So much going on here

I've been meaning to post about so much but the days have been so crazy and then half the time I end up falling asleep on the couch in the evenings. I mean, I still need to write up Nico's birthday blog and it's been over a month since he turned 5! Yep, total slacker blogger mom here. *sigh*

So looking back to my previous entry over a month ago, I guess it's time to recap where things are at here.

The house situation. Ugh pretty much sums it up. It's moving along but with everything else that has to be done just for our daily lives (therapy for Jon, activities for all the kids, various other things) things have been going very, very slowly. There is progress to report tho. We have our permits in order for all the work to be done and will hopefully start the roofing process next week. There is no more dry rot in the boys' bathroom. We finally got the cabinet layout correct so we can start figuring out dates on when that will come in and we can install the cabinets and get dates for the counter installation. Once we have those dates, we can start scheduling someone to come out and move the 220 line into the kitchen for the new stove and to install the microwave hood. We have paint in the house for the entire painting job and are trying to chose between two palettes for the exterior so we can get those approved. The carpet has been delivered to the installers but we are hung up on that because the rooms to be carpeted are nowhere near ready yet. Part of that hinges on Mark getting his home office cleaned out which hasn't happened yet (and has been put on hold yet again due to sh*t hitting the fan at work). However the master closet has been totally cleaned out and walls scrubbed and I'm starting to prep it for painting. Hoping to get to that tomorrow. I'm also working on getting things prepped in the master bathroom for the walls. Once those are done, I can at least do the closet in the office since that has gotten cleaned out which will let us start moving a few things around. Sooooo much to be done! And there is still more packing and decluttering. I'm sure I sound like a broken record but I keep reminding everyone that I've been saying for years that we should be doing the decluttering part of it to make this part easier. Oh well.

Too add to the fun in all this, a gas leak was discovered in the line that goes from the meter to our house today so we are now currently without gas to the house so no hot water and no stove/oven. Can we say Chinese take-out for dinner? Yeah, thought so! I'm looking at it as a glimpse of what my life will be like during the kitchen remodel.

So that's all the news with the house. I'm going to start taking before pictures soon (now that we've gotten at least some of the stuff out of the house LOL) and will do some during and of course, after.

When I last left off blogging I had just found out from the dentist that on top of all the bad teeth I have, my gums now require care as well. Since then I've gone in for a full consult based on the examination to get my treatment plan and estimate of costs. After being told by numerous dentists they didn't even know how to fix some of my teeth (yeah, I wonder how those people got out of dental school too) and then being told by our prior dentist that I was looking at either crowns or bridges for all of my teeth I'm sure you can imagine the kind of bill I was expecting to see. One that had lots and lots of zeros and likely cost more than my current house is valued at.

I couldn't have been more surprised or more wrong. Apparently I'm working with a real dentist who has not only a heart but a clue as well. I wasn't aware there was such a thing but by chance we found one. I got the bill and took a brief look at it and saw that the total was about $7K after insurance. I figured it was only for the first stage of treatment since he had discussed doing things in stages. I started talking to the booking manager and my jaw dropped. She was pointing to teeth on the treatment sheet that I had been told had to be removed and bridged previously. I shook myself and tried to wrap my head around what she was saying but I wasn't totally coherent. I kept hearing talk of "fillings" while she was pointing to those teeth. I think I grunted something barely coherent about not being sure what she was talking about since those needed to be bridged. Then she went over the treatment plan more slowly with me.

There wasn't a single crown or bridge on the entire sheet.

Yeah, go back and read that again. I had to have her repeat it several times myself.

No crowns.

No bridges.

All teeth except the four broken ones fixed with fillings.

Say what?!

I was torn between being speechless and crying. I seriously could not believe it. This dentist believes in doing what is best for the patient's oral health, not what is easiest for him or makes him the most amount of money. We are talking about having my entire mouth healthy sometime next year at the latest. The only bridge or implant work I'll need is to replace two faulty crowns and two broken teeth. That's it. Can I just say that I'm totally thrilled with our new dentist! If you are in the HMB area and looking for a new dentist, Dr. Ollerton is the man to go to.

Mark and I have been promoted in KSW a few times since my last post. At this point we are now Dahn Bon Nims which means "black belt candidates". We no longer have monthly colored belt testing but instead will be testing every 3mos starting in May. It will take about 2yrs of consistent training and testing to achieve 1st degree black belt but it's a challenge we are both looking forward to.

Christopher is continuing to do well at CSM apparently pulling A's and B's in his classes. He's also been developing more of a social life as well. He's gotten involved with the competitive gamer's group at CSM and has regular study groups for 2 of his classes as well. We recently found out that one of our KSW instructors (and the daughter of the owner of our dojang) is a big gamer and has a weekly gaming group late Friday nights so he's going to that as well now. I frequently here about what some of the other kids at school are thinking and doing and hear about "I need to txt Shane" or "Jessica said". So great that his being young is not causing problems for him there but on the contrary he seems to be doing better at starting to make friends there with kids just a little older than him than he has been in places with kids his age. We are still working on his attitude around the house but we know that's going to be a work in progress for a while. At least there is progress being made even if it is 2 steps forward and 1 step back. In time we'll get there.

Matthew is working hard to get ready for the state Algebra test so that has meant an almost cessation of his other subjects for the next two weeks. I was able to sit in on his guitar lesson for the first time this week. He has come so far in the last year and a half. His instructor was saying that he's really gotten over the first major hurdle in playing with his last song (Birthday by The Beatles) and was impressed because he had figured out the ending on his own (M said it was easy because it was just a slightly different order and timing but still). The song he is choosing next (Behind Blue Eyes by The Who) will have him doing several things he hasn't done before and the instructor said it would definitely push him to the limits but in a good way and that he would learn a lot with it.

Jonathan is getting very excited about his upcoming birthday (go figure). Now that we have changed up his lang arts and gotten him some help in his writing we are seeing lots of improvement which is great. He finished up 4th grade math last month and is already about 1/2 way through 5th grade math. He's very likely to have that finished by the end of the school year which also thrills him no end. We have a new deal where he is the head chef on Tuesday nights (most weeks at least) and I am his sous chef. He comes up with the menu and I do the shopping and then he has to do the majority of the work in preparing it. He is continuing to love cooking and looks for every opportunity to do so. Today he baked cookies from scratch completely by himself. He ran into a little problem because the butter had been frozen instead of room temperature but he figured out a solution to the problem and the cookies came out wonderfully! He also has a new friend, one of his swim classmates and the son of his instructor. They can talk for ages about games and Jon had a sleepover at his house earlier this month which went really well. They are just a few months apart in age and both homeschooled. I'm so thankful that he's making some more friends his age locally.

Nicholas is growing by leaps and bounds lately and I really wish he would stop or at least slow it down a bit. I know it won't happen so instead I'm just very thankful that he continues to love to cuddle up on my lap and tells me that he'll be mine until he's a daddy. LOL He has really gotten into kite flying lately thanks to his friends Greer and Adam. They are in the clay class before Jon and Matt and Adam's older brother is in their clay class so we all hang out and generally walk at the beach while the older ones are in class. He's also made a wonderful new friend Max. Max is in Little Ninjas and also his swim class. In fact, when the swim schedules got switched around instead of going and swimming with Jon at the same time (you know, to make MY life easier), we are now there for an hour so he can swim Max the class before Jon. *sigh* I'd complain but he's so happy and let's face it, it's not like I can get my kids to do any schoolwork or useful production out of them before we go anyway. LOL Max also lives close to KSW so we've been having regular playdates at their house after Little Ninjas while Jon is in class. Makes for a much nicer way to pass the time than inventing errands to run. (Ok and it helps that I like Max's mom too LOL).

So I think that pretty much catches things up around here (except for Nico's bday post which will be coming soon). Posts will still likely be few and far between for a bit but hopefully with lots of pictures of the changes going on here!

104:22 Something from the Nightside by Simon R. Green

The first book in the Nightside series. John Taylor left the Nightside, the secret city within London where you can find anything you might want, 5yrs ago and swore never to return but when Joanna walks into his office with plenty of money looking for her teenage daughter who has runaway and appears to be in the Nightside...well, he just couldn't refuse. Their journey opens Joanna's eyes (and the readers) to some of the players and ins-n-outs of the Nightside. What they find is more than anyone, even John Taylor who thought he had seen it all, could have imagined.

The writing really reminds me of the whole film noir genre in it's pacing, tone, and verbiage. It was obviously meant as the starter of a series as it's very much about building the world, John Taylor's character, and the players involved in the Nightside while the plot was fairly basic. In all, it was a fun read when you want to turn the brain off and fans of the Dresden files and those of that ilk would probably enjoy it.

Page count: 230p/6,509p ytd

104:21 The European World by Barbara A. Hanawalt

Middle school history. This covers the basics of what was happening in Europe between 400-1450CE. While there were a few interesting tidbits of political and religious points that affected things that I learned, the rest was a decent covering of the era without any new major insight although I think that is due in part because it's an era of history I actually enjoy studying. Thankfully Matthew enjoyed it and learned lots and that is what really matters.

Page count: 173p/6,279p ytd

104:20 Turn Coat by Jim Butcher

The 11th book in the Dresden Files. Warden Morgan is on the run for the crime of killing one of the Senior Council. He was caught with the knife in his hands and blood all over him but he swears his innocence. So where does he turn? To Harry Dresden, the wizard he hounded for years trying to catch him slipping up in any fashion so he could execute him. Now Harry may be his only hope of survival and catching the true murderer who is operating behind the scenes and putting the pieces in place to tear down the White Council completely. This time tho, Harry is against forces more powerful than any he has faced before (yeah, pretty typical) and if he can't prove Morgan's innocence, he may just face the same fate of losing his head.

