Cereal

We are a cereal family...I mean, you have NO idea, we are a cereal family.  Being the frugal freak I am I have price points...oh, yeah! I mean smack down, we ain't goin' over this limit price points...that being said, we get asked to preview and try a lot of cereals.  On top of the fact that we keep/eat a lot of cereals (I'm talkin' 20 boxes on the apocalypse shelf at all times)!

So we're tryin' Kroger's Rice Bites (Chex type, cause they hooked it up and gave us a sample).  No sugar, gluten free...yadda', yadda', yadda'.  My kids and husband hate em'.  Won't eat em' in a bowl. Just not happenin'!  BUT...I revamped em' y'all, cause' ain't nothing in this house goin' to waste...naw!

They became my topping to our Broccoli Casserole (and kept their crunch).  It was delicious and GONE in one night.

Then yesterday (I don't know what happened, I really don't...) I went crazy.  Truly, dessert became a situation and we had too much layin' around (like the Halloween candy wasn't enough...bring on the the twenty pounds, eh?).  I made, what we called, Puppy Chow...you know...rice bites cereal covered in chocolate and shaken in powdered sugar. Yep.  And Rice Bite treats...the cereal covered in melted marshmallows.  Yep.  Both of which have since been devoured... If it doesn't work one way, it'll work another.   At least the cereal was versatile.

New life...new ideas

Alright! Alright...we're gonna' switch things up here.  I can't seem to read books right now...lifestyle and all. Between the kiddos and life in general, book time is null and void (at least on a personal level.  I can now recite The Cat in the Hat and Goodnight Moon...)  So the deal has become product reviews.

It seems since having kids this has become my main profession.  We're constantly testing and retesting things in this house, anything and everything from diapers to toys to peanut butter...you can bet it's been in, on, or around my house (yes, even on the walls).

Here's a cheers to a new theme...let's see how it goes!

The Game of Thrones...

It has been forever since I published last, but I'm reading the Game of Thrones, and while it doesn't take HBO that long to make it.  It does take quite a good while to read 5000 pages.  It's dedication, Baby.  So, I'll get back to ya' on this one.  :)

Looking For Alaska...John Green...Paper Towns

I had to read Looking for Alaska for a class. I have to say I really do like John Green, even as a person. I went to see him and his brother when they came to Louisville to the Public Library. I really enjoy listening to authors read their works. While he did not read Alaska, he did read a bit of, what at the time was, his new release, Paper Towns. Interested, I bought a copy.

Looking For Alaska

I was partially impressed with this book. I enjoyed the main character, Miles, who in and of himself seemed very adult like in every sense except for his overtly romantic draw to Alaska. (At first glance I thought Alaska was speaking of the state as well...nope, it's a girl!) I like his references to books and authors, and I guess with Alaska he met his match at this. Except she's a little more than just quotes, her character is more acting out. It's like the introvert meets the extraordinary extrovert. It is an interesting play on people's personalities. I was rather impressed with this.

Green's writing is very interesting as well. He takes you into the place where you're supposed to be without being too much...ya' know, like Hawthorne can just be too much. Yeah, bad comparison, but ya' get my point. Green is really good at painting his people, the conversations are interesting yet they are the conversations that high school boys would have. The relationships are complex, but they are the relationships that high school boys would have, etc. I enjoyed that part about this book. I didn't like the plot twist in this book though. I didn't like where the book headed, personally. I'm sure that was the draw for a lot of kids to this book. Maybe I'm just too much of an adult and this subject has hit my life too many times for it to be toyed with here. I don't know. I've read books that cover this sort of topic before and yet this one seemed too staged, not right, I just didn't like the feel.

The event sends Miles into a spiral as well, as it does all of us. But it seems to me like he focuses on the wrong thing, but then again, at that moment what is one to focus on. I don't want to reveal the turning point.

I don't want to give too much away; it wouldn't be fair to the book. It's an interesting read, and I'm sure as a teenager I would have fallen in love with it all: characters, plot, writing style. As an adult I find books easier to pick apart, easier to love one element over another. Just all around easier to finish things up, even if I don't want to. Ironically adulthood as a whole is all around, just a little easier than being a teenager...it's just easier to be happy.

