A little strange ...

So, the kids have been spending a few days with my mom and stepdad ... which is VERY different. I mean ... they're not here. It's almost like having a family of three.

Which we've NEVER been (unless you count the cats, which I actually don't. You don't change your whole life for a cat. You don't dress it and breastfeed it and push it around in a stroller or schlep it around in a carrier on your body ... and you don't get a tax deduction for it, either).

So it's rather strange.

So, what do I need to fill y'all in on?
Let's see ...

Friday, we loaded up the car and drove down to Michael's work in the morning, all together.
The kids and I went to one mall (which was still closed for another HOUR) and walked around. Then we drove to the OTHER mall and went to Target to get a few things we had forgotten or needed (like an umbrella stroller for Miss Bubbles). Then we went BACK to the FIRST mall and went to See's Candy (sample du jour: Blueberry Truffle. YUM!!). THEN we drove to a children's museum and played.
Bubbles had a BLAST when I took her out of the Moby and set her in the children's ball pit.

I think that she sucked on/licked EVERY BALL she could grab.

As we left, I told her (all sing-songy), "You probably have the plague!"

Still, she doesn't seem at all sick ... so maybe she got an immune system like Bruise's.
We joke that he has the titanium immune system, since he NEVER gets sick-sick (The Molluscum warts ... that was STRANGE. But he doesn't catch colds or the flu for longer than a day. Whereas, Miss Bucket? She will cough and cough and puke and puke. Poor angel).

Then we picked up Michael from work, got a light lunch, and drove down to visit Nana. It was a good visit.
Nana has been diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia ... and she's 81 now (though, I always think she's 57. Since she was 57 for a LONG TIME. ^_^). But she's doing well. And it was good to see her.

She told us her favorite story about when I was little. I was probably around three or four, I suppose in this story:

One of Nana and Pop-pop's (outdoor) cats came into the laundry room and laid down on a shelf to die.

I come walking in, see the cat laying there and pet it.

"Good kitty. *pet pet* Good kitty."

Then the cat rolls over and falls on the floor. THUD!

Non-plussed, I look at it for a second and pronounce: "BAD CAT." And I flounce off into the house.

Yeah ... I'm a special person. Very, very special.

So, after visiting Nana, we WERE going to head down to Dad and L's ... but they had already left town (in the morning), because one of L's sons had been struck in a hit-and-run a couple years ago ... He's had trouble with his leg since. It's been infected off and on ... and it was amputated on Thursday morning.

So, we didn't get to visit with them this time. And it's good that L is there for her son. And she'll get to see family (like her grandkids) while they're down there.

Then we headed to Mom's and C's place ... had dinner, got the kids to bed ...

And my phone ... remember how I mentioned that it was acting all weird?
IT GOT WORSE.
And I was FREAKING OUT.

AND, since I had set the two-step authentication for my Google account (and for Facebook), I couldn't check my email on any other computer UNLESS I could get a text on my phone ... which had STOPPED even being able to send/receive CALLS or TEXTS!!!!

So, I looked up the number on my mom's computer and called Verizon's tech support.

Say what you will about Verizon and their pricing and all ... but, I have to say that their customer support and tech support are REALLY GREAT.
The gal who answered and the guy she transferred me to? AWESOME.

I did have to do a factory reset ... but, since my photos save to the SD card and my contacts are backed up, I really didn't lose much of anything (Fruit Ninja achievements, really ... since my DrawSomething and SongPop are both logged into Facebook. PHEW!!) ... Yes, I lost about 24 hours of Bubbles' feedings, sleep, and diapering schedule ... but that's okay.

AAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNDDDDDDDDD!!!!!
I don't know if you remember how I kvetched about how my clock widget that would tell me the weather, the one that came with my phone ... how it wouldn't FIND my location ... so it STOPPED telling me the weather?

IT WORKS NOW.

SO ... it appears that what happened was that, with an update, there was some bad software. THAT'S why (1) the weather/clock app stopped working, (2) almost ALL my other apps started acting up, and (3) it would keep rebooting in the middle of the night.

This factory reset WORKED. Phew!!

But, then, the LDS Tools (ward/stake directory and calendar) wasn't working. It would crash on starting up. So I emailed a crash report Sunday morning. In a couple hours, I got a reply to try the new version they'd worked on. SUCCESS!!

So, I am a HAPPY Llanna!! My phone is WORKING!!
There are AWESOME people doing tech support!! Phew!!

Which brings us to Saturday (when we backtrack from the LDS Tools bit).

We woke up and let Michael sleep in. Bucket watched 101 Dalmations (the animated one) ... and, well, when the puppies returned? ... I ... well, I went all misty-eyed and ... I'm NOT THAT BAD, usually!! It's pretty ridiculous.

But, we all got ready and took the kids to the county fair. There were some differences (a lot of things moved ... like the FOOD COURT! The flower exhibits were much smaller and not nearly as well-represented as the last time I'd been. The convention hall was redone ... very swanky for Douglas County.), but the kiddos seemed to have fun. They went on a lot of rides.

Bucket REALLY wanted to go on the Ferris wheel ... Bruise really wanted to go on a roller coaster.
So, here's how it went down, since we had Bubbles in her stroller with us (so either Michael or I had to stay out with her).

• Bruise and Michael went in the "haunted house" ride (Seriously, for 9 tickets each [$4.50. But they only were charged 9 tickets, not 18, since the card wouldn't scan the second time], it was about a one minute ride. And some of the skeletons had the wires [animatronic wires] totally showing. Michael was NOT impressed. At all.)
• Bruise, Bucket and I went on the Ferris wheel, since Michael doesn't care at all for most rides. Heights and taking-your-life-in-your-hands and trusting that things built by the lowest bidder will keep you safe? He's not a fan of that.
  They loved it.
• Then it was time for the kids' rides ... There was a rocket ship that you could raise and lower [Bucket's seat] and there were fake guns that you could pretend to shoot [Bruise's job].
  Then the DRAGON COASTER!
  And the HUGE slide!!
  The kids were going to go through a fun house, but Bucket was wearing open-toed shoes.
  So, there was a little meltdown.
  Instead, they went on a firetruck which ... do you remember the Sinbad Boat-type rides? They rock and then end up doing a full circle? Well, this was like that, but you didn't go upside down. The fire truck pivots along with you, keeping you right-way-up the whole time.
  And then a little ride with fake-hot-air-balloons.
• Michael had me get another two tickets and go on a ride by myself.
  And here, I was going to pass ... not because I don't like the rides (I DO. I think the momentum and the velocity? Those are awesome ... But I was thinking that I was too old to do things like this. Obviously not.)
  I chose one that spun, then raised up on its side (so you are spinning on a vertical axis, not the usual horizontal axis), then turned upside down.
  Yup, good times.
  Even though, while I was up there, spinning upside down, feeling my weight pressing against the (locked into place) safety restraint, I looked up/down to the ground, and had a full realization that, if ANYTHING went wrong, I'd die. Or be broken beyond repair.
  But I trusted (and said a little prayer), and returned back to Michael and the kids all in one piece, no worse the wear (except for my VERY wind-blown hair).

