Charlaine Harris Books

I've had several people e-mail me about the Charlaine Harris books I started reading this summer. Mostly they asked me if they were worth reading. My answer: absolutely! I think I became a little obsessed with this series. After I finished the last book, I was sad there were no more new stories to read. I loved the stories, I loved the characters, and I loved the plots in each book. I also love the fact that Charlaine Harris is an Arkansan, living in Arkansas, and writing about the South.

Okay, here's the premise of these books. Vampires are real. They have been living in secret for centuries. After a Japanese company created a synthetic blood substitute, TrueBlood, the vampires decided to "come out of the coffin." The stories are set in a small rural town in Louisianna call Bon Temps and focus around a young heroine named Sookie Stackhouse. Sookie seems to be a normal young lady, normal except for her disability: she's telepathic. But her telepathy doesn't reach the vampire mind, so being around vampires offers her a new solace in life that she has never had.

The books are often very funny and are really easy to read. The characters are great because Ms. Harris has no limit to the amount of history these people can have. And I love the fact that I've been in a lot of the locations she sets her stories in.

If you get a chance, you should at least read the first book. HBO thought it was good enough to base an entire show on, for three seasons and counting.

My recommendation: read them for fun!

Billy and the Nephews

Wow. I can't believe it's been over two months since I posted something on the blog. That's horrible.

Well, a lot has been going on in the Brown house since September. The boys have become obsessed with a couple of things. Braden has been reading like there's no tomorrow. Actually, he reads because he has to do so, and then gripes and complains about it afterwards, but he's reading! Landon has become the poster child for anything John Deere. He won't wear anything unless it's got the Deere logo or has the green and yellow colors. Not to mention that anytime A&E has a "Billy the Exterminator" marathon on, we have to sit through about three hours of rodent, reptile, and insect removal.

Our family is going to be a little bigger in a few months. My cousin Jami is expecting her first little one the end of May. We can't wait to meet Parker Marie (notice my statement of faith for a little girl there. We've got so many boys!). Congratulations Jami and Greg!

School has been going really well. I have the same issues that all teachers have- discipline with certain students, writing lesson plans, developing materials, having fun with music, etc. I've got what I call Bedlam happening over the next three weeks. I've got four performances coming up the last two weeks before the break, including a full on Christmas concert with one of my schools (grades K-6). Pray for me!

If we can and if the weather is nice, hopefully we'll have a new family picture this weekend. We are going to try to fit that in between decorating the yard for Christmas, shopping, and watching Auburn kick South Carolina in the patooty so Arkansas can go to the Sugar Bowl. Go Auburn! Go Hogs!