Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Characters in Books I'd Like to Be BFF's with:
This list was harder to complete than I thought it would be. In no particular order:
1. Elizabeth Bennett (I wanted to BE her) -- from Pride & Prejudice -- because she's intelligent, rational, beautiful, confident, and can speak easily to others.
2. Fitzwilliam Darcy -- from Pride & Prejudice -- because he's handsome, rich, willing to recognize his faults and try to change them, loves without regard, kind, generous
3. Ender Wiggins -- from the Ender's Game "trilogy" -- because he's intelligent, clever, wounded, and stalwart
4. Nancy Drew -- from the Nancy Drew series -- because she's awesome
5. Scout Finch -- from To Kill A Mockingbird -- because she's outspoken, unafraid, curious, has a strong moral compass, and has fun
6. Hermione Granger -- from the Harry Potter series -- because she's intelligent (I see a theme, here), loyal, confident, always prepared, and can do magic
7. Thursday Next -- from the Thursday Next series -- because she's willing to learn, admit her faults, believes in true love, has the coolest uncle, and can jump into books 
8. Skeeter Phelan -- from The Help -- because she has a goal and goes after it, is willing to take risks for something that's right that she believes in, and recognizes her worth
9.  Alice Cullen -- from the Twilight series -- because she's loyal, has great taste in clothes, is a best-friend type person
10. Gale Hawthorne -- from the Hunger Games series -- because he's loyal, caring, respects boundaries (even when he doesn't like them), and can take care of me if the world comes to an end.


Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.

Talking Cats Play Pattycake

I laugh every time I see this :)

Adler Turns FIVE

Adler, the youngest son of my brother Stephan, celebrated his 5th birthday in style, complete with a bouncy house, two cakes (one was a cookie cake), a piñata, and the BIG gift.

Adler & Sammy

Sammy waiting for Adler to join him in the bouncy house

Proof that I'm taller than Holden...by a hair

He's cheating here, but soon he really will be taller than me.

This piñata didn't stand a chance.

Can you tell Adler's a baseball player? Look at that line! Baam!

The BIG gift!

Of course, Sammy had to try out the new bike.

The ping pong game OF THE CENTURY! Sam serves...

...Stephan returns. It was close but there can only be one winner.

My brother's family: Adler, Dara, Stephan, Holden

According to You

This is something new-ish going around Facebook, so I thought I'd post my answers here too. Just don't make fun of my music.

1. Put your iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc. on shuffle.         

2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.

3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS.

(My  personal note: Some of these were really good answers...it was shocking. Others didn't make any sense. Some I wish I could move around so it would fit better. But, for better or worse, here it is.)

1. IF SOMEONE SAYS 'ARE YOU OKAY' YOU SAY?

Wonderful Tonight (Eric Clapton)

2. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?

The Greatest (Kenny Rogers)

3. WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?

Fantasies and Dreams (The Weather)

 4. HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?

Happy to be Stuck with You (Huey Lewis & the News)

 5. WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?

Susanne (Swagger)

 6. WHAT'S YOUR MOTTO?

With or Without You (U2)

7. WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?

In the Ghetto (Elvis Presley) ... ouch!

 8. WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?

Metro (The Vincent Black Shadow)

 9. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?

I Want To Hold Your Hand (The Beatles)

 10. WHAT IS 2 + 2?

I'm the Only One (Melissa Etheridge)

 11. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?

Irreplaceable (Beyonce)

 12. WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?

Another One Bites the Dust (Queen) ...really?

 13. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

Some Girls (Rachel Stevens)

 14. WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE

Imagine (John Lennon)

 15. WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?

Run (acoustic cover by Ortopilot)

 16. WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?

Neverending Summer (Dayplayer)

 17. WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?

I Don't Feel Like Dancing (Scissor Sisters)

 18. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?

The Remedy (Jason Mraz)

 19. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?

I'd Rather Be With You (Joshua Radin)

 20. WHAT DO YOU WANT RIGHT NOW?

Just Dance (Lady Gaga & Colby O'Donis)

 21. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?

Midnight Train to Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips) 

 22. WHAT WILL YOUR CHILD'S FIRST WORDS BE?

I Fall to Pieces (Patsy Cline)

 23. WHAT DO YOU SAY WHEN YOU LOOK IN THE MIRROR?

Falling Slowly (Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova) 

 24. WHAT DID YOU SAY IN YOUR SLEEP LAST NIGHT?

You Just Call Out My Name (James Taylor)

 25. WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?

According to You (Orianthi)

Confession: I'm not the best blogger

My resolution to blog every day isn't going so well. But that's okay. I think it was unrealistic of me to think I could. But I am doing better than I did before September. At least I am blogging. I need to write more, though. I like the pictures and videos because they're easy and they express themselves better than I could ever describe. But I do need to write more. I promise to start trying.

Sammy Helps Make Grandma's Cake

   

The H-D-A-Y melted on top of the mini oven. "Happy Birt" Mom!

If this doesn't make you feel inadequate...

...nothing will. This is a three year old conducting to Beethoven, and he actually knows what he's doing.

Wordless Wednesday (Sometimes I don't know what he's thinking)

Top Ten Tuesday

My Top 10 Favorite Books (series count as one)
(in no particular order)

1. Harry Potter (series)
2. Ender's Game (series)
3. Hunger Games (series)
4. Pride & Prejudice
5. Thursday Next (series)
6. To Kill a Mockingbird
7. The Help
8. The Davinci Code
9. Atlas Shrugged
10. The Last Lecture