I liked this one for all the intrigue. Some of the Black Council have finally slipped up and their motives are starting to become clearer. Again, it was a fun read until about 100p from the end when it hits page-turner status. I'm finally caught up with the paperback versions so at this point, I'll have to wait to see what happens.

Page count: 545p/6,106p ytd

104:19 The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder

This one sees the Ingalls move back into town after hearing that the winter will be harsh. Little did anyone know exactly how harsh it would end up being and how lucky they would all be to survive. 7 months of blizzards ended up completely stopping the supply trains and leaving almost the entire town on the brink of starvation. But it also shows the determination and fortitude of the pioneers that they not only managed to find ways to survive and grow stronger from it but they continually tried to do so with a positive attitude. Such amazing people.

Page count: 334p/5,5,61p ytd

104:18 The Sign of Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The second Sherlock Holmes book. This one flowed much better than the first. We were able to follow Holmes through the investigation and hear his deductions very closely on which meshed better with the clues that we were given. None of the "ah ha, I just solved this based on information the reader wasn't given". It also was about 75% of the way through that the criminal was apprehended and then he told his story so it didn't feel so disjointed and his history took up much less of the story than in The Study in Scarlet. Overall, much more the Holmes I remember reading a bit of growing up and I look forward to reading more of in the future.

Page count: 86p/5,227p ytd

104:17 Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

The classic tale of Lennie and George, 2 men who hire themselves out on farms but never staying long in any one place due to the trouble that Lennie's mental retardation inevitably causes. George takes care of Lennie and tries to keep him out of trouble but Lennie's obsession with petting soft things and inability to comprehend his strength and the full consequences of his actions make it impossible for long.

A beautiful tale of commitment, loneliness, hope, and loss, it's easy to see why this has become a classic.

Page count: 103p/5,141p ytd

104:16 Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning

The end of the Fever series. OMG! This entire series was gripping with twists and turns everywhere and I loved every second of it. When we left Mac at the end of the last book, she has just found out that she has killed someone but we don't know who. The results of that are catastrophic to her psyche and she quickly descends into a hell of her own making. I really don't want to say much more about this book because it's almost impossible without spoiling it. All I will say is that Mac does eventually find out who she is and does find the Sinsar Dubh. To find out more, just read it! Although if you've read any of the previous books, I'm sure I don't need to tell you to do that because it's such an addicting series.

While this is the apparent end of Mac's story, it seems like it's possible there will be more stories set in this world. If they are anything like this, I can't wait to read them!

Page count: 594p/5,038p ytd

104:15 Small Favor by Jim Butcher

The 10th book in the Dresden files. Marcone, the mob boss, has been abducted and no one knows why. Mab, Winter Queen, wants Harry to find Marcone as the Accords have been breached by his abduction. Gruffs, agents of Summer, are attacking Harry for some slight that seems to be superficial. When the dust settles, it appears that Nicodemus and the Nickleheads (aka Denarians) are behind Marcone's abduction and agree to a parley which Harry asks The Archive to mediate. Everyone suspects treachery (who wouldn't from this group) but they had no idea just how far it goes and what they are truly after. The big question is can they stop it before the world goes boom?

Another fun installment. Usually I'm quite happy reading these bunks in small chunks until I hit the climax at which point I just finish it off and this was no exception. It takes a while to really hit it's stride, things are generally telegraphed enough in advance that there are no major surprises but it's fun seeing how long the characters take to catch on and/or exactly how it ends up where you know it's going to go.

Page count: 341p/4,444p ytd

104:14 Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning

The 4th book in the Fever series. Yet another page turner. The previous book ended in a cliff-hanger of sorts and this one starts up from there and just runs off. No slowing down and no putting it down. Mac is in trouble from the first and even after she is rescued, the trouble doesn't stop as the walls are down and the Unseelie have taken over large chunks of the world and are working to take it all. 2 billion humans are dead already and the lights are out in most major cities leaving them open to the Shades. The LM is still trying to find the Sinsar Dubh but so is everyone else. Will the other sidhe-seers finally start to see Mac as an ally rather than an enemy? Will Barrons ever open up and let her know what is going on? What happened to V'lane and how will things go with him from now on? Lots of questions and only some of them get answered in this book. With just one more book to go, I can't imagine that will be anything but another fast paced adventure and with this one ending on another cliff-hanger, I'm dying to get my hands on the 5th to find out!

Page count: 362p/4,103p ytd

104:13 Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Yep, decided it's time to read all the Sherlock Holmes (well as I can get to them) in light of the awesome new series on BBC. Wasn't super impressed with this one. Not bad but the format was wonky and totally threw me even after being told it was wonky. Having the case solved 1/2 way through the book with no obvious clues that a person could possibly figure out was weird but then going back in time to UT to get the backstory on the murderer and then finally being told how Holmes had pieced it altogether....just wonky. Not horrible and I get that we are supposed to be totally awed by Holmes awesome intellect and ability to see what others can't but I'm really hoping that as we go along the clues are there for the reader to pick up on but not obvious so if you aren't paying attention which you won't know what to pay attention to so would likely miss first read through but will see when you go back through wondering how they picked up on stuff you'll see it and have the "d'oh" moment.

What I really loved tho was how well the new Sherlock show brought this story modern and while changes were made, they simply tightened it up and made a few changes so that even if you had read the story beforehand there was still something new. Lots and lots of nods to the original story even where they made changes tho which was way cool.

Page count: 112p/3,741p ytd

104:12 Faefever by Karen Marie Moning

The 3rd book in the Fever series. Mac is pitted against the other sidhe-seers, being told to choose between Barron's and V'lane, and can't seem to get any closer to LM to avenge her sister's death. Something big is going down in Dublin which could affect the entire world and Mac is not in a position to actually do anything but hope that the ones who are can pull off a miracle.

Incredibly fast-paced for the most part, the pages just seem to fly by. The ending had me screaming and I was so thankful that I had the next book standing by. Absolutely loving this series!

Page count: 370p/3,629p ytd

104:11 Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning

The 2nd book in the MacKayla Lane series. I am totally loving this series. Mac is someone that is easy to relate to. She's in way over her head, surrounded by people she doesn't know if she can trust, in situations that are way outside her experience, and trying to deal with powers she didn't know she had. She's scared, confused, and pissed off all at the same time and trying to cope with what life is now throwing at her. V'lane is still trying to get her attention, Jericho is still as enigmatic as ever, and now she has found a group of sidhe-seers who say they want to help her but demand her allegiance before they'll do anything and state quite clearly that they'll let her die before risking themselves to save her.

What's a girl to do?

Fast paced, enjoyable, I just can't get enough of this series. Highly recommend if you like urban fantasy.

Page count: 337p/3,259p ytd

104:10 Blood Wyne by Yasmine Galenorn

The 9th in the Sisters of the Otherworld series. Following the pattern, this one focuses on Menolly, the vampire sister. Much less of the Fae politics of the earlier books and no movement on the demon war either this time. Both are mentioned as things that have affected other things but neither are directly involved in the events of this story. Instead, there is a vampire serial killer murdering prostitutes in a haunted section of town and Menolly is the one called in to try and help Chase find the killer. Unfortunately, the haunted section of town is filled with seriously nasty spooks and Menolly can't do it alone. Can she and her sisters handle this one or are some things too big and nasty even for them?

To make matters more interesting, Roman is continuing to make advances to Menolly and has stated outright that he wants to introduce her as his consort. He's old and powerful so Menolly has been staying away but for how long can she hold out? And what will that mean for her relationship with Nerissa?

Another page turner. Lots going on as always and you can see some of what is getting built up towards and I can't wait.

Page count: 302p/2,922p ytd

Not the way to spend a day

Got hit with a horrid migraine on Sunday. I haven't had one that bad in ages but this one laid me flat on my back for hours. The "you don't dare lift your head or open your eyes" flat on my back. That lasted until early afternoon. Then all the pain killers I'd been pumping in finally did their job and I was able to sit in a reclined position and at least read. My main contribution to helping around the house was constantly telling Chris to get away from the tv and going through the 3 boxes of tax records and figuring out what really needed to be kept and what could be shredded (pretty sure we don't need any tax records from before the turn of the century at this point). That meshed well with my accomplishments from Saturday of going through piles of paperwork on my desk and figuring out what was staying, what was getting packed up, and what was getting shredded. 2 trash bags and counting on the shredded paper and a full one of misc other crap. Feels good to get it out of here!

Mark was insanely busy and kept the kids going over the weekend managing the outside. Fences, driveway, and walkways got power washed (as did portions of the house and the cars). Walt's truck got loaded up for a dump run next weekend with tons of crap from our side and backyards. That was Saturday. On Sunday whilst I lay in bed wishing to die, he kept the boys cleaning up outside and got the shed all organized to hold what few things we don't want in storage (camping gear primarily) plus to start doubling as our new pantry so we can get all our canning supplies off the floor of the kitchen and the big pantry out of the laundry room. It also has two shelving units cleared off to now be our staging area for packed boxes that get taken to the storage locker on the weekends. That will be so much nicer than having all those boxes sitting in the living room so we are tripping over them. It's amazing how much bigger our kitchen is now with those things out of it. We are in talks with some contractors right now and it's looking like we will have a new roof before the end of the month and will start dealing with the windows, boys bathroom, and other siding stuff this month as well. Working on getting stuff out of the kitchen so we can hook up 220 for the new stove but we still need to find a new hood to go with it. Need to find time soon to go countertop shopping and we are still trying to figure out what we are going to do about the counters. So many decisions but I'm determined that while yes, we need to make things fairly neutral so they will appeal to all, I still need to live in this house until it sells and since we have no idea how long that will be, I'm not going to do anything that I find ugly. I have to like whatever it is that we do too.

