I love the Fall !

I love the fall. The changing colors and the brisk air. Today Jim and I spent the day doing yard work. Jim cut firewood while I tried to get a head start on raking pine needles. Not usually the sort of thing that I capture in photos, but it was a good time to get some pictures of the house. It also gave the the chance to take a few breaks.





Here is a picture of Sawyer. He loves yard work days.

Some pictures around the yard...

Our resident Buck who sleeps under our deck sometimes.

Doggie Snow Day

Today we took a road trip to Markleeville. Our intended destination was going to be Bridgeport, but a few surprise road closures cut our trip short. We took all four dogs on the 8 hour adventure that took us through Placerville, Myers, Hope Valley, Carson Pass and Markleeville. We were able to experience all four seasons in one day. The aspen trees were on fire in the snowy backdrop. We hit a few snow flurries that made me thankful that we abandoned our first plan of camping. The dogs were great sports along the way and enjoyed some fun in the snow. Jim and I love road trips. Jim, a Thermos of hot chocolate, great music, a lotto ticket, and some slippers and I am good for the long haul.

Here are some pictures from our fun day...

2008 Book List (through september)

I love to Read! I have read some good books, great books, and some that were painful to finish. Now that I am finished with school (at least for now), I have more time to enjoy them. One of the things I love most about books is the ability to share them. It is true that you cannot judge a book by it's cover, so if a friend can give you a recommendation for a good book it can save you the time of pushing through a rough one. I thought that I would share a list of the books that I have read this year.

If you have never read a Jodi Picoult book before, I highly recommend it. She is an amazing author and can write wonderful stories. This book was no exception.

This is the latest book that I finished, Second Glance. A sort of ghost story that explores America's dark history of Eugenics in the early 1900s. She did another wonderful job.
This is the book that I am reading right now. So far it is very good. I love any story with dogs in it.

The Pillars of Earth is a wonderful book. I think it will be a classic for years to come. The story spans about 70 years and it felt like it took me that long to read it, but I did not want it to end. I will definitely read the next one World Without End. Set in the 1100's in England, a man sets out to build a cathedral. It was a wonderful book to read before our trip to Europe where I stood in the shadows of these majestic giants.
I read this book mostly out of curiosity to see how Judy Blume wrote adult books. It was good, but it didn't leave you feeling anything in the end.
Great book. This was the first Jodi Picoult book that I read. I am not sure how they are going to successfully accomplish making this into a movie. Warning, this will make you cry.

I read this book because my mom loves this author and his Women's Detective Agency series. Open to new authors I decided to pick one up. I chose this one because it takes place in Edinburgh, Scotland, and we were on our way there. This was one of the worst books I have ever read.

Probably my least favorite Jodi Picoult book so far, but still a great book.

A friend told me I needed to read the Harry Potter Series. I resisted at first because I thought it was a kids book and fantasy wasn't my genre. She was persistent and I gave in. Book one was a bit slow for me, but every book just got better and better. This year I finished 4-7. I finally convinced Jim to read the series and he read book 6, then 7 (after watching the first 5 movies) then went back and read 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 again. They are so good and I am sad the series is over. But we can look forward to the movies. I recommend them to everyone age 9-99.

Loved it!!!

Loved it!!!





So stinkin' good I couldn't stand it!!!

This was a very cute light read. I bought it at the Raleigh airport after finishing HP 6 leaving me without a book. It was fun but somewhat Cliche and predictable (especially if you recently watches the show Samantha Who?

Meet Our Family

Well this is me. I am 27 years old and I am an Emergency Room Nurse in Sacramento, California. I love my husband very much and have enjoyed our 4+ years of marriage. We live in a small town outside of Sacramento on a few acres. I love to read, travel, play video games with Jim and just treasure my uncomplicated life in which I get to enjoy the things I love.

This is Jim, my husband. Not the greatest picture, but it shows the type of person he is. He never stops, and is always looking for a challenge to conquer. He is 31 years old and has run 4 marathons so far. He loves mountaineering, running, cycling, and traveling (among other things). He is a firefighter/paramedic in Sacramento. He is fortunate enough to be one of the few who can say they love what they do. We have a great time together.

This is Shasta. One of our four great dogs. She is about 5 years old and we have had her since she was a puppy. We actually saw her outside of a Wal-Mart where she was with the SPCA after being dropped off on I-5 by her previous owners. We had no intention, at the time, of getting a new dog, but we could not pass up this face. Could you blame us? She is spunky, independent, and little crazy over her basketball. Sure she could stand to lose a few pounds, but it is not for the lack of trying. She is a runner (short distances, mostly after her ball). You try having 8 kids and see how your body looks. This is actually one of her more flattering pictures.
This is Conner. He is our sweet and very sensitive boy. He is one of only 2 boys born in our litter of puppies between Copey and Shasta. He is 4 years old and is one of the most obedient dogs I have ever known. He was sick as a puppy, so we did not immediately offer him up for adoption. A few surgeries and one rockin' scar later he is perfect and I am so glad we kept him. Conner loves running with Jim and chasing rocks in the corral. We are not quite sure where the hound came from between shasta and copey, but Conner has the sweetest howl you will ever hear. This dog has a special place in Jim's heart.
This is Copenhagen (or Copey). He is now almost 12 years old and is Jim's first love. He was found by Jim as a puppy abandoned and abused. It took a little veterinary work and a whole lot of love from the Ellis family to get him on the right track. He has a mean streak and I believe has bitten everyone in the family at least once. Underneath, though, he is just insecure and has major trust issues. Him and I butt heads a lot, but we love each other. To him I get to play the evil stepmother who took away his dad. Slowing down in his later years, he spends most of his time sleeping. He still is good for a short run now and then and always loves a car ride.
This is Abbie. She is the sister of Conner and the daughter of Shasta and Copey. I adore this dog, and to be honest, I love how much she adores me. She is such a happy dog. Her tail never stops wagging. Not much for rough housing, she just likes to cuddle and chew on a pine cone or two. She loves her alone time each night on the deck with her rawhide (that she barely ever actually eats). It is sometimes a dysfunctional family, but we all have so much fun.