Slight Addiction

One of my reading vices is Magazines.   Before it was trendy to sit in a bookstore and read them, I used to buy them at the checkout!  Whoa, now that can be an expensive habit.  So, when I became a coffee drinker and had more spare time on my hands than I do these days, I used to love getting a coffee at whatever bookstore (I am not picky), and a big stack of magazines and just sit and peruse the glossy pages and dream of a more glamorous life.  I love that at a book store you can find the most obscure magazines.   I love looking in to the lives of celebrities, getting decorating ideas, looking at the latest fashions, reading about travel and cooking.  Magazines get me excited and motivated.  I am always eager to try a new product, or read a book they recommend, or to paint my house or try a new recipe that looked good.  Magazines are a little drug of motivation.

Now that my life doesn't lend it self to frequent bookstore visits, I subscribe to some publications (way cheaper than the newstand price).  I love the days they arrive and can't wait to tuck everyone into bed, so I can have some ME reading time.  Some of my favorites are:  Working Mother, RedBook, Travel+Leisure, Marie Claire, Mary Janes Farm, InStyle, O, Parenting, EveryDay with Rachel Ray. 

I save a lot of them, but most I remove articles that I want to save or I scan in pages.  Then I recycle, share or donate the rest.  Tonight I am anxious to read the new Marie Claire, they do a great job of educating you about women around the world. 

A surprise in the mail

I have a wonderful friend.  We have been friends for almost 15 years.  We have the same sense of humor, the need to be creative, we both love to read and watch movies.  We met as single gals, that worked at the same company and lived pretty close to each other.  Then we moved a little further apart, then we met our guys, then we moved further apart, then we didn't work together anymore,  then we had kids ....  We went from talking daily to now once a month if we are lucky.   Proximity has really been the biggest factor, because - she doesn't know it - but if we still lived close I would be over all the time.  I miss her so much and just when I think I need to call Tiffany - I get a small gift in the mail from her.  It is like magic.

The surprise in the mail this time was the movie - Eat, Pray, Love with Julia Roberts.  (** Tiffany's favorite actress by the way).    I was so thrilled because of course she knew that I have been wanting to see this movie.   I read Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert last summer, I was probably the last gal on earth to read it - but I am glad I did.   I did not run out to read it, because I wrongly thought it was a self-help book; which I guess it could be.  But, I enjoyed it as a lovely story and an adventure. I admired that Elizabeth was empowered to take a year to travel and re-discover herself.  What 3 countries would you go to - if you could EAT, PRAY, LOVE??     I would recommend the book  if there is a soul out there, that still has not read it. 

As far as the movie goes - it was beautiful and I will cherish it because my best gal thought to send it to me; but of course the book was better! 

A Quick stop at the Library

Last Friday after I picked up Parker and Reese from Day Care we decided to make a quick stop at the St. Clair Library before we picked up our pizza and headed home.   We went straight to the children's room (the library has a great children's room that is behind closed doors!).   So, while Parker and Reese picked out some movies and books and played with the cool puppets and such, I found myself looking thru the Juniors section.  A book on Anne Frank caught my eye and I added it to our stack.  We left with 4 movies, 2 Dinosaur books, a book about going potty, a Richard Scarry book and 2 Oprah magazines. 

When it was my time to cozy up in our den with everyone else tucked into bed, I couldn't wait to dive into the Anne Frank book.  It is called Anne Frank - Her life in words and pictures.  From the Archives of the Anne Frank House.    I know the story of Anne Frank, but I have never read anything of detail on the subject.  I have read much on the Holocaust and was eager to read about this young girl's experience.   The book may have been in the Jr. Section of the Library - but it was perfect.  The bright colored pictures that accompanied the written word, transported me to Secret Annex right with her.  It is a perfect little book and I read the whole thing Friday night. 

Over the course of the rest of the weekend and the Monday snow day - we watched the movies and read the rest of the books we got.  Parker is really into Dinosaurs - especially T-Rex.   We read that a T-Rex's tooth is the size of a banana.  Those kind of comparsions are excellent learning tools! 

I have always loved to Read!

I am turning 40 this year.  One of the things I wanted to accomplish before that milestone was to create a blog.  So, here goes nothing.  When I set about researching blogs, I realized quickly that I would need a topic.  I am married, I work, I am a mom, but before I was all of those things I was a reader.   I have been reading everything I can get my hands on since I started reading.  So, what better topic to blog about than what I have read and what I have learned.  I am excited to start this little project and to navigate the blogshere - so bare with me as I  - Read and Learn and Repeat.