Estella's Revenge

Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley

2013-05-25T07:40:00.000-05:00

It ain't no joke, and it ain't no secret...I adore Lucy Knisley and her work. I fell in love with her first book, French Milk, and the love just kept right on rolling -- like a big, beautiful aged cheese -- right on into her new book, Relish: My Life in the Kitchen.

This is where I got the cheese inspiration, FYI. I had to share an actual beautiful enthralling foodilicious page with you. I'd be a horrible person if I didn't.

As the subtitle says, this book is all about Knisley's relationship with food growing up. Her mom was a chef, caterer and Admirer of Food. Her dad is a gourmand. Loves to eat it, doesn't cook it. And this illustrated memoir contains episodes from Knisley's life and how she related to food as she was coming up. Each chapter ends with an illustrated recipe.

I've come to a major conclusion: there is nothing cuter than illustrated food. I got a taste (ha!) of this in French Milk, but Relish really seals the deal. While I love gazing upon beautiful food photography, there is something equally as charming and alluring about the illustrated ingredients Knisley introduces to the reader. I was tantalized.

I also love Knisley's laid back, quirky personality which shines in this book. See below.

As other bloggers have mentioned, I also like the fact that Knisley takes food seriously, she savors it, but she's also forthright enough to admit that while she was raised on the Best of the Best, she still digs junk food here and there. She's not pretentious, she's just awesome.

Want to learn more about Lucy Knisley??? Well, heckfire, she did an ILLUSTRATED INTERVIEW here on this very blog back in 2010. I think it's worth a click if you have some time.

Weekend Cooking is hosted by Beth Fish Reads.

Pub. Date: April 2013

Publisher: First Second

Format: E-book

ISBN-13: 9781596436237

Source: Purchased by moi!

Wait, a Music Review??? Natalie Maines Rides Again!

2013-05-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

It's been years since the Dixie Chicks were crucified for an off-hand comment lead singer, Natalie Maines, made about President Bush in front of a London audience. Country music exploded and the trio was banned from radio.

They roared back with an indignant and multiple Grammy-winning album, Taking the Long Way, in 2006.

And then they disappeared. The sisters, Martie and Emily, surfaced in 2010 as the Courtyard Hounds.

Lead singer and spitfire, Natalie, remained largely out of the spotlight. I would see her pop up on the Internet here and there at this or that benefit concert. But it wasn't until earlier this month that she released any new material. Mother is her first solo album -- a mixture of covers and original songs co-produced by Ben Harper.

Truthfully, I wasn't quite sure what I thought of this album when I scrolled through the samples available on Amazon and iTunes. But, the bottom line is that I adore Natalie Maines: her voice, her song choices, her writing chops, her sensibilities (political and otherwise). I've written a lot about her and the Chicks on this blog over the years. For me, they are that definitive, formative band that's followed me from adolescence into adulthood.

I downloaded the album a couple of days after release and I'm SO glad I did!

This album has been labeled a rock album, but it's not the stereotypical rip-roaring, guitar-screaming sassiness you might immediately expect from Maines. It falls squarely on the moody, bluesy, singer/songwriter, introspective side. She covers seemingly unusual choices like Eddie Vedder's (Pearl Jam Eddie Vedder!) "Without You," and Patty Griffin's "Silver Bell." The crown jewel for critics seems to be her emotive interpretation of the late Jeff Buckley's "Lover You Should've Come Over."

It's a ballsy album, and I'd be seriously disappointed if I got anything less from Natalie Maines. While the songs are mostly mid-tempo and ballads, she's just such a damn good singer. This is one of the albums that compels you to actually listen closely to the lyrics, and I can hear that activist, humanitarian, introspective, philosopher rebellion in these songs. She has a point of view, and it's painted all over this album.

By far, my favorite song on the whole thing is "Take It On Faith" which Maines co-wrote. And she just so happened to perform it on Letterman recently. While I love the album, Maines is one of those artists whose live performance is just as good, if not better, than her recordings.

You're welcome!

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

2013-05-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

I resisted reading The Knife of Never Letting Go for years. This one has gotten really positive buzz all over the place. Even from crotchety Facebook "real life" friends who don't seem to like anything...ever. And from all of the reactions I've read, and from my own experience reading Ness's A Monster Calls, I was hesitant. Beyond hesitant, really. Unwilling, more like. Because I knew this book was going to hurt to read. I knew it was going to tackle tough subjects and break my heart. I knew there was a damn good chance it would make me cry and leave me reeling.

Because Patrick Ness is acutely tuned-in to emotional triggers. I don't find him an author that is overly manipulative. Mitch Albom is manipulative and maudlin (don't ask, it's probably a post all its own). Patrick Ness simply knows how to write painfully true characters.

That said, teen boys can be some of my least favorite characters. Their brand of whining and hard-headedness can be supremely annoying. Thus, I didn't particularly care for Knife's narrator, Todd Hewitt, in the beginning. He's kind of dense and stubborn to a fault. He's resistant and unwilling to compromise. He's insensitive at times. However, the magic in this book is that Todd's behavior is permissible and forgivable. He's ill-informed by those around him who choose to keep secrets about his civilization's history and his own family legacy. He's misled and mistreated, scared, daunted by officially turning into a "man" at the age of 13. Ness is exceptional at writing characters who are flawed and realistic...who are thrown into exceptional, painful circumstances. Todd grows, and I loved reading it.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Barnes and Noble does a much better job of summarizing this book than I could ever do...

Todd Hewitt is the only boy in [Prentisstown] a town of men. Ever since the settlers were infected with the Noise germ, Todd can hear everything the men think, and they hear everything he thinks. Todd is just a month away from becoming a man, but in the midst of the cacophony, he knows that the town is hiding something from him — something so awful Todd is forced to flee with only his dog, whose simple, loyal voice he hears too. With hostile men from the town in pursuit, the two stumble upon a strange and eerily silent creature: a girl. Who is she? Why wasn't she killed by the germ like all the females on New World? Propelled by Todd's gritty narration, readers are in for a white-knuckle journey in which a boy on the cusp of manhood must unlearn everything he knows in order to figure out who he truly is.

