Shatter - Michael Robotham

Shatter
Author: Michael Robotham
Published by: Mulholland Books


Joe has just finished lecturing his first class of the semester when a group of policemen take him to a bridge where a woman is threatening to jump. A professional psychologist, Joe tries to talk her down from the ledge but she won't listen to him. She is talking to someone on a cell phone. When she jumps, Joe is devastated but doesn't think anything more about it. Until the woman's daughter finds him and tells him that her mother would never have committed suicide. The closer Joe looks at the situation, the more questions pop up. When he's finally able to convince local law enforcement that the suicide might have been something more sinister, they race to find the sadistic killer.

I started reading this book in the restroom at a get-together when I went to hide from all the commotion for a few minutes. (Hello, my name is Introvert.) I was hooked from the first few pages.


Robotham does an incredible job with his characters. Some of the chapters are split between Joe's point of view and the psychopath himself. It is the killer's chapters that are truly terrifying as he describes gruesome scenes and acts that he has performed with causal words and a lack of emotion. Joe's chapters are filled with trouble between his wife and his daughter, the jumper's daughter, and his Parkinson's disease.

The book does a good job of moving forward. I was never bored. Even in the beginning there are other subplots that add to the entire feel of the novel. Relationship problems and things like finding a nanny for the children keep the novel pushing forward and add a level of authenticity to the feel of Joe and his life. He is not a police officer, he has Parkinson's, he should not be running around after murderers. But he is a psychologist and his need to understand the killer and his empathy for the victims gives him no other option. He cannot just run away and call for help; if he can provide help then he must.

While reading this book alone, I actually had to put it down and step away for a minute to get my bearings back. Robotham makes a truly terrifying killer character. He is intelligent, trained, and dedicated. It is the real things in life that scare me (fire, murder, rape) and Robotham gives his killer power by knowing that most people feel the same way. The killer preys on the weaknesses of his victims and he's very good at knowing what they are. His ability to get inside the head of his victims and turn them from composed people to humans begging for their lives gives him pride and a sick sense of satisfaction.


This book will keep you up at night, wanting to figure out who the killer is and what is going to become of him. With its twists and turns you'll be able to read this one in a few sittings with a racing heart.


I give it 5 out of 5 cateyes.

Past Present Future - Vol. 2

\\PAST\\
I admit that I usually get to say what we watch as I'm kind of a movie snob. But on Sunday, it was all about John. He decided that I was going to watch the Fast and the Furious saga so that I can go with him to watch the seventh installment in theaters. I had seen the first one, years ago, when it first came out but not a one afterward. So John rented Fast & Furious on GooglePlay and we got about two minutes in before he realized something was off.


"That's not how it starts. I don't remember this happening in the first one."
"What do you mean it's not how it starts? You rented Fast and Furious, obviously this is how it starts. Maybe you just got mixed up?" I said.
"No...I don't think so."

Well it turns out that the first one is actually called THE Fast and THE Furious. Which is probably the stupidest thing ever. Not the title itself but that all of their titles are so similar. Anyway, we got that all settled, and watched the first one with sarcastic commentary and heavy eyeball rolling from me.


Then we watched the next one: 2 Fast 2 Furious. Then over the week we watched Tokyo Drift, Fast & Furious, Fast Five, & Furious 6.

Which means that I'm all caught up! They actually weren't as bad as I originally thought. The second and third were pretty hard to get through but the ones after that were so much better. I'm actually pretty excited to see the seventh in theaters. It'll be even better seeing it on the big screen and with the awesome surround sound.

This week was also Fiesta week and I ended up getting my flower crown just like I wanted! Score!

\\PRESENT\\
I received my first Dress of the Month from Unique Vintage but didn't like it. Sad. I will be returning
it and anxiously awaiting next month's, which will hopefully yield better results.

I have also decided to try to get my blog more exposure and more opportunities so I signed up for a few groups and collaborators. So far, I'm just waiting.

I ordered a Day Designer planner because I have a really bad addiction to planners and office supplies in general. Even though I already have a weekly/monthly calendar, this sectioned day-to-day one just wouldn't leave my mind. But it was a bit too steep a price for me. So I waited and by the time I decided I really wanted to try it out the black and white stripe was sold out! So I bought the Gold Spotty.