Should be fun trying to find those compromises. LOL

104:9 The Passage by Justin Cronin

This one was recommended by several friends and since it was post-apocalyptic, although with more of a vampire thing than a zombie thing, I grabbed it for Chris and figured I'd read it after he was done. It is exactly as it's billed. An army virus gone wrong making "unbeatable soldiers" more vampiric in nature with mental abilities to boot. The counties only hope? A 6yr old girl who was infected with a slightly different strain who not only manages to escape when the virals get out but thanks to the virus in her, is super human.

That gets us through the first third of the book. You know what's going to happen but the way it was done was nicely executed and kept me hooked in.

The 2nd third was introducing the new world approximately 100yrs after the virals escaped and a colony of survivors and the group that will be the main characters for the rest of the book. Standard characterizations are all well filled in. I felt this part dragged a bit. You know where it's going and there really wasn't any surprises in any of it.

The final third saw things picking up again as a small group ventures out from the colony to try and find the location of the signal that is calling for anyone who has found "her" (her being the girl from the beginning who has managed to end up at the colony) to bring her back to CO. Hoping to learn something and save what is left of the human race, they head out. Some interesting twists and turns on the virals comes out (don't want to spoil it here) and the result is that they think they may be able to stop the virals now and so they venture off on that quest. Supposedly that will get dealt with in the next book.

In all, I enjoyed it. I felt the characters in the main were a bit too stereotypical and that the middle section dragged a bit but his takes on the "virals" was interesting. Hoping the next book picks up the pace just a bit tho.

Page count: 766p/2,620p ytd

Not sure where to go with this one

For one of the few times in his life, Matthew was very generous in sharing. Unfortunately what he shared was his nasty respiratory bug with Nicholas who then shared it with Jonathan and me. Mark seems like he may have decided to join in the lovefest as well. Not what we need as we are trying to get our house ready to put on the market.

Speaking of that, Mark moved us from our 10x10 locker into our new 10x25 locker on Saturday morning. My response...go finish cleaning out one of the boys' bookshelves and add a bunch more stuff to be taken out. As of today, the boys' room only needs a little more work before it will be considered done until the actual remodel of it takes place (paint and flooring). At that time, we'll get the C&M into one dresser and lose one of the Lego storage bins.

And that leads us to my bookshelf. It's pathetic now. Last year it was overflowing with books. I literally could not fit them all on my shelves. Now, not only do the ones remaining all fit but they are in single rows, nice and neat. *sniff sniff* It's sad for me knowing that I have hundreds of books I want to read in storage right now.

And that leads into a totally new tangent of how sad Christopher's behavior is making me right now. We have several sick people in the house, we are all busting our butts (even Nicholas in his own way is trying to help) to get our house emptied so we can do the repairs and get it ready to sell. All of us that is except for Chris. He has not been doing any of his chores at all even after hours of nagging and if he does anything it's back to being half-assed. He has already lost his gPhone and wireless card out of his computer because of this as well as most of his books. This made an impression for maybe a week before he headed right back into it. We are now trying to figure out what we can do next to get it through his head that this is unacceptable. Unfortunately, whatever we do will likely end up punishing all of us in some way. Possibly taking away all his books except those necessary for school and most of his brothers as well since he'll just read those if his aren't available. Almost definitely having to stand over him while he does his chores which means that is time that Mark or I don't have to work on other stuff around the house. Likely, I'll be giving him extra chores to do to compensate for the time I don't have to do them and they'll be ones he can do in whatever room I'm working in so I can keep an eye on him since I can't trust him on his own. He's much too fond of distracting himself with absolutely anything.

I HATE that he can't just cooperate and do his part as a member of the family. I HATE that we are having to crack down on him. I HATE that his behavior then rubs off onto the other boys. Amazing how when he did do things well and we praised him, that didn't rub off but when he's not behaving, that does. *sigh* I know this is a phase. I know that as a teenager, it's normal. That doesn't matter tho. I need help and cooperation from him right now especially because that means WE get a bigger house and HE'LL get a room with just Matthew so they can have more space to be "teenagery" in. More space to put things away so we can keep a decent house. But we have to work together and right now he's just being too lazy and too self-centered to care about anything but putting food in his stomach and sitting on his butt.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

104:8 The Death of Joan of Arc by Michael Scott

A short story that ties in with Scott's Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel on how Scathach rescued Joan of Arc from being burned as a witch. Nice little tie in but really, not a big deal. While I love the series, this did not add anything in terms of the characters relationship to each other that we didn't already know.

104:7 The Ancient American World by Fash & Lyons

This covers the MesoAmerican, Incan, Maya, and other cultures of South and Middle America from 5000BCE to the Spanish conquistadors of the 1400 & 1500s. There were chapters on several cultures I don't remember having learned of before and it was amazing to see the incredible art and ways they came up with to not only survive but thrive and what rich cultures came and went during that time. As always, the more I read this series of history books the more impressed I am with them. Much more detail in these than even my high schoolers World History text.

Page count: 160p/1,854p ytd

104:6 Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

Boy am I happy that this ended up on the Amazon Freebies for Kindle list as I would have likely missed this series completely otherwise. Our story starts out as Mac, a fairly typical 22yr old, is sunning herself by the pool at her parent's while they are on a cruise. That's when she's the phone call that her sister has been murdered while away at school in Dublin. When she decides to go to Dublin to push the police to investigate further, her life changes forever. She discovers that the Fae are real, they generally aren't pretty, they generally want to feed off humans (which tends to end badly for the human), and that she is a sidhe-seer, someone who can see through Fae glamour and see their true forms. One problem, they tend to have a habit of killing sidhe-seers which means her life is in danger, especially since it seems like one of them had something to do with her sister's murder.

Can she manage to learn how to deal with her new "visions" without going mad or getting killed? And can she figure out who killed her sister and avenge her or will she just be the next victim?

Total page turner. I was hooked by about 1/5th of the way in (hard to tell pages on the Kindle) and by 35% of the way through I decided being sick had it's advantages as it gave me an excuse to lay in bed and read. I was at 27% this morning and finished this evening so fast read but it's one that just sucks you in as you have no idea who is on what side and even by the end, it's still hard to tell as this is a 5 book series. A friend told me she has the others in the series but if she doesn't get them to me soon, I may have to go search them out for myself. I HAVE to know what happens next.

Page count: 384p/1,694p ytd

104:5 White Night by Jim Butcher

The 9th book in the Dresden Files. Someone is killing mid-level witches in Chicago while wearing a grey cloak. Harry finally finds out about it but it's hard to get information when everyone thinks you're the killer. Once he gets involved tho, can he figure out who is really behind it? Some things point at Thomas, some at Cowl, some in yet another direction. Trying to piece it altogether will take Harry and his friends time, time that the other witches don't have.

A good book, nice intrigue but again nothing really going on with the "Black Council" or the war between the White Council and the Red Court other than one snippet of a flashback when Harry was helping train new recruits to the Wardens. *yawn* I don't mind a big storyline taking several books to develop but this where it's just sort of in the background without ever really moving forward is just getting silly.

Page count: 452p/1,310 ytd

Mixed bag today

Not exactly the way I wanted to start off the day, with a dentist visit. Even less so with the news I received. I know my teeth are messed up big. I keep trying to work on it as I can but it's been an uphill battle and the hill just got a lot bigger. Apparently there are a few infections sitting under teeth that need to get taken care of but for fun, this time the dentist came back with "gum disease" as the fun complication to trying to get my mouth healthy. As he put it "it's a complicated situation" because when the gums get fixed, it will leave the roots of many of my teeth exposed and open for decay and further complications. Also, he's hesitant to do the 1-2 teeth a year we can afford with insurance because that can screw up my bite and cause further problems with my jaw. Just lovely. Add in, apparently my slight dry mouth is a big part of the problem because I don't have enough saliva to keep flushing plaque off my teeth which is why I've had so many problems with them to begin with.

Ugh doesn't even cover it. He's going to work up a treatment plan and I need to find 40min when I can get over there to go over it with him so we can figure out a starting point. I know it needs to get done but none of it's going to be fun and none of it's going to be cheap. Please keep fingers crossed that we end up with a windfall somehow to get this taken care of.

Thankfully after that, the news of the day got slightly better as I was able to procure a bigger storage locker that is 50' away from our current one which will make moving out so much easier. Not a big thing in the grand scheme of things but I'll take it.

Then I came home and the kids wanted to be measured and I found out that Matthew is now as tall as me. Chris didn't manage that til he was 15 and Matthew is only 12. Freaking giant child.

All of this before 11a.

Thankfully the rest of the day was pretty standard. Folded some laundry and packed up 3 more boxes of stuff. Skunked Mark at Cribbage. Took kids to KSW and a trip to BR31 with Nico afterward. Came home and read a bit, made dinner, took Chris's place in a game of Risk with Matthew and proceeded to beat him. Yep, going to take my little victories where I can find them.

Now to try and get some sleep and hope tomorrow is filled with better news.

2011 was a fantastic year!

I've read several blogs about this and have been meaning to do it too so here goes. Instead of writing a bunch of resolutions which will then get forgotten by the end of the first month or two of the new year, I'm going to write how great the year was and get my brain to think that it has happened and therefore will happen. That whole weird psychological thing. I figure what the hey, it can't hurt to try!