So despite my doubts from early on, I fell in love with these characters. I felt for Todd as he learned his settlement's--and his world's--history. I cringed when he made bad choices, and I mentally begged him not to be so damn stubborn. I cheered for Viola for her resourcefulness and reason. I adored Todd's dog, Manchee, and his simple, loyal voice. I hated the villains: Aaron, the religious fanatic and hypocrite, the dictatorial Mayor Prentiss, and his factions.

And I was right in my assumption that Ness would rake me over the coals. I cried and I cheered, and I was utterly swept along by the intensity of this story. I hated him at times for making me feel more than I wanted to. Sadder or madder. And I rooted for the characters in their best moments, bouncing e-mails back and forth to Heather when I was lingering near a cliffhanger or had just come through a big surprise twist.

And if it gives you any indication of how invested I was in this story, for the first time in my reading life, I sought out spoilers for one particular aspect of the plot that I thought might well kill me with anxiety. Just to prepare myself mentally and emotionally for its coming. That sounds utterly crazy, but it's true.

Beyond my warm feelings for the characters, I admire what Ness does here in the larger sense. He's dealing with issues of information overload. There is no privacy for the residents of Prentisstown, and he thoroughly explores the power struggles that breed and multiply, and the complications that arise from a steady flow of noise and a lack of solace. It's us. It's now handled metaphorically--our noise, our lack of privacy, government intent on secrets, the withholding of information as important as that which is available for the masses.

I read this book in two days, which for me is extremely fast, and I immediately downloaded the second book in the trilogy, The Ask and Answer. Am I emotionally prepared for it? I have no idea. But I can't wait to try and to see where we end up.

And I have to thank Heather. She forced me to read the book, you see. I'd hummed and hawed about it for so long that she sent the e-book for my birthday in November. Heather, you're always right.

Pub. Date: July 2009

Publisher: Candlewick

Format: E-book

ISBN-13: 9780763645762

Source: A gift!

A Schizophrenic Weekend Recap, and Currently Reading!

2013-05-20T09:57:00.000-05:00

Good morning, friends! This weekend was super fun and pretty laid back all around. Recap? Well, sure!

Greyson spent three and a half days with his dad since his daycare was being renovated on Thursday and Friday of last week. He had a great time hanging out with his older siblings, and he got a swanky new haircut.

Handsome, eh?

I spent Wednesday night and Thursday reading The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. And WOW. The very enthusiastic review will be coming down the pike tomorrow.

Friday night, while David was driving up from central Texas, I waged war on the house: laundry, dog hair, cleaned bathrooms, put toys away.

Saturday we went to see the movie, Olympus Has Fallen, which I actually really enjoyed. It was non-stop action and shoot-em-up bloodiness, but Gerard Butler is always sassy and fun to watch.

I tried to fend off a sinus headache Friday and into Sunday morning, so I wasn't good for much besides lazing around. After it passed on Sunday morning, we tackled some yard work: weed-eated my overgrown front flower beds, planted some Purple Queen, and filled the bird bath with flowers and new plantings around the base (Moss Rose).

Purple Queen

Moss Rose

While I haven't followed through on my raised garden beds I was so hoping for this year, I do have a planter full of banana peppers in my back yard. They are coming along nicely!

And back to books (this is the jumpy, schizophrenic part I referenced in the title...ahem!)...after I ripped through The Knife of Never Letting Go last week, I haven't had much mojo to start another book. Until I snatched Kindred by Octavia Butler from the library yesterday.

I'm reading this one for the Estella Project. If you haven't heard about it, this is mine and Heather's latest Estella Society project. Readers submitted their BEST OF THE BEST books. The goal is to read three from the list before September 1st.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman
Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
Wicked by Gregory Maguire
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
Kindred by Octavia Butler
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
Bad Science by Ben Goldacre
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

I already own The Glass Castle, A Fine Balance, The Sparrow. However, I'm also really excited to finally have a push to read more of Octavia Butler's work. I picked Kindred up at the library yesterday, so it'll be my first undertaking from the list. Beyond that, The Glass Castle and The Sparrow are my intended reads. I'm not feeling the pull toward A Fine Balance as much.

What did you do this weekend? What are you reading this week?

Hosted by Sheila of BookJourney!

Pinning and DOING in May!

2013-05-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

May marks another round of Pin It and Do It hosted by the effervescent and kickass, Trish of Love, Laughter and a Touch of Insanity. Pinterest went by the wayside in April because it was just, well, overwhelming. All of April was overwhelming. I typically use the later hours of my workday to pin (if time allows) because my brain is generally leaking out my left ear at that point. Sadly, I was too dang busy to leak in April.

So now I'm back in it to win it at the "Pinterested" level with a commitment to complete 4-7 pins. So my first completed pin came early in the month when I discovered SUGAR ANTS IN MY KITCHEN. I was so not a happy camper. Those little effers can sneak in anywhere, and they made their happy little trail right down from my kitchen window to my counters.

I was looking for an immediate and effective way to fight off the little buggers, so of course I turned to Pinterest and found these easy, organic tips. In addition to cleaning off my countertops, stashing any cluttery stuff that impeded my view, wiping the whole place down with vinegar, and sweeping/mopping, I also put out a BIG ASS PLATE OF CINNAMON. It was big enough to warrant all caps. Seriously.

The next day: far fewer ants. There were a few stragglers, but not nearly the bunch I'd had before. Since then, I've put out good ole fashioned bait traps, but I'm leaving the cinnamon for its effectiveness, too.

Pins on my horizon:

Spicy Rice Noodles

Baked Black Bean Burgers

Smoked Fish Dip

Sausage and Bean Soup with Pasta

What are you pinning and doing these days?

Weekend Cooking is hosted by Beth Fish Reads.

The Obituary Writer by Ann Hood

2013-05-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

I'd heard of Ann Hood before I read The Obituary Writer, but only in that passing way that makes your ears perk up at a remembered name, but I had no idea what she'd written.

Until my book club swooped in, yet again, with a wild card. I gave this novel absolutely zero attention until the book club served it up to me.

The result? Pleasantly surprised!

