Raindrops on roses...

Hi everyone! Did you miss me? I'm glad to return to the world of blogging. Apparently, I took a bit of a sabbatical, but I'm back. For today at least. And really, today is an excellent day. Why you ask?

Because this book just came out. Woo hoo! It's the sequel to Hunger Games, which I just read last week after Brittany highly recommended it. I am now totally obsessed. This is such a great series. So, if you haven't read it, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy today. (End public service announcement.)

Other things I'm loving lately? This paper.
Darn you Martha Stewart for having so much lovely stuff I'd like to purchase. Honestly, bandana paper? That just makes me giddy.

I'm newly obsessed with this blog, the Old Red Barn Co. She's delightful, and she has this wonderful Quilt-A-Long that is so great and helpful I am now fully inspired and plan to make a quilt. It's wonderful and completly user friendly. The quilt I'm going to make? This one. From the ever excellent Posie Gets Cozy blog. What is it with all these wonderful crafty women inspiring the world at large? Someone buy them a Starbucks, honestly, they're too great.

And last buy certainly not least, an ever present favorite: Fall. Autumn. Not Summer. September 1st it is, and although there's no Fall Equinox, let's just face it...it's here. There are Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks and they're selling Christmas stuff in stores. Ahhh, I love it. Now for some cooler weather, and we'll be right as rain.

And in other wonderful-ness, the Doodle is now rolling and sitting up and happens to be a super fun and happy baby. I feel so lucky that I'm her mama and get to hang out with her everyday. She's seriously the best.

I love those two.

So, what are you loving these days?

Snape, Snape, Severus Snape...

Oh my goodness, I can't believe it's finally here! I've been waiting for so long, and while I was very excited to see Twilight in November, I remember sitting during the previews thinking, "Man, this was supposed to be Harry Potter!" But now, it's here. Favorite Harry Potter book. Oh my, oh my, oh my! I've never been a huge fan of this Dumbledore, but I think he's going to be fierce in this one. And I'm so excited about Snape. Bah!!!

In other news, I have certainly been slacking on this blog and I have no real good excuse. But my house is pretty clean, so maybe that's something. Also, we were on vacation, then recovering from vacation, then going down South for our friend John's show which was phenomenal, and so on and so on...but enough excuses. So, how have you all been? Anything you're excited about (besides Harry Potter, because honestly, who's NOT excited about it???)?

Accomplishments

I just feel like I need to read a book. Do you guys ever feel that way? Like, I need to accomplish something, so if I read a book it fulfills my goal, broadens my horizons, and helps me fill my time with something enjoyable. These are the best times to just bust out a kids book and haul through it in a day or so. I mean, I could clean my ever messy bedroom (why do my clothes always avoid the closet and dressers, choosing to lounge on my floor, bed, oh, anywhere really...), sew something in the hopes of one day actually STARTING that Etsy shop I always talk about, bake some bread for a healthy and nutrious breakfast item...I mean honestly, there's tons I COULD do. But, yes, I think a book is in order for today.

And yes, it will be one that I own. (Although I really want to start that Royal Diaries Series...thanks a lot Ruth.)

Sorry, for no Friday post last week, I was out of town enjoying the San Diego sunshine and family. Friday Favorites post coming tomorrow with *gasp!* a give-a-way! Tune in then. Ciao.

Friday Favorites: Lonely Planet California Trips

Welcome to a new weekly series on my blog. Friday Favorites. Every Friday I'll show you something that I'm a huge fan of, in hopes that it's something you may find useful, and also, as a way to encourage others to blog about their favorite things. Because honestly, if Amy hadn't told me about the Chocolate Croissants at Trader Joes, where would I be?

This week, we start off with a book. Surprise, surprise. Even more of a shocker? It's a book about travel.



Introducing Lonely Planet's California Trips. It's been at our Costco for awhile now, and Jon and I decided to finally take the plunge and spend the whole $12.47 to check it out. Oh, and we are so glad we did. At first, I laughed. A travel book for just California? Then my brain kicked in and I realized that CA is bigger than most European countries. Heck, most countries for that. A guide to help us navigate it is certainly in order.