Also, while we were at the fair, we got to pet a Silkie chicken ... She was SO SOFT!!

Then we headed back to my mom's and the kids (even Bubbles) got in the wading pool (Bubbles LOVED when Bruise and Bucket were splashing. She even joined in a little, too). Then we ate dinner, loaded up our stuff, and took off for home ... leaving Bruise and Bucket behind.

Sunday (yesterday) was busy ... I forgot the bag of school supplies to donate. Ugh!
And I had Stake Choir rehersal (not double choir, thank goodness! That would have been quite a lot to do!) ... where I got to see my Bri and her brother!
Once Bri gets married, we'll actually be (distantly, but STILL!) related!! Her fiance is the cousin to Michael's cousin's wife ... so, yeah, distant relation ... but YAY!!!

Got home late and had an evening alone with Michael (Bubbles had fallen asleep ... she woke up when we came into the bedroom, so I got her fed and alseep again after that). She didn't sleep as well as she could have ... but, she did sleep most of the night.

This morning, I worked at cleaning our room ... it's not perfect by ANY means. I need to pick up some storage containers for the kids' outgrown clothes (which I need to sort through) ... THEN, it should be a LOT better. I moved the trunk that Michael keeps walking into (and I do, too).
I've done some laundry and loaded the dishwasher. I cleaned the hall bathroom.
I still need to clean the catbox and empty out the Diaper Genie. (Okay, I just impressed myself by spelling "genie" correctly on the first try. Yay!!)

Besides Bubbles' need for naps (and getting HELLA CRANKY before she falls asleep), it's been pretty quiet. ... Besides the said fielding of phone calls.

The kiddos and my mom are coming up tomorrow, so it'd be nice if I could clean off my desk before they get here. And figure out a few dinners. And paint my toenails. And read a book ... But I don't know if I'll get to any of that. Especially since I am Bubbles' main entertainment today. My pinch sitters are gone! But they'll all be back tomorrow. Phew! ^_^

Also, in silly news ... That elder daughter of mine ... She's a hoot.
As she made me walk her to the ladies' bathroom in Michael's office (She KNOWS where it is. The office is SMALL. In fact, only Michael and one other employee were there at this point).

Bucket goes into it, turns to close the door (after I told her that I'd wait outside of the bathroom for her), and states, in a rush, EMPHATICALLY, "I'm locking the door! I know how to do it! I won't twist it! THERE ARE INSTRUCTIONS!!!!!!!!"

I had to lean against the counter in that hall to compose myself.
Sure enough, there ARE instructions above the inside handle, telling you to just push in the button to lock the door; to NOT twist/turn the button.

But, OH, it was HOW she said it ... cracked me up something fierce.

I mean, really, what am I going to do to amuse myself half as much with these kiddos in school for hours and hours and hours almost every day?? (Seriously, they'll be in school for just about SEVEN HOURS ... except for early release days ... and, well, I don't even know when they get out THEN. Just that it's EARLIER. I should figure that out, right?)

So, I should ALSO take advantage of the "free time" and figure out what we're going to do on Michael's business trip ... looks like we're going camping! And to a new place! (Well, to the kids. It's a place that Michael and I have been to before. In my case, MANY times. Because I started getting my geek on quite early in life. At least out here in the Pacific Northwest. ^_^)

Pants on Fire

So, that posting-on-a-weekly-basis?

Obvs NOT.

Since, if I WERE, I'd have posted YESTERDAY.

So ... there you go.

Now, to rack my brain about what all's been going on.

Since there have been some things that happened and I was all, "Oh, I should TOTALLY blog that!" ... and, well, I am wracking my brain to recall what they were. Oops!

My mom came up ... we got caught up on Titli's Busy Garden (LOVE me some Titli!).
I got caught up on dishes ... then terribly behind. Almost caught up again.

Been battling the ants that wouldn't give up.
I hate it when I see them CRAWLING ON THE CONTAINER OF ANT KILLER.
Cheeky buggers.

The kitchen is a lot cleaner, though.

And, unrelated, I've gone through the kids' drawers and mine ... got rid of clothes that don't fit and all.

On my lady cycle, so I had the moments of I-feel-like-crying-for-no-reason and the I-hate-how-busy-things-are-and-I-hate-everything-else-too ... YEAH, that's FUN. And I'm sure that it's SUPERFUN to be around.

My Bubbles-stuff tracker app on my phone is NOT WORKING.
So ... while I'm waiting for the company to get back to me, I've downloaded two other apps ... Yeah, I'm not used to them. But they were free. So ... yeah. Still not thrilled.

I have a new niece. And I'll be getting a new nephew next year. So, that's exciting.

Been doing laundry. Lots of laundry.

The kids got some Summer Reading Program swag ... That's always a fun thing.

I am so tired. Like, constantly. I should make sure that I'm getting my vitamins.

And I had DREAMS before Bubbles woke up, needing to be fed.

Mom, Bruise, Bucket, and I drove up to the next big town. There was a huge carousel and a permanent Ferris Wheel ... and, in this swanky store was a room where you could sample some foods.

Bucket tried this chicken broth-based soup (FILLED with rice and large red beans. Looked tasty!) ... Bruise and I opted to try the "Chocolate Soup" (think THICK hot chocolate. Like warmed heavy cream combined with melted chocolate) ... which ended up ALL OVER his face.
I was JUST about to try a piece of this Chocolate Yogurt Cake ... looked like a cheesecake ... so decadent!
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand then Bubbles woke up. *sigh*

Oh well.

We're one chapter away from finishing Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire ... and starting Harry Potter is EMO Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
. (I'll try not to SOB through the last chapters like LAST time.
So ... the kiddos (Bruise and Bucket. Not Bubbles) are going to visit the grandfolks for a few days.
It'll be strange not to have them around for a few days.

Of course, since I'm in the Stake Choir, it's not like I have a ton of free time on Sunday to relax.
Seriously, Michael, Bubbles, and I will go to church. Then we'll come home. I'll be nursing her and trying to pump (if she'll take milk in a sippy cup, we're good to go. Here's hoping!) and heading back to church for Double Potions Choir. (Yup, that's WARD Choir and then STAKE Choir.) Yup, 5:30 - 8:15, I'll be at church. I should take a snack, so I don't get all crankypants.

