Wednesday, January 31, 2018

The Curb Killer

 
 
It's time to face the facts. I married a curb killer. My husband, love him to death but he just can't seem to stay away from the curbs. Don't let me get too ahead of myself. Let me start at the beginning...

When we first met he use to drive a Challenger. That is no small car. It's long, it's low to the ground and it's a heavy car with bigger wheels. I personally was never a fan of that car, it was so low to the ground, you felt like you had to crawl out of it. The doors were so heavy they would always swing back and try to close on me just as my legs were swinging out and it was a major gas guzzler. It felt like you had to put gas in it twice a week just to get to and from. 
When and if he hit the curb, I'd kind of give him a pass. I figured the car was so long to the ground and front end of the car so long, he probably couldn't see the curb to even know he was hitting it. Then last summer we traded in his Challenger for a Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The SUV is higher off the ground so you can see the curbs and street pretty well. That's when I realized it, I married a curb killer. My husband can drive down the road all day long but if it's time to turn the corner, he just nails those curbs. He won't full on go up on the curb but he'll give them a little "love tap" or a "nudge". When there's room and he can pull into a parallel parking space, you just know he's going to hit the curb. I've even started referring to him as the curb killer. Thankfully he hasn't popped a tire or killed one of the rims.

Now when we drive together (which is 99.9% of the time because I hate driving), I point it out before he goes to turn. I'll make a joke of it and yell out CURB KILLER and he'll make a point to not take the turn too close to the concrete. It's actually helping some. No matter what, I'll always love my curb killer and pay the AAA bill on time....

Monday, January 29, 2018

Books Read in 2017

I love reading books. It's one of my favorite things to do especially in the months that the weather is cold, the rain is pouring down and I'm tucked under a warm blanket. In 2017, I didn't get to read as much as I wanted to. I had books piling up but I just felt too sick to keep my eyes open some days. Luckily, near the end of the year the morning sickness gave way enough for me to be able to read some books. I'm hoping 2018, will bring tons of reading for fun... not just baby books.

Here's the books that I read in 2017 and what I thought of them.
1. How We'll Live On Mars
I had just finished watching the limited mini series about habiting Mars. I really enjoyed the book but I'm also someone who loves Space and the idea of us getting to Mars in my lifetime. The book did get a little too much into the science for someone who would just want to leisurely read about getting to Mars.

2. Dana Girls Mystery: The Mystery of the Stone Tiger.

I really enjoy these stories. They are very familiar to the Hardy Boys books if you've ever read them. This time they are two sisters who have lost their parents and the live at boarding school the majority of the year. They are known for always catching the killer,h thieves and solving the mysteries. In this story the sisters find out why someone keeps defacing a stone tiger at a museum owned by one of their fellow students parents.

3. Dana Girls Mystery: The Phantom Surfer.

In this story, the Dana sisters are at it again. They head out of town and get to the beach. Once they are there, they notice that strange things keeping happening at the resort and mystery surfer begins to glow and appear at night. These sleuthing sisters won't stop till they find out what's behind the mysterious happenings around the resort.

4. Turning the Tables: From Housewife to Inmate & Back Again.

Teresa is probably my favorite housewife. I have loved her ever since the first table flip in New Jersey. When she had to go to prison due to her business activities with her husband, I was so intrigued into their story. Naturally, when she got out of federal prison she wrote a book and I knew I had to read all about her time in prison. I had been watching the updates on the Bravo channel and I knew it was going to be a good read. It did not disappoint.

5. Angels Flight.

I've been reading the Harry Bosch series by Michael Connelly since I found out the Amazon original show Bosch was based on these books. This book was the next one in the series for me and I always find them such original story lines. This one focuses on a high profile lawyer who's killed while riding on the train near the Getty in Los Angeles. Since the books are set in L.A. it's always fun to read where Harry goes because I've been to several of the spots myself.

6. Dana Girls Mystery: The Winking Ruby Mystery.

In this mystery the Dana girls find them travelling overseas to find a man who's might be missing. They hit several countries and try to find his family in hopes that it will help them solve the mystery of the winking ruby. I enjoyed this one because they went to several different countries in Europe.

7. A Darkness More Than Night.

This book has probably been my favorite Harry Bosch book so far in the series. When a killer leaves behind a mysterious owl it leaves Harry looking for clues as to who the killer is and why they started a trail. At the same time Harry has his own legal problems going on that he's having to deal with.

8. Colony One.

This is the first book in a triology and about travel to Mars. In this book we know that something has gone terribly wrong with the first crew sent to live and work on Mars. Now that the next group is there to access the situation, they find themselves in an unexpected setting and realize they may not be alone. Again, I really love books about Mars and travel to Mars so I enjoyed this one.

