Don't Blame Me....

Ug Puke Splat

2013-04-02T23:34:00.001-06:00

I have had alot of thoughts lately. Frustrating thoughts. Figuring out how I feel thoughts. Like every day I want to get on facebook and just like yell. Let's take it back a couple of years

The LDS church is seriously going at it in California with poposition 8. I am still at the point in my life where I don't know anyone gay or lesbian. And I haven't even thought about same-sex marraige.
I figure it's probably not a great idea. And then move on.

A while later my uncle dies and my parents go out to the funeral in Nebraska. His partner is asked by my aunt or mom (my mom doesn't remember how it came up) how he feels about same-sex marraige. He states that it is wrong. That marriage is between a man and a woman. The bible clearly states that. So now I'm thinking. Okay. If my gay uncle thinks it is wrong then well okay. I think it is wrong too.

An even longer while later. I really start to figure out where I stand politically on alot of issues and come to find that I identify much more with liberitarians than anyone else. I just want the governement out of my life and people should be able to make their own choices and have to live with their own concequences. If someone wants to be in a same-sex relationship they should be able to have all the rights of any other person.

And not long after that everyday I get on facebook there is an article or a status about gay marriage why it's bad, mostly why it's good. And mostly people getting ticked off at anyone who thinks that the traditional definition of marrage should be upheld. And then begins the conflict within myself.

So as far as I can tell this is why people want marraige to be extended to gays and lesbians.

1. So that they can claim their taxes just like any other married couple.
2. So that they have rights to each other's medical situations.
3. So that their families can have whatever they build together.
4. This one I am not so sure about. Maybe I am wrong. They want to have an outward expression of their love towards one another.
5. And other legal things that I am not aware of because. Well. I'm not well versed in the law. Or insurance. Or medical stuff.

So here is why I can tell people don't want same sex marriage

1. They want to keep the family unit strong. Raising kids with a mom and a dad makes the most sense and people feel that the break-down of the family is one of the major causes of our societies problems.
2. People are nervous about change.
3. People are mean and homophobic.
4. People feel like marraige is a sacered thing. And it's an abomination for to people who are the same sex to well. Have sex. So it is basically taking what many deam sacred and stomping all over it.

So there you go. That is what I have figured out. Mabey I missed something. I don't mind if anyone sets me strait, but this is what I have concluded.

-I have never thought that acting on same sex impulses is okay. It is a sin.
-I love people who smoke and drink and have sex outside of marrage all of which I deam to be sins. I love people who are gay.
- I don't think that homosexuals can just change the way they feel. They are honestly attracted to those of their same gender and it is extreemly hard to over come even if they want to.
-The family unit is important to me. I am one of those people who feel (know) that most of our societies problems come from the breakdown of the family. Too many babies are being born to unwedded parents and living in single homes. They aren't being taught their ABC's and they aren't being taught any morals. Then they become adults and start the process all over again. A kid has the best chance in life when they have a mom and a dad. You learn how to navigate life best when you have those two elements. There are things my dad taught me that my mom never could. I am not saying that a person can be successful if they come from a single parent home. I am just say thing that it is easier. And life is hard enough.
-Marraige is sacred to me. It is sacred to God.

So basically I feel like everyone is just pitted against each other. And I have to ask is there no way that we can all be satisfied? Is there no way that gay people can get what they want and traditional religious people can get what they want? Someone very smart told me once that often times people get so focused on fixing a problem that they can't see an easy solution that is sitting right in front of their faces. There is a solution sitting in front of our faces but both sides need to be willing to talk about what they want without calling one side "perverted sinners" and the other side "bigots".

Some days just stink

2012-12-14T11:18:00.002-07:00

Normally I wouldn't throw my feelings out there quite as freely as I feel like doing today. I don't like for people to know that I am sad. At least people in general. I don't mind for the ones I love the most to know. They are the ones that can truly help me feel better. But today is rough. Some of the most dearest people I know are gathered right now for the funeral of one of the coolest people I ever knew. This guy sat outside my office at Riverside and every day I was at work we would sign back and forth to each other. He had the biggest smile on the planet.

I would give my right foot to be in Idaho right now.

And my left pinkie.

