My Summer Reading List

This summer I have actually had time to R-E-A-D real B-O-O-K-S!!!! It's been great... I also live very close to the library and to not use it would be a crime! So, here are the books I've read and some of my thoughts on them (mind you, most are 5th grade- jr. high level...).

1.) Spirits That Walk In Shadows by: Nina Kiriki Hoffman

Very odd and kind of stretches the thinking, but I enjoyed it.

Plot: Young witch leaves her town to go to college with "normal" people. Meets her roomie who has an evil spirit hanging around her. Witch and friends figure out how to deal with evil spirit.

2.) The Thief Lord by: Cornelia Caroline Funke

This story was very creative and I loved how the characters interacted and flowed like real children. It was easy to see these characters as real people.

Plot: Group of homeless kids ban together with one leader who provides for them. Follows their adventures as they try to avoid going to an orphanage.

3.) The Princesses Diaries by: Meg Cabot

This was the first book in the series. I admit to seeing the movie first and so I could compare the two. The book has many more elements that the movie left out and I would say the book tells a deeper story.

Plot: Young high school girl finds out that she is really a princesses. She tries to hide it from her school mates so her life can stay normal while taking "princesses lessons" from her grandmother who is the queen.

4.) Inkheart by: Cornelia Caroline Funke

A book about books. This one was hard for me to get into. I was about half way when the story started to take a turn for the best. It speeds up towards the end and then leaves you hanging. I liked the main characters and found that they had a lot of personality as the book progressed. The books by this author are translated from German.

Plot: Young girl who lives alone with dad who is a book binder finds out that he has a very special gift. They are hunted for his gift and a book that is the last one of it's kind. They get some help from some very odd friends as they go along.

5.) The Named by: Marianne Curley

I LOVED THIS BOOK! In fact, I loved it so much that I went out and bought it and the rest of the trilogy. I loved how real the characters were and how much emotion I felt reading it. I love books that make you feel like the characters do at that time. I also loved how the author changes point of view ever chapter. That way we as readers know what both characters are feeling and what they are thinking. It's a great writing style that we don't see enough of.

Plot: This story follows Ethan who is "named". He is a guardian of time and he must tell Isabel that she is "named" as well. They are fighting against the goddess of chaos. Isabel must learn to use her gifts to help preserve time and keep history the way it was meant to be.

6.) Flora Segunda by: Ysabeau S. Wilce

Too weird! Read it, but didn't enjoy it (no, I don't usually stop reading once I don't like it because I might start to enjoy it at some point.). Characters were not all together and seemed very flat.

Plot: Young girl finds her family has many secrets and tries to help by unlocking them. In doing so she creates a big mess and endangers the life of her family and her self. Dad is crazy and mom is a general in the army and is never there. No one knows what is happing to her except her best friend who is more worried about his fashion than her life.

7.) Inkspell by: Cornelia Caroline Funke

Sequel to Inkheart. This book was fantastic! I loved how quick it moved and the characters seemed more life like. The same characters are here from the first book with the addition of new villains and heroes.

Plot: Meggie finds herself drawn back to the book that caused so much trouble for her family. She uses her gifts to try and set things right but only to "read" herself and her friend into the book's story. Now she has the task of getting back out of the book and saving her family in the process.

8.) Sabriel by: Garth Nix

This book explores death in a odd way. I enjoyed reading the whole trilogy and though that it was fun and imaginative.

Plot: Sabriel learns that she is now the binder of the dead once her father passes. With some guidance from a spirit trapped as a cat she must stop evil from spreading into her homeland by walking in death.

9.) Lirael by: Garth Nix

Sequel to Sabriel. I thought this was also well written.

Plot: 14 years after Sabriel stops evil from spreading Lirael learns that she must now carry on the find out who she really is. She teams up with an unlikly prince to save his friend from spreading evil.

10.) Abhorsen by: Garth Nix

Final book in the series. Moves at a fast pace and never lets go.

Plot: Lirael and the Prince are racing against time to save his friend. Evil is starting to spread and brake though the barrier of death.

11.) The Invention of Hugo Carbret by: Brian Selznick

Get this book even if it's only for the pictures! It's like reading an old black and white movie... pictures then text to explain what you just saw. This format is awesome!! The author blends the illustrations so artistically with the words.

Plot: A young boy lives alone in the French train stations trying to rebuild an automaton that his father had been working on. He uncovers a secret that the old toy maker in the station has been hiding from his family for many year.

12.) Terrier: A Tortall Legend by Tamoria Pierce

A good story about a girl coming of age in a slum as a rookie police officer. I loved the use of language in this book and how it created a mystery that only this girl was able to see and think about solving.

