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I Made The Switch!

2011-03-19T11:21:00.000-07:00

For those of you who actually follow me and read this blog, I have MOVED!

I will now be blogging along over at Wordpress.

You can find me HERE!

Thanks for taking this change well and I'll see you soon!

Blog Hopping Along

2011-03-04T11:06:00.000-08:00

I haven't done a blog hop in a while. Decided to join in with this one.

Listen by Rene Gutteridge Review

2011-03-03T10:46:00.000-08:00

Listen
by Rene Gutteridge
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc
Synopsis:
Someone is listening . . .

The quaint, close-knit community of Marlo was the ideal place to live . . . until someone started posting private conversations online for everyone to read, word for word. Now it’s neighbor against neighbor, friend against friend, as careless comments and hurtful accusations turn the town upside down. Violence and paranoia escalate, and the police scramble to find the person responsible before more people get hurt—or even killed.

But what responsibility do the residents of Marlo have for the words they say when they think no one is listening?

Listen by Rene Gutteridge
Review by Me
5 Squees/5 Squees

First off I want to say that I think this is a book that everyone should read. We are a world that is too quick to speak. We are too quick to dirty someone's name when they aren't around to defend themselves. In Rene Gutteridge's book, Listen, you meet the citizens of a small town called Marlo who quickly learn the power of words. I absolutely loved this book. I was drawn in immediately and I was kept enthralled all the way till the end. The thing I liked most though was the realness of this book and the ability it had to open my eyes up to my own life. How often do we talk badly about other people? How often do we say one thing behind someone's back, but another to their face?

After reading this book, you'll start seeing yourself in a different light and you'll start realizing that your words have power. Do you want that power to be uplifting or bring people down?

"Speak Kindly. Love powerfully. Listen Fully."

Recent Kindle Downloads

2011-02-24T16:32:00.000-08:00

aka What Manda is Going to Read

Listen

Currently Reading...pretty good so far!

Switched

My next read on the top 100 list, thought it sounded interesting.

Fools Rush In

Looked cute and was FREE. :)

In the last week or so I've downloaded about 60 books to my Kindle. All but about 3 of them were FREE. I am totally 100% addicted to my Kindle and am having a blast reading on it. I'll probably start doing these little what Manda is reading posts to keep those who care updated. :)

My to read list of paper edition books is still pretty large and I'm going to have to start going back and forth between Kindle editions and paper ones. I still love holding a real book in my hands, but I am pretty in love with my Kindle.

A Daring Proposition by Jennifer Greene Review

2011-02-23T12:51:00.000-08:00

A Daring Proposition
by Jennifer Greene
Publisher: Carina Press

Leigh Sexton is desperate to have a baby, and Brian Hathaway would be the perfect bio-dad. One of Chicago's most notorious playboys, Brian is no family man, which suits Leigh just fine. An heiress and successful CPA, she is more than capable of raising a child alone. Now all she has to do is work up the nerve to ask Brian to impregnate her...artificially. Leigh has no interest in conceiving the old-fashioned way, despite how her heart races whenever she's near him.

Brian is intrigued by Leigh's request. He's not into commitment, even with a woman as attractive as Leigh, but he's also not the type to make a deposit and then disappear. If he goes along with her scheme, he's got one demand of his own: marriage before conception. He agrees to keep things clinical—he can get sex elsewhere—but having a wife at home will keep the husband-hunters at bay.

It seems like the ideal compromise—until they start falling in love.

A Daring Proposition by Jennifer Greene
Review by Me
3.5 Squees/5 Squees

I had a hard time with this book in the beginning. I just wasn't pulled in right away. Leigh was going through a lot in the beginning of the book and everything felt really stiff and blah. I continued reading because I wasn't completely bored.

The book really started picking up about halfway through when Leigh and Brian go to visit his family for Christmas. Up until that point everything seemed forced and drawn out. I loved the book at this point and forward. I really loved the chemistry that started to build between Leigh and Brian and I loved her chemistry with his family. All the way through the end of the book I was a very happy reader. It was almost like a was reading a different book at the halfway point.

All in all I enjoyed this story and thought it was read worthy. I just wish the author didn't take so long in the beginning to really get it going. I wouldn't have minded more of the relationship building and romance that was in the second half of the book.

I enjoyed the characters, and would recommend this if you're into the romance genre and just looking for something so-so to read.

Announcement Announcement Announcement!!!

2011-02-10T17:14:00.000-08:00

I can now review books in KINDLE format!!!

That's right ladies and gentlemen, I crossed to the dark side and got a kindle. I absolutely LOVE it! Now if only I had money to actually fill it with books. Looks like I'll be entering some of those Amazon Gift Card contests.

Now don't think I've crossed over completely. I still have plenty of books in real book form and I will always buy books. It's just nice to have them all in the palm of my hand.

Ok that's all. Catch ya later.

Populazzi by Elise Allen Review

2011-02-09T01:00:00.000-08:00

Populazzi
by Elise Allen
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Synopsis:
WHAT WOULD YOU DO if you had the chance to erase your past and reinvent yourself as the person you’ve always wanted to be? Would you grab it? Would you stick with it, no matter what the consequences?

Cara Leonard always wished she could be one of those girls: confident, self-possessed, and never at a loss for the perfect thing to say. One of the Populazzi.

It always seemed impossible… but now could be her chance.

When Cara moves to a new school just before junior year, her best friend urges her to seize the opportunity and change her life… with the help of The Ladder. Its rungs are relationships, and if Cara transforms herself into the perfect girlfriend for guys higher and higher on the Popularity Tower, she can reach the ultimate goal: Supreme Populazzi, the most popular girl in school.

The Ladder seems like a lighthearted social experiment — a straight climb up — but it quickly becomes gnarled and twisted. And when everything goes wrong, only the most audacious act Cara can think of has a chance of setting things even a little bit right.

Populazzi by Elise Allen
Review by ME
5 Squees/ 5 Squees

This book was made of pure squees. I've read a lot of "heavier" books lately and this was a refreshing break from that. Elise Allen wrote this typical teen story with a girl striving to rise in popularity. I loved her take on such a normal story though. Her characters were charming and I really felt for Cara through out the whole book. I definitely oohed and awed through many pages and even let a few squees out during some of the more "cutesy" moments. I'm a big fan of these type of high "fluff" stories. I don't know if it was my lack of high school social skills or that I just wish I was young and naive again. This book will bring you back to those days of longing to fit in and you'll wish you could be by Cara's side through some of the tougher moments. All in all this was a great teen read, and I definitely enjoyed it.

The Clearing by Heather Davis Review

2011-02-08T01:00:00.000-08:00

The Clearing
by Heather Davis
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Synopsis: Amy, a sixteen-year-old recovering from an abusive relationship, moves to the country to start a new life with her aunt–all she wants is for everything to be different. In the clearing at the back of Aunt Mae’s property, she makes an amazing discovery—Henry, a boy stuck in the endless summer of 1944. Henry and his world become Amy’s refuge and she begins to learn that some moments are worth savoring. But when the past and present come crashing together, both of them must find the courage to face what is meant to be, even if it means losing each other forever.

The Clearing by Heather Davis
Review by Me
5 Squees/5 Squees

I don't even know how to begin this review. When I read the synopsis of this book, I thought it sounded really strange. It seemed different though, and I like different. I loved this book from the beginning. The character of Amy is just so relate-able. She is a realistic girl who is going through real and painful things. She goes to get away from things and ends up meeting Henry. Henry is that good, respectable, country boy that EVERY girl dreams about. He couldn't be more perfect. I love that even though he seemed so perfect for Amy, Heather Davis made him have problems too. I love that both characters have to struggle through a lot of things and their outcome isn't necessarily the happy fluffy one that is expected in books of this genre. I really enjoyed all characters in this book, down to Aunt Mae's dog. The author really made this world she created realistic, while still making it interesting and exciting. I love the outcome of the book, even though it wasn't my ideal ending. I really like where Heather Davis took this story and how she made it possible and believable all the way through the last page. I was happy for everyone in the end and I loved that things turned out the way they did. Makes you curious huh? You'll have to check this one out for yourself.

The Birthday Ball by Lois Lowry Review

2011-02-07T15:39:00.000-08:00

The Birthday Ball
by Lois Lowry
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Synopsis: Princess Patricia Priscilla is bored with her royal life and the excitement surrounding her sixteenth birthday ball. Doomed to endure courtship by three grotesquely unappealing noblemen, she escapes her fate-for a week. Disguised as a peasant, she attends the village school as the smart new girl, "Pat," and attracts friends and the attention of the handsome school master. Disgusting suitors, lovable peasants, and the clueless King and Queen collide at the ball, where Princess Patricia Priscilla calls the shots. What began as a cure for boredom, becomes a chance for Princess Patricia Priscilla to break the rules and marry the man she loves.

The Birthday Ball by Lois Lowry
Review by Me
4 Squees/5 Squees

This book was incredibly cute. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. It was for a younger audience then what I usually read, but the storyline was pretty cute, so I decided to check it out. I read this in one sitting and loved every minute of it. Princess Patricia Priscilla was super adorable and lovable from the start. I love that the whole book starts out with her being bored and wanting to fix her boredom. Lois Lowry did a great job with her characters and each one was distinct and enjoyable. I loved the personalities of the suitors. Each was very unique and highly over the top, which made them very entertaining. I also enjoyed the growing relationship between the servants and the relationship between the princess and the teacher. All in all this was a great children's story and I know girls of all ages will enjoy this one.

Save the Date by Jenny B. Jones Review

2011-01-13T17:17:00.000-08:00

Save The Date
by Jenny B. Jones

Synopsis:
When Alex and Lucy pick out wedding invitations, they wonder if they can be printed in vanishing ink.

Former NFL star Alex Sinclair is a man who has it all--except the votes he needs to win his bid for Congress. Despite their mutual dislike, Alex makes Lucy a proposition: pose as his fiance in return for the money she desperately needs. Bound to a man who isn't quite what he seems, Lucy will find her heart on the line--and maybe even her life. When God asks Alex and Lucy to scrap their playbook and follow his rules, will they finally say, "I do"?

Save the Date by Jenny B. Jones
Review by Me
4.5 Squees/ 5 Squees

Oh man, I don't even know what to start on this book. I absolutely loved everything about this book. I cried, I laughed and I of coursed Squeed many many times. I completely and utterly loved both the main characters, Lucy and Alex. They had amazing chemistry and they were the perfect pair for this story. I really could tell that Jenny B. Jones loved them as she wrote about them. You could feel the time and the dedication she put in to developing her characters.

The storyline was also great. Both Lucy and Alex have dark pasts that they're working through and you see their struggles throughout the book. I love the work Lucy does with the girls program and the dedication she has for her work is phenomenal. Being a Thomas Nelson novel, this book also had a great message that really pulled on my heart strings. It's not often that I read a book with religious themes and love it. The message wasn't suffocating and I never felt like I was reading a "religious" book. All in all, I thought this was a great story of suffering, family and love. You'll squee just like I did during Lucy and Alex's more personal moments.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Dark Divine and The Lost Saint by Bree Despain Review

2011-01-08T01:00:00.000-08:00

The Dark Divine

by Bree Despain

Synopsis:

I stood back and watched his movements. Daniel had that way about him that could shut me down in an instant. . . . I kicked the gravel a couple of times and worked up my courage again. “Tell me . . . I mean . . . why did you come back? Why now, after all this time?”

Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared—the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in blood. But she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night really held. And when Daniel returns three years later, Grace can no longer deny her attraction to him, despite promising Jude she’ll stay away.

As Grace gets closer to Daniel, her actions stir the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind Jude and Daniel's dark secret . . . and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it—her soul.

The Lost Saint

by Bree Despain

Synopsis:

*Spoiler Alert* - If you have not read The Dark Divine, this synopsis may contain spoilers.

Grace Divine made the ultimate sacrifice to cure Daniel Kalbi. She was infected with the werewolf curse while trying to save him, and lost her beloved brother in the process. When Grace receives a haunting phone call from Jude, she knows what she must do. She must become a Hound of Heaven.

Desperate to find Jude, Grace befriends Talbot—a newcomer to town who promises her that he can help her be a hero. But as the two grow closer, the wolf grows in Grace, and her relationship with Daniel is put in danger—in more ways than one.

Unaware of the dark path she is walking, Grace begins to give into the wolf inside of her—not realizing that an enemy has returned and a deadly trap is about to be sprung.

The Dark Divine and The Lost Saint by Bree Despain

Review by Me

4.5 Squees/ 5 Squees

I absolutely loved these books. They had an awesome mix of paranormal, romance and everyday life to not only make them believable, but to draw in anyone from page one.

In the Dark Divine, you meet Grace Divine, average everyday artist girl. She's a pastor's daughter, and living within that lifestyle. You also meet Daniel, a troubled teen from Grace's childhood and her one true love. These two characters just dragged you into the book. Between their relationship with each other and Daniel's dark past, I was completely enthralled with this series from book one.

Bree Despain has quite a knack for making you fall in love with her characters and she kept me turning the pages. There is a nice twist in the first book, that I sort of saw coming, but I can say I was shocked with the outcome. I love the way the whole book rode along through the despair and heartache in Daniel's life, but it wasn't overwhelming.

In The Lost Saint, we have the same cast of characters with a couple of new faces. I won't go into to much detail plot-wise, since I'm not one for spoilers, but the story just keeps getting better. There is a new character named Talbot in this book, that I just adored. Everything about him just makes you love him. I love that the author mixed everything up a bit throwing him into the mix. He's very different from the other characters in the book and he definitely makes this interesting. Once again Bree Despain through in a twist with this one, I saw things coming, but there was a lot that surprised me.

I definitely enjoyed reading both of these books and I can't wait for another installment. I know there has to be more. She can't just leave it where she did. I loved the characters, the story line and the writing in both books. Plus, who doesn't love a hot paranormal boys.

Check out more on Bree's Site: http://www.breedespain.com/

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Egmont USA. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

A Month of Thanks

2010-11-23T10:57:00.000-08:00

Hello friends and neighbors,

Many of you may not be aware that Romance in the Backseat is offering a very special Month of Thanks this November. The most exciting part is coming from Silver Publishing, a generous giveaway of $100 Grocery Gift Card.

November is a time to give thanks to those in our life who day in and day out make our lives better. To give thanks to friends and family that year after year support us. This year there are a lot of families and friends in need of some extra support and help. That is why Silver Publishing has so generously offered to help pay for a families Thanksgiving dinner.

Please share the news about this giveaway and join us to nominate someone in your life who could use the extra help. All nominations are private, our goal is to add some holiday cheer and some extra goodies to the table this Thanksgiving.

I want to thank Silver Publishing for this amazing gift. Even if you and your loved ones are lucky enough to have a table of food waiting Thanksgiving day drop in and show your appreciation not only to Silver Publishing, but to the other authors who have come on the site this month and shared their tales of thanks. To give us a little more cheer those authors have also offered a book giveaway to share with those you love.

