How do we know what we know?

There is a friendly debate in the education world regarding how we know what we know. Do we already know everything and teachers just pull everything out of us (see Latin background to the word educate, specifically duco)? Or do we not know anything and the teacher tells or "feeds" us the information?

Well it appears Simon has some thoughts on this subject:

We kept asking him if it tasted good...we are still waiting on an answer :)

Baby's First Books!!!

One of my very good friends, Nicole, could not make it to my baby shower so she sent her gift early! I of course could not wait until the baby shower and opened it early :)

Thank you so much Nicole! We love it and I can't wait to read them to Thor and then have Thor read them to us!

Mennonite in a Little Black Dress: A Memoir of Going Home~ Rhoda Janzen

This was June's book. My mom very generously sent this book to me.

I have always been fascinated with the Amish and the Mennonites. I went to college in Pennsylvania surrounded by Amish/Mennonite farms which was a lot of fun for me. My best girl friend in college literally grew up surrounded by them and she always brought back the best food and stories.

Because of this, I thought I would really enjoy this book. The book was okay. I definitely could have stopped reading it half way through (or any way through) and not thought about picking it back up. I did learn a few things. One being that the Mennonites came first and the Amish broke off from the Mennonites. I always thought the Amish came first and it was the Mennonites that "rebelled".


This book is Rhoda Janzen's memoir about her life and how it has changed since she left the Mennonite church. At the beginning of the book it talks about how she moved back home after her husband left her for another man. Once being at home she started to remember and appreciate her life. Apparently she got the idea for the book because her friends kept asking questions and once hearing the answers, suggested that she (Rhoda) make her email correspondences into the book. I think she could have, while remaining true to the stories and events, made it a lot funnier and cuter. Based on this book I would have been bored and uninterested in her emails if she had been emailing me.

Anyway, because of this book two good things happened: I got inspired to look up Amish/Mennonite books on Amazon.com and I succeeded in my New Years Eve Resolution for another month.

Nora Roberts' Heart of the Sea (Irish Trilogy book 3).

This was the book I finished for May and is the last book in the Irish Trilogy. I even finished it early! I love it when there are five Sundays in a month.

I liked it and enjoyed it but I am getting tired of the same thing happening over and over again. I think that is one of the down sides of Nora Robert's Trilogies or Quartets. The first book is great and then the subsequent books are the same thing just with different characters you met in the first book.

This one was even more irritating. Two people meet, fall in love but don't want/realize it. They spend the whole book dancing around each other once they both realize they do love each other. The man proposes and fumbles his words while  the woman OVER reacts, twists his words and tries to push him away. The man fights back and voila they get married and live ever after.

I just don't think I can read her trilogies or quartets anymore...or at least not the subsequent books.

"The Kalahari Typing School for Men" ~Alexander McCall Smith

April's book was "The Kalahari Typing School for Men" by Alexander McCall Smith.
This is the 4th book in the "The No. 1. Ladies' Detective Agency"  series.

I like these books because they are quick and easy to read. They have an interesting story line and I do have a fondness for all the characters. The way they analyse life and the changing of generations is relatable for every culture and true, in many aspects, in every culture not just an African culture.

I am getting a bit bored by the story line. It would make a great TV series and I am sure HBO is enjoying it. This series would not be hard to make into a television series unlike other books they have attempted. The two main characters just do the same thing all the time. The situations might fluctuate a little and new characters are introduced but it is still just the same. I did read a Nora Roberts book in between to maybe get rid of the repitition but I don't think it helps. The positive side affect of this is I can read half a book early in the month, not touch it until the end and pick up right where I left off with no issues.

I will probably read a couple more of these. There are 12 so far in the series and I think he is writing more. I do not know if it is good enough to read all 12 + though it would make my new years goal very easy but I will continue reading until I fully decide if I want to continue or not.