Plot: The newest "puppy" in the police force (they are called "dogs") is assigned to the veterans who want nothing to do with a puppy. She has to prove to herself and her doubting family that this is where she belongs as she works to solve a mystery about strange killings and expensive goods gone missing.

13.) Eclipse by: Stephine Meyer

The third book in the Twilight series. LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT!!!!!! I bought Twilight on a whim and made my hubby read it when I finished. Hubby insisted that I get New Moon when it came out. We loved both... this one is great!!!!!!!!!! I love this story of ill fated love and a new look at vampires and werewolves! WONDERFUL!! BUY THIS BOOK!!!!

Plot: Bella Swan is still being hunted by an evil vampire. She now has the allies of both her beloved's family of vampires and her best friend's pack of werewolves. She is torn on how to live in both worlds and how to keep everyone happy while not getting eaten by the evil Victoria.

14.) The Dark by: Marianne Curley

The second book in the Guardians of Time trilogy. Again the author uses the one chapter for one character and the next for another. New characters are now part of the story as well as the ones that were in the first book.

Plot: The named have to travel into the underworld to rescue one of their own that was captured to stop the named from keep time in order.

15.) The Key by Marianne Curley

The final book in the Guardians of Time. The ending is a bit far out there, but over all, great trilogy!

Plot: The final battle of all time. One of the named becomes a king to fulfill the prophecy.

16.) The Great Tree Of Avalon: Child of the Dark Prophecy by: T.A. Barron

Fun book about elves, fairies and people all trying to live in the world in harmony.

Plot: The dark prophecy says that a child will be born who will tear apart the peace in this world. An evil has entered that is trying to find the child of the prophecy to use them to help their evil plan.

17.) The Great Tree of Avalon: Shadow on the Stars by: T.A. Barron

The second book in the series. I liked this one a bit more than the first since now that the prophecy has come to pass the small unlike friends have to still battle evil and save their homeland.

Plot: The ban of friends must split up so that one party can go to relight the stars while the other finds the source of evil in their world.

18.) Endymion Spring by: Matthew Skelton

I liked this book to show what might have happened back in the day when the printing press was invented.

Plot: This book is split into two parts. The one part is in the past and the other is now. It follows the lives of two boys. The one boy is Gutenberg’s apprentice while the other is being home schooled in England while his mother researches about old books. The home schooler finds a blank book in the library and then trouble starts to follow him and his family while he tried to solve the mystery of this book.

19.) Shiva's Fire by: Suzanne Fisher Staples

I liked this as a look at India's past culture and how important their past is to them.

Plot: A young girl is chosen to go to a special school to learn how to dance the traditional way. She learns how to be disciplined and what it means to her family to have her there at school. She meets a boy and starts to question what is important to her.

20.) Song of the Magdalene by: Donna Jo Napoli

A good tale about what Mary Magdalene’s might have been like before she met Jesus.

Plot: Mary is a young girl who falls in love with a crippled boy and marries him. Her life turns upside down when he becomes sick and passes away.

21.) Sirena by: Donna Jo Napoli

Greek mythology told from a mermaid's point of view.

Plot: To gain immortally a mermaid and her sisters will sing to lurn in men. After witnessing a tragic death Sirena leaves her sisters to find her own way to immortally.

22.) I Was A Teenage Fairy by: Francesca Lia Block

Very dark tale about two teenagers who share a secret of abuse. Not recommended for younger readers.

Plot: A forceful mom wanting her daughter to be a model forces her to go to different agents to see how to get her to the top. In that the girl gets abused and has to work though it an how to help other who have been abused.

23.) Feed by: M.T. Anderson

I love this book! It gives a grim look at the future if we depend only on technology and not looking at the Earth around us.

Plot: One boy's life is turned upside down when a girl he meets challenged him to think about how much he relies on technology and not seeing that the Earth is dying in front of their eyes.

More Knitting Picts

I did it!!! I finished my first sweater! It even fits right (I shouldn't be shocked, but I am!)!! I found really cute buttons at the yarn shop and here it is buttons on and all done:

Here's my sock that I started before school ended and I haven't worked on it at all this summer... I picked it up last night after I finished my sweater. I finished the ribbing and started the body of it.

The Cardigan!

My short cardigan is almost done! Four more rows and it's done!! Here's how it looks this a.m.I still need to get buttons for it. I'll get them once I finish it!!! I can't wait for cold weather!! ^_^

Knitting Update!

