Nick just finished reading the
Steve Jobs biography + he stated that it was pretty interesting. Ever since he received his nook for
his birthday, back in October, he's been reading on the bus to + from work. Oh yeah - you didn't know Nick rode the bus from Ankeny to downtown DSM? He loves it - gives him time to read, listen to podcasts, + maybe even sleep a bit before + after work. It may not always work out for us, but right now it definitely works in the schedule. For example: when I got the
flat tire - he wasn't able to hop into a car + come help . . . it was easier to call a friend that lived closer, since Nick would've had to wait for the next bus, then get to his car + then drive out to me. Good thing flat tires don't happen ALL the time though!
I am currently listening to/reading two different books. When I tell you what two books, you'll probably laugh because I'm way behind the times here! I've been pretty terrible about reading lately + wish I did it more - it honestly puts me to sleep or I always think I should be watching t.v. or browsing through
Pinterest. Lame excuses, I know. I'm on a site called
goodreads + "follow" some of my friends to keep up with what they are currently reading or what they want to read next. I want to read
all the books they've read + keep up with what's coming out, but I just can't. However - at least I can mark books as ones to read + use this site as a reminder.
Anyways . . . back to what I'm currently listening to + reading. Last weekend when I drove back to Omaha alone to see
The Nutcracker with some family, I decided to listen to the first book of the
Hunger Games series - my mom had given me all 3 books on disc to listen to (she's HUGE into reading a book + listening to one in the car). I have to admit something: I didn't read a summary of what this series was supposed to be about, all I knew is that everyone told me they were so great, a fast read + addicting like the
Twilight series + I'd really like them - so all along I thought they were going to be about vampires - obviously if you've read the books, you know I'm wrong! After 30 minutes of listening to the book, I had to stop it + read the back of the case. I was then a little skeptical, but now I'm hooked! I'm currently on disc 6 of 9 of the first book + it's been a week - I can only listen to it on my way back + forth to work, really. It's so good - wish I was actually reading it so I could pick it up at night. I'm very interested to see how they bring all of this book to the big screen in March of 2012. Also - I've been talking about this book SO much lately - I think Nick is going to start reading this series on his nook next. Can't wait to see what he thinks since he's usually not into fiction type books.
Ok . . . . so the book I'm reading - which when I say reading, I mean like a chapter in after a few weeks. I told you - I just don't pick up the nook right now - t.v. is totally trumping my reading. It's sad. I'm currently reading
The Girl Who Played with Fire. This is the second book in the Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson. I finished the first book of the series,
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo a few weeks ago - just in time for the movie!! I've been a big fan of reading the book before seeing it on the big screen + it seems a lot of books are coming out on movies lately.
So what are you reading currently? Maybe I'll put it on my "to-read" list!
Nick + I started off Christmas by opening up our gifts to each other + to our dog, Mitsy, on Thursday evening. We did small gifts this year: Nick's favorite gift were some magnets I had made from some Instagram pictures on my iPhone. My favorite gift was the baby mamma book that Nick created for me! It's full of coupons for foot massages, breakfast in bed, yogurt/ice cream run, a dinner out, + some others! Mitsy's favorite gift was probably the fancy treats - yogurt bones!
Friday, Cari came over early to start baking holiday treats! She made a ton: sugar cookies, gingerbread men, red velvet whoopie pies, snowball cookies, peanut butter cup cookies, + cupcakes. She also made homemade apple pie on Sunday for the Martens Family Christmas! Cari is quite the little baker - I basically measured a lot of the ingredients out for her + washed the dirty dishes. We probably hung out in the kitchen for at least 6 hours on Friday! Nick's mom, Jane, also came over on Friday afternoon to stay the night + help us prepare for the Hitsman Family Christmas on Saturday.
On Saturday morning, Nick + Jane began preparing the turkey + some other sides for the Christmas lunch we had planned with his family - it was our first time hosting a holiday celebration dinner. The lunch was great + then we had to start cleaning up so we could get to the presents! Zella, our niece, was fun to watch - she got some super cute UGG boots + pink sparkle TOMS + lots of new American Girl clothes + accessories for her doll, Allison. Nick + I really enjoyed getting the Sticks gift certificate from Lisa Brett + Zella. After the Christmas lunch + celebration with the Hitsmans was over, Nick, Jane, my mom, sister + I all went to see a movie: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It followed the book closely, but it's one I won't watch again. The book is better than the movie, as usual. 
On Sunday, Christmas Morning, Nick + I woke up to my sister baking some monkey bread - super yummy! After breakfast + getting ready, we all started to prepare the ham + sides for the Martens Family Christmas. Nick, Mom + Cari did pretty much all the work - I was basically the designated dish washer all weekend! We had a pretty tasty lunch, cleaned up real quick + opened gifts. My favorite gift was my new camera - the Nikon d3100 + all the baby gifts. Nick said he liked all his gifts equally, what a nice guy! I'm a tad obsessed with my new camera: Nick apologized to Mitsy last night because I was seriously acting like the paparazzi with her - she'll definitely be my test subject for the next 6 months! I told her she was just getting to know the gal I was in college: would go out one night, take 100 pictures, upload them all to Facebook the next day! 
