Read Along With Me ...

I feel like I never get to read anymore... 

Sure I read the newspaper, a few magazines, blogs, Facebook, message boards and emails by the dozen,  but to sit down and read an actual book ... That would be WONDERFUL!

  So I made it my goal this year to read 24 books by December 31st 2011.

I'm going to start a separate page on this blog chronicling the books, but so far I have read ...

The Help

Water for Elephants

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The Girl who Played with Fire

The Girl who Kicked the Hornets Nest

and I am currently reading

Jane Eyre. 

Would you care to join me?

Do you have a great book you can suggest? 

Leave me a comment and let me know! 

Logging off to get lost in Jane Eyre. 

I read it in High School, but since the movie is coming out soon, I need a refresher. Plus, I keep getting into Bronte sisters VS. Jane Austen debates and since I HATED Wuthering Heights (sorry Emily fans), I need to give Charlotte a fair shake. 

~Happy Reading Friends~

Meet my friend Chitters ...

He is a 33 year old Great Horned Owl and he lives at The

A visit to the Nature Center is not complete until we see Chitters, so yesterday while Emma and I were visiting my friend Brandi, who is lucky enough to work there, we stopped by his cage. He was crouched down behind the door so we couldn't see him. He was making all kinds of funny noises (hence his name!), and we couldn't figure out what he was doing. One of the naturalists happened to be close by, so she offered to open the door so we could get a closer look. As soon as he saw us, he started to "talk" to us and even "Dance" around! What a treat! He has so much personality and LOVES human interaction. Actually, that's why he is at the ONC. Years ago a boy happened upon an owl's nest with, you guessed it, a baby owl inside. Of course owl's don't make great pets, so luckily his parents contacted the Nature Center where Chitters has been ever since. And what a joy he is! He is now the official mascot of the ONC and as such is able to visit local schools and teach the children all about owl's and their environment. We are so THANKFUL to have The Ogden Nature Center in our area. If you live in Northern Utah, you must come up and visit. You'll love it! 

Visit Ogden Nature Center today! 

Speaking of owls, you MUST check out this 

FABULOUS "Night Owl" Party created by Anj Snow of 

www.snowybliss.blogspot.com

Click HERE to take a peek ...

Isn't she AMAZING? 

If you want to make stuffed owls of your own (and you KNOW you do!) visit her ETSY shop for the pattern, plus she even has a PDF pattern for the DARLING adoption certificates! I can't wait to make some for Emma ... She wants them all! And since felt is so cheap, why not? Not to mention you could use old sweaters or fleece. The possibilities are endless ...  I'll share what I come up with when I'm done.

 
HOOT! HOOT!

Have a great day my friends! 

Friends ...

I love this quote. 

I used it for this post for WWC, and I think it sums up the last few months for me. The Internet is a funny place ... You can learn new things, find old friends, watch videos, play games, visit message boards. The sky's the limit. Yes, there is an UGLY side (which I won't even begin to go into), but for me, the WWW (World Wide Web) has been a huge network of friends just waiting to be met and I am grateful to meet them. I think it's my favorite thing about my job. The creative world is simply packed with great people. People who "get" your obsession with fabric, glitter and scrapbook supplies. People who know that Michael's and Joann's are not someones possession or place. People who know what you're talking about when you say CHA or QM. These are my people. And I love them. Case in point. Sweet kitty Maggie had to be put down. It was not a happy time. I have spent my lifetime owning pets, but  never had to make that awful decision to put one down, and it was a heart wrenching. Plus, how do you explain to Emma, who is five, that Maggie was going to die. And what does that mean exactly? My Dad died three years before she was born, so we told her that Maggie was going to Heaven and Grandpa Val would take good care of her. So one night I got a message on Twitter from my friend April Meeker. We had met briefly in the summer at a blog conference, but only really "know" one and other from the Internet creative world. She had a gift for me  and needed my address.

 About a week later, this wonderful book showed up at our door ...

Emma answered and wanted to open it right away. "Hey! Did Grandpa Val send this to me?" she asked. I laughed, then I cried. "No, my friend April did to make us feel better". We sat down to read the book and I tried my best to hold it together.  It is a BEAUTIFUL book ... If you ever loose a pet (there is a Dog Heaven as well), you must get it. 

My favorite part, and I am choking up here, is this:

"She will watch the old house 

where she once lived and wandered, 

and the people

who loved her inside"

How sweet is that? I  envision that those who have gone on to Heaven like to make sure that we are ok, and I can't help but think that Maggie and My Dad check on us often. It makes me feel at peace. 

Thank you April for this gift. I really can't express how much it meant to me. 

You are truly an angel ...

This is April's blog ...

http://www.suaviloquy.blogspot.com/

And this is her GORGEOUS jewelry shop ...

http://www.secondsisterdesigns.com/

Please visit her today ... You'll be glad you did! 

****

Well,  I am off to break up the band downstairs. 

Mason received the worst possible birthday gift that you can get for an 11 year old boy .... 

A DRUM SET!

Now add Colter's electric guitar and Bruce's old electronic keyboard and you have a very LOUD house.

I hope the neighbors don't complain ... Or maybe I hope they do:) 

Just kidding!

Have a great night everyone 

and

 *HUGS* to all of you for being my friend:)