A new car? No sleep? Another book down? A new video? Yep all in a day

*YAWN* What a way to start a post, eh?

I am so darn tired. I ended up not being able to sleep last night at all so I picked up Full House by Janet Evanovich and Charlotte Hughes. I really enjoyed this book. It was funny and sweet with a little action mixed in between. I really liked the dinner scene... chaos in true Evanovich fashion. :D I started on the second one Full Tilt this morning. I didn't get any sleep last night. So I am sooo friggin tired. Coffee is not helping.

Brian found another car. Used (we never buy new) but low miles. 02 Toyota Corolla. Looks great, the carfax report was clean and so we will be checking it out after work today to see if want to take it home with us. Thanks Brent for the tips!

So far work has been super busy this week as I have a lot to get done beforehand. I was here until 740PM last night. I was so frustrated cause something in the website was not working like I wanted it to and I really HATE when that happens.

The drive into work today was terrible and I have been wound up every since.

Anyway today is kind of a boring post so here is a video to liven it up. ENJOY!



I dont know why I love that... but I do... You can find out the history of the video here.

*YAWN* Oh excuse me... is it a workday?

Well, this morning began with me jumping straight out of bed and staring at my cell phone which read exactly 9AM while I realized it was quiet. Too quiet. NO POWER. Nice...

I wake up my husband who is snoring peacefully. He jumps up and goes to check the house. Yes.. all of the children were still snoozing too. Grrrreat.

So I was 2 hours late this morning to work, which is good I guess cause I can use exactly 2 hours of personal leave to cover it since I can only use 2 hour increments. RME

I have been doing so well that this morning just made me sick to my stomach. sigh

I am sure part of the problem with why I didn't wake up EARLIER is because I finished the 5th book for the Dark-Hunter series, Kiss of Night. This one made me cry. I really liked when all the characters from the previous books came back at the end to help out the hero of this book, including Zarek (I love him). And what is with the head DH... Acheron... I mean it is like he can do anything now. Hmmm... I notice the next new book that is coming out in Aug 08 is called Acheron... I cannot WAIT for that one!

A joke for you:

A woman, in her fifties, is at home happily jumping, unclothed, on her bed. Her husband watches her for a while and asks, "Do you have any idea how ridiculous you look? What's the matter with you?" The woman continues to bounce on the bed and says, "I don't care, what you think. I just came from having a mammogram, and the doctor says that not only am I healthy, but I have the breasts of an 18 year-old." The husband replies, "What did he say about your 55-year old ass?"
"Your name never came up," she replied.

Bookworm? Possibly.

I finished two books after Fantasy Lover in the Dark-Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon and am about to finish the 4th one. Book 2 (Night Pleasures) was excellent. Book 3 (Night Embrace) was awesome. Book 4 (Dance with the Devil) is by far my favorite. I am so close to the end it's not even funny. I LOVE LOVE LOVE these characters... I think Zarek is one of my most fave. Anyway...

I got a Apple laptop from my friend MK. It's older but I will primarily be using it to do minor stuff and mostly writing. When I get a new one, I will pass this one to one of my kids. Anyway, a MAC is always fun. Thanks MK! What's that? Oh yes you heard right. I have started writing. I was inspired by my best friend, my muse, Laura.

This week at work I am SWAMPED. I have so much to do before Friday. So until next time! Here is a funny video that I love:

You might have it and NOT EVEN KNOW IT!

Wow, I breathe with a giddy kind of joy

I just finished Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon and WOW... I already love this series and I know that I have not even broken the surface of it. I already dove into the next book, Night Pleasures. I don't often finish a book with giddy laughter. Well, back to it...

TGIF ... TGIF... TGIF... TGIF... YAY!

Ok so I was out yesterday with a wicked stomach bug... but I am all better now. YAY! And I come back and it's FRIDAY!!

It is dreary and cold and wet outside... but I am trying to stay positive.

I finished Dark Prince and it turned out to be a great read. I love how she protrays the Carpathians... not your typical vampire story. I blazed into the second book (Dark Desire) and already almost done with it. This series is intense thus far and I am enjoying it and glad I have some lighter stuff to read when I am done.

So a friend of mine who is addicted to youtube (LAURA!) introduced me to this funny comedian, Jon La Joie, with a very interesting sense of humor. I absolutely love his Everyday Normal Guy video. He raps but it's not what you expect. There is bad language so be forewarned... but be prepared to at least giggle a little.



*giggle* He also has a part 2 to this. See more of his videos here.

Dark Days...

First off, this weather sucks!