Monday is empty. Maybe I'll clean Michael's and my room ... We'll see if Miss Bubbles is on board with that.

Tuesday morning, I'll be donating blood. Then, in the afternoon or evening, the kids (and my Mom) are coming back ... We have some plans for Wednesday and Thursday ... It'll be good.
We might have plans for Saturday ... not sure (if not, maybe we can go to a concert??) ... and Sunday will be singing in the Stake Choir for Stake Conference, going home for a bit, and Ward Choir ... And MAKING SURE TO WISH MY MOM A HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
(She's turning 29, of course. Yes, I'm older than my mom. *nods*)

I should also clean my desk. Again.
And take a nap.
And take my vitamins.
And exercise (yeah, RIGHT).
And make something for lunch ... and dinner.

Since last week ...

So, it appears that I'm to a once a week schedule.

I should change that.

BUT, until then, here's what you've missed since the LAST episode of Llanna's Life of Leisure and Labor!
(Cheesy. WAY cheesy. But I do kinda dig the alliteration ... but not enough to actually CHANGE my blog's NAME. That just wouldn't fly.)

So ... what HAVE I been doing? ... Um ... let's see.

Missing the summer reading program things.
... AAAAAAAs I look at the clock and notice that we've just missed ANOTHER.
Winner!
NOT.
*headdesk*
Oh well.

Um ... let's see. I don't remember at all what Wednesday day held. But Michael and I WERE going to watch SYTYCD ... but the stupid channel wouldn't come in (Again, I hate the switch to digital signals. We USED to totally get FOX, the CW, and OPB. NO PROBLEM AT ALL ... Now? We DO get OPB, FOX is iffy, and NO CW. Gah.)
So we watched LAST WEEK'S episode online. And read the spoilers from the east coast people for tonight's show's results.

Mom came up on Thursday. We had Taco Bell for dinner before the missionaries came over.
Bubbles is sleeping in her crib now. And sleeping through the night, more often than not.

The weekend was rather fast. I got Visiting Teaching done. And we got some more stamps for the kids' scavenger hunt-thing. We got groceries. Got their room a little more organized. Went to church, went to choir ... That sort of thing.

I've signed up to be in the Stake Choir for our conference coming up. A general authority will be there.
This will be the third one that I've sang in front of ... to my knowledge. My home stake sang at a regional conference for President Hinckley. The University Wards choir sang for President Eyring.  ... I don't know who's coming for this conference ... But, yeah ... for the next couple of Sundays, I will be busy.
I also am going to need to pump some milk for Bubbles ... since I'll barely be home from 5-8:30ish in the evening. (That's for BOTH choir rehearsals ... not just the Stake choir. We're not THAT hardcore. :P)

But, yeah ... it feels kinda busy.

But the house isn't HORRIBLY messy.
We went to a baseball game. Stayed all the way through. It was fun. Our team (the home team) won.
We're ALMOST done with Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
I'm ALMOST caught up on dishes.
I fixed a pair of legwarmers that I made for Bubbles. And made her a couple toys (like these. But with a crinkle sheet inside them). She seems to like them.

Besides that, there's not a lot that I can think of to report.

I mostly just want a nap. But I'm not going to get one. I let Bubbles sleep (well, I got her to sleep ... and back to sleep) while I washed dishes and did some laundry.

I also want a shower. I had got the kids ready for an impromptu playdate at the park ... but I didn't see the host, who was the only gal of the bunch that I knew ... so we went home.
But, I scurried us out the door. I haven't showered or anything. (Hey, I put on deodorant, brushed my teeth, and used some dry shampoo on my hair. And I slapped on some moisturizer ... But, yeah. Oh well.)

Aaaaaaaand, Bubbles is awake again. Time to get a bathroom break and get back to being a mom.

Yup, that's everything that I can think of.
If there's anything that I've really left out, maybe Michael will remind me.
Or not.
I mean, really, it's a total 50/50 chance.

Unless, say, I forgot nothing. THEN it's a 100% chance that he WON'T remind me of anything that I should have added.

Not dead ... but dreaming...

I know that it's been a while since I've sat down and blogged. Mostly just been reading OTHER people's blogs ... and dinking around on Facebook. And *GASP!* actually reading out of a book! (And some graphic novels, too.)

But lately, I've been having strange dreams. One was genuinely frightening. Two were not so much.

• Dream one: I'm at my mom's house with Bucket and Bubbles. Bucket is watching Bubbles in the living room. I notice that it's getting late, and figure that I should cook my mom dinner for when she gets home from work (She's retired now. And I have NO CLUE where Bruise, Michael, or my stepdad are in this dream.)
  
  Suddenly, there's this crazy-strong windstorm. I can see the trees outside (IRL, mostly tall firs and pines) WHIPPING around in the wind. And there's a crack of lightning. I catch a bit of light/color while I look through the sliding glass door. There's a huge BALL of orange fire in the big shop. And a truck (must be mine, but it's not any vehicle that I've driven IRL), well, there's a bit of fire on the roof of the cab.
  
  I tell Bucket to stay in the house and watch Bubbles. And to call 911. I grab a HUGE fire extinguisher, which just happens to be standing on the kitchen counter and race outside.
  
  And then I wake up. And I get up, panting. I go to the bathroom and I drink about a half-liter of water. And I go back to sleep. Where I have ...
• Dream two: This one, I'm SURE is inspired by the episode of TNG that Michael was watching (in it, kids were vectors for some strange disease. I'm not thinking that I'm spoiling anything, since this episode is over a decade old.)
  
  But, for some reason, the Weasley family (yes, from Harry Potter) need blood transfusions. LOTS of them. They have some kind of blood-borne disease where they HAVE to get certain types of blood. And they're kidnapping people.
  
  And, well, of course, I get kidnapped. But I'm a much younger, unmarried version of myself.
  
  Well, I don't recall EXACTLY what went on (but, be assured it was only PG-rated. There was NO nudity or disturbing images or anything).
  BUT!! I have it on good dram-authority that GEORGE is a better kisser than Fred.
  
  (Seriously, my subconscious is OBSESSED with Gred and Forge. What is UP with that?!???)
• Dream three: This one happened during the NEXT night. And it followed another dream that I can't really recall ... besides that it had some elements of suspense in it.
  
  In this dream, I was with Michael. But it wasn't quite Michael. It was like Michael mixed with Thor (the Chris Hemsworth version). Very protective. Very gentlemanly ... You get the gist.
  I was me-but-not-as-I-currently-am ... You know, ... about a decade younger and about 70 pounds lighter.
  
