March Recap 2011

Books
Books read to date: 15/50
Pages read to date: 3885


Finished

The Book Thief
Vision in White
Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban
Lover's Dictionary
Cryer's Cross

Juliet

Started
Safe
Delirium

Savings 

Monthly savings: $54.15

Year-to-date savings: $158.79

Book Journey

Germany, Connecticut, London, New York, Montana, Italy

Movies

Sadly we did not make it to one movie this month.
We did watch a few movies off the cable box though.
The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo
The Girl Who Played With Fire
Both excellent movies. I never read the books. Couldn't get through the first one and after watching the movie, I'm not sure I would have made it through. There are some things that make me too uncomfortable to read.

Wedding Wednesday: March 30 Check-in

There was a major list of things we needed to get done in March. I haven't posted them all here as that would be overwhelming and unnecessary. A lot of them are all smaller tasks needing to be done for a larger task.
All of that has now shifted to April. I believe that Frenchie is starting to see how many little things we still have left to do. They are all just a phone call or email away to completion, but for some reason, never seem to get done.

Next week I'll have a new set of "needs to be done" to share.

What was accomplished:

• Get quotes for alcohol
• Decide what to buy as groomsmen gifts and ordered
• Booked pre-wedding massage/spa for Frenchie and I
• Got my dad to sign the Free to marry form required by the Catholic church
• Emailed caterer and one bartending company about prices

What needs to be done in March: 

• Ask family to do special readings and roles for the wedding
• Complete ceremony program and print
• Finalize reception music
• DATE NIGHT

It's Monday! What are you reading? (12 of 2011)

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading, is hosted by One Persons Journey Through a World of Books. 

This meme is a great way to start the week and add some great books to your to-read list. I love looking at what everyone is reading.

Thanks for stopping by and happy reading!!

What I Finished

Juliet by Anne Fortier

Review Here

The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan

Review Here

Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

Review Here

What I Am Reading

Safe by Aviva Bel'Harold

picture from Chapters.ca

I picked this book up when I met the author randomly at Chapters. She signed it for me!

I put it on the shelf and got pulled away from it by other books. I recently started chatting with the author on twitter and had some guilt pangs for not reading her book. She's a local author, so I feel like I should finally read it and pimp it out on my blog a little.

I have a bunch of close friends who are going to do a book tour of it as well!

What's Up Next

15/50: Juliet by Anne Fortier

Juliet by Anne Fortier

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I received Juliet through a book blog tour started by Julie from Book Hooked Blog. My very first ARC (Advance Readers Copy). By the time it reached me, the book was released already, but I was still thrilled to have this edition in my hands.

Juliet focuses on Julie Jacobs and her discovery that she is a descendant of Juliet from Shakespeare's play. She goes to Italy in hopes of finding a treasure left by her deceased mother but ends up finding more than she bargained for. Not only does she find out about her family history, but she also finds her very own Romeo. (This is where I got hooked)She finds out that Shakespeare was not original, but wrote and modified the real story from the year 1340. I am a huge Romeo and Juliet fan so this storyline was perfect to spark my love for Shakespeare again.

It took me a long time to get into this book for some reason. It was slow and very detailed. There seemed to be a lot of extra stuff in it, that I could have done without. However, once I got about half way through, I was completed hooked. I liked the fact that the book alternated from the story of Romeo and Guilietta in 1340 and present day with Julie and Alessandro. I found that I would get sucked into the one story/chapter and have to take a break when it was done so I could digest. Once the 1340 story came to an end and everything was in present day I could not put it down.

Definitely worth a read. Even more so if you know the story of Romeo and Juliet.

WBC2011: Read a book about starting new - 15 points
Book Journey 2011: Sienna, Italy (updated map)

View all my reviews

14/50: Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I read the Wake trilogy by Lisa McMann so I thought I should read her newest book. Cryer's Cross has a good premise. Two teenagers disappear in a small town where everyone knows everyone and there are no secrets. Every town has a secret, the question is, what is Cryer's Cross hiding? Kendall is a friend to one of the victims and has severe OCD.

I liked Kendall. I was able to undertand her and sympathize with her. I understood her OCD and liked the routine she had. The rest of the characters were good, but I needed more. It's like every character was touched on, but not nearly enough.

The story sounded good, but it took almost the entire book for something to come of the disappearance. There was the mysterious desk and the writing on it. There was the voices, but none of this was enough. I'm not sure how else to explain it. There needed to be more than what was given. It took until almost page 200/233 for the mystery to start being solved and then it ended. 30 pages to climax and resolve left me wanting more than what the book offered.

If you want a quick read, this is one to pick up, but I wouldn't buy it or re-read it. I probably won't think about it again after I return it to the library.

WBC2011: Anything you want - 5 points
Book Journey 2011: Montana (updated map)

View all my reviews

Fitness Friday: New and Exciting

The Knot

No not the wedding website, but my new move I've learned! It does still need some work, but I got it. I saw it on wikipole and decided that it probably didn't require a whole lot of wrist. That's a good thing for me since I have problems with mine.
I am also going to be teaching my very first workshop the first week of April. I will be teaching a Spin Combo workshop at Polejunkies Calgary. I'm so excited! Teaching classes with an outline of moves for a routine is great. It's structured and I love that. A workshop like this isn't structured. I get to use some creativity and decide what spins to do basd on the class and their ability. I really hope it runs! (no one signed up yet :( )

Last night I tried an aerial yoga class. I'm not a regular yoga person (I believe Ashtanga is the only kind I've ever done since that's what was offered) I dislike holding a pose for more than a minute and I don't find that relaxing. In fact, it does the opposite for me and stresses me out and causes anxiety. No joke. My other reason for disliking yoga is that face that doing downward dog actually hurts my wrists. I come out of a class after doing however many downward dogs (I swear this is the only my instructors like and they make you do it over and over) and have pain through my forearms and wrists for the next day.
Why then did I willingly go to an aerial yoga class? I love having my feel off the floor and being in the air and the silk hammock looks super comfortable! So I went last night. I am in love!

