L-J's Review of Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich

Explosive Eighteen was entertaining and action-packed like all the other Stephanie Plum novels.  My only complaint is that it seemed shorter than the others.  My e-book version was only 193 pages and I was able to read it extremely quickly.  Thankfully, this one does not leave you hanging and it won't be as hard to wait for the next installment than it was after 17.

XOXO,

L-J's Review of Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich

As per usual, the antics of Stephanie Plum and her crazy entourage made me laugh out loud.  I don't want to give anything away but know that at one point Lula has reason to believe she's becoming a vampire.  I'm chuckling just remembering.  Compared to recent publications in the series, Smokin' Seventeen sure is smokin' as there is way more romance than usual and both Ranger and Morelli fans will be equally satisfied.  However, I'm glad I waited until now to read the book, 2 days before the release of Explosive Eighteen (which I've pre-ordered and should show up on my Nook on Tuesday) because this one leaves you hanging!  I hate when Evanovich does that and would be thoroughly annoyed if I had to wait more than a couple of days for satisfaction.

So I'll probably be reading 18 this week...  Thank goodness it's a holiday week and I'll definitely have time!

XOXO,

L-J's Review of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs f yy Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Ransom Riggs' Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is different than any young adult novel I've ever read.  Based on collectors' photos of "peculiar" children, the story is about a Jacob who travels to an island off of England to learn about his grandfather's childhood.  Our hero grew up hearing his grandfather's stories of a girl who could make fire with her hands, an invisible boy, a girl who had to be weighted down so she would not float away, a girl with amazing strength and many many more.  His grandfather even had photos of some of the supposed "peculiar" children.  To teenaged Jacob, the photos appeared over-exposed and doctored, making him think his grandfather created this magical world to entertain him when he was younger.  After his grandfather's unexpected death, Jacob convinces his father to take him to the island where his grandfather grew up in an orphanage, and there he learns so much more than what he could ever have expected.

I could not put the novel down though there definitely were some scary moments (and I'm not a fan of scary).  I particularly appreciated the vintage photos dispersed throughout the book and love the way Riggs was able to create an entire story around them.  It's unique and quick and stays with you even after you finish it.

Here's a book trailer for it that would make me want to read it if I hadn't already done so:

And as I was wondering, there will be a sequel!

XOXO,

Halloween 2011

Gavin decided to be Darth Vader...

Kailee decided to cooperate and be a Kailee-Bug or Lady Bug :)

Daddy was a private school teacher (I know he's no fun) and Mommy was a cowgirl (thanks to Western Day at school that day)

Later Dad got a little more in the spirit and dressed up as ?!?!?...

XOXO,

Voicemail???? Just text me! Or you can...

Tonight on Twitter (follow me @LJ_Barber), I read a retweet from a friend that said "I should just change my voicemail greeting to: Please hang up and text me, thanks."  I NEVER check my cell phone voicemail and practically beg parents to email me with a time to call them back rather than leave me a voicemail at work.  

I can't do anything about voicemail at work but on my cell phone, I think it's perfectly reasonable to be upfront and honest and request a text.  However, then I thought about how sometimes people cannot text because they don't have a plan or maybe the message would be too long.  So... I added an option.  I created an email address just for my voicemail!  I have several accounts set up on my phone, why not add one more?  I made the email address very short (6 characters) and said it twice on my voicemail greeting.

Here's the gist of what my greeting says "Hi, you've reached Laura-Jane Barber.  I rarely check voicemail so if you need to reach me in a timely manner, you can either text me or send an email to ____.  Again, that email address is ____.  Thank you and have a nice day!

We'll see how it goes!  :)

XOXO,

L-J's review of My Heart Remembers by Kim Vogel Sawyer

My Heart Remembers might be the biggest tear-jerker I've ever read.  I cried through the first 70 pages, at various points within, and through the last 50 pages.

This is the story of 3 Irish-immigrant orphans in the late 1800s through the early 1900s being split up as young children and reuniting 20 years later.  I guess I should have realized from the synopsis that it would make me cry... A LOT.

Overall, it was a page-turner.  I literally could not put it down.  As a huge fan of historical fiction, I thoroughly enjoyed this story of children sent on the "orphan trains," something I did not know about my nation's history.  I could easily see this story translating well on film as there's never a dull moment--obviously, seeing as how I read this entire book today.

I recommend it but do be forewarned that it is in fact a major tear-jerker.

XOXO,

L-J's review of Twisted (Pretty Little Liars #9) by Sara Shepard

Twisted, the 9th installment of this addictive series was just as drama and action-filled as the others.  I thought number 8 was a great end to the series though Shepard has managed to extend it through another couple of books at least.  After reading 9, it's apparent that Shepard will drag it out for at least a couple more novels as it will surely take that long to wrap it up again.

