Yesterday my sister in law took Tommy with her to see his Great Grandmother before I came home from work and that meant that I had about an hour to myself. Giddy, I thought about all the things I could do...like squeeze in a quick stop to thitwbar (the hole in the wall bar...remember that?!??), pick up a pack of smokes and listen to music.

Then I remembered that I was pregnant...no seriously, I turned into the bar's parking lot and it wasn't until I put my feet on the pavement that I remembered. I packed my ass back into the car and made a solo trek to the grocery store instead. Way less fun, but I guess a little more healthy for the two of us.

Coming home, I flung the groceries on the counter and quickly grabbed a book (honestly, it was any book...in this case, Mohawk by Richard Russo which I've read a thousand times and I just happen to always have it on my nightstand) and read a few pages until I heard the squeak of the front door and I realized that my mini-vacation had ended, just like that...and I didn't even get tan lines.

Imagine when there are two of them. I'll never get another hour vacation again.

John and I exchanged all of Christmas presents over the past two days. In fact, not six minutes after I wrapped the presents I handed them to John and urged him to open them with gleefully clapped hands and an impish grin.

And he gave me all of mine.

And I made out like a (geek) bandit. I got ALL the books that I asked for Christmas from Santa. I got three awesome CDs, a gorgeous sepia photograph and...
my
favorite
gift
EVA!!!
Seasons one and two of VERONICA MARS!!!! How excited am I? As excited as anyone could ever possibly be. John could attempt to hand me $3,000,000 and I would brush him aside and scold him for standing in front of my home girl Kristen Bell.

My mom yelled at us over dinner last night (with a smile) for opening our gifts early and she and I took a little trip out so that John has more gifts to open on Christmas...shh...don't tell...she bought him lotsa stuff (I think she's gunning for Mother in law of the year or something!?!).

And now for something awesome?? I received something like eight books and I have ten days off from work, it's a blissful, blissful life I lead!

Here are some of the books that I have read within the past couple of months that are noteworthy...see I do more than just critique dates, I also read folks--imagine that?!?

Can't remember the title right now but I'll repost it...when my brain comes back to me...- very quirky, kind of coming of age novel...with a twist. Odd though the author was killed in a tragic plane crash, the afterward was written by Michael Chabon who wrote Wonder Boys, which I found completely interesting because as I finished _________ had just started Wonder Boys.

Wonder Boys- If you liked the movie, you'd love the book even more!

Dry- Great book by Augusten Burroughs. It's a really funny book about rehab...you don't think that's possible but it is. He also wrote Running with Scissors, which is quirky, odd,sad and fantastic all rolled up into ones. Both books are memoirs so they are fairly interesting.

An Unfinished Life- as with all things written by Mark Spragg, it was poetic and nearly epic. This book is nowhere near as good as The Fruit of the Stone, but I'd still recommend it. Stay close by fellow book lovers; over the holidays, I'll be sure to read plenty more.