9. Tahoe Ice Grave.

For me this was the next book in the Owen McKenna mystery series. All of these books are set in Tahoe and since I've been there several times, its fun for me to read about the places he goes and the mysteries that he solves. These books also build upon each other so I'm trying to read them in the order that they were written. Like the other books in the series I really enjoyed it and will keep reading the series.

10. Mrs. Jeffries Serves at Six.

This book actually has three books in it. Set in the 1800s and in London, England, it follows the household staff of police detective Witherspoon. While he might not be the brightest fellow, his staff is loyal and helps secretly solve his mysteries. Much to the dismay of people around town, the staff helps Witherspoon solve his cases without him ever knowing. I love these stories and I'm trying to read the entire series.

11. Dana Girls Mystery: The Secret of the Silver Dolphin.

This was another Dana Girls mystery. I enjoy these and they always make me laugh and smile. The girls do some of the craziest things but they always solve the mystery. In this book, their back on the hunt and their traveling to tropical places to solve the case.

12. Dishonorable Intentions.

Stuart Woods is my favorite author. I have read every book he's ever written. This book finds the main character travelling to New Mexico. There he encounters exhusbands, old friends and one giant, deadly snake. When that's too much for Stone, he heads back to New York in the hopes of his life calming down. I always enjoy these books.

13. The DUFF.

I had watched the movie and died laughing. When I read online that the movie was based on a book, I got it and had to read it. While the book is very different than the movie, I still enjoyed it. I would have to say that I thouht the movie was better. I felt in the book that Bianca and Wesley were much more unlikable.

14. Smooth Operator.

In this Stuart Woods novel, he brings back one of his most famous characters... Teddy Fay. While he may have killed for the government for years, now he only kills to save his friends. When he befriends Stone Barrington's son he knows that he has to protect them. He even becomes friends with them. I liked that Stuart Woods broke up the story with stone to focus on Teddy again.

15. Tahoe Killshot.

This Owen McKenna mystery has been my favorite so far. When a famous singer is killed in Tahoe, Owen is out to find out who killed her in her prime. What he finds sends his own life into a spiral of trying to stay alive. You never know who's the killer till the end!

16. Mrs. Jeffries Stalks the Hunter.

Again, I love these books and I'm trying to read the entire series. Set in the 1800s and in London, England, Mrs Jeffries and the rest of the household staff try to solve the mysteries of their beloved employer- Detective Witherspoon. In this mystery it was no different!

17. The Gender Game. 18. The Gender Secret. 19. The Gender Lie.

 

I'm currently reading the 4th book in this series. The first three books were good but the first one has been by far the best in the series. If I would have known it was a seven book series I probably wouldn't have started the series right now.

That's everything that I read in 2017! Now let's keep reading in 2018!

Monday, January 15, 2018

End of Year Review

2017 is in the books and of course it flew by. I can't believe Christmas is over and a New Year is here. Clearly since I'm doing my year end review two weeks into the new year.


January
We rang in the New Year in Las Vegas. We came home on the 2nd and started making tons of goals and travel plans.


February


We celebrated Valentines Day together by going to a local but famous steakhouse. We were way disappointed in their food but finished the night out by going to the movies.


March
 


We visited New York City! This was both our first time there and we loved touring the city. There was so much to see and do!


May


We visited Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and my mom.


June
I celebrated my birthday and then literally found out that I was having a baby. I was hit with morning sickness immediately at 6 weeks pregnant and spent the rest of the month dying from smells, food and everything in between.


July


I still had the worst morning sickness and would continue through December but I trooped on and we headed to San Diego, California for a weekend out of town and to go to the world famous San Diego Comic Con. It was also my mom's birthday!


August
We got out of town and headed up to northern Washington. We went to the Funko HQ grand opening. We were lucky to be one of the 1,000 people they let in that day. People flew from all across the globe and still didn't get in. We got the golden ticket though!




October


We celebrated my husband's birthday by heading back to Seattle, Washington. We love going to Seattle and spending time there. We went to his favorite steak house- The Metropolitan Grill. We visited the aquarium, took a harbor cruise and had such a great time.


November


We flew to the east coast and visited my mom. I knew this would be my last long distance trip till after our baby comes so wanted to make the most of it. We went to our favorite place- Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Saw tons of shows, shopped, stayed at the Inn at Christmas Place and had an early Thanksgiving dinner together.




December


Christmas came and went so fast! Christmas is my favorite time of the year but being 7 1/2 months pregnant it was hard to decorate. It took me longer to get things done and I have a feeling these 7 trees in my house will remain up till way into January. We celebrated Christmas in California and tried to make the best out of not being able to travel.