So let me tell you about my great 2011. It was a year of some major changes for us, the first being our change of address. It took a ton of effort to get our old house ready to sell with all the painting and new floors, counters, and cabinets but it was well worth it when we finally moved into a new house that was twice the size with a gorgeous open floor plan, fabulous kitchen, good sized backyard, and lovely neighbors....all for a price we could actually afford!

Needless to say, moving kept us very busy but it was wonderful that we took our time to look at every item before we packed it to see if we really wanted to move it and lots of stuff didn't make the cut so we moved much less than we had crammed into our old house. It was so freeing and made us all feel so much lighter to let stuff go so our new house would not start by being cluttered with things we didn't love. Everything has come to have a home where it can easily be put away without a lot of wrangling and for the most part, stuff is.

One of the things I was very happy with was that we managed to keep our studies going forward despite all the craziness and I've gotten some systems in place for keeping the paperwork a bit more steamlined which helps my stress levels tons. All of that has freed up more time for me to exercise (which is so much easier with more space) and get to KSW. Speaking of KSW, Mark and I are finally Dan Bo Nims! Nicholas graduated Little Ninjas and is now participating in the regular classes with his big brothers and has finally gotten his much coveted blue belt. Speaking of big brothers, we were extremely proud to watch them get promoted at the tournament in October to Black Belt! Not like it means they get more respect around the house tho. LOL

With the bigger backyard we have finally started getting some gardening in and can't wait for our first harvest. We have continued to work on eating healthier and less processed and it has been showing with our weight going down and our health being so much better.

And in spite of all the craziness of this wonderful year, I did manage to read 104 books and read 40 new authors! I still have tons of wonderful books waiting for me in our huge library (did I mention how much I love having room for things like bookshelves?! *content sigh*) and I look forward to being able to read more now that this move is out of the way. Now that it is Christmas, there may not be many presents under our tree but we have a lovely tree in a warm and inviting house that we are blessed to call home.

Whirlwind Friday and Chillin' on Saturday

Friday was just insane and by the time it was really over, I pretty much collapsed in a heap on the couch until I finally went to bed. The day looked like this:

6:30a - Get up and get Chris moving so he can make his bus to college

7:00a - Help Chris get some coffee in him, make sure he's eaten, has his swim stuff all packed into his backpack so he doesn't lose something on the bus, has his Read assignment printed out and in a folder rather than stuffed into his overstuffed backpack, has everything he needs for his book club, and that I know where everything is for KSW

7:30a - See Chris out the door. Start waking up other kids and Mark

8:00a - Deal with the groggy people, making sure they get coffee and breakfast

8:30a - Eat my own breakfast and get some tea in me

9:00a - Grab a few minutes to practice forms and then techniques with Matthew

9:30a - Our ES shows up for our monthly face-to-face meeting. Spend next 2hrs going over what Matthew & Jonathan have been doing for the last 20 school days and breaking up fights between the Nicholas and Jonathan over the game they are playing on the Wii

11:30a - Work on cleaning up kitchen and figuring out lunch, pull meat out to defrost for dinner

12:00p - Leftovers are served

12:30p - Realize that Chris is supposed to bring snack for book club, start pouring over recipes with Jonathan to figure out what we are making

12:45p - Come up with snack plan, go eat my own lunch

1:00p - Find out from Jonathan that we don't have all the ingredients for what we decided to make. Pour over more recipes before finally saying "Sorry honey, I know you like to cook from scratch but go grab that box over there because we are out of time".

1:15p - Boxed brownies finally get in the oven. Realize that Jonathan has put them in a pan that will require the longest baking time. Swear quietly under my breath and then smile at him and tell him it will all work out.

1:30p - Get meat browned and in the crockpot with everything else to make a simple Beef Strogonoff for dinner.

1:45p - Keep staring at timer wishing brownies would hurry up and get done already. Get Nicholas dressed for his Little Ninjas testing. Text with Chris to make sure he knows where he's going.

2:00p - Book club is starting. We are still home waiting on the brownies. Get text from Chris that he got off on the wrong stop and how does he get to bookclub from where he's at. Call and give him directions.

2:05p - Make sure Christopher and Jonathan's KSW bags are packed since they have Black Belt Club at 4:30p. Make sure Mark's paycheck is in my purse to be deposited because the direct deposit got messed up.

2:10p - Get brownies out of oven and pray they are done enough. Line cookie sheet with a nicer looking rag and pile everyone and everything into car and take off.

2:25p - Drop off brownies 25min late at book club, grab Christopher's backpack since it weighs about a gazillion tons and there is no need for him to walk it over to KSW.

2:32p - Get to Little Ninjas testing at KSW only 2min late. Sit down and breathe sigh of relief. Take pictures for about 10min until battery on camera dies because like an idiot, I forgot to put the freshly charged one in. Swear quietly to self again for not having at least grabbed it.

3:30p - Nicholas now has his green-striped Little Ninjas belt and is the happiest little person in the world. Get his jacket, new belt, old belt, my knitting bag, and camera all into the car and head over to the bank. Find out that because our account is new since our old checking account had to be closed after Jonathan lost a rent check a few months ago that there will be a hold placed on the funds. Beg and plead that we aren't new customers (been there over a year and are in good standing) and just the account is new can they possibly shorten the hold or something. Get the good news that the funds should be available the following day. Breath sigh of relief, get the $100 cash I can grab right then and leave before something can go wrong.

3:45p - Take Nicholas and Jonathan to Baskin-Robbins in celebration of how well Nicholas did at class all week and then at testing. Enjoy some time just chilling with my two youngest over ice cream.

4:15p - Walk back to KSW and drop Jonathan and his bag off there. Forget to ask Chris about the brownie dishes and head to Safeway to grab a few staples like milk, coffee, and fresh fruit.

4:55p - Drive in crappy traffic to get home. Review forms and techniques in my head while driving to keep calm.

5:25p - Get home, check on dinner, go over some work with Matthew and grab a protein heavy snack and read to relax a bit

6:00p - Get a call from Chris asking for a ride because the bus is running late. Tell him no because by the time I can get out and over there, the bus would have already picked him up and I'll be late for my testing. As I'm saying this the bus pulls up.

6:10p - Mark gets home. He texts with my brother to find out where he's at. Stuck on 92 is the answer. I get water going for noodles and wait for our uniforms to finish their spin in the dryer.

6:35p - Noodles are done, get those mixed in with dinner, get uniform on. Breath easier after hearing Mike is on Hwy 1 and will be here shortly.

6:40p - Mike arrives, a few minutes of chat and then Mark and I head out for KSW testing.

7:00p - Get to KSW. Start trying to control breathing before usual breaking panic sets in. Nothing else really gets to me about testing except the whole breaking thing and this was worse than normal since I had to break with a low-spin kick which I got talk the week previous and haven't practiced since. Nor have I ever practiced breaking in class which is probably why I get so freaking nervous every single freaking time. Testing group is huge so we get split into 2 sections which is nice as there are nice breaks between activities. Gives a nice chance to relearn breathing after kicks, especially since we did some I've never done before. Hope I didn't screw those up too badly.

8:30p - Normally testing is over by now but not with this huge group.

8:45p - Breaking starts. Panic sets in.

8:50p - Get called to break. Try to remain calm and focused. Only sort of working. Do practice kick. Board gets set-up. Try to break and end up kicking over it. Whoops. Try again and go right through. Easy peasy. Why was I worried again? Oh, yeah, cause I always am and it has gone the same way every time.

9:10p - Get my red belt removed and my brown one tied on.

9:15p - Everyone's done and we can head home for dinner.

9:30p - Home. Dinner, ice cream, lump on couch because I'm too sore to move and too amped up to go to sleep. Chill with kids, Mark, and Mike.

12:00a - Finally able to sleep. Go to bed and collapse.

Saturday was slightly more sane. Got Mark up and out by 9:15a so he could go to the YAW parent session. They gathered some grief counselors to provide information to parents on how to best help our children deal with Auri's passing. I took Jonathan to a Pampered Chef party at a friend's house. After the party, I left Jonathan there for a playdate and went home. Mike and Matt were just getting a game of Small World set-up so I got in on that and then went to go pick-up Jonathan. Begged Mike to stay a bit longer so we could play one more game when I got home. He left and then Mark and I dealt with telling the boys that Auri was gone. It's got to be one of the hardest things in parenting. We talked and cried and held each other for a bit. Jonathan came up with the idea to watch our copies of Christopher's plays over dinner as a tribute which I thought was a great idea. There will be grief counselors at YAW classes this week and they will be working on something together for the memorial next weekend. We've encouraged Chris to attend class with Jonathan this week.

I'm hoping today will be slightly more normal. Papers to grade, lessons to plan, laundry to fold, stuff to box up and get out. Chris has a lot of work for his college classes due tomorrow so he has to work on that and the weather is lovely again so I'm shooing the other kids outdoor for a bike ride to get them away from the idiot box. Matthew has barely been out the last month and I'm hoping the fresh air will do him some good.

104:4 Counterfeit Magic by Kelley Armstrong

Another story that is more of a novella than a full-fledged novel. Not a lot of depth going on. We follow Paige as she and Lucas take a case that threatens to divide and conquer, in more ways than one. It was cute, quick read but nothing fantastic and not one that you need to read to add depth to the rest of the series.

