Beautiful Creatures and Beautiful Darkness

Yummy, fun series! If you like mystical stories set in the deep south, this series is for you! These books by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl captured my attention quickly. I am a huge fan of fantasy books, about faeries and vampires and such, and this book would fall into that category for sure. Except the creatures in this book are casters (witches to us laymen). I love when a book makes you feel like the things happening are totally possible in our current society. I also liked the relationship I felt with one of the main characters, Lena. I really related with her and it was easy to read about her relationships, or lack of, with people. The other main character is Ethan, and the story is told from his viewpoint. It is fun to read a book through the eyes of the boy for a change. Great books... read them both!

Matched

Just finished reading Matched by Ally Condie last night on the way home from Idaho. What a great book! I am super excited for her next book to come out. This book has an undertone similar to Hunger Games. It is nowhere near as graphic and intense as Hunger Games, but it is about a future society where people don't make choices themselves. The government or "Officials" decide where people live, what they eat, what they do for a career, and even who they are "Matched" with to be married. I feel like this book was just a really good introduction for her future books. This story could really go places, and this first book gives us just a nibble. It is a very clean book... no swearing and no bad love scenes. (However, for all you romatics, there is plenty of lovey dovey in the book :) ) This book is one I would recomend people to read. And I can't wait for the next book in the series.... Crossed. It comes out November 2011!

Fun Quote for the day

All we really need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt!  ~Charles Shultz

Teacher Appreciation Idea

I am the room mom in my son's kindergarten class and teacher appreciation week is sneaking right up on us! His teacher happens to be one of my good friends, and I know she is uncomfortable with the thought of people buying her things. So one of the things I am doing for her is this...

I am typing up a paper that says, "If I could thank my teacher by giving her anything in the world, I would give her...." I am going in during their writing time and taking the class for a half hour. This gives the teacher an added bonus of extra prep time! I will have the kids color her a picture of what they would giver her and try to spell it out using their skills they are learning. Then I am going to bring them home and post them on card stock and make a book for her to look at. I think she will love it. And it gives the kids a chance to express what they would give her, but they aren't having to spend any money. The two in the picture above say that they would give her a puppy and a million dollars. More than half of the class said that they would give her a puppy! It's fun to see what children think the "ultimate" gift is! Knowing this teacher, she will love this. I think the key to teacher appreciation is just letting them know we are thinking about them, we love them and we are willing to support them in whatever they need. Our teachers are amazing at Manila!

The Burning Within

Wow! I was introduced to this book by my mom two days ago, and I can honestly say it is one of those books that will change your life. This Book is called The Burning Within, by Ranelle Wallace. If you are looking for a true, graphic, horrible, wonderful story that will touch your heart, read it. I opened the first page and couldn't put it down until I was finished. I feel bad for my kids when I run onto a book like this! :) Luckily we were at grandma's and they were playing with cousins! Anyway, Ranelle tells her true life account of survival, faith, hope and love. She is amazing and one of the strongest people I have ever read about. I can't say a lot without giving away everything that happens, but I am looking at things in a different way today. This book had me gasping, closing my eyes, not wanting to read any more yet dying to read more, and enthralled by every page. Very motivational. If you are having a hard time dealing with the trials you have been dealt, just read this. Loved it.

Post-it Covers

Here's a teacher appreciation gift idea I have been working on. Super cute post-it covers. They are inexpensive, useful, and cute as can be...3 things that make a great teacher gift!

Start by getting some post-it pads. Find some paper that you would like to cover them with. Cut the paper to fit around the pad. I would give exact measurements, but post-it pads come in different sizes, so you will have to figure out the size of the pad you have. Mine were 3X3 pads of 50 sheets. My paper was 7¼" long by 3 inches wide. Don't stress too much about it. As long as the paper goes around the pad and overlaps itself, it will work just fine! You can also round the corners if you would like to. Use a scoring board to score where you will need to fold the paper around the edge of your post-it pad.  I scored mine at 2", 2¼", 5¼, and 5½". At this point, I like to use ink pads and rub the edges of my paper to make them look more antiqued. Glue the back of the post-it pad to the middle of the paper. Close the edges over. And now the fun part....embellish! You can us ribbon, paper, flowers, brads, buttons; anything you can think of! My daughter wanted her teacher's to have pink fluffies on it and I think it turned out so cute! Use your imagination and things that you have around the house. And there you have a useful, inexpensive, cute as can be homemade teacher appreciation gift.

The Immortals Series

I am currently reading a series of books called The Immortals by Alyson Noel. I have really enjoyed these books, inspite of reincarnation and such. It's always fun to be taken to a totally different place. They are pretty "out there" in some things, but enjoyable to read. My husband asked if the books I am reading are uplifting and I told him these were... they talk about immortality! :)He told me I needed help. Ever is the main character in this series. She finds out that she has special powers that allow her to hear peoples' thoughts after she has had a brush with death. There is romance and action in this series, but I have to admit I have found myself getting bored in a few parts. I am reading the fourth book right now called Night Star. This is the one that has seemed to repeat the same ideas several times. Inspite of this, I look forward to reading it each night. The books in the series are Evermore, Blue Moon, Shadowland, Dark Flame, Night Star and Everlasting. Everlasting actually doesn't come out until June 2011. I am looking forward to reading this finale.

Setting up a blog

Okay, so I am pretty sure that setting up this blog has proved to be harder than actually doing the things I am going to be blogging about!!  Be patient while I get things going!

Getting Started

Okay, so my friend helped me make up my mind about starting this blog! Sometimes I wish there was a place I could go to curl up, get warm, and look at some fun ideas or read a review on a great book. As a busy wife, mother of four, PTA President-elect, Primary counselor, dance studio office manager and publicist, crafter, and read-a holic, I just wanted a place to lay out all of my ideas. So here it goes!!!