4 Now how am I going to make it till August 2nd ?

I feel like I am finally able to breath out! Last (crazy) week I wrapped up everything I've been working on for the past 6 months. The biggest relief; I finished up 2 HUGE projects for the Center for Epidemiologic Studies that I've been working on non-stop since November. I also finished up teaching 2 sections of statistics 1040 for USU, one for math/stat department and the other through the distance ed department. Writing & then grading the exams is a GIANT job! In addition, I made a DVD for the ward Activity Days Mother-Daughter dinner last Wednesday. What a relief to have it all done!!! Now that the semester is over, I've taking it easy (relatively speaking) and hope do some of the things I've only dreamed of the past 6 months. I'm only going to be working 20 hours a week for the Epi Center - no teaching - this summer. YEAH! Bring on going to the park, the pool, wakeboarding, crafting, sewing, scrapbooking...and of course READING.

I fully admit I am a binge reader. I do not have the ability to stop reading a book once I start. Once the cover opens, I have a one track mind. I am an addict. Usually I don't eat or sleep much when I'm 'IN' a book. And in true addict fashion, I want the biggest fix I can get, a series! This is something Nate just doesn't understand in the least. He takes months to read a book, if he finished it at all. He gets EXTREMELY grumpy with me when don't want to "do" anything else and don't come to bed because I'm reading . So, between my work load, caring for the girls/home, and my spouse's disapproval, I haven't touched a book since the final Harry Potter installment came out last summer. (yes, I was a complete HP fan)

So, how did I celebrate checking everything off my 6-month "work to-do" list? I read an intense series of THREE 600+ pg/each novels, cover-to-cover in about 48 hours, of course. I've heard so many rave reviews about the Twilight series, but HAD to wait till I was working less than 50/hrs a week (not including full time mommy/homemaker responsibilities). This was my chance. I started at 9pm Thursday night & was done before midnight Saturday. AND that includes sleeping both nights (against my will), doing laundry/dishes/meals, and taking care of my family.

I LOVED the books. They were everything everyone told me they would be and more. I actually finished #2 (New Moon) Friday night, but had to wait till noon on Saturday to get book #3 (Eclipse), so in the down time I did housework and read EVERYTHING on the author's webpage. Boy does she have a lot! There are chapters she had to cut in the editing process & re-written chapters from other character's points of view. A reading addict's playland.

The real downer is that although I thought that there were only 3 books in the series, I found out half way through #2 that there will actually be a 4th book that won't be released till August 2nd. UGH!!!! I don't know if I can wait that long to see what happens with Bella & Edward! If you know of another great series (hopefully completed) please let me know. I need some distraction here.

Note: the movie for book #1 (Twilight) will be released Dec 12, just a few weeks after the next Harry Potter movie hits theators