Reading Rocks~ 4 Books!

If you would've asked me 3 years ago to list my favorite 4 books, I couldn't tell you. I've recently become addicted to reading and I'm currently in search of the next one to read. Also, I've caved and jumped on the E-reader bandwagon and I love my Nook :) I've read about 7 books this year, doesn't sound like much, but that's a lot for me! So I'm gonna share my all-time favorites.

The Help- Amazing Storyline and being able to watch it come to life made the story even better! There were a couple of laugh out loud moments and some tear jerkers, too. Definitely a must read.

Something Borrowed & Something Blue- Although they count as 2 books, I'm putting them together as 1, they go hand in hand. This is also another book turned movie. I couldn't put either one of these books down, I finished them both in record timing for myself. If you like love stories with comedy, then these books are for you! Plus, if you're like me..you're opinions of the girls will change...especially when you read Something Blue. Don't forget!

Twilight Saga- Um, once again...had to combine them and make it 1 choice of course :) Who doesn't love Twilight. I originally thought it was a lame story after hearing about the movies...but after watching the first one I decided to read the books. I couldn't put these books down either!! Who doesn't love a good sci-fi love story. I know it's lame to say, I can't wait for the last installment of the movies come out. By the Way, I'm Team Switzerland... (if you've read the book then you know what I mean)

Water for Elephants- This was such a heart wrenching story and I loved every page of it. Water for Elephants had you on your toes throughout the whole book. Ok Ok, another book turned movie, I know. The ending was the best of this book, definitely made you cry happy tears.

Tomorrow: 3 Films

TGIF- 5QF

It's finally Friday!!! Woo Hoo It's also finally fall-like. The weather is amazing here. And while I'm trapped inside working until 6, why not join in with Mama M for 5 Question Friday :)

1. If you had a weekly newspaper column, what would you name it?
hhmmm, I wouldn't even know what I'd be writing about. So, honestly, I don't have an answer to that...unfortunately.

2. Who is your mentor/inspiration?
My mother. She's the reason I am the person I am today, flaws and all. She's also a very strong and motivated individual and I love her very much. She is my inspiration :)

3. What is your wake up beverage of choice?
My usual go to is milk, but if I had my choice it would be a large mocha frappe from McD's of course!!

4. Would you wear your mom's clothes?
Although she is my ispiration, she lacks a little fun in the style department. Sorry, Ma :( I won't lie though, we have gone shopping and I've pushed her towards more stylish options. Plus, the places where she shops are getting better with their clothes and I used to shop there...so I guess you could say Maybe, HAHAHAHAHA

5. When you were a kid, did you put posters on your wall? If so, what were they of?
Um, what girl didn't in the 90's, it was the cook thing to do!! Let's see, where do I begin....New Kids on the Block, Johnathan Taylor Thomas (Home Improvement days), N*Sync, Backstreet Boys..I'm sure there's more, but that's all I can remember :)
And boy has my taste changed, if it were cool now...Patrick Dempsey and Ryan Gosling would grace my walls!! Maybe throw in Ryan Reynolds and Johnathan Rhys Meyers

Yummy Foods, Just 5?!?

Nutella :) I love this hazelnut yummy greatness! I mostly eat in on my strawberries because I have yet to venture out. Anyone know of other foods I could mix with Nutella?

Cookie Cake :) If you know me, then you know I haven't gone a year without having a cookie cake for my birthday. They closed for a couple months here and I traveled 2 hours WITH A GROUPON to get my cookie cake for my birthday!! It's also an addiction...

Salads :) I've recently become obsessed with eating salads. The best part, super healthy (unlike the last 2) I could go for a salad now...California Dreaming's or Ruby Tuesdays' salads are calling my name


Subway :) I love anything and everything from Subway, so we'll just leave it at that. It may count as more than 5 here because of the numerous options. Let's not forget their cookies!

Hamburger and Beans :) My mom has this recipe down; maple syrup, little bit of ketchup, little bit of mustard, mix it in with the beans and cooked hamburger and you've got the lunch and dinner of Champions. I know it sounds weird, but it's delish!

Tomorrow: 5 Books

Traveling We will Go..My 6 places

Bora Bora! Look at that clear blue, pristine water...and who wouldn't want to vacation in a hut over that?! This is my dream vacation....

GREECE! The architecture and the ruins call my name :) I've always been intrigued with Greek mythology, this would be a fun trip

AFRICA! I would love to go on an African safari. Also, I've read blogs of the people who have gone on Compassion trips to Africa...so I'd love to go there and help where needed, too.