From Goodreads:

On the day John F. Kennedy is inaugurated, Claire, a young wife and mother obsessed with the glamour of Jackie, struggles over the decision of whether to stay in a loveless but secure marriage or to follow the man she loves and whose baby she may be carrying. Decades earlier, in 1919, Vivien Lowe, an obituary writer, is searching for her lover who disappeared in the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. By telling the stories of the dead, Vivien not only helps others cope with their grief but also begins to understand the devastation of her own terrible loss. The surprising connection between these two women will change Claire s life in unexpected and extraordinary ways. Part literary mystery and part love story, The Obituary Writer examines expectations of marriage and love, the roles of wives and mothers, and the emotions of grief, regret, and hope.

I really enjoyed the atmosphere in this book. When our book club met, Trish and I both said that parts of this one -- the story line containing Claire in the 1960s -- was like stepping into an episode of Mad Men. Claire reminded me a lot of Betty Draper. Less dramatic, surely. Fewer ridiculous twists. But the overall sense of discontentment and longing, the internal struggle with whether to stay or go, really intrigued me.

I often do find myself drawn to books and films and television shows that deal with the role of the wife. Especially from bygone eras and the feelings of discontentment that seemed to accompany a woman's limited choices. It might seem like a downer, but overall I find it interesting. The Hours comes to mind, in particular. I was reminded of Mrs. Brown's story from that novel.

But back to The Obituary Writer...

The story line involving Vivien Lowe was much more problematic. It was still a pleasure to read with gorgeous writing and Vivien was a multi-faceted character, but there were moments that made me lift an eyebrow. Jarring things that weren't terribly believable that took me out of the narrative. For instance, Vivien is an obituary writer. She can sit with a grieving person, have a discussion of their lost loved one, and write a pitch-perfect obituary that really captures the person's essence. The grief-stricken seek her out to do this for them.

How the hell do you make a living doing that? It was clear that Vivien led a meager, small life. But really??? I found that totally unbelievable and it was never explained.

There were also moments (two specifically), that the Claire and Vivien's names got transposed in the text. In a section about Claire, she was referred to as Vivien, and vice versa. Ummm, editor? Every one of us in the club caught that, but the writer and editor didn't??? Or maybe it was on purpose. But if it was done on purpose it wasn't terribly effective. Just confusing. And weird.

At this point you're wondering if I really liked the book. And the answer is that I really did. Despite the nagging issues, this one, on a scale of one to five stars, would probably get a three. It was a nice, pleasant, quick, atmospheric, worthwhile read. Did it totally blow my knickers up? No. But I'm glad the book club prompted me to read it.

Have you read any of Ann Hood's fiction? What did you think?

Pub. Date: March 2013

Publisher: W.W. Norton

Format: E-book

ISBN-13: 9780393081428

Source: Purchased by moi!

The Great Gatsby was GREAT!!!

2013-05-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Great Gatsby is one of my three favorite books of all time.

--Gatsby
--Cider House Rules
--Lord of the Rings

I know, it's a weird mix. But Gatsby is RIGHT THERE with the best books of my life!

I read it as a junior in high school, and I thought I was going to hate it. Really. I just thought it was going to be boring and hard to wade through and all of those horrible things that students assume. But what I found was so rich and well written and screwy and an intriguing portrait of one of my fave time periods in American history. And it's about the dark side of the American dream -- especially when you're a kid and you've been stuffed full of the light, chirpy, everyone-can-pull-themselves-up-with-boot-straps version of the American dream. It was dark but amazing. It was a turning point in my reading life.

And I've re-read it five times. Going on six. I started it again after I saw the film this weekend.

And the long-awaited, snarkily-anticipated, bated breath film. I LOVED IT!!!

Ok, so here's some backstory. I've been in love with Baz Luhrmann since Romeo and Juliet. I loved that he took what was a tragedy on paper and blew it up to gargantuan proportions so that every viewer could feel the gut-wrenching sadness in that book. Anyone who watched R+J felt the pain in that story. My freshman students at that time didn't feel the pain on paper. The majority struggled through the reading. But they could watch that film, which very closely followed the text, and feel the tragedy of it in a new way that they would have completely missed before.

Gatsby is a dark story. It's about a time in history full of intrigue and illicit behavior and sweeping change; a novel full of opulence and uncertainty, selfishness and self-destructiveness. What Luhrman has done is take Fitzgerald's excellent story and blown it up to spectacular proportions. And I appreciate him magnifying the tale into a visual, musical, nuanced extravaganza. It's what I love about him as an auteur.

From the New York Times today:

Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby” is lurid, shallow, glamorous, trashy, tasteless, seductive, sentimental, aloof, and artificial. It’s an excellent adaptation, in other words, of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s melodramatic American classic. Luhrmann, as expected, has turned “Gatsby” into a theme-park ride. But he’s done it in exactly the right way.

While I had concerns about DiCaprio as Gatsby, it all worked great. I loved Mulligan as Daisy, and Joe Edgerton, as Tom Buchanan, really brought that character to life for me.

There were moments that it was overacted (the scene where Daisy and Gatsby reunite at Nick's place), but overall it fell in line with the rest of the production. And there were moments that I found much more emotionally touching in the film that I did in the text (Gatsby explaining his need repeat the past to Nick and tearing up).

Symbolism? I couldn't forget it. The eyes of T.J. Eckleburg were just as haunting as in the book. Yellow as a symbol for wealth and ultimately death. Time, time, time. All there. All gorgeous.

One of the big issues of contention from the moment the trailer started running seems to be in some of the soundtrack choices. The very first trailer featured Jay Z and Kanye West's "No Church in the Wild" and people went nuts. I actually bought the soundtrack over the weekend, and I could not be more smitten with it. I love the mixture of hip hop rap, pop, sweeping ballads, and full-on drama. It really expresses the pounding, frenetic pace of the film and the amplification of the action.

What? I'm gushing? Yeah, I kinda am. I can't wait to watch it again.

Books Dealing With Tough Subjects

2013-05-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. More HERE.

It's been a while since I participated in Top Ten Tuesday, but when I previewed today's topic, I really couldn't resist. It's so interesting. So different! The Top Ten Books Dealing with Tough Subjects.

These are the books that make us squirm perhaps but that have many lessons to teach and many thoughts to provoke. They're also the books that we may appreciate but sometimes saying we "enjoyed" them feels wrong given the subject matter. I've learned a great deal from books like these throughout my reading life. Here are the top ten. Today, anyway.

There's a good chance you'll see a trend throughout many of the books I chose. Since the birth of my son, books that involve injustice, mistreatment, abuse, or hardships as they apply to children have become some of the hardest books for me to read.

