Top Ten Tuesday: Auto Buy Authors

My friend Jenni participates in this prompt and I thought it'd be fun to see what I came up with.

I've read enough from these authors that I wouldn't hesitate buying their next book, whatever it may be. (I'm also listing, for information sake, my favorite book by that author, though there are a handful that I love.)

1. Sarah Dessen (The Truth About Forever)
2. Morgan Matson (Amy & Rogers Epic Detour)
3. Jennifer Crusie (Agnes and the Hitman)
4. Sarah M. Eden (Drops of Gold)
5. Stephanie Perkins (Anna and the French Kiss)
6. Richard and Linda Eyre (The Entitlement Trap)
7. John Gottman (The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work)
8. Markus Zusak (I Am The Messenger)
9. Ally Condie (Being Sixteen)
10. Sydney Salter (Swoon At Your Own Risk) , Sara Zarr (Story of a Girl), Sheralyn Pratt (Rhea Jensen series), Kristyn Crow (Bedtime at the Swamp)

Is there an author (or a few) that you'd auto buy?!

Top Ten Tuesday prompt is from The Broke and the Bookish

30 Before 30 Bucket List (More than half way there...)

When I saw there killer prize offer over at Todays Mama I figured it'd be a good time to recap and check in on my goals.

I'm a little over 1/2 way through my 29th year on this planet and that means my 30 before 30 bucket list is on the downhill slide. Apparently I really need to kick it into gear.

1. Travel
2. Take a girls trip.
3. Take a cooking class.

trying to find one that fits my style
4. Finish writing my novel (I won NaNoWriMo last year but didnt finish the story).

currently in the process!
5. Sew 3 projects.

haven't even started. yikes
6. Pay off auto loan.

One more month!
7. Update family blog. (new posts at least twice a month & catch up from last Nov!)

oh boy, again haven't started, better kick it up

8. Video tape the family/kids more often. (My goal is at least 2 a month.)

maybe I should tell my husband and kids this one so they can all remind me.
9. Compile family videos into dvd home movie (at least one per kid for now).

big Nov/Dec project
10. Learn how to play the guitar that I've owned for three years now.

Got some info, now just need to sit and do it. Several times.
11. Read at least 30 books.
12. Write a letter every month to someone whom I admire.

I'm still going to count this if I do at least 12 before April. I've been bad
13. Make a quilt.

gathering info. I WILL have to recruit help on this one.
14. Redecorate Master Bedroom

I was hoping we'd be in a new place so this would be more probable. Not looking like it so this will be an after Christmas project.
15. Write in my journal (at least twice a month).
16. Read a Jane Austen novel.

Hoping to do in Dec after nanowrimo.
17. Begin learning Spanish.

Got the tools now need to do it. Hubby and kids want to do it too!
18. Travel somewhere in Utah I’ve never been to before. (Hopefully Zions, Lake Powell, Bear Lake)
19. Make and complete two months of exercise regime.
20. Plan and implement fun summer activities for the kids/family.
21. Get an updated family photo taken.
22. Organize (& dejunk) two rooms in my house. (Or 1 room and my master closet.)

I totally did this once but it's now been sixth months and I want to do it AGAIN so I'm not crossing it off just yet. :)
23. Plan a fun friend bbq party.
24. Practice my ASL skills with my children.

A little. Again I'd like to do more so I'm not crossing it off just yet.
25. Plan a fun trip for our 10 year wedding anniversary in January.

Ideas are in the works. Nothing booked yet.
26. Try at least 12 new recipes (attempt at least 1 new recipe a month).

More than halfway there! Found some good ones, others not good at all and a few others I need to tweek and try again.
27. Hand write a heartfelt thank you note once a month.

I've been doing this one.
28. Update the family's 72 hour kits & practice again emergency plans.

Maybe I'll plan to do this in February.
29. Print some of my photography and hang them in the house.

Waiting to get my photoshop fixed so I can enhance the photos I want to use. Hoping to have this done before Christmas as a present to myself :)
30. Celebrate turning 30 in style!

Probably gonna need some help on this one too.

This is my entry in the Just Ask Bucket List Getaway Giveaway. Just Ask offers a breast and ovarian cancer screening and is encouraging people to share 15 things that I want to enjoy in my lifetime as a reminder to be aware of my health. Want to enter? Head over to TodaysMama.com to get the details.

Holiday Wish List Meme

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme


TodaysMama and GameStop are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.


1. What is your holiday wish for your family?
For hubby to get a good job next year (when he's done with school)

2. What is your Christmas morning tradition?
Gather on the stairs, run down to see the loot, open presents, eat breakfast, open stockings (if of course we were able to wait, otherwise this sometimes goes before breakfast).

3. If you could ask Santa for one, completely decadent wish for yourself, what would it be?
A smartphone. I still don't have one :(

4. How do you make the holidays special without spending any money?
All the traditions. We love to drive around several times during the season to look at the Christmas lights (one year we were helping my daughter to count so we tried to get to 100-it took us a few nights because not many people had their lights up yet).

5. What games did you play with your family growing up?
All sorts of board games and card games. Pictionary was always my favorite.

6. What holiday tradition have you carried on from your own childhood?
Opening one gift Christmas Even and the breakfast menu (orange julius and cinnamon rolls)

7. Where would you go for a Christmas-away-from-home trip?
New York, New England or Florida

8. Check out GameStop and tell us, what are the three top items on your GameStop Wish List this year?
I'm going to go with three Kinect games Dance Central, Biggest Loser Workout and Zumba Fitness

Fridays Fab Five Cranberry Style

I'm playing with this meme, Fridays Fab Five from Frogarita's Bookcase.

The only rule is you can't use the same answer twice!

1. What is your favorite season?

Spring

2. What is your favorite activity in that season?

Dancing in the rain

3. Which season do you hate?

Winter

4. Why?

I don really hate the entire season, I just dislike that it means everyone hibernates and hardly comes out of their house (becuase it's so darn cold to be outside). All the other seasons my neighbors and I sit outside and visit while our kids play.

5. What is the first thing that comes to mind when I say Autumn?

Halloween!