Page Count: 141p/858p ytd

Good-bye Auri

One of the things I'm not sure I've conveyed enough in my blog is how much Christopher loved being a part of Young Actor's Workshop the last two years and how much Jonathan has been enjoying it this year. It is, quite simply, a fantastic program where children put together a "guided improvisational" play where every child has a voice in how it gets put together. This was SO big for Christopher to have a creative outlet where he was guided but had a say in how his character would develop. The two plays he did, Babies and Funky Fieldtrip, were hilarious and so much fun for everyone involved. He was saddened when his college schedule did not allow for him to be part of YAW (as it's known) this year. I was sorry that it looked like we may no longer be part of the program when Jonathan decided that he wanted to give it a try this year after seeing how much fun Christopher had. Thank goodness because I was almost afraid I wouldn't have a reason to dress like a pirate and work the Haunted House this year (check out that video, it is seriously cool and all the actors are students from YAW with all the work done by the parents).

So why am I writing about all this now? I just received word that Auri, the creator of YAW (you'll see him in the video), has lost his battle with cancer and passed away. We just learned earlier this week that the meds were no longer working and he had discontinued treatment and entered hospice. This morning I heard that he had stopped eating and drinking. The end was quick and peaceful and he was at home surrounded by his loved ones at the end which is all any of us can ask for when our time comes.

Our lives were enriched by knowing him and he will be greatly missed. As I told Jonathan last night when we broke the news that Auri was dying, he had a tremendous passion for life and was lucky enough to be able to do what he loved doing. He loved his students so much and it showed in everything he did. I remember last year getting calls from him to Chris to discuss ideas about the play and his apologizing when some of Christopher's ideas didn't get in. That is how much he cared. I still have his emails asking if Christopher was coming back each year because he loved Chris's enthusiasm. Those little touches are things he did constantly and meant the world to everyone around him.

Good-bye Auri and thank you for everything you've given to all those who knew you. I'm glad you are no longer in pain and I pray that you surrounded by children to guide and nurture who will love you as we did.

Sickies strike again!

Well, no sooner was I hopeful that we were finally done with the illnesses that have plauged our house for over a month when Jon and Matt started throwing up yesterday. Matt has continued into today and Jon is feeling a little better but we are still having to keep it mild for him. Nicholas continues with a nasty sounding cough. Not the way I wanted to begin the year.

In the good news tho, Christopher was able to get into the Psychology class at CSM that he was waitlisted for and then change his swim class so he'll be able to choose to stay later at school to get help or do labwork or come home early if he's got other stuff going on. I'm just happy that he got the Psych class he really wanted and I got a text from him saying how he thinks the teacher is awesome. Crossing my fingers that we have some great teachers and that's he's learned from last semester how to start communicating with them from the start to make sure he gets the help he needs to succeed instead of thinking he can figure it out on his own until it's too late.

104:3 Angelic by Kelley Armstrong

More of a novella than a full novel at just over 100 pages, this is a filler story of Eve and her afterlife as an Angel and servant of The Fates. Basically, The Fates have pushed back Eve's "vacation" time again for yet another job and she's fed up with it and decides to do what they have expressly forbid her to do to solve the case she's on in order to get it done faster. She's hoping that this will cause them to fire her so she can be done with the whole deal but she ends up finding out more about herself and her own motivations while solving this one.

Page count: 104p/717p ytd

104:2 Hamlet by William Shakepseare

Really, what can I say about this that hasn't been said a million times over and by those who are much more articulate than myself. Ghosts, treachery, murder, suicide, madness....It's a Shakespearian tragic and has all the elements therein. I will say tho, that having not read Shakespeare since high school, I really enjoyed just reading it for myself and to enjoy it. Now I can reward myself for having read it by watching the David Tennant and Patrick Stewart.

Page count: 131p/613p ytd

104:1 Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher

The 8th book in the Dresden Files. The book starts with Harry receiving a phone call from Molly, the oldest daughter of his friend and one of God's Warriors, Michael. Her boyfriend is in jail for a murder he swears he didn't commit and he needs to be bailed out. When Harry starts looking into things, he finds that the boyfriend couldn't have done it because it's some sort of big nasty from the Nevernever that has been called over to this side to wreck some havoc and even tho that one has gone home, more keep getting invited to play. It's up to Harry to stop them before more people die but then he notices some strange things that don't add up on this mystery and leave him delving into a deeper mystery with Molly, one that could cost him his head as well as hers.

I'm continuing to enjoy the series. I wish there the White Council/Red Court war was a bit more front and center. It keeps being alluded to but it's never a major part of the stories and instead it's always some other threat, some other bad guy. Other than that tho, it's fun urban fantasy.

Page count: 482/482p ytd

I haven't dropped off the planet!

Well, obviously since I've managed to keep updating with the books I've been reading but not with anything else. To say the last few months have been crazy busy is an understatement and things aren't going to be slowing down again any time soon so I promised myself that I would get back to the habit of getting on here and blogging in truth again, not just having a book review site.

So when I last wrote a real entry, Nicholas had had his dental work, Chris was still having tons of tests run, and Matthew had just started Physical Therapy. Let's fill in on each one individually, shall we?

Christopher ~ The MRI came back normal so the neuro-ophthalmologist ordered an EEG. We discovered after looking at the MRI that Chris does indeed have a brain and that it fills in the entire hollow space in his head. It did not, however, tell us how much of that he actually uses. Lately, I'm guessing 10% would be a very high estimate. (I did get 2cds worth of MRI pictures for posterity and possible future science lessons LOL)

The EEG also came back normal and at that point, we are out of options as far as testing goes. The best guess of the neuro-ophthalmologist is that he has always been like this but after getting glasses, it brought everything into focus again so he noticed it. He was cleared for starting driver's training again and he will be re-evaluated in 6-9mos.

That leads to the ne

xt part which is everyone should be terrified if they see a 1987 Mustang GT, black with red racing stripes down the side driving around the coast or SF Peninsula. So far I've been too chicken to get in and do any real driving with him as I tend to get carsick and apparently his driving would not help that which would then render me incapable of taking control of the vehicle if it should be necessary. Apparently that last part hasn't been necessary, yet, but he's managed to have several near misses especially when turning, merging, and changing lanes. I'm very happy to leave this class to Mark to teach.

Chris successfully completed his first semester at CSM. He started the fall semester taking 10 units (English 847, Astronomy 100, and Japanese 1). Things did not go well with his English class due to the expectations of the teacher who only wanted the style of writing that comes out of San Mateo High School and who told him that he didn't need any help beyond the Writing Lab where it's hard to get an appointment and they are only for 20min at a time. Um, when he used that lab tons plus a private tutor, he got a worse grade than when I worked with him for an hour. Yeah, that didn't work out so well and when we asked her point blank if he had a chance of passing the course, she dodged the question. We ended up withdrawing him rather than deal with her. He'll try the course again, likely in the summer. He did quite well in his Astronomy and Japanese classes tho pulling an A and B respectively (although I'm of the opinion that had he put a little more effort into his Japanese final, he would have pulled an A in that class as well *sigh*). Spring semester starts today and he is currently enrolled for Japanese 2, Read 400, and Swim for Conditioning. He's also waitlist

ed for 2 different Psychology classes with the hopes that he'll get into one. It will mean he's taking 10units again. I'm a little nervous about this considering his current laissez-faire attitude about pretty much everything which has cost him his desk in another room, his internet access, and his phone. I'm hoping that he'll start shaping up soon and before this attitude hits him where it can actually do some damage like his college grades or his ability to do concurrent enrollment.

Matthew ~ PT seems to have done the job and his shoulder is much better. Unfortunately, no sooner was that seemingly fixed than he has been plagued with, well the plague. Several different strains to be precise. First it was a stomach bug which for Matt leaves his stomach not settled for weeks. Than a major bronchial thing which thankfully did not turn into bronchitis but was on the cusp. He was finally feeling better from that this week when yet another stomach bug has appeared. Otherwise things are going well for him and when he's healthy he's doing great in school, KSW, guitar, and clay.

Bike riding has become the new big thing around here. I was on the search for a bike that I could ride to help with my feet. Many of the bikes we got off Freecycle ended up not working for me but they did for the other kids. For Pumpkin Festival, Mark didn't want to hang out all day with Nicholas and Matthew after marching with KSW in the parade waiting for Chris, Jon, and I to get done with the YAW Haunted House but neither did we want to drive 2 cars in and pay for double parking. He decided to get Matthew bike riding and then the two of them could ride in and I could manage the other kids and put the trailer for Nicholas in the back of the truck for them to all ride back together. It took over an hour for Mark and Matt to ride into town and there were apparently many

falls but they made it! Matthew was so thrilled with himself and so were we for persevering so hard to do that. After that, he became an active bike rider, always looking for excuses to go riding. We just Nicholas a Tag-along and I'm hoping to soon be at the point where we can go on family rides together around the coast.

Jonathan ~ We finally got all the psychological testing for Jon done and had his IEP in late October. The tests didn't reveal anything new nor did they come back with a specific learning disability but they did show a marked decrease in his working memory and accessing his long-term memory. Basically this means that what he learns, he gets quickly but he can't access it to do things with it after he's stopped working with it for a bit. This is what is causing so many problems for him. His OT is going to do what she can to help him and he now sees a resource specialist who works one-on-one with him to help with his writing issues. I've done research and we have changed up some of his curriculum to try to get more repetition into certain areas since that seems to help him retrieve the information quicker. It's been a lot of work but we are starting to see some minor results and I'm hopeful that while this is something he'll likely always fight with, we can find some strategies to help him deal with it as he gets older.