Push by Sapphire - Abuse, neglect, poverty. The girl in this book endures it all but finds hope in school, learning, and her teachers who believe she can do more.

ROOM by Emma Donoghue - Held captive in a shed along with his mother, the narrator, Jack, broke my heart on several occasions, though the book does have a great ending.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness - A young boy struggles to cope with the impending death of his mother. It made me do the ugly cry, but it was also a beautiful book in story and illustration.

The Last Brother by Nathacha Appanha - A Mauritian boy and a young captive from a WWII prison camp escape into the woods for a harrowing journey. A thin little book, a fast read, but nice writing and very affecting.

Sugar in My Bowl edited by Erica Jong - Sex is always one of those "tough" subjects. This collection of essays and stories made me laugh, cry, and cringe.

You Know When the Men Are Gone by Siobhan Fallon - Dealing with the military life and deployment, this collection of stories runs the gamut from thoughtful and hopeful to stories of jealous and betrayal. I found the collection as a whole really hit me harder than I'd expected as I usually steer clear of books about military life.

Tolstoy and the Purple Chair by Nina Sankovitch - In dealing with the grief of losing her sister, Sankovitch chronicles her year of reading one book per day. I know, I hardly believed it either! This one was sad and hopeful, all at the same time. Another trend in these "tough subject" books.

Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman - Maybe the quickest read on the list, Stuck in Neutral is a young adult novel about a boy with severe cerebral palsy who cannot move voluntarily but whose mind is sharp and alive. His father, a prize-winning poet, may be thinking of killing him to "put him out of his misery." It really made me think about what we consider "disability" and what lies beyond it.

Sherry and Narcotics by Nina-Marie Gardner - Train wreck! But a well-written and involving train wreck. The heroine makes bad decisions, drinks too much, has a silly relationship, but I rooted for her the whole way.

Stiff by Mary Roach - Cadavers! It's gross, it's enlightening and instructional, and it's one of my favorite non-fiction, popular science books EVER! A great Mother's Day gift (yes, to my mom several years ago).

How do you define a "tough subject" and what are some worthwhile books in this vein?

The Semester is Over! BOOK PARTY!!!

2013-05-13T09:27:00.002-05:00

My teaching duties are officially complete and summer is here! I taught a whopping (stupid) five online classes during the spring semester, and I am so stinkin' glad to be done. I don't have any teaching obligations over the summer -- just my day job in PR. What does this mean? Less money to pay student loans and more time to read!!! It's almost win-win.

So what's shaking in my reading life, you ask? Ask. Please?

I am currently reading Orphan Train, by Christina Baker Kline, for my Girls Night Out book club. I have mixed feelings about it on a couple of fronts, and this has little to do with the book.

1. I'm sick and frackin' tired of books that bounce back and forth between a historical narrator and a contemporary narrator. The last several book club choices we've read have followed this format. I've never been a huge fan, so this many in a row is really rubbing on my nerves.

2. I like this book when I'm in the act of reading it, but I have a harder time making myself pick it up. Maybe that will change now that I have more free time.

What would I prefer to be reading??? Well, let me show you.

Yeah buddy!!! As big a fan as I am of skinny books (they make me feel like I'm finishing/accomplishing a lot), I think I'm in the mood for a book that is not of the dueling narrator variety and which is sink-intoable. It's a word. Sorta. What that really means is that I'm interested in the idea of a book that is suitable for immersing myself in.

At the heart of this panoramic, multidimensional narrative is the compelling struggle of a young woman to lift her body and soul out of the gutter. Faber leads us back to 1870s London, where Sugar, a nineteen-year-old whore in the brothel of the terrifying Mrs. Castaway, yearns for escape to a better life. Her ascent through the strata of Victorian society offers us intimacy with a host of lovable, maddening, unforgettable characters.

And this one has been around for years. I can't believe I haven't read it already.

Things I Need to Review:

Help me out, peeps. Which book should I review first?

OH! And how could I forget??? I need to review this film.

Hosted by the awesome Sheila of BookJourney.

To the Mamas....

2013-05-12T11:32:00.003-05:00

Food: Vegetarian Home Cooking

2013-05-11T12:21:00.002-05:00

This is, by far, the most beautiful cookbook I own! Mary McCartney's Food: Vegetarian Home Cooking, came to my attention when Nancy reviewed it over at Bookfoolery. She had wonderful things to say about it, and I decided to gift it to myself for Mother's Day. As soon as it arrived, I couldn't wait to dive in and explore.

As you may remember, I've been on a weight loss journey for the last year or so with the very simple approach to eat more REAL food -- less processed, less crap in general. Admittedly, since I took my job as a PR Director of my alma mater in December, it's been much harder to maintain! I really put my nose to the grindstone to improve our food quality in September when I got laid off from my previous job. I had three months to cook good stuff any time of day and really plan our meals. When the work madness kicked back in, obviously it was much more of a struggle.

We haven't fallen completely off the wagon, by any means, but there's been more eating out than I'd like and more packaged foods for a quick grab-n-go breakfast or snack. I decided to pick up Food to give me some new real food ideas, but also because of a recent bonehead move by the USDA. I'm just more beaten down by US food culture than ever.

But that's enough griping for one post -- on to Food! McCartney has really put together a nice collection of simple, everyday vegetarian recipes (they do contain dairy and eggs, recommended free-range, etc.). This is great for me because I don't want to cultivate a home culture that tries to imitate meat-centric dishes. I want to eat delicious vegetarian meals! Ones where I don't focus on what's taking the place of meat. There are a couple of dishes in Food that do use meat substitutes but I'm far less interested in those than the others that wallow in being veggie.

*Note: I don't intend to become a full-time vegetarian, but to include 3-4 days of vegetarian cooking per week and switch the meat we do consume to local and organic.

Credit to Bookfoolery for the photo!

Successful dishes, for me, are largely about flavor and texture. If there's great flavor and good texture, I really don't care if there's meat involved. The black bean, sweet corn, and feta tacos above are an example of this. I can't wait to try them! I may end up adding some additional spices (I am from Texas!) but the basic idea is an excellent one.

Same thing with this Yummy Spicy Rice Noodles recipe.

