September reading list

Hi. My name is Jenny. (Hi Jenny) I am a book-aholic. I love to read!  Escaping to a different world does my heart good.  I am one of those people that will sit up to 2, 3 or 4 in the morning reading.  When I was in school I wouldn't let myself read non-textbook books, since I knew I would easily put school on the back burner.  Yes, I am that person.

This month I borrowed a few books from a friend and really enjoyed all of them.  Here was my September reading list:

Story about a man named Jacob, who finds himself joining the circus after his parents die.  Things seem to be going well for him, until he begins to fall in love with Marlena the enchanting equestrian performer.  This is a problem since she is married. 
The author, Sara Gruen, tells the story going back and forth between his past at the circus and where he finds himself in the present at a nursing home.  The character Jacob has a lot of fight in him for being ninety something and therefore makes the portions about his present just as interesting to read as his past. 
The book was an easy read that I found hard to put down.  There are a few raunchy parts, but overall pretty clean. 

Set in France, this story also jumps between the past and present.  The past being 1942, the middle of WWII.  Sarah's family is Jewish and we join them on the very night the French police come to their house to take them away.  Sarah's 4year old brother hides from the police in their favorite hiding place, a cabinet with a hidden lock.  Sarah pockets the key, promising to return shortly for her brother.  We jump 60 years later, to the the anniversary of this Jewish round-up called the Vel d’Hiv.  Julia is an American journalist living in Paris who is assigned to tell the story of this tragic event.  During her research she discovers that her husband's grandparents moved into the apartment that Sarah and her family were taken from.  Julia begins to uncover family secrets that stir up a wide range of emotions.
Be prepared to cry.  This book takes the reader on an emotional journey with both Sarah and Julia. Another book that was hard to put down.

What if imaginary friends, weren't imaginary?  What if they are only seen by the people that need them?  Cecelia Ahern explores the world of the imaginary friend, Ivan.  We meet up with Ivan as he is leaving his latest best friend and on the lookout for his new best friend.  When he finds Luke, Ivan is soon captivated by the boy's aunt Elizabeth.  She can't see him of course, at least not at first.  This is a new experience for Ivan that an adult can see him!  He helps Elizabeth see what she is missing in life and how to fill the voids with the people that love her.
A well written book that asks the reader to remember what it was like to imagine and pretend.  Ahhhh....good book.

 This book will make you: cry, want to throw up and yell.  This is the true story of a little boy growing up in the 70's in California, who was horrifically mentally and physically abused by his mother.  I can't even begin to tell you all the terrible things that he went through.  Absolutely terrible. With help from teachers, the school nurse and the principal, David was finally able to be free from the abusive environment.  This book will inspire you to keep going through the tough times, and to love on kids.  It taught me to remember that even if the parents seem to have it together or are important people in the community, doesn't mean they aren't capable of abuse their children
Every educator and parent should read this book.  It's not very long; I finished it in an afternoon.  Definitely had to take a break from the intensity every once in a while though. 





So there are the books I have read in the last couple of weeks.  Go to the library and pick one of these up.  You won't be sorry.  I promise.

Quote of the week

Not sure if you've noticed, but I added a little "Quote of the week" section thing on the side bar. Right there------> 

These are little things that I have found on Pinterest (thanks again Lazy Mom for getting me hooked on that one) that I want to share with all of you. 

This week's quote was picked for two reasons.

First: This past Sunday I participated (next year I am totally running) in the Race for the Cure.  So the whole pink thing made me think of the Race and the fight against breast cancer. 

Second: It is a great reminder to all the girls out there that may be in a relationship where they aren't being treated right, that they deserve better.  It makes me sad hearing stories from friends about ladies they know that are in some sort of abusive relationship. 

If that is you, get out NOW!!!  You. deserve. better.  Personally I would rather not be in a relationship at all than be in one where I am not being treated right. 

For all those guys out there that ARE treating girls right, kuddos to you.  Keep it up.  And make sure that you, too, are being treated with the respect that you deserve as a person.

If you know someone in a crappy relationship, speak up.  Get them the help they need. 
Kind of a random post, but for some reason I felt it needed to be said. 

So true...

I like to think that I'm not a complicated woman.  I say what I'm thinking (which isn't always good).  I try not to say one thing, but mean another.  The other day I went to my sister's house, and she had a list of sayings on her fridge that women say and their translation.  This was too funny and too true not to share. I have no idea where this came from, but someone out there is genius.

This is really for the man in your life....

