Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone.
G.B. Stern

Sunday gratitude:

• Newborn baby noses. So little and sweet!
• Yankee Candle Clean Cotton tarts for this warmer weather.
  
• Waiters in kilts at The Scottish Arms.
• Temps in the 70s for next week - woot!
  
• The Office. Gosh, I love that show.

Books are delightful society. If you go into a room and find it full of books - even without taking them from the shelves they seem to speak to you, to bid you welcome.
William Ewart Gladstone

Yesterday I posted about my running list of books that I need to buy because I had to return them to the library. Two friends suggested a site called Good Reads which I had to check out! I did sign up and I'm just getting started but it is such a neat concept. I'm looking forward to having a better way of keeping track of what I've read and get good recommendations on what to read next.

I generally read just fiction but I'm also incorporating more and more non-fiction. Although I do enjoy learning new things on various topics I tend to not "get into" non-fiction as I do with a great novel. So I've started reading two books at a time, one non-fiction and one fiction. The switching back and forth creates a nice balance.

Right now, I'm reading:

My current non-fiction selection. I love Bethenny Frankel on TV and really enjoy her perspective on "eating & thinking like a thin person."

Sue Miller is one of my favorite authors who I discovered after reading The Senator's Wife. I'm now working my way through all of her books.

My test of a good novel is dreading to begin the last chapter.
Thomas Helm

It's no mystery that I love to read.

Unfortunately, my budget does not allow for multiple new book purchases a month so I've been using my local (and wonderful!) library. Because I love reading and books so much I have a very hard time handing them back over when I'm finished. If I buy a book, I keep it forever but, much to my dismay, the library wants theirs back!

So I have been dutifully handing them back over and selecting a new title but not before making note in a running Word doc I have of all of the books the library made me give back. Then one day, hopefully not too long from now, when I have extra book-buying income I will purchase them all to add to my shelves!

Crazy?

Perhaps.

But, really, what better decor can a home have than floor to ceiling shelves filled with wonderful books?

Are you reading anything good?

A new baby is like the beginning of all things-wonder,
hope, a dream of possibilities.
Eda J. Le Shan

A big congrats to Angie and her husband on their newest addition and first child, Nick!

(Great name, isn't it?! I love a good Nick.)


Photo by hollajane photography

Everybody pulls for David, nobody roots for Goliath.

Wilt Chamberlain

On Saturday, the University of Northern Iowa gained an underdog win against top seeded Kansas University in the NCAA basketball tournament. This was a huge win, not only because they totally weren't expected to win but also because UNI is the college team in Nick's hometown. His brother and our sister-in-law and many, many of his childhood friends are all UNI alums. Nick's brother and his wife were actually married on the campus.

The best part is that the Midwest Regional games are here in St. Louis and now, at least one team in those games will be UNI. Nick's phone was ringing off the hook last night with all the Iowa friends and family that are on their way to our city! His parents, brother plus wife and lots of friends will be here for Friday's game. Can't wait.

Go Panthers!

Winners! Aren't they cute all excited!?

Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone.
G.B. Stern

Sunday gratitude:

• being professionally appreciated for my hard work.
  
• the my V-Dub has still been starting and running like a dream.
  
• two St. Louis babies are almost here!
  
• the Thursday night guilty delight of The Real Housewives of New York City.
• weekend breakfast of scrambled eggs with cheese and potatoes.
  

There are only two kinds of people in the world:

the Irish and those who wish they were.

Irish Saying

My heritage is French and Irish so I always appreciated St. Patrick's Day! With a red-headed husband we at least look really Irish (he's German). So we are wearing green today, of course, and hope to maybe convince Nick to stop by one of the many St. Patrick's Day celebrations going on here in (very Catholic) St. Louis.

May the luck of the Irish be with you on this fine St. Patrick's Day!

A census taker once tried to test me, I ate his liver
with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.
Hannibal Lecter

Here's my little don't forget to do fulfill your civic duty message: fill out your Census form! Ours arrived in yesterday's mail and it took me less than three minutes to fill it out.

Of course I knew it would be arriving shortly after getting the "it will be arriving" letter from the US Census Bureau I received last week. Don't even get me started on that. But either way I think it is an important thing to do, just like jury duty! Sending it back also eliminates the knock on my door at an unexpected hour from a census taker.

So for three minutes every ten years I can take a moment to fill out my census form. And not just because the Constitution tells me to do it!

Grown don't mean nothing to a mother. A child is a child. They get bigger, older, but grown? What's that suppose to mean? In my heart it don't mean a thing.
Toni Morrison, Beloved

My mom flew in on Thursday and is headed out today - we had a great weekend of our usual activities of lunch, movie, shopping, repeat. Our days included:

• seeing The Blind Side (finally!)
• Meredith Monk and the Saint Louis Symphony
• saying hi to Angie at work and getting a quote to fix my engagement ring setting
• lunch at The Women's Exchange
• highly productive shopping
• dinner at Pi
  
• church and brunch on Sunday morning
• big spaghetti dinner at home and watching The Pacific

I'll certainly miss having her here but will be in Florida in a month for Casey's baby shower!

On our way to the symphony

With Nick at Pi

Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone.
G.B. Stern

Sunday gratitude:

• Having my mom here all weekend to play.
  
• Happy Pi Day!
• A totally fixed Jetta for just $400 - hooray for honest mechanics.
• New bra - properly fitted and everything. Glorious.
• salad from The Women's Exchange.