Another noteworthy party of Food is the stinkin' gorgeous photography. McCartney is a photographer by trade, and it shows in this book. There are as many gorgeous photos as there are tasty-looking recipes. When I initially looked through, I was afraid I was going to long for more recipes and fewer photos, but upon closer inspection (three nights in a row), I'm pretty happy with the balance. This book is functional and a suitable showpiece.

Unfortunately, I haven't had an opportunity to try any of the recipes this week as it's been ridiculously full of end-of-semester grading, PR madness, and I'm typing this from work on a Saturday as I ready myself for a doctoral luncheon this afternoon. And then I'm going to see The Great Gatsby! But that's another post.

I have big plans for some breakfast recipes this week. Namely, banana muffins and individual Yorkshire puddings! Pretty sure I won't be able to hold off making the spicy rice noodles for very long either. I'll be back with another Weekend Cooking post after I test drive some of the recipes.

Have you fallen in love with any cookbooks lately? What is your favorite cookbook?

Pub. Date: April 2013

Publisher: Sterling Epicure

Format: Hardcover

ISBN-13: 9781454907268

Source: Purchased by moi!

Weekend Cooking is hosted by BethFishReads.com and is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend.You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page. For more information, see the welcome post.

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

2013-05-07T16:09:00.001-05:00

Not one iota of me expected to like this book. I'm just sayin'. I've learned a lesson lately. I tend to be pleasantly surprised by books I know next to nothing about. Trish taught me this lesson in part -- I first heard it from her. And I think I agree! This book knocked me over with pleasant surprise.

My book club picked this one, and I was almost immediately attitudey about it. I didn't really want to buy it because what I knew of the premise (quadriplegic finds love?) sounded horrible. And the cover is way too lovey-looking for my taste. It's like Valentine's Day exploded on this cover. I seriously considered not purchasing it and not going to book club that week.

And then I got over myself and my preconceived, totally-made-up notions and stinkin' loved it. Like LOVED it. And cried a lot reading it.

Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick. What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane. Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.

And it's so much better than that blurb.

The thing that impressed me about this book was the character development. I really fell in love with Lou and Will and all the peripheral characters (except Will's mother...ick). It was a slow build to get to know them, and I mean that in the best way. I initially thought these characters were going to be flat and they took shape in such lovely, unfolding ways. They had their highs and they certainly had their ugly, yucky lows, but that made me love them.

If you're looking for a super-fast read with heart, give this one a try, even if you think you'll hate it.

Pub. Date: December 2012

Publisher: Penguin Group

Format: E-book

ISBN-13: 9780143124542

Source: Purchased by moi!

And Then I Bought ALL the Books!

2013-05-06T13:12:00.000-05:00

Whoa. I haven't bought books regularly in years. Because, truthfully, I have too many already. But the dam broke over the last two weeks and I've been purchasing quite a bit. Let's see if I can even remember them all.

I cannot wait to get my grubby paws on this cookbook, Food: Vegetarian Home Cooking by Mary McCartney. YES, that McCartney. This one is all Nancy's fault because she raved about it over at Bookfoolery. And I'm sure she'll be tickled to take this blame because her family loves this book. It hasn't actually arrived on my doorstep yet, but I'm hoping, hoping, hoping that I get it today. I made the decision to work FAR more vegetarian food into our life after I read about this gross, stupid, deplorable announcement.

I've also given quite a bit of love to e-books lately. I downloaded Lucy Knisley's new graphic memoir, Relish: My Life in the Kitchen, and it was the cutest thing since crostini. Review coming later this week.

I also picked up Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline for my next book club meeting. It's not one I would pick up on my own, and I seem to have REALLY good luck with books I know next to nothing about, so I'm excited.

Finally, I downloaded How to Eat a Cupcake by Meg Donahue and The Fool's Tale by Nicole Galland. Both of these were recently on sale in digital format. Meg's review of Cupcake prompted me to purchase it. And The Fool's Tale just looked good!

I also have a very sad story. My very favorite independent bookstore, A Real Bookstore in Fairview, TX has closed its doors for good. I've already lamented this on Facebook, but this store was something super special. It was huge, full of life, full of great service and recommendations, a kickass cafe, and just wonderful, superb people. And the best little book club in town (Girls Night Out!!!).

The manager, and one of my dear friends, let us know at our final book club meeting in the store. We also got a 90% discount on the remaining stock. My heart wasn't even in it, y'all. It was so so so sad. I went ahead and looked through the shelves and brought home some books that I really wanted, and I'll be inscribing them with A Real Bookstore's name to help me remember where they came from on down the road (though I don't think I'll have any trouble remembering).

The up-side is that our book club has decided to carry on and meet in a new location.

Here's what I took away from the store that fateful night...

I picked up three of the Babylit books. Greyson is probably too old for these board books (counting, colors, etc.), but the illustrations are gorgeous, and I think he'll really be attracted to the look of them. Alice in Wonderland, Dracula, and A Christmas Carol. This is another credit to Meg! I had no idea about these books until she mentioned building a secret library of them. ;)

I discovered my love of A.S. Byatt a couple of years ago when I read Little Black Book of Short Stories. I was immediately swept away by the just-right length of the longer short stories. Angels and Insects is made up of two novellas. I can't wait to inhale more of Byatt's work.

I am ashamed to admit, I've never read any of Shirley Jackson's work except "The Lottery" in school! It's just about time I get on with We Have Always Lived in the Castle.

Finally, I've seen reviews of it crop up everywhere, so I grabbed Sadie Jones's The Uninvited Guests.

And I could've sworn there were more, but I can't, for the life of me, remember at this moment what they were. There's a super cute picture book for Greyson, and I think one or two more for me.

These beauties should feed my reading for a bit. And I'm happy to report that I need to review a whopping four books that have yet to appear here on the blog! I rarely have that problem, but it's a good problem to have. It means I'm reading!!!

Which books have come into your house lately?

I CANNOT WAIT!

2013-05-03T11:18:00.002-05:00

Snuggling Up with Books About Books

2013-05-02T10:38:00.001-05:00

My book buddy, Helen, inadvertently gave me a topic to write about today! I posted on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for today's #Estellagram prompt, that I'm currently reading Sara Nelson's So Many Books, So Little Time.