And because of a misprint it's discounted. So I couldn't pass it up. I just love the idea of being able to plan my whole day and the fact that it has a gratitude section because, I totally admit, that I am a realist/pessimist at heart and I need all the help I can get. I just got it yesterday so I'll let you know what I think of it once I give it a good run.



\\FUTURE\\
John and I went to a friend's party at this new brewery. It was a lot of fun and the place was nothing like we expected. I cannot wait until I'm on a more regular schedule so we can frequent the place. They had board games, horse shoes, cornhole, music, and a food truck. Plus their beer is pretty good and decently priced.

Still cannot wait for our vacation. I'm definitely a vacation person and it's true that it makes work easier by having a rest in your sights.

Also, I'll be finishing my temp job soon. Huge sigh of relief. I'll be able to sleep my normal 9 hours again. Haha. But I will try to be more productive since I know just how many hours are in a day and all the things I've been able to accomplish within them. I am going to miss that extra paycheck though. Eh...we did fine before.



Reading: From A Buick 6 - Stephen King
Watching: Parenthood, Call the Midwife, Mr. Selfridge, Wolf Hall
Listening to: Still lovin' my Valerie June Pandora station.
Needing: To go grocery shopping.
Wanting: A new dress.
Something I'm Looking Toward To: I'm having lunch with an old friend this week at (plus!) a place I've never been to before. I love trying new places.
Five Good Things That Happened This Week: 

1. I got my Fiesta flower crown. 
2. My Day Designer came in.
3. I got free food from work for working one of the Fiesta parades. Yes! 
4. A girl at work donated her Keurig to us. Double yes! Fresh coffee all the time. 
5. One of my friends/co-worker called me a strong woman. Thrice yes!

So how was your week? What was the thing you loved the most about it?

Things I've Crossed Off My Bucket List

I recently discovered this little website gem called Bucketlist.

It lets you digitally make, add, & cross off things from your bucket list! As soon as I saw it I was hooked. I was on it for an hour just adding, adding, adding!

You can browse their different categories for ideas on your own goals. You can see those that are most popular, or pick something you'd want to learn, or add a place you want to visit.

It was while browsing through these lists that I discovered how absolutely lucky and grateful I am to my parents and all the things that I've ALREADY done. It's always fun making and crossing things off your own list but it's a feeling of gratitude when you know you've been fortunate enough to do something that someone else is right now only dreaming about.

At the age of 26 I have done all of these wonderful things.


I have

• Visited Roswell, New Mexico
• Visited New Orelans, Louisiana
• Visited New York City, New York
• Visited San Diego, California
• Visted New Jersey
• Visited Mexico
• Gambled in Las Vegas
• Vacationed at Disney World
• Eaten at the James Beard Foundation
• Started a Blog
• Adopted a Dog(s)
• Graduated High School
• Been Fishing
• Been on a Rollercoaster
• Been to a Rock Concert
• Been to an Orchestra Concert
• Seen a Play
• Seen a Stand Up Comedian
• Seen a Ballet
• Seen a Magician
• Seen the Statue of Liberty
• Seen the Twin Towers (Before 9/11)
• Seen a Broadway Show
• Danced at a Club
• Made a Cake from Scratch
• Realized the dangers of the Long Island Iced Tea
• Lived on My Own
• Lived in a Dorm
• Gotten my First Job
• Ridden in a Helicopter
• Ridden an Elephant
• Swam with beluga whales
• Gotten a Tattoo
• Dyed my Hair a Crazy Color
• Passed my Driving Test

If you have a Bucketlist why don't you add me? What things have you crossed off your bucket list?

Fiesta San Antonio

When people hear San Antonio, Texas they probably think of two things: The Riverwalk & the Alamo. Yeah these things are important but what you should really think of when you hear my hometown is Fiesta.

Fiesta is this huge celebration that takes place every year to honor and remember the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto. In 1891 when the whole hoopla first officially began, it was nothing more than a parade called the Battle of Flowers. But since then, it's grown exponentially. It's now 10 days of beer-drinking, food-tasting, flower crowns, cascarones, and very pretty papel picado.

papel picado: literally means pierced paper: traditional way of decorating for celebrations and used as art.

cascarones: egg shells filled with confetti meant to be broken on people's heads.

fiesta flower crowns: made from tissue paper and totally awesome. Via: Events That Sparkle

As the main event, the Battle of Flowers is still the largest parade within Fiesta. It is the only parade in the nation that is planned and directed entirely by women volunteers. This parade has become such a huge part of our lives that schools and most businesses close, treating the day as a holiday.