This book is wonderfully organized. It's filled with 68 roadtrips, designed around themes. And I tell you, whatever it is you like, CA's got it. My favorite trips I've read about so far? A Burrito Odyssey, It's a Small World: Ethnic Food Tour, Pick It Yourself Tour (Can you guys tell I like to eat?), The Mission Trail, Apples & Antiques in Sebastopol...oh, there's so many more. And it's wonderfully well organized. Each trip gives you a time guideline, total miles, ideal time to go, and then it links you up with other trips that visit the same areas. Honestly, it's genius.

So, I've done my research for when we head to Kirst's graduation next week (Hooray Kirst, we're so proud of you!) in San Diego. I know where the best burrito shop is, and a 50's diner that serves a marshmallow, peanut butter and banana Elvis Milk Shake.

The best $12.47 I've spent in a long while.

Summer Reading List

Do you guys remember Summer Book Clubs at your local library? Mine always had this huge list of books to read and prizes for how far you got. I enjoyed that. I think they should have that for adults as well. A free Starbucks for every 10 books you read? Anway, I know it's not quite summer yet, but with stinkin' 90+ degree weather, it might as well be. So, I've put together my list of books to read this summer. It is, as follows:

1. Drums of Autumn by Diane Gabaldon
2. The Fiery Cross by Diane Gabaldon
3. A Breath of Snow and Ashes by, surprise surprise, Diane Gabaldon
4. Little Women by Louise-May Alcott (Rumor has it, each one of us Coulter sisters corresponds to a sister pretty accurately. Excited to see.)
5. Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder
6. On the Banks of Plum Creek by Wilder
7. By the Shores of Silver Lake by Wilder
8. The Long Winter by Wilder
9. Little Town on the Prairie by Wilder
10. These Happy Golden Years by Wilder
11. The First Four Years by Wilder
12. Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver
13. Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver
14. Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift (Reading the Classics Book Club Selection)
15. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (Another RTC book, one which I've already read, but will gladly read again. Who doesn't love the story of Darcy and Lizzie?)

Well, there you have it. Any other books I read must, MUST, be books I own, because I own a lot I haven't read (Stupid thrift stores and library with cheap interesting books.) Yes, that's a lot of books, but honestly, 7 are kids books, I'm halfway through the 1st one, and well, let's just put it this way...about 7 times a day I sit down for around 30 minutes with not a lot that I actually have to do. There you go. And sorry for the lack of pictures, but time is money people (okay, not my time...but somebodies...) and anyway, I've got some reading to do!

Okay, response time. What's on your summer reading list? (Oh, and who's buying me a Starbucks after I read 10 of these?)

Time

Oh, time. You're so elusive. I apparently get to spend 24 hours with you every day, but I'm pretty sure you've been skimping out on me the past couple weeks. I still have piles of dirty laundry to wash, clean laundry to fold, christmas presents that need a home, and a very messy room that is supposed to hold the babe in less than 50 days (oy.). Oh time, where have you gone....

Now, I'm sure that this lack of time has NOTHING to do with the fact that Jon and I just watched 'Long Way Round' and 'Long Way Down', in their entirety, in just one week. I mean, that's just a coincedence. Ahem.



But honestly, 10 episodes of Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman travelling from London to NYC, on motorcycles, across 8 countries, including areas like Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Siberia...I mean, that's just pure entertainment. What could be better? Oh wait...



Ewan and Charlie travelling from John O'Groats to Cape Town, that's what. I mean, the tip of Ireland to the tip of South Africa, with another 16 countries thrown in the middle? Oh man, it's like this was made for Jon and I. And can I just say, I've always wanted to go to Africa because, well, it's there. But there were few countries that really held my interest, and most of them were in North Africa (Morroco, Egypt...). But now? I can not WAIT to go to Uganda and Rwhanda. You hear all these horrible things about them; they're famous for completly the wrong reasons. But then you see them and they're phenomenal. Oh Africa, how you're calling.

But in the meantime, well, I'll satisfy myself with the books of the account (obsessed much?) and will use every candle I blow out to wish that they do a trip through South America (oh please, oh please, oh please). Does telling ya'll that negate the wish? Hope not.

Team Edward?

I was just talking to Parker about Twilight. He was making fun of the movie and I tried to defend it by saying, "Come on Parker, you don't even know what the movie's about!"

His response? "Everybody that's seen the preview knows what it's about. It's about gay vampires pretending to be straight!"

Well, that's one theory...