• It didn't hurt my wrists (big points right there)
• It was relaxing (great for the end of the week)
• I got to invert
• I got a workout!

The class I took was for instruction and to get a feel for how it works and how we run the class at our studio. I'm going to assist next week (hopefully, as long as people sign up). I will definitely be signing up to take the class if I don't end up teaching it. I may finally get some flexibility and much needed relaxation.

(forgot to take pics but here is a youtube video)

I did several of these last night in my class.

13/50: The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan

The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


There is something heartbreaking, real and completely open about The Lover's Dictionary. Raw would be a better word to describe it. There's no holding back in the entries. It felt real.

The storyline itself jumps all over the place. You know how the relationship ends, how it begins and what happens in between. It's jumbled, but in the end, it all makes sense. Words don't follow chronological order in a dictionary, so why would they in this format of a novel. The story doesn't have to follow beginning-middle-end. It works being all over the place. You get the full story and all it's ups and downs.

There was a conversation about this book on my online book club when I was about halfway through this book. There was a discssion around who's point of view the book is written from. All of the entries are written gender neutral. There is no "he/she" in regards to who is writting the entries. There is only "you" and "I" and "me".   I never saw this at first, but it's true! How do you interpret the narrator. Male or Female? Who is the audience? Male or female? Is the relationship heterosexual or homosexual? In  my opinion, I don't think it matters how you interperet the entries. I don't believe it makes any difference how the relationship or narrator is defined. The fact remains that the feelings are valid and true for anyone in a relationship.

This in itself makes me love The Lover's Dictionary. David Levithan is brilliant!

This novel was a very quick read but a very full one. It would be hard to read this one and not feel something.
I highly recommend getting your hands on a copy!
For more dictionary entries, there is a twitter feed: http://twitter.com/#!/loversdiction

WBC 2011: Read a book while drinking tea or another warm beverage - 5 points (picture below of what I drank)
Book Journey 2011: New York (updated map)
View all my reviews

Caramel Macchiato

Wedding Wednesday: March 23 Check-in

No Wedding Nightmares this week either. This is great!

There was some family things come up and we've been a little lagging on the wedding planning. We've hit the 3 month mark and are now counting down faster than we'd like. Time is moving without us it seems.
We are now making weekly lists that we want to get down in order to keep things on track.
What was accomplished:

• Sent the rest of the invitations and even got some RSVP's back!
• Sent ceremony program content to Father Andrew
• Sent readings to Father Andrew
• Wrote out decoration directions for Ceremony and Reception

What needs to be done in March: 

• Ask family to do special readings and roles for the wedding
• Complete ceremony program and print
• Get quotes for alcohol
• Ask Frenchie's hockey team about bartending and look into other options
• Decide what to buy as groomsmen gifts
• Finalize reception music
• DATE NIGHT

12/50: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had a hard time writing this review. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was truly amazing. I had to really think about it. There is no way I can make this review worthy of the awesomeness that is Harry Potter. (I only know I wish I could go to Hogwarts) It sunk it's hooks into me and I couldn't stop reading. I am officially into Harry Potter.

I dislike the Dursley's more and more with each book. I want so badly for Harry to never have to go and live with them again. Hogwarts is the only place he's ever truly happy. He has his friends, his enemies, and most likely someone who is trying to kill him. What a life for a young wizard!
Hermoine and Ron were absolutely adorable. I can't wait to see what becomes of their friendship as they get older. There is something there and I love that they fight but never really want to hurt each other.

Sirius was an interesting character. I was a hater, but now I wish he will make appearences in the next books. He was a great character that showed such strength and love I wish this book could have ended differently. The story took a very dark turn and I think this will set up nicely for the rest of the series. I'm still convinced that Snape is a bad guy.
I gasped and was mad and was happy and was sad. This book (and I feel that the rest of the series as well) has all of this. There are twists I don't see coming that make sense once you really think about them. A "Why didn't I see that coming?" sensation always ensues.

I am still so angry with myself for never reading this series before. I've been missing out!
I need to finish this series, watch all the movies and convince Frenchie that going to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is really an adult vacation. (Perhaps I'll give my neices a set of books when they're old enough and then I'll get to go??)

WBC 2011: Book with 6 or more words in the title- 10 points
Book Journey 2011: London (updated map)

View all my reviews

It's Monday! What are you reading? (11 of 2011)

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading, is hosted by One Persons Journey Through a World of Books. 

This meme is a great way to start the week and add some great books to your to-read list. I love looking at what everyone is reading.

Thanks for stopping by and happy reading!!

What I Finished

Review Here

I haven't written my review for this one yet. Still digesting it's awesomeness

What I Am Reading

Juliet

I'm half done! This book is taking forever. It's not a bad book. I do really like it and I'm enjoying it. I think my problem is that each chapter is either present or past. I can only read one chapter at a time. I get sucked into the story and have to take a breath.

What's Up Next

These two books came in from the library this week.