I'm Ba-ack!

So I'm really great at this blogging thing huh? :)

I know I started this blog with the intent to write about my life, do book reviews, etc. My motiviation has been really nonexistent lately. In fact, today is the first time in about 2-3 months that I've even signed on to blogger. Mainly, because I have been having lots of computer issues. First, our wireless router went out so I was unable to get on the computer at home. We finally got a replacement then after about a week of getting on my own computer again, the power adapter got a short it in so I was without a computer yet again. I have been using my husband's powerbook ever since. I hope to get a new power adapter tomorrow so I can use my precious Dell again. :)

There has been alot going on in my life. I became a Tastefully Simple consultant. We sell food products that only call for 2 or 3 ingredients and most of our products costs as much as it would if you eat out. I have been doing ok with it but not as much as I would like to. But I hope to change that soon! Check us out and let me know if you want to order something!

I made the decision to go back to school in January to be a Radiology Technologist. I am so excited to finally go back and actually do something in my life.

Moving on to books, I started the Harry Potter series! I am totally hooked on it. I just started Goblet of Fire this weekend. :) I still have not seen any of the movies. I know I won't have the whole series done in time for the release of Deathly Hallows Part 1. My goal is, when Part 2 is released next summer, I should have all the books read and all the movies watched including Part 1, then, I will go see Part 2 in the theater. I would love to go to the midnight release if I can find someone to go with.

Alright, I am going to try to get better with this blogging thing. If I feel inspired, I'll blog something. Stay tuned.

Happy 4th!

I know it's been awhile since I've posted, but I wanted to take this time and wish everybody a:
I am so glad to live in a country where we have men and women willing to fight for our freedom so we can have a day like this. I know most people think of the 4th of July as an extra day off work, cookouts, fireworks, weekends at the lake, etc. But please remember the real reason why we celebrate this day. If not for our founding fathers so many years ago, we wouldn't have the oppertunity to do everyday things like blogging, reading and reviewing books, or chatting with your friends on facebook. Thank God for our freedom!

What I've Been Up To

First of all, I apologize for my lack of blog updates. I've been reading and I actually finished Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone over a week ago but I haven't gotten to review it yet. I should finish Dead to the World tonight so I'll try to review both books in the next day or two.

The main reason why I haven't been keeping up with this blog is because there has been alot on my mind. There are only a few people who are close to me that know about this so I'm going to ahead and put it out there now: I've decided that I want to join the Air National Guard. I have been busy this past week doing alot of research on it and giving it alot of thought. This time last week, I was 75% sure...now I'm 95% sure that sometime next year I'll be an airman.

I never wanted to join the military until a few years ago when James started his training for the Army. It really made me think about it. There were a few times in the past where I was "seriously" considering joining and then after a few days I would change my mind. This time, it feels different and I feel like this is something I need to do. For personal improvement, education, and the pride of serving my country.

Right now, I need to work on my fitness regimen (be able to run 1.5 miles in 13 minutes, do push-ups, ect.). The plan is for James to go to his Army basic training sometime in the next month or so and let him come back and then it'll be my turn.

All of this is both exciting and terrifying at the same time.

A Great and Terrible Beauty

A Great and Terrible Beauty is a YA novel and the first of a trilogy by Libba Bray. I listened to this on audiobook and I loved the way the narrorator, Josephine Bailey, portrayed each character. I have a hard time reading accents in my head, and the audiobook gave me a great idea of each characters' voices and personalities.

This book is about a 16-year-old girl named Gemma who has spent most of her life in India. One day, she witnessed in a vision her mother being murdered which turns out to be true. She is then shipped off to London to attend Spence Academy, an elite Victorian boarding school where she meets 3 girls, Felicity, Pippa, and Ann. After blackmailing her and her roomate Ann into joining Felicity and Pippa's clique, the 4 girls become friends. While at Spence, Gemma encounters a child-like spirit who gives her a diary of a former student, Mary Dowd, where she talks about an Order that Mary and her friend Sarah are a part of....and that Gemma later discovers her mother is also a part of. Gemma leads her 3 friends to the realms where she finds herself with her own magical powers.

I really enjoyed listening to this book as it made my commute to and from work pleasant. It was interesting following the adventures of Gemma, Felicity, Pippa, and Ann and learning more and more about the magical powers and the Order. It had a very interesting twist toward end that I literally gasped out loud. I recommend this book for anybody who loves YA and paranormal fiction. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.