Secondly, the first book of the Carpathian series by Christine Feehan has me a little on the WTF side. I mean maybe it is because I have read her other series (which came later) first and that is why? I mean this is the first book in this series but I am sure it gets better from here... I guess the start was good then it got weak... Last night I put it down and wondered if I should pick it back up. I mean I probably will cause the story is good... the way she has twisted the vampire lore and stuff is interesting but the whole relationship between hero and heroine has me up in arms I guess. I don't know how to quite explain it really.

Anyway I will finish it and I will go on to the next one because I committed myself to reading it. Plus my irritation is almost in line with the way Laurell K. Hamilton's heroines behavior (one minute I am tough as nails and you can kiss my ass and the next they are like so faint they can barely hold their heads up from fainting without touching a man)... LOL I know silly right? It's that kind of thing that bothers me. SO minor and petty but there ya go.

I got a couple responses from my family on my dad's side. I am so excited to hear from them! It was confirmed that my dad has moved back to our hometown but I have no idea how he is. Yet.

I have to get my plans in order to get a visit up there and soon.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BESTEST FRIEND!!!

Feliz Cumpleanos to my dearest friend in the whole wide world..... LAURA! You rock sistah and I wish you the best day! I know that things are blah right now but know that God has a plan for you and your life and no matter what dips you have in the roller coaster called life, He is there for you always!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord,"plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29

I love you gf! :)

In the Garden & Key series... Nora gets me again

I started the In the Garden series last week and I finished it over the weekend. The series includes, Blue Dahlia, Black Rose, and Red Lily, by Nora Roberts. First off, I learned A LOT about flowers, plants and gardening that I had NO idea. It was a bit overwhelming, all the gardening talk, but I thoroughly enjoyed the story throughout the entire series. It is based on three women, mothers, in various stages of their lives coming together... making a business grow and creating a family. It also involves a ghost that affects the lives of each woman in each book. By the last book, I was totally engrossed in the story and nothing could pull me from it. lol

I then started the Key series also by Nora Roberts. This series (Key of Light, Key of Knowledge, and Key of Valor) was also about three women, but this time they are around the same age. They are each invited to a special meeting where they are given the chance of a lifetime... What a great story this was! They each have to find one of three keys that will unlock the souls of some demigoddesses locked away like sleeping beauties by an evil sorcerer god. Each book focuses on one of the women and their quest for their key.

Ok here is what I love about both series and Nora Roberts:

Nora Roberts is just excellent at creating a character. All of her characters are so believable, human, REAL... she is able to shape them with her words so that I see that person and relate to them in my mind so clearly. I have to say that I have yet to read a Nora Roberts book I did not like. Anyway, in each of these series, the people, the characters, each have real issues, real insecurities and pain that I can relate to. It is not your typical romance novel where everyone is a supermodel and perfect. It is not about sex... They are all stories of love, loss, pain and triumph... But all women are STRONG women even if they don't believe they are... like most women I know. It was just a real joy to read these and I recommend them to anyone. :)

Now I am onto the Christine Feehan's Carpathian series. I am 15 books behind so I gotta get cracking. :) So far the first book, Dark Prince, is intersting... and dark. We shall see how it continues.

Check out my BIL!

My Brother-in-law, Jason, jamming it out on YouTube:



Isn't he awesome?! Rock on brother man!

Friday Friday Friday... *salsa dance*

Today is Friday... Yay! We get off at 2 today because it is a holiday coming up... MLK JR day on Monday, which I have off. Yea baby! I am so glad.

I spent a little time reading Black Rose last night but not much. I was listening to some Daddy Yankee last night and my son Christopher was excited because he absolutely loves to dance, especially to Latin/Reggaeton music. He LOVES the song Gasolina by Daddy Yankeee. SO I decided to film him doing his very interesting dance with my flip video camera. It came out a little dark but you can still see him. He wanted me to put it on YouTube, so I did.



Isn't he just a ham and a half?!

I find it interesting when people at work, most of them mexican or hispanic, realize that I am also hispanic... as if they never knew. I guess I do not look hispanic enough? Hispanics come in all shapes, colors and sizes. I am puerto rican from my father's side of the family. I am very proud of my heritage... VERY... and it is a big part of my life to share that with my children. Thus they love Latin music. My oldest son is learning spanish and taking a huge interest in the language and it makes me proud. I guess I wish I looked MORE hispanic so people would not be so shocked to find it out. I do wish I spoke more spanish. Being in south Texas.. well spanish speaking is a huge plus. I wish I had retained more as a kid. O well.. Having blonde hair, blue-eyed kids I get constant questioning looks at the schools when I say my kids are hispanic... "Are you sure you filled this out right?", they ask. RME No I just like to think they are hispanic...

