I pre-ordered an Amazon Kindle Fire a few weeks ago. I've always liked the Kindle, but I said I would never get one until they were color. I like the e-book concept but for something so pricy I want to be able to do more than just read books on it. Amazon store credit offered 6 months with no interest on purchases over $150 so I applied and was approved. Still at $199, it's about half the price of other color e-readers & tablets currently available. Now to wait for the Kindle Fire to be released! (Nov 15th).

The Kindle Fire is going to operate on Android OS. But a few of the articles online have me a bit worried because it seems like we may not have access to the actual Android Market, but have to download apps through the Amazon App Store. The screenshot shows a Facebook App icon, but there's no Facebook App available through the Amazon App Store. So they are either going to be adding more apps before the release of the Kindle Fire, or perhaps Facebook is already built into the Kindle Fire?

I guess we will see...  besides being able to read books, I want to be able to browse the internet, blog, access Facebook, Twitter, etc. I would like to be able to watch Netflix. I love the idea that I could access my online recipes and be able to cook in the kitchen without dragging my laptop downstairs. This is what I want out of the Kindle Fire. Kindle Fire owners will be given a free month trial to Amazon Prime which has unlimited movies & TV shows, but a lot of the shows I watch aren't available yet, but Netflix has them! (Family Ties, Malcolm in the Middle, Bernie Mac, etc).

Owners of the Kindle Fire will have unlimited Amazon Cloud Storage. I started uploading all of my music today. I like that you will have unlimited cloud storage for musics, apps, books, etc. The Kindle Fire will only have 8GB of internal space. (Of course you'll have to have a working wi-fi connection to access your files!) It doesn't really bother me that the Kindle Fire will not have a camera/web cam. I have my phone or camera to take pictures. And I rarely ever Skype.

One of the things I love is that my local library now has an e-book site! So I can check out free books and read them on the Kindle. I've actually started taking out books to read on the Android Kindle App on my phone. It's a bit smaller to read books on my phone; but I'm really enjoying it so I can't wait to read them on the Kindle Fire which has a bigger screen!

I guess it remains to be seen whether the Kindle Fire will live up to my expectations. If not I suppose I can always return it and get a Nook Color. :-p

Edited to add: Amazon released a statement this week (11/11/11) that the Kindle Fire will have access to Netflix, Twitter, Facebook, Pandora apps! :-)

(I do use Amazon Associates, but not because I've made any money- because I haven't! lol! But I like that I can show a picture/link with a product when I'm blogging. Plus I do recommend Amazon.com for their low prices. That or Ebay!)

Picked up some books from the library yesterday. 3 of them, I just found while browsing on Amazon.com seeing what was recommended for me.

Here's what I'm reading:





































I also bought this. Very good book. But it's also very graphic, as it's a biography account of her kidnapping.










Here's what I'm still waiting to read from the library waiting list:























































(I do use Amazon Associates, but not because I've made any money- because I haven't! lol! But I like that I can show a picture/link with a book or music when I'm blogging. Plus I do recommend Amazon.com for their low prices. That or Ebay!)

I finished both of these books over the weekend. Both are really good, I'm starting to reread them again.

1. Sisterhood Everlasting- Ann Brashares









 2. Room- Emma Donoghue









(I do use Amazon Associates, but not because I've made any money- because I haven't! lol! But I like that I can show a picture/link with a book or music when I'm blogging. Plus I do recommend Amazon.com for their low prices. That or Ebay!)
 

I was Walmart one day and stumbled upon Wanda E. Brunstetter's books. I like that there's more than one story in every book. So it's like having 3-4 books in one. She writes about young Amish woman. If you like historical fiction books, you will probably like these books as well. Some are drama, some are romance, etc.

These are the ones I own:














































(I do use Amazon Associates, but not because I've made any money- because I haven't! lol! But I like that I can show a picture/link with a book or music when I'm blogging. Plus I do recommend Amazon.com for their low prices. That or Ebay!)

Yesterday, Yes; April Fools Day... was our 7 year anniversary! It's been seven years since we defined our relationship. (See our time line!)