Alabama Book Festival

On Saturday I went with my good friends from thenest.com to the Alabama Book Festival in Montgomery. It was a great event with authors, books, booths, and more. We saw three authors there: Rachel Hawkins, Irene Latham, and Daniel Wallace. We heard them speak about their books and we even got them to sign our copies for us. I will break them down starting with Rachel Hawkins.

Rachel Hawkins is a debut author and her book is called Hex Hall. It's about a teenager who gets sent to a school for witches as punishment for a spell that she cast went wrong. Rachel read the prologue to us and it was really funny. My friends Leah and Crystal who were two of my friends that I was with met Rachel at a book signing in Huntsville a few weeks ago and Rachel remembered them. She gave them both t-shirts and when she was signing a book we all got a t-shirt. Rachel Hawkins is very down to earth and has a wonderful sense of humor. She is someone who I could go out for dinner and drinks with and talk about books and writing (I'm not a writer, but I love hearing them talk about how they come up with ideas and what inspires them). I am looking forward to reading this book.

(OK so I was trying to post pictures of Leaving Gee's Bend and Big Fish, but I'm having trouble putting them in so, I decided that since I have already typed out this big post I didn't want to delete it and start over, so I apologize for my lackluster post. I'll get a hang of this blog thing soon.)

We also heard Irene Latham talk about her book, Leaving Gee's Bend. This is her first novel but he also has done a bunch of poetry. It follows a 10-year-old girl who sets out on her own from the first time from Gee's Bend, Alabama. This is a place where years ago people made quilts which is what it was known for.

Lastly, we heard Daniel Wallace, author of Big Fish. I have not read the book or seen the movie but they say they are really good. I actually have a copy of this book at home and I didn't realize Daniel Wallace was who wrote it, or I would have brought it for him to sign it. But he read this short story he wrote called "My Shitty Job" about his first job at a vet clinic where he cleaned up all of the animal crap in the back of the clinic. It was hilarious.

There were also several vendors there. One of them was this printing press that made paintings from stamps. The man who operated it let us each have a turn and make a sign that said "Read in Alabama", it was actually the word "Read" with the picture of Alabama, and he let us keep them for free. So we all got the three authors to sign it.

This was such a fun day filled with great memories. I can't wait to do it again next year!

My Weight Loss Journey

I wish I can say I was a size 6, but I can't. I wish I can say I was in great shape, but I can't. I wish I can say I love my body, but I cant.



I have been struggling with my weight for most of my adult life. I joined the gym down the street from where I work 3.5 years ago and have been going pretty consistently ever since. When I got married 5 years ago, I wasn't working out or eating right, I weighed 151 lbs. I stayed that weight until 2.5 years later when I started working out regularly, I lost down to 133 lbs. I stayed right around that weight for a few years. Last year I had a trainer who put me in the best shape I've ever been, yet my weight still wasn't were I wanted it to be, because my love of food kept getting in the way. The trainer left last August because he took a job in San Francisco, and I was back on my own again. I lost all motivation and quit working out regularly; then I gained 20 lbs.

One of the things I'm going to use this blog for is to keep me accountable for my weight loss. Starting tomorrow, I am going to start cutting back what eat by tracking my calories, and going to the gym 6 times a week. My goal is to lose 40 lbs. My workout goals are to run a full 5K in under 30 mintues. I have been dabbling with the Couch 2 5K but I need to get consistent on that if I want to meet this goal.

I would like to keep myself motivated with the fact that it's bikini season, and I have never been comfortable in a bikini. I would like to reach that comfort level by at least mid-July. It's probably unrealistic since it's only 3 months away, but a great improvement would at least be ideal.

Even though I set a 40 lb weight loss goal, I have set a reward for myself for when I reach the halfway point - I'm getting a tattoo. I have no idea where or what yet, but I would like something that has to do with encouragement. This journey is going to take alot of that, and it will remind me of what I'm working toward to reach my goal.

What do you do to keep yourself motivated for your goals? Not particularly weight loss but goals in general. Have you rewarded yourself with those goals?

My First Trek into Bloggersville

After many months of consideration I decided that I am going to jump in the pond and create my own blog. I love reading other people's blogs so I figured why not start one of my own? I love to read and I also love life so those are the topics that this is going to consist of. I will be doing book reviews and just talking/venting/bragging, etc. about everyday life.

Those of you who know me really well know I'm not creative at all. I have seen other blogs who have pretty designs and filled with pictures. I am going to try to have that but it will be awhile, so this blog is going to look pretty drab for awhile until I get the hang of things.

So everybody pull up a chair, get a cup of coffee or a glass of wine (whatever you fancy), sit back and enjoy. :)