May will be a Nora Roberts book. I had bought myself the Irish trilogy which I read one book of so far and several of my monthlies have actually given me Nora Roberts books after seeing me read some of her books so I am all set for that. :)

Morality for Beautiful Girls: The No.1. Ladies' Detective Agency~McCall-Smith

This is the book I read in March. I finished it just in time! I actually thought I wouldn't get to finish my goal this month.

I enjoyed this book very much. This series seems to be a very easy read. I never have any issues and end up reading more pages then I thought I could/would in any period of time.

So far reading on Sunday's before I go to Caroline's is working out to be the best system. Hopefully it stays that way.

In this book Mma. Ramotswe ends up renting out her office and moving it into the garage her fiance, Mr. J.L.B Matekoni, owns. Her secretary, Mma Makutsi becomes an Assistant Detective and Acting Manager over the garage and both business are benefitting from it and it is interesting to see how the characters mesh. Each detective takes on her own cases and for the most part the fiance is in the background of this story.

I still enjoy this series. I believe I have one more left in this series before I have to buy more. I don't know if I will finish the whole series. So far it has been repetitive and I think I could get bored of basically the same story line. I am going to space out the books the best I can to help avoid boredom.

Nora Roberts Tears of the Moon (Irish Trilogy Book 2)

I started this book in February and have just finished it. I am not counting this as my March book as I did read most of it in February.

This is the second book in the Irish Trilogy and I enjoyed it very much. This book describes Mary O'Toole and Shawn Gallaghers relationship, gives more background on the faeries, updates on Aidan and Jude from the first book and gives hints about the third as well. This series is making me miss Ireland very very much.

Nora Roberts definitely has a formula. I can predict what will happen in the third book. I don't know exactly but I know two people will realize they are in love with each other, both will deny, both will get into a fight trying to express their feelings that almost breaks them up and at the end of the book they end up together. So far, that has been the pattern in all of her books that I have read. This doesn't mean I didn't like the book, but that maybe I need to read a different author before the third book in this series.

I think my March book will be the next one in the No 1 Detective Agency series I have also fallen in love with.

It did take me awhile to read this book because A) work picked up (yay) and B) I am so obsessed with my knitting that I don't want to read when I get home. I think my new plan of attack is to read on Sunday afternoons after work but before I go to my friends house. I have been hanging out at work on Sunday afternoons because it always seems (especially now with the price of gas) a waste to go all the way home and then all the way back to my friends house. So I just hang out at work and knit until it is time to go to my friends. I have decided that Sundays will be my off day for knitting so I will now read before my playdate. That way I can continue to do both. I am doing well with my New Year resolutions so far...at least with the ones I can control ;)

Nora Robert's Jewels of the Sun (Book 1 in the Irish Trilogy)

I just finished February's book. It took me a bit longer to read this one, not because it was not a good book but because I have had less time to read.

This is another Nora Robert's book and I loved it. It is about a woman, Jude, who lived/works/grew up in Chicago and moves to Ireland. Jude's first marriage failed and she went to Ireland to find herself with the idea of staying six months. The book then describes how she and a pub owner, Aidan Gallagher, become friends and their blossoming relationship. Through this relationship you become to know Jude, Aidan and the other characters very well. Another thing you get to read about are some of the myths and fables of the faeries which are always fun to read!

I can't tell you my guess on the next book in the trilogy because it will give the ending of this book away and that would not be fun :). I am sorry my descriptions are very generic. I am trying to write enough that you want to read it but not enough to give the story away :)

Over all I really liked this book and still really like Nora Robert's. I can't remember if I told you all this yet but one of our monthlies saw I was reading Nora Roberts and gave me a book she had finished reading! That book contains two of her books. I have not decided if I am going to count that as one book or two books for my resolution.

