes, that right a werewolf. Not only does she hang out with vampires, but werewolves too. Well Bella decides to go cliff diving without Jacob and this gets back to Edward, but Edward is told she did this to commit suicide. Edward is crushed and heads to Italy to see the Volteri, who are the leader vampires. He once told Bella you only make them mad if you want to die. So that's what he's planning on doing until Alice and Bella go there to save him. The Volteri find out about Bella being human and being with Edward and his family and make Edward promise that Bella will soon become a vampire so their secret is still safe. Of course, Bella is all for this, Edward, not so much.

I have started Eclipse again as well, and I'll be posting on that book as soon as I'm done. And for the record I LOVE EDWARD CULLEN!!

The Cullen Family
(from left to right: Emmit, Rosalie, Esme, Edward, Carlisle, Alice, and Jasper)

The Trailer for Twilight...comes out on DVD March 21st!!!

Plum Spooky

"Sometimes you get up in the morning and you know it's going to be one of those days. No toothpaste left in the tube, no toilet paper on the cardboard roll, hot water cuts out halfway through your shower, and someone's left a monkey on your doorstep." (Stephanie Plum-bounty hunter and main character of the Plum novels)


And let me just say it's not just any monkey, but a monkey that eats pizza and flips you off if he's angry. Man I love Janet Evanovich. Her stories are absolutely hilarious!! I started reading her books two summers ago when the woman I babysat for reccommended them. Have you ever heard of the Stephanie Plum novels? One for the money, Two for the Dough, Three to get Deadly?...all the way to Fearless Fourteen. I've read all of them. Along with "Between the numbers (mentioned before) novels like Plum Spooky. Stephanie Plum is in her late 20's early 30's. And she's a bounty hunter. Her sidekick is a used to be ho, her on again off again boyfriend is one pf Trenton, NJ's finest (and HOTTEST) cops, her cousin Vinny is her boss, her grandma is an 80 year old woman stuck in a 18 year olds body and shops at the Gap, and fellow bounty hunter Ranger makes her tingle from head to toe...in a good, good way. As you can see, Stephanie Plum is not your average woman, leading an average life.

This book is about a man named Martin Munch who has a doctorates degree in Quantum physics, and Wulf Grimoire, a world wanderer. Wulf has chosen Munch as his new business partner in hopes of creating a machine/magnetometer that can change the weather, which will then help them gain world domincation. Stephanie is after Munch, mostly to get paid and make her cousin Vinny happy. Her other sidekick in this story is Diesel, an incredibly handsome guy who trys harder and harder everyday to get Stephanie in bed with him. Well actually he sleeps in the same bed with her, after she repeatidly tells him not to. It doens't help to lock the doors because Diesel is an "unmentionable' and can open locks and start cars without a key. This book covers the adventures of Stephanie and Deisel, and sometimes Lula (the ho sidekick, who is described as a plus size woman who fits her body in petite clothes, if you can picture it) and the things they go through to capture Munch and Wulf. Oh and there are lots of monkeys involved in this story. And a man who is called Elmer the fire farter...take a wild guess at his talent.


I reccommend this book and ANY Janet Evanovich book. They will be an easy read and filled with great laughs. Thanks to Mike for getting me this book!!

Maine Brides

My friend Amanda got me this book along with one other for Christmas. She knows me so well. I think I more excited about books than anything else. It's sad I know. Anyway, it's got 3 short stories in it about 3 women from Maine and how they end up becoming brides. There are a lot of Christian principles in the book as well.

The first story is called The Prisoner's Wife and takes place in 1720. And it's about a girl named Lucy who loves and has always loved Jack Hunter, but put her feelings aside to obey her father. Jack Hunter's dad was a bad man in their town of Maine and did all kinds of things wrong. One morning they find a man in the town murdered with Jack's ax by his dead body. Jack is taken to jail and calls on Lucy to come to the jail even though they have not spoken in 4 years. Jack finds out that if he is hanged by the town, then his farm and everything he's worked hard for (hoping the town would forget the doings of his father) will be sold to anyone who wants the land and house. Jack does not want this to happen and asks Lucy to marry him so that the farm and everything that he owns will go to Lucy. The story continues with Lucy's struggles as the wife of a man in prison for a crime he didn't commit.