A funny about the testing, after it was all done we got his IQ score. I was curious and was doing some research to figure out what exactly those numbers mean and one site I found said that people with an IQ in his range tend to enjoy being chefs. Too funny when you consider this is the child that wanted to go to Williams-Sonoma to put things on his wishlist, spent 20min with me checking out all the children's cookbooks to make sure they had "real cooking" in them for his Hanukkah bookbag, and was thrilled that his big present was a pizza stone. He's coming with me to a Pampered Chef party this weekend and has said he'd like to just have me do his birthday shopping while we are there. Hmmmm....maybe there is something to that IQ site. LOL

Otherwise, when he's not getting stomach bugs like his brother Matt, he's doing really well. I still get some of the ornery 'tude from him but it's been decreasing and I continue to hear from his extra-curricular teachers that he's a joy in class. How well he has them fooled.

Nicholas ~ It took some time for me to deal with the new look he's sporting but he adjusted very quickly. He actually seems to think it's way cool that he is now a vampire and loves all the funny noises he can make without those pesky teeth in the way. He had a follow-up appointment because the temporary filling came out of one tooth and the gums got scratched and were hurting him but the doctor said his teeth looked really good so there's something. He loves the fact that we give him xylitol candy daily as part of his dental treatment. Poor kid has it rough, what can I say.

Once we got things settled after all the doctor's stuff, I have been making it a point to have him do "school" like his big brothers. His reading is really taking off and he's about 1/2 way through the first Hooked on Phonics box and loving it! We play lots of games and keep it really relaxed and fun. He's also working in the Math Made Easy Grade 1 workbook and loving it. Someone suggested using Explode the Code workbooks with him and I got the first one and started laughing as I realized that it is the same workbook Chris and Matt used when they were in the Montessori school. It's been a great fit for him and his handwriting just amazes me with how good it is for a not-quite 5yr old. Is it wrong of me to say that it's easier to read than Jon or Chris's? *sigh* In addition to that, we do Five in a Row and some critical thinking stuff every day. Today he surprised me when we went to the library to get this week's Five in a Row book by going and picking out a previous one to have me read to him again. He really does enjoy the books that they pick for the most part which is wonderful as it's gotten him into reading with me without a hassle.

About the time I stopped writing here, Nicholas decided that he no longer wanted to do KSW. This was a blow as it made it very difficult for me to go if I wasn't doing the family class with him. Well, while he has decided that the regular KSW classes aren't for him, he has decided that he loves being a Little Ninja (our KSW 3-6yr old program). It's only a 30min class rather than an hour and there is a lot more playing and keeping it light there which works well for him. I've seen a marked change in the last month of his going where he is sitting and listening better, showing more respect, and trying harder. I like the way they structure it as well. There are 8 colored stripes and each represents a different aspect that the children are working on (focus, teamwork, control, balance, memory, discipline, fitness, and coordination). To test for the next belt, they need to get two stripes in each color. Generally they work on two colors per week with one color being M/T and the second being W/Th and the students can get two stripes in a single class if they do as they are asked. If they goof around too much, they can lose a stripe or even both if they have to be asked to leave because they are being too disruptive. Our first couple of classes, Nicholas had to leave for brief periods as he was getting too goofy and not listening but this has improved by leaps and bounds. In fact, earlier this month for the first time he got one strip instead of both. He felt awful when he got home and asked that we go back the next day to try again for his second stripe. The schedule was a bit of a mess because they were trying to get everyone what they needed in order to test this Friday. He then decided we had to go to class every day until he got that 2nd stripe and the last color he needed in order to test. I'm happy to say that he accomplished that last week and got his testing invitation. Now we can resume our 2xs/wk schedule that doesn't drive me insane and yet he's still happy.

So I think that pretty much catches things up on the kids. Not much going on with me these days other than trying to keep up with the kids, the house, and the schoolwork. I've been slowly working on bringing exercise back into my life and my feet are finally starting to accept it. I've kept my date with Tony Horton and his 10min Trainers for 16 days in a row now and I'm getting to KSW twice a week as well. I am actually testing this Friday for my brown belt (ok, Mark is too). My knitting is coming along nicely although I've found that due to my brain being slightly distracted the day I started my Doctor Who scarf, instead of being about 10" wide it's closer to 16". Whoops! By the time I realized it tho, I was too far into it to want to rip it all out and start over again so this scarf will just be way too wide for the pattern. Oh, well. Life goes on.

The only other thing is my reading which it's obvious has been going along nicely. I managed 120 books in 2010 with 36 new authors mixed in (not including text book authors). It was a great year for reading but since it came at the expense of my health and my waist, I'm planning on keeping to try for 104 this year but with 40 new authors. Hopefully I'll make that since I'm still reading Christopher's book choices this year.

In family news, we attended the KSW Tournament in October with 5 of us competing. Mark got the copper in sparring, Chris got a copper in sparring, and Matthew came home with a bronze in techniques. Jon and I didn't place but I'm happy just for the experience and even more so to see our instructor get promoted to Master and the Masters' demonstration. Man, what those people can do! Something I can only strive to work towards.

In other big news, we just met with a Realtor yesterday to figure out what we need to do to put our house on the market and look into upgrading. It's going to take a huge amount of work to empty this place as much as possible, paint, some new floors in two of the bedrooms, upgrading the kitchen, and taking care of some repair work. Affording it is also going to be quite the task but hopefully it will all be worth it when we can move into a new house that is twice the size of this one and we can all stretch out a bit more. A girl can dream.

So with that, I think I've gotten caught up with the major stuff around here and can now resume my book blogging and posting random weird crap my kids do like Nicholas's new thing of saying "booyah!" every time he crosses the letter 't'.

104:120 Fated by S.G. Browne

Fabio (aka Fate) hates his job. Several thousand years of assigning fate to the majority of humans, all those who are not on the path of Destiny. He's tired of having the ones that aren't ever going to amount to much and even then only to watch them screw things up even worse than he had ever planned for them. Then he meets Sara. She is on Destiny's path but once Fabio lays eyes on her, he falls in love and all the rules he must follow fly out the window. Once he gets involved with her, he starts interacting with more and more humans to try and nudge them back to their assigned fates but things like that can't go unnoticed for long.

The same author who wrote Breathers: A Zombie's Lament, this one is almost as sick and twisted as that one. Highly enjoyable and a quick read with a nice twist at the end.

Page count: 352p/39,051p ytd

and with that, I finish my revised estimate of 120. It's been a great year for reading (if not much else).

104:119 A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain

Brief synopsis: A man mysteriously travels back in time 1300 years to the court of King Arthur. He ends up using his knowledge of electricity, guns, and manufacturing to "civilize" the time and try to bring about an end to rule by the knights and make it a republic.

I absolutely love Twain's style and you can only laugh at the adventures and thoughts of this man. You have to just ignore the fact that a common man would not have had the knowledge that this man did of how to build factories, trains, printing press, dynamite, revolvers, gatling guns, etc. Especially if he was trying to train people up to do it secretly but still, it's great fun to see how it might have gone down had it been possible. At the end tho, you can only feel sympathy for the man who slept through to come back to his own time away from the woman he ended up loving and their child and who dies missing them.

Page count: 184p/38,699p ytd

104:118 Dead Beat by Jim Butcher

The 7th book in the Dresden Files. Dresden is still not healed from his last fight. His hand is a mess and this has affected his ability to use fire as a result of his fear of it now. Mavra comes sailing back into his life to demand that he find the Word of Kemmler (a big nasty necromancer) and if not, she'll destroy Murphy's life. Only problem is that three other mean, nasty necromancers want that book for themselves. Can Harry manage to find the book, stop the necromancers from gaining god-like powers, keep Mavra happy, and still survive?

Seriously, no he can't. He'll need friends and more power than he can cook up on his own to stop this one but to get that much power may just mean selling his soul to the devil, or at least one of his minions. It will be interesting to see what the interest on that one is going to end up being.

In all, an easy read. Pretty typical urban fantasy although I was a bit disappointed as there wasn't much in the way of twists in this one. I kept looking for them but was disappointed that everyone and everything mentioned basically acted like they said they would. *humph* Usually Butcher tries to throw in some type of curve-ball, even if it's obvious, but it just wasn't there this time.

Page count: 424p/38,515p ytd

104:117 Lover Mine by JR Ward

The 8th book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood. This one centers around the relationship of Xhex and John Matthew although like the one with Phury, the romance is not always the front and center. If you've read the other books, you know John's feelings and you know Xhex feels something but is in denial. What you get more than anything here is some backstory on her, watching Tohrment start coming out of his head, Lash and the Lessers, more on Payne/Blay/Qhuinn. I appreciate those books more as the characters are growing and enriching the world rather than trying to force some unknown female into the arms of one of the Brothers while you scratch your head trying to figure out why two people (no matter race) who don't know each other and appear to have nothing in common end up together.

My big complaints with this book were the lack of the females except in medical situations (and only barely there then) and the weird abbreviatory talk that would get thrown in not during a conversation but just in random ways. It was odd and half the time I would have to actually stop to figure out what it was supposed to mean simply because it was so out of place. I don't mind it when it flows naturally but in many cases it didn't and it broke the spell of reading when it showed up. Otherwise, I enjoyed it. I still don't go chomping the bit to get the next one but it's become enjoyable to borrow.

Page count: 512p/38,091p ytd

104:116 Sin Undone by Larissa Ione

The 5th book in the Demonica series. Looks like this may be the last of the series as she seems to be segueing into a new series. As with the others in this series, even tho it involved sex demons who need to feed on sex, there is so much going. The situation with her and her potential mate does not shy away from everything she's gone through and how it has affected her but rather it confronts it head on and forces her to face it and start dealing with it. She and Con both have their own inner struggles to deal with and you know from the beginning that they will work it out but how they do it shows how their bond forms as they help each other deal with their issues.