I definitely recommend the first 8 as they were methodically planned out with the end in sight.  However, those after (including number 9) are just pushing it further than it should go.

Despite this, number 10 comes out December 6th and I've already pre-ordered it.  Maybe it will change my mind, but I doubt it.

XOXO,

Any paper has the potential to become a post-it note...

It's called repositionable glue!  You spread it on the back of a sheet of paper, stick it wherever you want and move it if you need/want to, easily.  It makes every piece of paper a post-it note.  So cool!

XOXO,

Forget about the laundry

So many times in conflict, people focus on the little things, like laundry.  A wife asks her husband to do it while she's out, he says he will but gets tied up on a work call and forgets.  The next day, the same thing happens.  The third day they have a blowout over the laundry.  But the laundry isn't the issue.  The issue is that now the wife does not trust the words coming out of her husband's mouth.  It's not about the laundry, it's about trust.  If you forget about the laundry and look for the bigger issue, things can be resolved.

This is just one of the many things I took from the Team Leader Academy.

XOXO,

Indoor Safari Park

Last week we tried out a super-fun (and indoor) place for kids: Indoor Safari Park in Plano.  For $9.99/ea, each kid gets 2 train rides, 2 robotic animal rides and unlimited play area/miniature golf time.  The price is a bit steep but I had to DRAG my kids out after 2.5 hours.  Even Kailee threw a fit about leaving and she NEVER does that.  This is the first and only place she hasn't been okay leaving.  My only complaint was the cost.  I think for that price they should get more than 2 rides of each thing.  Kailee actually got a free 3rd ride when an employee took pity on her being upset that Gavin was going for his second time (her first time was without him).  If you decide to go, remember socks.  I forgot to bring some but fortunately the owner sold socks by the pair.

Here are so photos and videos of our day:

Robotic Zebra

On the train with friends

XOXO,

Kailee's 2nd Birthday!

On July 30th, Kailee turned 2.  Here are some pictures from her special day:

She woke up super-cheerful in Mommy and Daddy's bed :)

Outfit #1 - The one YaYa got her last year that she did not actually wear on her birthday

Birthday tradition: lunch at Chick-Fil-A.  They got free ice cream for her birthday.

Outfit #2 - This year's birthday outfit (to be seen again at every party we go to in the next year :)

We went to the pool (outfit #3)

She was so tired (after no nap) she slept through dinner.  Daddy brought in the caarseat for her to sleep more comfortably

After dinner, she woke up and was excited to open her gifts

Our first family picture since Christmas

The cake she picked out--notice the boy colors :(

Outfit #4 - new clothes she wore home in case she fell asleep

XOXO,

L-J's Review of Spoken from the Heart by Laura Bush

Spoken from the Heart is a memoir of our former First Lady's life.  From small-town beginnings in Midland, Laura Bush had no ambitions to be the future president's wife.  Did you know she was a teacher?  Did you know she was a librarian?  Did you know she and George did not get married all that young?  Did you know they would have loved to have more children and in fact almost adopted before being blessed with their girls?  I did not know any of these things.

This memoir is detailed, honest and classy.  The reader feels a kinship with Bush and every word does seem to be spoken from the heart.  It is apparent that Bush is very thankful for every experience and every person she's met.  This book makes me want to meet her, though I'd be tongue-tied and have nothing useful to say.

I recommend it!  My only complaint was the small font, but that was my copy from the library :).

XOXO,

Lost Pines Vacation 2011

Rather than upload a ton of pictures on here or on Facebook, I decided to create a slideshow instead.  Enjoy!

Some things to remember from the trip:

-Watching the second half of Season 1 and the first half of Season 2 of Sex and the City on my iPhone

-Dean making the wrong turn for the resort (had I been paying attention, I could have caught the mistake)

-Aunt Laura, Leslie and Uncle Paul coming out to visit us and bringing us a yummy dinner

-Kailee going down the slide twice

-Gavin wanting to play golf as much as possible

-Kailee devouring a crayon at dinner and no one noticing

-Finding the mini-consequence

-Gavin swimming throughout the lazy river without water wings day in and day out

-Kailee only napping on day 3 in my lap on the lazy river

-The pool closing for a half hour on day 2 which led to adorable cuddling by Gavin and Kailee

-Gavin turning into Rudolf the last day

And so much more that will likely be added to this post at a later date :).

XOXO,

Deal of the Day!

I was at our Walmart and discovered a ton of baby items on sale for $3.  I grabbed some 3T jeggings for next year and some 24mos leggings for this fall.  When I checked out, I was surprised to learn that each item was actually on sale for $1.  8 pairs of jeggings/leggins for $8!!!  Go stock up!