I have thought alot about Riverside today. I never went back. I have had one lunch date with my old boss. The day I left there a part of my heart was ripped out and I just could never go back. It was just too hard. There are so many people that I miss and I loved the work that I did. I miss feeling like I am doing something getting things accomplished. (I love being a mom but let us all remember that being a mom is like running in a circle sometimes. The only thing that keeps me sane is knowing that my cute little kids are growing up strong and smart and happy)

I was so young and so stupid. There are some people I know hated me. I hope there were people that liked me despite my lack of experience. Being a manager was really hard. I remember the previous manager came in and I was just sitting with this pink eraser rubbing it like a crazy person staring out the window wondering what the heck I had gotten myself into. She was a great help.

There is one person I wish I could talk to. We did not get along at all and she told me strait to my face that she did not like me. Yes. She was not perfect, but I really shouldn't have focused on her weaknesses. Because she had so many strengths. If I could talk to her one more time I would say that I was sorry. And that she was right. I was not tolerant. I was not accepting. And she hates me because of it. If I can help it I will never act that way again.

Riverside taught me many things. I feel like I really grew as a person. I feel blessed to know I will see my friend again. I know he is in heaven. I know he is happy. And I bet he is hugging David right now. I know I will see him again. That will be a great moment. And I can tell him that I'm sorry for leaving and never coming back.

Finding Positivity in a Negativity Situation

2012-08-28T11:17:00.000-06:00

So it turns out that most people could do without the occasional political jab or negative comment on social media. Just today I saw at least 3 comments in my feed telling people to kindly stop it. (And if those people read this I don't mean this to be a slap on the wrist. We have all thought the same thing at one point or another.) That got me seriously wondering who is wrong in this situation.

Is it the optimist or the complainer. The political bloviater or political intolerant. Well it turns out that none of us are perfect so case closed.

If you don't want to hear it don't listen. If you don't want to read it then go to a different web sight. Most importantly of all, if you see a string of negative comments from a person that is a red flag that they might just need help! Send them a personal message. Give them a compliment. If you live within walking or driving distance of them take them cookies for heavens sake! These types of things can take a negativity type situation and turn it into a positivity one. That's right people. I said it weird for a reason.

Yes. I get that we are supposed to cut out the negative people in our lives. Wait no I said that wrong. We should cut out the negativity in our life. Sometimes that means cutting a poisonous person off, other times it means helping a friend or neighbor through a difficult life experience. You could change a person's life for the better. How awesome is that?

As for the political bloviaters. Give them a break. They put up with posts about kids pooping in the potty all the time. :)

When a woman is way too bored.

2012-07-27T14:07:00.000-06:00

Wednesday was brutally boring. The dishes were done, the dinner was in the crocpot and the kids played outside all afternoon.

It is not good when a woman gets bored because that means that most liking something is going to antiqued. I don't know how to antique so apparently I needed to find another outlet. I decided I wanted my hair out of my eyes so I went in the bathroom to check things out. I pulled off some crazy twisty thing and wanted to know what it looked like from the back. That was when I saw it. My hair was super crooked. So I pulled out the scissors.

I have had long and short and medium hair and could care less what length it is just so long as I don't have to go to a hair dresser and it looks moderately good. I think the only reason why it ever gets long is because I hate to get my hair cut. More than that I hate to pay someone to cut my hair. So I am left with 3 options:

1- Let it grow and ignore the ugly dead ends and put it in a pony tail all the time.
2- Let my friend Monica Cut it. (she is not a professional but after receiving a few bad hair cuts in the beginning she can really pull off a good "do" nowadays.")
3- Cut it myself.

That's right people. I didn't stutter. I said "Cut it myself".

Today...... I was bored. This is what happened.

Woops! I think I got in a bit over my head. So after a quick call to my husband to come home from work I headed out to have a professional take a go at it. This is what I ended up with.

So I got some bangs too. Which I think once my hair gets past that annoying "I just got a hair cut" phase I am really going to like it. Plus a ponytail is way cute with bangs. And I pony alot!

Win!!!

I guess it does pay to be crazy every once and awhile!

Book Review- Shiver- Maggie Stiefvater

2012-07-17T23:11:00.001-06:00

Grace and Sam share a kinship so close they could be lovers or siblings. But they also share a problem. When the temperature slips towards freezing, Sam reverts to his wolf identity and must retreat into the woods to protect his pack. He worries that eventually his human side will fade away and he will be left howling alone at the lonely moon. A stirring supernatural teen romance.

