This is Like an Oprah Episode: Full of Random Crap and I Intend to Talk About Myself a Lot

First thing's first. If you're looking for a good book to read, one that you can be mindlessly sucked into like Twilight or The Hunger Games (not to say the The Hunger Games is as horribly written as Twilight because I'm reading it with my students right now, and I think there are some definite merits to the book, anway,) I just read a new book by Veronica Roth called Divergent. It's the first of a triology. (The second unfortunately doesn't release until May of next year.) It's got a dystopic society/corrupt government theme like The Hunger Games that I like in books for some reason. Anyway, I'm just saying it'll probably be one of those books that explodes when they decide to make a movie of it, which I guess is already in the works. Definitely not the next great piece of American literature, but an entertaining read. So, Chad and Amanda, you wanted a book recommendation; there it is. I'll even lend you my copy.

Next, oh yeah, it was Halloween, and we "festivitied" it up. Okay, so we carved pumpkins like we normally do, but we were actually home to give out candy this year, which James loves to do for some reason. I do not, however. But, I did win the GVMS faculty costume contest! (Sorry, no pics of that.)

Last, I've recently discovered a great joy in buying crappy things from the DI and making them less crappy. Also, just buying cheap, random things at Ross.

Sweet metal, old-school bicycle: got at DI for $10.00.

Box with painting on it: got at DI for $2.00.

Very tall candle holder thing: got at DI for $1.00.

Bird house that I painted: got at DI for $1.00

Most awesome birdcage: got at Ross for $10.00.

Random things that I love above my cabinets: totally worth it!

Now this little beauty (my menu board because yeah people I have OCD and plan out my meals like a school cafeteria,) I fashioned out of the bottom of a treadmill that didn't work, painted it with chalkboard paint, painted some strips of wood for the boarder, and made James nail them on for me. Plus, the fall thing hanging on it, I made out of letters, wire, leafs, and hot glue.

My kitchen sign, just in case anyone gets really confused as to where my kitchen is. I got a metal board at a boutique for $3.00 and those letters for 1.00.

My box of crap (mostly for James because I don't like it when crap is laying around). He made it. I painted it.

Now, my fat kitchen man I got at Ross for like $2.00, and I made the sign from a plate I got at DI for $0.75, and then painted it with chalkboard paint.

The pitcher I got at DI for maybe $2.00, and I spray painted it green.

Please ignore the crappy picture. I made the fall wreath a while ago. It's a yarn one, and they are a huge pain because they take so long, but we just barely put up the vinyl "welcome" sign on the door.

And last, I got this sign from DI for $2.00 thanks to Trisha finding it for me.

Why didn't I realize DI was so fun a long time ago?