Paper Towns

I have to begin this by saying I LOVE the name Margo Roth Spiegelman. This is the main gal' in this novel. Ya' know, like Alaska in her book. As you can guess, ya' can't have a three-name-name and not be a lil' outta' control. I liked her character. Part people hustler, part lovable, misunderstood teenager; you know, the kind who is just looking to find themselves, not the selves that the public already thinks they know, the true self hidden underneath. She's mysterious, and hilarious, and so much more than her popular persona. There are so many people in the world who are far less than their popular persona's. It's nice that Green has at least written a character to life who is more than she puts out for everyone to see.

I liked the main character, it's his point of view (POV) that we get the story from. And for the most part, Quentin is a lovable, relateable, attainable teenager...I liked him. He was perfectly obsessing, as a teenager in his situation would be and yet somehow, to me, he felt stretched when looking for his clues. I loved his love of Margo. I loved that she let him in on this love...

But the book over all felt too Alaska-y-ish for me. It was a repeat gone awry from the original plot. The whole time I felt like we were on the tip of an Alaskan repeat and we just never got there. It was a fun read, I liked joining Quentin on his adventure but his search drug on for about fifty pages too much. I enjoyed Margo for the one night that she was there (and no, that's not what it sounds like!), but if I were to find her again I'd want to slap her silly. Just sayin'.

In conclusion, did I waste my time on these books? I wouldn't say that time was wasted. Would I read another Green novel? Yes, they have interesting enough plot lines to keep me reading until they are finished, and I really do love some of the characters. Would I re-read them? Gonna' go with a no. Not re-readable material, not that this is a big insult. It takes A LOT for me to want to re-read books.

Great side note: John Green and his brother are Nerdfighters...it's kinda' like their club on YouTube. They have some hilarious videos. If ya' have time you should check em' out. They seem like hilarious folk.

The Twilight Saga...finally

Okay, I need to preface this entire post with an explanation: I did not jump on the Twilight train when it left the platform. I was, at the time, teaching middle school English. While teaching the students had to write to me every week about the book they were reading. They did not have to choose from a list, it was a free for all as long as the books were at their level or above. Twilight was at their level and oh did I hear about it. I heard the plot from the beginning to the end, from the center to the outskirts. They even watched the movie, as it was released that year. Alas, I did not go into that room! Try to think of someone telling you the plots to these books, how corny they sound as they escape the inept words that ARE NOT Stephanie Meyer's. I know how it sounds, I've even made my husband suffer through these plots as I mumble and stutter them and he shakes his head up and down. So...all of that said, it must be said that I am in LOVE with these books! They are amazing, continuing as one long story of Shakespearean type lovers that are totally wrong, but inexorably right for one another! Taking it one book at a time...

TWILIGHT

I set off into the world of Forks with no expectation at all. At this time I only owned the one book. As soon as Bella's character started to unfold I was intrigued. She was not the typical teenage representative in books. She was an adult like character...add Edward and all of his first sign nuances and suddenly you had an irresistible mixture of mystery. Slowly, but not too slowly the love story unfolds and underneath his brimming desire for blood is an amazing gentleman who is in love, wanting so badly what may be the worst thing for him to have, both for her sake and his own. (See what I mean, sounds oh, so corny.)

I think the reason I fell so in love with this from the start is that EVERY girl can relate to Bella in some form or another. She does not see herself as beautiful. She is clumsy, that is known up front, even from her characters perspective. She feels like she has a very small place in the world to fit into. There is only Renee and Charlie and she gives up Renee for Renee's own happiness. Somewhere in all of that there lays at least a little piece of each one of us.

Then enters Edward...what girl (from 13 to 95) wouldn't want an Edward. Somewhere each of us wants, or has a small piece of who he is: brave, loyal, chivalrous, sexy, macho is a very sensitive way. It almost makes one sick how perfect a male character he is. Add these two in one mix and voila! Magic!

