Hunger Games

If you have spoken to me recently, you've heard that I have been reading/slightly obsessed with The Hunger Game series. I just finished up the final book over the weekend and already wish there was more to read! Like Twilight, this is another series you just get lost in. The books center around a post-apocalyptic civilization that has tried to rebel against the government in the past. Since this was a failed attempt, the districts are punished by having to send 2 children every year to fight gladiator style to the death. While this isn't my normal genre of interest, I could not put these books down. They read like a great adventure with a good love story to keep me glued. I highly recommend picking these up if you haven't already!

Blah la la

I have always thought my gchat conversations with some of my best friends should be published into a book of some sort. Maybe I'm the only one entertained by them. It's amazing (and sometimes refreshing) how easy it is to carry on a conversation about absolutely nothing. As you can tell from the above photo, we are some quite pensive and serious most of the time. Here is one such profound sampling:

Whitney: i particularly liked the blah blah blah part

Sent at 12:36 PM on Monday

me: i thought it was more like 'blah la la'

whats for lunch today?

Sent at 12:38 PM on Monday

Whitney: blaah la

thats kind of how i meant it

Whitney: when you say it you say blaah la

me: ha, I'm so glad there is someone in the world who knows me as well as you do

And this is apparently a fact. I say 'blah la la' instead of 'blah, blah, blah.' It's kind of nice to enjoy some senseless conversation every once in a while, and to learn something about yourself while you're at it! What do you think? Given this sample, would our book be worth picking up? haha,please don't answer that :)

Something Borrowed

I am so stinkin' excited to see this movie! Emily Giffen is such a terrific author and the book will make the perfect, juicy chick flick. When I saw the first trailer, I couldn't have agreed more with the actresses they cast to play Darcy and Rachel. I'm in the middle of Something Blue right now and hope it will come out as the sequel sometime soon. If you haven't done so already, I recommend picking up the book and reading it before seeing the movie. It's such a quick, easy read. I'm ready to kick back with a yummy glass of Chardonnay and see Something Borrowed in theaters :)

"Busy"

Last week I was casually browsing through Borders when I overheard (or snooped) in on a conversation nearby. Two adults were seeing each other for the first time in what seemed like a long time. One said to the other, "how have you been?" The response was "busy, you?" in which the other replied "busy too." This is such a common exchange nowadays that I'm not quite sure why I stopped to think about it. And then I figured out why! This is a very sad reality to me. The use of the word 'busy' has replaced 'good' or 'well.' It seems that busy has become the new norm to fit in with today's fast paced society. If we are not busy or overcommitted every single day, we feel less of a sense of accomplishment or worth it seems. This is not how I want to fill my days! And yet, I feel that if I'm not busy, I don't have enough going on in my life to talk about.

The conversation I overheard just sparked some thoughts and I'm glad that (unlike usual) I stopped to think about it for a few minutes. When I run into people I know, I want to be sure to actually gather how they are doing not just what they are doing. I also want to be sure that I'm not simply fulfilled by having a full planner. Instead, I'd rather plan days to do nothing at all or be with the people who mean the most to me, since time spent this way is always fulfilling. I'm very glad I overheard the conversation and hope to really pay attention to the way I spend my days, with intention and purpose so that when someone asks, I can genuinely say I am doing well and that I am happy :).

The Help

Last night I finished my current read, The Help. This was a phenomenal book and I'm almost sad to be finished with it! The story takes place in the 60s in Mississippi when racial segregation was still a major issue. I instantly became enamored with the characters and felt the tension they dealt with on a day to day basis because of the times. I highly recommend this book. It's challenging, inspirational and a total page turner!

Drumroll...Tyler's DIY Gift!

This year I set out to create a meaningful, diy gift for Tyler. Tyler is always pursuing so many hobbies so giving him gifts is actually fun and allows me to get creative. As most of you may know, he has started homebrewing and has made some really great beer (my favorite is the Nut Brown Ale). He is passionate about brewing, bottling and everything beer! So, lo and behold..his gift!..

With some help I worked to design a label and logo for Ol' Rock Brewery (the name of the future Aggie hangout). I ordered some empty bottles and got these awesome crates from Anthropologie's leftover displays. After printing and labeling the bottles, they went into the crates ready for the big surprise.

The gift was a huge hit and it was so rewarding to work to create something special for the hubby! Now I have to top that idea in a few short weeks for his 26th birthday--geez!

Moral of the story: diy gifts are always worth the extra time and effort! It just takes a little energy to get creative :)

Yoga Love

Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm still not used to the Daylight Savings time change. It is absolutely pitch black when I leave work, leaving little time to do anything active with my evening! So, I recently purchased Jillian Michaels' yoga workout and it's been kicking my butt ever since. I highly recommend it for a great, 30 minute, indoor work out! Namaste :)

Thriller

Wow, may I highly recommend The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo! I wasn't quite sure how I would like a 'thriller', but this book takes you on a wild ride. It's definitely a page turner..check it out!

Bachin' It!

Ok so who is joining me in following this season of the Bachelorette religiously? Chris is definitely one of my favorites. He totally charms with that deep voice, hoodies and his love of seafood. Dying to see who Ali picks!!

An Inspirational Read

Wow, what an incredible book! I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to kick off the summer with a great read. This is a true story about a homeless man, a successful art dealer and an awe-inspiring tale of friendship and God's love. It proved to be a friendly reminder of how God works in the most unconventional ways to grow His children and His kingdom. Loved it!

Rain Keeps Falling

As I write, I hear rain drops hitting the ground outside. Sometimes there is nothing quite as peaceful and comforting as hearing the rain as I'm cozied up inside :)

The Hole

I have been challenged and blessed by the messages at Riverpointe lately. In our awesome home team, we are going through the book, The Hole in our Gospel. It tells the story about a CEO turned missionary and his journey to understanding the Gospel. The author really reflects on how modern Christianity has turned into the quest to get that ticket to heaven. Instead, the book talks about how Jesus intended for the Gospel to be part of our daily existence, that rather than just sharing the good news, we are called to be the good news. What a profound statement!

Patrick also talked about how so often we want God's blessings without wanting His control in our lives. Human nature teaches us to hold back from this kind of surrender because of fears, ambitions, and losing the sense of control in our lives. I have really reflected on these teachings lately and assessed that any reason I have to hold back could never justify withholding from the perfect plan God has for my life!

Go Getter

So I have a total girl crush on Sandra Bullock's awesome job in The Proposal! I think it would be incredible to work for a powerhouse publishing company one day, always being challenged by new material and ideas. Hopefully my wardrobe would be just as cute as hers :)

Current Read

I am currently reading A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (thanks to Amber's suggestion)! I highly recommend this book, which tells the tale of young women in Afghanistan. Though the characters may not be real, I'd imagine these sorts of experiences are very real there. Signing off now to curl up with the book and some hot tea! A lazy Sunday evening to you all :)

A Good Read!

I am currently reading this precious book, The Fixer Upper, and definitely recommend it! With the holidays approaching, I love spending time curled up with hot coffee and a good book. This book is about a girl who worked on the Hill (shout out to Whit), but it turns out her boss is a crook and she loses her job. The opportunity to fix up an old home in the family presents itself and this city girl lands herself in a tiny Georgia town. This is an easy, fun read!