This was a weird read for me. At first it was really corny, but I just kept pushing on. Then it got slightly interesting. There were a few references to a cure for the wolves. I thought that would be really interesting if they did find a cure because I have never heard of that happening in a werewolf story. There were mushy oooie gooie romancyness moments all over the place. Not much action and the story moved really slowly.

I really thought I was going to make it through this book, but then three fourths of the way through Grace and Sam had sex. At that moment it was done for me. I know that sex is like a real world thing and that kids do it. It doesn't mean I have to choose to read about it. It wasn't graphic. It just made the book not worth reading anymore. Not to mention every once and awhile there was deity cursing. If that is even how you describe it.

So I give it

Hi. I'm a recovering quitter.

2012-07-16T21:02:00.001-06:00

Whatever this guy in the picture was feeling right before he jumped off this cliff best describes how I felt last week every time I sat down to the piano. Let's back up a bit so you can understand completely.

I have a bad history of quitting. In my teenage years I began running track. Which I then quit so that I could play volleyball. But then volleyball conflicted with softball so I of course quit volleyball. And to finish off my circle of ridiculousness I quit softball. For track. I should have stuck with track. If I had I might of had a ticket booked for London right now. I could say that I had wonderful reasons for quitting so many times. In the beginning I'm sure that my motives were pure, however, in the end I'm certain that I chose track because there were good-looking boys with their shirts off half the time. Multi-gender overnight trips. Need I say more? What is ironic was that I never quit basketball. It was the season I dreaded the most and had to work the hardest at. Maybe I never quit because the only sport it conflicted with was cheerlearding. And is that really a sport anyway?? (By the way. It was the other way around in this case. I quit cheerleading for Basketball.)

There were not many things growing up that I had to work extraordinarily hard for but I always longed to know how to play the piano. Turns out I am not a natural. Though I wanted to play I never put in the time to practice. I never really stopped playing the piano, but I only took lessons for a couple of years. Because I quit.

Fast forward to the present. I got a very unexpected opportunity to accompany some girls in church. I figured the song was only three lines long if I couldn't do it, I was just plain lame. So I said yes. Which lead to "getting ready to jump off a cliff feeling" every time I sat down to practice.

I had never accompanied anyone or even played the piano in church. I knew there were people who I could ask 5 minutes before the girls were going to sing, and they could walk up and do it no problem. I wanted to just quit. I was way stressed out and wondered if it really mattered if I pawned it off.

Today I am officially a recovering quitter. I did it. I played that song, I messed up a couple of times, and I just kept going. And it felt good. When it was over.

And if you please. Don't ever ask me to do it again.

Writing Prompt - Toes

2012-07-08T20:30:00.000-06:00

So Ann Dee Ellis does a writing prompt every couple of days on her website. This has been super fun for me because I love to write in my journal but I get sick of doing updates on my kids and expressing my "feelings". Normally when she does a writing prompt I have so much to say that I wouldn't even dare write it on my blog. People would never come back because what is funny and interesting to me, 16 pages later may not be funny to you. Today, however, it's all about toes. I would like to think that over the years I have evolved as a person. I used to be moderately a tom boy. Putting on make-up to me meant slapping on some mascara and calling it good. Once I bought not one pair's of Adidas skateboarding shoes that resembled these babies.

I couldn't just have them in white. I had to have them in black as well. :) Despite the fact that I have "girlied up" the past couple of years, I still refuse to wear high heels. High heels are lame! I have ankles sent from Satan. I have rolled my ankle walking across a flat floor, shoeless. So I stick with flats for sure. Besides. I just feel like feet were not mean to walk all high up in the air and what not!

As for my toes. I have to have them painted. Not because I think it is sooooooo cute (I mean they do make my feet cute) but because I have a rare toenail picking disease. Some people chew their fingernails. I pick at my toes. But if I put in a good amount of time to make my toenails pretty then I am more likely to leave them alone.

Another silly thing about toes. Have you ever plucked a toe hair? OUCH!

Book Review: The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner

2012-07-02T21:19:00.000-06:00

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse enclosed by stone walls.
Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them, open. Every night they are closed tight. And that every 30 days a new boy is delivered in the lift.
Thomas was expected. Only the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.
Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets that are buried within his mind

The Maze Runner
Hummmm. Where to begin. I loved the Maze Runner. The Author leaves you with a serious cliff hanger at the end of nearly every chapter. I have to tell you, I had a hard time putting the book down. It is written in third person and there is no bouncing around from one story to the next. I get tired of those "meanwhile back at the ranch" moments. The story is always focused on what is happening with Logan and what he is thinking.

Violence : Yes. People are killed, there are crazy monsters, and people do act a bit crazy from time to time. Nothing on the horrific side
Sexual Content: None
Language: None - however they have a pretty silly way of talking. Not surprising from a bunch of teenage boys.

Favorite Character - Chuck. What a character. I just love how he takes care of Logan. I think at one point Chuck places a blanket over Logan when he sleeps out by himself in the forest. Ah. What a good friend.

I give it

The Scorch Trials
After reading this book I look back and think : Why? I don't want to go into too much detail because I would hate to ruin the book. I will say that my biggest beef was the introduction of a Love triangle. And a horrible one at that. I don't blame Logan for acting the way he did because he has been lied to over and over again. I would trust no one other than Minho and Newt. So this is really lame but I feel like they should have had one trial or three trials. In my mind I feel like two is just not complete. It's never two strikes you're out, or the Bi-force of evil (if you get that Zelda reference Kudos my fellow geek!), or a double threat.

Violence: Yes. Can you say weird suffocating metal, lightning that burns a body to a crisp, throw in some weird man-made monsters, and crazy zombie like people (cranks). Lucky for us the author doesn't go into great detail. Just enough to know what exactly happened.
Sexuality: None
Language: None

Favorite Character : Minho. Way to go Minho. He really shows his leadership skills in this one. He is super loyal and tough as they come.

I give it

Spolier! Don't read If you haven't read The Death Cure. Unless you don't care. Then proceed.

The Death Cure

Ending a story is rough. It is rare to see a Zombie Apocalypse story come to a happy ending. The cranks may not have been a traditional Zombie, however, I would argue that they are worse. They may be crazy but they are smart enough to set a traps for humans at least. From the beginning of this series I wanted for Logan to get his memory back. I hoped it would come at the End of the Maze Runner. But no. I was certain he would get it back somewhere in The Scorch Trials. Hardly. When I found out in the Death Cure that he didn't want them back I almost threw the book at the wall. As for the love triangle. I knew there wasn't a popsicles chance in heck that Logan would go back to Teressa once he decided he didn't want his memories back. Which I think is lame. Sure sure. He's all about leaving the old behind and clinging to the new but Teresa risked her life for him. She risked their relationship to save him. Jerk! As for the ending? It was a bit disconnected. The Chancellor saves them? I mean who the heck is this lady? She is mention two maybe three times? I guess in conclusion the series started out great but just headed a direction I didn't enjoy. Oh well!

Favorite Character: Jorge. Why? Because he reminded me of this guy

Sucre'! From prison break! Come on hermano! Can't you see it?

I give it

Because it is still a pretty crazy story!

This is What I Did - Ann Dee Ellis

2012-06-30T20:52:00.000-06:00

Imagine if you had witnessed something horrific.
Imagine if it had happened to your friend.
And imagine if you hadn't done anything to help.

That's what it's like to be Logan, an utterly frank, slightly awkward, and extremely loveable outcast enmeshed in a mysterious psychological drama. This story allows readers to piece together the sequence of events that has changed his life and changed his perspective on what it means to be a good friend and what it means to be a good person.

So just a little backstory on this book. I have a pretty distinct way of choosing the books I read. Step one : log into Goodreads. Step two: look at my friends books and choose something I think looks good. Step three: Make sure it gets at least four stars.

And that I don't think is terribly unusual. If you don't have much time to read why would you ever pick something up that has even less than 3 stars?

I really wanted to get out of my little box that I was living in so I picked this one up. I have to say it is pretty lame that it took me so long to decide to read it because it is by a local author that I happen to know. Sheesh! So on a impromptu library visit in which I was all-by-my-self (woo! That never happens) I decided to go hunting for books old fashioned style! I walked up and down the isle of the young adult fiction books when "BING" the thought occurred to me. "Go the E section quick!" So I found "This is What I Did". Now you have to understand that I was also on the last book of "The Maze Runner" series and I was really excited to read that one as well. But I couldn't help it. I put that Maze Runner book aside and dove into This is what I did. And I didn't stop reading until the end. (Don't worry. It's a quick read. Just a bit more that 150 pages). But it was so different from what I had been reading. It was about real life situations and it was written in such a strange way that I have never seen before. (I haven't read many books so that is not saying much.)