Terry Kate
Romance in the Backseat

Visit Silver Publishing's Site to find out about their books - http://silverpublishing.info/

Enter Here - http://ritbs.blogspot.com/2010/11/month-of-thanks-food-giveaways-silver.html

Kylie Brant's Giveaway

Deadly Intent

http://ritbs.blogspot.com/2010/11/gratitude-attitude-by-kylie-brant.html

Lydia Dare's Giveaway

The Taming of the Wolf

http://ritbs.blogspot.com/2010/11/month-of-thanks-lydia-dare.html

Nicola Cornick's Giveaway

Whispers of Scandal

http://ritbs.blogspot.com/2010/11/nicola-cornicks-month-of-thanks-blog.html

Kersten Hamilton's Giveaway

Tyger Tyger

http://ritbs.blogspot.com/2010/11/month-of-thanks-with-kersten-hamilton.html

Manda Writes A Novel Part 1

2010-10-30T20:06:00.000-07:00

I decided to get ahead of the game a bit and write up my synopsis and make the cover art for my novel. Check it out. :)

Sara Henderson has always had her future planned out. She does everything by a schedule and lives her life by her day planner. It takes the most important speech of her life and a sea of familiar faces for her to realize that something is missing. The day of her high school graduation takes her on a whirlwind, unplanned start to the rest of her life and she is writing it all down.

Comments and Criticism appreciated! Writing starts tomorrow night at midnight! Woo.

Hello there, November...

2010-10-29T00:21:00.000-07:00

I see you peeking at me from around the corner. You're only four days away??? OH MY!

Not only is November my wedding anniversary and Thanksgiving it's also NaNoWriMo! Now I know I talked about NaNoWriMo last year, but for those of you new kids and others who just didn't pay attention I'll explain again.

NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. It's basically a ton of people getting together and challenging themselves to write a novel during the month of November. 50,000 words in 30 days. Insane, I know.

I talked myself out of it actually. As of about fifteen minutes ago, I was NOT going to be participating again this year. I just didn't feel like I had the energy or the time to write 50,000 words. Then today I got to thinking, and also was persuaded by some of my favorite Youtubers, why not? Why in the world can I not do this? I don't have a job, I make bows and tutus whenever an order comes in, but I have a lot of free time. I spend most of this free time starring at Facebook and watching ridiculous tv shows. It's about time I dedicate myself to something and start taking steps toward my future. I am big on giving up on things and not even starting things that might challenge me. It's time for a change.

So, here's to many sleepless nights, angry mental monologues and pissing off my hubby. I'm in this 100%. Whose with me? My NaNo name is Manderiffic, if you want to join in.

Ok, so I guess I should tell YOU, my readers, what to expect from me this next month. I'll update you periodically on my progress, I'll share the rare gems I write with you (most of my writing will probably be crap) and I'll whine. I'll probably whine A LOT. Starting at Midnight, November 1st, writing will be my life. I will be a hardcore writing, crying machine. Oops, forget that crying part.

Tomorrow I start this whole adventure with a plot idea and an outline. I might even come with a title of some sort to get me started. I've always found that my best writing starts with an epic title, that I change 50 million times.

Well I think I've rambled enough for one day, if you have any questions, my e-mail is cold and lonely. Also comments might keep me sane, so send lots my way! Love you forever and always.

Tired Panda

2010-10-14T00:53:00.000-07:00

<<< This is exactly how I feel right now.

I have had a very long week and I am completely and utterly exhausted.

I decided in my frustrated and exhausted state that I should write a blog post. It's been a REALLY long time since I've written on here, and I know a lot of you miss me greatly. I'm sorry that I'm such a loser and a basically gave up on my daily blogging and totally failed at making it for a whole year. I can't say that I'm entirely surprised that I quit my 365 project. I tend to give up on things in my life. I never follow through with anything, and when I get bored with something I just quit. Kind of like what I did with school. Heh, kind of sad really. I suck.

Well anywho, back to why I started writing this tonight. My life is kind of bleh right now. I just spent the last week being a back up mom to my brother's kids and neglecting my house and my husband. Tonight, at church, I got this super sick feeling and knew it was God telling me it was time for me to stand up for my morals and get my life back. I am now home and feeling much more at ease. I am sad to see my cable TV and food go, but I'll make it through. I can't live someone else's life for them, and I can't take on their responsibilities. It's not fair to me and it's not fair to my husband. I need to start doing things for ME and not letting people take advantage of how nice I am.

In conjunction with the reason I started this blog, I am reading again! I stopped for a while and really couldn't get into anything. I had a hard time even PICKING up a book for a while there. This isn't anything new, you know, me and my phases. So yeah, where was I? Ok, so one of my best friends is in Japan, and had this great idea of starting an online book of the month club, so we could all bond over stuff and have a GREAT way to keep in touch. The book for this October is The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks. I haven't read any of his books in the past, but I've seen the movie for this one and also for Dear John and LOVED them both. My BFFINM, Sara, told me that his books are WAY better than the movies, so I was excited to get this one for the book club. After much searching at all my local book stores, I finally found it at Bookman's, hardcover for 8 bucks! WOOHOO! I'm already on chapter 14 and so far I'm really loving it! Also, now that I am home again, I should have it finished in no time at all. I also picked up The Notebook for a dollar at Half-Price Books, so I'll be reading that one next! Yay books! Oh how I've missed your used book smell...erm and reading you too. :)

Anywho, so that's what's been going on with me for the most part. We're also in the process of asking God where he wants us to go as far as churches. We've asked him to lead us, and we're willing to follow wherever that may be. I won't get into the gory details with that just yet, but be watching for a post in the next couple of weeks.

I'm off to bed in a bit (as soon as Lord of the Rings Online finishes downloading) and I have to watch Alex in the morning. I'll talk to you later blog-o-sphere. Don't be expecting me back on my daily writing routine, but you should be hearing from me more often.

Oh and if you haven't already, check out my Etsy , do it now!!! I can make all kinds of pretty things for you or your little princess! It's not too late to make some custom Halloween or Thanksgiving orders!!! Christmas is coming up too! WINK WINK!

Until we meet again, blessings and good wishes. I love you and yours. ;)

Beggars Can't Be Choosers!

2010-07-28T17:06:00.000-07:00

Hey all my lovely readers and friends! Big BIG favor to ask of you! If you have the space could you please add a banner to your sidebar for my etsy shop? I know this is SO lame of me to ask, but I figure I'm not FORCING anyone to help me out, it's just a request! Thank you so much to those of you who help me out with this and THANK you so much for sticking with me these last couple of months while I'm being a LAME-O non-writer.

I have 4 banner sizes to choose from. Just upload the image of your choice into the image gadget and put http://www.etsy.com/shop/manderiffic as the link. I love you long time! If you have any questions e-mail me or comment here! Thank you Thank you Thank you!

Here's the images: WOO!

BANNER:

BUTTON:

SKYSCRAPER:

SQUARE:

Again thank you thank you thank you! I LOVE YOU!

Review - Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus

2010-07-16T21:13:00.000-07:00

Shadow Hills

Since her sister's death, Persephone Archer has been having strange dreams that seem almost real. Things become even more strange when she finds a journal of her sisters that talks about similar dreams. Persephone decides to attend Devenish Prep in Shadow Hills, Massachusetts after receiving a pamphlet addressed to her sister. Life starts changing quickly for Persephone when things from her dreams start becoming reality in the town of Shadow Hills. What's going on with the townspeople and who is this mysterious boy that starts invading her life in her dreams and when she is awake?

I was not to sure I was going to enjoy this book after reading the synopsis on the back cover. It just sounded a bit to strange for my liking. I was totally wrong! The story Anastasia Hopcus weaves in her debut novel is so intriguing and intense that I had a hard time pulling myself away. I was sucked in from page one and kept on going all the way till the end. I loved the character of Persephone and loved Zach even more. Anastasia did also making her side characters lovable and exciting. I know you'll adore Graham and Toy just as much as I did. My only compliant character-wise was with Athena and Ariel. I feel like they were both mentioned, but not really talked about. I realize that Athena is deceased, but there were things about her that were talked about and never brought up again. I also feel like the character of Ariel wasn't necessary. She was brought up a few times, but I don't think she was important to the flow of the story. I loved the setting of this book. I had a great time picturing Shadow Hills and Devenish Prep. They seem like really awesome places and I love how Hopcus described every little thing about them. All in all this was a pretty amazing book and I think Anastasia Hopcus did an amazing job! I am rooting for a sequel and I can't wait to read more from this debut author.

Epic Fail!

2010-06-27T21:38:00.000-07:00

I know I have TOTALLY failed at blogging everyday. I'm sad, but I've been SO busy lately!!! I finally got my Etsy store up and running! Now you all can go order tutus and bows!!! YAY! Please go check it out and tell all your friends!

Manda's Pretty Little Things

Thank you so much for taking a look and giving me business! This shop is my only form of income, so I'll love you a long long time if you help me promote and maybe even shop yourself! I'll be putting up more bows tomorrow! YAY!

That's about all I've been up to besides helping out A LOT at church and running crazy. :)

Love you all VERY much!!!

Dirtiest Cabin

2010-06-16T09:41:00.001-07:00

My view from my cabin.

2010-06-14T00:56:00.001-07:00

Last REAL Post Till Friday!

2010-06-12T22:23:00.000-07:00

Ok well it's off to bed for me. I head up to camp tomorrow morning. I won't be posting "for real" again until Friday. I'll try to do either a mobile re-cap or a photo everyday while I'm gone, but if I miss a day, don't hold it against me.

I'm super excited for camp! I had a blast last year and I know this year will be just as awesome! God is going to do some great things in the youth of AZ this week!

Ok that's all for me today. Off to bed!

See ya Friday! :)

Countdown To Camp!

2010-06-10T22:35:00.000-07:00

I leave for camp in 2 days!!! I'm so excited. Sunday morning I'm out of here. I get home Friday afternoon/evening. My posts for those days will be some sort of mobile upload.

This is what I did today:

These are to decorate my cabin with.

I made this to go with a ladybug themed tutu that I'm making either Saturday or when I get back from camp.

I also made a purple tutu for a little girl named Alyssa and a matching bow. I'm having so much fun making stuff! I have a TON of tutus to make when I get back from camp, and hopefully I'll have my Etsy shop fully up and running by then.

Ok it's hot in here. I'm off to bed.

See ya tomorrow!

I Want To Be A Butterfly...

2010-06-09T21:45:00.000-07:00

Flying Through The Sky...With You...TODAY!

I spent today making paper butterflies and signs to decorate my cabin with on Sunday. I made a ton of butterflies to hang from the ceiling and signs with scriptures and quotes about being a new creation and being unique. I can't wait to hang everything up at camp!!! YAY!

Ok that's all for today. I have lots of tutu orders, now I just have to get my supplies!

Onesie...Tutu.

2010-06-08T22:10:00.000-07:00

I made a super cute tutu today that matches a onesie. Their newborn size and available in my Etsy store.

AWWW So cute, right?? Go buy it!

I have a super bad headache right now, I'm off to bed. I don't have much up in my shop yet, buy go buy what is there. ;) K thanks. lol.

See ya tomorrow.

Hello Monday

2010-06-07T20:57:00.000-07:00

I opened my Etsy store today! You can find it at http://www.etsy.com/shop/manderiffic. I don't have anything up yet, I probably won't have anything listed until the week after next. I have camp next week so I don't want to have orders that I have to put on hold. However, I did get some orders from facebook friends today, so I have lots to do this week! YAY! I started a hot pink and black tutu today, but I have to wait for my supply order to come so I can finish it. I really am enjoying my business!

Ok that's all for today. I'm going to watch TV and hang with the hubby.

See ya tomorrow.

I Like Having Friends

2010-06-06T22:14:00.000-07:00

We had church today. I did nursery for the 9am classes, and then went to 10am service. The nursery kiddos are SO cute! Church was good. Pastor Price has been preaching on some GREAT stuff lately! I'm super happy at Cathedral.

After church we went to lunch with the Lafons. Nate and Amy are great, and their kids are adorable!

We had a little rest time and then it was back to church to help get stuff ready for camp next week. I addressed and stuffed a ton of envelopes. I'm super stoked for camp! YAY!

I'm really tired now. We had a super busy weekend. I'm going to try to make some tutus this week and help with more camp stuff. Then Sunday morning I'm off to camp till Friday night. Busy Busy Busy!

I still haven't found my notebook to check up on my book stuff. Yikes! I'll try to find it tomorrow. I promise. *wink* haha

Ok I'm off to bed! See ya tomorrow!

I Has An Interwebz!

2010-06-05T22:37:00.000-07:00

We finally got our internet hooked up!!! I'm so excited. My goal is to get my Etsy store up tomorrow afternoon/early evening.

I just realized I never posted yesterday. I had youth choir last night and then my hubby and I helped out at the Teen Afterglow and we didn't get home till almost 2am. I am very sleepy to say the least. We had a blast last night and I'm extremely happy to be at Cathedral and to be involved with such great ministries. I leave for camp a week from tomorrow and I'm SUPER stoked! At this point, I've decided to not have a guest blogger for the time I'm gone, I think I'll just update you all with a daily photo or a little mobile post.

We're babysitting my nephew right now and his parents should be home soon. I'm ready to go home and go to bed. We have a semi-early morning tomorrow and lots to do. I'm an extremely sleepy Manda.

Alright this is all for me today.

Catch ya later.

2010-06-03T22:37:00.001-07:00

It's been a long week. Hopefully we're able to get internet tomorrow. I'm going nuts without my interwebz! Tomorrow night is youth choir and afterglow! Night!

I Need Me Some Interwebz.

2010-06-02T22:09:00.000-07:00

Still using this dodgey internet connection. It seems to work best late at night and super early in the morning. I can't wait till we can get our own service.

We had church again tonight. It was pretty good. We took 2 of our old youth kids with us. I really miss them. They're such good kids. We have church again tomorrow night and then youth choir and afterglow on Friday. The preacher this week has been talking about your goals and dreams and not letting anyone get in the way of them. I've talked about my calling to work with youth before in this blog. I'm sort of feeling like right now I'm supposed to hang out and do what's asked of me and just be involved with the youth group and the kids. It's all about being a good influence and a positive adult in their lives for me anyway. I really have a heart for kids and youth. I'm thankful that God has given me a husband that is the same way.

Ok well it is SUPER hot in this room. I need to get a fan for in here ASAP! Off to read a bit and go to bed. I finished the 1st Sookie Stackhouse book this morning. I'm going to start the second one now. Still no book counts for you. I really need to find my notebook and update it. Grrr.

See ya tomorrow! (Hopefully this internet at night thing keeps up.)

I'm So Hot...And Not in a Vain Way.

2010-06-01T21:57:00.000-07:00

It's getting hotter everyday here. Arg, why do I live in AZ again? I still don't truly have internet in my new place yet. Right now I'm tapping into a wireless connection that isn't the most reliable. It goes in and out constantly. My hope is to have internet by Friday. Here's hoping!

Nothing new and exciting to report. We are still unpacking and getting settled. The animals are all transitioning ok. Today they were a bit more jumpy and loud then the last couple of days, but I think it's just going to take some time for them to get used to the change.

My Aunt Elsie's house burned down yesterday in Las Vegas. My Aunt Elsie passed away last June and her daughter, PV, was living in the home. 2 of her dogs and 7 cats died in the fire. Please keep PV in your prayers.

Ok I'm off to read a bit and go to bed. I finished a book today and started the Sookie Stackhouse series. I don't have my notebook unpacked yet, so I can't put up book counts. I'll hopefully be more on track come this weekend.

Thanks for bearing with me!

