Another GREAT book

I just finished The Help by Kathryn Stockett and I loved it. The story takes places in Mississippi during the 1960's in the midst of the civil rights movement. The white families employed black maids to run their households, yet didn't feel they were worthy of having the same rights as they did.

In this book, you meet Miss Skeeter who comes home from college and is heartbroken to find their longtime maid is no longer working for their family, yet nobody will tell her the real reason why. She starts to question why the black maids are treated the way they are and decides to anonymously write a book telling the stories of the maids. The stories turn into spilling secrets, talking about their unfair treatment and celebrating the love they have for the white children they raise.

This is one of the best books I have read in awhile. The whole time I read it, I thought to myself that this story would make a great movie. Dreamworks is already in the process of bringing it to the big screen. I can't wait to see my favorite characters come to life in the movie.

Books

I just finished reading Fire by Kristin Cashore and loved it! I enjoyed this book even more than Graceling which was the first book in the series. Fire was filled with characters that I loved and filled my imagination with with an engaging story. If you are looking for a good book, give this one a try.

I also finished reading The Maze Runner a couple of weeks ago and had posted about how much I was enjoying it when I was about half way through the book. Although I liked the book overall, the ending was a bit too violent and gory for my taste, so just a heads up in case you have this book on your list to read. It definitely has more of a science fiction feel to it.

Wordful Wednesday and The Book Exchange

I participated in Angie's Bloggy Book Exchange and was so excited to see some new books waiting on my doorstep for me today. I exchanged books with Amanda at Parenting by Dummies and these are the books I received.

Ford County by John Grisham

The Choice by Nicholas Sparks

Bliss by O.Z. Livaneli

Always the Bridesmaid by Sarah Webb

Thanks for the books Amanda! I look forward to diving in to my new books.

Right now, I am reading The Maze Runner and I am loving it. I'm only half way through, but find myself staying up past my bedtime every night because I don't want to put it down. If you are a fan of Hunger Games, you will probably like this book too!

For more Wordful Wednesday
Visit Angie at

Whatcha Reading?

If you've been following our blog for awhile, you know that I love to read. Now that the girls are older and I am back in my night time reading routine I typically go through 3-4 books a month. The public library has become a huge money saver for me and it is so convenient. I log in online, reserve the books I want and go pick them up when they are ready.

I also love checking out books for the girls and finding new favorite books that we all love. One of the new books we are enjoying is this this one....

Cute story and a quick read. Let's face it...when bedtime is looming and each munchkin gets to pick out a book, short and sweet is where it's at!

I have also discovered a new series by Diana Gabaldon that has me hooked. I finished book #1 and am awaiting the next book in the seven book series.

Have you read anything good lately?

Any favorite books that you and your kids love to read?

Wordful Wednesday

Work schmirk, kids schmids....my priorities are shaky right now.

Today was a big day. The follow-up book to Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games was released.

And Season 5 of Rescue Me was released on DVD. The season I've been missing for the last few months because I don't get the FX channel. Do you think anyone would miss me if I crawled into a hole for a few days reading and watching to my heart's content?


Yep, pretty sure they'd find me. The one who supplies the peanut butter sandwiches, wipes heinies, and provides the entertainment can't go missing for long. But you know where I'll be every night after 8 pm for awhile. Reading and watching!

For more Wordful Wednesday

Visit Angie at

Keepin' them busy

I just realized this morning that it has been almost a week since I updated the blog. My dreams of being more blog-efficient while on vacation have not come true.

But, I've been taking pictures and trying to get the girls out of the house every.single.day. Frankly, that is the only way to survive when the house is outnumbered by 3-year olds.

What have we been up to?

Hanging out with our girlfriends

Agreeing to sit for 2 seconds to take a picture with mommy

Celebrating Miss Ashly's 15th birthday with a trip to the splash park!

What 15 year-old doesn't want to celebrate her birthday with 10 kids all under the age of four?

Eating Mickey Mouse pancakes at our fave local restaurant.




Running laps up and down the hills in our neighborhood.




Experiencing a movie at the theater for the first time with the boys next door.



Walking down the stream at the water park.



Playing in the dirt (a fave activity for my girls).



Having picnic lunches....a summertime must!




And of course, I have been reading during nap time! I am really enjoying this memoir by Nicholas Sparks.


So what have YOU been up to??

Better late than never

My home computer has a virus that has kept me in internet isolation/withdrawal since Tuesday evening. Let's hope it is fixed soon. Otherwise, I have to keep stealing BF Jessica's laptop from next door to try and stay connected with you all. Good thing she'll do just about anything for freshly baked cookies. Our love of all things sweet is one of the foundations of our relationship.

