Dear Santa...

This book-lover gave "Santa" a wish list with the following books:

The Principles of Uncertainty by Maira Kalman - This sketchbook is a whimsical book that would make a great "coffee table book." Kalman describes it by saying, "...This is a year in my life profusely illustrated, abounding with anguish, confusion, bits of wisdom, musings, meanderings, buckets of joie de vivre and restful sojourns." Doesn't it sound interesting? I adore coffee table books, so hopefully this finds its way under my tree!

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath - I have been meaning to read this classic American novel for quite some time but haven't gotten around to buying it for myself (I am trying to cut down on my book purchasing sprees!). In this novel, Plath chronicles the break-down of the main character, Esther. Apparently this book is a fairly autobiographical work about Plath's summer of 1953 when she was a guest editor at Mademoiselle and went though a breakdown of her own.

Time of My Life by Allison Winn Scotch - Jillian Westfield, the main character in this novel, has a storybook life: perfect house, investment banking husband, and cherubic eighteen-month-old child. Her life appears perfect from the outside, but no self-help book or how-to magazine article can seem to fix her marriage or help her deal with the tedium of diaper changing... or help her stop asking - "what if?" Then one morning, Jillian wakes up seven years in the past. Before her daughter. Before her marriage. Armed with her 20-20 hindsight, she's free to make all of her choices over again. Will her choices change her level of happiness, or was she the problem all along??? This book is intriguing to me - being the analytical person I am, I often find myself asking, "well... what if?" What if I hadn't turned that date down? What if I hadn't gone to UND. I don't regret any of the decisions I've made but it is interesting to think how many choices set our lives down a completely different path than your life would have took had you made a different choice....

Pretty Little Mistakes: A Do-over Novel by Heather Mcelhatton - This book is the answer to the dilemma above - if only you could go back and do things over. Well, with this book, you can. There are a total of 150 possible endings! You could end up in a mansion or alone and pecked to death by ducks in London; a Zen master in Japan or morbidly obese in a trailer park. Don't like how your life turned out? Start over again. Kind of reminds of the the game "M*A*S*H" that we played as kids - anyone remember that? You had a box, at the top it said MASH which stood for Mansion, Apartment, Shack, House (I think), then you picked 4 kinds of cars, the names of 4 boys, and 4 options for the number of kids you'd have. Then through a process of elimination, you might end up in a Mansion with no husband or a shack w/ 15 kids. It provided hours of entertainment for me and my friends/sisters when we were little!! Ahhh, those were simpler times!! Do kids still play that game, I wonder??

Love Letters of Great Men - On Sex & the City: The Movie, Carrie Bradshaw reads a few letters from this book... and it went on my 'to-read' list on goodreads.com right away. I am a sucker for a good love letter. I love email as much as the next person, but there is nothing like getting a love letter from your betrothed (I assume... I've never received one! Someday, someday). Here's an excerpt from one by Beethoven - obviously, he could compose other art forms besides beautiful music...

...my thoughts go out to you, my Immortal Beloved, now and then joyfully, then sadly, waiting to learn whether or not fate will hear us ...

Yes, I am resolved to wander so long away from you until I can fly to your arms and say that I am really at home with you, and can send my soul unwrapped in you into the land of spirits ...

...Be calm - love me - today - yesterday - what tearful longings for you - you - you - my life - my all - farewell. Oh continue to love me - never misjudge the most faithful heart of your beloved.

Ever thine,

Ever mine,

Ever ours.

* sigh *

I'll stop there... My to-read list on goodreads.com (awesome website, btw) has 137 books on it, so I could obviously go on and on!

A few of my favorite books....

You might have noticed that I have barely posted about books lately... I haven't been doing as much reading lately! I've had more social plans in the last 2 weeks than I did during the entire month of October! Plus, the last 3 books I've read were from the "Twilight" series, and I feel like I can only post about the first one. I will read the 4th book, but something about the 3rd book left a bad taste in my mouth. I still read it really quickly, but I didn't like it as much as the first 2.

The Christmas season is upon us so I thought I'd talk about a few books I love! Tomorrow I'll do a post about some books I am hoping to receive from Santa this year!

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom - You'd probably have to live under a rock to not know about this book. If you haven't read it - go buy it today. Or I can lend it to you. I read this book about once a year - it has so many great messages. It's written by Sports Writer Mitch Albom - he re-unites with a college professor, Morrie, and meets with him every Tuesday to discuss themes such as love, family, and forgiveness. Albom has gone on to write 2 other books that deal with similar topics (The 5 People You Meet in Heaven and For One More Day), but this is the finest of the 3 in my opinion.