See ya later.

Moving: Day 2

2010-05-30T22:52:00.001-07:00

We have most everything moved in. Just a few things left. I've got some things set up and looking good. Still a lot to unpack. No internet yet. So sad.

Moving: Day 1

2010-05-29T23:56:00.001-07:00

Just took a shower in my new apartment. Laying in my new bedroom getting ready to go to sleep. VERY long day of moving. Thank God for good friends. Night.

Moving Tomorrow!

2010-05-28T23:09:00.001-07:00

Packed all day today and cleaned. I'm so tired. Goodnight moon.

New Home, New Lives, New Things

2010-05-27T22:05:00.000-07:00

We signed the lease on our condo tonight!!! I'm so excited. We're going to start moving in on Saturday! It'll be good to be in our own place and not have to worry about anyone else. I can't wait to decorate it. I'll have an office for the computer and my tutus and ribbons. I'll be able to finally use all the kitchen stuff we got for our wedding. I'll take pictures and put them up of each room once we're all situated.

Ok that's all I've got for today. I'm super sleepy. I didn't sleep well at all yesterday. I have to pack up our room tomorrow. So I'll be doing that all day. Fun Fun.

Ok see ya later.

Congratulations Class of 2010!!

2010-05-26T23:22:00.000-07:00

My little brother graduated tonight. Congrats to all the 2010 grads out there!

I started re-packing our stuff that's in the garage. It's all packed crazy, so I'm trying to go through it before we move this weekend and get it organized a bit. It was super hot out there today. I might try to start a bit earlier tomorrow.

We're supposed to go tomorrow and fill out/sign paperwork for the apartment. I'm excited to get into a new place of our own. My goal is to be all moved in and unpacked by Wednesday of next week. That way I can start my Etsy store and get back to tutu and bow making.

Alright, I'm off to bed. Super exhausted!

Stress Factor

2010-05-25T22:39:00.000-07:00

I'm a bit stressed right now. You probably noticed something is going on from yesterday's post. We're being forced to move and in the process of finding someplace to go. Possibly found somewhere and might be moving as soon as this weekend! YIKES! That's soon right?! I'll be packing and re-packing and stressing all week. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Hopefully getting settled into a new place will help me relax a bit and I'm excited to decorate and set up all our stuff that's been in storage for almost 2 years! I'll also have a nice clean office to do my crafting and blogging in. YAY!

Ok well that's it for today. I'm going to probably take a break from Bad Girl and Random Blog until we're settled in our new place.

See ya tomorrow.

Not In the Mood...

2010-05-24T22:21:00.001-07:00

I'm not in the greatest of moods right now. I don't feel like writing anything. I'm going to take a shower and go to bed. Rawr.

Manda and Her Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Night

2010-05-23T20:38:00.000-07:00

I'm so incredibly irritated right now. Arg!

I had a great day spending time with my first ever roomie, Crystalina, and her new hubby Shaun. Then we went and hung out with my hubby's family. This has been a great weekend and I've had a great time with family and friends. Made some money too! All in all a happy time.

Then I came home today and the good mood went out the window. ARG!

I really don't have much else to write because I'm so incredibly annoyed.

I'm off to bed. See ya.

An Inner Bad Girl Relationship Tip: If you ever hear yourself say, "My paramour is really different when we're alone," run way from this relationship as fast as you can.

Random Blog of the Day: Welcome to my World

Oh I'm a Tired Manda.

2010-05-22T23:50:00.000-07:00

The music survey thing this morning was interesting. Listened to 7 seconds of 350 different songs and had to rate them. It was pretty tedious, but I got money.

I made the 3 tutus for the order my friend made. I just finished them a little bit ago and I'm exhausted. I wrapped all the tutus I've made for other people up all pretty and am delivering to 3 little princesses tomorrow.

The wrap job.

The little tags say Manda's Pretty Little Things and then have For: Princess (child's name)The little bow is a hair clip that matches the tutu. Aw man...the cute factor kills me.

We also went and saw Shrek Forever in 3D at Imax. It was pretty funny.

Man what a busy day. No wonder I can barely keep my eyes open. Geesh.

Ok off to bed. Another busy day tomorrow. Yikes!

Random Blog of the Day: RuFF Housing...this guy makes pretty sweet graphic art. :)

Blank

2010-05-21T21:59:00.000-07:00

I had stuff I was going to write about, but now I can't remember anything.

Um.

Yeah, I have no idea.

I'm super sleepy and have to be up at 7am tomorrow. I have to be across town by 8:45 at the latest. Yay for making money though! Money is always nice.

The 20/20 guy just said he has Facebook and Twitter. Weird. EVERYBODY is on Facebook and Twitter now. Lame.

Ok I'm done with my random ramblings. My bed is calling me. I don't have my calendar in here and don't have the energy to go in the other room to get it. So no Bad Girl for you. Teehee.

Random Blog of the Day: Mass Movement TV

When You See My Face...

2010-05-20T23:39:00.000-07:00

...hope it gives you hell! I caught up on Glee today! Their version of Hope It Gives You Hell by the All-American Rejects was epic!! I absolutely love that song and they did a good job with it. I really like Glee. It is a bit more campy then stuff I'd normally watch, but I can't help being sucked into it. As a musical theatre kid, I just love Glee!! I wish there had been a Glee Club at my high school.

Hmmm...that's about all I did today. I watched like 5 hours of Glee in order to catch up.

I'm still reading the trashy novel that shall not be named. I didn't read any of it today. I'm bad.

Ok that's all from the brain of Manda today.

I'm sleepy and off to read until laundry finishes and then CRASH.

Taking Care of Business, Inner Bad Girl Style: Say what you mean, mean what you say--at work, at home, and everywhere in between.

Random Blog of the Day: Pilgrim Grey

See ya.

First Annual Avenger's Day

2010-05-19T22:07:00.000-07:00

Today was the first Annual Avenger's Day. We went to Hero Comics and bought some Marvel comics on sale. I got 2 Captain America comics. One of the is the cover that inspired my Captain America for President shirt. I also got a special edition Grimm's Fairy Tales. Pretty exciting for me. Teehee.

We also went to the Twilight Farmer's Market. I was highly disappointed. I'm from the East Coast and this was nothing like the Farmer's Markets I grew up with. There was only about 10-15 booths and only like 2 of them actually had veggies and farm products. I was very sad.

Oh I finished the first book in the Jaguar Stones series. It was great. My review is in the post prior to this one.

I started reading another book. It's something I got from the library. It's much more..."romantic"... then I was expecting. I'm going to finish it anyway because the storyline is actually pretty interesting. I know...that sounds like I'm saying I read playboy for the articles. Haha, but seriously, it'd be a pretty decent book if the author lowered the smut level. I won't be sharing the title here...you can look on my 100 list later if you're super curious.

That's about all for today. I was super naughty and had chipotle for dinner. Oh man SO bad for me. AH!

This is a pic I found today of me when I was about sixteen. I was SO skinny!!! Look how cool and athletic and healthy I look. This is what I want to look like again! This picture is my inspiration and my goal for the next 6 months.

Alright, that's all for today. See ya tomorrow.

Today is "Only Say Nice Things to Yourself Day." Because your Inner Bad Girl knows that being self-critical all the time is not terribly effective.

Random Blog of the Day: Treowth

Review- The Jaguar Stones Book One: Middleworld

2010-05-19T11:01:00.000-07:00

The Jaguar Stones Book One: Middleworld

When Max's archeologist parents leave for a dig in Central America, he is set on a boring summer of video games, TV and junk food. When Zia, their housekeeper, sends him off with a packed backpack and a plane ticket, Max is not prepared for what's waiting. His parents have gone missing and it's up to Max to save them. With the help of Lola, a talkative Maya girl and two howler monkeys, Max is in for an adventure of a life time. What will it take to rescue his parents? Does Max have it in him to live out this real life video game?

I was skeptical when I saw the cover of this book and a quick flip through showed that each chapter contained pictures. I was expecting a childish easy read at maybe a JR high level. I was completely wrong. Jon and Pamela Voelkel have created an amazing thing with The Jaguar Stones. Middleworld was an amazing book. The way they laid out the adventure in this novel was well thought out and presented perfectly. I was drawn in and enthralled from beginning to end. I absolutely adored the characters of Max and Lola and I found that they complimented each other perfectly. I don't think there is a better team of characters out there. I loved reading this book and learning about all the Maya life that existed in the past that the Voelkel's painted. The setting, challenges and characters of this work were beautiful mastered and so realistic that they leap from the pages. I can not wait for the next book in this series and I can honestly say this is a great book for anyone middle age and older to experience. Well done!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Goodman Media and Egmont USA. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Devil's Food Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

2010-05-18T21:52:00.000-07:00

Oh man, book club is bad for my healthy eating. I made Devil's Food Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting. I had to eat one. I was good at book club though. I didn't eat anything else that was bad and just drank water.

I'm reading The Jaguar Stones: Middleworld. It's pretty good so far. I'm about half-way through. I'm really enjoying the historical-esque stuff and the adventure. I should be done with it tomorrow and I'll post up a review.

Tomorrow is Avenger's Day and our neighborhood Twilight Farmer's Market. YAY for fun things to do. Hopefully my tulle comes soon so I can make my tutus for my orders!

Ok that's all for today. Hasta Manana!

A dirty little secret about Toxic Niceness: it keeps women from achieving great things.

Random Blog of the Day: Soul Expanding Life and Loose Ends Flying

Tutu Making Machine

2010-05-17T21:50:00.000-07:00

I made 2 1/2 tutus today in the span of about 2 hours. I'm amazing.

These are the two I made today. Aw aren't they cute?! I made them for my little model whose going to model them for pictures for my Etsy store I'm going to make. I also got my first order today! I have to make 3 for the order! YAY money! I really have been having a great time making these.

Ok that's all I have to say for today. I made some yummy Enchilada Casserole for dinner and watched Harry Potter movies. YAY!

Ok bye.

An Inner Bad Girl Shopping Tip: This year buy a bathing suit that you really love-and actually wear it to the beach, the pool or the lake.

Random Blog of the Day: Classical Gas Emissions

End to a Nice Weekend

2010-05-16T22:53:00.000-07:00

We had church this morning. Pastor Price preached an amazing sermon. Talked about some stuff that Mikey and I were just discussing. If you're looking for a miracle or a blessing, your prayer warrior may be sitting right next to you. Also, know what's in your house. What is going on in your home, church and body that is honoring or dishonoring God? As Mr. Caleb Crooms would say, good stuff!

We went to Freddy's for lunch. It's right by our church and we've never been there. The fries were amazing. Bad meal number 2 this weekend, but I didn't eat breakfast and my dinner was super healthy, so it's all good. :)

My head feels weird right now, I think I'm ready for bed.

I'm planning on getting some reading done tomorrow. I still have quite a few review books to read and the whole Sookie Stackhouse series. Oh man.

An Inner Bad Girl History Lesson: On May 16, 1919, Congress sent the 19th Amendment to the states for ratification. Your Inner Bad Girl knows that you know the 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote.

Random Blog of the Day: Moments...memories...me. The writers English is a bit confusing at times, but a pretty decent blog.

I Didn't Do Jack Sh*t

2010-05-15T22:30:00.000-07:00

That title is compliments of my husband. Haha. I asked him what I did today and he said that.

Actually I did quite a bit today. We went to Michael's and Hobby Lobby and I bought a bunch of ribbon and a bunch of tulle.

I made 2 tutus and a couple of bows. One of the tutus is light pink with a pink polka dot bow and the other is hot pink and black with a pink and black leopard print bow. I also made 2 hair clip bows to go with them. The pink one is for a little girl at my church and the other one is for me to wear to camp. I had a lot of fun making them. :) I'll take pics of myself tomorrow in my tutu and bow.

I have one more tutu to make before camp! YAY! I'm excited to give the pink tutu to the mom tomorrow. I hope she likes it! AH!

Yup that's what I did today. Oh and ate a really yummy lunch, that wasn't so nutritious....oops. We didn't eat dinner though, so I figure it evens out.

Ok I'm off to bed. Have to get up for church in the morning.

I'm going to leave daily bad girl till tomorrow.

Random Blog of the Day: To Be Myself Completely

Blogging Via Text Message

2010-05-14T23:01:00.001-07:00

I'm exhausted and too lazy to get online and write a decent post.

I read two books today. I'm amazing.

I ate subway for dinner. Yay!

Ok goodnight. :)

Review- Possessed by Kate Cann

2010-05-14T11:26:00.000-07:00

Possessed

When Rayne decides that life at home in London, with an overbearing boyfriend and a mother who leaves raising her little brother up to her, is too much to handle she accepts a job at Morton's Keep. Morton's Keep is rumored to be haunted by some pretty evil spirits, but anything is better then her current life. In Possessed, readers join Rayne through some very spooky nights alone in her new little house. Who are the Fire Festival men? Are the involved with the strange happenings going on? And what does this all have to do with Rayne? Kate Cann takes readers on a strange and sometimes frightening journey in her new book Possessed.

This was an different book. I really enjoyed the character of Rayne and I thought she was someone you could relate to. I can't decide how I feel about the story itself though. I don't feel like the flow was very effective. There was a lot of stuff that went on that sort of felt like it was just there to fill space. I also didn't feel like the whole story with the ghost was thought out enough. The way the book was going I thought it was building up to something more than what happened. The ending of the book was very anti-climatic. I think that the author could have made the whole haunting and dungeon scenes more than what they were. There was a lot of build-up and secondary characters adding things that really didn't go anywhere. This book wasn't great, but it's an alright read. I enjoyed the historical-like stuff that was talked about and that made it worth reading.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Scholastic Inc. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Networking

2010-05-13T22:56:00.000-07:00

I figured out today how to network my blog with that Facebook thing. It's over there in my sidebar if you don't understand my vague lingo. Yay now my Facebook friends can follow me and if you don't have a blogger account, but have Facebook, you can follow me too!

I got invited to do this music panel thingy with Air1 radio. I have to listen to music for 1.5-2 hours with a bunch of other woman my age and rate it. I get paid $75 for doing it! Sweet huh?!

Oh man so The Vampire Diaries Season Finale was on tonight. I won't give any spoilers, but it was AMAZING! If you watched it and want to talk about it with me, feel free to send me a comment and I'll message you back. It was un-freaking-believable! The new season better starts soon. I don't think I can wait ALL summer for it.

Arg, every time I type my computer desk rattles funny. I don't know why this is and it's driving me nuts!

I'm doing good on eating healthy and working out. I ate really good today and did an hour of heavy cleaning. My kitchen is squeaky clean! YAY!

Ok that's all for today. I didn't finish reading Possessed yet. I'll try to get it done tomorrow.

See ya.

"All men are not slimy warthogs. Some men are silly giraffes, some woebegone puppies, some insecure frogs. But if one is not careful, those slimy warthogs can ruin it for all the others." -Cynthia Heimel

Random Blog of the Day: Dance this mess around

Addicted to H2O

2010-05-12T21:55:00.000-07:00

It's official, I'm addicted to water. Haha. I drank the equivalent of 16 glasses of water today. That's 128 ounces. That's the one thing about getting healthy that I don't have any problem with. I can happily drink tons of water, no problem. I'm not really a big soda drinker, we definitely never have it in the house. We only drink it sometimes when we go out.