Really enjoyed this and am kind of bummed that it looks like this series is done. Hoping that these characters at least make appearances in the new series but it seems like their main tales are done now that they are settled down with mates. Definitely a recommended series for those who like paranormal romance/urban fantasy.

Page count: 400p/37,579p ytd

104:115 Return to the Hundred Acre Wood by David Benedictus

80yrs have passed since AA Milne visited the Hundred Acre Wood but the magic lives on in this new book by David Benedictus with fabulous drawings by Mark Burgess. These two collaborated wonderfully to bring Christopher Robin, Pooh, and all their friends back to life in the style of writing and illustrations of AA Milne and Ernest H. Shepard. It was nice to read new stories with Pooh that were not of the Disney variety and this captured the innocence and timeless qualities wonderfully. My boys agreed and we enjoyed curling up under the blankets to see what our friends had been up to.

If you enjoyed the original works for AA Milne, go pick this one up.

Page count: 201p/37,179p ytd

104:114 An Artificial Night by Seanan McGuire

The 3rd book in the October Daye series. I really felt like this one stepped it up a notch. Much more in the realm of fae and dealing with it's rules. Blind Michael is stealing children to be his riders and when he makes off with those of Toby's friends, she steps up to go get them back from the firstborn. Is she in way over her head? Absolutely, but her morals will not let her do less. She finally realizes in this book that she is a hero and that her lifespan will likely be shortened as a result but that she is doing what needs to be done. But when her Fetch shows up (a harbinger of her death), she also realizes that her time may be up even sooner than she thought.

Really enjoying the direction this series is taking. Things slow down and then hit with a bang and just when you think it's over, something else pops up and puts Toby in the thick of things again. I admit, I was a little annoyed at how often she had to go back to Blind Michael's realm but I can also see the logic in it all. I really want to know what is going on with Tybalt tho but being Cait Sidhe, it will probably be several more books before that comes out. Cats just aren't that keen to let anyone know what is on their minds.

Page count: 354p/36,978p ytd

104:113 A Local Habitation by Seanan McGuire

The 2nd book in the October Daye series. Toby is back in the employ of Sylvester and has resumed her PI business. Sylvester has asked her to go check on his niece whom he has not hear from in weeks but whom he can not go visit because of the political problems that would ensue since her knowe is in Fremont, between his lands and a possible nemesis.

It all seemed simple enough until Toby learned that people had been dying and the murders are escalating once she gets there. The blood is empty and the night-haunts aren't taking the bodies away which has everyone stumped. Can Toby figure out who is doing this before everyone, including herself, is dead?

Again, started a little slow but without all the exposition to fill in back story and the world, it picked up quickly. Some of the twists and turns were fairly apparent but others, including who and the motivation behind it, were not. These definitely fall much more into the murder mystery but with a fairie twist than most of the urban fantasy I've been reading. It makes for a nice change of pace and I look forward to the next book.

Page count: 377p/36,624p ytd

104:112 Blood Rites by Jim Butcher

The 6th book in the Dresden Files. As always, lots going on in this book and with Harry's life. I have to think that he's wishing for only one crisis to deal with at a time as each book has at least two if not three or four. This one starts off easy enough when Thomas hires him to help out his friend Arturo, an adult film producer, who is having trouble with women dying in bizarre ways on the set. What Harry doesn't know is that Thomas is having major issues with his father. Or that he and Harry have something more in common than Harry could have ever guessed. But oh, yeah, Mavra seems to be in town gunning for Harry on top of all this so he hires Kincaid to help take her out and then has to figure out how to pay the mercenary's fee.

No problem for our hero, Harry. Poor sod.

Fun read, fun seeing how it all gets tied together although the ending was a bit predictable but with a nice little cliff-hanger for the next one.

Page count: 372p/36,247p ytd

104:111 The Ancient Roman World by Mellor & McGee

Part of "The World in Ancient Times" history series for middle school by Oxford. I learned a lot with this one starting from the beginning as they had more than one version of the founding of Rome. Weird since all I had ever heard about previously was the story of Romulus and Remus. There was also a fair amount on the emperors that came after Augustus, how they were chosen, how they ruled, etc. There was a chapter on the Jews and their history as well as a chapter on how Christianity started and spread. In all, I felt it was a good well-rounded history book that presented a lot more than just what seems to be typically known and explained the findings that told us these things.

Page count: 176p/35,875p ytd

104:110 Rosemary & Rue by Seanan McGuire

I believe this was her debut novel. Urban fantasy but going with fae rather than vampires and werewolves. Not completely original (LKH Meredith Gentry) but she definitely has her own spin on the entire thing which seems to be well thought out. There were some parts that were really slow but with so much world-building being put in, it's understandable.

First, my complaints. Toby (October Daye, main protagonist) is continually getting the stuffing knocked out of her and only escaping by the grace of others. Not her wits, not her, but other people showing up in the nick of time to save her. It gets old when your "hero" can't seem to fight or think their way out of a paperbag. Lot's of introspective dialog, much of it bordering on too repetitive, that slows things down. And I found the part where her family has no interest in seeing her after her 14yr disappearance pretty unbelievable.

With all that, the twists and turns of the plot were fun even if I did guess the bad guy pretty early on, I was at least kept guessing if I was right or not until it was revealed. Several of the other characters were also fun to read about and I hope to see more of them in future books. The world was well done and interesting. I'm hoping to see Toby grow a lot more as well and be able to do more than just take a licking while everyone else seems to know what she should be doing long before she figures it out.

Page count: 346p/35,699p ytd

104:109 The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy & Goth Girl by Barry Lyga

I'm pretty sure I knew most of the people depicted in this book although the names had been changed to protect the guilty. Yep, this was my crowd in high school. I wasn't ever quite as out of the loop as Fanboy is but I lived in his world. My friends were part of that world. As such, this book spoke volumes to me in what it said but also in what it didn't say.

I think my favorite part of this book was the ending. It's not a "and they lived happily ever after" thing which would have ruined it all. My only problem was that in my experience, Fanboy would not have gotten the backbone he grew for another couple of years but it was satisfying to watch it happen more quickly and that the scene with Dina would never have happened. Chalk those up to literary license. But the author got so much correct, especially so many of the feelings going on his head through the whole thing.

I'm loaning it out to Christopher to read now as I'm curious as to his opinion. Hopefully it will show him that what he's going through is not uncommon and that he too can find a way through it.

Page count: 311p/35,353p ytd

104:108 The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

The sequel to The Forest of Hands and Teeth. I continue to be intrigued by her world, how she is doling out the information of the post-apocalyptic world of the Unconsecrated (or Mudo, if you prefer), and how things are organized outside of the Forest. In this book, we start getting a glimpse of the history of how things came to be as they are now.

Unfortunately, I am not an enamored of her characters. The main female is whiny and annoying. I spent much of the time wishing she would get infected and die so someone else can step up. I can't root for her to get what she wants because what she wants changes from moment to moment depending on which guy she is looking at. I get the whole teenage girl thing, really I do having been one myself once upon a time. But I can't relate to her. The entire freaking book is her wishing she could have a do-over so the first guy she might have been able to love wouldn't get infected. Yet she feels almost no remorse over the guy she killed? Over her friends getting sent away? Over all the other people who died? Sorry but even at my shallowest, I don't think I approached this level of narcissism. However, it fits right in there with the main character from the last book. *sigh*

Honestly, I don't think I'll continue to read this series unless someone can tell me for certain I won't spend the entire read wanting to smack the main character. The world building just isn't enough of a factor in the books to keep me going.

Page count: 404p/35, 042p ytd

and with that, I have finished my pages read goal for the year as well. Apparently spending lots of time sick and injured is good for something although not the state of my house.

104:107 Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper

Christopher's bookclub read for last month. I had no real idea what the book was about other than it had something to do with Indians. I knew there had been a movie made with the same title but I hadn't seen it so I really went into reading this with no expectations.

I enjoyed it a lot. I liked that the Indian culture was researched and respected by the author. It was incredibly descriptive and the characters rich plus a villain you just have to hate. I liked that although generally women of this time were "docile, the gentle sex", Cora has an underlying strength and while afraid will still speak her mind and not allow herself or her sister to be bullied. To put this in stark contrast to Gamut who is frequently more a detriment to the small party beleaguered on all sides is wonderfully done. Intense action and fast-paced as well. Truly just an all around winner.

Page count: 430p/34,638p ytd

104:106 The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Have to admit I was surprised by this one. My oldest handed it to me saying "zombie zombie zombie" and there were zombies but on the cover it is hailed as a "postapocalyptic romance". Ok. I get how those two can be combined. Really, but what had me scratching my head was my 16yr old son raving over it (he's definitely not the romantic type). After reading it, I think I get it a little more.

The romance was definitely a major part of the story line but having the main characters being constantly besieged by zombies and the romance not being overly gushy I think made it good for him. Lots of the main characters dying probably helped a bit too. Personally, I felt the writing was good but the main character in particular really got on my nerves. Teenage angsty crap in the worst way. Yes, I remember being there and feeling some of the same things but you know, I lived through it once and am now dealing with it in regards to my own teenager and just don't feel the need to spend what little free time I have reading about it. That's not to say that my own adult versions of this don't go that way from time to time but at least it's usually not as in your face.