Over the years they've added two other parades to the lineup: The Texas Cavaliers River Parade, which you guessed it - takes place on the Riverwalk.

Via: Stone Creek Homes

And The Flambeau Parade which is the nation's largest illuminated night parade. My dad and my brother have walked the route the last three years with the Boy Scouts.

Via: San Antonio Magazine

Along with these parades there are over 100 official Fiesta events and even more unofficial events that take place within the city. It's estimated that three million people take part in the various festivities and that the city rakes in about 280 million dollars.

It has also become a tradition to collect various Fiesta medals and pins. These medals are updated every year and sold to people who want to wear or collect them.

If you're interested in seeing what this Fiesta thing is all about you can watch from home! Just go to KSAT.com to watch the parades live!


The Battle of Flowers will take place on Friday around 12:30pm CST.

The Flambeau Parade will take place on Saturday around 6:30pm CST.

How I Handle Stress

I've been a bit more stressed as of late. You may recall I'm currently going through this whole fiasco. But there are a few tried and true ways I destress.


Read a Book
I don't know if I've mentioned this (only a million times) but I love reading. There is nothing better than forgetting all your troubles by diving into someone else's. What makes it even better is that their lives are all ready figured out and nicely wrapped at the end! No judging, thinking, questioning, or making decisions on your part. Just read and relax.

Take a Bath/Shower
I'm not a bath person but even just standing underneath the shower will relax your mind and body. And who says you can only use bath scents/bombs in the bathtub? Try them in the shower. The fragrances will leave you feeling calm, cool, and collected.

Watch TV or a Movie
This is similar to reading a book. These people's lives are already scripted so even if things don't go exactly as planned you know that nothing will be THAT bad. Watching TV just lets your mind wander in a great way.

Read an Article About Someone Who Has It Worse Or Bounced Back From Failure
So you're super stressed because you just lost your company a thousand dollars in what was a true, noncriminal accident? Hey, don't worry. Read an article about someone who lost their job and went bankrupt and then became the next Bill Gates or whatever. Stress tends to stem from the fact that whatever we are stressing about is the absolute.worst.thing.possible and for the most part -- that's simply not true. It's easy to calm down, think rationally, and de-escalate problems when you put them into perspective.

Yoga & Breathing Exercises
I love yoga. I don't do it as often as I should (10$ a class? Who am I, Mr. Monopoly?) but there are great YouTube channels devoted to easy, de-stressing, no-equipment yoga postures that will relieve the tension from your shoulders, open those hips up, and will have you focused on your breath rather than the horrible customer who just won't go away.

Listen to Happy Music or Dramatic Soundtracks 
Nothing makes somebody happier than hearing their favorite catchy tune. That's why you should definitely have a Happy Playlist. But sometimes I find that listening to an action or dramatic soundtrack makes me feel as if I'm in a super important position of power, like Batman, and you can't just go throwing stress tantrums. Instead, you let the music guide you to find ways to defeat The Joker. Or use the Sherlock soundtrack to figure out who's been stealing your homemade lunches.



What are some of the ways you de-stress? Do we de-stress in some of the same ways?

What I've Learned Working Two Full Time Jobs

When one of my ex-coworkers/friends told me that my old job was looking for a temp to fill while someone was on maternity leave I was a bit hesitant to go back. "But," this person said, "You could really use the money. Pay off your loans! Save for a new car. Do whatever. It's only for three months."

I reluctantly agreed. I knew I needed another job and my friend was right. I could really use the money to get ahead. So I decided to accept the job. Woo! When I went to sign all the paperwork and meet with my old boss (now boss again) I was told the position was going to be full time.


*Cue record scratching*

WHAAAT?

I seriously thought about running out of there right then. Imagine my car peeling out in a cartoony fashion.  But then I thought well, I already know all the procedures. Not much has changed since I've been away. And it's not manual labor, I should be okay, right?