CHINA! I would love to go witness the hustle and bustle of where ever in China....and I'd love to see the Great Wall of China :)

IRELAND! A little luck of the Irish, why not!? The land seems to be a little greener over there too.

DISNEY WORLD! I can't wait to take K...this is more of a realistic place to go and I'm super excited :)

The 7 Wants

Needs are usually quantifiable and realistic e.g. I need a college degree. Wants however are limitless and sometimes far-fetched e.g. I want Patrick Dempsey and a cabin over water in Bora Bora...lol

1. Let's start off by saying, I want "World Peace" Who doesn't want that right?! Plus, the Miss Universe was on last night..I watched until USA wasn't in the comp anymore, so I'm not sure who won. Also, they make me wanna gag...such skinny people. It's depressing how perfect they ALMOST are


2. To keep up with the whole Miss "bla", I'm gonna say I want to be a size 6ish with pearly white teeth and long straight blonde hair!


3. Ok, back to the more realistic things....I want to go back to school and get a degree in something. Leaning towards something Medical or maybe something with the Law!!


4. I'm dying to take K to Disney World, I'm wanting to take him somewhere between October and February. That's way high up on my WANT list :)


5. I want to take photography classes and get snazzy accessories for my fancy DSLR camera, and even get one of those non-traditional camera bags


6. I want to travel the world with my little sidekick and show him that there's more out there in the world than what the US has to offer...such diverse cultures, there's so much for him to learn and discover. 6 places is tomorrow, where shall we travel?!


7. Tying in with my little sidekick world traveler, I have a huge want list for K. But I'll just leave it as...I want K to grow up and be healthy, happy and loving. I want him to find love and treat his soul mate like a princess and to be loved in return. My wants could go on and on for him, but we'll just leave it at that!

Tomorrow: 6 Places

My 8 Fears

1. Failure- whether it be motherhood, friendships, or career wise...this is a major fear


2. Death- Especially unexpected deaths and those thoughts of something awful happening to my baby boy


3. December 2012- I'm not gonna lie...there's so much hype about different scenarios. It's kinda freaking me out not knowing


4. Starting over-I have a fear of learning to love and trust again. After going through a divorce and losing the one you thought was your soul mate, it sucks. I guess I can look forward to second chances though.....


5. Social Gatherings- if I'm invited somewhere where I know little to no one, I tend to uninvite myself or make up a reason not to go


6. Public Speaking- This ties in to the social thing. I'm not a big fan of having to speak in front of a large crowd or having all eyes/ears on me. There goes my shot at presidency LOL


7. Affection- I'm all up for hugging and kissing, but as far as the "deed" goes I have a fear I'm not going to be good enough. This ties in to the starting over..."the one" was my only one...where do I go from there


8. Disappointing people- I always fear, daily, that I'm letting someone somewhere down. It's a constant struggle. I have a heavy heart and if I feel like I've let you down, I break down emotionally!
   

Tomorrow: Seven Wants :)

My 9 Loves

1. My Family, especially the bond between my son and I...nothing can break that


2. My Friends, the few good ones that I have. They're great go-to's for advice and gossip


3. Frappes, because as said before in my secrets..I'm addicted ;)


4. Blogger....where else would I be able to catch up on the lives of my favorite blogs and meet new people in the area. Plus, it'll be a great memory to look back on later


5. My job. Although it has it's ups and downs, it is a very rewarding job. I love being a part of a child's life, helping them learn and grow...it's a great feeling


6. The South, particularly my hometown! I love being a Charlestonian...the history, the fun. I love to travel to other "Southern States" too. Y'all come now!


7. Photography...I take my camera everywhere. I don't want to miss out on that one moment...if that SLR isn't handy, there's always the phone on my droid :)


8. The season of fall premieres!! LOL It's what makes those 3 months of questioning Why, what, who, how, all worth is...Oh the suspense!


9. Our country! With it being 9/11 and all. It's great to be a part of a country where you all come together in a time of need and reflect upon the lives lost and saved during this tragedy. God Bless the USA
   

Tomorrow: 8 Fears :(

10 Day Challenge

I noticed a couple of blogs have done a "day challenge" type thing, so I decided to jump on the blog wagon. Let's see if I can get through the challenge consecutively :)

Today's challenge is Ten Secrets....

1. My name is Heather, and I'm addicted to Mocha Frappes. It's not much of a secret to many now though.


2. It kills me that I don't have a better relationship with my father, and now that he's cancer stricken...I'm worried that if I make an attempt now, it's more out of pity, than love :(


3. I have a real strong desire to do 2 things super adventurous... go skydiving and swim with sharks. Swimming with dolphins would be fun, too...but it's not so scary!


