Around Halloween I love to get my fill of scary movies and stories. I remember reading as a kid a book of scary ghost stories that always gave me the shivers. This year I decided to go back to that tradition and pick up a book of real ghost stories.

Based on positive reviews, I bought Haunted Heritage: A Definitive Collection of North American Ghost Stories. It had a good variety of stories, including stories ranging from creepy to the outrageous. I particularly enjoyed that he went over a wide range of time periods and areas, all the way back to the 1600s. He was very detailed and provided plenty of history as well, which I love to learn and found fascinating.

Besides reading ghost stories, I’m going to see Saw IV and go to a haunted house this Denver Halloween. If you’re in the area, I would recommend you see some of the best Halloween has to offer in Denver, Colorado. Just make sure to get your fill of the spooky before October ends!

Discovering that you are infertile is a devastating experience. I know because it wasn’t too long ago that I was faced with this condition. Although I knew about the IVF treatments that were available, my husband and I decided to adopt.

There are so many children already out there that need parents so adoption seemed the perfect choice. We’ve talked about adopting since we were engaged, particularly adopting an interracial child. I always like to do my research, so I picked up the book, The Complete Adoption Book. It gave me information about everything involved in adoption. I felt better prepared when we talked with an adoption agency and began our search for our child. I would recommend it for anyone considering adoption.

It’s the small and simple things you do and change that will eventually result in successful weight loss.

In my ongoing struggle to lose weight, a friend recommended “1001 Simple Ways to Lose Weight.”  Ever the skeptic, I was rather pessimistic despite her assertions that the book can really help you lose weight and keep it off.  Much to my surprise, the book is actually quite good.  Rather than focusing on big (unrealistic) goals, it talks about small and simple steps to lose weight. 

The book is filled with simple ideas, tips, and immediate solutions for small everyday weight loss.  While it is slow going at first (as the weight loss process typically is), I started to see results after a few weeks with the small changes and steps I was making; if the book had suggested anything bigger or more demanding, I never would have stuck with a new regiment.  It also reminded me of all the small and simple yet effective things that will add up and help me lose the weight.

Whether it is a new exercise routine, a weight loss pill, or healthier eating habits, this book will help you, one baby step at a time, lose weight and keep it off.

Although infertility services like egg donation have become quite popular, surrogacy is less well-known and often misunderstood. If you are considering becoming a surrogate, you should definitely read Pathways to Parenthood: The Ultimate Guide to Surrogacy. It is also a helpful read for couples considering surrogacy or anyone wanting to know more about it.

The author was a surrogate and tells her story, as well as breaking down the legal and medical aspects of surrogacy. The author examines whether to use a surrogacy agency or make independent arrangements. This book is a how-to guide to surrogacy for both IVF and artificial insemination.

Halloween is rapidly approaching and I am excitedly finalizing all the plans.  My husband and I will visit nearly every Colorado haunted house we possibly can, watch our top scary movies, and most importantly, host our annual Halloween bash.   Martha Stewart, domestic queen and homemaker extraordinaire, has the best Halloween guide I have ever come across.  Her ideas are elegantly spooky laced with opulent eeriness and really capture the essence and spirit of the Halloween holiday.   

My Utah photographer would be so proud!  I recently purchased “Utah: A Celebration of the Landscape,” and have become enamored with photography.  Photojournalistic shots, landscapes, sepia toned photos, black & white…I love it all! I really admire individuals who have a talent for capturing intimacy, emotion, and personality on film.

My Utah coffee table book is filled to the brim with amazing shots of the state’s diverse landscapes, which makes me want to go out and buy a nice photographer’s camera and start shooting!  Now, if I could only convince my husband that I will stick with my new found calling in life as a photographer.

I came across an article the other day that I found rather interesting: “Legal Issues and Concerns with Music on Hold.” Ha, I know it sounds kind of boring, but it was interesting to read about the legality of on hold recordings. How often do you call a customer service line and are put on hold? Chances are it is music you recognize (or if you are lucky creative hold music). Either way, the company using the music had to pay licensing fees in order to play the music. Read the article; it’s a lot more interesting and my lame post can’t do it justice.

There have been many recently reported fatalities due to the West Nile Virus, and it seems to be affecting the elderly the most. It’s a tragic consequence to mosquito bites – it’s hard to believe the seemingly innocuous creatures can cause the death of people. But it happens.

I decided to look into how the heck Mosquitos, while tiny but pesky, can wreak such havoc. I found a book, The Mosquito Book, that is funny but has many facts about mosquitos.

What I didn’t see mentioned in The Mosquito Book, however, was the use of a Mosquito Hat to help prevent the awful bugs from eating us alive. Bug spray is great, but if you garden a lot like I do, I don’t want to spray it on every time I go outside.

Mosquito hats are great because they look like an ordinary hat, but a small zipper in the top opens up to reveal netting that can cover your face and protect you from mosquitos, bees, and other annoying (and sometimes deadly!) insects.

If you spend any amount of time outside, be sure to have ways to protect yourself. Read up about mosquitos, and wear a mosquito hat to keep them away from you. Stay safe, and happy gardening (and reading!)

 

Couples that have experienced infertility know what a frustrating, difficult, and depressing experience it can be.

“Resolving Infertility” (by Diane Aroson and Suzanne Levert) provides a broad overview of issues and concerns related to infertility such as the medical, psychological, and financial concerns.  The book is very helpful because it provides an in-depth medical discussion of the many tests that may involved in an infertility evaluation. 

I would highly recommend this book to any couples considering infertility services as a way to start their own family.

You should definetely read 101 Ways to Advertise Your Business before you start spending money on an advertising campaign. The author, Andrew Griffiths, has 20 years of experience in business marketing and can provide tips to make your advertising more effective.

It’s an easy read, with step-by-step advice about how to advertise. I enjoyed that he covers all types of advertising, including outdoor signs, magazines, radio, newpapers, television, and the internet.

Since advertising can make or break your business, one easy tip I picked up from his book is utilizing a custom on hold message. Your on hold message can offer information about your business and products in a non-confrontational way, so that your customers don’t hang up, are entertained, and may even decide to try a new product during their time on hold. What more could you ask for?

I truly wish I had a green thumb; I would love to have a blossoming garden full or gorgeous blooms and fresh, succulent vegetables.  But I don’t.  Everything I try to grow usually does not last very long. 

So this past spring and summer, the Gardening for Dummies book has been my best.  I wouldn’t say I have the best garden in the neighborhood, but it’s my little sanctuary that I am quite proud of; the pumpkins are growing, my tomato plants survived, and my petunias are thriving!  I would recommend this to anyone that is as gardening challenged as myself.

On a side note, I discovered a great invention for the garden: a bug hat to keep all those pesky pests from buzzing and biting.  Pick one up when you get your gardening dummy book!

I adore Julie Oswin’s “Contemporary Wedding Photography.”  I picked it up on whim at Barnes & Noble to get ideas for my own wedding.  The photographs are stunning and beautiful, contemporary yet timeless.  With a visual sample, I was able to show my Utah wedding photographer exactly they type of shots I wanted.  It makes a great coffee table book too!