I made Black & Gold burritos for dinner tonight. They were delicious! I'm going to type up the recipe tomorrow and add it to Sparkpeople.

We went for our second 30 minute bike ride tonight. We're doing that 3 times a week and I really enjoy it. It's something we can do together and it's a good way to lose weight.

I decided today that we're going to keep up our healthy eating and working out, so that by December we'll be skinny again and we can take some awesome Christmas pictures. Yay for a healthier and happier us!

I'm reading Possessed by Kate Cann. I'm about halfway through it. It's pretty good so far. I'll probably finish it tomorrow sometime and put up a review.

Alright off to read a bit and then go to bed! See ya tomorrow!

What do we call a man who behaves like a woman who's in touch with her Inner Bad Girl? A success. Think about it.

Random Blog of the Day: ISU and other life details...A mom of two college students and a high schooler.

Getting Back on the Horse

2010-05-11T19:53:00.000-07:00

I started back on Sparkpeople.com today. I was on it about the same time last year and I quit using it. It's a great site for creating a new healthy lifestyle. It's completely free and a fantastic resource. You can track your eating habits, your workouts and there is tons of recipes and other stuff on it. It really is a great site. My bestie is starting back on it again too. We're going to get skinny! I'm sick of being overweight and am going to get into shape. If you join up, friend me! I'm Manderiffic!

I finished reading Hex Hall today. My review is in the post before this one. Go check it out.

I made homemade Cottage pie tonight. Loaded it with veggies. It was super yummy and really healthy too. I love cooking!

Ok well I'm out of here. See ya tomorrow.

Current Book Count: 61

Today is, apparently, "Eat What You Want Day." Your Inner Bad Girl thinks that sounds just fine.

Random Blog of the Day: BirdingRVers...this couple travels around and bird watches. How fun!

Review- Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

2010-05-11T15:50:00.000-07:00

Hex Hall

In Rachel Hawkins book, Hex Hall, we meet Sophia Mercer. Sophie is a teenage witch, who lives with her human mother and is just trying to be a normal high school student. When a love spell goes awry, Sophie is sent to Hecate Hall, a school for misfit Prodigium. Surrounded by witches, faeries, shapeshifters, and her new vampire best friend, Sophie still finds herself just not fitting in. When something starts attacking students and her best friend is suspect, Sophie must solve these mysteries and rise up to meet her destiny. With an absent Warlock father, and family secrets that Sophie doesn't even know, Sophie finds herself in a heap of trouble and struggling to find her way out.

I enjoyed reading this story. I wasn't in awe, but it was a decent book. I wasn't completely drawn into the story, but it was a light and easy read. I don't feel like there was enough character development in this book and I was left wondering a lot about characters. I'm ok with a mysterious character here and there, but not when all the characters have an air of mystery about them. There was a lot of things that characters did, that were never explained. I also never felt sucked in. There wasn't a lot of aw moments that you usually find in this sort of book and I didn't really feel like any of the characters were someone a young adult audience could relate to. I feel plot wise, there was some good moments, but everything just happened so quickly and the journey to big moments wasn't there. I enjoyed this book, but I feel there could have been more to it. I hope there is some character development in the next book and that we get to understand Sophie's world a bit better.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I got this book from my local public library! I can say whatever I want. :)

This Is All You Get

2010-05-10T21:40:00.001-07:00

I don't feel well...this is all you get for today.

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T21:03:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there! We went to my bro's house today and had hamburgers and stuff with everybody. I got to see my sis-in-law's sister and kids.

I am super tired. I don't know why. I feel kind of sick too. No bueno.

I'm reading Tempted from the House of Night series. I've been reading it all weekend, but I haven't really spent much time on it. I'll have more time to read during the week.

I'm going to bed now. Probably will read before I sleep.

Hope you had a great weekend and Mother's Day. :)

Alrighty, see you tomorrow.

An Inner Bad Girl Relationship Tip: The best time to relax and be yourself in a relationship is at the very beginning.

Random Blog of the Day: As Told By Me

Day Four: 5 Days of Limited Internet

2010-05-08T23:54:00.000-07:00

We went to the outlet mall by us this morning. It was nice to walk around and just spend time together. We went to this awesome yogurt place called Yogurberry. It's like this self-service frozen yogurt place where you get to pick all kinds of yogurt and add your own toppings. You pay by weight. It was pretty awesome.

We watched Mason tonight. Like always, he was super cute and funny. I love hanging out with him. :)

Ok I'm super tired and we have church in the morning. I'm off to bed.

See ya tomorrow.

Random Blog of the Day: Kooky Boutique: The Blog... A cute blog for a cute Etsy store.

Iron Man 2

2010-05-07T20:10:00.000-07:00

Iron Man 2 came out today. It was pretty epic. I think I might have liked the first one better though. Erm....

If you see it make sure to stay through the credits...good stuff to see!!!

We drove around a lot today. I'm super tired.

I have to watch Mason tomorrow night. Yay for some money!

Did I mention I'm really tired? lol.

I'm still reading that book I can't remember what it's called. Haha.

Day 3 of limited internet. Today was simple because I wasn't really ever home.

I have a lot of great stuff coming up soon. My old roomie is getting married and we're going to her reception (or 2). I'm going to Vegas with some great lady bloggers and possibly my good friend Sara (who I've never meet in person). I'm also going to camp for a week. Yay for summer and fun stuff!!!

Ok I'm going to go read some more. I love when my hubby has long weekends! :)

Inner Bad Girl Food for Thought: It really is okay to make brownies from a store-bought mix for the bake sale or the potluck or whenever.

Random Blog of the Day: Life is about Him!...some of this blog isn't in English...I wonder what it says. teehee.

Day Two: 5 Days of Limited Internet

2010-05-06T23:20:00.000-07:00

I read Emily St. John Mandel's new book The Singer's Gun today. It was awesome! My review is in the post before this one. Check it out!

I also started another book, but I can't remember what it is. haha. Don't feel like going to look.

We went to Best Buy today. It's official, we HAVE to buy a PS3. Lego Harry Potter Years 1-4 comes out next month and it's only on newer systems. Arg. Forget bills, PS3 is a necessity. haha.

Ok watching movies with the hubby and his little brother. We're going to see Iron Man 2 around lunch time tomorrow! I'm excited!

I'm sorry this post is short and lame. My life is pretty lame. Haha. I still need a buddy for Vegas. Feel free to come with me! :) haha.

See ya tomorrow.

Current Book Count: 58

Being friends with another woman who's in touch with her Inner Bad Girl means never wondering if she really cares.

Random Blog of the Day: Random...is this blog title ironic to this daily? :)

Review- The Singer's Gun

2010-05-06T15:51:00.000-07:00

The Singer's Gun

In Emily St. John Mandel's new book, The Singer's Gun, Anton Waker has found himself in trouble, without a possible way out. Anton thought he was finally done with the business of illegal dealings and shady transactions, but when his cousin comes to him with one more job, and the blackmail to force his hand, Anton finds himself once again in over his head. Anton's carefully constructed life hangs on the edge and things take an unexpected turn, he's forced to choose between a life that he made for himself or the one that's thrown upon him. Will he make it out alive, and if so at what cost?

This is Emily St. John Mandel's second novel, and I've had the pleasure of reading both of her books. Her writing talent and impressive skill once more shine again. She has proven that her first novel wasn't just a fluke and she is definitely an author I'll keep reading. Again, Mandel jumped from past to present in this novel and it worked beautifully. The shifts in time were never uncomfortable and they flowed beautifully. I loved this novel even more than her first. The story was interesting and detailed and I was pulled into it immediately. I read The Singer's Gun all in one sitting because I just could not bear to pull myself away. I loved the main character, Anton. He was extremely personable and I felt the struggles he went through were believable and realistic. Emily St. John Mandel has won me again, and The Singer's Gun is something that everyone must read.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Unbridled Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Day One: 5 Days of Limited Internet

2010-05-05T21:16:00.000-07:00

I started myself today on internet withdrawal. For the next five days (until Monday), I'm only allowing myself about an hour over internet a day. That's time to update my blog, check Facebook comments, and check my e-mail. This might not seem like a big deal, but I spend almost my WHOLE day online. I spend hours and hours staring at my computer and wasting brain cells. I'm going to spend my time catching up on my review books and doing other things.

Today wasn't bad. I checked my e-mail and Facebook this morning, at lunch time and then just now. I only spent about 10 minutes on each time. I found myself wandering though and wanting to be on more than that. I may have a problem, haha.

During the time away from my computer, I read 3 books. I finished Wicked: Curse and then read Gone. I put up a review of Gone in the post before this one. It was really good. I liked the Curse better than Witch. It wasn't as demonic and the writing was actually a bit better. I also ended up reading How to Be Popular. Another good one from Meg Cabot. I mostly just have her series left to read. Those are a lot of books though.

So, there is what I'll be up too for the rest of the week and this weekend. Lots of reading and doing internet-free activities. Tomorrow is my hubbies last day of work for the week! YAY for three day weekends and paid vacation days!

See ya tomorrow.

Current Book Count: 57

Today is "Why, Yes! I Will Have a Margarita Day."--Happy Cinco De Mayo

Random Blog of the Day: Sanza Blog..also titled Abundant Blessings. Super cute family.

Review- Gone by Lisa McMann

2010-05-05T14:39:00.000-07:00

Gone

In Gone, we meet for the final time with Janie, main character from Lisa Mcmann's Wake Trilogy. Like in the first two novels, Janie continues to find herself pulled into other people's dreams. She has to finally make a decision, stay with Cabel and meet her fate head on, or isolate herself and escape from her gift. Things take an interesting turn, when a stranger enters Janie's life, and she learns that things aren't as simple as she thought. She must decide between two lives that both have unsatisfactory futures and she must decide soon.

I read this whole trilogy and I feel in love with it from the beginning. The ideas in the Wake series are new and exciting, and I have never read anything quite like them. Gone is just as great as the rest of the series, and I think Lisa McMann ended the story well. I did not feel like there were tons of loose ends to be tied up and I felt a closure that you don't get with many trilogies. The pain and struggles that McMann presented with Janie and her gift were very well written and realistic. I also enjoyed the fact that Janie had more going on in her life than just her gifts and she was a real girl going through real life things. This trilogy as a whole is amazing and Gone definitely did not disappoint. You will find a quick and easy read with these books, but a story that is deep and breathtaking. I feel that making these books any longer than they were would have just drawn out the story and not have made it what it was. I highly recommend these books and I know almost all audiences will enjoy them.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I got this book from my local public library! I can say whatever I want. :)

Book Nerd To The Rescue!

2010-05-04T21:32:00.000-07:00

I just got lent the whole Sookie Stackhouse series! So on top of those, my library books, and my review books, I'm going to be a reading machine this month!

We went grocery shopping tonight and I only bought food to make healthy meals. No Mac & Cheese, Hamburger Helper, or Ramen....sigh. I'm on a mission to lose some weight before my Vegas trip and going to camp.

Not much else to report for today. I ended up not going to book club. Just spending time with the hubby.

Alright off to READ! :)

Taking Care of Business, Inner Bad Girl Style: Making idle threats is not the best way to get what you want. Neither are subtle hints.

Random Blog of the Day: Theorems, Conjectures, and Hypotheses...blog of a smart kid.

It's A New Month...Three Days Late.

2010-05-03T22:16:00.000-07:00

I finished reading Wicked: Witch today. It's kind of a bit too evil for my liking, but I started it so I intend to finish it, at least through Curse, which is the other one I have. There full of super dark magic and demonic stuff that just isn't my cup of tea.

I'm planning on going to Vegas the first weekend of June with a bunch of female Book Bloggers and some Authors. If you're either of these things and are interested in joining us, e-mail me or comment on here. It's going to be a nice girls weekend away, with some book signings and blogging chatter mixed in. We got a super deal on the hotel rooms. Only $61 for two nights, if there is 4 people in each room. I would love if some of you could go! It'll be great fun!

I was going through my ARCs with June releases and realized I have a ton that have already been released or come out very soon. I better get on that reading! I have a bunch of library books I'm going to rock out too. I haven't decided if I'm going to alternate back and forth or read all the library stuff first. I'm very indecisive. I was going to take a picture of both stacks and put them on this post, but I don't have the energy haha. Maybe I'll show them to you later this week.

I think I'm getting sick again, or am STILL getting over being sick. My throat hurts today and I noticed some very tiny white spots on my throat. I guess it's time to bury myself in vitamins again. Oy.

Ok well I'm off to read more of Curse and then go to bed. See ya tomorrow.

April Book Count: 16

April Number of Pages: 4753

Total Number of Pages: 20204

Current Book Count: 54

An Inner Bad Girl Reminder: There's a world of difference between "being nice" and Toxic Niceness.

Random Blog of the Day: Lyn's World...A Personal blog of daily life.

Quansu Dude!

2010-05-02T21:33:00.000-07:00

We just got done watching Surf Ninjas! I absolutely LOVE that movie! It's a tad cheesy, but so great. I'm pretty sure I've seen it like a million times.

We also watched Mallrats today. Another movie I've seen too many times to count.

I love late 80s-90s movies. Great stuff! Movies just aren't as good anymore.

I've had a pretty busy weekend, so I haven't had a chance to do end of the month page counts and final book counts for April. I'll do those and post them tomorrow. I'm spending the next couple of days reading a ton. I have a stack of library books to read and then I'm going to crack down on my review books. I have a good amount to read for May and June.

I might have to have a guest blogger for a week in June. I'm going to be at camp during the third week of June and won't have internet access Sunday through Friday. I might ask my bestie to guest blog, unless anyone wants to apply for the position of guest blogger. You'd have to blog EVERYDAY that week. I'd e-mail you my Daily Bad-Girls for that week and some guidelines. If you're interested send me an e-mail telling me why you'd be the best choice.

Well, I'm off to read some before bed. My To-Read pile is out of control! See ya tomorrow.

An Inner Bad Girl History Lesson: Mother's Day didn't start out as a commercial holiday--it was inspired by women's movenments for peace and the improvement of conditions mothers faced during and just after the U.S. Civil War.

Random Blog of the Day: Lower Level 30... Really interesting blogger. Writing about life at work.

Free Comic Book Day

2010-05-01T22:18:00.000-07:00

Today was Free Comic Book Day! We went to Heroes Comics and took some pictures with people in costumes.

Captain America for President!

The hubby and Black Widow

Captain America was cool. He liked my shirt. He said that next time he'll wear a shirt with my face on it. lol. I think Black Widow was hitting on my husband. She said, "My muscles aren't as big as yours, but I'm supposed to be more limber." Back off you red head man killer. HAHA!

We had a great time though. I really want to go to ComicCon Memorial Day weekend. Oh dear, I'm such a nerd.

We saw Nightmare on Elm Street. It was a pretty good movie. I was super scared from it, but I think I might have yelled pretty loud at one point. I yelled with one of the characters, so I can't decide if I was yelling or just gasping. lol. I think I'll sleep fine tonight.

Bad Parenting 101: Taking your 7 year old to a rated-R horror film.

Bad Parenting 102: Buying tickets for your 12 year olds to a rated-R horror film and not going to said film with them.

Make wise choices when it comes to your kids. Please don't follow these poor parenting examples.

Alright, we're having an X-men marathon. On to movie 2. See ya tomorrow!

