Books and Music

I live about a kilometer from the public library, and I love it.  I should say, this has been a good thing because I have been reading so much lately!  I wanted to take a few moments to share with you some of latest reads because I love recommending books.

Jane of Lantern Hill by L.M. Montgomery
(Go here for more information.)

I loved this book a lot, but I dislike the grandmother so much because she is so controlling and so unloving that sometimes my dislike for the grandmother overshadows my love for this book (okay, maybe she does care, but she has a strange way of showing it!).  I love reading about Jane, though, because over time she blossoms into this confident and strong girl.  She is a leader in her family like her grandmother, but unlike her grandmother she is also kind.  I also love that this story shows how fathers play an important role in their children's lives.  I've recently read a few other stories with strong women/girls in the stories, and I recommend these titles as well: Green Willow, Little Women, and Moon Over Manifest.    

Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler, MPH
(Go here to buy it off Amazon.)

I recommend this book to every woman out there because it is such an insightful book!  I want to buy it so badly some day because of all the wonderful and beautiful wisdom it has.  I wanted to read this for a couple of reasons.  Lately, I've wanted to track my menstrual cycle better because I want to have kids someday, and I wanted to be more aware of what is happening to my body.  So, I looked around online for things I should do, etc..  However, I never understood why I should do these things when I read about them, and this book finally gave me all the information I needed to know.  This book teaches the fertility awareness method or FAM as a way to prevent or create children or just be in charge of your fertility as the title says.  I love this method because as the author says both the husband and wife can work together whereas in other birth control methods the women has to be the responsible 'gatekeeper'. I also feel so impressed with the human body now!!
Go read it now!!!

The Power of Positive Thinking by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale
(Go here.)

This is another book I want to buy because some of the solutions to negative feelings were wonderful yet practical.  Many of the solutions come from reading specific scriptures or praying to Heavenly Father.  I loved this book because I honestly felt confident that I could be a more positive person in my daily life. Maybe supplemental reading?    


I've also picked up a few CD's from the library because I don't have access to a number of sites like Pandora.

I love classical music, but I've found I prefer listening to the cello and violin.  (In another life, I'd be a cellist.)
So when you need some moving music, I recommend both of these soundtracks: "Schindler's List" and "The Last of the Mohicans".  Also, Yo-Yo Ma has a beautiful collection of cello music.

I've also listened to a lot of Alison Krauss and Union Station because I love Alison's voice and blue grass music.  However, I can only take so much of her music because most of the time their music is SO depressing.  For example, go listen to "Ghost in this House."

What have you been reading lately?  Any song  recommendations?



 

Awkward

For my birthday, I will give you a gift.

A few photos of me.

Number one.
Sorry, sis, but this has to be shared.  Awkward family photo.  
Fairy princesses. 

We were at the Western Idaho County Fair...
Every girl wants to be a cute fairy princess, but we look a bit too old to be cute...
Cos-play here we go!
But seriously, this is just a bad photo.

 The rest of these are my senior photos.  When I saw them I was practically in tears because they were so bad and horribly embarrassing.  The worst part is that one of these photos landed itself into the yearbook.  I didn't care to get an actual photographer because the schools in the area did a uniform yearbook photo where girls have this 'shawl' thing pinned to you and the guys have this fake tux. But I wish I did get an actual photographer for my senior photos. You go into this thinking these guys will help you out a bit, but no.  No help at all.  You walk in like a lamb to the slaughter.  Okay not that dramatic, but for high school purposes, it feels that dramatic. 

I didn't really understand the pose here.  And the pink back light makes everything worse.
  Am I at a club?  

I hate my wispy hair so much!  Seriously! (I didn't realize what I did with my hair until after they took this photo.  No do overs.  

Wispy hair take two.
I almost have an emo look.
I'm pretty sure this is the one that made it to the yearbook. 

I am a chameleon! 

I had a few other photos from this photo shoot, but they got "lost."
 I am glad photography is becoming a fun hobby for so many to enjoy.  Next time I have an important event, I'll hire someone.

You are welcome.

Birthday Memories

Tomorrow I will be twenty four years old.  Hooray. 

My dad wanted to know which birthday was my favorite birthday thus far, but I always have a difficult time choosing. So, I thought instead I'd share a few of my favorite birthday memories.
  *My dad loves to be adventurous with cake decorating.  He would buy plastic dinosaurs or cowboys and Indians and stick them all over the cake.  
  *We never bought wrapping paper for birthday presents.  Instead my family would use the cartoons from the Sunday paper as wrapping paper.  Best wrapping paper ever.
  *Flowers.  I love getting flowers for my birthday (tip for next year).  My mom once got me this cute little yellow bowl with a bunch of red and white carnations for my birthday.
  *Birthday parties at school.  One of the best reasons to avoid schoolwork in school.
     
Okay last weird birthday favorite memory took place on my fifteenth birthday.  I didn't do much that day except for go to school and hang out with my family afterwards.  My step-sister, sister, and I hung out together that evening.  We ate chips and salsa and watched the movie "Two Weeks Notice".  But I think I liked it so much because of the sisterly bond strengthened that day.  Or perhaps it was Hugh Grant. ; )

No pictures were taken that day, but I thought you'd like to see a cute picture of me taken right before my Homecoming dance which took place a couple of weeks after my fifteenth birthday.

I did have a date for this Homecoming even though I wasn't 16.
Most awkward feeling was dancing with him in front of my bishop.
I may have been a rebel.
My date may have needed a mint.

 

What's Cooking?

      I love home cooked meals, and right now, I'm interested in making my meals from scratch as much as possible.  Recently, I've made a couple of attempts to make cooking from scratch a bit easier.  Not that I don't have time to cook--I just want to make life easier so I can do things like be on the computer doing...stuff.  So here are two tips I will share with you.
The first is to make a rotisserie chicken in your crock pot such as the recipe found here.  I do things a bit differently, however; I buy chicken breasts with the bones and skin attached because meat is really expensive (like $4.99/lb for boneless, skinless chicken breasts).  I cook the chicken in the same fashion as the Busy Mommy blogger, and usually end up using the chicken in curry or soups.  Or I even just leave the chicken as is, and serve it with roasted vegetables.  
My second tip is to use your crock pot to make a lot of broth.  I made broth earlier this week/last weekend, and I got perhaps 25 cups of broth doing multiple rounds of broth.  I found this recipe here that explains the routine/recipe.  However, sometimes I just cook the broth on low for twelve hours instead of an initial twenty -four hours, and then leave it on warm to cool down for a few hours.  When the broth has cooled, I'll strain it and then place it into two- or four- cup containers that'll then be placed into the freezer until I need it. I've loved doing this because now I always have broth on hand which has been especially helpful since Greg has been sick.
I hope these tips help especially now that we are moving into a busier time of year.  What do you do to make cooking from scratch easier?