Anyway, plans for this weekend are pretty much in the air... I have some web design work to do for my friend Bill's business. So behind on my freelance work. I want to get my hair done, manicure/pedicure, facial.. the works... and shoe/clothes shopping... if I can swing it. I guess everything depends on whether or not the kids are coming over this weekend. The Ex keeps informing Ashley that this and this are options for whatever reason but she has yet to talk to Brian about it all... The kids are NOT messengers for crying out loud. It is such a pet peeve of mine. Ok I'm done... Have a great friday!

Boredom = Thursday

So last night was a bust. I didn't get much reading done and since Crime Brulee gave me a weak start, I switched to Black Rose by Nora Roberts. So, technically, I am reading both. I fell asleep last night early before I could really get into any book.

I talked to my brother Javi this morning and he had some questions about our ancestry on my father's side of the family. Anyway we got to talking and he told me that our younger brother, Emilio, told him that our dad was in a bad accident, found out he has alzheimers (mild case) and had to move to Amsterdam NY (where my entire family lives). It was a pretty big shock. It has been about six years since I have talked to my dad. So I found my dad's myspace page which led me to a few uncles and my aunt also. I sent everyone a message. I am not sure if anyone will respond. It has been a long time but I miss them all a lot.

Anyway... check out this hilarious video

Spanish for Your Nanny...

B&N loves me... I am such a book nerd

So after reading The Little Lady Agency, I was out of books to read and have a long list of books I want to read. So after work yesterday, I head on over to Barnes & Noble in The Woodlands to pick up books on my list. I had checked stock availability before I left work and was happy that they had what I wanted in stock... or so I thought. Needless to say, I get there and they have nothing that I wanted. However, I still ended buying a ton of books. Like over $100 worth. *blush* I told you I am a book nerd! My mom tells me that I was already reading at 3 years old... so I guess I was born to be a book nerd.

I purchased the second book in the Little Lady series and thoroughly enjoyed Little Lady, Big Apple. Our heroine, tags along to the Big Apple... and hilarity and heartbreak ensues... I don't want to give it all away so you have to read for yourself. I absolutely love this series. The third book comes out next month, Little Lady and the Prince I think it is called.

I am now starting a new series from an author that I have never read before, Nancy Fairbanks. She has a whole series of mystery books that are all food related. First one being Crime Brulee, which I find pretty funny as in each of the following books have a title in this fashion. So I thought I would give it a try.

I walked out of B&N quite happy with my purchases and have plenty to read for the next week. I get to go back this weekend with my kiddos so they can use their gift cards they received from my FIL for Christmas. FUN FUN... No doubt I will be spending more money on books when I go back. After all, I never did get the books on my list. *wink*

Little Lady Agency... Honey Please!

I am almost finished reding The Little Lady Agency by Hester Browne and I have to say it is a DELIGHTFUL read! Just what I needed after reading all that paranormal romance stuff.

This book reminds me of the fun with Bridget Jones' Diary, which I loved. It is set in London and it is about a woman trying to find herself and she eventually does... even tho she finds it thru an alter-ego she creates named Honey. What a FUN FUN FUN story... I laughed a lot and really love the characters. I am still waiting on the ending which I know I will finish at lunchtime... but I suspect that it won't be without a laugh or two.

In other news, I have finally finished the mini-catalog that I was designing for work and got the proof today. It looks pretty good if I do say so myself. I just hope that it generates some good sales. :)

I am ready to go home already cause I am still tired. I went home and passed out immediately, woke up at midnight and couldn't go back to sleep. It was too late for me to take a sleeping pill by the time I woke up so I was pretty much stuck. So I read. I really hate insomnia. :(

Earlier I got an IM from my SIL. Apparently, Brian's ex was posing as Ashley yesterday during school hours and trying to talk to her. SIL and my husband's ex do NOT get along. Long story. Anyway she had to make sure that Ashley was in fact in school and not at home online.... but she said that she knew it was NOT Ashley and the conversation sounded like bait. While I would love to think she is being delusional, this is something that the ex has done on many prior occasions. SIL was not thrilled but I told her I doubt the ex will stop anytime soon. It is best to ignore the drama-monger. It really is a waste of energy. I learned that the hard way.

*EDIT* Turns out it was Ashley talking to SIL. Now SIL feels really bad for some of the things she said thinking it was the EX. In all fairness, the EX has done that so many times, it is easy for one to be paranoid.

Blah Monday

I am ready to go home now. I have about an hour left and I am counting down until I can go home. I am so beat down tired. I have to stay awake for the drive home. Maybe my BFF Laura (aka RecuriterChick) will call me to help me stay awake on the long drive home. It will take two hours probably.

I have yet to see my proof that I needed to have back to the print center by noon. UGH!

I was not able to read anything but the first page of the new book cause of interruptions during lunch. I guess I should have left the building then huh?

O well I did drink 3 liters of water so far today. YAY! 1 more to go. :)

I'm a book reading fool...