  There was this REALLY ANNOYING guy (Not Loki. I'd have remembered that) who had to be with us as we were shut up in a house(? shelter?) where we had to stay to be safe. ... It was a nice house-y place. Lots of natural light. Kinda airy.
  
  I had to change my jeans ... and the annoying guy kept trying to watch. But Michael-but-not wouldn't let him. Took his guardian-type role very seriously. And he held up some material (not a blanket, but something) so that the annoying guy couldn't watch.
  
  Later, in the dream, after the guy left, Michael-but-not asked if there was anything else I needed. And I said that there was. And I lifted my lips to his ... and, yeah ... making out seems to be quite a theme in this last weekend's dream fare.

Michael was a little disappointed that he didn't get the godlike, long hair in the dream. Poor guy.

I don't recall dreaming much the last few nights. Probably because I have been taking a Unisom so I don't wake up a ton.

Since Bubbles has started sleeping through the night, I should take advantage of that fact and follow suit, no?

But, yeah, if anyone wondered, out of the Weasley twins, George appears to be the choice my subconscious favors.
Not that my waking self would've ever have really THOUGHT that I'd need to know that.

And, yeah, I do have a bit of a soft spot for Thor.
And Cap(tain America).

I'll admit, shallowly, that they are quite easy on the eyes ... but, really?
They are SUCH gentlemen.
I adore a guy who knows how to treat a lady.
Because ladies need respect ... and to feel special.

Tony Stark? He just doesn't quite do that. Poor tortured soul.

One big catch-up ... That's my life ...

I'm about ONE LOAD behind on dishes. And TWO LOADS behind on laundry.

However, things are STARTING to get caught up. Starting.

I have some plans for meals (at least dinners) this week.

Through LOTS OF PRAYER, I FINALLY found Bubbles' cute new swimsuit (in my old [repurposed] church bag on the floor in our room) AND my old FAVORITE-OF-FAVORITE nursing tops from when I was nursing Bruise and Bucket (it's a t-shirt ... with a second layer in the front. Makes nursing discreetly SO much easier!).

[Pet peeve: When people try to say that women need to nurse "discretely" ... Um, that is a word. And it DOES SOUND JUST THE SAME as "discreetly." But, really, it doesn't mean at all the same thing. Just sayin'.]

So, Mom came up Thursday. We took the kids to lunch at McDonald's. And we stopped by a different market. Found orange extract AND rosewater (so I can make Turkish Delight!!) and orange blossom water.
Michael came home from work early (since he'd have to drive right past town to head back to work ... for that last hour of work. So, instead, he'd gone in an hour early). We tried a new restaurant. Mom and I had Pho. Michael ate the Yakisoba. The kids ... had a burger or chicken strips and fries. *sigh* Bubbles slept. Phew!
We did try the sesame balls (stuffed with red bean paste). Interesting.

Friday, we took the kids (ALL THREE OF THEM) to Mom and Dad C's. The kids got to play there while Michael and I went to the temple (we also stopped by Deseret Book/Distribution Center ... got garments and some books ... and there was a GREAT sale on a picture that Michael's been wanting for his office for YEARS. So we picked that up, too). It was nice to get back to the temple. It's a little difficult getting up there often once I was pregnant and then, having kids and nursing ... it got a little more difficult.
We didn't get back to pick up the kids until about 10 ... much later than their usual bedtime.

My friend, T (now, you'll see yet again why she's such a bestie ... She's also the one that really got me introduced to Michael), messaged me on Facebook ... to let me know that Cherry Poppin' Daddies were playing at a local Art Fair. So, even though Saturday was a busy day ... we added a little more busy to it. (It's been AGES since I've been to a concert ... I think the last one I was at was my first REAL concert [Weird Al, back in 2000].)

So, Saturday, we ran to Fred Meyer to do a little shopping and get our niece her present. Then we went to Costco, went back home, wrapped the present, drove up to our niece's birthday party, drove back home to change, went to a baptism (where I was barely in the room at all. Bubbles needed to be changed. Then she was hungry about five minutes after that ... *sigh*), then back home to change again ... and up to the Art Fair.

Bruise and Bucket were pretty exhausted after the long nights ... so, when the kids' corner (which we should have gone to FIRST ... If I had realized it was there) closed (They really wanted to go in the bounce house. Oops!!), they were reduced to tears.
We did buy cotton candy (which I wanted to do anyways) ... and they perked up. I made them agree to be cheerful in order to eat any of it. And they did share with us.

We were right in front for the concert. Sitting on the grass. T and her family (husband and son) did make it. Phew! They, however, sat farther back (and stayed for the whole concert). We left after about an hour. The kids were so tired ... Bubbles was tired enough that she was fussing and refusing to feed. ... Though I DID nurse her once there (DISCREETLY) ... Ha ha ha, I get to add yet another place that I've nursed to my list. ^_^

We drove back, reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (we're over half-way done!!) and got the kids into bed.

In the morning, we all had showers and got ready for church.
After church, we rushed back home to change (sensing a theme of our weekend, right?) and headed over to a local park for my family reunion (my dad's side).
I was the only one there representing my branch. Nana (my grandma) is recuperating from Strep Throat. My dad and uncles weren't there. Or my first cousins.

But I got to visit with family that I barely ever see. (I had to be reminded of most people's names. THAT'S how long it goes between visits!)

I spent the majority of the time chatting with a "cousin" (consanguity is HAAAAAAARD!!! ... So, it's just easier to refer to everybody as cousins. We can figure out how near or far by stating whose child/grandchild we are.) that I hadn't seen since I met her shortly after Bruise and Bucket were born. She also is one of the few members of the Church in the family. ... And she's how I'm related (distantly) to our pediatrician (and, through him, a family in our ward. Yes. I'm a dork.)

I always forget the my Pop-pop (grandpa) was the youngest of his generation ... so I'm (along with my two cousins, since they're younger than I am) the youngest of the third generation. I was visiting with the mom of a "cousin" my age ... but that "cousin" is in the NEXT generation. Her mom and I are both in the same generation.

After the family reunion, I got ready for choir practice (where I knew I'd see the family that I'm distantly related to) ... and we had a good practice.

Then I came home and had dinner and got the kiddos ready for bed.

Monday was a mostly lazy day. Chatted with my dad ... reported to him about the family reunion. Found the missing swimsuit and my nursing top (I'd only been looking for THAT for, what, six months? Prayer works. Maybe not in the EXACT timetable that one prefers ... but it works!). Worked on laundry and dishes. Marinated some chicken. Helped Michael in grilling pineapple (make a glaze with honey, lime juice, and crushed black pepper. YUM!)