Without Reservations: The Travels of an Independent Woman by Alice Steinbach - My friend Katie recommended this book - it is one of my favorites and makes a great gift since most people haven't heard of it. It's a travel memoir, so it'd be a great gift for someone who enjoys traveling! I re-read it this summer before going to France and it definitely got me more excited for my trip! The author, Alice Steinbach, considers herself an independent woman: she makes her own choice, shovels her own snow, and pays her own bills. However, she finds that she has become dependent on others in a different way. She had "fallen into a habit of defining myself in terms of who I was to other people and what they expected of me." Steinbach decided to take a sabbatical from work and travels through Europe to find out who she is when away from the people and things that define her.

Love Walked In by Maria de los Santos - This certainly doesn't fall under the 'high-brow' category, but is a fun, light-hearted read. The novel tells the story of two women - one older, one younger - and the unexpected ways in which their lives are forever changed by chance. References to classics films such as "The Philadelphia Story" are peppered throughout the book. I need to go back and re-read this so I can write down all the movies she mentions and watch all since I love old, classic films! The sequel to this novel, "Belong to Me," is also worth checking out!

Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas by James Patterson - This book is a true page-turner. I read it in a day and stayed up until the middle of the night, finishing it. It is also a tear-jerker, so consider yourself warned. In the beginning of the book, we meet Katie Wilkinson - she has found the perfect man at last, but one day he disappears, leaving behind a diary for her read. The diary is written by a woman named Suzanne and is addressed to her new baby boy, Nicholas. Who Suzanne & Nicholas are and how they are related to Katie's boyfriend are revealed throughout the book.

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer - Jon Krakauer, an outdoor enthusiast and contributor editor at Outside magazine gives a first-hand account of his summit of Mount Everest in March of 1996. By the end of the summit, eight people are dead. If you have any interest in what it takes to summit Everest, I highly recommend this book - it's another page turner.

Advent Week 2: Peace

It's hard to believe that we are already at the half-way point of the Advent Season. Christmas is sneaking up on me!

The focus of the 2nd week of Advent is Peace. I must say, I feel more 'at peace' with where I am in with my life than I have in the long time. I don't know what God has in store for me - I certainly have a 'wish list' which includes a husband and children, but for now I am completely happy with where I am at. I have an incredible family, a great group of friends, and a career that is heading in the right direction.

When I was younger, I remember asking my mom want she wanted for Christmas & often times, she'd say: Peace in this house. With 5 kids, you are bound to have the occasional squabble... And all mom wanted was an Advent Season & Christmas Holiday with no arguing & fighting. 20 years later, we are usually able to give her this... usually!

I think the best reflection of this week is St. Theresa's Prayer:

May today there be peace within.

May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.

May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.

May you be content knowing you are a child of God.

Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing,

Dance, praise and love.

It is there for each and every one of us.

Amen

Weekend Review

I had a jam-packed, fun-filled weekend! Christmas is coming faster than ever, and I have yet to buy any gifts... better get my rear in gear, maybe next weekend!

I started off the weekend by babysitting for Matthew & Andrew on Friday night. As usual, they were so easy to watch. I don't know why, but kids seem to behave better for their aunt/grandma than they do for their parents! Andrew has already learned how to detect behavior patterns: as soon as I got there, his first question was, "where's my present?" He's gotten used to little treats from his auntie, I guess! Luckily, I had picked up a new National Geographic DVD to keep him entertained while I was putting Matthew down. He was pretty excited about it since it had one of his favorite animals, penguins, on the front cover. He was happy about this gift so willingly posed in front of the Christmas Tree for me!

Matthew was his happy, easy-going self. He has learned to crawl and can blow 'raspberries' now! I felt like he had changed since I saw him a week ago at Thanksgiving!

On Saturday evening, I headed over to McGovern's in St. Paul for my cousin Missy's graduation party; she just finished the Nurse Anesthetist Program so had alot to celebrate! It was so much fun seeing the McDougall side of the family! We sat around, telling stories & reminiscing about Grandpa & Grandma McDougall. The night flew by - I was so surprised when I looked down at my watch & saw that it was almost 1 am!! The fact that I stayed out until 1 am just goes to show how much fun I am having since I am NOT a night owl. Apparently my cousin's baby, Meredith, is a night owl! She slept a little bit but was still wide awake when we were leaving! Her new nickname should be "Party Baby."

My parents are coming to Minneapolis for Christmas, and my awesome aunt Barb (in the picture below) has graciously invited us over for Christmas Day! I can't remember the last time I got to see the McDougall around Christmas - what a treat!!

