You are what you read?

I've always thought that the books a person reads are an interesting insight into their personality. This blog post by my friend Smash over at Great Books and Fresh Coffee really got me thinking. What has my 2009 reading list looked like?

Now, there has been some pleasure reading mixed in with all of this...but just take a look:

The bible of fertility...I actually recommend this for any woman who wants to really know about how their body works. I was amazed at how much I learned about female fertility that I didn't know until I read the book! There actually is a natural fertility method explained in the book, which involves charting your waking temperatures and following other fertility signs so that you can actually know when you ovulate. With help from the website Fertility Friend, I charted for three months - two months to avoid, and then we were able to get pregnant the first month we tried. All because of what I learned from this book.

So of course, after finding out that I was "with child" (that term cracks me up for some reason), I had to find out what to expect from this crazy ride called pregnancy. Great book, and I plan on picking it back up soon to read the final section on the third trimester, now that I'm there.

A great (and very comprehensive book) not only on how to save money on baby gear but also with a wealth of information on what you do and don't need, what products are worth the money, which ones are reasonable extravagances, and so on. Tons of great reviews - I would've been lost trying to create a baby registry without this book.

Another book that came highly recommended for information on baby products. I enjoyed some of the reviews, but I didn't rely on this one as much as Baby Bargains, surprisingly. Still a good reference tool, though.

And my latest read, which I just started a few days ago. I realized about a week ago that in just a few months, we're going to have a baby, and I really need to start learning what I should expect from this amazing creature.

Interestingly enough, I rarely actually buy books - and almost never for full price. As the daughter of a librarian, I make heavy use of my library card. But I have purchased each and every one of these books, and I'm glad I did - they're all excellent reference tools, and I find myself constantly referring back to many of them.

Haven't said much lately

As I told one family member who was requesting more frequent blog entries, I'm not much on blogging unless I feel like I have something to say. Often, my life feels pretty routine, so I don't bother to post. But how am I to know what might be interesting to you, dear blog readers? So herein follows a list of what I've been up to lately.

1. Reading. Lots of that. Right now I'm enjoying Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty, having just finished Sloppy Firsts earlier this week. They're fun books, and though it took me a while to get into the first one, I'm hooked now and I can't wait to keep going. There are five of them so far - yay! I love it when I can really get invested in a character or set of characters and follow them through time.

2. Watching Amazing Race. I just discovered that CBS has full episodes available online, and I'm already caught up to the broadcast schedule. This has been a really fun season, with lots of good teams I felt like I could root for, and so far none that I really hate. I think my favorite team is Luke & Marge, and my favorite task has been one from the very first episode - hauling 50 lb blocks of cheese down a steep hill. Hilarity.

3. Celebrating. My work-friend Julia is getting married tonight. (YAY!) I was in charge of putting on her work shower. I had some great help, and together with my team was able to pull off a wonderful celebration, with a "Dish Ran Away with the Spoon" theme, stemming from the fact that her new last name will be Spoon! We had spoon decor of all types, and for part of her present, I went out and found every single spoon they had registered for and bought them all! Along with that, I have also attended a "Stock the Bar" shower and her bachelorette party, which was last night. I wasn't able to stay out late, since I had to work today, but it was great getting to meet and hang out with all her wonderful friends from all over the country. I know her wedding tonight is going to be wonderful, and I'm really excited to attend.

Of course, I've done much more with my time than just those three things, but those are some highlights. Sorry for the lack of pictures...hopefully my wonderful narrative will be enough to sate your appetite for Courtney-news. 'Til next time...