That Just Happened!

Woohoo!  I have actually made it half way through the event!  And to commemorate this momentous occasion I get to answer a survey (and I love answering questions about myself, that’s for sure)!

1. What are you reading right now?  I am getting ready to start my next book: Drop Dead, Gorgeous by Mary Janice Davidson.
2. How many books have you read so far? This will be book #3

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? The one I am about to start.  I love Mary Janice Davidson’s books.  They are always a fun read.

4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day? No special arrangements, but MPW has done a great job of getting me coffee and taking care of the dog.

5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those? Not too many interruptions.  I think a lot of them have been planned into the day so I have had some strategic breaks.  Although, I am mid-way through a can of pop and I am on bathroom trip #2…

6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far? How much fun it is and how easy it is to read for two hours without noticing.

7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? Not yet, but maybe as I go along.

8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year? I would definitely have more of a schedule and I would get a better sleep the night before.

9. Are you getting tired yet?  A little tired of reading, but not tired yet.  I am more of a night person anyway, this morning was definitely harder.

10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered? No tips, per se, just thank you cheerleaders for taking the time to post, I like having a cheering section.  Wouldn’t it be nice if we could have one all the time.  “You showered in 10 minutes!  WTG!  Saving the environment FTW!”  and such.

Well, it’s back to reading now.  Thanks to all the followers who are going to have to sort through a plethora of posts tomorrow in their feed from me!

That Just Happened!

As the calendar flips from September to October, Halloween ideas are posted daily.  So many of them are uber-creative and professional.  Popular cookie recipes, house decor, and costume ideas circle the blogosphere.  “Grilled Cheese Witches” and “Halloween Wreaths” galore.  First of all let me say: Thank goodness I don’t have kids because I can’t make grilled cheese (that’s why I have MPW) and where the hell am I going to store my Halloween wreath when not in use? (very limited storage space, people.)  I’m not going to waste my time decorating so that my dog can chew something different and diarrhoea all over the floor for the third time this week (aside: thanks to the groomer for that wheat-filled snack).  My Ghost marshmallows are going to be scary, not cute, because I cannot decorate marshmallows.   My fun witch in the garden would be a Witch under the Couch because I do not have a yard.   

I feel like if I did have kids I would have to at least try to Martha Stewart the crap outta this holiday.  I would feel like a failure as I sat and cried into my soggy crepe paper pumpkin garland.  My kids would ask me what movie my “monster face” was from and I would have to tell them that it isn’t a monster face; it’s the face of an all night cry-fest and an epic parent fail combined. 

However, Halloween is supposed to be a fun holiday; a time of rejoicing and slutting-up everyday things like nurses, or kittens.  So, if I did have kids to impress these are the things I would be willing to do to make their holi-ween-day wishes come true.

1.    I would be willing to cut up my best flat sheet to turn them into a last minute ghost because you can’t send out a kid wearing a costume with real blood on it (from where I pricked my fingers sewing it.)

2.   I would take the safety and well-being of my kids seriously, so of course I will be sampling all the candy to make sure it is free from poison, blades, and trans-fats.

3.   I will act like I’m in a J-Lo Rom-Com and pick out the ugliest professional Halloween muffins to bring to the school for the bake sale (refer to: The Back Up Plan) and tell them I made it myself and they’ll not only believe me because the muffin is cute yet imperfect and they’ll sing my praises for being a whiz in the kitchen because the muffins taste amazing.

4.    I won’t dress like a sexy wizard/monster/nurse/witch/librarian/fairy/princess/doctor/pilot to take them trick-or-treating.  Despite the competition to be the hottest MILF on the block, I don’t find a nurse coming towards me with a large needle a turn-on in real life, and I don’t think shortening the hem lines really help.

Yep, I would be willing to do all that so my kids can have a memorable Halloween.  Plus, no one wants to give candy to a crying kid, and mama needs some chocolate! 

That Just Happened!

I am a bit behind in posting some book reviews, so this week and next that is primarily what I am going to be posting.  I hope everyone in the U.S. had an  awesome Thanksgiving and spent some time with loved ones.  This weekend was particularly busy for MPW and I.  We did a lot of visiting and my dear friends Becky and Jeremy were kind enough to dog-sit for us.  (She is, after all, a super dog sitter.)

On Saturday we went to my Aunt Sharon’s house to visit with her and the family.  She lives outside the GTA, in a small community, so it kind of feels like you are going to a cottage.  In the summer there is even a river that you can go tubing down!  It was a lot of fun to see them and catch up.  Then it was on to the next stop…

That night we went to Chris and Elizabeth’s house for their annual Christmas party.  It was so nice to hang around and not have to worry about the dog, or getting home in time to take the dog out.  Their little girl, Sydney, is one year old soon and quite the little mover.  She is all over the place, though as the night went on and she got sleepier she was walking like she was on a swaying boat. 

This was taken 6 months ago, so you can imagine how big she’s become.  Unfortunately, MPW and I both didn’t think to bring our cameras. 

The other awesome part about this weekend was being able to spend time with people who are super excited for MPW and I.  Yes, that’s right.  Excited.  For our news.  And now I get to share it with all of my bloggy-friends.  MPW and I are engaged!  Yes, after 9 years of relationship bliss (and a lot of not-so-subtle hints), we have   MPW has finally decided to make it official.  And I have the ring to prove it!   We’re looking at 2012 to get married, so there is a lot of time to plan this thing.  Also, I promise I will keep posting about books and random other stuff, I have no intention of turning this into a wedding-planning blog.  There may be the occasional story, because weddings get crazy and people who have them get crazy and people who help with them get crazy, and of course I would have to share, but the wedding stuff will be kept to a minimum.  So, yeah.  I feel like an elephant has been lifted off my chest, but another slightly smaller animal is taking the spot…there is a lot to do.  However, for now we are just going to enjoy being engaged.  I haven’t even bought a wedding magazine yet!  (Hey, I sad “yet”, there will be magazines.)  I’m getting married!!!

YEAH, THAT JUST HAPPENED!