Who can forget in the chase that takes place, the call for vengeance that is brought down from such a doomed pairing as human and vampire! It is simply amazing! I fell in love with each one of the Cullens in their own way. Carlisle with his fatherly empathy and understanding. A vampire who is always willing to do the right things for the most ethical reasons. Esme who abides herself pain to watch her "children" suffer. Who wouldn't love Alice, the keeper of the family, using her special powers to keep them all as safe as possible. Jasper, the gentleman, although in this book little is known of his story. Emmett, the teasing older brother, who EVERYONE is intimidated by. Rosalie, the spoiled egotistical sister...who ones attains new pity for once her story is told. And Edward...ever the gentleman.

NEW MOON

My heart was broken...in the very beginning, from the moment he walked away. October, November, and December were aptly written for the broken hearted. How it feels when times stops because what you care to live for walks away.

I did not see this coming in the plot line, and let it be said that is was awesome to have a surprise slap you in the face while reading these books. This one fading into Twilight so well! I was so glad that when I started the series, I knew from the start that I was going to go on a reading spree with these. I prepared myself. I went out when I was on chapter three of Twilight and bought the rest of them... Dang good thing I did too!!! I would have went into some sort of withdrawal had they not been there for me to pick up and continue!!!

Sorry, back to the book. This was so well written, as an Edward fan, we all could use some more of his gentlemanly woes, but the development of Jacobs character was very well done. Just to name of few of his wonderful traits to Bella: loyalty, kindness, friendship, inclusion, trust, and of course, I always picture him as being pretty hunky myself. It's just the gist I got from Meyer's descriptions. But then to bring the book back down and around to the element of the Volturi (sorry, side note: I LOVED the image of Carlisle office with all of the paintings in it, each telling a small piece of vampire history. Great mental image for me...and the Cullens house in the movie is NOTHING like the house in my head...) What a great element to introduce...now these guys gave me the creepies like real (not veggie) vampires should. Just creepy really. Aro...what a strange character!

ECLIPSE

So, da' man is back in this book. It's not the fact that I didn't love this fact, him being away and the whole separation thingy goin' on in New Moon was Romeo-and-Juliet-style heartbreaking but now where is Jacob left but dangling. Kinda' annoyed me, and as much as I appreciate Bella through this whole thing, her back and forth, who do I love-who do I choose kinda' got to me too. I'll tell ya' why. She loved Edward, she always had, since she knew what love was...well, that just don't go away. So why was she even draggin' Jacob along...yeah, he volunteered for the draggin', and yeah, he wouldn't let go. But give the poor boy a break, she might have been a lil' more honest about the whole life riskin' to hear Edward thing. Oh, well, leads to a great plot. In the mean time the reader falls in love with Jacob as well, so when the books ends and she is with Edward (as it should be, of course) here's poor, lil' lost Jacob running from his feeling, his life, himself. I literally cried at the last chapter of this book. It left me so empathetic for Jacob. He loves her so much and as much as she loves him, it's never enough...he is not her Edward. The hole he leaves will never be as deep.

Yet another relation to life that girls grasp onto in this series. There is always a first love, sometimes they are worth the love that is expended on them, other times, not so much. But even if they are worth it, they are often not kept. Do you give up on your Edward to have your Jacob? Do you take the one who is there for you, who tries to cheer you when you are torn apart? There is no shame in it at all, both of them are good, both of them are men who will keep and protect you, love you, but will Jacob's love ever be as fulfilling as Edwards. Will it be the same sort of happiness? Ah yes, once again I read a lot into my reading! Ha!

BREAKING DAWN

Now this book was not the same type of crack-cocaine addiction as the other three were. I loved it, but in a very slowly ingested way. That is what has been taking this post so long. This one was the most like smut of the four, not to say that it was explicit in any way. It was not. Now it was very apparent that Bella and Edward had sex in this book. After all they have a daughter in this book (Renesmenee...I think that's how you spell it, either way...really). And this books makes it VERY apparent that vampires are highly sexual creatures, either way. There were just a few things that didn't sit well with me in this book...well, at least in the beginning. Her getting preggo so quickly was a ta-dow. I was thinkin' that in an almost 800 page book that maybe that twist would come at the end. True to form, Mrs. Meyer shazzams us with a page turner from the start. (another side note: who wouldn't want that honey moon, eh?) It was also interesting to think of the immortal children from the stand point of Interview with a Vampire, it is forbidden to make one so young who cannot fend for themselves. But Renesmee is not, she is a hybrid...