Random Blog of the Day: All About G...Check it out. Looks interesting.

The Wonderful Land of Oz

2010-04-30T22:05:00.000-07:00

I spent all day at my mom's school today helping in her class and getting her drama kids ready for their play.

They did The Wonderful Land of Oz. It was super cute. The little girl who played Dorothy was ADORABLE! Here is some pics I took from their play.

Dorothy and Toto

The Scarecrow, Tin Woodsman and Cowardly Lion

All the kiddos after the show!

These kids are in Kindergarten through 5th grade and did a FULL 1 1/2 hour musical production. They were amazing. Dorothy is only in 3rd grade. I was really incredibly impressed with the whole show. Support The Arts in your schools! Kids need it!

Ok well I am incredibly tired. It was a very long day. Everyone you see wearing face paint in this production, I did. I never want to paint a face again...haha just kidding! I love doing stage makeup and had a great time doing the lion's makeup and Toto's makeup. Little talents no one knows I have. :)

See ya tomorrow! Hopefully we see Friday The 13th tomorrow and I can tell you about how freaked out I was. LOL!

Your Inner Bad Girl wonders what would happen if we decided that every hour was "Happy Hour"--and it had nothing to do with cocktails.

Random Blog of the Day: Food for Thought...reviews of stuff, cute babies and bubbles!

Migraines and Frustrations.

2010-04-29T22:25:00.000-07:00

I spent all day today in bed with a migraine. I'm really getting sick of being sick. I need insurance so I can go to a neurologist or something. My migraines are getting harder to fix and are lasting all day. No fun.

I am totally over debating immigration with people. I hate the fact that having a different opinion than someone else makes me uneducated and ignorant. Belittling people is not a way to get your point across. If your opinion is different, isn't it then your job to persuade people as to why they are wrong. Not a single person has persuaded me. No one has said anything to back up their opinion and most of the time they just tell me I'm uneducated instead of responding to what I've said. It's irritating and I'm over it.

Well I'm off to bed. I'm super exhausted and still don't feel great. I may or may not go help at my mom's school tomorrow. I haven't decided yet.

See ya later.

Today is "Surprise Yourself Day." Do something unexpected.

Random Blog of the Day: Wandering into a place and beyond

Never Too Old For Naps.

2010-04-28T22:47:00.000-07:00

I took a nap today. Yup.

That's about all I did lol.

We went to dinner tonight at Great Wall Buffet. It was yummy.

I bought new deodorant and some new colored pencils.

I argued with people about immigration reform.

Yup that's about it.

I'm totally going to leave this post as is. Haha. I just don't have the energy to write anything else.

See ya.

"What do they call a woman who works as hard as a man? Lazy." -Anonymous

Random Blog of the Day: Enjoying the Unique Flavors of Life... The first author blog of come across during this activity!! YAY!

Re-caps, Sidewalk Chalk and Tutus

2010-04-28T00:03:00.000-07:00

I'm not going to edit yesterday's post. I just don't feel like it. LOLI'm going to leave it the way it is and just make this a double post.

I watched my nephew the last two days. He is super adorable. I got him saying some pretty funny stuff. He told me his new dance move is the clap and wiggle...I may or may not have put this idea in his head. Whenever I say, "whose the silliest boy I know," he yells, "MASON!" We played trucks and watched Little Bear for two day straight. I can probably go forever without watching an episode of Little Bear ever again. HahaI do now have an obsession with the show The Fresh Beat Band. I totally want to be on that show. If you've never heard of it, you should check it out. It's made for Pre-schoolers, but I am totally hooked on it

We made videos on my phone today for my friend Sara. They were so cute. In my favorite one, Mason kept saying Hey Giiirrrlll. It was hilarious.

So that was my last two days. Racing trucks for hours on end and watching Nick Jr. I really didn't do ANYTHING else.

Right now I'm working on 3 red tutus for my mom. She's going to use them for head dresses for her flowers in her play at her school. I've finished one and have two more to make tonight. It's already 11:55pm. I'm going to be up for a while. I'm going to catch up on my shows while I work.

Oh I forgot I finished Fade! I can't wait to read Gone. This is a great trilogy.

Ok off to finish working so I can go to bed. I'm exhausted. Catch ya later.

Current Book Count: 53...I need to remember to update all my book lists tomorrow.

Taking Care of Business, Inner Bad Girl Style: Sometimes success is more the result of follow-through than of luck.

Inner Bad Girl Food for Thought: If you put "eat chocolate" on your to-do list, the chances are good you'll get at least one thing accomplished.

Random Blog of the Day: Random Dafydd... Pretty interesting blog. Lots of brainy stuff to read.

2010-04-26T20:17:00.001-07:00

So exhausted. I'm already in bed. Just wanted to post something. I'll edit this tomorrow.

Great Books

2010-04-25T23:12:00.000-07:00

I finished reading Beautiful Dead: Jonas today. It was pretty good. I'll definitely be reading the next ones.

I also read Wake by Lisa McMann. It was really good. I started Fade already and love it too. I'm absolutely in love with the relationship between Cadel and Janie. I think I'm going to do a full review of all three books once I have them all read. I just requested Gone from the library.

We got Aloe Vera Juice from the store today. Supposedly it is super good for you and it's supposed to be good for digestive issues. My husband has bad heartburn and acid reflux, so we're trying it to see if it helps him at all. I'd rather do home remedies before going to the doctor for medications. Keep our bodies all natural and healthy. :)

I have to watch Mason tomorrow and Tuesday. So I'll probably have some cute stories to share with you. Off to bed now. I have to be up by 6am to make it across town by 7:30am. See you all tomorrow! :)

Current Book Count: 52...woohoo!

Random Blog of the Day: Kourtney's Thoughts and Things...A young Christian blogger. Cute stuff.

KICK ASS!

2010-04-24T23:29:00.000-07:00

We just got back from seeing Kick Ass. IT WAS AMAZING! It literally is the BEST movie I've EVER seen. The previews totally did not do it justice. I was expecting a super funny dorky movie and it was WAY WAY more than that! Go see this if you haven't already! Everyone must see this movie.

We saw a preview for the new Nightmare on Elm Street that comes out next week. Oh man I was in tears just from the preview. It looks like it is going to be terrifying. Yikes!

I'm still reading Jonas Beautiful Dead. I plan on finishing it tonight or early tomorrow. I bought two books at Barnes and Noble today, Perfect Chemistry and Heavenstone Secrets. I want to read them ASAP and also their sequels that I got from the Bloggers Conference.

Alright, I'm super tired from last night still. We didn't get home till like 3am and there was a big drama that happened. I'm not going to get into it here because I'm over it. People are lame. That's all you need to know. :)

Ok off to bed. See ya tomorrow!

An Inner Bad Girl Reminder: Getting in touch with your Inner Bad Girl is a choice you can make every day. If you slide into Toxic Niceness, it's okay to start your day over at any point in time.

Random Blog of the Day: *Different Stars*.... Lots of fashion talk and pop culture. Pretty great blog.

Salty Senorita

2010-04-23T19:46:00.000-07:00

My title is the name of the bar I'm going to tonight. Isn't that a strange name. I can't think of it in a positive context at all. Haha.

I'm writing this so early because I don't know what time I'll be home tonight. I'll edit in anything funny that happens when I get home or in the morning.

One of my mom's friend has her birthday today, so we're going out for it. I think I've talked about this group of friends before. They're much older than me, but a lot more fun than most people my age I've hung out with. It should be a good time.

I watched Billy Elliot today. I've never seen it before. It was pretty good. I want to see the musical. Everyone says it is so great.

I really didn't do much else today. It's been a boring do so far. Going out tonight like I said. That should make the day more exciting. I want some mexican food and supposedly they have good stuff.

Ok I'm out of here. Catch ya later.

Your Inner Bad Girl knows that time flies whether you're having fun or not. The choice is yours.

Random Blog of the Day: So Not Mom-a-licious...funny blog of a mom gone crazy.

I Love You. I Know.

2010-04-22T22:37:00.000-07:00

We just got done watching a documentary on The Original Star Wars Trilogy. I love watching stuff like this with my hubby. We're such big nerds. Sometimes we enjoy movie extras more than the movie itself.

I finished reading Trouble in High Heels. I really enjoyed it. Good book club book this time around. I started reading Jonas Beautiful Dead by Eden Maguire. It's interesting so far. I'll most likely write up a review when I'm finished with it. I was going to read two of my books I got in the mail yesterday, but both were the second of the series, so I had to request the first ones from the library. I'm on hold for both of them. So, when I get those and read them, then I can read the ones I own. It's all good though. I still have a decent pile from the library that I really need to finish first.

I feel super cute right now. I braided my hair into pigtails and have on my favorite shirt and my new necklace. It's a lot bigger than I thought and the chain is cheap, but it's still cute. You can check out the necklace at the link above.

I received my first hate mail today. It wasn't exactly "hate", but it wasn't pleasant. I don't mind e-mails like this. If it makes the person feel better about themselves to put me down, go ahead. I'm a strong person. Please remember though, if you are going to insult someone, even if you think you are doing it "nicely", think how it makes you feel. Do you feel better about yourself belittling people? Does it make you feel good? Thumper in Bambi says it best, "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all". Also, most of the time, if someone did not ask for advice, they probably don't want/need it. If you are reading someones blog, you probably don't know much about them personally, so don't assume you do. Eh, enough of that. This person and e-mail don't deserve any more thought.

Ok I'm off to watch my Star Wars stuff and read before bed. See ya'll tomorrow.

Current Book Count: 50....half way through my challenge!

"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."-Native American Proverb (Oh this would have been great for yesterday's post.)

Random Blog of the Day: The Terrills...guess what? It's another family blog! *Shocked face*

What Ups, Buttercup?

2010-04-21T19:55:00.000-07:00

I got books in the mail...wanna see them?

Terry from Romance in the Backseat sent these all to me! I'm so excited. I'll have to add the ARCs to my pile and review them soon. I have a whole bunch of ARCs that are debuting in June. I'll probably read and review them all next month! There is one in there that came out this month. So I'll read that one soon and review it for ya'll.

I finished the 5th Book in the Daughters of the Moon series. I started Trouble in High Heels by Christina Dodd. That's the one I'm reading currently for book club. I'm only a chapter in, nothing to report as of yet. I've rocked out 13 books this month and I still have a couple days to go and a stack of library books to read still. Man I'm awesome. Yup Yup.

I watched America today. It was a Lifetime movie produced and featuring Rosie O'Donnell. It was actually really good. The boy who played the main character was amazing. My post before this one was inspired by the movie. The Foster Care System is insane. I learned today that Arizona leads for the most children per capita in group or shelter care. I'm pretty set on becoming Foster parents when Mikey and I get settled down into our own place and are both making decent incomes.

Speaking of incomes, I applied for a pretty sweet job today. I hope they give me a call. It'd be a great opportunity and I'd make quite a bit of money. Fingers crossed and prayers accepted!

Alright, I'm off to read and stuff. You know the drill. Catch ya later.

Current Book Count: 49

Your Inner Bad Girl knows that if something doesn't feel right- whether it's a piece of clothing, a situation, or that new job you're considering-- it probably isn't right, so just say "I don't think so."

Random Blog of the Day: The Kelly Boys ...AW they're adorable!

America's Children

2010-04-21T16:45:00.001-07:00

Foster, it means to support, to encourage, to sustain, to cherish. It's very first meaning was to feed or nourish. That seems pretty simple.

There are more than half a million children and youth in the U.S. foster care system, a 90% increase since 1987.

Three of 10 of the nation’s homeless are former foster children.

A recent study has found that 12-18 months after leaving foster care:
27% of the males and 10% of the females had been incarcerated
33% were receiving public assistance
37% had not finished high school
50% were unemployed

Children in foster care are three to six times more likely than children not in care to have emotional, behavioral and developmental problems, including conduct disorders, depression, difficulties in school and impaired social relationships.

Some experts estimate that about 30% of the children in care have marked or severe emotional problems.

Various studies have indicated that children and young people in foster care tend to have limited education and job skills, perform poorly in school compared to children who are not in foster care, lag behind in their education by at least one year, and have lower educational attainment than the general population.

80% of prison inmates have been through the foster care system.

Children are 11 times more likely to be abused in State care than they are in their own homes.

Children died as a result of abuse in foster care 5.25 times more often than children in the general population.

All a kid needs is one person to hang onto. One person to see them. To listen. To care. To show up. Consistently. One Person. That's what I believe.

Maybe I'm naive, but I think in a country like ours, we can do better. We must. These kids don't belong to somebody else. These kids belong to all of us. They are America's Children.

They ARE America.

Rawr

2010-04-20T22:05:00.000-07:00

I can't think of a title about my day. So you get that. Rawr is I love you in dinosaur. Did you know that? Teehee.

I'm still reading Book 5 of the Daughters of the Moon series. It's about Stanton. I like him a lot. He's awesome.

Today Nate, the State Youth Director, asked me to be a counselor for kids camp. I really want to do teen camp, since that's my calling and where I do best, but I told him I'll go where he needs me. I guess I can make kids camp pretty epic. I'm wild and crazy enough when it comes to kids stuff to make it awesome. I convinced my friend Meagan to do it with me. We're going to have a blast. I'm super excited now that I've decided I'll make it fun.

I had book club tonight. Nothing too exciting to report. Those ladies are so great. We had a really heated and lengthy chat about all kinds of stuff tonight. I enjoy going there every other week. I don't know what book we're reading for next time. It's around here somewhere. It's something by Christina Dodd. I think Trouble in High Heels. Yeah that one.

Nothing else to report. I played neopets a bunch today. I know...nerd. Shhh don't tell. It's bad for my rep. haha. I'm trying to convince people I'm mature and grown up.

Alright, see ya tomorrow.

An Inner Bad Girl Fashion Tip: It's probably not a good idea to go shopping for clothes when you're experiencing PMS. Shopping for chocolate, on the other hand...

Random Blog of the Day: Pecasflynn....yay for family blogs! (I have yet to come across a book blog. This is no good.)

I Love Ice Cream!

2010-04-19T23:08:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here eating ice cream and humming happy tunes to myself. Ah bliss.

I had a migraine this morning, so I slept like ALL day. I finished reading Book 4 of the Daughters of the Moon series and started on Book 5.

I made homemade spaghetti sauce and spaghetti for dinner, it was yummy. Definitely better than store bought sauce. I win.

We played more Lego Star Wars. I like being a jedi. Jedi mind tricks are the best part!

I just realized I can sort of hear out of my right ear! YAY! *Happy Dance*

Ok I'm totally grasping for stuff to write now. I really don't have anything exciting to say for today. I'm sorry.

See ya tomorrow! :)

Current Book Count: 48...that's 12 for April! I still have lots of days left to read!

If a woman succeeds at anything, the chances are good she's going to be called a "b" at some point. Your Inner Bad Girl wonders if that's really such a bad thing.

Random Blog of the Day: Blogging from Alice Springs... a decent blogger, with some interesting stuff. She's cutesy and fun.

Lazy Sunday

2010-04-18T21:16:00.000-07:00

I had a nice, relaxing lazy day with my hubby today. We played Lego Star Wars II almost all day. This is the first game we've come across that we can actually play together and not end up screaming at one another. To be perfectly honest, I'm complete rubbish when it comes to video games. I'm really bad at steering characters, and I have horrible aim. In this game though, I actually do alright. We got through about 9 or 10 levels and had a great time playing. I can't wait till he gets home from work tomorrow, so we can play some more.

