The Hunger Games

CAPTIVATING!  That is the best word I can use to describe this book.  I would also use INTRIGUING, too!  My Aunt Cindy suggested this book, and when she told me what it was about I kind of thought she was crazy.  The whole story line seems a bit far out there...Basically, it is about a torn apart North America that has been rebuilt and is now comprised of 12 districts.  Once a year, each district has to send a boy and a girl, between the ages of 12 and 18, to the Capitol.  These children participate in the Hunger Games-a fight to the death.

And while it sounds weird, it ISN'T!  It's AMAZING!  ...and you should read it!  One of my all time faves... I couldn't put it down, and ended up reading it in just hours...

ENJOY!

***Shmancy***

Shmancy.  I think Webster's dictionary would define it as "super fancy."  Now, I know what most are thinking.  Samm-yes, she's fancy...in fact, many people make fun of me and call me Fancy Nancy.  I get it.  I like big rings, I LOVE to accessorize (maybe to the point where I over-do it a bit), but I found a way in which I am NOT fancy!!!  Ready?!

So...David and I celebrated our 4 year wedding anniversary last week and we thought "Let's do something fun!"  David and I tent to be, what most people would describe as, a "boring married couple."  Now, don't get me wrong-we're a riot, but as far as the things we do...kinda the "boring married couple" stuff...date nights consist of: movies, a quick dinner at a local restaurant, etc.  Nothing in the least bit "shmancy."  So...we decided-for our anniversary, we are gonna be shmancy.

I had heard about a restaurant called The White House in Anaheim.  I knew it was a nice restaurant, but I was more interested to hear they provide 150+ meals for children a day who are less fortunate.  I was sold.  If they're helping kids, then I will support them.

We made reservations, and off we went!

Once we got there we were very impressed with the fancy-ness.  However, it was sooooo quiet in there.  We could barely whisper without feeling awkward.  So...we just whispered the whole time.  THEN, it was time to find something to eat.  Literally EVERYTHING on the menu was some sort of concoction.  I asked David if he saw any "normal" food. LOL!  Everything looked DISGSTING!  They had bacon pasta, and all of these weird things.  David ended up getting the bacon pasta (they had a prettier name for it) and just the smell of it made me sick.  My meal was no better.  I had a few bites and told David I was full.  Then I asked if we could go to McDonalds afterwards! :) 

Moral of my story...it was not our idea of a good time.  We had each others company, so we made the best of it.  But, we promised that next time we would resort to our "boring" ways.  We like our boring, simple, conservative lives just fine, thank you very much!  :)

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

The name of this book does it NO justice.  Something about it just turned me off.  However, I really enjoyed it.  It is about the German Occupation, and the whole book consists ONLY of letters.  It was not like anything else I have read before.  One thing I really enjoyed about the fact that it was written in letters, is that you can start and stop a lot, instead of waiting for a chapter to end.  It was nice while I was teaching and waiting for the kids to complete an assignment.

Some favorite quotes:

"She's one of those ladies whose more beautiful at sixty than she could possibly have been at twenty."  I loved this.  I think that about people sometimes.

"My friend Sophie calls it coincidence, and Mr. Simpless, my parson friend, calls it Grace.  He thinks that if one cares about someone or something new one throws a kind of energy out into the world, and a 'fruitfullness' is drawn in."

I would suggest this book!

Bradley Andrew Hoang Dornan

David's best friend, Derick and his wife, Lan had their first baby last week.  David and I were really excited to meet Bradley.  He was born on August 31st, 2010.  We went to visit them Monday (Labor Day).  It was so much fun!  He is SUPER cute, and a very good baby.  Congratz, Derick and Lan!

4 years down...FOREVER to go...

4 years ago, today David and I were married.  I am such a lucky girl to have such an awesome husband.  He takes such good care of me.  I couldn't have asked for a more caring, thoughtful, loyal husband.

...this is all on top of the fact that he is a stud! ;)

Lucky us!

My friend, Ashley called me one day and asked me if David and I would be willing to go in to a photo studio and be subjects for her sister.  Her sister, Kelly is pursuing a career in photography, and needed to have different shots for her portfolio...one being couples.  So, of course, I thought it would be awesome to have some pictures taken of the two of us.  Afterall, we haven't had any good picture taken since we got engaged. 

With that being said, I think we got some good shots.  Here are some of my faves...