I'm keeping up my straight of not sleeping well. This is getting ridiculous. I think that, tonight, I'm going to take a Unisom and see if that helps.

I know that my dreams lately have been strange. I can't remember last night's ... but a few nights ago, I dreamt that I was subbing in Primary (because I HAVE been substituting for the secretary the last couple weeks), and it was in a different room/building than usual. Bruise and Bucket had gone to the bathroom and come back being silly. Bruise, in particular, didn't have his pants on. And both legs were stuck through one leg-hole in his underwear.
(HE DOESN'T DO THIS IN REAL LIFE, I SWEAR.)
I had to wrestle him out of his briefs to put them on correctly ... and ... well, in my dream, he hadn't been wiping properly, apparently.
You know how, when kids don't wipe well, they can get a rash? And how, some babies' diaper rashes can get REALLY bad? All open and weepy?
THIS WAS WORSE.
In this (crazy) dream, Bruise's butt ... it looked like raw, ground hamburger. There were bits that, when they did finally heal, would be all misshapen. It was BAAAAD.

Yes, my subconscious has some SERIOUS issues.

I'm pleased to report that none of my kiddos has even as much as a diaper rash, let alone anything THAT horrific.

I also have taken it upon myself to foster the kids' musical education ... by showing them music videos.
Bruise's favorite is "Thriller."
Bucket, however, is not so impressed by it.
Everyone's a critic.

Okay. Time to get more dishes done. And laundry. And clean up the kitchen and front rooms. And get a shower. And go to the library. And go feed the ducks. And change more diapers.

Nope, no interesting title. Sorry! (but not THAT sorry.)

So, we didn't make it to the historical house last weekend ... because it wasn't open! Oops!
However, we did make it to the Farmers' Market (bought broccoli, raspberries, and had a free sundae). Then we checked out a new trail/wetland/water-treatment-site.

Funnily enough, as we were there, we ran into Michael's uncle ... who was the ONLY other person there!
(Well, as we were leaving, another couple of cars came by). Uncle L let us look through his binoculars (got to see a spotted sandpiper) and we chatted.
We also got sunburned ... well, Michael and I did. The kids didn't look burned at all ... and Bubbles was in her sling, where I tried to shade her as much as possible.

Then we went to Costco ... sample time! Yum! ... And we bought milk. And a hooded towel for Bubbles, so she'll have her OWN beach towel.

After that, Michael set up a sprinkler and Bruise and Bucket ran through it.

Sunday was a little busy ... Michael had early-morning (before church. And we meet at 9 AM this year) meetings. And I needed to get ready, grab his phone (which was charging), and pick up a gal that I visit teach and her son ... And we made it to church. Even though I totally forgot the print-out that I was going to have copied for the RS binder. Ugh.
And I filled in for the Primary secretary. (I'll be doing that next week, too.) ... Then we went home, had a quick lunch, Michael headed back to the church to give a ride home to my VT sister and her son (they had a meeting after church ... and I was exhausted. And Bubbles needed to be fed. As usual). After he got back from that ... and went with the missionaries on a visit, I went and laid down ... Couldn't sleep, so I read a magazine ... and then I got ready for choir.
(It appears that I actually AM learning that alto line for one song ... Since our choir is so small, the men are singing melody of one song. And the ladies sing the alto line ...which is HAAAAAARD for me. When my choir teacher in 6th-10th grade said that sopranos are the dummies of the choir, he wasn't lying. When you sing the melody about 99% of the time [small exaggeration], you don't get in the habit of listening and learning harmony parts. Yeah. So I kinda SUCK at it.)

And, really, that's about all that I really recall about Sunday. Except that Dianne got me hooked on the SongPop app. (There are many genres that I'm not very good at. But, gosh, I'm not too shabby at "Animated Movies." ... Most of the time. ^_^)

Monday ... what happened Monday? ... um ... I was mostly exhausted. And I noticed that, even though I colored my hair to get rid of the blonde-ish skunk stripe that was going on, my roots were still kind of obvious. Ugh.
Oh! Bucket took over dinner (well, a bit of it). She wanted to have pasta and creamy pesto. So she started the sauce and I boiled the noodles. And took over the sauce when she got bored. And threw the last of the meatballs into the oven.
And I got caught up with some YouTube videos (Titli's Busy Kitchen and the BoredShorts Kid Snippets).

Yesterday (Tuesday) was more productive. I printed out the return label for a pair of Crocs that didn't fit. Got those mailed off. Went to Wal-Mart. Ran into one of my "babies" from high school (She played my youngest daughter in The Music Man. She was a freshman my senior year. SWEET girl). Went around town looking for thrift-store dress-up stuff for a present for our niece's birthday (couldn't find anything worthwhile. UGH). Dropped off some books at the library ...

I had a craving for chili, starting Monday ... so I had soaked the beans ... and, somehow, missed the part that tells you that the beans still have to cook for about TWO HOURS ... So I started the beans only about ONE hour before Michael was getting home (before he had to jet off for EQ visits). Yeah. THAT was annoying.
Also was the part where Bubbles was crying, crying, crying and wouldn't be soothed. So I ended up being a MEAN, BAD, HEARTLESS MOMMY and put her in the swing to rock her to sleep (which worked ... took a few minutes, but it worked), and I closed myself in my room and played a few rounds of SongPop.

The kids, while I was working on dinner, heard the ice cream truck come by, so we scurried out.
Bruise chose an ice cream sandwich. Bucket opted for a Creamsicle. I got Michael a chocolate Drumstik-thing. And I got a cotton-candy swirl.
Which was a nice thing to munch on as he ran back out to pick up a couple things ... like a new propane tank for the grill (This way, we can go take the other to be filled AND have one as backup. We'll never go hungry be without propane to grill with again!).

So, I colored my hair this morning. Hopefully, once it's dry, my roots won't be noticeable anymore.

I need to try and sew up one spot on Bruise's backpack. And make it to the Summer Reading Program activity today. And call one of the gals that I VT. ... And print out the NEW printout (that I've condensed and updated) for church next week.

Maybe tonight we'll eat the raspberry white chocolate ice cream I made Monday night.
(I also had soaked the beans AND made a double batch of "energy balls" for breakfasts ... Now that I have jars, I can make morning pudding and oatmeal smoothies to have in the fridge. ... Now, I need to stop typing and make some eggs.)

Another HP Meme (rife with spoilers)

Though, really ... the books and the movies have been out long enough that I'm not going to apologize for any spoilers.

And, since I'm a REBEL, I'm going to do this in one fell swoop.