I also finally finished reading The Iron King. You can read my review in the post prior to this one. Since I wasn't completely in love with the first book, I'm going to hold off reading my e-version of The Iron Daughter till closer to it's release date.

I started reading Book 4 in the Daughters of the Moon series. I actually like this series so far, so I'm going to keep getting them from the library and try to read them all. I'm going to spend this week reading my library books and I might read one or two of my review copies, depending on their release date. Since I'm basically done with my 12 books for this month, I'm going to just read whatever I feel like this week.

I'm still sick. Today hasn't been that bad, even though my throat still hurts. I should be back to normal in the next couple of days. It's getting really hot during the day lately, which isn't helping me feel comfortable and relaxed. I really don't like Arizona heat. Give me snow and rain any day.

Alright, I'm off to read some more and spend some time with the hubby before bed. See ya'll tomorrow.

Current Book Count: 47...1 more to go. :)

An Inner Bad Girl Relationship Tip: The best way to avoid romantic dead-ends is to ask yourself "What am I thinking?"

Random Blog of the Day: Of Brown Sugar and Skinless Fingertips! The heading of this one says, "you take life too seriously. I intend to change that." Sounds good to me.

Review - The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

2010-04-18T16:43:00.000-07:00

The Iron King

Ever since the disappearance of her father when she was six, things have never been right for Meghan Chase. Now living with her step-father, mother, and half-brother, Meghan is about to turn sixteen and life as she knows it will never be the same. Pulled into a world of Faeries, Piskies, and other mystical creatures, Meghan learns her life-time best friend is not who she thinks he is, and her destiny is one she was never prepared for. As the daughter of a mystical faery king, Meghan must defend her birthright and fight feelings for an enemy boy. In this mystical tale of honor, love and war, Meghan Chase not only has to survive being sixteen, but now must save those she cares for the most.

I had a hard time with this book in the beginning. The similarities to Alice In Wonderland and The Chronicles of Narnia really bothered me. Once I was able to look past these similarities and see this novel as something of its own, I actually started to enjoy it. I wish that Julie Kagawa had tried a bit harder to make this something completely different. The plot in itself was great and I really liked the main characters, but the first two parts of the book just were not original enough for me. It was just another story of two opposing courts, similar to the red queen and the white queen in Wonderland, and their battles with each other. Meghan Chase even gets to this land through a closet. I just could not get passed the similarities to other popular fantasy stories. However, putting that all aside, I was finally drawn in during part three. I enjoyed the relationship between Meghan and Ash, and I absolutely loved Puck. For those facts alone, I will read the next installment, and I hope that in The Iron Daughter, I will feel like I'm reading something new and not a copy of an already existing story. All in all, the story was interesting, the characters were great, I just don't feel like this was something original and new to read.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I got this book from my local public library! I can say whatever I want. :)

Art, Words and Sore Throats

2010-04-17T19:32:00.000-07:00

I spent all day today hanging out with my hubby. We drew pictures, ok his are pieces of art and mine are kindergarten like, but it was fun. I also wrote two chapters of a story that sort of just popped in my head. I'll have to go back and edit them a bunch and add stuff, but isn't this what writing is all about. Getting your thoughts down on paper? I really like the premise of the story that's forming in my head. I just had an urge to start writing it and so I did. I had to stop writing to go to Wal-mart and make dinner, but I'll probably wander back to it tomorrow. For all I know it's a crap story, but I miss writing stuff. I haven't written fiction since high school.

I read more of The Iron King today. I'm still not done with it. I just can't seem to get into it. I don't know why. Maybe I've just been too distracted. I don't know. I'll try reading more of it tomorrow. If I don't get the review up tomorrow, it'll definitely be up on Monday. I PROMISE I PROMISE I PROMISE!

My throat has started hurting again today. Arg! I just want to be better already!

I saw a lot of little kids at Wal-mart today. I'm realizing more and more that I want one! Soon! Like now! Haha. I know I'll get pregnant when I'm supposed to, but I'd be happy for it to happen sooner than later.

Ok that's all for today. I'm off to watch Superman and eat dinner. We got ice cream! Haha I'm so excited!

No Bad Girl for today...I'm too lazy to go get the calendar from my room. :P

Random Blog of the Day: iAmBaronVanTito... The last post was about AZ! SWEET!

Meow Meow Meow!

2010-04-16T22:16:00.000-07:00

My cat has been meowing ALL day. She is driving me insane. I realize she is probably bored and lonely without her sister, but it's not like I'm not paying attention to her. You'd think her voice would get sore. lol.

I've had a horrible headache all day, so I didn't do my Friday memes. Hopefully I'll be back to 100% health soon and can get back in the swing of things.

We watched 20/20 tonight and the episode was about Somer Thompson. This poor little girl was abducted from the street on the way home from school and later dumped in a trash can. Please always be aware of where your children are at all times and if they walk home from school make sure they are in someones care the whole way home. Visit The Remembering Somer Website to find out more about this case and see how you can help. Also visit ABCnews to find out about sex offenders in your neighborhood and keep your children safe.

I'm still reading The Iron King . I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. It's too much like Alice In Wonderland and The Chronicles of Narnia so far. I hope something happens to set it apart.

Alright, I'm off to bed. I hope this headache goes soon, so I can sleep. See ya tomorrow.

Today is "What Would My Inner Bad Girl Do? Day." Oh, wait, every day is "What Would My Inner Bad Girl Do? Day."

Random Blog of the Day: Work Your Magic... A Euro and Russian Music Blog.

Chicken and Dumplings & Death By Chick Lit

2010-04-15T20:24:00.000-07:00

I finished reading Death By Chick Lit. It was GREAT! I totally recommend it to everyone. It's a great murder mystery with a light, fun edge. It's a pretty quick read, but totally worth it. I love Lynn Harris' writing style and will definitely have to check out more of her books.

We went to the library and I picked up MORE books. I got Wake and Fade by Lisa McMann. I found them both, so I figure I'll check them out, so then I can read her newest one, Gone. I also got another Meg Cabot book. I'm going to check hers out every time I find them, till I have them all read. I got few others, but they're not in front of me, so I can't think of what they are. (Man I am the queen of run-on sentances today.) All YA Urban Fantasy stuff. I also made a stack of stuff I need to read for reviews. I'll start The Iron King before bed.

I made Chicken and Dumplings for dinner. IT was my first time making it and man was it good. I'll definitely have to add it to the list of stuff I make all the time. It was easy to make and super delicious.

Ok off to watch Sunshine Cleaning. We checked it out from the library. It looks interesting. See ya tomorrow.

Current Book Count: 46

"Death and taxes and childbirth. There's never any convenient time for any of them."--Margaret Mitchell

Random Blog of the Day: Abundant Curiosity ... A eco-friendly family blog. There is some interesting parenting techniques going on here. Seems to be working well for them.

Photoshop My Life

2010-04-14T20:26:00.000-07:00

I am still sick! Holy crap, this is getting ridiculous. I don't want to be sick anymore. It isn't fun.

I played with photoshop A LOT today. I'm getting really good at enhancing photos. Here's two pics that I shopped:

These are of my Best Friend's little boy. Isn't he just the cutest kid ever?! He's a big part of my world and I love him like I'll one day love my own. :)

I'm reading Death By Chick Lit by Lynn Harris. It's super good so far! I'm about half way through it so far. I plan on finishing it tomorrow and then starting on The Iron King.

That's about all for now. It's been getting so hot during the day. I don't want it to be summer yet! It's too hot to be in AZ. Sigh...hopefully we'll do lots of camping and visits up north this summer. I'll definitely need that.

An Inner Bad Girl Diet Tip: "I've been really bad"is not really a helpful thought when it comes to food. Those French fries were just a choice, not a moral failure.

Random Blog of the Day: People, places, faces, traces...Music, Art, and Life

Brain Fart

2010-04-13T21:27:00.000-07:00

I can't think of a title for today. Major brain fart going on.

I finished reading Airhead by Meg Cabot. It was pretty good. I really love Meg Cabot. I'll have to get the rest of this series from the library. I also read Jinx today. This one was also by Meg Cabot. I got like three of her books from the library. I'm on a mission to read everything she has written. I've actually read a lot of her books. I've read like 11 of them so far. I still have a long ways to go. She has a couple series that have a lot of books and I also want to eventually read the Princess Diaries series, just because I never have.

Ok enough about Meg Cabot.

Those two books bring my reading count for this month up to 45. Man I'm rocking out this month. I only need to read 3 more books to reach my goal. I have a couple more from the library I'm going to read in the next couple of days including The Iron King. I'll be in perfect shape come November. I won't have to read at all during Nanowrimo. Sweet.

I'm still super sick. I feel worse today then I've felt this whole time. They say you always get worse before you get better, but this is no fun. I know my last couple of posts have been sick Manda whining, but I don't go anywhere when I'm sick, so I don't have anything exciting to write about. Sorry.

I made cookies today! That's exciting, right? I found this amazing Snickerdoodles Recipe. You should go try it out. They came out so good. My only recommendation is to squish them down a bit before baking. The recipe says to make balls, but they stay as balls when you bake them.

Ok I'm off to medicate and go to sleep. Catch ya later.

Current Book Count: 45

"Women complain about PMS, but I think of it as the only time of the month that I can be myself." --Roseanne Barr

Random Blog of the Day: The Davis Family... another family blog. You should check it out solely for the EPIC banner pic they have. It's amazing.

Back To Your Regularly Scheduled Blogging

2010-04-12T20:23:00.000-07:00

Hi there! I'm back! Did you miss me?

That was a long couple of days without an OFFICIAL daily post. Read-A-Thon went great! I had a blast. I had a great time chatting with everyone on Twitter and loved all the lovely cheers and comments I got. The mini-challenges I did were really fun. You can go back and look at my 2 posts from the weekend to see everything that happened with the event. I'll definitely be doing it again in the fall and I hope you'll be joining me!

I'm super sick still. The ear infection and strep throat are still running their course. I'm not really any worse, but definitely not any better. I have lots of Nyquil and Chloraseptic drops to get me through.

Nothing else that exciting to tell you. I've just been hanging around being sick and feeling sorry for myself. I went to the library during the read-a-thon and got a ton of books. I read Wish by Alexandra Bullen and posted a review. It's in the post before this one. I also got The Iron King. I plan on reading and reviewing it it this week and then reading my e-book of The Iron Daughter and reviewing that too. Don't hold it against me if I don't get those done. Remember I'm a sick Manda. :(

Ok I'm off to read Airhead by Meg Cabot. I'm almost finished with it. I sure do miss the library. I think I'll start going there more.

See ya tomorrow.

Current Book Count: 43

Toxic Niceness goes by many names, but no matter what you call it, the major symptom is that everyone else gets more out of our lives than we do. Getting in touch with your Inner Bad Girl is the cure.

Random Blog of the Day: My Life with Dogs... It's a dog/family blog and it's cute! I want to have kids so I can start my family blog.

Review - Wish by Alexandra Bullen

2010-04-11T15:36:00.000-07:00

Wish

In Alexandra Bullen's debut novel, Wish, Olivia Larsen is starting life in a new school and a new city. The reason behind her families big move is not what most would expect. Last summer, Violet, Olivia's twin sister, passed away. Moving to San Fransisco is a fresh start for Olivia and her parents, but not necessarily the start Olivia is ready for. When a visit to a seamstress brings her three wishes, Olivia can't help but wish for Violet back. With her sister by her side again and two more wishes to make, Olivia has to learn to live life and take things as they come. A tale of sisterhood, loss and living life to the fullest, Wish is more than just a fairy tale.

I really enjoyed this novel. I decided to read it solely on the fact that it had a pretty cover and the synopsis sounded like a fun and relaxing, Young Adult read. I was pleasantly surprised when I was immediately drawn into this story and had a hard time tearing myself away. For the most part it's a funny and bubbly story of young love, fairy tales, and magic, but there is also a bit of a tear jerker and some emotional times. The characters are lovable and enduring and you will absolutely adore Olivia. She has this amazing charisma and personality that makes her an fantastic lead character. I was expecting major fluff and a quick, easy read and I got so much more. I can honestly say that Wish is up there with my favorite books so far in 2010 and I can't wait to read more from Alexandra Bullen. This has been an amazing year to date for YA novels and Bullen's debut novel, Wish, is among the bests.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I got this book from my local public library! I can say whatever I want. :)

Read-a-Thon Mini-Challenges

2010-04-10T09:11:00.000-07:00

I've decided to put my mini-challenges in their own post, since I'll probably do a ton of these. :)

HOUR 1 MEME

Where are you reading from today?

This will change all day. I'm starting out on my couch. I'll be at the library at some point today.

3 facts about me …

1. I've been married for a little over a year, but we've been together for 8 years.

2. I'm 25, even though I look and act 16.

3. I'm a sucker for a good book and a yummy coffee drink.

How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?

10
Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)?

I want to finish at least 4 books and make it the whole 24 hours!

FEED ME SEYMOUR

The Mummy by Anne Rice

"The white wicker table was covered with plates of steaming food. As he read the copy of Punch propped before his plate, he ate delicately with his right hand from the meat here, and the fruit there, and the bread to his left, and the bits of roasted fowl in front of him. It was quite a miracle, in fact, the fastidiousness with which he ate, not touching knives and forks, thought he had loved the ornate designs in the old silver."

LIGHTS, CAMERA, READ!

This Mini-Challenge sounds so fun! I of course won't be posting my entry for a couple hours, but I figured I'd add it to the post so I remember.

MID-EVENT SURVEY:
1. What are you reading right now? The Mummy by Anne Rice
2. How many books have you read so far? 1 finished...100 pages to go in this one!
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? Wish by Alexandra Bullen
4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day? Nope no plans for today
5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those? I went to the library and got lunch. I read a bit during the time.
6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far? I read slower than I thought and I do get book ADD
7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? Um maybe a chatroom or forum.
8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year? Buy more snacks!
9. Are you getting tired yet? Not really I'm alright.
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? Move around a lot. Change your scenery.

END OF EVENT MEME
1. Which hour was most daunting for you? This one! The last hour! I'm ready to crash!
2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? Wish was great, I suggest light, fun books like YA and Chic Lit!
3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? Mini-Challenges that took less time...I wanted to enter a bunch but they took away from reading.
4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? I liked the organization of the main blog and updating on twitter.
5. How many books did you read? 3 and a little more.
6. What were the names of the books you read? Night Shade, The Mummy, Wish and Airhead
7. Which book did you enjoy most? The Mummy was great, but hard to read in 1 sitting. I LOVED WISH! Perfect for the Read-a-Thon.
8. Which did you enjoy least? The Mummy got hard to read during the end. Too heavy for this.
9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders? N/A
10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? I will definitely be back for the next one! I'll be a reader for sure!

Manda's Official Read-a-Thon Post

2010-04-10T05:05:00.000-07:00

Here you'll find my progress, rantings, and nonsense thoughts for the next 24 hours. I'll randomly update this post as the day goes on. Thanks for keeping me company. :) I'll only be posting every so often on this one post all day, if you want to here from me more often follow me on Twitter! My link is in the side bar!