The second story is called The Castaway's Bride and takes place in 1820. This story is about a man named Edward (this name holds a special place in my heart) who's ship wrecked 5 years earlier. He has been on an abandoned island until one day another ship ends up stopping there and brings him back to his hometown in Maine. He was engaged to Abigail before he left. When he comes back home he doesn't necessarily expect to find her still pining for him, but he also doesn't expect to find what he does...that she's now engaged to his cousin, Jacob. Abigail's sister Deborah, stands up for Edward and says that Abigail had promised her heart to Edward before he left, but didn't expect to fall in love with Edward herself. Neither Edward or Deborah have expected these feelings to arise and this story talks about their struggles and how they eventually overcome them.

The last story is called The Lumberjack's Lady and takes place in 1895. Etienne LeClair, a french man from a town outside of Quebec, works for Mr. Hunter at a camp for lumberjacks who cut down wood to sell to others who need it to build. He hears a woman scream and runs to find Mr. Hunter's daughter Letitia in the water of a frozen pond. He rescues her, and is then offered a job at Mr. Hunter's office helping with orders from patrons in town and taking notes when Mr. Hunter has meetings. Letitia can't help but have feelings for her rescuer, but knows her father would not approve since Etienne's social class is well below hers. They end up working together everyday in Mr. Hunter's office and the fondenss they have for each other continues to grow.

These love stories were a nice change of pace of reading. I've got another book to read just like this one that I'll be pouring in to after I read my new Stephanie Plum novel I got in the mail today. I'm so excited. I love the Plum novels.

If you ever want to borrow a book to read that catches your interest, please let me know and I'd be glad to get it to you!!

Why I Love My Husband...

This is the first picture Mike and I ever took together. I love it cause you can see his one cute dimple.

1. Where we met -We met at Scott County Park one October day. I was walking Starr and he was running/walking around the walking track and decided to strike up conversation. The rest is history from there.
2. Our first date -We hung out for about a week at each other's apartments before our first official date. We walked around the mall for a bit and then went to eat at Texas Roadhouse. We went to a movie too, but neither of us remembers what we saw. I remember what I wore though!!
3. How long did we date before we were married? -1 year and 9 months
4. How long have been hitched? - 6 months
5. Favorite feature -His eyes (love them) and that one tiny cute dimple mentioned from above.
6. Favorite quality -How laid back he is, and his ability to let things roll of his back. I think I've gotten a little more laid back as time passes, but I have a hard time letting things go sometimes.
7. His nickname for me -nothing specific, just babe, baby, honey...

8. His favorite color - I'm gonna say UK Blue.
9. His favorite sport - Football and probably UK basketball. He can watch other teams, but he enjoys his Cowboys and Wildcats. If you consider karate a sport, then he loves that too.
10. Who said I love you first -He did. We'd been together a little over 3 months. I was sick and had just taken Ny-Quil before we went to bed. I was pretty close to falling asleep and all Ny-Quiled up, when he lifted the pillow off my head that I sleep with every night and whispered I love you in my ear. It was like a dream, I wasn't sure it had really happened. So of course I said it back, we snuggled for a minute, and then I fell asleep cause the Ny-Quil had finally kicked in.
11. Our first kiss, when and where - It was one of the nights we were hanging out at my apartment the first week we met...before our first official date. It was so nice...
12. Favorite couple thing to do - We used to cuddle on the couch every Sunday during football season and watch football, but our couch isn't big enough anymore for both of us to lay down together. I think one of my favorite couple things to do since it doesn't happen very often is when we actually go to bed at the same time, we sit up and talk for a while just about anything and everything.
13. His hidden talent - Most people don't know he's great at martial arts. He took a special type called Shaolin for 6 years. He wants to get back into it...so I'm just waiting.
14. His favorite music -He can honestly listen to just about anything, just like me. But he loves groups like Disturbed, Slipnot, Metallica, Shinedown...the list could really go one, but those are some of his favorites.
15. What I admire most about him -He loves life and doesn't let anything get in the way, even if I'm in a bad mood, he knows exactly what to do to pick me up (feed me or let me nap) and we're back on track. And even though I think his car stuff he does is a waste of money, at least he's passionate about something. Very passionate in fact...just ask our friends...
16. His favorite pastime -playing video games. I can hear him late at night yelling at the tv. Oh and racing his car during the summer months. He'd do it every night if they let him. For some reason his car is just not fast enough...
17. Will he read this - well he doesn't have a blog, but I'll let him read it once he gets home.