1. My favorite of the books, generally, is Goblet of Fire.
   Why? Because it's the last one where things are generally happy. After that, things get hard. And Harry's all emo for a bit. And too many people die.
2. You can tell that when this meme came out, not all the movies were out.
   My favorite movie of the series? ... Gosh, I don't really have a favorite. I like them all.
3. Which film(s) made me angry for leaving stuff out? Well, I can handle most of them ... but I'm ALWAYS irritated with Goblet of Fire's film for NOT having that Rita Skeeter getting her comeuppance.
4. Least favorite character? Delores Umbridge. She's the perfect example of why NOT to get fanatical and arrogant. She gives pink and cats a bad rap. Grr.
5. Favorite male character? There are lots to choose from ... Probably Arthur Weasley. (Though Snape -- always trusted him!! -- and Gred and Forge are right up there, too.) I love that he loves his family and takes such good care of them ... even though finances are always tight. And his obsession with Muggle artifacts is pretty cute.
6. I'm SO Ravenclaw. Always. And I think that the sorting hat would agree with me.
   But I could be in Hufflepuff, since I do believe that you need to follow rules and be polite. But, really? I'm all about seeking knowledge. And I look better in blue.
7. For my favorite female character ... it's really a toss-up. My all-time favorites are Hermione, Luna Lovegood, Molly Weasley, and Minerva McGonagall. They're all very strong women. (Thanks, J.K. Rowling for giving me LOTS of characters to adore!!)
8. Again, I'm not totally sure about which Hogwarts subject would be my favorite. DADA is always great ... but Potions, Charms, and Transfiguration all sound VERY intriguing. (And Astronomy? TAUGHT BY A CENTAUR?? TEMPTING!!)
9. Least favorite male character ... hmm ... Maybe Peter Pettigrew. I just can't respect him. Or ... what's his face ... Fenrir Greyback. I don't like that he targets kids. It's NOT cool.
10. HALLOWS. No contest. I'm not a Horcrux type of girl.
11. Off the top of my head, I most relate to Hermione. But I love Luna. And, since I have kids, I'm starting to relate more with Molly.
12. I do adore Hermione and Ron together. They are the OTP of the book.
    I'm bummed, though, that Rowling has declared that Luna and Neville don't end up married to each other. I really wanted that to work out.
13. Again, I rather like all the movies ... so I don't have a least favorite.
14. Team Harry. Most definitely.
15. Oh, goodness ... I'd want to hang with Gred and Forge, of course. They'd keep things interesting.
    And, since I only get ONE more, um ... Luna. Since she's smart and will accept that I'm a total weirdo.
16. As much as I adore Snape, he's not a very good teacher (some just aren't suited to the profession), so  he wouldn't be my favorite teacher.
    I'm going with McGonagall. She seems to love her profession ... which translates to striving to foster a love of learning in her students.
17. Well, after looking at the Pottermore Forum on this subject, I'd like to say that I'd get a cedar wand (or applewood wand) with an unicorn hair core. ... That's not what I have in Pottermore ... but it sounds nice.
18. I suppose that either Half-Blood Prince or Order of the Phoenix could be considered my least favorite of the series. Harry's rather emo ... and I don't like that people start dying off like flies (not nearly as much as in Deathly Hallows, though. *sniff*) ... I don't like books where I end up sobbing ... so maybe I don't like Deathly Hallows that much ... since I didn't even get 1/3 of the way through before I was crying so hard that I couldn't read aloud to Michael. *sigh*
19. The books. There's so much more detail.
    HOW CAN THEY LEAVE PEEVES OUT OF THE MOVIES?!??
20. Um ... would it be shallow to say Alan Rickman? ... that voice ... It's just ... well, it's awesome.
    If not, then John Cleese (Nearly-Headless Nick). We could talk about lemurs.
    (If you haven't seen his documentary on lemurs, you should go check it out! I kind of NEED my own DVD of it.)
21. Is this one character per book??
    Yeah, I didn't think so.
    I'm kind of torn ... At first, I'd say Sirius. Then Tonks. But, really, I think that I'd go with Fred. It PISSED ME OFF that the twins were separated. And I think that Hedwig's death was a cheap blow... mostly because I sobbed so much due to it.
22. Harry Potter, naturally.
    I'm sorry, Twi-hards ... Edward Cullen is an Inferi of Cedric Diggory. He hangs out with an unregistered Animagus. These are serious charges.
    And that's not even getting into (1) how weak of a character the LEAD FEMALE is or (2) the fact that this series AND the smut fanfic based on it have topped the best-selling charts.
    I could handle The Book Thief outselling Harry Potter. But the fact that a story whose vampire legends would make Bram Stoker spin in his grave outsells it? And then BDSM fanfic on THAT hits the Bestsellers? ... I don't think I want to live on this planet anymore. /booksnobbishness.
23. Sirius' death.
    Dumbledore's death.
    Hedwig's death.
    Lupin's death.
    Tonk's death.
    Fred's death.
    "And all was well."
    But, really, Sirius' and Hedwig's deaths were the ones that had me SOBBING.
24. As I mentioned, I'm always IRRITATED that Goblet of Fire's film doesn't show Rita Skeeter getting blackmailed by Hermione (NEVER MESS WITH A SMART GIRL. That's the moral of that story. If she can read? She can THINK. And knowledge is power.) Because, dude, Skeeter needed to learn a lesson.
    ... Shoddy reporting, too. If not for Umbridge, she might be my least favorite female character.
25. Overall, yes, I'm satisfied with the epilogue.
    Like I mentioned, though, Luna and Neville really seem made for each other.
    I want them married, having adorable courageous-and-intelligent babies, dang it!!!
26. I think "repario!" would be a great spell to be able to use. It'd save me a lot of grief. :P
    I'd be willing to settle for having to use a wand ... if I could use magic. ^_^
27. I've already answered this within the last few posts ... but, as much as I'd want to use the Resurrection Stone, I think it'd be safest (and best) to use the Invisibility Cloak.
28. I'd hope not to have a nemesis ... but if I HAD to have one ... um ... I suppose Peeves. He's very irresponsible.
    But if I hand out with Gred and Forge, THEY could handle him, right? He listened to them. (On occasion ... if it suited him.)
29. Being an Auror sounds interesting ... Or being a Hogwarts professor could be cool. Still, Molly Weasley makes being a wife and mother look fine, too. ^_^
30. I think that HP has a little something for everyone. And I'm so glad that it got a generation (or MORE) to read and to dream and to think. I'm glad that I've read it and shared it with Michael and that we're sharing it with Bruise and Bucket.
    I think that it's an important series because, though it, you do see that (even with magic) life isn't always easy or fair. You have to accept that people die. Things go wrong. People's choices affect others. You are in control of your actions. Love is powerful and cannot (and should not) be forced.
    .... there's more, there's always more to write ... But it's still early and I'm not that well-rested. So I'm closing up. But it's a series that resonates with me. And I'm glad for that.