5:00am

Current Book: Night Shade by Lynne Ewing...page 144/277

Beverages So Far: 0...I need to go make some tea.

Snack So Far: 0...I can't eat at 5am. Haha

Thoughts So Far: Why am I up at 5am again? Oh lordy. Well here we go!

6:09am

Current Books Read: 1

Current Pages Read: 133

Current Book: The Mummy by Anne Rice...page 0/398

Beverages So Far: 1

Current Beverage: Grape Powerade Zero

Snacks So Far: 0...still not hungry.

Thoughts So Far: Only an hour in. This is easy so far. It was nice to watch the sun rise through the back window. Starting The Mummy. I have to read it for book club. It sounds interesting.

7:27am

Current Books Read: 1

Current Book: The Mummy by Anne Rice.. page 45/398

Current Pages Read: 178

Beverages So Far: 1

Current Beverage: Grape Powerade Zero

Snack So Far: 0...I'm starting to feel a bit hungry though. Food needed soon!

Thoughts So Far: I'm getting sleepy already! I might need a 30 minute cat nap soon. This is a bad sign. I'm definitely not an early riser.

8:44am

Current Books Read: 1

Current Book: The Mummy by Anne Rice.. page 80/398

Current Pages Read: 213

Beverages So Far: 2

Current Beverage: Butter Rum Coffee with 2 sugars and Carmel Macchiato Creamer

Snack So Far: 1...I ate a hard boiled Easter egg. It tasted a bit funny. Erm...

Thoughts So Far: I refuse to fall asleep! I am going to stay awake the whole 24 hours! I can do this! The coffee and the egg helped a lot! I'm not feeling sleepy at all right now! This book is so good so far. I just got to a really exciting part. In avoidance of spoilers, I won't divulge much, but Ramses just awoke! AH!

10:17am

Current Books Read: 1

Current Book: The Mummy by Anne Rice.. page 128/398

Current Pages Read: 261

Beverages So Far: 3

Current Beverage: I'm on my second cup of Butter Rum Coffee with 2 sugars and Carmel Macchiato Creamer

Snack So Far: Still 1...the coffee suppresses my appetite.

Thoughts So Far: I'm wide awake now! 5 hours have passed..19 to go and I'm perfectly happy. I totally 100% love this book. I might even say it is becoming my favorite book ever. Wow that's a big statement coming from me. Alrighty, off to check on mini-challenges, update twitter and READ READ READ! I'll be back to update in a while.

11:43am

Current Books Read: 1

Current Book: The Mummy by Anne Rice.. page 169/398

Current Pages Read: 302

Beverages So Far: 3

Current Beverage: I just finished my 2nd cup of coffee. Going to drink some more of my Powerade.

Snack So Far: Still 1...going to convince the hubby to take me to Mcdonald's soon.

Thoughts So Far: I'm a happy Manda. The hubby finally woke up. I'm going to convince him to take me to Mcdonalds and the library soon. Need a change of scenery. :) I also need some new places to take pictures for the Lights, Camera, Read! challenge.

1:40pm

Current Books Read: 1

Current Book: The Mummy by Anne Rice.. page 174/398

Current Pages Read: 307

Beverages So Far: 4

Current Beverage: I had some Diet Dr. Pepper. It was yummy!

Snack So Far: 3...had a salad and burger at Mcdonald's.

Thoughts So Far: Oh man I didn't read much in the last couple of hours. I have to get my read on to get back on a good roll. I went to the library and got a NEW TBR stack. YAY! Finished the Lights, Camera, Read! challenge. Posting it on my challenge post ASAP. Ok going to read for a couple hours. See you then!

4:00pm

Current Books Read: 1

Current Book: The Mummy by Anne Rice.. page 273/398

Current Pages Read: 406

Beverages So Far: 4

Current Beverage: I'm still drinking that Powerade from this morning.

Snack So Far: 3...haven't eaten anything recently. We're going to Hooter's tonight. I'll read while the boys watch UFC. Mmm Wings!

Prizes Won: I won as a random reader in hour 11! I chose Fledgling by Octavia Butler!

Thoughts So Far: That was a good 2 solid hours of reading. I think when I finish this book I soar through the next couple of ones. This one is super good, but it's a slow read for me. Ok about 100 pages left! Here I go!!!

4:45pm

Current Books Read: 1

Current Book: The Mummy by Anne Rice.. page 286/398

Current Pages Read: 419

Beverages So Far: 4

Current Beverage: I'm STILL drinking that Powerade from this morning.

Snack So Far: 3...haven't eaten anything recently. We're off to Hooter's!

Prizes Won: I won as a random reader in hour 11! I chose Possessed by Kate Cann...Fledgling was taken.

Thoughts So Far: Ok we're off to hang out with my little brother and go to Hooter's for the UFC fights. I won't be back till about 10pm or later. I'll do an update then! Hopefully I'll have lots and lots to update with! Happy Reading! See you later!

8:08pm

Current Books Read: 1

Current Book: The Mummy by Anne Rice.. page 342/398

Current Pages Read: 475

Beverages So Far: 4

Current Beverage: I haven't had anything to drink in a while. I'm kind of thirsty.

Snack So Far: 6...I had some snack mix, a cookie and some Sun Chips at my sister-in-laws house.

Prizes Won: I won as a random reader in hour 11! I chose Possessed by Kate Cann...Fledgling was taken.

Thoughts So Far: We ended up NOT at Hooter's. We're at my hubby's little brother's apartment. We're watching UFC here. I'm super distracted. My hubby and his little brother are my favorite people. I've been reading though! I promise! I'm like 50 pages from finishing this book. I'll probably rock out a YA book quickly after I finish this one. We ordered Pizza and Wings! I'm a hungry Manda. After I eat, I'll go hide in his room so I can't be distracted.

8:43pm

Current Books Read: 2..I finished The Mummy!!! YAY!

Current Book: Wish by Alexandra Bullen...Page 0/323

Current Pages Read: 531

Beverages So Far: 5

Current Beverage:Mmmm...PEPSI!

Snack So Far: 8? I'm eating pizza and wings...does that count as 2 snacks?

Prizes Won: I won as a random reader in hour 11! I chose Possessed by Kate Cann...Fledgling was taken.

Thoughts So Far: Yay I finally finished The Mummy! Woohoo! Ok I'm totally going to rock out a bunch of YA and Chic Lit novels in the next 8 hours. :) I'm going to eat my pizza and wings now. I feel so accomplished!!!

11:25pm

Current Books Read: 2

Current Book: Wish by Alexandra Bullen...Page 48/323

Current Pages Read: 579

Beverages So Far: 6

Current Beverage: Starbucks Mocha Double Shot. I will make it the full 24 hours! :P

Snack So Far: 8

Prizes Won: I won as a random reader in hour 11! I chose Possessed by Kate Cann...Fledgling was taken.

Thoughts So Far: Ok I'm finally home and here for the long run! 5 1/2 hours to go! I'm going to read for about an hour or so. I'll let you know how I'm going when I wander back. I will not fall asleep!!!

3:28am

Current Books Read: 3...I finished Wish!

Current Book: Airhead by Meg Cabot...Page 0/389

Current Pages Read: 902

Beverages So Far: 7

Current Beverage: Water...I haven't had any all day!

Snack So Far: 9...I'm eating some late night cake!

Prizes Won: I won as a random reader in hour 11! I chose Possessed by Kate Cann...Fledgling was taken.

Thoughts So Far: This is the last hour and a half! I'm going to start reading Airhead. I probably WON'T finish it during the Read-A-Thon. My next post will be my final post with all my final stats for the Read-A-Thon. See ya then!

5:00am

Final Book Count: 3

Final Book: Airhead by Meg Cabot...Page 81/389

Final Pages Read: 983

Final Beverage Count: 7

Final Snack Count: 9

Total Prizes Won: 1

Final Thoughts: I DID IT! I stayed awake the whole 24 hours and I read for at least 20 out of those 24 hours. I finished 3 whole books and read 983 pages. I had a great time and can't wait for the next read-a-thon! I'll definitely be doing this again! Well my bed is calling me and I'm exhausted! Thanks for the great time and happy reading!

Countdown To The Read-A-Thon and Blog Hopping #3

2010-04-09T17:25:00.000-07:00

The 24 Hour Read-A-Thon starts in a measly 12 hours! If you aren't aware of this event you can find a linky to it on my sidebar. Go check it out! It's going to be a ton of fun!

I really haven't decide how I'm going to tackle this adventure yet. I have quite a stack of books in my "to-read pile". Check them out!

This is just the books I think I can read in 24 hours. I have a ton more I can read if I finish these. I think this pile is a bit ambitious of me. I don't really think I can read all of these during the read-a-thon, but I figured I'd challenge myself a bit. I definitely have to read The Mummy because that one is for book club. If I somehow finish these or get bored with reading them, I might spice things up and read some of my e-books I have on Net Galley.

My hubby has already told me he won't let me read all day, but I'll pull it off anyway. :P He isn't a big fan of my book worm ways.

As far as posting goes, I'll probably do one post and update it throughout the event. I'm not going to set times for myself, since I tend to get sucked into a book and don't want to put it down. I'll definitely start the post at 5am, update it throughout the day and then wrap it up at the end of the event. I'll be randomly posting to my twitter (link in the sidebar) throughout the day, so I don't overwhelm my readers here. Follow me on twitter, if you don't already!

Well that's my plan! Good luck to everyone involved! If you haven't joined up yet do so! If you don't have the time to read, register to be a cheerleader! There is a way for everyone to be involved. Most of all, HAVE FUN!

I've joined the Blogger Hop again today! It has been so fun! I've found so many great blogs and made so many new friends. Go join at Jennifer's blog. I've already told ya'll about this two weeks in a row, so you should know all about it by now. Go hop on and make some new friends.

I'm not going to do First Rate Friday this week. I've already got to much going on with the Read-a-Thon and don't want to overload all of you. Just go check out all the linkys I've posted above. That will be good enough I think.

I'm off to rest up and do some dishes. This is today's post. I'm going to take a break for the weekend on my dailies. I'll start them up again on Monday. Take deep breaths! I know you'll survive!

Alrighty, see ya bright and early tomorrow!

One Day Without Shoes 2010

2010-04-08T12:26:00.000-07:00

April 8, 2010 is One Day Without Shoes.

Fact #1
In some developing nations, children must walk for miles to school, clean water and to seek medical help.

Fact #2
Cuts and sores on feet can lead to serious infection.

Fact #3
Often children cannot attend school barefoot.

Fact #4
In Ethiopia, approximately one million people are suffering from Podoconiosis, a debilitating and disfiguring disease cause by walking barefoot in volcanic soil.

Fact #5
Podoconiosis is 100% preventable by wearing shoes and basic foot hygiene.

Go the day, part of the day or even a few minutes, barefoot, to experience life without shoes first hand and to help spread awareness of the impact a simple pair of shoes can have on a child's life.

ONE FOR ONE!

Get involved
www.toms.com

My video

24 Hour Read-A-Thon and One Day Without Shoes

2010-04-07T21:51:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is One Day Without Shoes. There is an icon with a linky in my sidebar. Go check it out and participate! I'm planning on making a Youtube video for it tomorrow, but I'm super sick still so I'm not sure how that will go. We'll see.

I registered for The 24 Hour Read-A-Thon today. It's on Saturday and seems like it'll be pretty awesome. It will be a good chance for me to shorten my "to read" pile and read some of my ebooks. There is also an icon with a linky to this over in the sidebar. Go check it out and join in the fun! :)

Like I said, I'm still super sick. My hearing in my right ear is basically gone and it hurts most of the time pretty bad. I'm taking garlic tablets and vitamin c. Supposedly garlic is a natural antibiotic. We'll see how it works.

I finished Book 2 in the Goddess of the Night series! It's called Into The Cold Fire. It wasn't as good as the first book, but I still liked it. I requested books 4 and 5 at the library! I'll just request them a couple at a time, so I can finish the series.

That's about it for today. See ya later.

Current Book Count: 40

"I do not wish women to have power over men, but over themselves." -Mary Wollstonecraft

Random Blog of the Day: What I'm Complaining About Today ...Rants are always fun to read. :)

8 Years And Still Going Strong

2010-04-06T22:03:00.000-07:00

Today is our 8 year anniversary. It's been 8 years since my hubby stood on my front porch and awkwardly asked me to be his girlfriend. I remember it like it was yesterday. He stood for a while kicking the rug and not saying anything. I stood there and watched his foot swing back and forth. He mumbled, "Will you be my girlfriend?" I said, "okay." He gave me an awkward hug and ran back to hop in our friends car. It was great. We were such cute little 17 year olds back then. Now we're 25 and married, trying to start our lives and not getting very far, but we're happy and even more in love then we were 8 years ago. I love you Michael!
My ear is still driving me nuts. It's even worse than it was yesterday. It was entertaining at book club to not be able to hear anyone on my right side. I sort of just sat there in my own little world.

I finished Book 1 of Daughters of the Moon series. It's called Goddess of the Night. I really like this series so far. It's Urban Fantasy and deals with physic abilities, invisibility and time travel. It's a neat story. I'm half way through Book 2, Into the Cold Fire, and still very entralled. I realized there is 13 books in this series. I'll have to find them at the library when I finish through Book 3.

Our new book club book is Anne Rice's, The Mummy. I'll probably read it once I finish the first 3 of the Daughters of the Moon series. Everybody says it's really good. I'll let you know.

Ok that's all for me today. Much love!

Current Book Count: 39

Toxic Niceness is a disease that makes life sweet for everyone except those who suffer from it. The cure is a well-timed "I don't think so."

Random Blog of the Day: Citygirl...She starts each post with neat photography and writes some interesting stuff. She leads an interesting life. Fun stuff.

I Want To Rip My Ears Off!

2010-04-05T22:18:00.000-07:00

My ears are both irritating me to death! They hurt and are itchy and arg! I hope I'm not sick. I'm really hoping it's just allergies. There is weeds growing everywhere and the weather is all crazy. Please be allergies!

I finished my review book this morning and posted the review in the post before this one. Check it out. The book was really good. I recommend it to people who love good murder mysteries.

We went out to eat tonight for our 8 year dating anniversary. I can't believe it's been 8 years tomorrow. That's insane. I'm only 25 and I've already spent 8 years with the man I love. Craziness. We had Mexican food. It was delicious. After dinner we went to Barnes and Noble and I made a list of a bunch of books I want. I'll have to add them to my Amazon wish list tomorrow. I also got numbers 1-3 of the Daughters of the Moon series by Lynne Ewing. They came in one big book for only $9.99. Pretty sweet! I'll probably finish most of it tomorrow. That will knock three books out in one big sweep.

Ok I'm off to read a little and then go to bed. My ears are killer. Ah.

Current Book Count: 38

Taking Care of Business, Inner Bad Girl Style: Keep a record of your accomplishments at work--it'll come in handy when it's time to negotiate your next raise.

Random Blog of the Day: Crazy Coulee and Little Lacey... I love blogs people make dedicated to their pets. They're so cute. This one is pretty awesome. The owner takes some pretty neat pictures.