For some reason, when I was at the library on Sunday, I got an itch for books about books. After my post, Helen asked me to post a list of books about books! With a quick Google search, I found this completely awesome, and somewhat overwhelming, list of books about books from Goodreads. It includes fiction and non-fiction which is kinda fun.

So out of curiosity, I went through the first few pages to see which books about books I'd actually read. And WHOA! I've read a lot of them. Here are some of the non-fiction. The fiction books are a whole other post.

1. Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman -- Fun book. I think she's a little smarter than the average bear, and I felt a little alienated as a reader on occasion. Overall, a great read, though.

2. Book Lust: Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment and Reason by Nancy Pearl - Fun, quick reference.

3. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff - One of my favorites. A touching book about a bookish friendship.

4. More Book Lust by Nancy Pearl - More quick reference.

5. The Polysyllabic Spree by Nick Hornby - Hornby has a great voice. I'd read hardly anything he discussed, but oddly, it didn't matter.

6. So Many Books, So Little Time by Sara Nelson - Not too far in, but this one is very accessible and her goal (to figure out why she's so into books and reading) is one to which I can relate!

7. Tolstoy and the Purple Chair by Nina Sankovitch - Awesome. Depressing at times as it deals with death and grief, but still amazing.

8. Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi - Powerful. If a slog in spots.

9. How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster - An accessible book for those interested in doing more analysis of their reading.

10. Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose - Insightful, though I was more interested in the books and reading part than the writerly techniques and motivations part.

11. How Reading Changed by Life by Anna Quindlen - A thin little book filled with awesome.

12. Books by Larry McMurtry - I'm sort of cheating here since I read a portion of this book in a bookstore and never finished. Not the book's fault. But I was charmed.

13. This Book is Overdue! How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All by Marilyn Johnson - One of my all-time fave non-fiction books. This is a great spotlight on the changing nature of libraries and the role of librarians. They rock, FYI.

14. My Reading Life by Pat Conroy - A really touching, poetic book about Conroy's life as a reader.

15. How to Read and Why by Harold Bloom - Bloom is a douchey old windbag, but I still tried it.

Which books about books have you read? Do you have any to add to the list?

LOVE Young House Love!

2013-04-30T13:10:00.002-05:00

Sherry and John Petersik are like my besties. We spend tons of time together and we have meaningful talks and we compare experiences a lot.

Ok, fine. I've never met them, but I LOVE THEM!

These two are the bloggers at Young House Love, a decorating, DIY, and home renovation blog that is ALL the awesome! I stumbled upon their site a year or so ago, and I think I've read every post since then. They're funny, silly, laid back, and really sound like people I know!

I have wanted to get my hands on their book, Young House Love: 243 Ways to Paint, Craft, Update and Show Your Home Some Love, for ages. I think I'm so attracted to their DIY and craftin' style because it is much bolder than my own. It's sort of what I aspire to do in my own house. And because I live in a rental, it's especially nice that this duo has more of the "craft" and less of the "rip out a wall!" in their book. There are a lot of really great ideas for ways to update a bookshelf, or paint a piece of furniture, or re-cover a lamp shade.

They paint curtains.

I didn't know you could do that! But I would totally do it with a little cheap set of white curtains from Ikea! Maybe with some bold yellow stripes??!

SEE??!!! I love this book. I love the site. I love their ideas. I love their style. In short, I find this pair INSPIRING!!! And reading their blog, and now reading their book, helps me stay on the road to showing my own home -- rental or not -- some love. I want to love the place I live, and thanks to this book, it'll be getting some rejuvenated bits soon.

Here are a couple of my fave rooms from their current house.

Guest bedroom. I love the colors -- it's dramatic but it still feels light, airy, with plenty of vibrant color and whimsy.

This is their daughter, Clara's, room. I just WISH G's room was this stinkin' cool. Although, I did a little double-take when I saw that they have the same green alligator. I am a huge fan of layered textures so this is heaven for me.

I will be buying a copy.

Pub. Date: November 2012
Publisher: Artisan
Format: Hardcover
ISBN-13: 978-1579654788Source: Library!

Reading Mojo is BACK!

2013-04-29T10:51:00.004-05:00

The Read-a-Thon always has a delightful effect on me. In a number of ways. But namely, if I'm in a slump, it tends to refocus me and rejuvenate my reading mojo! Such is the case this year as in years past.

I took yesterday off to recuperate and start this semester's ending Grade-a-Thon (so necessary). But now I'm back, I want to wrap up a few loose ends and tell you about some other coolio stuff on the horizon.

1. Which hour was most daunting for you? Probably Hour 16...right before my co-hosting shift. Co-hosting gave me my second wind!

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? Graphic novels, graphic novels, graphic novels. And did I mention graphic novels? Last year I read Anya's Ghost, which I loved, and this year I polished off Fun Home by Alison Bechdel. They could not be more different, but I found them both effective and awesome in their own ways.

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? My perspective might be a little different than most as I'm in the fray of the planning, implementation, and administrative part. I can tell you that Heather and I want MORE HELP! Specifically, we'd like a couple more Cheerleader Helpers on that committee next year, and we're also working on a database to improve the Prizes recordkeeping (that's for me).

4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? On our end, it was even better than the October 2012 Read-a-Thon. Very few hitches. Great co-hosts, great prize help (Vasilly!), great cheerleaders, mini-challenge hosts, and super-awesome co-hosts. We had nearly 500 readers and we logged almost 600 books completed in our database!!! Crazy!

5. How many books did you read? I just finished two. But given that my reading mojo is back, I hope the Read-a-Thon will have far-reaching effects for me.

6. What were the names of the books you read? I mentioned Fun Home above. I also finished my book-in-progress, The Obituary Writer by Ann Hood. I also started Relish by Lucy Knisley, but I didn't get far before I fell asleep in the last three hours.

7. Which book did you enjoy most? As much as I enjoyed Fun Home, I think I preferred The Obituary Writer from this pair!

8. Which did you enjoy least? NA

9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders? We need more of you. Srsly. The cheerleaders this year were AMAZING. They did a great job with the vast number of readers we had. I cannot give those folks enough pats on the back. And a special tip of my hat to Heather for being our Head Cheerleader!

10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? I'm totally in it for the long haul. We're already talking about October. :)

Now for some other nifty stuff coming up!