After a wonderful summer of reading and gardening, I really haven't knit that much. I worked a little on the socks that I started before vacation, but I didn't really get much done. Yesterday I thought I should try something new (not that I don't have about 5 projects started and waiting for me to finish them...). I started my first sweater yesterday. It's a short cardigan and it's with really chunky yarn. The needles are large so it's knitting up really fast! Here's how it looked when I stopped last night to go to sleep.
I have to finish the red bottom border, and then there are the sleeves to do yet. The final step will be a red border around the front and neckline with three big button holes. Of course, I forgot to buy buttons yesterday when I got the yarn... oops!
I like how it looks so far and I can't wait to finish it and the weather to cool off a bit so I can wear it! ^_^

Demo Derby Videos!

We took these when we were at the demo derby! Enjoy!

A Day of Surprises

Yesterday was full of surprises! When I got up I found a card and a pan of brownies in the kitchen for me. My hubby thought I needed something special for no reason... I LOVE surprises like that!

Then I went to the garden center and picked out a few plants for the backyard where I've been clearing the grass . I picked out four plants and then another surprise... they were all on SALE! I LOVE surprises like that!

Here are two of the things that I bought yesterday. This one is a global thistle... hubby said it looks like a weed, not a flower. I think it's cute.

The second one that I got was called Japanese Blood Grass. I liked the red on the tips of it. After Hubby woke up I dragged him outside to see the new garden bed that I've been working on for a few weeks. I got all the grass cleared out of it, I put dirt down to raise it up and I had planted the other two plants that I bought. However, I had not raised it high enough, so he decided to help me. Normally, he doesn't like outside work. However, another surprises... he helped me raise the bed, and then get some mulch in it. We ran out of mulch. We went to the store and got some more, but then it was too dark to spread it. He also helped me get the outside table and chairs out so I have somewhere to sit outside now (we got a great table and chair set free from a friend who was moving!). Then he finished by trimming up the bushes out front so they don't look so overgrown! It was great to have his help out there! Today I'll finish the mulch so I can get picts up of it.

The final surprises was that Hubby planned out dinner and cooked for us! It was a great day!!!

Redneck Fun

My favorite redneck sport is the demolition derby. If you don't know what that is here is a quick over view: junky old cars that have no glass in them and limited amounts of gas line up on the field. The rows are back to back. After a quick count down, all the cars ( 12-16 of them) smash into each other for the sole purpose of stopping other cars from running. The final three advance to the next round. The final round is all the smashed up winners from the other rounds. Then, they smash into each other to see which is the last car running. Last one running is the winner. Pretty simple, huh? It's so simple it's dumb, but I LOVE IT!!! We go every year. Last year one of the cars had it's gas tank ripped off and so we were treated to an EXPLOSION! This year gas was spilled, but no explosion, just lots of flames and fire! How could you not love a sport where things burn???

Here's some classy picts from our day at the demo derby. The cars as they line up:

Cars smashing each other:

More smashing:

Clearing the field with the front loader after the first round: Up close to the cars before they are smashed: Finally, night time smashing cars: We also have some video clips of the derby that I'll try to get up here at some point!

Class Reunion

10 years ago Hubby and I were in high school together. This past weekend we saw people we haven't seen since high school. What a great time!!!! It was so much fun to see everyone and find out what they are doing now. A lot of people had kids, a lot where teachers now, and some live very very far away from our hometown! I'm so glad that we had the chance to go and see everyone! I talked with one girl who in high school I couldn't stand! However, we got along great at the dinner. Some people haven't changed at all... too bad for them! Hubby and I were not the only couple who were high school sweeties and then married. I can't wait for the next one...10 more years to wait!

County Fair and Class Reunion

Later today we will drive off to our hometown to do two things. 1.) We will go to our 10 year class high school reunion and 2.) we will go to the county fair.
I love me the county fair! It is so much fun!!! As we do every year, we are going to the demolition derby. I told my hubby that is my favorite (and only) redneck sport that I truly can enjoy! He reserved us seats for the show and that also is our ticket in the door. I can't wait! Of course, that means that summer is officially over for me, but I still love to go! This year I have to go to orientation for school... 4 days of it! Oh well.
Tonight is an informal meeting (at a bar in our hometown) for the start of our reunion. It should be a good time. I did call a few of the friends that I've stayed in touch with over the years. One of them just had a baby, so she's not going. Another can only come to our informal night. Our former class president is in charge of this whole thing and she said that there will be about 70 of us at the Saturday night dinner. That's going to be fun! I'm so excited to see who is the same and who is different and what they are all doing! I wish more of our class could come... our class was 320 people. I'm really excited to see how people are after 10 years and how different their lives are from when we knew them in high school! ^_^

More Dry Wall Fun!

