Have you read. . . .

So lately I've been doing a little reading. . . .
And since I'm ALWAYS on the hunt for a good book recommendation I thought I'd give you my opinion on the book I've read in the past few weeks.

WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK: It's brilliant. Enough said. The writing style took a few chapters to get use to, but it's perfect.

WHY YOU SHOULDN'T READ THIS BOOK: It takes place in Germany under the reign of Hitler in the height of WWII, so I don't have to tell you there is much much sadness involved.

WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK: I'm always trying to expand my reading into different genres, but Science Fiction is always the hardest for me to commit to. But this one was really good! Plus it kind of made me think of the Space Mountain ride at Disneyland.

WHY YOU SHOULDN'T READ THIS BOOK: The alien bad guys are refered to as "buggers". Whenever I hear/read the word bugger I hear/read it in an English accent. So they didn't really strike terror in me.

WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK: I can't really say you should read this book. It does make you want to buy and wear a necklace with an old fashioned key on it. So thats something!

WHY YOU SHOULDN'T READ THIS BOOK: It was kind of boring. The main character was bland, it was predictable. But I was also not in the best mood while i read it, so that probably didn't help.

WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK: Because you do not want to be the frazzled lady on the cover who looks like she has no control over her kids.

WHY YOU SHOULDN'T READ THIS BOOK: Some people don't agree with the Love and Logic method - which is basically letting your child experience natural consequences from their actions, and guiding them with controlled choices.

WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK: "We can not change the cards we are delt, just how you play the hand."

WHY YOU SHOULD'NT READ THIS BOOK: The author, Randy Pausch wrote this book after being diagnosed and eventually dying of Pancreatic Cancer. If you have a relative, like my mom who died of Pancreatic Cancer it hits pretty close to home.

WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK: It's part of a trilogy (i love series books), it's about time travel (in a good non-confusing way) and features a main character from Italy.

WHY YOU SHOULDN'T READ THIS BOOK: It kind of reminded me of Twilight as far as having an average girl who suddenly everyone couldn't live without, and I just didn't get that. Didn't get it in Twilight, didn't get it here. Plus there wasn't a whole lot of chemistry between the 2. But still SUPER good!!

WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK: The writing is like poetry. Beautifully written lines such as "The nights were blinding cold and casket black and the long reach of the morning had a terrible silence to it."

WHY YOU SHOULDN'T READ THIS BOOK: It's a post apocalyptic tale of a man & his son fighting to survive. A lot of things are never explained, such as how this horrible situation came about: asteroid? Nuclear war? And what is the boys name?! He's only referred to as "the boy".

WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK: It makes you want to go camping and think that walking across the United States is a good idea.

WHY YOU SHOULDN'T READ THIS BOOK: Within the first few chapters this poor guy has lost his wife, his company and his house. Sad.

WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK: Hardly any mention of the whiny man voiced Bella.

WHY YOU SHOULDN'T READ THIS BOOK: Hardly any mention of golden eyed Edward.

WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK: Its a fun light CLEAN romance book. Trust me those are hard to find. Plus Marcia Lynn McClure always names her characters really great names like Rake.

WHY YOU SHOULDN'T READ THIS BOOK: Too much hand wringing, trembling, crying done by the heroine Aspen.

WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK: It takes about an hour or two to get through b/c it's written in stanzas, but it really packs a punch.

WHY YOU SHOULDN'T READ THIS BOOK: "Out of more than a quarter of a million people, only about 800 walked out of the ghetto. Of those who survived, only twelve were children. I was one of the twelve."
Spoiler alert, people die.

Our weekend was a bust. To sum it up in one word- influenza.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. . . . .

FRIDAY- * Preston slept in till 8:30. Is this normal? No. Was it welcomed? Yes * Walk in the park where Preston proceeded to sleep in his stroller. Again, not normal * Visit from Krissa!! * Mini M&M's (which I suggest eating by pouring the entire packet in your mouth) * Preston acting lethargic. I thought that since he'd had an upset stomach the day before (which is a nice way of saying he threw up all over me) he just had low blood sugar since he hadn't been interested in eating at all. Fed him some yogurt * Cuddled again, not normal. My child is not a cuddler * A visit from the yogurt & milk he'd had earlier (yet another nice way of saying he threw up all over me again.) Poor Preston. Poor poor Preston. He was so pale & limp for a little while, then back to normal * Patrick going to dinner w/ the siblings at Olive Garden * Breadsticks for Jessica * The Book Thief * Being cranky & tired *

SATURDAY- * sickness. Many much sickness for our house. Started for me about 3am. Passed out a couple few times (thank goodness Patrick was there. As well as Preston, for who else would have thrown my phone in the trash?!) * Sleep and strange dreams * Toast. Bananas. Water. Repeat* John getting sick * Preston spending the day with Patrick who seemed immune * Laying in bed wondering how the grandparents in Charlie & The Chocolate Factory could lay in bed for 20 years when I was so stiff & sore after 20 hours * Patrick deciding to join the sick party * Us wondering how we were going to take care of Preston when we could barely get out of bed * Rice Krispies at 2am * More sleep

SUNDAY- * Relief from the sickness for me * A 70% better Patrick & John * a 100% adorable Preston * No church * Finishing The Book Thief and being so sad yet thinking it was so brilliant * Rox & Noah arriving!!!!!! FINALLY! * Dinner brought to us by a very thoughtful friend * The Office * Realizing that baby shampoo from the .99 store smells like dog shampoo. sad but true * Playing shaker cars with Preston in the kitchen, which then turned into see how far you can slide Preston across the kitchen floor * The start of a cold kicking in. Just what I need. * Sleep *

This week...RECOVER. I don't know how I managed to catch a cold while having the flu, but I did, and I did it good * Visiting with Rox/Noah/John * Family dinners * Bruce * Disinfecting our house * Renaissance Festival Saturday!!!!!!!!!

