favorite books...

I recently read a post from a great blogger at From Tracie that has left me daydreaming. It was about her beautiful, book-loving soon-to-be-ten year old daughter and her most favorite page-turners.You can read the post here.

Since reading that post I have been thinking about my own early years and how I would lay across my bed for hours reading chapter after chapter. I think my first real literary infatuation was with the Ramona series by Beverly Cleary. I read those books over and over. A few years ago I ordered them on e-bay with hopes that I would someday have a daughter to give them to. (Smile). Then I graduated to The Baby-Sitters Club and Sweet Valley High series'. I remember trading those books with my friends and getting so excited to read a new one. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton became another one of my most treasured books. I was semi-obsessed with its boy-heavy cast in the then-popular movie so it was only natural that I read the book.

It wasn't long before I developed my passion for mystery and horror. I started with Lois Duncan. Two of my favorites were Down A Dark Hall and Summer Of Fear. In fact, I found Down A Dark Hall in a box a few years ago and re-read it. While I am nearly twenty-five years older than I was when I first read it I loved it still.

High School summer reading lists brought about some of the best works I've ever read- The Catcher In The Rye and Go Ask Alice to name a couple. Soon, though, I would fall deeply in love with the words of Stephen King... and I hardly ever strayed. The Shining and Different Seasons were my top two at the time followed by It and Carrie. 

Nowadays I don't read very many books. I've become more of a Real Simple magazine kinda gal. Last week, however, I bought and read Stephen King's Joyland and it was phenomenal. I loved it so, so, so, so much! I loved the characters, the setting and mostly King's ability to almost hide the ghost story in the background yet maintain my interest. He is the master!

I've enjoyed tripping down my adolescent book-adoring memory lane and I urge you to do the same. I can still see myself on that pretty pink twin bed, curtains blowing, summer breezes, lazy days. A mind filled with my own little Joyland of imagined characters and places all brought about by a stranger's words on a printed page. A reminder to keep reading and to keep our little ones reading... they deserve pleasant memories too.

What were some of your favorite books as a young adult?

color kick...

I had such a fantastic day today! From the moment I opened the windows and felt that breeze I knew it was going to be a good one. {I've already had it with humidity and we've barely dipped our toe into June so I'm thrilled to be able to keep the windows open and let the curtains fly!}

Anyway, today was a "free" day for me. Free meaning that I didn't have much that NEEDED to be done and my mom was taking Scarlett for the day. I planned out a few errands a couple of fun projects. First up was a trip to the store to buy Stephen King's latest, Joyland.

Come 9 pm I will be engrossed.

I'm big into COLOR lately and I've been updating areas in the home to reflect my phase. I'll give you a peek of a few small changes I've made.

Here is a ten minute update that I made over the weekend...

That delightful wooden tree used to be plain old brown. During the winter I painted it bright pink and orange on a whim. I didn't LOVE it but it made me feel a little cheerier than the brown did. This past weekend I decided that I had spent too long not loving it and needed it to be blue and yellow immediately. I've been adoring it ever since. I love that I can paint it any color I want whenever I feel like it and I even left the backside brown in case I want to switch it up.

My friend Kim is having a birthday party for her youngest son and I offered to make the cupcake toppers. The theme is Super Mario Brothers and while I'm not used to using primary colors I think they came out pretty cute!

For Mother's Day I received one of those hand print cards from Scarlett... (thanks Dada). I've been wanting to do something with it but wasn't sure what. Well, after scoring two super-bright colored picture frames at Kohl's for zip my next move was clear ...

Cute, right?

When I bought my book today I also picked up some bright yellow spray paint. There's a hanging tea-light candle holder in my dining room that I've been itching to spruce up and I decided today was the day...

however...

Yeah, I am NOT feelin' the yellow. (Although I love the yellow picture frame on the table - the second of the two free frames from Kohl's). The candle holder just looks weird. You can't really even see it! It needs to be red... or orange. But I have to admit I didn't love spray painting it... it was kind of a huge pain in the ass. Haha.

So, there you have it - my little projects. I really, really enjoyed my day today. Nobody pissed me off. People in stores were friendly. I found sales. I returned things I knew I wouldn't wear. I listened to awesome music all day. The house is filled with fresh air ... actually Scarlett and Daddy just got home and Scarlett just filled the dining room with the scent of I just crapped sooooo ... there goes that! Gotta put the Mama hat back on. I hope you all enjoy your night and I'll be sure to let you know if Brody is mysteriously bright aqua tomorrow.

P.S. Daddy just went to change the diaper!! He's a peach.