Right?!

I ended up accepting the job since it was only going to be for 90 days. Let me tell you, it's been a bit of a tough one. I tend to get really grumpy towards the end of the week. John's gotten a bit fed-up with me at one time or another but I was too tired to care quite frankly. Still, I feel I've been learning some valuable life lessons with all this extra jobbing.


Sleep is Overrated
You really don't need that much sleep to function at an appropriate level. Yeah, you may look like shit more often than not but you'll still be able to do your job(s), eat, shower, and maybe read a page or two from a book.

When You're So Tired, Even Sleeping for 20 Minutes Will Do Wonders
I take a nap on my first lunch break and for the hour between the two jobs. It is amazing how refreshed and ready to go I feel after taking those naps.

You Can Teach Yourself to Fall Asleep Almost Instantly
When you're really tired and there's only so many minutes or hours until you wake up again getting to sleep quickly can be really important. I've always been an easy sleeper. I can sleep just about anywhere but I do tend to be a light-to-medium sleeper. Now, when I know I only have a few minutes or hours I can go to sleep in less than 2 minutes and I can tune out annoying distractions, waking up only to my alarm.

Coffee is More of a Mind Thing than an Actual Caffeine Thing
I find that coffee doesn't do much to help me stay awake. Never really has. But there is nothing like that first hot cup of coffee as I'm getting into work to perk me up and get me ready for the day ahead.

You Can Get Used to Anything
The first two weeks were hell. Like, seriously. But now that I've gotten used to it and what to expect it's gotten a lot easier. Especially with my routine. Wake up, go to Job 1, sleep on lunch break, sleep after Job 1, go to Job 2, go home, sleep, wake up, rinse, repeat.

When You Have No Free Time You Tend to Save More Money
The first two weeks I worked I didn't even go to the grocery store. John and I were in awe when we realized how much money we still had in the bank from not spending it needlessly.

It Sucks So Much Until You Get that Double Paycheck
I'm always dreading going back into work(s) the next day but payday is like winning the lottery. It's easy to forget how much working so much sucks. Especially since I'm throwing that whole extra paycheck to my loans. Sure I don't really get a bunch of fun money but knowing that I'll have one less monthly bill to pay is the best feeling.


I'm sure I've learned a slew of other things but my brain is a bit too fried to think that hard. For now, I think I'm going to go to Zzzzzzzz.

Poteet Strawberry Festival

On Saturday, John and I went to the Poteet Strawberry Festival. This festival has been around since 1948 and though I've been plenty of times when I was younger it's been a while since I've been as an adult. And John's never been at all. So we decided that we'd go and check it out, eat some strawberries, and hope it didn't rain on us.

I was pretty hungry when we got there so we bought a smorgasbord of festival food including: frito pie, steak on a stick, and a gordita.

After we stuffed our faces we walked around the grounds and ended up at The Ford Experience. It was basically a section so that you can check out of their Ford cars, trucks, and SUVs. Like most festival events they had a place for you to sign up to win a car but what was different about this whole Ford Experience was they also had different little stations for you to go to also. They give you a card and you go to each station and they have you perform some sort of activity. Then they punch your card. When you've finished you back to the beginning and you can get some free stuff. We did all of the stations and each station had their own little gift too. We ended up with a mini hand santizer, a T-shirt, a key chain, and a phone charger for the car...each! At the end we both ended up getting little insulated lunch boxes. It was actually a lot of fun!

We did the rides after and since we had so much stuff only John was able to get on the Cliff Hanger.

Also, I don't trust carnival rides.

We walked through all the vendor booths, saw some bulls and sheep, and contemplated buying an actual strawberry plant. After doing a loop we decided to head home. Since we still had tickets though we ended up buying a bottle of strawberry wine, a turkey leg, and a funnel cake to take home with us. The funnel cake had strawberries on it and was the only strawberry thing we ate at the festival. The wine wasn't even for us, my dad had asked for it.

So even though we didn't eat strawberry everything we had a fun time out there. Next up? Fiesta perhaps?

Favorite Blogging Apps - Organizing

Today I'm continuing with some more apps and websites I use to help my blog be the bestest it can be. This time we're focusing on keeping everything organized.