Yesterday we did not take the day off from dry walling like I thought we would. NO WAY, we forged ahead!

This time around Hubby put in 2x4 jacks to help me hold the ceiling in place. This way I didn't have to hold all the weight by myself over my head until he could get the screws in it. This made my life much easier and less strain on my back! YEAH!

Here's the beast of a piece of dry wall now happily in the ceiling where it belongs:

The whole ceiling is done! This is very exciting for me since I don't have to hold it up anymore! We also got one wall done... Sometime in the future that wallpaper will come out and that room will get painted a nice neutral color since it will be the guest room once it's all done. I'm not sure but today I think we are putting up the other walls so that it will look like a room and no longer a wooden prison! ^_^

Renovation Fun

This week has been great so far with my Hubby being home everyday! I love when he is on vacation so that we can spend time together. I think he might be sick of vacation and ready for work again after yesterday though....

Here's how our bathroom ceiling looked at the start of the day:

We started the day with making sure that the ceiling was level. It was our lucky day... the ceiling was level! No shimming involved there! Then, we moved on to putting up some insulation. That went quick. And, then we got to start cutting the dry wall for the ceiling. This is a big moment, we have been working on all the stuff that you won't see for over a year(OK, Hubby has been doing this, I just help). The dry wall makes it seem like a lot of progress happened in a small amount of time!

However, the dry wall was not happening in a small amount of time for us yesterday. The first piece that was cut was cut backwards, so we had to get another piece out. That one cut just fine, then adjustments had to be made. The, we hosted it up, I held it in place (do you have any idea how HEAVY that stuff is???) and Hubby put the screws in it to hold it permanently to the ceiling. WOW, one piece DONE! This is very exciting stuff today huh?

Then, we cut the second piece. This one is a LOT bigger! We got it cut, then we test fitted it... it didn't fit right, so we cut a bit more, and test fit again. It needed a little bit more shaved off, and then we needed to cut a hole for the fan in the shower area. So, after a third test fit and cutting a fan hole, it was set to go in. We got it in place, I was holding it, Hubby put one screw in and I couldn't hold it anymore, and it pulled out the screw and fell on me. Luckily, the dry wall is still in one piece and not broken. I said it was HEAVY! I don't know if we are going to try again today or not. I have to hold this giant piece while he screws it into place. I don't know if I can hold it for that long again. I can't reach this piece without standing on the ladder so, it makes it kind of awkward. We'll see. Here's how the one piece looks now that it's up and in place:

Here's the big piece sitting on the ground waiting to be put back in place: Today I think we are going to take it easy and relax. We both need new glasses, so we might do that today. I was even thinking about contacts...purple ones! Hubby said no to that idea. Oh well it was worth a try!

Bathroom Project

Yesterday we were working on our bathroom project. The weather was finally cool enough that we could be upstairs working. We shimmed the walls so that they are all level now. Today, we might might level the ceiling, put up some insulation, and then start to dry wall the ceiling. We'll see how much we can get done today.

Blueberries and Crafty Stuff

I LOVE fresh blueberries. I'm not big on them in bead, or muffins, but fresh... I could eat a whole pound and not think about it! They are that good! So, after looking up where I could pick blueberries, I was off to this farm that has fruits and veggies. They also have greenhouses for gardening stuff (no, I didn't look at the garden stuff). I went out to the fields to pick my happy little heart out! Here is one bush I was picking off:Here was my bucket at the start of picking:Here's the same bucket at the end of picking:YUM! I also found my strawberry plant had created a MONSTER size strawberry:I thought that I should also post some of the crafts that I have done since I have been working on those as well as gardening this summer. Here is a cool bracelet that I finished a few weeks ago:

Also, my chain maille kit arrived on Saturday while we were out a the Renaissance fair. Here's what it looked like on Sunday. If you look close you can see the start of the bracelet hanging off the green twist tie: Here's how it looked Monday: And finally, here it is finished and a matching pair of earring to go with it since I had left over rings, and they sent me the earring wires: I love it! It came out so nice. I'd love to make the next kit in the beginner series, but I need to save some $$ before I can do that! ^_^

