His, Hers & Ours

Good afternoon, and happy fall everyone!
 Fall is always my favorite time of year, with its beautiful colors, crisp cool air and that back to school excitement. But this year, one of those things is missing from my list...no more school! In some ways, this is a major relief. No projects, no deadlines, no memorizing of names and dates and vocab. But in other ways, I can't help but envy all the students on campus--while their brains are kept busy concentrating on classes, mine keeps wandering over to Vancouver and the adventure that is just waiting there. So like most people who are stuck waiting, I've done my best to keep busy. This week, two things have been my distraction--you guessed it, sitting and reading.
Part I--Sitting:
I bring you my chairs!

Aren't they beautiful? Busted out seats, creaky joints, giant cracked corner. Well, they're not pretty now, but in a couple weeks they should be. I found these beauties last Friday at Heritage Architectural Salvage and Supply in Kalamazoo. I've been searching for chairs like these for weeks now, looking at Goodwill, antique fairs and scouring Craigslist in both Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo for any that add up to my expectations. Heritage was sitting there quietly in the back of my mind, nagging me to explore it, but until last Friday I hadn't been able to find a time that fit into their business hours to go. I walked into the store, and right there these two little guys were just waiting for me to discover them. And best of all, I got them both for only $14! I'll post later the adventures I've had with them so far, but here's my inspiration for this project:

This is a page from Martha Stewart Living magazine that, upon seeing, I immediately said those four dreaded words that keep popping out: "I could do that!" Thus was born this crazy, irrational dream for four unique, beautiful, mix-match chairs for my future kitchen table. And now with my two new treasures, I'm one step closer to that dream being a reality!
Part II--Reading:
 Now, for those of you who don't know me, I'm a reader. More than just a reader--I love books. I inhale them. I love all kinds of books, but for some reason, I love books written for teens the best.  And I never have anyone to talk about these books with, so I've decided to devote part of this blog to my number one hobby.
This Week's Bookshelf:
So far this week, I've wanted to adopt a dragon, suffered from anorexia, been part of the British secret intelligence, defeated a dragon, and rekindled a romance with my childhood crush. See, that's what I love about reading, it takes you so many places, so many new experiences! But here are my top three reads from this week.

Eragon (Inheritance) by Christopher Paolini:

Now, technically my first book this week is actually three books. And they're really long, so I've actually been reading these over the past two weeks. As soon as I opened the first book of the series, Eragon, I was sucked into the land of dragons, sorcerers, elves and dwarves that Christopher Paolini created. These books are beautifully crafted fantasy novels for young adults, following the story of a young boy, Eragon, who discovers a dragon egg and becomes the only existing rider in the land. After watching Eragon grow and mature over three books--Eragon, Eldest and Brisingr, I couldn't wait to see how the series turned out. Imagine my shock to discover that the fourth and supposedly final book of the series is not out yet! I guess that's something to look forward to!

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson:

Truly, this book was disturbing and difficult to read, but I couldn't put it down. If you've ever read a book by Laurie Halse Anderson, you know that she does not write lightly. This book is no exception. Anderson crafts a chilling story about a teen whose best friend has recently died, leaving her alone in her struggle to be the thinnest girl in their school. Watching and listening to the protagonist struggle with her eating disorder and cutting habit, I was so absorbed in her story that I couldn't stop reading. I needed to know that she had a happy ending. This book will force you to look at eating in a whole different way. And it will probably make you hungry too. 

Fat Cat, by Robin Brande:

From the cover and title of this book, I was worried that I had accidently picked two eating disorder books in one week. But much to my delight, I hadn't! While Wintergirls was a body image struggle that left me craving cheese and cupcakes, Fat Cat provided a refreshing story that promoted positive body image, healthy living, and wonderful friendship. Plus, it included a sweet love story, which I'm always a sucker for. In Fat Cat, Robin Brande tells the story of a teen who, for her year long science project, decides to revert back to the lifestyle of a caveman by rejecting all things modern, with the exception of hygiene of course. Following her through her journey, you get to watch her experience all the perks of eating natural foods, rejecting modern transportation, and eliminating the distractions of technology from her life--and later, reveling in the joy of her brand new body.