#Estellagram, hosted over at The Estella Society is still going strong! We're on our third month now, and we hope you'll join us!

Trish from Love, Laughter, and a Touch of Insanity is hosting a May Pin It and Do It Challenge! I'm all in!

What are you up to in the wake of this Read-a-Thon?

Hour 17: Six Word Celebration Mini-Challenge!

2013-04-27T22:51:00.000-05:00

In the spirit of six-word memoirs or six-word stories, I thought Dewey's Read-a-Thon a perfect opportunity to offer a six-word celebration to show our appreciation to Dewey for starting this thing so many years ago and to our ongoing book blogger community for making it such a monumental event and such a great time.

Your challenge is to creative a six-word celebration of Dewey's Read-a-Thon. Go on, you know you want to!

And, I should mention that there is incentive. The winner of this mini-challenge: the most innovative, colorful, and celebratory in six words will win a book of his or her choice of up to $15 from the Book Depository. I'll contact the winner via blog or e-mail!

Will randomly choose an awesome winner at the end of Hour 19! What are you waiting for? Any entries after that will not be eligible. Add the link to your Six-Word Celebration or the ACTUAL six word celebration to the comments below!

And our winner is THE BOOK DRUNKARD!!!! Congratulations! I'll contact you via blog or e-mail tomorrow.

April 2013 READ-A-THON!!!!

2013-04-27T06:41:00.000-05:00

Hour 20 Winding Downnnn...

I'm tired, y'all! 23 hours of Read-a-Thon prep and administ-reading <--new a="" and="" capped="" done="" finish="" four-hour="" had="" hoped="" hosting="" i="" just="" m="" of="" off="" stint="" think="" to="" word.="">Relish
, but it looks like I'll have to settle for two books finished this time around. And I'm great with that.
I'll see you all tomorrow for a wrap-up and recap!

Hour 14!

Holy crap! What a fast-moving day! Since my last post I took a break for a bit. David and I went over to my mom's house so he could cut up a tree limb that had fallen in her yard. I spent my time there keeping up with Read-a-Thon prizes and Twitter. So I guess it wasn't really a break. Hmm...

We also had some delicious burgers and Shiner Bock Ruby Redbird beer when we got back to the house. Even in the midst of all that I read 50 more pages of The Obituary Writer, and I'm looking forward to finishing it up before the night is through!

I'm off to read some more before I take my turn hosting from 11pm to 3am!

OH, but I need to do the Mid-Event Survey! Silly me!

1) How are you doing? Sleepy? Are your eyes tired?
YES. I got up at 4am! I took about a 20-minute nap but that's starting to wear off. I also bought a Mountain Dew Code Red for a boost later.

2) What have you finished reading?
Just Fun Home. I hope I can finish The Obituary Writer and Relish before it's all said and done.

3) What is your favorite read so far?
See above!

4) What about your favorite snacks?
Definitely Spicy Nacho Doritos! They're soooo bad, but they're so good.

5) Have you found any new blogs through the readathon? If so, give them some love!
Sadly, no! But I have a lot of visiting to do when all this hosting business is done. :)

Hour 9 Begins!

Didn't mean to be gone for QUITE so long! I've been enjoying the Read-a-Thon as much as anyone by doing lots of Tweeting, socializing, oh, and READING! I finished my first book of the day -- Fun Home -- and it's definitely a "wow" kind of book. I'll elaborate more on that in the upcoming week, but now I'm trying to decide what to read next.

Up for consideration:
Finish up The Obituary Writer by Ann Hood
Start my newly-downloaded Relish by Lucy Knisley!

Hour 2, Going into 3

YOU GUYS! #Readathon is TRENDING ON TWITTER!!!!! It's like the super bowl of social media!

For these first couple of hours I've been doing mostly admin, but I've also jumped into Fun Home by Alison Bechdel, and WOW. It's love already!

Be back soon with some mini-challenges and more updates!

Hour 1

Hello my sweet lovelies!!!! Heather and I are SO READY to get this party started. I admit, I might've woken up at 4am US Central time. Ahem! I will need a nap later since my "official" co-hosting duties don't start until 10 or 11pm. Don't get me wrong, I'll be busy ALL DANG DAY but I don't take over 24hourreadathon.com until tonight.

In addition to reading, I'll be cheerleading, Tweeting, Facebooking, and administrating (I'm the Prize Wrangler today). If you need anything, find us here:

The official Twitter
The official Facebook
The official Instagram
The cheerleader site

Heather is at the helm for hours 1-4 but if you need any back up, have questions, you can find me Tweeting and updating here. In fact, I'll probably just update this one post all day long to cut out any confusion.

Now, on to the opening meme!

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?
The thriving metropolis of Caddo Mills, TX. About an hour northeast of Dallas.

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?
Something short and chewable! Most likely, Fun Home by Alison Bechdel.

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?
OMG, red velvet sugar cookies with frosting!!!

4) Tell us a little something about yourself!
I've been blogging for 8 years, and this my second time organizing/hosting the Read-a-Thon with my buddy, Heather!

5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?
Step away from the computer when ALL THE THINGS become too much. ;)

Anticipationnnnn! Read-a-Thon Pre-Post!

2013-04-26T09:10:00.000-05:00

Ohhhhh, my lovelies! I've added to my Read-a-Thon stack in a big way this week...

I have this silly tendency to forget that I work on a university campus with a UNIVERSITY LIBRARY. And since we have a strong English program and a strong Education program, there are lots of YA and middle reader books, graphic novels, and other Read-a-Thon-worthy picks in our library!!!

This picture is what happens when I remember.

I mentioned the shorties on top earlier in the week because they come from my home piles. Yesterday I picked up the following from the uni.

Paper Towns by John Green (because I've NEVER READ JOHN GREEN!)
Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
Shortcomings by Adrian Tomine
Steampunk! a collection edited by Kelly Link
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

So I do have a strategy for this Read-a-Thon. With one previous hosting experience under my belt back in October, I know this about myself:

I get really excited and wake up far too early
I get all amped up on energy and do administrative things early in the day while Heather is hosting
I hit a wall early afternoon and need to read/relax/step back
I NEED to take a nap mid to late afternoon
I get back into the fray in a big way in the evening -- my co-hosting shift goes on at 10 or 11pm

My reading strategy this year is to start with books I have sitting around half-finished. This includes The Obituary Writer (about 100 pages left), The Little Princess (about 100 pages left), and as of last night Paris: A Love Story (200 pages maybe?). And I will inevitably read some graphic novels because my eyes will hurt. A lot. At some point.

