Leah of the Pack

My personal PSA for today: Put your phone down when driving. Too many people that I know feel the need to be on their phone while driving. Regardless of your driving skill level, being on your phone while driving is a huge hazard not only to you but everyone else you encounter on the road. It's hard to believe that you can't go twenty minutes, or however long it takes for you to drive somewhere, without texting, tweeting or snapchating.  Here are some guidelines that you should have for your phone while operating a vehicle. 

I am one of those what seems to be rare people than actually enjoy reading in their free time. Summer provides plenty of time to get some reading done which makes it my favorite time of the year. I read really fast ( can read one of the last Harry Potter books in a day and a half fast) so I am always look for new books to read. I've already read five or six this summer while on vacation. I read pretty much anything! Here are my reviews and recommendations. Today's posts are just on books written by Jodi Picoult as I have read three of her books already this summer.

*Any synopsis was taken directly from the authors website or the back of the book and was not written by me

The Pact - Jodi Picoult 
*"For eighteen years the Hartes and the Golds have lived next door to each other, sharing everything from Chinese food to chicken pox to carpool duty-- they've grown so close it seems they have always been a part of each other's lives. Parents and children alike have been best friends, so it's no surprise that in high school Chris and Emily's friendship blossoms into something more. They've been soul mates since they were born.So when midnight calls from the hospital come in, no one is ready for the appalling truth: Emily is dead at seventeen from a gunshot wound to the head. There's a single unspent bullet in the gun that Chris took from his father's cabinet-- a bullet that Chris tells police he intended for himself. But a local detective has doubts about the suicide pact that Chris has described.

The profound questions faced by the characters in this heart-rending novel are those we can all relate to: How well do we ever really know our children, our friends?"

I read this book while on an airplane and bus ride home from Work Week and I could not put it down. There's a good introduction and background for each character, building suspense and plot twists I did not see coming. All of Picoult's novels end in a thrilling trial that keeps you hooked till you reach the back cover. My only issue with this book was that I downloaded it to my iPod and somehow the ending got cut off so I had to Google how the story finished but I would hands down recommend it to anyone.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

House Rules - Jodi Picoult
*"HOUSE RULES is about Jacob Hunt, a teenage boy with Asperger’s Syndrome. He’s hopeless at reading social cues or expressing himself well to others, and like many kids with AS, Jacob has a special focus on one subject – in his case, forensic analysis.
He’s always showing up at crime scenes, thanks to the police scanner he keeps in his room, and telling the cops what they need to do…and he’s usually right. But then one day his tutor is found dead, and the police come to question him. All of the hallmark behaviors of Asperger’s – not looking someone in the eye, stimulatory tics and twitches, inappropriate affect – can look a heck of a lot like guilt to law enforcement personnel -- and suddenly, Jacob finds himself accused of murder. HOUSE RULES looks at what it means to be different in our society, how autism affects a family, and how our legal system works well for people who communicate a certain way – but lousy for those who don’t."

Another one of Picoult's novels that was hard to put down. This book really was great at looking at the story through an array of character's perspectives. The only thing I wasn't in love with was the ending because I was left confused. I would recommend this to most people. For the most part I really love Picoult's writing style.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Sing You Home -Jodi Picoult 
*"Zoe Baxter has spent ten years trying to get pregnant, and after multiple miscarriages and infertility issues, it looks like her dream is about to come true – she is seven months pregnant. But a terrible turn of events leads to a nightmare – one that takes away the baby she has already fallen for; and breaks apart her marriage to Max. In the aftermath, she throws herself into her career as a music therapist – using music clinically to soothe burn victims in a hospital; to help Alzheimer’s patients connect with the present; to provide solace for hospice patients. When Vanessa – a guidance counselor -- asks her to work with a suicidal teen, their relationship moves from business to friendship and then, to Zoe’s surprise, blossoms into love. When Zoe allows herself to start thinking of having a family, again, she remembers that there are still frozen embryos that were never used by herself and Max.Meanwhile, Max has found peace at the bottom of a bottle – until he is redeemed by an evangelical church, whose charismatic pastor – Clive Lincoln – has vowed to fight the “homosexual agenda” that has threatened traditional family values in America. But this mission becomes personal for Max, when Zoe and her same-sex partner say they want permission to raise his unborn child. SING YOU HOME explores what it means to be gay in today’s world, and how reproductive science has outstripped the legal system. Are embryos people or property? What challenges do same-sex couples face when it comes to marriage and adoption? What happens when religion and sexual orientation – two issues that are supposed to be justice-blind – enter the courtroom? And most importantly, what constitutes a “traditional family” in today’s day and age?" 