One thing less to worry about ...

So, with the HUGE wave of nostalgia hitting me, I ... really didn't do anything.
Except fret about how crazy-hormonal I was getting.

Yeah, being a lady with lady-parts is CRAZY FUN Y'ALL.
(Not always. Especially with hormones running all amok.)

And then I started getting worried ... that I WASN'T getting my cycle started. Because it had been a little over a month. I should NOT be pregnant. I SHOULD be experiencing "shark week." But it wasn't happening.

So, I take a test. Within about five seconds (as opposed to the three minutes recommended), there's absolute proof that NO, I am not incubating.

Phew.

And, of course, Murphy's law kicks in and I start shark week the next day.
Of course.

Because my body has a crap sense of humor like that.

But, hey! At least I totally get to have just ONE kiddo in diapers at a time for a while. That's a GOOD (WAY LESS EXPENSIVE) thing!!

Besides that, what else has been going on?

• Been pinning things to Pinterest. I'm not totally addicted ... but I can see how some folks would be.
• Had the C Family Reunion last weekend. Good food, good visiting with the cousins. 
• The kiddos had their last week of Sports Camp. They enjoyed Soccer.
• We got our free Slurpee on 7/11 (or 11 July for the rest of the world). Almost got hit by a car while getting to the 7-11 Parking lot ... but we made it. PHEW!
• Ate at a local burger joint, which brags the best burgers in the Valley. It was good ... but I don't know if they're the best ever. The toppings are GREAT (Mom and I opted for the buger with avocado, bacon, and chipotle sauce. YUM. Michael had a [to-go] burger with guacamole and bacon. He liked it. The kiddos were boring and ate chicken strips. Bubbles, of course, had to nurse in the middle of the shop. I utilized my Moby as a nursing cover. Hope I was discreet enough. Ugh.)
• Cleaned the house.
• Got caught up with dishes and laundry (which I'm slipping on. Again. But not in the literal sense).
• Watching Doctor Who. Got through the first season. Yes, I do like Tennant best (thus far).
• Actually made it to Relief Society at church (after filling in for Primary peeps for a few weeks ... and I'm back to two weeks of filling in for Primary again. Which isn't awful ... but I do miss my time spend with the grown-ups).
• Totally missed (again) the Summer Reading Program activity this week that I REALLY MEANT to get to. *sigh*

Bubbles woke up about 4:45 this morning. I can't get back to sleep ... so .... here I am. Catching you up on my EXCITING! GLAMOROUS! LIFE! (Ha ha ha.)

Bubbles can stand ... if she's holding on to something ... someone's hands, the edge of a bathtub, the couch ... Yeah, she's not acting like she wants to crawl anytime soon ... but between this and rolling over, homeskillet's going to be walking before I know it.

Popped the last (as far as I can tell) of Bubbles and Bruise's Molluscum. Let's hope and pray that THAT'S the last of it. EVER.

I need to call a company and order a lid for my awesome water bottle. Walking the kids to Sports Camp, my tumbler took a tumble out of the stroller's cup holder as we hit a bump in the sidewalk. Took a chunk out of the side of the lid. It still seals, but it looks like hell. And it's a little sharp. So I need to order a new one. And they don't sell them in stores. *sigh*

I think that's most everything that's going on right now.
Today, we'll go to Farmers' Market and a historical house ... Could maybe make the paddle boats ... Never done paddle boats before.
Once I know that the kiddos are wart-free, I can get them signed up for swim lessons. Won't that be nice.
I also need to get a wading pool set up for them. ... And it'd be nice to get them a basketball hoop or something. We'll see.

Since Our Last Episode ...

Okay ... I THINK Bubbles is going to stay down for a nap while I type this.

And then Bucket asks if she can have potato chips for breakfast. Ha! As if!
(I may be a bit lenient in some things ... but ... no. Not potato chips.)

So, what all has gone on ... Let's see.

Monday, Michael came home early and we picked up (and paid for the repair of) the truck. Back to having two vehicles. Phew!
He took the kiddos home in the truck and Bubbles and I went to Target to pick up some groceries and things.
Michael worked at trimming the grass until the Weed Whacker quit (might have to get a new one. No idea).
And we went out and bought fireworks.
(I don't know that we'll do BoomTown again ... there were QUITE A FEW duds in the assortment that we got. The sparklers in that assortment were pretty pathetic, so it happens.)

Tuesday, Bruise had a dental appointment, so we headed out that away. And stopped by WalMart to pick up the last of the groceries for feeding the missionaries that night.
I made a pudding pie -- graham cracker crust, strawberry cream-flavored pudding, and strawberry glaze on the top. For dinner, we had grilled chicken, salad, and watermelon (I think that was it. It's been a few days).
I like when we get to feed the elders (even when I'm dashing about cleaning the house like a MANIAC, which I had been), because we get to talk to them and get to know them better.
(And, hey, the house is a HECKUVA LOT CLEANER. Which is nice.)
The kids and I also went downtown to get some more stamps on their scavenger hunt. Just a few more to go! Pretty exciting!

Wednesday, we went to the Farmers' Market, then to the Dollar Store (for candy), then to Michael's folks' house (to drop off Bubbles), then to watch Brave (we liked it. The kids want to buy it NOW so we can watch it again). Then we went back to Michael's folks' place (to pick up Bubbles and) to eat tacos with the family.
We headed home and did fireworks in front of our house ... and got to see some of the neighbors' fireworks. And caught a glimpse of some larger fireworks (some legally done by the county ... and some ...NOT).
I had a headache and Bubbles was hungry, so I bowed out early and went in and fed her.
Once we got her laid down (in her bed, even, not just the swing!), she slept through the night. Which was very nice.

Yesterday, Bubbles had her four-month appointment. She's up to ALLLLLLMOST 13 pounds and is just over 24 inches long. Her doctor looked her over and pronounced her a beautiful, healthy baby.
Bruise's Molluscum are nearly gone. Bucket's are working their way through. Bubbles does not have ANY. (And I'd like to keep it that way, thankyouverymuch.)

Now, since I read a Tumblr and I have friends who love the series, I'm passably familiar with Doctor Who. Michael and I are now watching the series together. (And, while chatting about it last night, I was able to accurately guess how many seasons Tennant and Smith have done.) So, we're about halfway through Season One of the newer series (with Eccleston). He really DOES say "fantastic" a LOT.