Review - Hand of Fate by Lis Wiehl

2010-04-05T12:59:00.000-07:00

Hand of Fate

When radio talk show host, Jim Fate, is murdered with an unknown gas sent to him in a mysterious package, panic ensues. Is this a terrorist attack or an irate fan whose gone to far? It's up to Cassidy Shaw, Nicole Hedges, and Allison Pierce to figure out. They call themselves the Triple Threat and together they plan on figuring out this case. In the days that follow his murder, facts unravel, suspects appear and things take a twist that no one sees. Lis Wiehl composed a thrilling tale of suspense and intrigue that will have any reader on the edge of their seat.

I was completely enthralled by this book from page one. Lis Wiehl and April Henry wrote a really great story in Hand of Fate. This was the first Triple Threat novel I've ever read, but this book can definitely stand out on its own. On top of the investigation into Jim Fate's murder there is also a lot written about Cassidy, Nicole and Allison's personal lives. I felt myself being drawn into these stories almost more than the main plot of Jim's murder. There was times that I felt like certain parts of the murder investigation were just thrown in to fill space and I really did not like what happens with one of the main suspects. While I loved the personal stories, I didn't feel like the factual evidence and the police roles were completely researched and believable. I also felt the Nicole's self defense could not have been as effective as it was written. All in all though this was a pleasant read that kept me entertained and engaged the whole time. I always enjoy a mystery with a twist and this novel definitely has an interesting twist. My only issue was that I felt it sort of came out of no where, but maybe that was the point. If you are a fan of mystery, suspense and strong female characters, you'll love this book like I did.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Being Two Places At Once

2010-04-04T22:06:00.000-07:00

Today was a busy busy day. I'm so tired.

We went to church this morning. Pastor Price preached on faith being about a relationship not a religion. I totally loved this message. I agree one hundred percent. When people ask me what religion I am I tell them I believe in Jesus. He also talked about our relationships with people and forgiveness. I have a hard time with this. I have a very don't care attitude. If someone hurts me I just push them away and move on. It's not worth my time to be upset or jilted. I really don't know if this is a bad thing or a good thing.

We then went to my hubby's sisters house. We did an Easter egg hunt with the kids and ate a bunch of food. I was already feeling tired way before this all. Sadly I didn't take any pictures. I really need to get our camera fixed. That's been on my to-do list for a really long time. Since like November. Oops.

We rushed back home to have dinner with my family. We ended up just having dessert and hanging out for a bit. We were super late, so they'd already eaten. My oldest niece is super cute and getting so old. It's scary.

Alli came over for a little bit after that. Evan is getting so cute! He's so big and talks a ton. He was telling me stories about his day and about how he's potty trained. It makes me sad that I don't get to see him that often. Alli took some pictures, so I might have some to share with ya'll tomorrow.

Anywho, I'm sleepy and my throat hurts. I have to finish that book that I have to review tomorrow. AH! I'm going to go curl up in bed and force myself to stay awake and finish as much as I can before I pass out. It was a good day. I'm just worn out.

Our anniversary is Tuesday. We've been together almost 8 years. That is so crazy. We're going to do something date-like tomorrow to celebrate and I'm going to make a cake! Yum!

Ok off to bed. Happy Easter my lovelies. See ya tomorrow.

"You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it."- Maya Angelou, born April 4, 1928.

Random Blog of the Day: The American Dream... I think they're from France now living in America. I don't know..I'm too tired to think right now.

Mushy Brains and Pie.

2010-04-03T20:42:00.000-07:00

I am so tired, I can't even think what to write.

We fixed the car!!! YAY! I hope it stays fixed. We've put so much money into this hunk of junk it's ridiculous.

I took a super long nap and we went to Walmart....I know super exciting! haha.

I just finished baking 2 homemade chocolate pecan pies. I love cooking and baking. I really still kind of want to go to culinary school. This is sort of a dream I tossed away...

That's about it for today. I really didn't do a whole lot because I'm extremely tired.

I started reading Hand of Fate by Lis Wiehl. It's the book that I have to post the review for on the 5th. It's actually extremely good. I had a hard time putting it down last night and going to sleep. I just kept on reading.

Ok I'm probably going to read a little and then crash. We have church tomorrow and then 2 Easters. I love having to be in 2 places at once.

Random Blog of the Day: Simplified Simplicity... A really awesome layout and lots of pictures.

The Hogwarts Reading Challenge 2010

2010-04-02T17:55:00.001-07:00

This challenge is being hosted by Bunnitaz at Worth Reading It?.

March 8 2010 to December 13 2010

In the Hogwarts Reading Challenge you are a student of the school. You will be sorted into houses. Each book you read must fit in to the subject of one the classes. You do not have to read books that fit all the subjects. Each book equals one point (toward the house cup).

You must read at least 5 books (audio books counts) before you are enter in to the drawing. At the end of the Challenge one person will win a $25 Amazon Gift Card and one house will win the House Cup (purely a pride thing).

Check back regularly as there will be Mini Challenges. The first Mini Challenge will start on April 2nd. Come back to see what the challenge will be and it's incentive.

To be eligible to win prizes you must have a blog and sign up using Mr. Linky. Then start a Hogwarts Reading Challenge post and link it back to this post.

****Update you can be eligible for prize if you become a member of I Love Reading Challenges on Shelfari and keep the list of the books you read for this challenge under the Hogwarts Challenge post there. You can also become a fan of the I Love Reading Challenges Facebook fan page and keep you list there as well.

Click here to go to the Sorting Hat. Please be honest. If there are too many in one particular house you may be place into another. So if the Sorting Hat places you in Sytherin you are Sytherin for duration of this challenge.

Click here to check your individual points and your house points.

Reading a Harry Potter book earns you 25 house points.

****you can also find this challenge at my group I Love Reading Challenge on Shelfari

The Houses

Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin

The Classes

Transfiguration - read any book that has trans or figure in its title, is about shape shifting, has a shape shifter in it, or is about anything having to do with changing one thing into another

-Dark Prince by Christine Feehan 3/10/2010

Defence Against the Dark Arts - read any book that has defence(defense), dark and/or art(s) in its title, read any book that is about self defense, war, history of war/marital arts, murder mysteries

-Looking For Alaska by John Green 3/19/2010
-Hand of Fate by Lis Wiehl 4/05/2010- review
-Death By Chick Lit by Lynn Harris 4/15/2010
-Trouble in High Heels by Christina Dodd 4/22/2010
-Beautiful Dead: Jonas by Eden Maguire 4/25/2010
-The Singer's Gun by Emily St. John Mandel 5/06/2010- review

Charms - read any book that has charm in its title, any book that deals with gives something or someone a new aspect (for example the nerdy guy become a handsome doctor)
-Airhead by Meg Cabot 4/13/2010

Potions - read any book that has potion in its title, cookbooks count but you must cook at least one recipe out of the book

Astronomy - read any book that has astronomy in its title, books about planets, stars, etc, sci-fi

-Epitaph Road by David Patneaude 3/8/2010- review

History of Magic - read any book that has history or magic in its title, books about magic, witches, etc

-Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken 3/18/2010- review
-Wish by Alexandra Bullen 4/11/2010- review
-Jinx by Meg Cabot 4/13/2010
-Wicked:Witch by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie 5/03/2010
-Wicked:Curse by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie 5/05/2010
-Possessed by Kate Cann 5/14/2010- review

Herbology - read any book that has herb in its title, again cookbooks count and again you must cook at least one recipe out of the book

Arithmancy - read any book that has arithmancy in its title, any book with a number in its title, any book that deal with numbers or math

Ancient Runes - read any book that has ancient or runes in its title, books about historical places like the pyramids, Stonehenge, great wall of china, or any book about symbols
-The Mummy by Anne Rice 4/10/2010

Divination - read any book that has divine in its title, any book about psychics or psychic abilities, tarot reading etc

-Blue is for Nightmares by Laurie Faria Stolarz 3/29/2010
-Goddess of the Night by Lynne Ewing 4/06/2010
-Into the Cold Fire by Lynne Ewing 4/07/2010
-Night Shade by Lynne Ewing 4/10/2010
-The Secret Scroll by Lynne Ewing 4/19/2010
-Sacrifice by Lynne Ewing 4/21/2010
-Wake by Lisa McMann 4/25/2010
-Fade by Lisa McMann 4/26/2010
-Gone by Lisa McMann 5/05/2010- review

Care of Magical Creatures - read any book that has magical or creatures in its title, about supernatural beings
-The Iron King by Julie Kagawa 4/18/2010- review
-Tempted by PC Cast & Kristin Cast 5/10/2010
-Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins 5/11/2010- review
-Wages of Sin by Jenna Maclaine 5/14/2010

Muggle Studies - nearly any book works here, what better why to understand Muggle than to read what they read

-Cupcake by Rachel Cohn 3/12/2010

-Very LeFreak by Rachel Cohn 3/15/2010- review

-Citizen Dick by Richard Arneson 3/24/2010- review

-Girl At Sea by Maureen Johnson 3/25/2010

-This Side of Heaven by Karen Robards 3/26/2010

-Last Night in Montreal by Emily St. John Mandel 3/28/2010- review

-Avalon High by Meg Cabot 3/29/2010

-Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella 3/31/2010
-How to Be Popular by Meg Cabot 4/05/2010
-Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen 5/08/2010

The sorting hat placed me in GRYFFINDOR!!! YAY!

It's Friday!

2010-04-02T17:55:00.000-07:00

So you know what that means? It's time for another Blog Hop and First Rate Fridays!

If you missed out on this last week, I'm going to be joining in on Jennifer's Book Blogger Hop every week. I got lots of new friends last week (HI GUYS) and I found lots of new blogs to lurk around on. This is a great new meme and a fantastic way to meet new friends and expand my book blogging horizons.

I also started First Rate Fridays last week. This is hosted over at Mel's blog. First Rate Fridays basically takes Follow Friday on Twitter and gives it a book blogger spin. I'll be posting fun little posts I've found every week and blogs that really stood out to me, so you can follow them too! I know I do this every day with Random Blog of the Day, but this will be solely book blog linkies. Enjoy!

Well first off, make sure you go and check out both Jennifer and Mel's blogs. The linkies are ^ up there. On top of having awesome Friday memes, they also have amazing blogs.

I told you yesterday I watched Julie & Julia. The real life blog that inspired the movie is called The Julie/Julia Project. This blog is no longer updated, but it is a great read! I recommend starting at the very beginning and reading it all the way through. If you want to read Julie Powell's current blog, you can find that here. She is truly brilliant and fun to read.

I've joined another reading challenge, not that I really need anymore. It's the Hogwarts Reading Challenge 2010. I'll eventually make a separate post about it. I got sorted into Gryffindor! YAY! Be looking for a post that explains this more in detail later today. Thanks to Jo at Fluidity of Time for bringing this challenge to my attention.

That's all for today. I'm off to set up my Hogwarts Reading Challenge list! I'm super excited haha. I'm a nerd. Don't tell!

An Inner Bad Girl Reminder: Granting ourselves the power to say "no" makes saying "yes" much more powerful.

Random Blog of the Day: Perez Family Adventures...Another family blog...awww cute!

It's April...Are You A Fool?

2010-04-01T20:11:00.000-07:00

I've officially made it through 3 months of my book and blog challenge! I've read 37 books so far and I have posted every single day, except 1 (I used my get out of jail free card on that day).

We've had a rough couple of days. One of our kitties passed away the other night. It was very sudden and sad. I feel bad for her sister, she misses her a lot I think. Then yesterday on the way to work my hubby's car broke down. He had to stay in Scottsdale last night so he could go to work today. I miss him! We decided not to move in with our friend. It just isn't a good idea. If we want to keep the friendship intact at all, we can't be roomies. We're probably going to keep living with my mom for another month and then move into an apartment on our own. I'm excited. We need a place by ourselves.

I watched Julie & Julia today. It was AMAZING. I really want to cook now lol. I also found the blog that inspired the movie, but I'll talk about it tomorrow for First Rate Fridays.

I'm watching Vampire Diaries right now. I love love love this show. I'm sure I've said this before, but man it gets better EVERY week.

Ok well today starts a new month and 12 more books to read. I started one today called You Have To Kiss A Lot Of Frogs by Laurie Graff. It's good so far. I have to finish it pretty fast because I have a book to read for Book Sneeze. The review has to go up on the 5th. I'm done with my book for book club, so I don't have to worry about that for now. I'm not going to request any books this month, so I can get through some in my to read pile. I have a couple books coming from publishers and will probably get a few more review requests. I also have some online galleys to do, but I don't really want to read on the computer...bleh. I might do them later in the month.

Ok I'm off to read and wait for the hubby to get home. He has a 3 day weekend since he requested tomorrow off because we were supposed to be moving. I hope we can fix his car. Arg.

Current Page Count: 15451..4178 for March

Current Book Count: 37

(Yesterday's) Inner Bad Girl Newsflash: Women blink twice as much as men. Your Inner Bad Girl thiks it's because we just can't believe some of the crazy stuff we're seeing.

(Today's) Today is "Sure I Will! Day." Say yes to every request that comes your way. Ha! April Fool!

Random Blog of the Day: Film Fan and Turtle Lover ...the title is explanation enough. :)

Draw a Blank

I Made The Switch!

Blog Hopping Along

Listen by Rene Gutteridge Review

Recent Kindle Downloads

A Daring Proposition by Jennifer Greene Review

Announcement Announcement Announcement!!!

Populazzi by Elise Allen Review

The Clearing by Heather Davis Review

The Birthday Ball by Lois Lowry Review

Save the Date by Jenny B. Jones Review

The Dark Divine and The Lost Saint by Bree Despain Review

The Dark Divine

by Bree Despain

The Lost Saint

by Bree Despain

The Dark Divine and The Lost Saint by Bree Despain

Review by Me

4.5 Squees/ 5 Squees

A Month of Thanks

Manda Writes A Novel Part 1

Hello there, November...

Tired Panda

Beggars Can't Be Choosers!

Review - Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus

Epic Fail!

Dirtiest Cabin

My view from my cabin.

Last REAL Post Till Friday!

Countdown To Camp!

I Want To Be A Butterfly...

Onesie...Tutu.

Hello Monday

I Like Having Friends

I Has An Interwebz!

I Need Me Some Interwebz.

I'm So Hot...And Not in a Vain Way.

Moving: Day 2

Moving: Day 1

Moving Tomorrow!

New Home, New Lives, New Things

Congratulations Class of 2010!!

Stress Factor

Not In the Mood...

Manda and Her Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Night

Oh I'm a Tired Manda.

*Blank*

When You See My Face...

First Annual Avenger's Day

Review- The Jaguar Stones Book One: Middleworld

Devil's Food Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Tutu Making Machine

End to a Nice Weekend

I Didn't Do Jack Sh*t

Blogging Via Text Message

Review- Possessed by Kate Cann

Networking

Addicted to H2O

Getting Back on the Horse

Review- Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

This Is All You Get

Happy Mother's Day!

Day Four: 5 Days of Limited Internet

Iron Man 2

Day Two: 5 Days of Limited Internet

Review- The Singer's Gun

Day One: 5 Days of Limited Internet

Review- Gone by Lisa McMann

Book Nerd To The Rescue!

It's A New Month...Three Days Late.

Quansu Dude!

Free Comic Book Day

The Wonderful Land of Oz

Migraines and Frustrations.

Never Too Old For Naps.

Re-caps, Sidewalk Chalk and Tutus

Great Books

KICK ASS!

Salty Senorita

I Love You. I Know.

Blank

Rawr