Eating Disorders

The other night I was talking to my mom on the phone when she told me that a good friend of hers had to take her daughter to get help for an eating disorder. She had to take her to a clinic that can help her, but that means that her daughter has to stay there until she gets well. I can't imagine what that is like for a parent.
My mom and talked about it for a while. She said she was glad that I never had server issues that I need to be medicated or hospitalized for. I think I do suffer from poor body image at time (who can't help feeling like they don't like a part of them sometimes...). I think our society has trained us to think that the only way to look is how girls look in magazines or in the movies.
I am not a coat hanger. I do eat cheese burgers and I LIKE them! No, I don't eat right all the time. I had had popcorn for dinner before and I know its not good for me. This summer I have been working hard on eating better the nights that I have to cook for myself. I've been eating the leftovers, and making food that I can eat for dinner.
I know that going to the gym has made me start to think about a healthier lifestyle. I know when I lived in Japan that they eat so healthy there. It was great when I eat with friends, but again, when I was alone to eat, not so healthy.
I worry about my mom's friend. I know that she has visited her daughter, but this is something that she will have to struggle with everyday for the rest of her life. Its not like an addiction to drugs where you can avoid it to keep clean, You have to deal with food everyday, several times I day. Please keep her in your prayers.

Reniassance Fun!

My hubby did go with us girls yesterday! It was so much fun! All the people who work there are in period costume and stay in character no matter what. One of the first things that we saw after walking in the door was a few of the performers battling for the Sheriff's gold. They were asking the audience for suggestions of how they should battle. Here is their human joust that was battle number 1:After that they had to do a thumb wrestling battle and finally a wooing competition. That was just the start of our day!

Next we went to see the Wench Auction. They pulled people out of the audience so that they could be sold to re-pay the Sheriff's debt to the Queen. It was so funny. People were bidding things like "2 gold ships" or "10 barrels of whiskey". Here are the performers getting ready for the auction:After the Wench Auction we walked over to the battle field to see a full contact joust! I never realized how loud that is! The amour on the horses is loud, the battle cries are loud and the crowd cheering is super loud! There were three main knights fighting in this joust. Our section was cheering for Sir Victor, who was dressed in green colors. Here is Sir Victor being helped by his stable boy:Each of the three knights had a lady to cheer him on. Here is the parade of the ladies as they were coming out to greet their knights:Here are the knights getting ready to battle as they get their final instructions on fair play:Finally the battle:

After the joust, we got some yummy food. I forgot to take a picture of my roasted turkey leg because I was so excited to eat it!! My very good friend got shikabobs and Hubby got a turkey leg too. Trying to find a place to sit and eat was hard since it seemed like EVERYONE had the same idea to eat after the joust. It was great anyway! After our lunch my friend and I went to have tea with the Queen, while Hubby went to watch the Washing Wenches show. Here was my tea cup at the tea (which we got to keep as a gift to remember our tea!):

The Queen herself gave us etiquette lessons on how to be polite at the tea table. Her two attendants showed us how not to behave at the table. Here is the Queen:

My friend and I met back up with my hubby to go and see a live chess match, some artisans at work, and the Washing Wenches again. He said it was so funny that he didn't mind seeing a second time. What he didn't tell us after he found us seats right close was that if you sit close, you WILL get wet! It was a great show and even though we were wet, it was worth it!

After that, we ended our day by getting some strawberry shortcake and relaxing by watching the passing performers.

It was a great day! We all got a little sunburned, but it was so much fun and I had a great time! I plan to go back again!!!! Next time, maybe we'll even dress up to fit in like many people did!!! ^_^

Renaissance Festival

Tomorrow my very good friend and I (and maybe Hubby too) are going to the Sterling Renaissance Festival!! I am super excited about that! I have never been and we have been saying for YEARS that we want to go. I decided that it is time to go to it. Since it is only on the weekends, we needed to find one when we were not busy. This weekend is it!! I am really looking forward to tomorrow! It will be great to see my very good friend since she lives far away from us now, and we are going to have a great time!!! ^_^

I Lied

OK, so I lied about not gardening for a few days. I was good yesterday and did not do anything other than water my plants. Today I planted my lily-of-the-valley and finished weeding one section so I could plant my fire witch. Here's the final look at what I did today:

Butterfly In The Garden

I went out to water my plants this morning and I was very excited to see a butterfly on my pink phlox! It was one that I had never seen before so I looked it up. Here's what it looked like:After looking at a butterfly website, I found out that it was a black swallowtail. It was cool to see! There was something else butterfly like on my phlox, but I couldn't find what it was. Oh well, it was nice to see something so fragile gracing my plants today.
Today is HOT! I'm not working outside today. I think the next few days I will be trying to keep cool and not moving too much. My gardening will have to be put on hold a for a few days. Oh well, it's nice to have hot weather for only a few days at a time! ^_^