Yep today is Valentine's Day. Valentimes Day. Single Awareness Day. Halloween. Whatever you want to call it. Those are just a few of the names I have heard for this day.
I like to say "Valentine's Day, I spit on you." Then I would make a spitting sound. Very ladylike, I know! That is the way I feel and I believe in honesty.
Even though I say that I still made cookies and brought them into work. You have to celebrate once in awhile. It is fun to find the fun even in a day like Valentine's. So that is why I know I am a contradiction.
The cookies turned out really good. So I thought I would share the recipe in my blog.
I found this recipe in a holiday recipe book my friend Jennifer made for me. It is from Whitney, her sister-in-law and just a cool person.
Whitney's Sugar Cookies
1 1/3 cups shortening
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp salt
6 cups flour
Mix ingredients well in the order listed above. (If you can, do not stop mixing.)
Roll & cut thick.
Bake at 350 for 7-10 minutes.
Frost and enjoy!
The people at work loved them!!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
"Charlotte Collins" by Jennifer Becton
I finished another book. I just could not put it down! It was "Charlotte Collins" by Jennifer Becton. I found it, thanks to the Nook. I love that thing, but then you already know that if you have read my other blogs.
I am sucker for anything Pride and Prejudice related. I love the movies and the books. I am not so much of a purist that it only can be a book for Jane Austen herself. Those characters are wonderful and it is great to read other stuff. Some better than others, but doesn't that go without saying? (I did just say it, or rather wrote it, typed it, whatever.)
This book is about Elizabeth Bennett's friend Charlotte Lucas, who marries the terrible Mr. Collins. Don't worry that the book is about Mr. Collins, it is not!! The book starts with the funeral of Mr. Collins. So Charlotte is now single and trying to figure out her life. Still not wanting to be a burden on her parents. Her sister Maria is in this story and Charlotte agrees to be her chaperone so that Maria may have a social life. They go through some trials and of course go to a ball or two, and you must have a game of whist thrown in there as well. This is a really good read. It was fun to have Charlotte's character developed further. I know it is someone else's interpretation and not Austen's. I thought the author did a good job with what Austen detailed in Pride and Prejudice about Charlotte. She chose for her time. Women did not have a lot of choices. Reading books about this era really make me grateful. They make me think of what women went through. So much was decided for them. They did not have a lot to pick from. I see why Charlotte would have chosen what she did with Mr. Collins. Those choices led her to what happens in this book. It is right in the vein of Austen though because the end is good. It ends with love for Charlotte, she deserves it!
I am sucker for anything Pride and Prejudice related. I love the movies and the books. I am not so much of a purist that it only can be a book for Jane Austen herself. Those characters are wonderful and it is great to read other stuff. Some better than others, but doesn't that go without saying? (I did just say it, or rather wrote it, typed it, whatever.)
This book is about Elizabeth Bennett's friend Charlotte Lucas, who marries the terrible Mr. Collins. Don't worry that the book is about Mr. Collins, it is not!! The book starts with the funeral of Mr. Collins. So Charlotte is now single and trying to figure out her life. Still not wanting to be a burden on her parents. Her sister Maria is in this story and Charlotte agrees to be her chaperone so that Maria may have a social life. They go through some trials and of course go to a ball or two, and you must have a game of whist thrown in there as well. This is a really good read. It was fun to have Charlotte's character developed further. I know it is someone else's interpretation and not Austen's. I thought the author did a good job with what Austen detailed in Pride and Prejudice about Charlotte. She chose for her time. Women did not have a lot of choices. Reading books about this era really make me grateful. They make me think of what women went through. So much was decided for them. They did not have a lot to pick from. I see why Charlotte would have chosen what she did with Mr. Collins. Those choices led her to what happens in this book. It is right in the vein of Austen though because the end is good. It ends with love for Charlotte, she deserves it!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
"Annexed"
Tonight I just finished reading "Annexed" by Sharon Dogar. It is historical fiction. A book I found on bn.com (Barnes and Noble). When I read what it was about I thought that the author was taking on a lot. It is fiction but she has created the story from Peter van Pels' point of view. Peter is the Peter from "The Diary of Anne Frank." I wondered why she would attempt such a thing because it is not like you could interview anyone. "The Diary of Anne Frank" is one of my favorite books of all time and because of that I enjoy reading about that time period. It is amazing to me what people did and what they sacrificed. Historical fiction is great too, for the fact that it makes dates in history more real for me. It is not just a bunch of facts. These are things that people went through. It makes me think more and maybe understand a little.
This book was good and moving. At first, the author portrayed Peter as a love sick teenager who might not have made it to the Annex, because he thought about running. I wondered about her portrayal, but Peter was 17 when he went into hiding. That would be a time for a boy wanting to fight and wanting to show how grown up he was. Peter worries that he will never do things in his life, but faced with your own mortality, I think that is natural. Those things made sense.
The ending definitely packed a punch. I am done with my crying now. I don't know how you can read stuff like that and not be affected. Terrible things happened.
