New Ornaments

I just listed three new ornaments that I have been working on!  Be sure to check them out at asparkleofsunshine.etsy.com!  I was very excited to create two summery ones and look forward to fall with one richly colored brown and black one!  Stay tuned either tonight or tomorrow for a new book review here!

Sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.

I did it.  I finally sat down and read all of Alice in Wonderland.  B and I went to see the movie a few months ago and I was determined to actually read the book.  I loved it.  It was such a whimsical vacation read.  It was funny and crazy and strange and amazing.  The world that Lewis Carroll created was so believable despite its obvious absurdity.  The characters are interesting despite only brief encounters with some of them.  The crazy poetry and songs were literary works of art in and of themselves.  The best part of the book was the ability to lose yourself in Wonderland and allow your imagination to run along with Alice on this fantastic adventure.  It was a light read with no deep thought required...perfect for summer vacation! 

Family Vacation!!

I'm so excited!! For the first time in years, I have the time and opportunity to go on a family vacation!! I cannot wait!! I'm headed back to Holland tomorrow night and going camping with my family on Friday (going home Wednesday night for a chiropractor appointment on Thursday morning..yippee!!).  We are spending 5 days in Indiana and then 5 more in Ohio.  Don't worry about B, though...I've spend the past few days frantically making him meals to put in the fridge and freezer and then reheat throughout the time I'm gone :)  He is pretty much the luckiest guy in the whole world!  I should have several more books to report on when I get back and I'll put some pics up too!  I can't wait!!!  VACATION TIME!!

Moving Right Along!

Another one off the list!  I received Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen from Paperback Swap and finished it in a few short days.  The story follows the memories of "90 or 93 year old" Jacob Jankowski, a former vet for the Benzini Brother circus.  He relates the story of meeting many interesting characters such as Walter, the dwarf clown, Marlena, the liberty horse performer who is married to August, the schizophrenic animal trainer.  The history of Depression era circuses is related through this tale of love and survival as the elderly Jacob reminisces about his former lifestyle.  The characters are slowly developed and blossom into well-rounded and believable members of this traveling show and the juxtaposition of assisted living-bound Jacob offers unique parallels.  Of course, one of the characters is an elephant, whose name is Rosie.  I don't want to give any more away because I might ruin the simple sweetness of this quick read novel!    

I did it!

I finally finished my first book off my summer reading list!  (I also got a box full of books delivered yesterday..oops..haha)  Amid all the craziness of spring term, I managed to find the time to read Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson.  I still haven't decided how I feel about  the book.  Granted, biographical type stories are generally difficult for me to get through because of the writing style.  However, I was determined to read this book and my slight OCD doesn't let me not finish a book (seriously, even if its YEARS later, I will finish every single book that I begin...its exhausting sometimes!)  But anyways, the story itself is a beautiful one of love and compassion in an area of the world where most of America believes that none exists.  The most striking part of it for me was the willingness and excitement of so many of the leaders in Pakistan and Afghanistan to help Greg further his goal of education for their nations' young girls.  Its such a different view than the US media tends to portray of the Middle East.  From an educational standpoint, the work that Greg is engaged in is absolutely amazing.  I cannot even imagine the types of circumstances that teachers over there work in, such as 50 or more children to teach or no building to use as a school, while we complain here if our class sizes exceed 25 kids.  It was a humbling story to read even if the writing sometimes got bogged down in the places and names and facts.

Thoughts on the Gym

Sigh.  Why is that I only get motivated to get my butt up and go out, (in the rain, no less!) and head over to the IM Building?  However, I'm back, showered and in comfy clothes, sitting on B's couch and feeling positively delightful.  I feel clean and skinny and just plain wonderful...and I'm craving strawberries instead of ice cream.  Maybe this is the start of something wonderful and amazing :)  Welcome to my summer of self-improvement and just general amounts of loving myself and taking care of myself...I can't wait to start...Tuesday at 12:30, this semester will be officially history!!!

Busy, busy, busy

Ugh, I hate this time of year.  Stupid finals and other end of the year stuff...ughhh.  Its all about checking things off the list right now.  I'm just looking forward to being done and having a few days to just work and chill and then begin my spring classes.  I'm really looking forward to my classes...I'm taking Women and Literature (English315), Geology of Michigan (Geosci311), Ethnic Studies of Museums and Tourism (Amcult311).  I cannot wait for classes that aren't education classes and I'm super excited for the Amcult class because its finally a class in the direction I want to eventually go in for grad school and career wise.  I also cannot wait to start working on my summer reading list, working on my painting and photography, do my homework at Dominiks and Ashleys (local bars with fun outdoor seating) and I'm also taking a pilates class once a week!  Oh, and I'm starting a job at the Clements library!!  You should check it out!  I'm so excited about starting this job; it is probably going to be kinda boring but its a foot in the door and a step in the right direction...also, yea for grad school apps/resume whatnot :)  I'm a little worried I'm going to be bored if I'm only working like 15 hours a week but I'm working a my list of things you can do, as you can see.  I'm also really looking forward to going to the local Ann Arbor Farmer's Market to get fresh fruits and veggies and cooking for B.  But, before all this delightful stuff can start, must. get. through. finals. 

Getting Ready for Summer

Perhaps because it's nearly 70 degrees today, here in Ann Arbor, I'm feeling very summery!  I spent a significant portion of my morning class working on my 'to-do' list before the end of school.  It's mostly a list of assignments that I need to get checked off the list but there are also a few 'spring cleaning' type of tasks.  I've also begun to plan my vacations, work schedule and leisure activities.  I register for classes tomorrow so I don't want to jinx that by listing what I'm hoping on taking.  But it's looking good so far :)  I also just posted my summer reading list on the bottom of the page.  I'm hoping to continue to add to the the list and write a review for each one just to continue doing some cognitively challenging activities over the summer.  I'm also looking forward to lots of painting and photography in order to get my Etsy shop set up because it looks very sad and bare over there right now :(  Only a few more weeks...counting down to April 20!!

Snow, snow, snow

Well, got B back and apparently he decided to bring the snow with him.  Ugh.  You would think that after 21 years of living in Michigan, most of them on the shore of Lake Michigan, I wouldn't mind the snow.  You would be wrong.  I am not happy.  I hate winter with an intense passion.  I don't ski.  I don't snowboard.  I don't ice skate.  I would prefer to ignore the whole thing.  Its not so much the snow I don't like, its the cold.  I hate being cold.  The worst part about winter is the stifling of my creativity.  I'm very inspired by nature, weather and the outdoors.  Unfortunently, I haven't figured out how to tap into my winter creativity.  I prefer warm sunshine, bright summer colors, unfrozen lakes and streams and the freedom of creating in a pair of shorts and a tank top.  So, summer, please come back soon.  I really really miss you and can't wait for you to return.  Here's a little glimpse of what's to come....summer in A2....