Bath Bombs

Now, I know this isn't about a book, but I'm trying to plug in my cousin's business. She has started making what she calls bath bombs. What is a bath bomb you may ask...well here's your answer straight from her website...

What is a bath bomb?

Bath bombs are traditionally round or ball shaped. Bath bombs are a popular spa product that after dropped into a tub of water fizz and dissolve away all while giving off a delicate aroma to relax you and relieve stress and muscle tension. They also moisturize your skin and leave you with a silky smooth feeling. Bath bombs have a huge variety of health benefits as well by using herbal remedies.

She can basically make anything you want. On her website there are regular bath bombs that smell like different flavors such as spring flowers, coconut, and even sugar cookies...yum! There are also Herbal bath bombs. To help cure a cold or the flu, aches and insomnia, even a cough or sore throat. I think one of my favorites are the bath bombs in the shape of cupcakes. They look so real. I'd be careful giving them to a child or explain to them that is it not real. My parents made that mistake one time when they gave me some soap that looked like a hostess cake. Took a big bite of that in the bath tub and learned the hard way that it was not chocolate. There are also bath bombs shaped like rocks, ducks, and frogs for the little ones. Right now there are special valentine bath bombs, and they are super cute.

I'm thinking they'd be great as gifts at bridal or baby showers for games, or just small favors for the people there. In March I'll be helping throw a lingeri e shower and I'll be hosting a bachelorette party for a very close friend. I'm definitely going to be buying some bath bombs as prizes and party favors. Now if there's something you want and don't see it on her website, use the contact page and ask if there's any way to get a mold of the shape you want. For example, throwing a bridal shower, maybe there's a mold of a bride and groom, maybe there's a mold of the male anatomy part. Seriously, if it's out there, Trisha can find it and make it.


Visit the website at http://www.beyondthebomb.com/

Someone Like You...

Well I went book shopping with Nicole one day, specifically going to get Marley and Me and Confessions of a Shopaholic, and we stumbled upon Sarah Dessen. I had never heard of her and neither had Nicole. There were about 6 books to choose from. I like trying new books and authors so I grabbed this one, just to see what it would be about. And first of all I should have looked at the back a little bit closer. She's a very popular author, but for young adults. And I guess I'm sort of a young adult, but then again I'm not. But then again, Twilight was written for Young Adults, and I absolutely love those. Anyway, it's a good book, a very easy read. I guess I have mixed feelings. I guess just because I just got finished reading Marley and Confessions, this one felt dumbed down to me. It's about Halley (like the comet) and her best friend Scarlett and their junior year of high school. Halley gets a call whie she's away at summer camp, that the guy, Michael, Scarlett saw all summer has just died in a motercycle crash. Then Scarlett finds out she's pregnant with Michael's child. It's about the meanness of high school girls, which still makes my skin boil. What they say about Scarlett when they find out she's pregnant. Meanwhile, Halley starts dating Michael's best friend Macon. He's quite a bit different than she is. He's a rebel, misses class, drinks, smokes pot, everything Halley doesn't do. He pressures her into sex, which she goes back and forth on, since she knows what the consequence could be...i.e. Scarlett + Michael = pregnant. All in all, it's a decent book. I mean it only took me like 3 days to read...so if you're looking for something quick, this is the book for you.

