My to be read and all the extras for 2008

There is a website that has a To BE READ (TBR) challenge for the year. I missed the deadline because I am totally and completely clueless sometimes. It makes perfect sense that your list would have to be in before 2008, doesn't it? I decided to still make my list of twelve and my alternatives and just set a personal goal to read them. I will undoubtedly read many more this year as I can't stand to not have a book to read in the house. The website is great because it offers you some ideas of what others are planning to read. For me this is a blessing and a curse because I always have a running list of TBR.
I really had a hard time narrowing down the 12 top for my list. These are in no particular order and the alternatives may win over the top. I guess it all depends on my library and friends.
2008 book list

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen 3/2/2008The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova 2/5/2008
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield 3/31/2008
Then We Came To The End by Joshua Ferris
The House at Riverton by Kate Morton
Gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson
Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson
Helpless by Barbara Gowdy
Summer people by Brian Groh done 1/17/2008
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boye
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen 1/20/2008
The Road by Cormac McCarthy

***ALTERNATES and EXTRAS***
Rape: a love story Joyce carol Oates 1/20/2008
Flying Changes by Sara Gruen 1/27/08
The Dew Breaker by Edgwidge Danticat done 1/15/2008
One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson 3/6/2008
Emma - Jane Austen
These is My Words by Nancy Turner
Sarah's Quilt by Nancy E. Turner
The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng
How I live now by Meg Rosoff
Drunk, Divorced and Covered in Cat Hair By the Yarn Harlot

We've adopted a soldier

">

My yahoo group has adopted a soldier. This is a fantastic program and I am so happy to be a part of it. We are at the introductory phase now. I just sent my first letter and am beginning to collect for his care package now. If anyone happens upon this blog and would like more information just go to www.soldiersangels.org and see how you can get involved. I felt it necessary to put all the politics aside and get involved some way. It's too easy to forget what others are giving up for our freedom and for the freedom of others. This program lets me say thanks and helps boost the morale of a us soldier.

Doing some catching up Sarah Style

I have really neglected this blog lately. The holiday season snatched up all my time. I am going to do a quick catch up with some pics to get me back on track.

The first picture to share is the lil miss Diva's pink poodle costume. I bought it off someone on Ebay and it was a tad bit small but we made it work. Isn't she the cutest?
The second is from Sarah's cousins birthday party. Evelyn had a tea party that had a fashion show too. She was able to pick out her "fashions" then strut her stuff down the runway. Let me tell you she was not shy at all, she just worked it like she had been strutting her whole life. Very diva-licious!

This last picture came from Sarah's cousins cell phone. Elizabeth has a great camera on her phone. I couldn't believe how well this turned out. We were visiting my brother in Virginia and the kids were all playing together. Check out the blue sky it was over 70 degrees that Thanksgiving weekend. It was so amazing to be playing at the park instead of freezing in the house.

PUMPKIN PICKING AT ORT FARMS

Sarah and her best friend Brianna spent the day pumpkin picking at ort farms in flanders. We had the most spectacular day. The weather was fantastic mild enough for a tshirt which is far from normal in October around here. The girls had a giggly hay bale tractor ride out to the pumpkin patch. The bumpy ride had them laughing hysterical and really set the mood for some fun in the fields. The farm is set up for some great photo opportunities and lucky for us the girls were in a posing mood. We love all the props for pictures and the climb on hay piles for the kids. They also have a petting zoo with bunnies, ducks, donkeys, horses, cows, goats and pigs. Every year we seem to hit it just right to see the baby piglets. There were nine of them and they were down right adorable. The donkeys loved the attention of the girls and even got jealous when they left him. He was making a heck of a racket trying to draw them back to him. One of the goats thought Sarah’s hair must have been straw because he started to chomp away on it. You should have seen how mad she was. I thought it was the funniest thing especially when she started telling him exactly what she thought of him. My little sunshine always rewards with her laughter and sparkling personality. I cherish these times and hope we always have this much fun together.

Sarah at the apple orchard

This picture was taken last week when we went apple picking. Sarah just can't help herself when it comes to posing for the camera. She is just too cute. She really brings endless smiles and joy to my life everyday. She is my sunshine.
Every year we take a trip to Pennings Orchard in Warwick, NY. It's so beautiful there. We love the apples, the petting zoo and the playground. This year we went during the week and had nearly the entire orchard to ourselves. Macintosh, empire golds and ginger golds were ripe and ready for us. The apples were a little pricey but one bite and you know what you are paying for. Seriously, we had an amazing time and we were so lucky to share that time with our friends, Kristy and Brianna.

I have completed my first sock

I am so happy to blog about my first sock experience. I followed the tutorial for Little Silvers socks on 4 dpns This tutorial did not dissapoint. My sock is done and awaiting its mate. Unfortunately I followed the pattern for the largest sock and baby it's big!
Now that the first one is done the itch is working it's way slowly thru my bones. I want more....more patterns...more dpns....more sock yarn....more socks! I can see this taking hold any moment now. I have already been on numerous sites looking for a good price on sock yarn, posted about them here and on my yahoo group. Hooked at least another member into knitting them and convinced another to try again. I see lots of hours scouring thru patterns and me knitting away in bliss.

Books I read in the last two weeks

I have been searching high and low for my little book journal. I can't seem to find it so I decided to post them here for now.

Last week I read:
The stolen child by Keith Donahue
secret life of bees by sue monk kidd
theory of relativity by Jacquelyn Mitchard

This weeks reads:
The myth of You and me by Leah Steward
The other Boleyn girl by Phillipa Gregory (HF)
Molokai by Alan Brennert (HF)

Now thanks to a new member of my knitting group. I love historical fiction. My first thought to historical fiction is that it would be a bore. Could I have been any more wrong. I have read two HF books this week and was totally delighted in each of them.