Random

• Knitting: I still love it. I took Friday night off to let my thumb rest and I was hanging out with our friend Al and his knew gf Nina. I think I have gotten fast enough that one square can be done in 2 days so that would be 3 1/2 squares a week if I do nothing else. I am impressed with how fast I have gotten. If I do 3 1/2 squares in a week that would be great but I think that might be a bit much to shoot for. Basically, I want to come home and knit and go from there. By the time this posts I will have 2 squares total leaving 318 to do..though my Mom would before 62 left :) The numbers make sense if you knew a more about the project.
• Brian's new nickname for me: Knitwit due to my obsessive knitting
• Work is picking up! I am always on the phone fortunately the people are nice so far and are booking. January's commission was awful I blame that on too many monthlies and switching systems :). Have not yet figured out what December's commission was. Yes I know December comes before January but we switched computer system's Dec 1st and that has made things wonky
• My parents are coming over my Dad's birthday in March and I am so excited!
• I am in the midst of reading another Nora Roberts book. This is the first book in the Irish Trilogy and I am loving it so far. I have decided to read at work when phones/guests allow. One of my monthlies came down and saw I was reading a Nora Roberts book and gave me another one! This one has two books in one! SO excited! I have a big list of books to get through now :)
• Brian is going nuts being at home M-F with nothing to do. His DDO (Dungeons and Dragons Online for the none geeks hehe) account is getting a LOT of attention

That is about it...not much going on here

Nora Roberts' Happy Ever After (Book 4)

I am writing this review a bit late. I actually finished this book around the 20th. I did not attempt to bring this book to work, I have actually not brought any books with me to work as we just sent out our 2011 brochure so we are getting LOTS of calls and I want to be able to answer as many calls as possible. I read this one at home while Brian was working or playing his games.

This book focuses on the fourth girl, Parker. Parker, as you find out in the previous book, is the business woman. In this book you find out why she started the business, how she came up with the idea and more on how she ticks. It is also about how she falls in love with Mal Kavanaugh, a mechanic you meet in book 3. This book also has Mac's (the main focus of book 1) wedding in it. It is just as good as the previous three.

I just love this series. I am so sad it ended at 4! I wish there was a 5th that went through the other girls wedding and life after but all good things must come to an end I guess. I have already received my amazon order and have started reading the first book in Nora Roberts' Irish Trilogy and so far that is a very good book.  I will definitely have to post about that when I finished it :)

Nora Roberts' Savor the Moment (The Bride Quartet, Book 3)

It took me longer to read this book then the others because work picked up.

In this book you get to know the character of Laurel better. Laurel ends up getting engaged to Parker's ( the 4th girl and you will find out more about her other then what is in books 1-3 in book 4) brother Delaney. This was hinted at in the previous books and isn't a spoiler because the story isn't who it is how they end up. Plus if it says who they end up in on the inside flap it should be okay to say in a blog :).

I loved this book! I cannot get enough of the series. I wrote this post on the 19th of January and am about to start the 4th. The story is getting kind of predictable but then again I am reading them back to back so it is kind of like one LONG story. I may not have noticed the pattern if I had taken some time in between them. It was too good not too!

Nora Roberts' Bed of Roses (The Bride Quartet, Book 2)

This is the second book in the quartet and even better then the last. This  focus' on Emma  and how she falls in love with Jake another life long friend. Emma comes from a strong family background is a hopeless romantic but can't seem to make relationships work until Jake. Jake is a ladies man, a good, kind, respectable ladies man, but a ladies man none the less. He is not a man of commitment; he never cheats but the relationships never lasts long. These two personalities and traits cause quite the story. You also catch up with Mackenzie and Carter, the other girls and learn more about the business and the clients they serve.

I started it on Sunday and finished it today. As I was at Caroline's on Sunday I didn't get a chance to read it at home but I could not get it out of my mind. It almost had me in tears at the front desk. The emotions were just so real and you felt like the characters were your best friends. I cannot wait to read the third book.