So this weekend, I read a total of six books.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Kresley Cole, Immortal After Dark series (books 1-3), that I read. It was hard to put them down for even my husband to talk to me. He knows by now that if I am that engrossed in a story to wait until I pause to talk to me. LOL That is pretty lame I know. Anyway, I know that I will really enjoy reading more from her.

After I finished those books, I read an older one by Kay Hooper (one of my faves) that was republished. It was her last romantic novel.... The Haunting of Josie. I really liked it. It was short and sweet with little bits of goosebumps mixed in.

Next up is The Little Lady Agency by Hester Browne. Brian found this for me when he went to the grocery store to get some stuff. I have not read anything from Hester Browne before. It LOOKS like it might be a fun read. I will get started on it today at lunch.

In other news, our washer is out again. Well, it's the pipes I think. We have to get them cleaned out because the washer ended up flooding our house. Good thing I have no floors down (we are down to bare concrete while we remodel "SLOWLY"). So meanwhile we washed clothes the old fashioned way... by hand ... in the tub... and now I am itchy.

This is my life.

Widly Wicked Kresley Cole...

So I am sailing right through these Kresley Cole books. I am totally enthralled with her tales. I like how it is not right into the sex from the get-go, as some authors tend to do, but the sexual tension is high by the time the sex does happen for her fascinating characters. I love the conflict with the characters and their belief systems with the different "species" (vampire, lykae, valkyrie) and finding their "true loves". I think the second book in the series, No Rest for the Wicked, was read faster than the first. Now I begin the third, Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night, loving all the characters and their conflicts. I know the third will not disappoint.

Date Night: Recap

I love date night.

We went to Brio for dinner and had a fabulous meal and finally found a wine that I actually LOVE. Reisling. It is a sweet wine without the dryness. It was so good. Since Brian loves wine, I have been searching to find one that I liked so I can share that with him. The waiter, Gabe, at Brio, was fantastic! He suggested the wine. I know nothing about wine at all. Turns out it is a domestic and it was so yum, we will be searching for it. Our meals were delicious too. Brian got the stuffed chicken and I got a shrimp risotto dish that had some dreamy sauce. Brian's chicken had this mushroom sauce that was melt in your mouth fantastic.

After dinner, we went to see P.S. I love you. I loved the movie! It was emotional but funny. I cried and laughed... a lot. Thank goodness we got a lot of napkins before going in cause I used them! Our theater was filled with couples, mostly young, and we all laughed and "awwed" and cried together... at least the women of us did. Brian liked it a lot and said it was a very good story. We left there feeling all lovey dovey. :)

It was a great date night. :)

We had to pick up Ashley on the way home. She was at a friends birthday party. Her "gay" friend. His name makes me think of a porno. Last name Pillows.... for real...

Anyway, in other news, I finished Blue Smoke by Nora Roberts. It was pretty good and the more I got into it the more I didn't want to put it down. I immediately picked up Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich and finished that very quickly. It is a short book. I don't know what it was about this in-between-the-numbers book but it just wasn't as fun and FUNNY as her previous books. I did enjoy the story because I absolutely LOVE her characters in this series... but it lacked something and I don't know what it is. Regardless, it was not a BAD book... I did like it, I just didn't LOVE it.

So now I am reading A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole... and WOW... I am almost done with it. It is by far an interesting read...I immediately fell into the characters and their story... and the sexual tension thus far is staggering. Well, I am off to read more...

~ciao

Date Night

Tonight, Brian and I are going on a date. Nothing like dinner and a movie sans kids to break up the monotony of daily life. Since Jon has a band thing this weekend (typically our weekend with the stepkids), we are going OUT. YAY!

We are going out to eat, probably at Texas Land & Cattle. Then we are going to see P. S. I Love You. I will let you know how it is... the previews looked interesting.

Then I plan on reading a lot this weekend. I want to finish Blue Smoke by Nora Roberts. I have to say that Nora Roberts is a fantastic writer. I was never big into romance novels but she really has a way to bring it all together into a story that grabs your attention and holds on until the end. Though, I am having a slower time with this particular book than some of her others. I am not sure why... maybe because of how she is breaking it up? It is a good story but it is not something that I have to finish before I put it down as some of her others have been.

After this book, I will begin on the Kresley Cole series and probably also read Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich. (Thanks to MK and Rachel)

Welcome 2008

A new year, a new blog.

I tend to ramble on about nothing in particular. Sometimes I have insight but most of the time, I will just write what I am thinking, what is going on with me, books I have read, movies I have seen, pictures and what not. Ya know... the rambling.

I have other blogs and even a myspace page (which I created ONLY to keep up the teens in my house) *ahem* but seeing as it is a new year, I wanted to have a new place to reflect on my crazy life.