Once again a wonderful book written by Picoult. I there were lots of plot twists that I hadn't foreseen happening. The only reason I wasn't a huge fan of this book is because in comparison to the two books I had just read before by her it was not as dramatic. What I did appreciate is how much this book made me think. Which side do I agree with? If I was the judge what would I do? It was different from a lot of books I read in the way that it touched base on issues that may be emerging in today's world. Although it was not my favorite by her, I would recommend it because of how much it made me think because not many books really make me think.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Other Picoult Books Previously Read Prior to Summer That I would Recommend 
My Sisters Keeper
Nineteen Minutes

Stay tuned for upcoming posts on other books I have read this summer! Any book suggestions? Please let me know :)

I'll admit I'm no major soccer fanatic. The majority of my soccer knowledge comes from watching my brother play when we were younger or from playing FIFA. I do have a couple thoughts about the World Cup regarding to what people are saying about it.

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens... The Sound of Music is one of my favorite movies of all time. I recently watched it with my roommate and combined with the frightful weather we've been having in Wisconsin I was inspired for today's post. While I wasn't able to craft it into a song (yet) here is a list of my favorite things.

The sound of waves crashing against the shore
The feeling of being lost in a good book
On Thanksgiving the moment before you dig in to that delicious meal
When someone makes you feel special
The sound of raindrops falling on the roof
When your dogs get beyond excited to see you after you've been away
The clicking sounds of a keyboard symbolizing maximum productivity
A good margarita
The swell of pride after landing a new tumbling pass or hitting a new stunt
Knowing you made someone proud
Doing nice things for others
Putting your heart and soul into something you're writing
Being held in someones arms
The confidence gained from wearing a power outfit
Eating Chipotle
When the crowd goes wild after a touchdown, goal or monster dunk
When someone says they saw something and thought of you
Connecting to music
Making others feel good about themselves
Red lipstick

I could probably think of another 20 things but I'll save that for another rainy day. What are a few of your favorite things?

A fellow member of the HBNC, Patty at Reach Your Peak posted these 20 questions on her blog and encouraged others to answer the questions as well! Be sure to check out her answers and feel free to share your answers in the comment box or share in your own blog! 

It's been a week since I've been home from vacation and since my dinner consisted of microwaved "cup of noodles" it's easy to admit that I miss the delectable food found on the Disney Cruise. Every night you get amazing four course meals that taste better than anything you can image. Even foods that I would have never thought I would enjoy, like escargot, had my taste buds smiling. Here are some of the amazing foods found on the Disney Fantasy.

Side note: I did not take pictures of everything as my camera was running out of storage space.

Tomorrow I'm moving back to Green Bay to start my internship! I'm excited to be starting something new but sad at the same time about leaving home for the whole summer. Since the summer started I have yet to be home for a consecutive week which really stinks because I love being around my family and friends. It will be strange, this is the first summer I have not spent at home. Besides my roommate, who is also one of my good friends, there won't be many people in the bay so looks like it's up to us make our own fun. But I am also so excited to start this internship! It is such a great opportunity and I know I am going to love it. Here's to new beginnings.

To talk about my whole vacation in one post would take a lot of reading, so today I'm just going to give a brief overview of what my trip was like. In upcoming posts I'll discuss the ports, the ship, the food and the fun of a Disney Cruise vacation! This trip was not my first cruise with Disney (I've been on seven previously) but it was my first with on the Fantasy! 

I spent the last week living it up on The Disney Fantasy cruise ship from Disney Cruise Line. It was such a wonderful family vacation. This week and probably next week too I will be post all about what it is like to take a magical vacation with Disney Cruise Line!