There is alot of bouncing between past and present and one experience to another. Is it possible to say that it is super choppy yet somehow it flows together really well? Well that is how I would describe it. I loved it.

Favorite Character: Laurel. This girl has many characteristics I long to have. She seems to be completely okay with who she is. Totally accepting of others, sporadic, and just the friend a mother hopes her child to have.

Sexual Content: There is a bit. But nothing to make me blush and I will tell you that it doesn't take much to make my face turn red!
Profanity: Less than a handful.
Violence: There is a parent child abuse situation. Also there is bullying.

So it's a little on the heavy side. Which I don't usually go for. I have learned though that it's important to branch out and read something different occasionally. So I give it

Plus half a thumb!

Book Review : Kane Chronicles - The Serpent's Shadow

2012-05-30T20:13:00.002-06:00

So I'm not going to give the book's description because I haven't done reviews on the first two so I thought I would just sum my thoughts up on the series so far.

I love Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series. Even more so I love his Lost Hero series. I really enjoy Greek and Roman Mythology. So I just had to read this series. I will say that the Kane Chronicles have not been as fun because I don't enjoy Egyptian history quite as much as Greek and Roman Mythology. In fact I realized that I knew hardly anything at all about the Egyptian Gods.

There are classic twists and turns. Of course you never know how the heck they are going to overcome evil as usual. Their tasks seem impossible as always. These books are easy to get through and enjoyable because they are super clean. It was really unclear to me wether this will be the last book in the Kane Chronicles. You just have to read it to understand why. I hope that he just stops this series for awhile, and works on the Lost Heros because I like it way more!

Favorite Character : Thoth the God of Wisdom (and some other things). First of all his home is a basketball stadium. That would be super fun. When they first come across him in this book he is stuck in his home and demons are attacking him every six hours. He can't leave. It doesn't seem to phase him. He is just doing his work and fighting off the bad guys. He is one smart cookie!

Drugs: no
Sexual Content: No
Profanity: no
Violence: Moderate but nothing graphic.

I give it

No More Cankers

2012-05-30T19:47:00.002-06:00

For the Past 2 years I have slowly developed and annoying habit of growing canker sores in my mouth. I don't know if it is the addition of children, a husband gone all the time because of work and school, or a lack of finances. Who knows. But i have been getting at least 4-5 cankers a month. Not to mention swollen taste buds to go along with it. My mouth just constantly felt like a breading ground for bacteria. I would floss and brush and swish and do anything i could to get them to go away. I even resorted to using one of my mom's old remedy's that I am pretty sure isn't approved by the FDA. Woops! I read that taking Lysine tablets helps so I decided it would be silly to not try. I have been using it for the past month and I have had 1 swollen taste bud! YES!! Anytime my mouth would get a cut or a scrape it was sure to turn canker. Not anymore! So if you have this same problem you may look into it yourself!

Book Review : Crossed by Ally Condie

2012-05-16T20:05:00.001-06:00

Chasing down an uncertain future, Cassia makes her way to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky--taken by the Society to his sure death--only to find that he has escaped into the majestic, but treacherous, canyons. On this wild frontier are glimmers of a different life and the enthralling promise of a rebellion. But even as Cassia sacrifices every thing to reunite with Ky, ingenious surprises from Xander may change the game once again.
Narrated from both Cassia's and Ky's point of view, this hotly anticipated sequel to Matched will take them both to the edge of Society, where nothing is as expected and crosses and double crosses make their path more twisted than ever.

Wow. I don't know what to say. I really wanted to love this book. I didn't have a hard time getting through it by any means because I really liked "Matched" (the first book in the series). I think the story line over all is great, but there were so many things about this book I didn't like:

1. The back and forth between Ky and Cassia when they get together again. I really got confused as to wether it was Ky speaking or Cassia. It wasn't so bad when they were split up because it is necessary to see what is going on with both people.

2. Their love bugs me. I just don't even care if they end up together anymore. Cassia is selfish when it comes to finding the rising. She should have just trusted Ky and flew off into the sunset with him.

3. It was like crossing a desert. Literally. It was slow moving. Lets go over here. Okay now lets go to this cave. Okay now lets go back. I still don't know how I read it so fast.

Well sad. I would say if you didn't like matched don't even bother. If you like the story line push through it. The next book could be great!

Favorite Character : Hunter. He is a loose cannon and doesn't have much to loose. I hope he is tied back into the next book.