4. I don't feel like I'm living up to my full potential right now, and while that saddens me, I think it's ok to take a break sometimes!


5. I am in no way a cook, but I'm pretty sure if you give me a recipe and all the ingredients I could make a masterpiece!!


6. I hate talking on the phone, and if specific people call I usually ignore. I can text and email all day :)


7. I'm addicted to Facebook, and if I didn't have it on my phone I don't know how I'd make it through my work day. Where else can you stalk people you used to hate/envy in middle/high school HAHA


8. I secretly want to go on some reality tv show. I think I'd do great on Big Brother, get skinny on Survivor, and advance on American Idol....if only I got over my extreme shyness when it comes to singing, etc


9. I have an inner child in me that craves chocolates and sweets for breakfast. I'm such a bad mom when it comes to that, too...I will totally let my child have cookies for breakfast, because if I can do it, why can't he :)


10. I can be a very jealous and emotional person and sometimes the two of them go hand in hand, unfortunately

Up next: 9 loves....

5 Questions on a Friday!

Wow, it's been forever since I've done a 5QF with Mama M :)

1. What ringtone do you have on your cell phone?
It's one of those generic tones that they give you on your androids. Mine is a rockin' guitar solo! However, I've downloaded a ton of songs to transform into tones..I've just been too lazy to convert.
2. What is your favorite memory from this summer?
LAS VEGAS Baby!! Between seeing Carrot Top, Criss Angel, Celine Dion and the Thunder from Down Under...how could it not be my favorite memory. And I can't forget the fact that it was a mother-daughter trip...great memories there <3
3. Paper books or ebooks?
I just purchased a Nook about a month ago, and I'm pretty sure I won't go back to paper books. My bookcase was getting a little stuffed anyways. Now I just have to make another book purchase..a Nook with one book is kinda lame :)
4. If you could have one home upgrade what would it be and why?
That it would magically look like all those designer houses, decor matching linens...expensive drapes and furniture, painted walls....a girl can dream
5. When was your first serious boyfriend/girlfriend?
Aaahhhh ;) Middle school, His name was Charles and we dated 6th-10th grade. I moved to another city only 45 minutes away and we broke up due to "long distance" How lame... I'll always remember my first bf!

Make sure you head over to My Little Life and link up today...It's Friday, WOOHOO!!

After a Year off...

I'm Back :)

It's been a crazy year, I must say. I posted a blog entry back in September '10 about Losing it, and now I'm here to say I'm Gaining it! haha A lot of things have changed since I last was here at the Harbor.
It's been a year of ups and downs and sometimes on the roller coaster I've cried and at other times I've held my hands up high and screamed for joy!

The highs of this past year...

• Mother Daughter trip to Las Vegas, baby :) That was back in June and we had a blast. I'll definitely have to post a day to day for that. I can't wait to go back!


• My baby turned 4 and he just started his second year of preschool, 4k this year! And the best part, he actually wants to go. WOOHOO I even gave him his very first cool party with his friends from school


• I've been a preschool teacher at my current job for a year!! I love my boss and I enjoy working with most of the people at The Nook


• I'm 60 days, give or take, away from entering bachelorette-hood. I've officially been separated for 365+ days and I'm ready to move on with my life and start fresh with my little man!


• I attended my first Drag Queen Show with my favorite Gay Uncles and had a blast with them :)


• I paid to have a professional photographer capture some special moments between my kiddo and I, and so far loving the previews...the rest of the pictures aren't available. It had been since Easter '09 since K had his pictures taken and we were long over due for family shots


• I had my first real casino/gambling experience..even before Vegas at Harrah's in Cherokee....twice this summer. Came out $200 ahead :) I'm totally addicted to the slot we played...not addicted to gambling though!

There were only a few negatives in the year...so I can't complain. Of course, realizing that you're getting a divorce is a bit of a debbie downer, so that's a big fat negative turned positive though. I also lost my grandmother (step dad's mom) in September '10...they say when it rains, it pours, and that was a definite rough week. And just recently, I received more bad news. My dad was diagnosed with Cancer, stage 4 lung. It has metastasized to 7 other places, so please keep him in your thoughts and prayers :) Thanks

So there ya have it. I'm back and ready to roll. I've missed out on documenting the happenings and having those memories there for me... It was nice to take that year off and figure out some things, find myself and become a better person.