Anyway, BF Jess and I also got the chance to sneak away last night for an early dinner and movie date. If you haven't seen "Slumdog Millionaire" go see it. This movie has been on my "must-see" list for months and it was a great. It certainly left me feeling thankful for my sheltered life and indoor plumbing.


And I'm almost finished reading "A Thousand Splendid Suns" which is absolutely fantastic. Any suggestions on what I should read next?

Sunshine and another great book

The weather has been absolutely beautiful in our hood over the last week. The girls were so happy to get outside today and dig in the dirt and ride scooters. We are soaking up the sun before the next rainstorm heads our way this week.

Makena

Alyssa


Riley

While the girls were happily digging for worms, I was reading another great book with the sun shining on my face. A perfect day, I tell ya!

Another book has got me hooked!

I love a good novel and I have found another great book to dive into. "The Pillars of the Earth" is an older book originally published in 1989, but a book that is new to my nightstand.

I am only on page 97, but I know a book has got me hooked when all day long I look forward to crawling into bed and reading a few chapters before I go to sleep. And my fellow book worm and blogger friend Angie has already read this one, so I know it is good! If you are a reader, head over to her blog...she has recommended another book that I have just added to my always growing "must read" list.

Twilight...The Movie

I escaped the house on Friday night and went to see Twilight with my SIL and a group of friends. And yes, we were the oldest people in the theater. The other group of moms that were there sat in the row behind us. We laughed at the teenagers screaming when Edward came on the screen and the shrill catcalls of "I love you Edward" that happened throughout the movie. Ahhh, to be 13 again!

The movie was okay. The girl who played Bella actually got on my nerves. My favorite aspect of the movie was watching the entire Cullen family. I loved seeing them come to life from what I had imagined in the book.

Did anyone else see it? What did you think?

What keeps me up too late at night...

Finished Eclipse

And now I'm diving into Breaking Dawn.

And I don't want the series to end.

Coming home

The best part of my day is when I come home from work and am greeted with hugs, kisses and I love you's from my girls. It's the least they can do before they start whining, crying and fighting right?

And in case you are wondering, yes my children run around in their underwear alot these days. Even outside, they often strip down to their undies because they end up running through the sprinklers or getting soaked from the hose.

And in other news, I finished New Moon last night. I haven't been so engrossed in a book series in awhile. Sleep is overrated right? I'm sure I'll have Eclipse finished by Sunday night.

I was up until midnight finishing this book. I loved it! The story kept me interested all the way through, but completely sucked me in at page 375 and now I'm hooked. I can't wait to start the next book "New Moon" today. Naptime won't get here soon enough!

Traditions

I have started doing a little bit of Christmas shopping, which is rare for me to be starting so early. I usually wait until December and get it all done last minute. Every year, I tell myself I need to start in August (if not earlier), but I am a procrastinator.

So far, the only thing I have bought for the girls are books. And I could keep buying books for them, but I have to stop myself. They have a ton of books. One of the traditions that I have started for the girls is buying books as gifts for birthdays, Christmas, Easter etc. I like this tradition. I hope they learn to love books as much as I do.

I’d love to hear about the traditions that you have started with your families. Do you have fun places you always vacation or things you do as a family on a regular basis?

Don't be shy. If it's a good one, we just might steal it and call it our own!

Check it out!

I came across this book in Target today and it is a must have for any family with triplets. The three little bears in the story worry that their mama and daddy love the other two bears more, but are reassured that they are all favorites. It is a really cute book!

Now I just have to figure out how to read it to the girls without getting the paper pages torn (gasp)!

I'm a fan

So I wasn't one of the thousands standing in line at midnight to get the copy of the latest Harry Potter book, although I did tell Steve that he was more than welcome to go stand in line for me. Steve passed on that idea. The thought of standing in line with a bunch of geeks dressed up like Harry and various other characters from the book was not his idea of fun on a Friday night.

However, Steve did stop by Target this morning and bought the book for me. YEAH! Why am I so excited? I will be starting the book tonight after the girls go to bed and I might just have the sucker finished in a week. If that earns me membership into the dork club, I guess I'll gladly accept the invitation.

What was I thinking?

This is what I used to do on summer vacation! Despite the fact that I will probably only get through 1 book (maybe) this summer, I wishfully bought 7 books last week in 2 totally separate moments of weakness. I love to read and stockpiling books is a favorite obsession of mine! I didn't even need these 7 books since I have 2 boxes of unread books sitting in my closet. But the books in the boxes aren't the latest releases, which has brought us to the current purchases. These weren't even books I wanted and I haven't even heard of some of the authors. DAMN that Borders store for putting the display OUTSIDE so that people walking by can get sucked in by the cheap books on sale for $4.99. Mission accomplished. They found their sucker.