.the first time around.

During the first inauguration of President Obama, Dave and I had just moved to Virginia 6 months prior. We considered going to the inauguration and see history being made, we highly considered it. Then I remembered that I HATE crowds.....A LOT! Crowds make me feel anxious and not like humanity much, so we figured for my sanity we probably shouldn't go. Instead we went on a spontaneous trip before I started school and work again. We threw some clothes and food into the car and drove towards "the hills".  We had no idea where we would end up....and that was the best part of it all!!

We ended up going to the Blue Ridge Mountains and spending time doing a little hiking and taking in the views. We found ourselves a hotel room and then continued our journey through the Shenandoah the next day. It was a great, unplanned trip that I reflect back on now while watching our president being inaugurated for the second time. 

.misty from chincoteague.

Last night I started reading the children's book Misty from Chinoteague. It's an older beloved book that many people have read, including my pops. As I'm starting the book it has taken me back to the trip Dave and I took to Chinoteague in 2011 to see the wild ponies. Having been to where the book takes place I can visualize exactly what the author is writing. It had me thinking about our trip and how beautiful and amazing it was.  Check out my post about our trip and learn more about the wild ponies of Chinoteague...here!

.it's cold outside...

It's cold outside. Period, the end. It has been warm lately in the 30's, so dropping about 20 degrees over night just isn't right, mother nature, it's just not right.  So to help myself warm up a bit, I started thinking about what I was doing one year ago.

On January 12, 2012 my dad, Dave, and I were packing up all our items to leave the lovely town of Newcastle. My dad was going back to the states and Dave and I were going traveling for 3 weeks. We packed our bags and walked around all the spots we loved in Newcastle. The sun was shining and everything was warm and beautiful.

.our street corner. 

.we had one last fish and chips from Scotties and ate it at the beach. 

Oh, what I wouldn't give to be in the sunshine and beach of Australia again!!

.2012 books.

Here is the whole list of ALL the books I read in 2012!  I have highlighted my top ten books and linked them to amazon, this way you can read more about it and hopefully want to read it too!!

No Country For Old Men: Cormac McCarthy
The Ten Year Nap: Meg Wolitzer
Of Bees and Mist: Erick Setiawan
Deadly Decisions: Kathy ReichsL
Angela's Ashes: Frank McCourt
The Hunger Games: Suzanne Collins
One Day: Nicholas Day
Catching Fire: Suzanne Collins
Mockingjay: Suzanne Collins
Meet Josefina: Valerie Tripp
The Book Thief: Markus Zusak
We Are All Equally Far From Love: Adania Shibli
Little Princes: Conor Grennan
Warrior of the Light:  Paulo Coelho
The Girl's Guide to Homelessness: Brianna Karp
Room: Emma Donoghue
Skinny: Diana Spechler
The Lucky One: Nicholas Spark
I've Got Your Number: Sophie Kinsella
It Looked Different On the Model: Laurie Notaro
The Genie and Joe Maloney: Anita Feagles
Run Like A Girl: How Strong Women Make Happy Lives: Mina Samuels
New Owner's Guide to Bulldogs: Hank & Card Williams
Weird Sisters: Eleanor Brown
Virgin Suicides: Jeffery Eugenides
Lies that Chelsea Handler Told Me: Various 
Nickel & Dimed: Barbara Ehrenreich
Yiddish with Dick and Jane: Ellis Weiner
Still Mostly True: Brian Andreas
The Lost Continent: Bill Bryson
Through No Fault of My Own: Fesler Lampert
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? Mindy Kaling
Geek Love: Katherine Dunn
Jemima J: Jane Green
Mostly True: Brian Andreas
A Wrinkle in Time: Madeleine L'Engle
On The Bright-side, I'm No Longer The Girlfriend of a Sex God: Louise Rennison
Edgar Allan: John Neufeld
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children: Ransom Riggs
Bright Lights, Big Ass: Jen Lancaster
My Fair Lazy: Jen Lancaster
Evil Genius: Catherine Jinx
Genius Squad: Catherine Jinx
Genius Wars: Catherine Jinx
Sadako and 1,000 Paper Cranes: Eleanor Coerr
Coraline: Neil Gaiman
Pippi Longstocking:  Astrid Lindgren
The Little Prince: Antoine de Saint Exupery
Was She Pretty?: Leanne Shapton
The Reformed Vampire Support Group: Catherine Jinx
If You Were Here: Jen Lancaster
Balzac & The Little Chinese Seamstress: Dai Sijle

WHAT WERE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS THIS YEAR?

