.Updated Reading List.

It's been almost 2 months since I last updated you on what my little eyes have been reading. I would like to still think I am a lean mean reading machine, but I slowed down my reading in Dec. But I am happy to report that I have picked it up again and once more will become a lean mean reading machine!

Here are the books I have read in the last 2 months:

New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn: Stephenie Meyer: Oh my! I really didn't think I would get so sucked into these books. But man, they were good! After I finished reading the books I re-watched all of the movies and then got my little but to the movie theatre to see Breaking Dawn! I still cannot believe that I have entered the dark side!

Fight Club: Chuck Palahniuk: This was my first Palahniuk book ever! I know a few people who really love his stuff, so I thought I would give it a try. It was good book, easy to read, plus I kept hearing Brad Pitts voice while reading it because I was thinking of the movie. It's very cleverly done and if you haven't seen the movie you don't see the ending coming. 

Off the Beaten Track: Traveller's Anthology: Laura Stoddart - Cute little book filled with traveling quotes. The artwork is so pretty and dainty, it was a must have. I even bough another book by her because of how cute it was!

Promises to Keep: Jane Green: I loved this book! The only reason I picked it up to read was because we sell it at our bookstore and I wanted to be able to recommend books we have there! It was sooo good, a quick, easy read. It gets to the heart of family, surviving the toughest of times, and finding hope and love through it all. Please read this! We have sold all of our copies in the store because I keep recommending it to people!! 

On Chesil Beach: Ian McEwan: This is the first book I have read by McEwan and it made me want to read more of him! The way he is able to give detail and make you feel exactly what the characters are feeling is amazing. This was a small, little book about a couple on their wedding night, as well as their relationship before and after. 

10 Best Days of my life: Adena Halpern: I read this book so you do not have to. It was stupid, I do not recommend it. I started it on the train and since I was half way done by the time we reached our destination I just wanted to finish it. The book had a lot of editing errors, someone even made a few edits in pencil to the book from the library! The story revolves around a 29yr. old who is in the highest degree of heaven and will be demoted to a lower degree of heaven if she does not show that she was going to do something with her life and she has to write an essay about the 10 best days of her life.   Again, it's not worth your time reading!

* I guess it's going to be a movie.....wait to watch the movie *

The Life & Times of Thunderbolt Kid: Bill Bryson: I LOVE Bill Bryson!!! He is such a great writer, I love his style so much. He is easy to read, funny, and puts you in his stories with such an ease. This is his autobiography about growing up in Des Moines, IA during the 1950s.  He talks about the town, childhood innocence and shenanigans, and how it really was a great period of time to be a kid. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone! Plus it's even better if you probably grew up in that era in a smaller city in the midwest!!

Chocolat: Joanne Harris: I read one of her books when I first got to Australia and loved it. It made me want to read more of her, so of course I went to the op shop and found Chocolat! What a fun little book about chocolate, friendship, and being yourself no matter what. I just finished it not long ago and want so desperately to watch the movie now! Hello, it has Johnny Depp in it...and I just can't wait to find out what character he plays! I think its Roux, but I'm not sure...eeepp!!! Please read this book!

CURRENTLY READING: 

In the last 5 months while living in Australia I have read 27 books!!! I have no idea how many books I read before we headed down here (my list is in the states) but I don't think it was near that many!!! 

Maybe in 2012 I will read 50 books...wanna join me?

.2011.

Woozah! Can you believe it, another year come and gone! It seems like as you get older the years go by faster and faster. I still can hardly believe that in 24 hours it will be 2012! When you were a kid, didn't you think that in 2012 we would all be in hover cars, flying around in space? I know that I did, I think maybe The Jetsons had to much influence on me!

If asked to describe 2011 in one short sentence I would say: It was the year change began.  2011 was the year we made a HUGE decision to pack up our bags, move them across country, and then move ourselves to Australia. We chose to follow our dreams, go on an adventure, and take a chance on life. It was a year when we celebrated one grandmothers 90th birthday and another's passing.  It was a year when we fell more in love with each other than ever before, pushed each other, and challenged each other. It was the year we grew closer to family even though we were farther apart. It was the year that we lived abroad for almost half of the year (5 months), when we arrived in the country with just our suitcases and backpacks.

When thinking about 2012, I get excited because everything that we have done in 2011 is leading us to a great year in 2012. 2012 is going to be a year of change for us! We will be living back in MN, thinking about starting a family, getting a dog, finding jobs, planting our roots in one place, and living a healthy, active lifestyle. I honestly think that 2011 and 2012 are the two years that are going to be the building blocks of our future.

How was your 2011? 

What are you most excited about looking into the new year? 

Make sure you check out my 2011 pics! I have taken 291/365 days this year, that means 75% of the year has been documented!! That is amazing! I missed only 74 days out of the year, which is okay because as you know life can get crazy at times!!

HAVE A SAFE AND GREAT NEW YEARS!!