"We're bringin 10k's back..."

Running a 10k is a lot like being pregnant.
I would know because I was pregnant once. (NO, i am not now)
And I've now run 2 10k's.

See, you start out and you think "oh this isn't so bad". Then you realize you've only gone about .2 miles (weeks).
Then for the first 3 miles (or months) you feel sick. You want to throw up. You want to cry. You don't know why you decided to do this since it's nothing but miserable. Your cold, then your hot, then your cold again.
Your hungry, your thirsty, you don't want anything for fear of throwing up all over your friends.

The last 3 miles (3 months) you just hurt. You hurt in strange places that really have nothing to do with what your doing. Like your right shoulder. Your back hurts, your stomach hurts, your lungs hurt, your legs hurt. Your so so hot. You know that at some point your going to be done, but WHEN?!

People stare at you.
People cheer for you.

Finally your near the end. Your pushing yourself but you don't think you can do it.
Your shouting out random things like "HERE COMES BACK FAT!" and getting/receiving death stares.

And then it's over. And you feel like crying.
It's such a HUGE sense of accomplishment.
Your exhausted, sore, bruised, and so so SO happy it's over.

Sadly though, after a 10k you only go home with a t-shirt.

And then of course 2 days later you start to forget how horrible it was and wonder when you'll do it again.

*It should be noted and shouted from rooftops that we beat our old time by 6 minutes. And that was on a course that was mostly uphill. And thats no exaggeration.

The Truth is- That I haven't posted truths in awhile and I'm sorry! I'll try to get back into it.

SO. Having said that....

The Truth is- That since Krissa and I ran that 10K I've been blaming it for everything bad that happens. I have a cold, I blame the 10K. Preston is cranky, I blame the 10K. Funny thing is that no one has called me out on this one yet. Maybe the 10K really is to blame for these things.

The Truth is- I've decided that if I ever go on The Amazing Race which I have no plans to do, but IF I do then I've decided I'm taking my brother Jimmy with me. I wouldn't take Patrick because I wouldn't want to fight with him, and Jimmy knows stuff. He did get a smart grant after all..... Plus he's strong, so after I collapse to the ground for the millionth time saying I can't go on, he'd just drag me.

The Truth is- That one time we had a huge container of cheese balls that weren't getting eaten so we decided to have a contest. The contest was Jack (the dog) vs. Patrick (the husband). A cheese ball was tossed to each one of them and then we'd move farther and farther away and whoever caught one in their mouth from the farthest distance won. I'm very pleased and proud to say that Patrick won!!! Thats right! And he's allllllllllllllllll mine :D

The Truth is- That I use to think I'd do pretty good in jail. But then last night I had a dream that I was going to be in jail for 5 weeks (a very specific amount of time I know...) and it wasn't so great. So my opinion has changed.

The Truth is- That Preston has started to recognize Patrick in pictures and say " a dada" when he see's him. Then I point to myself in the picture and say "mama" hoping he'll catch on but instead he just puts his hand up in the sky and says "bird?". Close Preston...close....

Happy New Year to me!

So tomorrow is the Chinese New Year. I've decided this year we should celebrate. Mostly because on Chinese New Year you can't:

Wash your hair, or you'll wash away all your good luck.
Sweep the floor or clean or else you could sweep away your luck. DARN!
Say the number "four" -which sounds like the Chinese word for death.
Don't mention death or tell ghost stories. But what will we talk about at dinner time?!?

Cook. Done and Done!!
Use knives or scissors or you may cut off fortune. I'm guessing this means no sword fighting either.
Lend money, or you'll be lending all year. Don't need to worry about that....

Borrow money
Greet people who are in mourning. Seems kinda mean, but ok....
Don't drop your chopsticks. But i ALWAYS drop my chopsticks!

HOWEVER, on Chinese New Year you SHOULD:

Wear brand new clothes

Wear the color red for joy & happiness

Greet your relatives, neighbors and friends & wish them joy or "Gung Hey Fat Choy" which means "wishing you prosperity and health".
Put away all brooms & brushes

It's like this holiday was made for me. I don't have to clean, cook, wash my hair or hear scary ghost stories. Gung Hey Fat Choy to you and yours and happy year of the Rabbit.

It's all happening!!

Sunday when the FIL was over I had him help me come up with a blue print for my garden.
I'll be having 2 4ft x 4ft boxes on opposite sides of the backyard.
The more sensitive plants will be in the box on the West side of the yard while the "full sun" plants will be in a box on the East side of the yard.
Saturday we'll be constructing the boxes and getting supplies, but here is what we have planned so far:

Today I measured out for the box going on the West side and set to work leveling the ground.

He supervised.

I'm SO excited!!!