Brooke, my personal interior decorator, came over to help decorate my tree. She's been doing this for the last three years. I love having a tree in my place but really don't enjoy actually decorating... it's such a time-consuming process for me since I hem & haw over every ornament placement & think about things like balance & ornament symmetry... Brooke loves it, is good at it, and doesn't over think it! So she came over & worked her magic!

After the tree was decked out with ornaments and lights, three more girls came over for what has become my Annual Christmas Cookie Decorating Extravaganza. I provide the cookies, frosting, and beverages, and the girls bring food to share. This is only the 2nd year we've done it, but I am sure it's a tradition I'll continue for years to come. I am by far the LEAST creative of the bunch, so it's fun to watch what they all come up with. I didn't get any close up shots, but did get a picture of the finished products! We decorated lots of sugar cookies as well as some cupcakes which I made in honor of Brooke & Leslie's birthdays!

We got some snow on Friday night and more today, so it's really beginning to look alot like Christmas. And I am loving it.

Happy Holidays!

Been there, done that... Part Deux

Now for the last 1/2 of this little blog-ercise.

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling: On the Great Barrier Reef! It was awesome!
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater: My family went to Crocodile Dundee in Wahpeton when I was little, but I don't remember much besides playing in the car & eating popcorn...
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business: I talk piano lessons in high school... sort of counts!!
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia: someday w/ my co-worker Yulia hopefully!!
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets, or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp: Visited 2 in Germany - very moving experience.
67. Bounced a check: No, thank God. I used to have nightmares about this when I got my first checkbook at the age of 16. Yes, I know that is ridiculous to have a nightmare about something like that!!!
68. Flown in a helicopter: Flew over some gorges in New Zealand the day I went bungee jumping!!
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone: Fractured my wrist when a larger classmate fell on it during gym class...
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book: Not yet, but this is something I dream of doing!!!!
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper: Yep. I was in the Richland County Monitor when I was in 6th grade - they asked 6 of us who we would vote for if we could... I said Clinton back then! I don't think my Grandparents (huge Republicans) were super excited about that! I now am affiliated w/ the Elephant Party, though!!
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox: my mom has some pretty awful pictures of it & I still have a scar from one of them!
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club: Yes, but we have since disbanded... hope to join Brooke's after I finish grad school.
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

* Happy Friday everyone!!! *

Been there, done that... Part Une

Saw this post on another girl's blog & thought it looked fun! Here's how it works - bold what you've done, italicize what you kind of did, leave the things you didn't do alone...

Simple right? Play along if you care to!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band - does High School band count??
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity:
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain: Heck yes! During my fabulous summer in Steamboat Springs, I did this multiple times. I miss Steamboat. :(
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo: many times during high school... and I forgot the words during a competition once. Awkward!!!!
11. Bungee jumped: Did this in NZ - those who know me know this is WAY out of character for me (I'm risk averse) so I have VHS of it & pictures to prove it!
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch: Does knitting count?
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France: I skipped this... The Louvre is way too overwhelming for me!
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill: Had stayed home when I probably wasn't quite sick enough to warrant a sick day...
24. Held a lamb
25.?
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon: 2006 Twin Cities Marathon!
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors: Sort of, visited Germany but not other areas of ancestry like Scotland or Sweden. Someday...
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language: Learned some French on my own
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight: Did this in the DR w/ Ali & some of her Peace Corp friends!
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris: I skipped this! The line was so long & I had already been to the top of the Notre Dame & Arc de Triomphe. How many times can a person look at the skyline of a city??

* wow, there sure are A LOT of things I haven't done!

Stay tuned for part deux

And the winner is....

A few weeks ago, I did a post about some potential vacation destinations.




After careful consideration, I have made my choice:

In June of 2009, I will be visiting Peru!! I'm just in the early stage of vacation planning so don't have much of an itinerary just yet... I know I will be doing the 4 day Machu Picchu trek which I am really excited about! I have never really 'camped' before, so it will be quite an experience. The trek company provides the food, though, so that will really help!

I've already purchase Lonely Planet Peru & plan on picking up some other books, especially books about the life of the Inca's since I'll be following in their footsteps during the trek.

People who have traveled to Peru have popped up all over the place!! A friend of a friend went to Peru, a girl who's website I follow is over there right now, and last night I ran into a gentleman at Bella Lana whose son was recently in Peru for 4 weeks - he gave me his email address so I plan on emailing him as well.

Between these Peru travelers & the recommendations on Tripadvisor.com, I should be in good shape.

Oh how I love to plan a trip!!

Oh, and the date for my graduation party has been set - May 30th, 2009!! It'll be at the cabin & will feature the famous bbq of my brothers. Yum!

(image courtesy of Lauren)