This is the first April 1st, anniversary that we've actually gotten to share in person together, since we started our long distance relationship! 

We decided to go to The Cheesecake Factory up at Willow Grove Mall for our anniversary. We drove up there right after I got back from work on the train, so we missed the evening rush and were seated right away.



(Yes I know I'm wearing the same shirt as our last picture together, but at least I've got different jewelry on and a different hat. I'm growing out "bangs" so you'll be seeing me in hats until the end of this year, lol!)

I got a long island iced tea and F.B. got strawberry lemonade. We were going to order 1 appetizer and 1 of their "small snacks", who knew their small snacks were pretty much a huge appetizer as well, lol! We got onion rings and Spicy Ahi Tempura Roll.

Don't mind F's fingers, lol.

I also got a bowl of clam chowder but no pictures, their "cup" of soup is quite big so I didn't finish it, but it was amazing. F.B. got Hibachi Steak with mushrooms and wasabi mashed potatoes and I finally tried a Portabella "burger", which was sooo amazing! Still have half left for lunch later.



And of course you have to get cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory! When I went to Florida with my cousins in 2007, we went to the Cheesecake Factory for lunch but we didn't get cheesecake, (big mistake, lol!)

F.B. got classic Cherry Cheesecake and I ordered Red Velvet Cheesecake. Mmmmm.



We had a great time, but it's definitely an anniversary type restaurant. ;-) We were so full we walked around the mall for a few hours afterward. F.B. got me Charlotte Brontë's, Villette. I own Jane Eyre one of my favorite books, but I've never read any of Charlotte's other books, this one looked interesting.

Last weekend F.B. and I went to King of Prussia Mall, the largest mall on the East Coast. We walked the entire mall. (Tiring!) I got to get a few things from L'Occitane!

At Macy's I picked out these gorgeous dishes that were on sale, we only got enough for two place settings, but I love them!



F.B. got me this cute purple Chinese Zodiac Rat from a little Chinese Shop at King of Prussia.


P.S. I missed my blogging anniversary on March 17th! But it's been 3 years since I started this blog! :-)

This should have been included in my last blog, but I also ordered the book 'Anna Karenina' on Ebay. My blogging friend Shannon from Misguided Mommy was reading it and recommended it. :)










I also went to see the movie Black Swan after my car inspection yesterday morning. I went to the 9:40am show and there were only 12 other people in the theater, gotta love early movies! (And yes I sometimes go to see movies by myself!) It's a very pretty movie in spots. I like those emotional dysfunctional type movies. (The Virgin Suicides, White Oleander, Girl Interrupted, The Lovely Bones, etc.)

But... if you go see the movie, the one thing you need to keep in mind the whole time, is the girl in it is freakin' insane- literally, lol. (Insane as in she sees some crazy sh#t!) She's also obsessed with perfection & pushes herself to the edge. Her mother is insane & overprotective too. It's a really dark drama and it's got some horror type scenes in it. Though the ending I thought was going to happen- I wish did- instead of the one that actually happens.

It's National Delurking Day! (Thanks Patty for the reminder!) So come on, don't be shy! Today is the day you can say "Hi!" if you read my blog but don't usually comment. :-)

It's also Tastykake Day!


Our own wonderful Philadelphia company, (Established in 1914!) Is having some financial difficulties. Today the company was able to refinance some of their loans. But they are definitely struggling. Unfortunately they will most likely have to sell or complete a merger with another company. Their loans have to be repaid by June. Please support this Philadelphia company by buying a few boxes of Tastykakes (If you're on the east coast!) Or by visiting their website and purchasing some goodies! I picked up some Tastykake mini pies today after work. And am shipping my husband Apple & Blueberry pies for Valentines Day. :)

I am also so excited because I pre-ordered The Pioneer Woman's new novel that is coming out in Feb! 'Black Heels to Tractor Wheels!' (Love her blog!)













And finally got to order her cookbook too! (Love free super saver shipping on Amazon.com!)