How are you tackling this season's Read-a-Thon?

Read-a-Thon Prep and World Book Night!

2013-04-24T09:37:00.003-05:00

Last night was World Book Night USA, and it was my first time participating! I chose The Lightning Thief to give away because I intended to target a youthful audience of readers in my hometown.

While I originally planned for my mom to watch Greyson while I went out giving, she wasn't feeling so great last night, so Greyson and I grabbed an armload of books and walked down our street handing out books to local kids playing outside and we even knocked on some doors.

We had absolutely NO problem giving away books. My little one pooped out before our box was empty, though, so we have about 10 more copies of ole Percy Jackson to give away on a warmer evening or maybe a nice afternoon this weekend as a break from the Read-a-Thon.

It turns out Mom not feeling so great was a happy accident. Greyson LOVED giving away books. In fact, as we came around the corner, we saw a group of five boys playing outside, and Greyson yelled, "Mama, we give them books!"

And we did.

In other news, I'm SO EXCITED for the Read-a-Thon! It's amazing that this feeling never goes away -- especially as a Read-a-Thon host. Heather and I have been working all week with our co-hosts, mini-challenge hosts, cheerleaders, and Vasilly has been working her tail off to help us square away our prizes.

All-in-all we are in great shape and ready to get this thing going!

I definitely need to make a grocery store run and a library run before the Read-a-Thon begins. David will be in town this weekend cooking for me and reading along, too. And when he gets tired of watching me stare at a computer screen, he's going over to my mom's house to chop up a giant fallen tree limb.

After D. and I got off the phone last night I took a gander at my shelves. This is the initial pile of books, though I expect I'll add quite a few shorties as a result of my library visit.

The Awakening by Kate Chopin
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
The Illusion of Separateness by Simon Van Booy
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Rachel Rising by Terry Moore (graphic novel)
Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake (sequel to Anna Dressed in Blood)
The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen

And so many more books in my house. Whew! But this seems like a good mix to get started.

Be sure to jump over to the Dewey's Read-a-Thon website for some countdown posts leading up to the event!

The Read-a-Thon Cometh, and Stuff!

2013-04-22T09:31:00.000-05:00

I know I've been all the hush-hush on the blog lately, and I do so apologize! No one wants to be blogging more than I do, but it seems April has conspired against me!

The weekend of April 6th was that dreaded ropes course, but it was also our engagement weekend! Yay!

The weekend of April 13th was filled with dress shopping (for a gala), tax doing, and my mom's new schnauzer puppy, Piper. Isn't she cute?

This weekend was the gala (mentioned above) for which I bought the new dress and Greyson's 3rd birthday party (pics to come).

As as most of us know already, next weekend is Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-Thon!!!!

Heather and I are working feverishly behind the scenes to get everything done in time! There are co-hosts to contact, cheerleaders to wrangle, and mini-challenges to schedule! Oh my!

While I've been doing a lot of Read-a-Thon planning, I haven't actually been doing a ton of reading. I am enjoying The Obituary Writer for my book club, though!

So much to do, so little time!

Hosted by Sheila at BookJourney

Praying for West

2013-04-18T09:50:00.000-05:00

My heart is heavy today, like so many others in communities around Texas.

While I do not have friends or family members who currently live in West, it's a well-known place to so many Texans who travel back and forth between Central and North Texas.

When I went to Baylor I passed through West regularly, and it's known for its amazing Czech food (kolaches!), welcoming community and its yearly Westfest.

David still lives in Central Texas and passes through West far more than I do these days. His friends and co-workers have family there, his company does business there, but thankfully everyone linked to him and his friends is accounted for.

But this explosion in West will have far-reaching effects on so many people in so many communities across Texas. Already I see my friends and loved ones asking for opportunities to help -- to send money, to donate blood, to go down and help clean up and repair and rebuild.

It is horrible what happened there, and I cannot imagine losing so much -- loved ones, friends, family, homes -- in a split second. But I do know that the people of West, the people of Central Texas, and so many of us so much further away will do all we can to help this community press on and endure after such a horrible event.

Personally: Engaged!!!!

2013-04-08T11:22:00.002-05:00

**Apologies to all of you on Facebook and Twitter for whom this is old news. Ha!

WHAT a weekend! I feel like I say that a lot lately, but it's true. Have I mentioned here that David and I have been talking about getting married? Well, we have. We've been talking about it since Valentine's Day to be exact. And several weeks ago we picked out an engagement ring and wedding band for me. And then the waiting began.

Friday night was an event for a new university location. I had to cover that and write up the press release, etc. I finally fell into bed around 11:00pm and had to get up at 4:00am to go to an all-day ropes course with a leadership class I'm involved with through the university. To say I was dreading this day is the understatement of the year.

As it turns out, the day wasn't as bad as I expected. I had fun and came home exhausted around 8pm.

David was super excited to be picking up the engagement ring we picked out, and I knew the proposal was coming, but I didn't know exactly how it would all go down.

As we pulled into the parking lot from the ropes day, I saw him parked at the back of the lot. He walked up with roses and a huuuuge grin. All my classmates were gathered around (and taking pics I haven't received yet), and he dropped to one knee and said, "Andi Miller, I've wanted to ask you this for 14 years, and I cannot wait any longer. Will you marry me?"

And I said YES, OF COURSE.

Me: hot, tired, stinky. Him: fresh as a daisy.

The ring! Love the profile on this.

Sparkle sparkle!

A preview with the band.

Today I've spent a good bit of time running around to show friends and colleagues this gorgeous ring. I've e-mailed with David and Heather about wedding planning. In fact, I might as well go ahead and tell you, Heather, my bestest-ever friend for 12 year WHO I HAVE NEVER MET IN REAL LIFE (it's a shame, I tell you), will actually be making the trip to Texas with her hubs to be my Matron of Honor.

SO EXCITED IS ME.

To read more about our wedding and to read the story of how David and I met 14 years ago, visit the wedding blog. Note: the wedding blog has come down temporarily.

Wordless Wednesday

2013-04-03T08:00:00.000-05:00