Nora Roberts' Vision in White (The Bride Quartet, Book 1)

I was so excited to read this book. It was amazing! The four books center around 4 young girls who have been friends since childhood and their lives and work as wedding planners. This book centered around Mackenzie. Mackenzie had an awful awful mother, absent father and those issues definitely affected her relationships. This first book describes how she meets Carter, a man who she went to school with, falls in love with Carter, the four girls and their history and their business. Mackenzie is definitely the focus but you learn a lot about the other girls as well. I do not want to say anymore about what this book is about as I can't do it justice and I want people to enjoy it just as much as I did.

I could not stop reading it. The idea of the books is also to give me stuff to do at work other then playing on the computer. So I am only supposed to read during work. I could not stop reading it literally. I read more then half of it at work (we were very slow and it is a bit of an easy read) and came home and just had to finish it.  I was SO excited for work the next day to start reading the second book. SO good!

My Birthday

My birthday was on Saturday, Jan 15. Brian and I decided to open presents Friday after a wonderful two day weekend rather then wait a week or so. If other presents arrived after, I would open them as they came. Only one did :).

I had a wonderful birthday. I still do not feel 26 or 25 oh well. As I still have my Christmas tree out (see told you I was lazy) we had stored them all there.

My Mommy got me these:

www.pajamacity.com

They are SOOO comfy! The butt flap is infinitely better. I was concerned that it was still Velcro and Velcro doesn't stay as well as one would hope. I thought I would have to return it for another one without a butt flap but decided against it. I figured I would give it a shot and if it was an issue I could always attach snaps and hopefully between the snaps AND Velcro, I would be all set. Well I do not think I have to do anything to these pjs. As long as I am slightly cautious/aware when I sit down, the Velcro does not rip apart. SO comfy! I think I am going to have to buy another pair! They may be a bit too big but I like my pjs big and I think the next size down would be too small. I am wearing them now and Brian thinks they are the cutest thing ever!

Mommy and Daddy also got me Nora Roberts Bridal Quartet:















Remember my post about my new New Years Resolution? Where I read at least one book each month? I can't remember if I said this but I stole that idea from a fellow blogger. She had read a couple of the books from this series and loved it. These are the books that inspired me to even attempt the great idea and became a great gift! I have read the first two already and will post on those two specifically later.  So far I am LOVING it! I think I may have a new favorite author.

Mom and Dad also got me a new pair of yoga pants. They look so comfy and they look like they fit but to tell the truth...I still haven't tried them on due to me not being able to get out of these feetie pajamas.

My Aunt and Gramma gave me more money. I will be able to finish buy all of my Study Abroad books and more with my Christmas money so I have to figure out what to spend my Bday money. It will be something fun due to A) I feel like spending it on something fun (rare, I know) and B) I know if I don't and spend it on bills, etc. the money will be cut off lol :). And I just have NO idea what that something fun is. I am having multiple debates in my head about it.

My brother also gave me a very nice gift of an Amazon Gift Card. I love it and appreciate it! I can't decide what to spend it on either though! I have it narrowed it down to books but I don't know if I want to buy more Nora Roberts or the rest of No 1. Detective Agency.

Brian's gift is taking me to Charleston. He wanted to do a cooking class at our favorite kitchen store, Charleston Cooks!, for lunch and then dinner at our favorite restaurant Blossom. Well all the cooking classes are full so we will have to do something else but dinner at Blossom is still on. I think he was thinking of getting a hotel room and doing an overnight trip (Charleston is an easy day trip for us). I am not sure when we are going. He was thinking Thursday/Friday but he had to pick up a shift on Friday so now the idea is Wednesday/Thursday.

On Sunday I went over to Caroline and Allyson's as usual where we celebrated Allyson's and my birthdays (her's is January 16th). It was a blast! Caroline had made pork roast, asparagus with a hollandaise (spelling?) sauce and mashed potatoes with cheese cake for desert. Caroline and Allyson had given me 2 Valentines Day pot holders and 6 VDay hand made themed napkins. SO cute!

That was about it for my birthday! I will write about Charleston when we get back :) I am SO excited to get away!

Tears of the Giraffe

This is the second book I have read this month. This is book 2 in the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency series.