When it comes to my blog, there are a lot of different apps and websites I use to get everything in some sort of order. I think organizing everything I have: pictures, half written drafts, and ideas is one of the easiest things to do because there are so many apps & websites that you can use with almost no effort on your part. Here are some of my favorites apps/websites and how I use them. Oh and they're all free to use!

Google Keep - available on Web & Android

Google Keep are like Post-It Notes on your phone. But unlike Post Its you can add pictures, hyperlinks, reminders!, lists, audio recordings, and label them for even better organization. You're also able to change the color of the note which makes for super easy color-coordinating. I use Google Keep for just about everything! It's so easy to use that it ends up being the app I open first. I make grocery lists and To Do lists for everyday use but I also have an ongoing list of blog posts ideas, a list of posts that need to get written, pictures I have to take for posts, materials I need to buy for a specific post, just whatever! The colors make the widget pretty to look at on your phone too (I have a Galaxy S5).  What's great about the phone app is when I'm browsing the internet and I see a picture of something inspiring I can "share" it to Google Keep where it will automatically save the picture. Or, if I come across a blog that I like but don't have the time to add them or read all their posts I'll add the hyperlink to Google Keep and it will add a clickable link as well as a picture from the page. This can obviously be done with any website not just blogs. It makes it easy to go back and look at things later without having to copy & paste the URL into your internet browser.

Google Drive - available on Web & Android & iOS

Google Drive is like your own personal 15G flash drive that you never have to remember to take with you anywhere. As long as you have a Gmail account you can access Google Drive and I highly suggest you utilize it. Drive is similar to Dropbox in that it stores files, documents, pictures, and other things but with Drive you're also able to make documents, spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, forms, drawings, and probably a million other things, all within the app. So for someone who didn't want to buy Microsoft Office (yes, that's me) you can open and create .doc documents in Google Drive.

I use Google Drive in my everyday life for making budget spreadsheets, keeping track of my work hours & vacation days, as well as storing a current resume, generic cover letter, and other random stuff that could come in useful. For the blog, I have half written or just really, really rough drafts of posts that I haven't written out in full. I also have a list of writing prompts in case I get writer's block and I need a quick topic to get the juices flowing. Google Drive also stores your Google Photos which is nice since I use Blogger. All of my blog photos are right at my fingertips. Google Drive is easy to use, multipurpose, and an organizers best friend.

Google Calendar - available on Web, Android, iOS

Perhaps this one is a bit of a throwaway but I cannot even begin to tell you how much I LOVE Google Calendar. It's just so easy to add events, reminders, and share you calendars with others. I love all the color-coding that goes on too. What's even cooler is that if you have actually use Gmail as your email Google Calendar will automatically add things to your calendar when it sees dates and times in your inbox. It's pretty nifty.

In real life I share my work schedule with John because him asking me when I was working next got old real fast but I also have a Bills calendar, Birthdays, Fun Stuff, Appointments, Books, and Movies & TV calendar. Yup. I use Google Calendar to track everything I watch and read. For the blog I use it to see what posts I'v done and I use it to plan any upcoming ones. Looking at posts by month helps me see if there are any trends or reoccurring themes I can utilize. It also helps me see how often I post book or TV/Movie reviews. I tend to have those posts on standby and I don't want them to overwhelm what few readers I have or make my blog seem boring.

Dropbox - available on Web, Android, iOS, Kindle Fire, Blackberry, & Windows

Dropbox is similar to Google Drive. It's a cloud storage system that allows you to add, sync, and look at your files from any mobile device or desktop. You receive 9G of storage free when you sign up. I keep a lot of rough drafts, ideas, and graphics that are pertinent to my blog on Dropbox. There's not really much to say. It's easy to use and you'll have whatever you need right at your fingertips.

Trello - Available on Web, Android, & iOS

Last but not least, Trello. Trello may look similiar to Keep but this is a whole 'nother beast. Trello allows you to make lists and then cards within each list. Then each card can have hyperlinks, text, pictures, and you can even add members for collaborating. The system within a system within a system keeps all projects neat and orderly.