XOXO,

L-J's Review of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald

As I was looking for an audiobook before a recent road trip, I saw this one for only $.99.  I decided it was worth the dollar even if I didn't like it.  I figured, based on the movie, the story would at least be entertaining.  Sadly, it was not at all like the movie.  While the movie was filled with action and intrigue, making the viewers care about what happens, the story itself does none of this.  I guess that's why they say the movie is "loosely" based on the story by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

This is one of the few times I've ever liked a movie better than the book.  I do not recommend this book unless you like F. Scott Fitzgerald as an author.  This is my first experience with him and it does not make me eager to read The Great Gatsby or anything else by Fitzgerald.

XOXO,

Kailee's 2 Year Checkup

Today we had Kailee's 2-year-old checkup.  I was so worried about remembering the daycare form that I plum forgot to bring "Myna" (Kailee's name for her pacifier) in case she needed a vaccination.  Thankfully, she's all up to date on her vaccines and did not need a single shot.  

Well, our little lady is growing.  Here are her stats:

Weight: 24.5 pounds --21st percentile

Length: 34 inches --51st percentile (She's shot up a lot since 18 months!)

XOXO,

L-J's Review of Crucial Conversations: Tools for talking when stakes are high by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler

Crucial Conversations: Tools for talking when stakes are high is a great book for anyone who ever has to deal with conflict.  So basically EVERYONE can benefit from this book.

I was first introduced to it through the Team Leader Academy put on by the school district for which I work.  Of all the things I learned this week, this is the information that immediately had an impact on my life.  I began using the information presented with my kids and my husband.  It's amazing how much it changed the patterns of our arguments.  My goal is to raise my children with these communication skills ingrained in their hearts.

The book calls us out on things we naturally do and provides insights into what causes our emotions.  It challenges the way we assume things work and and challenges us to step up and be better people.  If everyone read and did what this book recommends, crucial conversations would have everyone leaving the table feeling heard, respected and valued.

So how'd they come up with this?  The authors of this book studied effective leaders to see what made them effective and came up with this book to help other leaders create a safe, productive, communicative atmosphere for their employees.  The book is full of true anecdotal examples of human nature and examples of how conversations can go if utilizing the tools provided.  When I think of the great leaders that I've worked with, they do all of the things in this book--whether intentionally or naturally.

As a new leader in my department, I know this book will help me.  I highly recommend it!

XOXO,

The OTHER Consequence

I found these when I went through my bathroom cabinet.  They fit nicely in my purse for consequence needs on the go.  And they have the same effect as the ORIGINAL consequence... Just ask Gavin!

XOXO,

Sleep Training Success!

We have had some sleep training trials this summer.  Kailee really fought going to bed in her bed with all her might until recently...  By recently, I mean since we returned from our vacation on July 21st, so less than 2 weeks.

One night, when I put Kailee in her bed, I offered to "snuggle-bug" her (tuck her big blanket around her to make her feel bundled up tight) and told her I'd be back in 10 minutes to check on her.  She did not complain, I shut the door, and she went right to sleep--I never had to go back in.  The next day at nap time, I did the exact same thing, though at 10 minutes she began fussing.  I went back in, held her to comfort her for about a minute and then repeated the process--she went to sleep without another peep.  Ever since this started, this system has worked beautifully.  Sometimes she fusses at the 10 minute mark, but usually, she just goes right to sleep on her own.  IT'S FABULOUS!

The only problem we still face is the middle of the night wake-up and freak-out.  Lately, I've become a night owl so when she first fusses, I go in, comfort her, and promise to return in 10 minutes.  Usually, I even leave her door open at this point and she does not try to get up.  However, at some other point during the night, she wakes again and ends up in our bed.  We may just have to accept compromise at this point.

As for Gavin, he's still an amazing sleeper.  Last night, I told him he could lie down in his bed without the TV or in my bed with the TV.  He said, "I guess I'll go to my bed."  What kid does that?  What 5 year old chooses to go to his bed in the dark?  Mine!  Of course, I convinced him he needed to snuggle with Mommy for a bit but he agreed with reservations.  What a crazy child!

XOXO,

L-J's Review of The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie is a creative genius.  She has an amazing way of creating an intricate web of characters and plot lines that keep the reader entertained, mesmerized, and guessing the whole time.  She keeps the reader engaged and on his/her toes throughout the entire book.  Though she introduces a plethora of characters, she does it in a way that makes it easy for the reader to remember who's who.

The Secret Adversary is fun, creative, and filled with so much action, it was hard to keep up.  There was never a dull moment and just when I thought I had it figured out, Christie threw in some other twist that kept the mystery alive.  Compared to some of her other novels--And Then There were None, A Pocket Full of Rye, Death on the Nile, At Bertram's Hotel--this one is quite lighthearted and not too suspenseful.  I recommend this book as a quick, entertaining read that will leave the reader satisfied as Christie is mindful to tie up every loose end she introduces.  What a thoughtful author!

XOXO,