Living in La La Land

My Marcie asked me where I have been all week.  I have been right here, but kinda not:)  After I finished my auction quilts, I have some extra time on my hands.  SOOO what have I been doing?.....reading of course:)  People always ask me "How do you have time to read so much?"  Seriously?....how could I not read???  I think that people make time for what they love to do.  I happen to love to read, so I make the time for it.  I read at night---and often into the morning.  I don't sleep a lot, so for me to read until 12:00 or 1:00 or a couple time this week 1:30---is not at all out of the ordinary.  The longer I read, the longer I WANT to read and I often have to force myself to stop and try to go to sleep--although sometimes I end up just turning the light back on after a few minutes of rolling around and trying to sleep.  I realize it is not what everyone likes to do, but for me---it works.  I also have a deal with myself.  Here it is....When I put Em down for a nap, I push the button on her night night music as I walk out the door.  It plays for 15 minutes loud and clear over the monitor.  Then for those 15 minutes I pick up the morning's disaster.  I usually load the dishwasher, throw in some laundry, make the bed, nothing major---just picking up.  Then after those 15 minutes, it is ME time.  I figure I clean, and chase, and read stories, and make food, and be a mommy all day, so nap time is MY time.  I sometimes sew, on occasion I take a little snooze, but a lot of times I read.  The only thing that takes away ME time----a dirty house.  If my house needs more than a quick pick up----like clean bathrooms or a major overhaul---then I give up this time and get to cleaning.  BUT I try to NOT clean during nap time because I can do that ANY time of the day.  It may sound selfish, but at least I don't regret my decision to not work and after that time I am a MUCH better mommy than if I had cleaned and slaved away at some task that could wait.  That is not the only time I read though---for example----yesterday we went to my mom's after church and I read while Em slept and while my mom played with her.  Then I read in the car on the way home.  Then I read on the couch while Todd and I watched the Olympic Closing Ceremonies.  If I really want to finish a book there is always time.  PLUS I don't really watch t.v.---imagine how much time some people do that----I am just reading instead. 
SOOO there you go. Here is a quick run-down on my latest finds.  First I took someones advice and read  A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux. 

This book was pretty entertaining.  It is about a girl who goes to England on vacation with her boyfriend (in hopes of an engagement) and his horrible daughter.  They treat her like crap and eventually dump her off and leave her in a small church in England.  They take her purse and bags, so she has NOTHING.  She breaks down and cries in the church while laying on the tomb of a long ago Earl.  She prays for a knight in shining armor to come and sweep her off her feet and VOILA--a knight in shining armor arrives.  The Earl---who had been about to be be-headed for treason in his own time leaps through time to help her.  Seems silly, but kinda cute.  She helps him learn about cars, and toothpaste and she helps him try to clear his name of treason.  That is the main gist--she ends up back in his time for a while too.  A few times this book verged on being a little romancy--barf!! but by that point I really needed to see how it ended, so I didn't mind skipping a page here or there:)  I liked this one enough to try another one by the same author...

The Heiress by Jude Deveraux. 

In this one Jamie, who is a poor Duke with two sisters and an ailing mom to take care of, and NO money.  He is assigned to help the Maidenhall heiress (the daughter of the richest man in England) across England and to her fiance so that they can be married (an arranged marriage of course).  Jamie decides he must get the heiress to fall in love with him so that he can save his home and take care of his sisters.  The problem---the heiress pretends to be the maid and the maid---the heiress.  SOOO he flirts with the poor girl and fights with the true heiress.  There are kidnappings and burgleries and all sorts of mishaps of course on their way to the wedding and everything gets pretty mixed up.   There are 2 or 3 or 6 twists at the end and for once I did not completly guess what was going to happen---kinda fun!!

After these romancy books I decided to switch gears.  I read Gracleing by Kristin Cashore. 

It was a bit out of my comfort zone because it was fantasy, but I LOVED it.  Katsa is the main character and she is a Graceling--meaning she has a special power (or Grace).  Some Gracelings can swim, shoot arrows, run fast, cook well, on and on.  Katsa's power was to be able to kill---gross I know.  She has been forced by the King to use her power to control HIS kingdom and he sends her to keep order for him.  She HATES this, but must follow the King.  She starts doing secret missions to help save people--instead of kill them-- and ends up meeting a Prince from another land.   He is also a Graceling.  They go off together to help save a Princess who is being held captive by an evil Graceling.  It was weird--especially since I tend to stay away--far away--from science fiction---but I really liked this book a lot.  ALL ready to go and find another one by this author.  I also tried to read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, but got bored after a couple pages.  I have heard it is good, but couldn't keep going.  Has anyone read it???  Do I just need to get past the first boring part????

Becauase a trip to la la land is not complete without a few chick flicks, I also rented Gone With the Wind and Pride and Prejudice--my two favorites. 

This was the OLD P&P---yep the five hour long one:)  I had never seen it, but it was worth staying up half the night to watch (my lack of sleep is not just for reading--I do most of my sewing, crafting, and pretty much anything productive after about 11:00).  I now think EVERYONE needs to try this movie out--if you have only seen the NEW version...

Which I also love, give the oldie but goodie a try.

ALSO, Gone With The Wind amazed me once again.  Even Em liked watching the dancing and warring.  She watched and commentated "mommy Uh OH" and "Lady Cries."  She got the main idea of what was going on I think:)  I also decided I need to get a big hoop skirt dress to wear around the house because I think I am a Southern Belle hiding in the body of a boring housewife:)  Don't worry--I did make it back to reality long enough to get some REAL cleaning done this weekend.  Plus I read all of my library books:)