For the blog I have different cards for different topics and ideas. For example one card is for DIYs I want to work on and write up. When you click on the DIY card you'll be met with my ideas which are called a "list" but is within the larger label of DIY. Then, if you click on a specific list, let's say Painted Pot, you'll see a list of the materials I need, a picture of what I want the finished product to look like, or a hyperlink to the instructions. It may sound a bit complicated but once you get using it, you'll find that it makes organizing projects a breeze.

I also use Trello as a makeshift editorial calendar. You can see that each month has it's own "list" and then cards within the list. You can also add labels to your cards. For me, green is link ups; orange is a reminder to schedule the post; yellow is when guest posts are due. Obviously you can do what makes you happy but I find it so easy to glance at the year in this way and if I don't end up doing a post I can simply drag and drop it into another month. I type the dates on the left and put them in order so I know which posts are coming up, due soon, or if there is no date which can easily be moved around. I don't collaborate on my blog or have a group but if you do I would suggest you give Trello a try for that. It would make projects and ideas between people easier to see.


So that's it. It was kind of a long one but hopefully you've been introduced to a new application. I love trying out new organizing programs. Digital organization is my THING. So if you know of something I should try it out please, please, please leave it in the comments!

Past Present Future - Vol. 1

I've been saying for months that I need to delve into my personal life more. Well, I figured that this Past, Present, Future series would be a great way to start to get more comfortable with the idea of everyone knowing my life. So here we go.


First let's get the bad outta the way: My paternal grandmother had a stroke and was hospitalized this past week. She's stable and doing better now. When John and I went to see her we were able to understand most of what she said and she was aware of all the people visiting her. Besides family she's had tons of visitors. One of my aunt says that she gets self-conscious about her hair when there are "guests" in the room. She hasn't dyed it in a bit, ha. She's very strong and mostly she wants out of the hospital. For now, we're all just monitoring her and waiting to see what comes next.

Now onto some lighter fare. 

My mum celebrated a birthday this past week. I treated her to Olive Garden. We usually go there for my birthday but we hadn't been in quite a while. I cannot get enough of their deliciously buttery breadsticks. And their salad dressing. Mmm. She hasn't told me what she wants her gift to be so I haven't bought her anything. I know it may sound weird but we're really not a "surprise" gift family.

I joined the First to Read Penguin program. I was able to enter the drawing to read two different books before the drawing actually took place. I was surprised when I was selected to read one! It's called The Wrath and the Dawn. It won't come out until May but I'm pretty sure it has changed my life and my YA standards. Be on the lookout for the book and for my review - both of which come out May 8th. I cannot recommend it enough!

I also received my next Blogging for Books book. This time I chose a cookbook and I got it in the mail yesterday. I cannot wait to try some recipes from it because they look a-maze-ing. Beautiful photos, delicious recipes - what more could you ask for?

In trying to revamp my closet, I signed up for the Unique Vintage Dress of the Month club. I should be receiving the first one on Tuesday. I CANNOT WAIT. I'm going to be impatiently waiting by my door until FedEx comes. And if they get there after I leave for work I'm going to have John bring it to me so I can see it, try it on, and touch it. Kidding. Sort of.

Yesterday, John and I went to the Poteet Strawberry Festival. Poteet is a little town about 45 minutes south of San Antonio. The festival first started in 1948 so it's really well known here. I had been many years ago but John had never been. You'll get an entire post about it but the gist is that they serve strawberries a whole bunch of different ways. Chocolate covered strawberries, strawberry shortcake, strawberry wine, strawberry ice cream, strawberry jams, etc. They also have bands, crafts, games, and other festival stuff.

It's officially been a year since we've gotten Boyboy. He's such a diva. It feels as if he's always been part of the family. I love that John taught him how to cuddle. He's totally cool plopping himself onto the couch and bugging you until you rub him.


Reading: The Truth About Forever - Sarah Dessen (for the millionth time)
Watching: Parenthood & Bob's Burgers
Listening to: I just newly discovered Valerie June
Needing: A Nap
Wanting: Coffee & Ice Cream
Something I'm Looking Forward to: We have a New Orleans vacation planned! Woo! I need a vacation sobad and I cannot wait to relax and eat delicious food.
Five Good Things That Happened This Week: 

1. Got Paiiiiid.
2. A nice lady at my job gave me the rest of her salad. Hah. She forgot to take it home & wanted me to eat it before it got soggy. It was a kind gesture and the salad was delicious!
3. It rained some so my orchid (which is still alive!) & the Japanese Boxwoods received some good rain water. 
4. John took Boyboy to the vet and everything is good and healthy. 
5. I took over the @thebloglife101 on Instagram on Saturday. It was a lot of fun!