Confessions of a Shopaholic

I have to say, this book reminded me a little of myself. Now I'm not in debt by any means because of my shopping, but I can be a little obsessed with buy clothes like Rebecca is in the book. Rebecca Bloomwood can't seem to stop buy clothes, shoes, moisturizers...you name it, she wants it. She's getting hounded by the bank and credit card companies. Phone call after phone call from companies wanting her to pay off her credit card and her overdraft from the bank. Again, I've never had to deal with this myself, but I can imagine how easy it is to get there. I have a little bit more self control.




The ironic thing about Rebecca is that she works for a magazine that gives advice on money. How to spend it, what to spend it on, when people should invest, and so on. People call her a financial expert. Little do they know, she has her own big problems with money. She comes up with stories on how to avoid paying back money to the bank...her dog has died, she broke her leg, her aunt just died and left her some money, but the money isn't in yet. She tries looking for a second job, and puts on her resume that she speaks finnish. Well come to find out, there's a bank looking for someone who speaks finnish to join their company. The owner starts talking to her and Rebecca has no idea what to do, so she just runs. She also tries making frames for a company that sends them to you to be made, you send them back, and get a paycheck a couple weeks later. Only, she's really bad at making the frames...and I mean really bad.
If you enjoy clothes, shopping, or just a good laugh, you'll love this book. There's a bit of romance at the end for those of you that need a little love. I look forward to trying Sophie Kinsella's other books such as: Remember Me, Shopaholic and Baby, The Undomestic Goddess, Shopaholic and Sister, Can You Keep a Secret?, Shopaholic Ties the Knot, and Shopaholic Takes Manhatten.

I leave you with the preview of Confessions of a Shopaholic which comes out February 13th. I'm defintely going to go see it.

Marley and Me

"We could have bought a small yacht with what we spent on our dog and all the things he destroyed. Then again, how many yachts wait by the door all day for your return? How many live for the moment they can climb in your lap or ride down the hill with you on a toboggan, licking your face?" (John Grogan: author of Marley and Me)

Now seriously, how can you say No to that face. I just finished Marley and Me. What a great book. Mike and I had seen the movie few weeks ago before I ever read the book. I recommend both the book and the movie. But be prepared, because you will cry. There is no doubt about it. I had no idea what was going to happen. In the movie, all you see is funny scenes, so you think it's going to be all happy throughout the whole movie. Boy was I wrong...I cried for the last 30 minutes of the movie. And I even knew what was coming when I read the book, and I still cried! John Grogan does an amazing job of describing Marley and the things he does and gets into. Marley is an interesting dog. He is terrified of thunderstorms and has to be given tranquilizers before a storm hits or else he goes crazy. It's even worse when a storm hits without John and Jenny knowing while they're at work and come home to find the dry wall, yes the dry wall in the garage torn away from Marley chewing and scratching during the storm. Marley gets expelled from obedience training...how many dogs can claim that? Even through all the destruction, he is still Man's Best Friend.
I am quite the dog lover myself. My family has always had dogs growing up. George and Snowdrop were my pals growing up. George was put to sleep when I was in 5th grade and Snowdrop when I was in 7th. Then there was Muppet and Moose. Moose died in 2006 from seizures, and Muppet was just recently put to sleep. Now my parents have Mako and Mallie. And I've got Starr. I just love the way dogs are excited to see you. Now matter how many times you walk through that door. I love the way they play when they are puppies...even if there are 3 pairs of shoes chewed up, or bite marks on the dining table and chairs. (Not pointing any fingers Starr...) The uncoditional love they give you is worth it.
Like I said before I highly recommend reading the book, and watching the movie. There are some good laughs. I think my favorite line in the book is when the family moves to Pennsylvania and one of the sons is disappointed and crying because, "there's supposed to be pencils in Pennsylvania." There are even pictures of Marley and his family in the book.
For more information you can visit John Grogan's website. There you can read about his children's books he's written, read his blog, and even look at pictures of the real Marly. Or if you have any funny pet stories, you can post them there too. I'm leaving you with the movie trailer from Marley and Me. Get ready for some good laughs and shedding tears.

'Marley And Me' Theatrical Trailer @ Yahoo! Video

What would you do?

