Promoting Libraries and Summer Reading

Starting last year the library system where I work did a photo shoot for staff to help promote Summer Reading.  I didn't participate last year, but this year I decided I would.  I wanted to choose a very meaningful book too, so I chose The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan, which I've written about before on this blog about how reading that book was a lightbulb moment for me.  And as much as I love Michael Pollan, I really wanted to use one of Joel Salatin's books especially since I got to meet him last year, but my library system doesn't own his books and since this photo shoot was to promote our libraries I went with Michael Pollan.  So, wherever you live support your local libraries and READ!

More Coupon Savings

In the month of April I scored some really good coupon savings on two different occasions.  One week there were just some really good sales going on at both of the grocery stores where I shop so I went out after dinner to both grocery stores to take advantage of all the deals with my coupons and on that trip going to two grocery stores I spent a total of $53.74 and SAVED $54.65 with my best deal being two bottles of All detergent for $1.27 each!

Later in the month, Harris Teeter offered triple coupons.  I didn't get a lot of great deals because their sales didn't match up with coupons as much, but I did get everything in the picture below for $23 and SAVED $25!  My goal for 2013 is to break $2000 in savings by shopping sales and using coupons, so I'm trying extra hard to get the best deals I can!

More Animal Friends

I love seeing all the wildlife at our new house!  Recently Chad was sitting on our deck in the morning when he noticed a box turtle making it's way through our yard.  So, of course I had to run out and get a few pictures of it before I left for work that day!  The turtle had walked up to the fence of our garden and the next day Chad noticed he was inside the garden area so he took him back out to the yard near the woods.  Here are the pictures of our turtle friend:

Wicked the Musical

Chad got me tickets to see the musical Wicked for Christmas this year.  We got to go in March and it was definitely worth seeing!  I read the book probably 7 or 8 years ago and I remembered really liking it and since it had been so long since I read it I decided to read it again before we saw the musical.  But, I could barely force myself to get through it the second time.  After I finally finished it I thought, "why did I like this book again?"  But, I knew the musical was only loosely based on the book and that's a good thing because the book is very dark and violent with a LOT of political intrigue and details.  And after re-reading the book and seeing the musical soon after I can definitely say it is very, very loosely based on the book.  There were a few aspects that were wildly different in the musical than the book that I didn't like.  But, overall the musical was good and the actors did a phenomenal job.  Chad & I both very much enjoyed it and it gave us a reason to dress up too!  Here are some pictures of us getting ready to go see Wicked: