Book Worm Wednesday: Returns!

So I have been on a little hiatus from BWW lately.  Not because I don't like it, but because I have been SUPER busy lately.  It seems like every Wednesday the youth are having some crazy activity or other and by the time I get home I am pooped!  So to keep my sanity, I'm going to compromise and only do them about twice a month, more if I have more time.  So without further ado: Hello England!

There is something about summer than makes me long for England.  Maybe it is really just the clouds and moderate weather I am craving.  We always want what we don’t have, right? I have a monthly subscription to audible and lately I have been using all my credits to purchase Georgette Heyer novels.  They have been the perfect solace. J If you like audiobooks and Victorian England, I would recommend these.  The narrators are fantastic!  My favorite so far has been Cotillion.

It is the story of Kitty, the adopted niece of a man with a great fortune to which she is heiress provided she marries one of his nephews.   When the right nephew(Jack) doesn’t respond to his uncles summons to what I will call “the proposal conference,” Kitty is miffed and convinces her cousin Freddy who “is not in the petticoat line” (has no plans to marry, to us modern day folk) to pretend to be engaged to her so she can go to London and make Jack mad with jealousy.  To find out how this plan works, you will have to read Cotillion for yourself!

Cousins of all varieties abound and provide much entertainment throughout the book.  Kitty manages to get herself into quite a few scrapes on her own as well.  Luckily she has more than one charming cousin to come to the rescue! 

Georgette Heyer is a lot like Jane Austen with a lighthearted twist.  She wrote in the early and mid-1900’s so the language is not quite so overwhelming.  You are able to fully enjoy the charm of sayings such as “I dare say” “Are you feeling quite the thing?” and “The outside of enough” just to name a few of my favorites.  AND the best part about Heyer is that if you come to love her work as I have done, there are plenty of delightfully funny stories from which to choose your second read.

Today I'm Grateful...

* that my heart still skips a beat when I hear Cory refer to me as "my wife."

*that I still miss him even when he is gone for only one night. (I hate when people tell me this is a "newlywed thing" I hope I never grow out of wanting him to be with me all the time!)

*that I have wonderful sister in laws who call to check on me when he is not here. 

*that in general, I have a super awesome and supportive family.

*that my daddy is not only a wonderful father but also a wonderful doctor who never minds my "Does this mean I'm sick?" phone calls.

*that people are now so easy to reach! I didn't realize until this week that I am pretty addicted to talking to my parents whenever I want.  They have been in England for a week and won't be home until Saturday and I hate waiting for them to call me!

*that we have the internet so I can google how to fix my ipod when I drop it in water. 

*that said ipod now works again!

*that we have a brand new AC unit downstairs.  Seriously, my husband has the best boss.  He not only gave us a ridiculous deal on a brand new unit for our house but also came and helped Cory install it.  Now instead of an 80 degree house, we have a 74 degree house!

*that I work with some amazing women and young women at church.  They are constant inspirations to me.

*that I have the gospel in my life.  I seriously can't imagine anything I have without it.  It makes every blessing I have so much more wonderful and provides me with a million more in addition.

*that I can feel my Saviors love.

*that anytime I get frustrated or sad, Heavenly Father shows me just how wonderful life is and how much I really have to be grateful for.

Book Worm Wednesday: Recommended by the Mister!

So in honor of Father's Day this BWW is about the book my mister is currently reading now, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. 

I have already read all three of the Hunger Games books and loved them so I was so excited when Cory mentioned wanting to read them.  Let me tell you, he is HOOKED!  I'm always worried when I have friends and family read books I love that they won't like them so I'm glad that didn't happen.  Cory rarely reads books and then not usually something I would like so it is nice to have a shared book interest.  We were talking about the book this morning (I may have been digging for things to write in this post, but that is beside the point:)) and he was telling me what he likes about it.  He is only about halfway through right now and said he loves how even when nothing is happening the descriptions are so well written you can easily picture the scene and it keeps him interested.   Also, even though not much is going on the suspense is intense and he just really wants to know what is happening next.  He also mentioned a few of the cool abilities the characters have that he thinks are just great (being an awesome archer, being about to jump from tree to tree without touching the ground, you know stuff boys like).  When Cory reads he really likes to imagine what he would do in the situations the characters face and this book definitely provides a lot of opportunities for that.  In case you've never heard of them, the Hunger Games are a very messed up way a post apocalyptic society keeps its citizens in line.  Each district must send two tributes, a boy and a girl between the ages of 12 and 18, to battle to the death in the annual Hunger Games.  It may sound morbid, and it is, but in a good makes-you-think kind of way.  So if you haven't read it, or even if you have, think about sharing it with a great guy in your life.

