Thanksgiving

As today is Thanksgiving, I would like to take a few moments to talk about some of the things that I am thankful for.

I am very thankful for my family. Without them, I would not be the person that I am today. I am grateful for all they have done for me, and for being there for me when I need them. I couldn't ask for a better family. Even with all of our weird quirks, we somehow make it work.

I am thankful for Steve. I am glad that after all this time, we are finally together, and that we work as a couple. I'm looking forward to many more years of happiness together.

I am thankful for my friends. Even though most of us are over 2300 miles apart, we still talk regularly and I still feel very close to them and appreciate them all.

I am thankful to have a job during a time when so many are without. I hope that things pick up in our economy soon.

Those are the things I am most thankful for, but I am also thankful for the little things: a roof over my head, food to eat, good books, happy little birds singing, and the little comforts in life.

2monkees

I found this great etsy shop, 2monkees and had to share. She has very reasonable prices and fun, feminine jewelry.

Some of my favorite pieces are:

This pendant, “Does He Love Me” at the low price of $19.

These ultra-girly rose cabochon hair pins for $6.50.

This cool Ganesha cameo ring for only $9.00.

Cool Giveaway!

I found a fun and exciting giveaway from The Copper Cauldron. The prize is a six month soap subscription value approx $90. It sounds like a lot of fun and there are six ways to enter.

Check it out and good luck!

October Book Log

72. "Dead As A Doornail" by Charlaine Harris 295 pages
73. "Three Bedrooms, One Corpse" by Charlaine Harris 250 pages
74. "Club Dead" by Charlaine Harris 258 pages
75. "Snuff" by Chuck Palahniuk 197 pages

I only got through four books this month because I've been working a lot. I have been buzzing through the Sookie Stackhouse books. I've been watching True Blood at Steve's mom's house when I can. We finally got our own cable hooked up, so I've started DVRing it. It is a lot racier than the books, but I still like watching it.

I'm currently reading Twilight. I can't wait for the movie to come out in two weeks.

Wyred On Wire

Back in August I won the contest hosted by W.O.W Are You Ready to Get Noticed. The prize was items from several etsy sellers, including the host, wyredonwire. Thank you Alicia for hosting the contest. And thank you to all the donors who contributed prizes.

The first item was contributed by .Hoyden Designs. It’s a whimsical hand painted pendant. I love the colors. Check out her shop. She has very reasonable prizes and lovely artwork.

Next is a hemp necklace from Love Peace And Dye. It’s not really my style, but I have a friend that it would be perfect for. She also makes neat hippie clothes and organic cat nip toys.

Third is this gorgeous handmade yellow purse made by Me Plus Molly. All of her bags are ultra feminine. She also makes cute little sachets.

Next is a gift certificate for handmade dog treats by Unique Treat Dog Bones. I don’t have a dog, so I gave the certificate to my boyfriend’s mom for her dog.

The prize donated by Joanna Goldman Designs is 5 super cute pins. Her shop also features postcards and scrabble tile pendants.

Weird Bug Lady contributed this adorable bumble bee bag. Her shop features all kinds of fun bug items.

Unique Xpression these great earrings. I love the color. They go perfectly with several of my outfits. The shop is also selling some cool handmade Christmas ornaments.

Alica offered a gift certificate to her shop. I used it to get these great earrings. They are so lovely. She has tons of great designs in her shop and at reasonable prices. Check out her shop.

She also threw in these earrings, flower hair pins and these polka dot hair pins.

Thank you again Alica for hosting the contest and thank you to all the donors.

September Book Log

61. "Diary" by Chuck Palahniuk 261 pages
62. "Darkfever" by Karen Marie Moning 304 pages
63. "Dead Over Heels" by Charlaine Harris 205 pages
64. "From Dead to Worse" by Charlaine Harris 359 pages
65. "The Voice on the Radio" by Caroline B. Cooney 183 pages
66. "Dead until Dark" by Charlaine Harris 312 pages
67. "The Face on the Milk Carton" by Caroline B Cooney 184 pages
68. "Whatever Happened to Janie" by Caroline B Cooney 217 pages
69. "What Janie Found" by Caroline B Cooney 181 pages
70. "Witchlight" by L.J. Smith 227 pages
71. "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini 367 pages

My reading slowed down a little towards the end of the month because I finally found a job out here. I discovered that two more books were written in "The Face On the Milk Carton" series that I loved growing up. I went back and read all of those. I finally finished "A Thousand Splendid Suns," which I liked a great deal, but not as much as "The Kite Runner." "Diary" was not the best of Palahniuk's books in my opinion. It was somehow lacking in luster to me. The rest of the books on this months list are vampire, werewolf, fairy, etc books.

