Panic time!

I've got so many things on my mind at the moment, it's a wonder I haven't gone off the bend yet.  I wish time would go by more slowly, just so I could fit in what I need to do.

Lucia still has a cold and cough so we're managing that and praying it doesn't spread to the other two kids.  It's exam week plus we have a parent-teachers conference scheduled tomorrow.  I have to pack for 5 people for an upcoming family trip, do the groceries, fix the closets and make sure all the documentary requirements are in order for the trip.  And I've got an appointment on Sunday for a check up.

I've managed to squeeze in a mani-pedi while waiting for the hubby to finish work yesterday. Yay, me! LOL!  So I just look at my pretty red painted toes whenever I get stressed.

I've finished reading Justin Cronin's The Passage and I'm desperately wishing the hubby would go on and finish the audio version ASAP!  I'm dying to discuss the book with somebody!  Lots of loose ends when I finished it but I found out it's a trilogy so of course there will be cliffhangers.  It was an engrossing read, especially the first third of the book.  Very interesting premise though -- what if, in mankind's search for the ultimate biological weapon, he triggers the end of the world as we know it, instead?  Said weapon comes in the form of a virus which stimulates a certain gland in humans that trigger increased human strength and invincibility to diseases, etc.  Unfortunately, it also turns said human guinea pigs into vampire like creatures that can influence the minds of other humans.  When these specimens escape from the US facility where they were being kept, everything goes to hell.   I was only partially listening to the audio book while the hubby was listening to it in the car and decided, what the heck, I'll read it.  I have ADD when it comes to audio books so I had to get the heavy, doorstop version of the book.

Right now, I'm halfway done with The Red Pyramid, book one of the Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan.  He's the author of the extremely successful Percy Jackson series.  The book has many parallels with the Nicholas Flamel series (which I love, love, love!) which is not to say it's not an enjoyable book.  While Percy Jackson is about Greek mythology, in this new series, Riordan focuses on Egyptian mythology.  It's not a popular as the Greek or Roman mythology but it's fascinating just the same.  Am enjoying reading it and am sure many fans of Percy will love it too.  Joshua cannot wait to read it but I'm making him finish the Percy Jackson series first before he starts in on Red Pyramid.  He also wants to start the Nicholas Flamel series -- what an impatient boy!  But am glad he likes to read and is excited as I am about books.  I'm also starting to get him interested in Children's reference books, which I also enjoy reading.  At the Powerbooks sale, I was able to get  a books about the recovery of the remains of the woolly mammoth, which I have wanted to watch in National Geographic, but missed out on.  There's also one about the ruins in ancient Peru and the recovery of an ancient Greek shipwreck.

And since I'm preparing for a family trip, I decided to get activity books for the older kids to keep them occupied on the plane.  I got Faith the Everything Kids Princess activity book and Joshua the Everything Kid's Mazes book.  Oh, and the Time for Kids Almanac 2011.  Now if I could only decide what book to bring for the trip......

Back in school

It's been a very busy two months.  We celebrated 3 birthdays in May and got through preparations for school opening.  The two older kiddies are in school for most of the day which my mom is very thankful for. LOL!  More quiet time for her and the baby.  Lucia's been so naughty --- all part of being a toddler, I guess.  It's rather fun, actually.  She makes us laugh and she knows it, the little ham!

I love the way she tries to join in on her siblings.  When the two kids are in bed, she immediately gets down from my lap and toddles over to the bed to cuddle with her sibs.  And generally mess up their bedclothes.  And play peek-a-boo and can't-catch-me with me and the hubby when we try to pick her up from the beds.  It's tiring especially on weekdays when all I want to do is lie down with a book after work, but totally worth it when she squeals with laughter.

As usual, I'm swamped with books!  You're looking at a very happy camper here.  I'm currently reading Justin Cronin's  The Passage which the hubby has been listening to on audio.  It's weird when he's the one asking which part I'm already in since that's my usual line.  It's rare for the two of us to actually be "reading" the same book at the same time.  If you're into sci-fic/horror, then this is the book for you.  The author tells a compelling story and gets the reader absorbed from the first chapter.  It's got vampires, but not your usual run of the mill Twilight hot vampires.  

Other books I got recently were Rick Riordan's The Red Pyramid (The Kane Chronicles) -- another series from the author of the very successful Percy Jackson series.  I just got Joshua the Diary of a Wimpy kid series and Tales from the Odyssey by Mary Pope Osbourne, author of The Magic Tree House series.  I read the two books of Tales from the Odyssey and finished it in an hour.  It's a great introduction for kids to the classic The Odyssey and covers the most important parts of the tale.  It's perfect for kids aged 7 - 10 years.  

Some other titles I finished recently:

The Ark by Boyd Morrison -- fantastic action packed book with a very cool hero.  If you miss Indiana Jones, then try this one.  It's about the search for Noah's Ark set in an age where technology and engineering will make you fascinated with tidbits about the legend of Noah's Ark.  The author provides engineering insight to the construction of the ark and the context of the biblical flood.

Blood Oath  by Christopher Farnsworth -- Vampires again but no romance this time.  The lead character is a vampire tasked to protect the President of the United States from all forms of threat.  He's been protecting US presidents since Andrew Jackson.  Lots of action and links to paranormal activities/research done during World War 2.  I couldn't put this book down.

So run, don't walk, to the bookstore now!