I was blessed to grow up on a beautiful plantation with beloved Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins literally across the field.  I will always be a country, well really a Southern girl, at heart even though I live in the middle of the city.  I still prefer being barefoot and it isn’t a big deal when I leave the door to the house wide open! But, home has changed tremendously since my play time days.  Where the pool once was there is now a beautiful organic garden that produces year round, a barn that was once full of animals, now holds my father’s treasures, and a serene lake stretching over several acres now adorns the back yard stretching into the front.  I am sitting in my dad’s leather chair in the sun room watching the wind blow the moss in the huge oak tree outside the window and the water ripple across the lake.  It looks more like scene in a movie than the place I grew up.

When Corey dropped us off my parents actually weren’t here yet, so we preceded to grabbing two fishing pole’s and diced ham for bait.  We caught 6 good size brim.  One we called a piranha because it literally kept trying to nip at our fingers and our favorite had a blue belly.  Sweet side note, when we catch a fish Izzy insists on feeding them a treat, rather it be ham or fish food, it is the sweetest thing.  Corey made it back pretty quickly, so we went walking around and behind the garden we found the perfect hills for rolling down.  Isabella was having a blast and when she invited me to join her, how could I resist.  Isabella ran around in the field and as we were sitting there I had flashbacks to when our horses would run in the field where we were, and our lambs off to the right.  The only thing missing for me was a horse.  I can’t wait for the day Izzy and I can just get on one and ride all day.  That I miss the most.  

This is the first day in weeks that we actually got to play and spend good quality time together and I feel whole again.  Sometimes life gets so busy and you say to yourself if I could just get this done, or just get that done, but what you really need is time with your family and time with the Lord.  I am thankful for this day that my dear friend helped me in my distress by helping  me complete my odd jobs, and thankful for this serene place that I can come to and that I still call home. 

Tea of the day: Silver Needle Reserve, 2010 crop, by Red Blossom Tea Company, it’s a white tea and  the leaves feel fuzzy to touch, but it is light and refreshing….Just right for this afternoon.

Just recently I learned actually who Earl Grey was, and it can be summed up to NUT CASE!   He was obnoxious to his wife and the living conditions which were arranged were unthinkable. Yet, he got his name on this beautiful tea.  I have to say though, it often reminds of Fruit Loops cereal, which wouldn’t be far off for describing him……hmmmmm……something silly to ponder for the day.

Anyway, back to Max.  He is a good kid, well mannered, who loves his dad.   When he arrives at Rowan Academy he is immediately recognized by his peers and educators that he has something special to offer.  They find out that potentials are being kidnapped by another source, which is an evil guy that is actually trapped in a painting. Max has his struggles, with girls, pride and going through too much for a young boy but he overcomes and takes charge.   There are some fun characters in the book, Mum and Bob who are the cooks that really are an old hag that used to eat people and Bob an old ogre, both reformed and forgiven and working for the good side now as the cooks at Rowan.  I thought it was funny that Mum had to smell you for the first time so that way she knew you were off limits to be eaten!  David, another character, is Max’s roommate.  He seems weak but you can tell he has major intellect and power inside of him.  I expect to see more of him in the next book.  Each kid is given responsibility of  taking care of a charge, special animal.  Max ends up with a Lymrill that has a short fuse sometimes but he reminds me of Max so I feel they were a good fit.  They also had animals around the academy that could of course talk and were full of wit and direction.  Oh, and I can’t leave out how cool  the kids dorm rooms can be! They are all different and are made from the kids bunking together.  Really cleaver.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book.  This is something I could read with Izzy when she is age appropriate.  I feel like the author was just making his other character known and didn’t go too deep into getting to know the rest which was sometimes confusing.  I expect as you read the series though, you will get to know them better.  I will continue to read this series, but I have promised to read, Her Mother’s Hope, by Francine Rivers to www.KendraJustice.com.  The second book to that series is about to be released so we are getting ready for that AND the new Rick Riordan book being released this September.  It’s a continuation to Percy Jackson so I have high expectations already.  Keep reading peps, it keeps your brain from falling asleep.  Just make sure you are reading the right things  ;)

Tea of the day:  Sencha Green…..Kathryn….needs…. caffeine!

Tea of the day: Black currant again!  Still good!

Tea of the day-British Breakfast.

By the way: I am finishing a book that has taken me far to long to read, but should be blogging on it soon.  Keep reading peps!

On another note I thought they did a great job on the casting.  The guy who played Percy was the same brazen spunky teenager I had pictured in the book.  Grover was definitely the funniest.  A little over confident than the book character, but still good.   And why didn’t they dye Annabeth’s hair BLONDE and where was Clarisse?? It was a lot of the little things that just kept adding up unfortunately.

Now after saying all that, I honestly don’t think I would be so harsh on this movie if I didn’t know the original story, but the problem is I do.  I was really  excited about it because it had potential but it ended up falling short.  Hopefully they will do the other movies but stick to the Riordan’s original story.   Still had a good time just going to see it. Good company and good conversation is always fun.