It was interesting to watch Bella take her place among the vampires so easily as well. For feeling so outta' place amongst the humans, she was in like Flynn amongst the vampires. Needless to say this whole series intrigued me. I am, without a doubt in love with the Twilight series, better late than never!

Official side note: Moments that made me cry from the books.

Edwards goodbye to Bella...whoa! Tear jerking moment

October...November...December...broken heart!

Rediscovering Edward and how he was broken while they were apart (I feel so 13ish right now!)

Bella's true objection to Jacob Black and how he runs from himself and all he's known (End of Eclipse...whoa, bad tear jerking moment)

The very end where Bella can finally share her thoughts with Edward! (Loved it!)

In conclusion, I am reading Midnight Sun right now...so close to being finished and it really pee's in my Wheaties that it was pre-published without permission and so is now destined to remain unfinished. I want to write Mrs. Meyers and beg for her to finish, but I have not found a way to reach her (and yes, I've already looked it up). So my plea is on my blog. For the sake of all of us who are in LOVE with Bella, Edward, Jacob, the Cullens, Forks and everything they bring that is mythological...please finish Edwards point of view. It is, so far, like all of the other ones a master piece, shining new light of facets of Twilight we did now know existed...how could we, we only see it from Bella's POV! Please Mrs. Meyer, show us the rest. Please !?!

I wonder if I should continue...

I wonder if should even continue this blog. On one hand, it's a neat tool, I could use it for anything now that I have escaped school (unsscathed might I add). I could never post it's URL up bringing no one to it and have my own lil' escape from social networking. As of now, what it seems to be to me is a place where I can talk about the books I am reading. I kinda' like that, and it gives me incentive to be in process of reading a book at all

times...which I try to do anywho.

The book I am in process of reading is the final part of the series Peter and the Starcatchers. It's based on J. M. Berries Peter Pan, who I have to say, I love! Great Disney classic from my childhood, I appreciate those. Well, this series was done by Dave Barry (Yes, that Dave Barry) and Ridley Pearson (who is another bestselling author~ I dunno'. Had to look him up...)! The series starts with Peter and the Starcatchers, of the four in this series, I have to say this one is my favorite. It sets up the situation we are all so familiar with beautifully! I loved watching the characters grow and the plot thicken. I know how Neverland became Neverland, who Peter Pan is, etc. I was captured...

Sadly enough, from there I feel like the series took a turn for the side of ambling along, trying to gather a plot. There are three other books, all of them gradually falling off of the interesting, but not horribly enough for me to put them down all together. Peter and the Shadow Thieves, and then Peter and the Secret of Rundoon; these are followed with, what is presumed to be the last of this particular series (looking on Pearsons webpage though, I see they've already started another series based on this series). All of the books come together too quickly for me, I'm one hundred pages away from the end of a five hundred page book, and I've got three plots to bring together. I dunno' to me the plots aren't evoked early enough in the book for me to feel an emotional connection with them. The skipping from one plot to another leaves me wishing to know the conclusion on the main plot instead of wading through the sub plots. I would recommend the series to my children, they are adolescent lit., after all, but I would only recommend the first one to adults.

Ahh, The Wilhelm... Again

Visualization...the one tool I thought everyone had growing up. In high school I used to tell people who were disturbing my reading that they were "interrupting the movie." Little did I realize then how true this is. I didn't understand then that not all people had movies in their heads. My best friend and I used to compare the scenery, the characters and what they looked like to each of us, and debate their motivations.

When I was about seven or eight my mother bought my brother the Illustrated Classics to read. It had a plethora of classics with pictures in them. The last of the Mohican's, The Count of Monte Cristo, Edgar Allan Poe classics, etc. I read each and every one, savoring the pictures as I read. My brother never touched them, he would listen to me read but really the pictures didn't do much for him. He just was not interested. Since he drew all of the time in school I'm sure that if the teachers would have asked him to draw the action in the book being read he would have surely done well at that.

I personally LOVE art so this chapter was mixing my two true passions: reading and drawing or looking at art. Any incorporation of the things we love makes what we don't care about somehow relevant.

Obviously we can all see how much I am visually stimualted!