CONTEST!

My lovely friend Toushonta from Scentsational Soaps has had some great things happening for her lately. Her wonderful products are getting some much deserved attention. Her amazing body butters were given out in the VH1 Awards swag bags this year. Now Urban Latina Magazine is hosting a giveaway that features her products. To enter, please visit Toushonta's blog, Scentsational Moments.

Update

I didn't realize it's been so long since I last updated. I finally found a job in my new town. I'm working at a clinic. It's fast paced and I'm never bored. I'm getting used to my hours - which are not the same every day. I like my job, but for now it's keeping me on my toes.

School is also keeping me busy. I am breezing through my math class. I hate my art history 1 class. It's online and the professor isn't very clear on what she is looking for. I'll get through it.

I haven't had time for much else We took the girls to the fair last weekend. They loved looking at the animals and the rides. I fell in love with a floppy earred bunny, but came to my sense and realized it's too darn hot here to keep a bunny.

I will try to write something more substantial when the dust settles.

August Book Log

50. "R is for Richocet" by Sue Grafton 352 pages
51. "K is for Killer" by Sue Grafton 292 pages
52. "The Hours" by Michael Cunningham 226 pages
53. "Things Fall Apart" by Chunua Achebe 209 pages
54. "Artemis Fowl and the Arctic Incident" by Eoin Colfer 398 pages
55. "Frankenstein: The Prodigal Son" by Dean Koontz 469 pages
56. "Frankenstein: City of Night" by Dean Koontz 455 pages
57. "Get Shorty" by Elmore Leonard 292 pages
58. "7th Heaven" by James Patterson (audio book)
59. "Definately Dead" by Charlaine Harris 495 pages (large print)
60. "Blood Noir" by Laurell K. Hamilton 340 pages

I was so not impressed with "Blood Noir." I liked reading the Anita Blake series because Anita was tough as nails and had scruples. I didn't mind some sex in Hamilton's books, but this last one reads like a porn from the opening chapter to the very end. There is so much sex that there wasn't any room for Anita to be a bad ass. I was not impressed.

I liked the two Frankenstein books. Koontz was supposed to release the last one in 2006 but as yet there is still no sign of it. It's a shame because I would love to read it.

I have three more books to read and I'm finished with Sue Grafton's alphabet series. Well, until she writes the next one.

"The Hours," "Things Come Undone" and "Get Shorty" were all on the 1001 books to read before you die list. I didn't like "The Hours" as much as "A Home At the End of the World". "Things Come Undone" was almost painful to read towards the end. It seems to drag on in parts. I liked "Get Shorty," Elmore Leonard has an laid back writing style that is easy to read.

Praying Mantis

Leaving the museum today, I found a praying mantis on my windshield. It was huge and bright green, and, well, it gives me the heebie jeebies. Upon arriving home I found another one above my door. Since I don’t know much about them other than that they are creepy and eat their mates, I decided to go on the internet and find out more about them.

Most of my information comes from Nature's Best. Praying mantis come from the same family as grasshoppers, crickets, and cockroaches (Eww!). There are three main species of praying mantis in North America: European mantid, the Chinese mantid, and the Carolina mantid.

Praying mantises can grow as big as 6 inches long (eww!). They eat butterflies, moths, bees, flies, beetles and other mantises. They also occasionally eat frogs, lizards and small birds.

Praying mantises have two sets of wings but are not distance flyers. Only the males can fly as the females are too heavy with eggs.

Praying mantis females do often eat their partner’s after mating. Ick! If you are so inclined, you can see a video of that here.

Apparently people buy praying mantises to eat bugs in their garden. Some people even keep them as pets. I have even heard of people that let them run loose in their house. To each their own, but I would never be able to sleep if I knew one of those things was running around.

This oil painting by Romérita Prates depicts a scene I swear I’ve seen in my nightmares.

I also found this amigurumi knitting pattern on etsy. Cute but creepy. She also sells patterns for owls, octopi, starfish and more. One of these days I will learn how to knit.

If you’re into jewelry, you can accessorize with praying mantis with this necklace by Artdawgs Jewelry.

Finally, check out this puppet from Kritters in the Mailbox. If your little one loved “Bugs Life” he will dig all the insect puppets they have available.