Sex : 0
Language : 0
Drugs and Alcohol : 0
Violence : a small amount.

I give it a sad

And hope that the next one is a bit better.

Book Review : Cinder by Marissa Meyer

2012-05-08T15:57:00.003-06:00

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, the ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

OOOO la la. This was a great book. So nice to have something that I just couldn't put down. I love how it is completely the story of Cinderella and some concoction of freshness all wrapped into one. I will throw in one spoiler. At the ball when the Prince chases after her and finds her cyborg foot on the ground and picks it up I couldn't help but smile and laugh.

Favorite Character : Iko. I just love her personality and the relationship that her and Cinder have.

Language: None
Drugs: None
Sex: None
violence: none yet. I feel a war coming on in later books

I give it

Diaper Bombs. Who knew.

2012-05-01T11:32:00.000-06:00

So just a random note I never knew. I was reading a blog the other day and randomly decided to read some of the comments. One lady commented on how much waist was being produced and that no one really gives a hoot anymore. One specific thing she noted was the fact that when a baby has a bowl movement in their diaper they are usually just wrapped up and thrown away like a little baby bomb. This sounded weird to me. She continued to say that most diaper packages tell you to flush the poop away in the toilet rather than putting it in the trash. I had never heard that one so I checked my diaper box and sure enough. There it was. Nuts. How many of you knew this? I didn't have a clue! I guess that there is alot of disease in feces. DUH. And it can get into the ground water. Which totally makes sense. Who knows how many of those little diaper bombs I have been throwing out there. I guess it's time to start flushing the poop!

Book Review - The Knife of Never Letting Go - Patrick Ness

2012-04-26T10:58:00.001-06:00

I'm not going to spend alot of time on this book. It was disapointing for me. I only got to about page 60 and decided to put it down. The language ticked me off. I really don't like the "F" word. One of my worst pet peives is when people say "effin" or when shows say it but bleep it out at the same time so you don't hear it but you know exsactly what they are saying. GAH! The boy in this boy says a modified version of the "F" word every couple of pages. There is other swearing mixed in here and there. For me I figure there are plenty of great books out there so it wasn't worth my time. The thing that ticked me of the most was that the story is awesom. Too bad I guess...... So i give it

But if language isn't and issue for you go and get it.

Funky Toes

2012-04-20T08:25:00.000-06:00

So it's my birthday and my hubby has been stashing money away for a present for me. (and my mom threw in a bit) A couple days ago I ordered these guys. And then decided to plan a trip for Idaho the same week they are going to get here. So now I have to wait even longer to get them! I can't wait to get out on the road. I haven't even attempted to run barefoot this spring because my feet have lost their toughness over the winter and I have been less than excited to have raw feet again. I just hope I can work up to the five miles I have to run in them in a couple of months. Lucky for me I got a wimpy leg in "To Bone and Back" this year so I don't have to worry about a ton of hills or the heat. Happy running!

Throwback Book Review : The Giver

2012-03-30T20:23:00.005-06:00

Jonas's world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear of pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the community. When Jonas turns 12 he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.

So I have not been a reader for most of my life. I decided that I would go back and read many of the books that I should have read in high school (I may have used sparknotes for most of my book reports. I mean really. Who wants to suffer through Crime and Punishment?). My 5th grade teacher read this book to me. I didn't remember any of it. I am ashamed that I had to have help to find it in the library. It was in the kid's section :)

Favorite Character: Jonas. He is a classic kid. Emotional, innocent, and energetic. I love to see his transformation from beginning to end.

Sexual Content : A few references to "stirrings" or sexual emotions.

Violence : This is what makes me wonder how old a kid should be before they read it. (I was 10 or 11. After looking around the general age I found was 11.) A child is killed by injection.

Language: None.

This is a pretty controversial book mainly because it is a children's book. I think as a parent it is important to know what our kids are reading so we can help them understand controversial themes. I love this book because it is all about choices. We are safe without them however, it is impossible to truly live and feel without them. The pain of life is worth it because we are able to love and be loved.

I give it

and

Only because I didn't like the end. Happy reading!

Book Review: Matched by Ally Condie

2012-03-26T19:59:00.004-06:00

In the Society, Officials decide. Who you love. Where you work. When you die.