Some Inspiration Decoration!

I have always had a thing for quotes.  Mostly inspirational ones, but some funny ones too.  I was lucky enough to stumble upon this wonderful blog that offers cute as a button quotes for free about once a week.  You can see all her free printables here.  I just love when others share their talents!  Anyway, here are some of my favorites!  I can't wait to print some out and frame them around the house.

Gandhi sure knew his stuff.

I just love these family rules!

President Hinckley always had such a wonderful attitude about life.  What a wonderful example to follow!

Recent Adventures

We haven't really done anything big lately which has been nice.  I feel like we have a few crazy months where we are out of town or super busy every weekend and then have a few weeks to just relax around Columbia.

In those few weeks we have:

Gone on a hike with the Young Women at Sesquicentennial State Park.

One of my YW who I now refer to as Bindi (after Bindi Irwin) because she was crazy over any animal we saw on the trail. 

 This poor guy didn't make it through the hike... Unfortunately, I think a lot of kids learn how fragile baby frogs are this way. :(

 Cory and me in the great outdoors! :)  Everyone was jealous of my super sweet Camelback! 

We all had such a good time!  The trail wasn't bad at all and it was a fun bonding time with the girls.

My brother Gilliam graduated from Clemson University.  My parents threw him a graduation party and it was so much fun!

 Awesome purple and orange carrot cake my mom made in honor of the graduate.

Me and Gilly Gil!

For Memorial Day, we had Cory's parents and sister over for a cook out.  I made these delicious brownie dipped oreos.  They were so easy to make too! All you do is make up any brownie batter, dip the DoubleStuf Oreos in and put them in a cupcake pan.  Bake for about 12 minutes at 350.  I read in some places that said you can just spray Pam in the tin and it will be fine, but I liked using the cupcake foils.

 YUM.

Finally, today we went to Lake Wateree to have dinner with Cory's grandparents.  It was really nice to see them because we don't get the chance to very often.  I got a yummy sounding recipe for fruit cobbler from his grandma I'm now itching to try.  I may have to post about it if it turns out well.

Always time to say "Cheese!"

Five Question Friday

1. If you had to choose, how would you prefer to choose to spend money...on landscaping or a pool?

As I'm sure you have noticed from my pictures, our yard is pretty bare in the landscaping department.  I would have to put my money there, as we are starting to do.  It is no fun having the shabbiest yard in the neighborhood!

2. (Scott likes to get things stirred up...) Death penalty, yay or nay?

I don't necessarily disagree with it, but I think it is actually a less harsh punishment than life in prison.  I can't imagine living the rest of my life inside one place knowing I would never leave it.

3. What's the worst thing your kid has gotten into when you turned your back/blogged/showered/blinked?

Once, when we had our nephews over, a tube of toothpaste fell out of their bag onto the carpet.  It didn't have a top on it and so of course before I could pick it up my nephew stepped on it, squirting a glob of it on the floor.  I said "Be careful not to step on that.  I'm going to get a paper towel to clean it up."  When I walk back in the room not a minute later, there is the glob now smashed into the carpet and my nephew looking very sheepish saying "I accidentally stepped on it."  AH!

4. How often do you REALLY go to the dentist?

Every six months at least.  I have terrible teeth so if I don't I will have a catastrophe on my hands.  Since I go so often, it really isn't a big deal anymore.

5. What is your favorite animal (doesn't have to be a pet-type animal)?

Giraffes.  They are tall and awkward, just like me! :)

Book Worm Wednesday: A Quickie

I have been sick with a terrible cough the past few days.  I'm talking I only got 4 1/2 hours of sleep laugh night because I was hacking up a lung terrible.  So I will keep this one short and sweet because after a long night at mutual, I am definitely ready for bed.

One of my all time favorite books is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.  It is about a Jewish girl in WWII Germany.  It is poignant, heartbreaking and all things wonderful.  The story is told from the point of view of a very unconventional narrator, Death.  That may seem a little depressing, but it truly adds so much to this story.  Oddly enough, you come to like him (or at least I did).  And you come to love the girl who stole books and made Death remember her.

I love reading books about difficult times in history, but this one is by far the most touching.  Something about those times seems so fragile.  I guess it is a sort of normalcy that people are clinging to.  That feeling that things can and will not ever go back to the way they once were.  It makes me think about how fragile that is for me and appreciate it so much more that I have the luxury of living a boring life. So read this book.  It will change your life.