In other news, Google announced that, come November next year (2013), they're retiring iGoogle ... which Michael and I have LOVED as our homepages (on our respective computers/accounts) since it launched.
So, I'm now setting up a protopage ... which is a lot LIKE iGoogle. So, I hope it'll be suitable. Still, it's sad.

As I was driving us back from Bubble's appointment yesterday, I was hit (SO hard!) by a wave of nostalgia. I'm in my thirties now. And I just wanted (SO badly!) to go back to being around Bruise and Bucket's age. Back when everything seemed so much simpler.
Back when my cousin S and I were always hanging together during the summer.
We'd play in the wading pool at Nana and Pop-pop's. Or get to "help" drive the riding lawnmower with Pop-pop. Nana would feed us fresh strawberries with cream and sugar on top. She'd give us a bath and then dry us off with a hair dryer and powder our skin with a puff. We'd play dress up with her old nightgowns and use her umbrellas as parasols (I wonder whatever happened to the one that we'd fight over? One was a plain black umbrella. The other was [so wonderful!] a dusky lavender umbrella with a white handle that ended as a swan's head. Like a more elegant version of Mary Poppins' umbrella).
I miss going to the Pinecone (restaurant) for ice cream with my dad. Or going to the 76 Station so he could talk to his friends working there and I'd get a soda out of the machine in the office.
I miss the smell of the town Drug Store (it STILL smells the same. Still. I can walk into that pharmacy and, for a second, I am a child again ... a lot of the stock has changed. But never the smell. What will I ever do when it gets torn down or turns into something else??).
I miss the smell of Javelin's health food store (it, too smells the same. Even though his daughter and I are all grown up, moved away, and have our own children).
I miss waking up to the sunlight slanting in my window and the smell of a summer's morning filling the air. I miss the possibilities -- I could read all day. I could go play in the creek. I could go to Nana's house. I could maybe go to S's house. Or play down the street with Heather or the Brinkerdinks (not their real last name ... but one of the Bishopric members later? He couldn't pronounce most people's names. And we always got a chuckle out of some of the mistakes. Strangely enough, he always got my name PERFECT). ... I could walk down to the elementary school and play on the playground ... I miss all of that.

And, there I was, driving home and missing everything SO. MUCH.
I was fighting back tears for a minute or so.

I wish I knew of a way to bottle up those scents. I'd bottle up the drug store. And the health food store. And Nana and Pop-pop's attic (since it was always SO SPECIAL to get to play up there. Even with the threat of rats).
... At least, with the carnation-scented oil I do have, I get to smell a bit of my childhood, a patch of carnations that grew in our yard. They always smelled AMAZING. These little pink flowers with dark magenta stripes ... all spicy and lovely-smelling. Carnations from the florist never smell nearly as nice. Which is such a disappointment. If you haven't smelled a carnation NOT from the florist's, you're so missing out.
You should change that. Post haste.

What a tangent ... but, well, isn't that why you read this blog?

Regardless, I am missing family that have left me behind shuffled off this mortal coil before I was ready to let them go.
I'm not able to remember their voices as much as I want to.(Oh, but when Grandpa C's brother talks? It's so close. And ... well, I forget how much I miss hearing Grandpa's voice. Even though it's only been a few years.) I do have a video I made (back when I was SO MUCH MORE ANNOYING. Seriously, it's a testament of love that I have ANY friends or family who put up with me back then) with Pop-pop talking a little in it. ... I don't have anything with Grandma Darlene's voice, though. ... And it's been almost 16 years since I saw her last.

Okay, I need to wrap this up. I should eat breakfast. And make sure that we have something ready for lunch. And Bubbles is waking up again (after either filling her diaper or just passing a ton of gas).
... And I have a cat on my lap. I shouldn't go anywhere. ... But I do have things that need doing. ... So I'll get them done after I have some time with my sweet, purring Freyja-cat.

Book meme

I stole this from my Cynthia. Just so you know.
And I'm sure I've done this before (at least on Facebook). But, well, it's been a while.

The Big Read reckons that the average adult has only read 6 of the top 100 books they've printed. Well let's see.

1) Look at the list and bold those you have read.
2) Italicize those you intend to read.
3) Underline the books you LOVE.
4) Put an asterick next to the books you'd rather shove hot pokers in your eyes than read
5) Reprint this list in your own LJ so we can try and track down these people who've read 6 and force books upon them ;-)
(Allanna edit: You DON'T have to do this unless you want to. I always hate it when forwards or whatever are like "Send this to five/seven/fifteen friends!!" Even the recipe ones. Yeah. I'm a jerk. I'll admit it.)

1. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2. The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4. Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
5. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6. The Bible
7. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte (Even though I've TRIED. And I read that first chapter over and over again and have NO. FREAKING. CLUE. what's going on.)
8. Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9. His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11. Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12. Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13. Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14. Complete Works of Shakespeare
15. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16. The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17. Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18. Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19. The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20. Middlemarch - George Eliot
21. Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22. The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23. Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25. The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28. Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29. Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30. The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32. David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33. Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34. Emma - Jane Austen
35. Persuasion - Jane Austen
36. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis (Does this really count? It's PART of the Chronicles of Narnia. Whoever made this list has lost some respect. *sigh*)
37. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini (Started it once. Didn't get very far. Need to try it again)
38. Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39. Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40. Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41. Animal Farm - George Orwell
42. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44. A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45. The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46. Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47. Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
49. Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50. Atonement - Ian McEwan
51. Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52. Dune - Frank Herbert (One of Michael's favorites. I NEED to read it. And Children of Dune, too.)
53. Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55. A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56. The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57. A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58. Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60. Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61. Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63. The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65. Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66. On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67. Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68. Bridget Jones's Diary - Helen Fielding
69. Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
70. Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72. Dracula - Bram Stoker
73. The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74. Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75. Ulysses - James Joyce
76. The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77. Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78. Germinal - Emile Zola
79. Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80. Possession - AS Byatt
81. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83. The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84. The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85. Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86. A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87. Charlotte's Web - EB White
88. The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90. The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92. The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93. The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94. Watership Down - Richard Adams
95. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96. A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas (Again, another of Michael's favorites.)
98. Hamlet - William Shakespeare 
99. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100. Les Miserables - Victor Hugo (I only got through maybe HALF of it. And that was about 20 years ago. *sigh*)

So, there are a lot of books that don't have any markings ... because I'm not that familiar with the titles. 

I didn't do the astericks, because -- even though there are some books on the list that I'd prefer not to reread (as opposed to the underlined ones that I HAVE reread. More than once, for most of them) -- I could possibly go through a change of heart and want to reread them ... give them a second chance, per se. When I have time. Which seems to be, oh, NEVER right now.

Besides, if I shoved hot pokers in my eyes, I wouldn't be able to read OTHER books ... more worthwhile ones. So, yeah.