One passage that really hit home was one thing Peter said to Anne "That's all I want to be. Peter van Pels. Not Jewish, not Dutch, not German, just me!" I know it is fiction and I don't if Peter actually said that to Anne, but it touched me. I am sure others have thought it.
The book is only 209 pages but wow, talk about heavy stuff. For my next book, I need to find some lighter reading.
Books are awesome though... what more can I say!
I am sure I could think of something, but I will stop for now!
This book was good and moving. At first, the author portrayed Peter as a love sick teenager who might not have made it to the Annex, because he thought about running. I wondered about her portrayal, but Peter was 17 when he went into hiding. That would be a time for a boy wanting to fight and wanting to show how grown up he was. Peter worries that he will never do things in his life, but faced with your own mortality, I think that is natural. Those things made sense.
The ending definitely packed a punch. I am done with my crying now. I don't know how you can read stuff like that and not be affected. Terrible things happened.
One passage that really hit home was one thing Peter said to Anne "That's all I want to be. Peter van Pels. Not Jewish, not Dutch, not German, just me!" I know it is fiction and I don't if Peter actually said that to Anne, but it touched me. I am sure others have thought it.
The book is only 209 pages but wow, talk about heavy stuff. For my next book, I need to find some lighter reading.
Books are awesome though... what more can I say!
I am sure I could think of something, but I will stop for now!
Silly Books
Books 8, 9, and 10, I feel like are silly books, but what fun reads. More books on the Nook. I love that Nook! Best Christmas present I bought myself!! (hee hee) Back to the books...
I started with the first one and just had to read the second. Then when I was checking for the third, the stars were aligned or something because I could purchase it as a pre-sale. It was being released the very next day. That was great because you know when you are reading something and just can't put it down? That was like that... I started reading the first book because I had a bad dream and had to get something else in my mind or the bad dream would start again. Sounds weird, I know but I have had some bad dreams lately and it seems to help. Anyways after that I was hooked.
I titled this, silly books because they are kind of silly. Lucy Valentine's family owns a matchmaking business. Their abilities in matchmaking are so wonderful due to a blessing by cupid himself centuries ago. Lucy's abilities have been skewed after a power surge when she was fourteen and on the phone. She can't match people up but only find lost things when touching someone's hand. There is some romance in there too. The heroine is afraid of commitment because along with the blessing from cupid, there is a curse. No one in her family has been able to have a relationship that lasts. Of course, there is a man in the story and she is afraid. There are some shall I say steamy parts... I guess that is what makes this book my guily pleasure. (Yikes, did I admit that?)
They are just so fun, I couldn't stop!! I am hoping for a fourth book! She still has not gotten over her commitment issues... Will she?
bye for now
I started with the first one and just had to read the second. Then when I was checking for the third, the stars were aligned or something because I could purchase it as a pre-sale. It was being released the very next day. That was great because you know when you are reading something and just can't put it down? That was like that... I started reading the first book because I had a bad dream and had to get something else in my mind or the bad dream would start again. Sounds weird, I know but I have had some bad dreams lately and it seems to help. Anyways after that I was hooked.
I titled this, silly books because they are kind of silly. Lucy Valentine's family owns a matchmaking business. Their abilities in matchmaking are so wonderful due to a blessing by cupid himself centuries ago. Lucy's abilities have been skewed after a power surge when she was fourteen and on the phone. She can't match people up but only find lost things when touching someone's hand. There is some romance in there too. The heroine is afraid of commitment because along with the blessing from cupid, there is a curse. No one in her family has been able to have a relationship that lasts. Of course, there is a man in the story and she is afraid. There are some shall I say steamy parts... I guess that is what makes this book my guily pleasure. (Yikes, did I admit that?)
They are just so fun, I couldn't stop!! I am hoping for a fourth book! She still has not gotten over her commitment issues... Will she?
bye for now
Monday, February 7, 2011
"I Am Number Four" by Pittacus Lore
Last week I finished reading "I Am Number Four."
What a good book! It is about aliens. I never thought I would get into this sci fi business but I am totally hooked. I enjoyed it. It was entertaining to read from a boy's perspective. Most of the young adult stuff has a female protagonist(is that the right word?), that I have read.
I don't want to give the story away but I totally recommend anyone reading it.
The movie is coming out next week. It looks good. It is always fun to see how the special effects work with what you read and how different parts of the book are interpreted on screen.
This book is a start of a series, so I have to wait for the next one to come out. That should be a good read as well.
later, tater!
What a good book! It is about aliens. I never thought I would get into this sci fi business but I am totally hooked. I enjoyed it. It was entertaining to read from a boy's perspective. Most of the young adult stuff has a female protagonist(is that the right word?), that I have read.
I don't want to give the story away but I totally recommend anyone reading it.
The movie is coming out next week. It looks good. It is always fun to see how the special effects work with what you read and how different parts of the book are interpreted on screen.
This book is a start of a series, so I have to wait for the next one to come out. That should be a good read as well.
later, tater!
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