Japanese Boxwood Baby Bushes

I've been saying for about a year now that I would like to start a garden and really start taking better care of our lawn and backyard. Well, about two weeks ago we decided to start making our house look cuter by planting some baby Japanese Boxwood bushes. You've probably seen these bushes around before. They're great for pruning into interesting shapes.

They grow really full and dense which is another reason we picked these. Our neighbor kids are constantly throwing stuff into our yard and trying to poke our dogs through the chain link so once they grow it'll be harder for them to do all those annoying things.

We got our bushes at a Lowes sale. They were 3 for 10$ so they are super tiny. We know that with the great soil we have they'll grow in no time.

We bought the bushes on a Sunday but by the time we got back home it was already too dark to plant them so John planted them when I was working the next day. You have no idea how much I love him for sparing me this grueling work. Our side yard or whatever it's called was a bit of a mess.


First he had to clear out all the debris and rocks that were in there. Dead leaves, trash, weeds, old roots, whatever.

Then he trimmed the trees that are already growing there. We have an orange tree that hadn't been trimmed in a while. We don't eat them because they are really sour so we never knew that the tree has HUGE thorns. Apparently thorns on citrus trees is a common thing which was a surprise to me. So that's what most of those branches are from.





This is what the finished product looks like. Because our dogs like to dig we had to add the fencing around the edge so the bushes have a chance to grow. Eventually, we'll be able to take it off.

They look so cute and the area looks so nice and clean. I can't wait until they grow.

Juno

Juno
Directed by: Jason Reitman
Written by: Diablo Cody
Edited by: Dana E. Glauberman
Starring: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, J.K. Simmons, Jason Bateman, Jennifer Garner

So what's the prognosis, Fertile Myrtle? Minus or plus? 

Plus, plus, plus! And in this instance it's not a bad thing.

Juno MacGuff (Ellen Page) finds herself 16 and pregnant after having sex with her friend Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera). As all teenagers do, Juno thinks she has the whole situation figured out, making an appointment for an abortion as quickly as possible. Sitting in the waiting room, Juno realizes she can't go through with it and instead makes the decision to place the baby up for adoption. Her friend Leah (Olivia Thirlby) suggests looking for couples that are "desperately seeking spawn" in the Penny Saver.

Juno ends up settling on Vanessa and Mark Loring, whose believably pretty photo in the paper seems to seal the deal. When Juno meets Vanessa and Mark, we see that the couple are opposites in almost every way. Vanessa is uptight, sterile, clean-cut, and wants a baby more than anything else in the world. Mark on the other hand, wants to relive his younger days of being in a rock band, traveling the world, and staying home to watch horror movies. Whenever a direct question about the baby is asked of him, he smoothly deflects.

When Juno finally tells her parents that she's pregnant, they uncharacteristically (for a movie) do not yell, throw things, or threaten Paulie. They take it as calmly as possible and vow to love her and support her through it all. This loving support is refreshingly different and only enforces the fact that the movie isn't about Juno getting pregnant - it is about who she becomes in the choices that she makes.

The indie soundtrack only helps to add to the feel of the movie. With lyrics of love, longing, and belonging together there is never a doubt that this movie is much more than a comedy. It is deeply emotional and touches on a tough subject in a poignant way.

My favorite scene and probably the most tear-worthy is when Vanessa runs into Juno at the mall and asks to feel the baby kick. At first, nothing happens and we see Vanessa visibly deflate. Perhaps she is not mother material no matter how much she wishes otherwise. But when Juno tells her to talk to the baby Vanessa gets on her knees and starts talking to the baby through Juno's engorged belly. The smile on Vanessa's face captures our hearts just as much as it captures Juno's. We know in that instant that Vanessa would be the best parent any child could ever ask for. This moment alone would make the movie a winner but luckily for us there are many more of these little optimistic moments strewn throughout the movie.

The movie stands up to multiple viewings and all these years later I'm still glad I own it on DVD. I give it 5 out of 5 popcorn.