1. Fine: This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.  (Guilty of this one)

2. Five Minutes: If she is getting dressed, this means a half hour. (That's me too.) Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.

3. Nothing: This is the calm before the storm.  This means something, and you should be on your toes.  Arguments that begin with nothing usually end in fine.

4. Go ahead: This is a dare, not permission. Don't do it!

5. Loud sigh: Although not actually a word, it is still a statement often misunderstood by men.  A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot, and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing.  (see #3 for definition of nothing)

6. That's Okay: This is one of the most dangerous statements a woman can make to a man.  That's okay means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.

7. Thanks: A woman is thanking you, do not question or faint.  Just say you're welcome.

8. Whatever: Is a woman's way of saying "Screw you, bozo!" ( I think I use this word sometimes instead of fine. You know, to change things up.)

9. Don't worry about it, I got it.: Another dangerous statement.  Meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing it herself.  This will later result in a man asking "What's wrong?"  (For the woman's response refer to #3.)


See women aren't complicated.  ;)  How many are you guilty of?

There's no place like home, except....

I LOVE to travel!  It is one of my favorite things to do.  I don't get to travel as often as I would like, but who does?  With the season-that-shall-not-be-named coming soon it gets me to thinking about all the warm, sunny places I want to visit for an extended amount of time.  I won't get to many of these places this year, but a girl can dream.  Here are 5 places on the list (the very long list).

 
Ft. Myers, Florida

I belong at the beach.  The sand, the ocean, a comfy chair and a good book.  Ahhhh.  Absolutely wonderful. 

St. Thomas, USVI

Yes, I know another beach.  I went to St. Thomas almost 11 years ago.  It was so beautiful.  Growing up in Ohio, I never realized how blue water could actually be.  And not just one shade of blue, like 10!

Greece

 Why Greece?  You get one guess.  If you said the beach/water you win.  I.need.to.go.there.  I can't lie, I also want to go there because of the book Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.   


Sydney, Australia

 P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way.  Sydney would be a must if ever I make it to the land down under, but I would love to see other parts of the continent as well.

London, England

As a Beatles fan, there are many places that I would need to see in England.  London has always been a place I wanted to visit.  So much history.  Love!  Surprise it's not for the beach. 


Of all these magical places Ft. Myers is probably the only one I will get to this year, but I will be happy with that.  :)  Where do you want to go?

*All of these pics I got from Pinterest, my latest obsession.*

Did I just hear a moo?!

I am in denial that summer is coming to an end.  Don't get me wrong I love fall.  The colors. The bonfires. The corn mazes and pumpkin patches.  LOVE! 

But we all know what comes after fall....I can't say the word....it starts with a "w" and ends with "inter".

This is also a reason why I have Belongitis Southernexia.  Me and snow don't get along. 

ADD moment!  Back to the end of summer. To rebel against the end of summer, I still do summer type things. 


One of my favorite things to do every summer, is go to the drive-in movies!  Sitting outside, watching the big screen....fabulous!  My sister told me about the Field of Dreams drive-in in Liberty Center.  Last weekend they showed Grease and Back to the Future!  Classic!  Had to go.

This was my first time to the Field of Dreams and can I just say for this being run by a family on their property, I was SO impressed!  Everything was very organized and well run.  Before you go, check out their website www.fieldofdreamsdrivein.com for tons of information.  They also have volleyball, cornhole, putt-putt, ladder golf and bocci...for free!  Seriously very impressed. 

Now you missed out with the classic movies, but for their final weekend of the season they are showing The Help and Shark Night on screen 1 and Warrior and Columbiana on screen 2.  Squeeze in one more summer activity before fall really shows up and check them out this weekend. 

My favorite part of the night didn't really have anything to do with the actual drive-in (sorry).  Liberty Center is in the middle of the cornfields (not a bad drive though, took about 35 min.).  There we are, watching the movie when all of a sudden I hear...no, it can't be....yep it totally is...a moo!  That's awesome!!!! 

You know you are in the country when you hear a moo. At the movies. 

It wasn't crazy loud, so don't be sad if you don't get to hear it.  It totally made me giggle. 

Must. go. back.  Like I said this was their last weekend, but they will open again in the spring.  My hope is to have an awesome give-away when they re-open.  So let's start counting down the days. 
Well, maybe let's wait with an actual "days until" number until the new year.  At this point I think I will just be depressed that it is so far away. 

Ok where is my ice cream?

P.S.  Sign up for my current giveaway!!!