This book is just as good as the first. I don't really want to describe what happens as I do not want to give away the story and I don't think I can give it justice. Mma Ramotswe continues to take on cases, some that are easy and some that are harder. The hard one in this book is looking for an American boy.  She promotes her Secretary to Assistant Detective, agrees to marry her friend the mechanic and just lives her life. There is the continuing theme of the characters questioning morality and ethics and the differences between modern thinking vs Botswana tradition, American vs. African, etc. These questions are asked by everyone and the answers/beliefs that Mma Ramotswe and other characters come to believe are one's that the reader can relate too...no matter what their background.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I think I liked it better then the first. I am going to have to be careful and not read them so close together. This is very similar to the first book. There are different cases and different things happen but still can seem predictable. I have a feeling if I read them all back to back I would begin to get sick of it and feel like it is the same story which can get very boring. This is easy to fix as I have plenty of books to read before I order the 3rd.

I definitely recommend this series to anyone and everyone. We could all learn something from Mma Ramotswe. If anyone knows how to pronounce her name I will love you forever. Right now I am reading it as Ra-mot-swee but I do not think I am correct.

My birthday is tomorrow!

I am working on my birthday 7am to 3pm so Brian and I will be celebrating it later. The idea is go to Charleston, take a cooking class and eat dinner at Blossom. I cannot wait!

Anyway, I do have one more unspoken goal for 2011. I did not come up for it myself, I did steal it from another blogger but I think it will make my Mom and Aunt proud and happy if no one else.

Actually, we had Chinese for dinner tonight and my fortune cookie gives a great introduction to this:

"Reading to the mind is what exercise is to the body" Not really a fortune but I like it anyway.

My goal is to read at least one book a month. My blogger friend had planned ahead and new what book would go with what month but I am not that organized. Of course if I read more then one a month that would be great but if I read more only one counts. So if I read two books in January I would still have to read a book in February so the extra book stays extra.

I have already finished my first book and well into another. My Mom had gotten me two books for Christmas and since work has been dead I have been reading in between clients. My goal is also too write about each one. Not necessarily in book report form but I definitely want to reflect on what I read.

My mom got me:

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith book 1 and 2. I have finished book 1. Book 2 will be a separate post as I have not finished it yet.

I at first didn't think I would like this book and was surprised that my mom had chosen it for me. I do not like mysteries and suspense novels. This is not that at all.

The main character is Precious Ramotswe who lives in Botswana Africa. The first book tells you about her childhood, her failed marriage, how she started her Detective Agency and describes some of her cases. Through all this you learn several African cultural differences. The biggest one is that in Africa it is better to be fat then thin.

The author does not follow a time line. He jumps back and forth between time periods which makes this a very interesting read. The reader does not get lost and actually feels like he/she has a better understanding of what is going on and the importance of all of it then if the author wrote it chronologically.

Another thing I love about this book is that it is an easy read but not so easy that you feel stupid reading it. Being an easy read I had a very easy time putting it down when I had a guest. Well, let me say this: while I hated to put it down as I wanted to keep reading I knew that no matter where I stopped reading (end of a paragraph, end of a chapter, etc) I would be able to pick right up no problem.

It took me two days to read it but that was because I was at work and only read it at work. If I were to add up the hours it probably only would have taken me 5 hours to read front and back even though it is only 234 pages. A) I am rusty, this book is the first book I have picked up in months and B) There are a lot of interesting details that you have to pay attention to.

I would definitely recommend this book and am enjoying the second book. Sunday we had 50 check outs and 4 check ins and I was able to read 135 pages of Book 1, Monday we had 8 checking out and 4 checking in and I finished the rest of it before 9:30am. Today we had 0 check outs and 0 check ins so I thought I would possibly finish Book 2 today but I only got 80 pages in. Book 2 is just as intriguing as book 1, I guess the phones were just busier :). I just wish we had HBO so I could watch the series when it comes out in February!