I discovered that I like Taylor Swift's music. I needed something new to listen too. She reminds me of Michelle Branch, (one of my favorites). And she also reminds me a bit of Avril Lavigne. Sort of a mix of the two. The countryish sound & then because some of the songs have some smart ass lyrics, lol! I have to get F.B. to listen to her music, because I think he'll like her too.
























(I do use Amazon Associates, but not because I've made any money- because I haven't! lol! But I like that I can show a picture/link with a book or music when I'm blogging. Plus I do recommend Amazon.com for their low prices. That or Ebay!)

Why yes... I am a speed reader! It only took me about a week to finish the last 5 books I took out from our library!

Here is what I currently have checked out:

1. The rose of Sebastopol- Katharine  McMahon (Had a hard time with this because it skipped years in almost every chapter.)

2. Primrose past : the 1848 journal of young Lady Primrose Hunt- Caroline Rose. (Kinda boring).

3. Your name is Renee : Ruth Kapp Hartz's story as a hidden child in Nazi-occupied France- Stacy Cretzmeyer (I enjoyed this. It's interesting reading about the Holocaust from France's perspective).

4. Alice I have been : a novel- Melanie Benjamin (This one was pretty interesting- fiction about the real "Alice" in wonderland and her friendship with Lewis Carroll.)

5. In Dublin's fair city- Rhys Bowen (Good read.)

6. Tell me, pretty maiden- Rhys Bowen (I like these Molly Murphy mysteries.)

7. Sarah Morgan : the Civil War diary of a southern woman- Sarah Morgan- Edited by Charles East (I think if I owned this I wouldn't have skipped around so much- but being an actual diary it's very long winded. I still might look for a copy online for myself.)

8. The wet nurse's tale- Erica Eisdorfer (I liked this one)

(I will edit this post with a description of how I liked each book as I finish them.)

I've got a lot of rat/mouse items! I thought it would be fun to share my collection with everyone. (You can click on the pictures to make them larger.)

Most of these came from F.B., F.B.'s aunts & 1 from my Rat Chatter friend.

Stuffed Ratties! 3 from the Philippines & the Xmas one is from my Mom.

2 top left from F.B., 2 I bought from Drusilla & others I got myself.

I got these myself, the coin purse is from Bath & Bodyworks!

These are hanging from the rear view mirror in my car. Got them in the Phil!

F.B. sent me this little guy!

My Dad got me this- he spins around in the cup, lol.

Tita Nel, F.B.'s aunt gave me this purse in the Philippines	!

These were made my by Rat Chatter friend Phyllis! They hang on my wall!

I bought this drawing from Rat Pirate a Rat Chatter friend who is an artist.

Gotta have some rattie books!

My gorgeous very expensive bracelet from Esquivel & Fees.

My cute little charm from Ebay.

My sister in law gave me this- the little Chinese rat spins around.

And let's not forget a very permanent part of my rattie collection!

As you can see I have quite a collection! Some I've bought myself, but a lot of the items were given to me as gifts. And... I'm still adding to it! Do you have any collections?

I took a bunch of random books out from the library this time. There are quite a few new ones I want to read but the wait is just too long. Maybe in a few months I'll be able to take them out when they aren't so popular.

What I want to read:

1. Room : a novel- Emma Donoghue

2. Fly away home- Jennier Weiner

3. The red queen- Philippa Gregory

4. Captive Queen: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine- Alison Weir

5. The world is bigger now : an American journalist's rescue from captivity in North Korea- Euna Lee

Here are the random books I picked out to read for the time being. I did online key word searches in our library and found some interesting reads. The Elizabeth Smart one I picked because they are about to begin the trial and the story interested me.

1. Bringing Elizabeth home : a journey of faith and hope- Ed Smart (Pretty good.)

2. In a gilded cage- Rhys Bowen (I liked this- a good mystery book!)

3. Annexed- Sharon Dogar (It was okay- not very descriptive.)

4. Wicked girls : a novel of the Salem witch trials- Stephanie Hemphill (The whole book is written in verse with not enough details. Hard to read.)

5. Revolution- Jennifer Donnelly (Didn't love it, but wasn't bad either.)

6. The world I live in- Helen Keller (Very interesting read.)