Shana let me borrow this book and let me tell you, I couldn't put it down. It's not what I had imagined, but it was so good. You could feel the emotions of each and every character. The book is about a close relationship between a father and daughter. Which touched an extra special place in my heart since I'm so close to my dad. Daniel Stone is a comic book artist, his wife Laura teaches college and is also sleeping with one of her students, their daughter Trixie is a freshman in high school, in love with her boyfriend Jason who is a junior. One night Jason decides to call it quits, which devastates Trixie and she turns to cutting herself. Her best friend has a little get together one night and they conspire ways of Trixie getting back together with Jason. She's supposed to make him jealous. Trixie starts drinking and flirting with everyone but Jason. Near the end of the party, everyone has left but Trixie, her best friend, Jason and Jason's best friend. Trixie ends up making a fool of herself and runs to the bathroom. Jason goes after her to make sure she's ok. Then you're thrown into a scene where Daniel finds Trixie in the bathroom, her clothes torn, make up running down her face, and crying. "He raped me" Trixie says, and it's all Daniel can do to not rip the head off the boy who's hurt his daughter so much. This book is mostly about Trixie's struggle with what she's told the police and her parents about the relationship between her and Jason. Daniel's struggle with the man he used to be, someone dangerous and based upon revenge, not someone a father should be, but he wants to protect his daughter from any harm. It really makes you think about what you would do if you ended up in the same position, whether you were Trixie, Laura, or even Daniel. Would you get revenge like Daniel wants to to protect your daughter knowing you could end up in jail?

And baby makes four...

Just found out today that my brother and sister-in-law are going to have a little boy!! Right now, the name they're agreeing on is Carson Lee Bryan. Now Megan isn't all about the Cody, Carson, Kaydence, hard C's, but I think it's growing on her. When I asked her what Kaydence thought, she said Kaydence just looked at her and said "No sister." My brother comes home from Iraq in about a month and then they can really start planning andd buying. It's a little weird to think that my 20 year old brother will have 2 kids, but I love my little bug so I know I'll love little Carson the same. Now I just have to think of a nickname for him too. Little Carson is due June 1st, so we'll see when he chooses to venture out into the world. I can't wait to meet him!

The Host

As many of you I'm sure have already read the Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer. I recommend The Host. It is nothing like Twilight, but in a good way. I'll admit, I was so transfixed by vampires, and didn't think that Stephanie Meyer could possibly write about anything else. It took me a few chapters to get into it cause I kept waiting for vampires. After finally realizing there were no vampires, I started to enjoy the book. It's actually not that far fetched of an idea. The story like is this...there are these "worms"/"souls" that come from other planets. There are more than 10 planets they can come from. Some with only flowers, some with only bears, or bats. These "souls" come to earth because they were tired of all the danger and destruction. Fathers burning their children alive, people robbing banks and killing innocent people. They come to earth to make it a more peaceful place. Human bodies become their Host bodies. The bodies still look the same, but the souls have taken over. Melanie, one of the few remaining "wild" humans is wandering through the states with her brother trying not to get captured. On an outing trying to find food, she's captured and Wanderer, a soul, is put inside of her. But Melanie is not giving up her body and mind without a fight. She will not let Wanderer know where the remaining humans are, instead she fills Wanderer's thoughts with memories of Melanie's brother and of the man Melanie loves, Jared, another "wild" human. Melanie's uncle gave her directions or drawings of where he would go if the earth was ever in danger. Melanie and Wanderer travel through the desert and on the brink of death are found by her uncle and other humans living in the caverns. The group despises Melanie, but only because they know she's been taken over by a soul and no one knows Melanie is actually still inside. Her only saving grace is that she looks like Melanie which keeps her uncle from letting anyone kill her. Even Jared won't look at her without a look of murder. This book is about the struggle between letting Melanie make herself known, and if Wanderer should let the secret go on how to bring back humans for good. Does Jared finally accept Wanderer even though she's taken Melanie away? Do the other humans befriend Wanderer knowing what she is? Try reading it and tell me what you think!!