Cassia has always trusted their choices. It’s hardly any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one… until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path no one else has ever dared follow — between perfection and passion

Oh boy. This book is awesome! Most of the books I read are good. I try to make sure of it because I don't have alot of time on my hands to be reading books. Even still, they take me at least a week or two to get through. This is the first book since the Hunger Games that I have had to just let the house go and read. I had it done is just a little more than a day. Here are some of my thoughts.

My Favorite character: This is a hard one. Because the way their society is set up it is nearly impossible to understand who a person is and why they act the way they do most of the characters with the exception of Cassia and Ky keep their mouths shut. Xander gives you a little peek into his character but nothing to really make him seem remarkable. Hands down it has to be her grandfather though. He sets the ball in motion for Cassia. That is all I will say because I would hate to ruin such a great book.

Language : Zero! These guys wouldn't be caught dead using explicit language.

Violence: None.

Sexuality: Just a couple very short kisses.

So the book is squeaky clean. Which is just awesome. There is a sequel called "Crossed" that I am super excited for (I'm on the waiting list for it at the library). Then, the last book "Reached" comes out this fall. So it's shaping up to be a good solid series. So I have to give it

Just for those who may have read the book already I have just a couple of thoughts. So if you have not read it, stop now and go get the book. As I got to the end of this book I thought back about everything that happened in the storyline. There was not much action at all. There are some suspenseful parts where you wonder if she is going to get caught, but I have to admit it was really slow moving. However, I was glued to it. (confusing right?) It was just amazing to see Cassia go from being completely unemotional to having feelings and thinking for herself all because of one single poem. The society is set up perfectly to suppress their members. I just kept trying to come up with ways that she could hide something or write something down. The society was just set up perfectly to suppress their citizens. I think that is what made the book for me. Trying to break through the system myself and wondering how they got to the point that they were at. Anyway. It was a great book and I can't wait to read the next one. Oh and no. I don't ever wish to know the exact day that I am going to die. No thank you!

Only Rainbows After Rain

2012-03-19T18:22:00.001-06:00

I love this video. I found it completely on accident. I think was trying to download one song and I got this one instead. I love a good song that just makes me feel happy and excited and hopeful. My favorite line is "only rainbows after rain". I feel like we have some serious rainbows coming up. I have hope that my hubby is going to get a great job to support our family. I am so excited for him. He is so happy to graduate and our little family is really ready to move to the next step of our life. So put out that good energy friends! And listen up if you don't know it because it's good one!

The Iron King (Iron Fey Series #1) by Julie Kagawa

2012-03-17T13:59:00.007-06:00

"My name is Meghan Chase.
In less than twenty-four hours I'll be sixteen. Countless stories, songs, and poems have been written about this wonderful age, when a girl finds true love and the stars shine for her and the handsome prince carries her off into the sunset.
I don't think it will be that way for me."

This is a great book. I almost put it down after reading the first couple of chapters because Meghan (the main character) is a completely bitter teen-ager dealing with being a misfit. Not to mention she has a dirty mouth. I was glad I kept reading because this is a great series so far. The swearing tapers off quite significantly as the series goes along. There is a bit of

romance, action, and mystery so I felt like it was a pretty well rounded book.

My most favorite Character: Grimlakin. He is smart and sneaky. You never know where he is but he is always where he needs to be. You just have to read it. Its great!

Sexual Content : None
Language: Occasional us of profanity (Ug. 1 F word. The only one I have come across in the series yet)
Violence: The violence in this book is not graphic at all.

I give it:

(out of 5)

and:

Because I hate the "F" word.

(Sorry the font is all crazy. I can't figure it out and I'm sick of trying!)

I pledge allegiance to the flag.

2012-03-14T15:30:00.003-06:00

This makes me so sick I will not even post the picture of it on my blog. Here's an article about a flag that was put up with the president's face in place of the stars. I don't like the president's politics. There is not one thing that comes to mind that I like about his presidency. I hope that he is a one term president and by some miracle we can get back to the freedom business in this country. I could go on and on. But that's not what it's about. I would be having the same problem if they put Ronald Regan's face on that flag. I think my grandfather is rolling over in his grave right now. Seriously. What a disrespect. I don't worship the flag or anything but I do respect what it stands for. I have a great feeling of pride for this country and the freedom we enjoy. That is what the flag represents to me. As a mom I want my kids to understand this as well. I'm sure you may be wondering who in the heck would be so dumb as to make this flag? CHINA.......