So I give this one an "ok but not great". There is a sequel which I will probably read because I am curious as to where the author is going to take things from here, especially since the choices that were getting the character angsty are now decided for her. Maybe it will be better now that things are more established? I can only hope so.

Page count: 310p/34,208p ytd

104:105 Harvest Hunting by Yasmine Galenorn

The 8th book in the Sisters of the Otherworld series by Yasmine Galenorn. This one was told by Delilah. Chase is dealing with his taking of the Nectar of Life and their relationship doesn't look like it can handle it. The Autumn Lord has decreed that she must begin her training and that she is to look for his surrogate whom she will know when her mark starts to sing. But of course, life continues to go on and there are still demons trying to hunt them down, the spirit seals to find and protect, the issues going on between the sisters and their father, and their suspicions of the Elf Queen. Life just can't get any more fun for the D'Artigo sisters.

This is life. There is never just one problem at a time, the bad guys don't just wait for you to find them, and your friends/family aren't always going to be there. People get hurt, sometimes even killed. Again, these books are fast paced with tons of sub-plots going on but everything is woven together so splendidly. I'm already chomping at the bit for the next one.

Page count: 273p/33,898p ytd

104:104 Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Read for Matthew's book club. I still can't believe I'd never read this book before. I found it be wonderfully detailed and the language incredibly rich and descriptive. The constant side-switching of Silver kept me on my toes figuring out how things would all work out (have to admit I was hoping he'd swing after everything he'd orchestrated). A quick read but thoroughly enjoyable.

And with this, I've finished my 104 books challenge although I haven't hit the 35,000 pages that I was going for yet. This is the first year that I've hit 104 books with so much time to spare. Usually I'm reading like a fiend on December 31 trying to finish the last book. LOL I've got just under 1,500p to read to finish that goal up and I'm sure that won't be too hard with 2mos left on the year. I'm not going to figure out a new goal in terms of books read although I will obviously be continuing to read and I'll probably keep the same goals for next year as well. I'll wait to do a top 10 or something of my favorite books until the end of the year.

Page count: 177p/33,625p ytd

104:103 Death Masks by Jim Butcher

Book 5 of the Dresden Files. Once again, Mr. Butcher has many different plots all twisting Dresden around in many different directions and which will resolve into 2 different ones once everything settles towards the end. In the end, most things are wrapped up nicely with just a few slightly loose ends that will likely be further plot points.

So the basic plot points here are that Ortega of the Red Vampire Clan has challenged Harry to a duel to end the war between the Red Clan and the White Council. Susan is back in town which has something to do with Ortega. The Shroud of Turin has been stolen and is believed to be in Chicago and Harry has been asked to find it. The Denarian are out and about and appear to be gunning for Harry. Michael and his fellow Knights are determined to keep Harry out of things as they've been given a piece of a prophecy that his being involved could get him killed.

Butcher does a good job of keeping all the different sub-plots going and eventually condensing. I'm personally surprised by the fact that Dresden can keep all the different plots against his life straight so he remembers to get to the duel before heading to deal with the thing he was just in the middle of. Talk about all kinds of superhuman.

In all, a fun read. I'm enjoying the series for the bubblegum that it is. Nothing deep, no major character developments. People and plot are pretty straight forward with no major twists or turns but sometimes, it's nice to just go along for the ride.

Page count: 374p/33,448p ytd

104:102 Feed by Mira Grant

Not something I would usually pick-up and choose to read but yet again, the 16yr old handed it to me and said 'You MUST read this". I put it on my to read pile and promised to get to it when I could.

OMG! I am NOT generally a zombie person. They are okay but I won't go out of my way to see a zombie movie nor read a zombie book unless there is something incredibly unique about it (aka Breakthers) but this one had me hooked early on and by the middle I could no longer put it down until I had finished it. The characters were so real, the world she pictures (takes place in 2040) is so believable, it's impossible not to care about everyone. You are shocked when the acts of sabotage are committed and I will admit to actually crying at one point in the book (won't tell when tho). It's not often a book gets to me in that way but this one did.

This is the first in what will be a series although I don't know when the next will be out and Mira Grant is actually a pen name for Seanan McGuire who has an urban fantasy series in that name (which I have and totally can't wait to get to now that I've read this one).

In the words of my 16yr old "Go read this book NOW!"

Page count: 599p/33,074p ytd

104:101 Discord's Apple by Carrie Vaughn

I had no idea what to expect when I saw this in the bookstore. The only thing I knew was that I had enjoyed other books by this author so I grabbed it. Not my normal inclination for a new hardback that isn't in a current series I'm reading but sometimes fate leads you and following is good.

This was really different from her Kitty novels. No werewolves, no vampires, nothing so mundane for this book. We have nothing less than the return of the ancient magic and goddesses, kings and magicians. In a world intent on tearing itself apart, can they save us and at what cost?

Simplistic in her writing style, she lets the story tell itself rather than elaborately embellishing it. The story itself does weave through time a bit but only to give you information as you need it. I thoroughly enjoyed her weaving of this tale with all the different characters that she brought to it and was disappointed at the end only because it was over so quickly and it seems to be a stand-alone.

Page count: 299p/32,475p ytd

104:100 Lover Avenged by JR Ward

The 7th book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Ok, I'm admitting it. I'm glad I stuck with it. I really almost stopped reading because the cliche formula had just gotten to be too much for me and I was gagging it down. Not how I really want to spend my reading time. The last one was good so I was suspecting this one to be back to awful formula. I couldn't have been more wrong or more pleasantly surprised. In this one we get more in depth with Rehvenge. We already know about his deal with the princess of the sympaths and we know that he killed his step-father. We know he's a drug dealer and not a person (vampire/sympath) to piss off. In this one tho, we really get farther into his mind and see how deep his loyalties to those he loves do run.

Not only that tho but things with Lash and the lessers continue to play a fairly prominent role and there is some other drama going on with the vampire glymera. Top it all off but Wrath finally loses his sight completely and there is a lot for him to deal with.

Of course, it ends with a happy ending and Rehvenge gets his mate. And the next book is set-up to deal with the situation between John Matthew and Xhex (big surprise there, I know).

Page count: 647p/32,176p ytd

104:99 The Ancient Greek World by Jennifer T. Roberts & Tracy Barrett

Middle School level ancient history. I felt this did a very good job of going through ancient Greek history. It didn't focus over much on religion and mythology as I've seen so many others do. It focused more on how people lived and how their lives developed. Lots on the wars since that was, unfortunately, a fairly common occurrence but also on the development of the poleis (Greek city-states). They told of King Leonidas and his 300 Spartans against Xeres of Persia (the basis for the recent movie 300). Lots on the inventors and philosophers as well. Overall, very pleased with this series for middle school history.

Page count: 175p/31,529p ytd

104:98 Summer Knight by Jim Butcher

The 4th book in the Dresden Files. Harry is a wreck after what happened to Susan in the previous book and has been working non-stop for weeks to try and find a "cure". Unfortunately, his actions have started a war between the Red Court of the Vampires and the White Council of Wizards. The Council has charged Harry with gaining them safe passage from the Winter Queen, Mab, through her lands in Fairy or he will be given over to the Red Court to put an end to the war. Mab has already contacted Harry to let him know that his godmother has sold her stake on him to the Queen and she has a job for him. The Summer Knight has been killed and his mantle of power stolen and Mab is being accused. She wants Harry to find out who did it and clear her name. So just a few things for Harry to deal with.

Lots of fun, lots going on, lots of political intrigue. Not so much in the character development or growth. Harry is who he is and I suspect that we will see little growth beyond who we saw in the first book. Still, it's a fun urban fantasy series and good for when you want to turn the brain off and just enjoy the ride.

Page count: 371p/31,354p ytd

104:97 Lover Enshrined by JR Ward

The 6th book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Yeah, I kept reading them. I have to say I was much happier with this book than the last. The war with the Lessers has heated up, more vampire politics, and changes to the religion of the vampires. We don't learn a lot of Phury's past as so much of that was covered with Z so there was a lot more time spent on dealing with his addiction issues. Yes, in the end of course he got his one perfect mate but it didn't instantly fix his problems and overall, it was a minor part of the story.

I'm really hoping this trend continues in the next book. It would definitely make me think better of this series.

Page count: 534p/30,983p ytd

Happy Sweet 16, Christopher!!!

So hard to believe that 16yrs has passed since the moment we first heard you cry as you entered the world. So many ups and downs throughout your life and this last year has been no exception. I think this year tho, has seen so many huge changes in you that it's almost like your first 2yrs all over again. The incredible leaps in independence in so many areas, the maturity that is starting to be displayed more and more often, the self-confidence. I continue to look at you and wonder what happened to my baby but I also look at you and marvel at the incredible man you are starting to become.

I'm so proud of you and I love you with all my heart (despite my embarrassing you at every possible moment today).

Happy 16th Birthday Christopher!

104:96 Lover Unbound by JR Ward

The 5th book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. In this one we cross way over into the "Oh, come on! You can't be freaking serious?" realm of romance writing and I think this one has cemented the "I don't do romance books" into my brain. I just can not take how ridiculous this one got when the writing brought back the female love interest as a ghost just so the couple could stay together.

The good parts, learning more about V was nice. I do enjoy the background stories on the brothers. The start of Phury's book was in evidence. Unfortunately, that was the pretty much the only good part of this book. The plot was slow, the Lessers were a side note, the romance was totally unbelievable. Honestly, the worst of the series so far.

I have the next two here and want to be able to hand them back so I'm going to keep going but I'm almost cringing at the thought. Really hoping the next one is better.

Page count: 502p/30,449p ytd