.a place to lay your head.

We all need a place to lay our sweet little heads...

Maggie..she has more than just one place to lay her (heavy) head. 

.my top 10 albums of 2012.

I'm a HUGE music fan and I thought it would be fun to do a little top ten list of my favorite albums. Not only did I love these albums Dave and I were able to see about half of these artists live in 2012 as well!! Anyways, let's get done with the small talk and right into the list:


10. Night Visions: Imagine Dragons
9. A Joyful Noise: Gossip
8. Hospitality: Hospitality
7. The Carpenter: Avett Brothers
6. Cynic's New Year: Horse Feathers
5. The Only Place: Best Coast
4. Bable: Mumford and Sons
3. My Head Is An Animal: Of Monsters and Men
2. Blunderbuss: Jack White
1. The Lumineers: The Lumineers 

Have you heard any of these albums or artists? If not it's your lucky day! I've created a playlist with a song from each of the ten albums to give you a little taste.  ENJOY!

.2012 in 12 photos.

.december books.

It's the end of the year and the last month for me to reach my reading goal of 50 books in 2012. Did I make it? Find out:

Genius Wars: Catherine Jinx  This is the third book within the Genius trilogy. The gang is at it again to find Prosper English and put a stop to him once and for all. Jinx takes us on a suspenseful journey while Cadel fights for the lives of his friends and family as well as his own.

Sadako and One Thousand Paper Cranes: Eleanor Coerr    Did you read this book back in middle school when you were younger? I never did and then someone at work said that it was her favorite kids book  and recommend it.  OH MY GOODNESS!!! This is such a touching little read that left me in tears. I'm not even going to tell you what it's about...all I am going to say is READ it and thank me after!!

Coraline: Neil Gaiman  I loved the movie Coraline when it came out and when I finally found out it was a book , I knew I had to read it.  I feel like all my co-workers LOVE Neil Gaiman, so I needed to read it right away. Unfortunately, I found the book to be good but not great. Gaiman is able to paint a picture with his words which I admire. I didn't even have to compare the book to the movie since he used his words to paint me the exact picture he wanted me to see.

Pippi Longstocking: Astrid Lindgren  I never knew the story about Pippi Longstocking all I knew was she had red hair in pigtails and owned a horse.  I LOVED this book and all the little stories about the crazy and lovable Pippi.  I am now a huge fan of Lindgren and am looking to read more of her books.  If you haven't read Pippi Longstocking you should read it and I recommend it to all young girls to read!

The Little Prince: Antoine de Saint Exupery  Yet another book that everyone should read as well as every little kid. The book only took me about an hour to read, I fell in love with it. I smiled and cried all within a few pages. Again, I'm not going to tell you what the book is about. I'm just going to tell you that you NEED to read it!!!

Was She Pretty?: Leanne Shapton  Quick, real quick book about girlfriends and relationships through the eyes of the guy. It has drawings with it as well...it's a cool little book.

The Reformed Vampire Support Group: Catherine Jinx  I was on a Jinx roll this last month! This book was pretty good, a light, funny read. The book follows a group of Vampires who have taken the oath not to drink human blood. One night one of the group members is killed which sends the other members on the hunt. Follow their adventures to figure out who is after them and all the little incidents that happen along the way.

If You Were Here: Jen Lancaster  This is Lancaster's first venture into fiction. However, she doesn't venture that far out, more like puts a toe into the water instead of doing a cannon ball. The story follows a middle aged Chicago husband and wife who move out of the city into Jake Ryan's house in Sixteen Candles. The house needs total renovation which pushes the couples relationship and finances. The voice of the book is the same as Lancaster using in her memoirs. It's a good book and fans of hers will also enjoy this novel.

Balzac and The Little Chinese Seamstress: Dai Sijie  This was a beautiful, enchanting book taking place in China during the Cultural Revolution. Two boys being re-educated in the country discover a trunk of banned books in which they steal to escape their reality. One boy who falls in love with the little seamstress also uses these books to teach the seamstress about the world and how to be a city girl. Both boys fall desperately in love with the little seamstress while she falls in love with the world and city from the worlds of the forbidden books.

DRUMMM ROLLL PLEASE......

Total read in 2012 is....

52/50!!!

I'm gonna be honest it was a little touch and go this month. I was nervous about having to read 6 books this month. My co-workers gave great recommendations for young adult and children chapter books to help pull me through to my goal!! One of the many perks of working in a bookstore!! 

Within the next week I will share with you my top 10 favorite books from 2012!