Facebook Stalker

2012-01-27T20:02:00.002-07:00

I think there are basically 5 types of people in this world

1. Those who think Facebook is stupid and refuse to get an account.

2. Those who love Facebook, comment about everything, and comment on anything.

3. Those who play games on Facebook that require you to wake up in the middle of the night to harvest, click fish every 15 minutes, or keep your pet fed and washed.

4. FACEBOOK STALKER: Warning: this person almost never comments so it appears that they are "Facebook Cool". But they check it at least 4-5 times a day to see what other people are saying about themselves. It's okay thought because they "Hardly ever comment or post things".

5. The casual Facebooker. "The cool kid".

Somehow I have gone from totally anti and ended up somewhere in between being a stalker and a cool kid. Maybe after I go through each phase or "person type" then I will become... I... shoot I haven't checked Pintrest today! GTG!!! LOL!!!

Workout DVD Review - Ripped in 30 (30 Day shred)

2012-01-21T15:16:00.003-07:00

This is completely old news for some people. For me it's new and awesome. I have been doing this DVD in addition to this one:

They are basically the same concept. 3 circuits of : 3 minutes strength, 2 minutes aerobic, and 1 minute of abdominals. So doing the math that is 18 minutes kicking your butt hard core. (With a 2 minute warm-up and 2 minute stretch.) Ripped in 30 has 4 workouts and 30 Day shred has 3. Both are equally as effective.

I am not the type of person that likes to work out for more than about 25 minutes so this is perfect. I think it is the most efficient workout DVD I have ever done. My abdominals are stronger now than they have ever been (with the exception of high school). I love the feeling of being about to bounce around, take off running, or lifting something heavy and not feeling like I am going to die!

I have to throw in a disclaimer. This DVD is totally bittersweet for me because I do not like Jillian Michaels. I don't like her potty mouth. She swears very rarely in these DVD and it is usually just a reference to your tush. I also haven't looked at the meal plan. I could care less about this. It's purely just about exercise for me.

Another thing to consider is the weights. I used cans for the first two weeks and decided to go and buy some weights. Let's just say the weights make all the difference.

The last thing that I love about it is that you can go at your own pace. You don't have to keep up with changing moves or remembering steps. Most moves have easier versions and as you get stronger you can progress up to the harder one.

All and all. Best 12 bucks I ever spent on a work out related items.

An "Egg"citing idea.. hahah

2012-01-21T14:37:00.005-07:00

Oh boy do I love eggs. #1 The protein in them keeps me going. #2 Seriously, how many different ways can you prepare an egg? Tonz. These little guys are amazing.

My preferred choice of preparation is scrambled with a mound of cheese on it. However if you are a consistent reader of my blog you will note that I hate dishes. Scrambled eggs create some nasty dishes.

Problem solved. (I can't believe I never thought of this by the way.) Boiled eggs! I just boil around 10 of them all at once. Then, I always have a quick boost of protein. Not to mention the clean up is fantastic. :)

Yea For Eggs!

Book Review: Killing Linclon

2012-01-04T20:10:00.005-07:00

This book is split up into three parts: The end of the civil war, the last few days of Lincoln's life, and the search for those who were involved in the plot to murder him. There isn't much more to it than that so I will go ahead with my opinion.

If you ever read my blog you know I think Bill O'Reilly is a great guy. I have read "Pinheads and Patriots" along with "Culture Worrier " which are two of his other books. I love his style of writing and the personalty in his books. This one, however, was a bit disappointing because I had a pretty high expectation for the book and it's written as a thriller so it didn't reflect his usual style of writing.

There was alot of information, but unfortunately not a ton of action. The section on the civil war was great because before reading this book I didn't have much knowledge on it at all. But the events leading up to Lincoln's death could have gone at a quicker pace. That was the part of the book that took me the longest to read. There was alot of talk about the theater, Booth's crazieness, and the fact that Lincoln didn't use the secret service very often. I just kept thinking "just make it until he dies and then you can put the book down!"

I did decide to finish it and i was glad I pushed through to the end of the book. The last part was the best for me. It was interesting to see who got caught and how they were punished. Let's just say that the justice system has come along way since then!

I sugest you read this book if you really enjoy history. If you are looking for a good thriller you might want to go somewhere else.

Overall. It's average. I'm not sad I read the book. If I had to go back in time and choose wether to read it again I would for sure. After all. Those who don't learn about the past are doomed to repeat it right? So I give it a sad

(out of 5)