A hectic week so here's what I want to tell you about...

• The blog. I love the new design of my blog by Forever Design Studio so I want to do a giveaway. One lucky winner will win $50 towards a project with this designer. Stay tuned this Tuesday...
• A year long project. Who doesn't love Stephen King? Never fear, he's not all horror, so to discover Uncle Stevie (I'm a new fan), Kathleen from Boarding In My Forties and I started The Stephen King Project. Participants have linked reviews at the site already. Feel free to join, but make sure you link your announcement post to the site. It's easier to stay organized that way. And yes, there are levels to this project, but who cares? Have FUN. The levels are there for those who like to track stuff. We are giving prizes monthly, though. Just sayin'.
• Audiobook love. Liz Michalski, author of Evenfall, recommended Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book, and I love it. I've got a couple of hours left, can't wait to see how it turns out.
• More audiobook love. Cassandra Campbell, audio narrator for the books Very Valentine and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, is fast becoming a favorite of mine. Sandy from You've Gotta Read This! recommended The School of Essential Ingredients, so I'll start that today.
• STILL Unpacking. *blushes* I moved from Florida back to Virginia three months ago, but one room was filled with boxes that my husband and I hadn't tackled yet. We jumped on it Saturday, so we have at least six trips to Goodwill to donate our stuff today. How did I move all this just to give it away? Argh. So, it feels better to de-clutter.
• Life Coaches and Inspiration. A good friend started her business as a Life Coach which is just awesome. Alison has a Master's in Counseling Psychology, is established in her role, and is wicked organized and positive. Her Facebook page is chock full of this positivity and inspiration so swing by and gave her some Facebook love by "liking" her page.

That's on the docket for me. Unpack, organize, listen to The Graveyard Book and The School for Essential Ingredients. Busy day, right?

What about you? What are you doing today?

As many of you know, I've been in the hectic process of moving from North Florida to Virginia Beach. I lived here eight years ago and always loved it. When my husband was offered a great opportunity, we decided to snag it since I work from home and I can move my base operations anywhere. We had several delays in moving due to that lil hussy Irene, but we finally arrived this week and are in the slow process of unpacking in our new home and getting settled in. Although I'd love to continue walking down memory lane of my honeymoon in Italy two years ago, it's probably best that I share current pictures...

For more of this week's Saturday Snapshots, or if you'd like to participate, please visit Alyce with At Home With Books.

On the road...

Popular tourist site in South Carolina "South of the Border"

My husband's 1969 Chevelle...we love, love this car.

Although I'm horrible with maintaining my commitments to challenges, this is one I've been eagerly anticipating since it will be my first year joining. For the sixth year in a row, founder and host of the RIP Challenge, Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings' annual challenge runs from September 1, 2011 through October 31, 2011. It celebrates all books and films that are creepy, mysterious, Gothic, and ghoulish...

Anyone can join, so if you enjoy reading everything from Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier to a contemporary crime and mystery novelist, why not jump in?

Peril the First is the level I think I'll join. I'll be reading four books of any length that fits into R.I.P. literature. As Carl writes, "It could be Stephen King or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Ian Fleming, or Edgar Allan Poe...or anyone in between."

Here are my options. What do you think? Is there one on here that you've read and you know I have to read it? Let me know!

• Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier
• The Ghost Stories of Edith Wharton, by Edith Wharton
• The Keeper of Lost Causes, by Jussi Adler-Olsen
• The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher, by Kate Summerscale
• The Devouring, by Simon Holt (YA)
• The Meaning of Night, by Michael Cox
• A Discovery of Witches, by Deborah E. Harkness
• Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs
• The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova (I've read this twice. Once, when it first came out in 2005, and then last year for my On the Ledge Readalongs site. This year, I'm considering the audiobook because I've heard such accolades on the production).
• Her Fearful Symmetry, by Audrey Niffenegger
• In the Woods, by Tana French
• The Woman in Black, by Susan Hill. (Daniel Radcliffe will soon be starring in the film version).
• The Gallows Curse, by Andrew Hammond (YA)

Carl is also hosting a few readalongs as well, and I'm definitely going to dive into The Lantern, by Deborah Lawrenson. I've read a few reviews already that have me chomping at the bit to read it.

Side Note: I made it to Virginia Beach! The husband, the dog, the cat and me finally made it to our new home, received our furniture and we are slowly unpacking.

Dinner in Virginia Beach

Well, suffice it to say it's going to be an interesting move this weekend. While that lil hussy Irene won the first round with me and delayed our travel plans of moving from North Florida to Virginia Beach from Friday to Sunday, it certainly looks like it will still continue to be an adventure. Today, it's bright and sunny, with some fantastic clouds in the sky, but yesterday was a scatterbrained weather day.

We'll be heading to our new house in Virginia Beach on Sunday - hopefully the storm will be kind to all of my family and friends in the Hampton Roads/Tidewater area, and all along the East Coast.

For more of this week's Saturday Snapshots, please visit Alyce with At Home With Books.

Picking up lunch in Neptune Beach, Florida ~ Friday, Aug. 26, 2011

Driving back to our North Florida home

We leave tomorrow. Fun, huh?

I'm almost hysterical with laughter at the absurdity. Moving is already something that causes complete hilarity at all of the last minute I-can't-believe-that-just-happened nonsense, but now this?

The movers will be here today. We are moving from Florida to Virginia. We are ready to go.

But here's the ultimate ridiculousness of recent events: that lil hussy Irene is going to be in my way. I was planning to get into the car with my husband, Roma the Dog, and Puppy the Cat this Friday to drive to Virginia. But.

Irene's path is the exact same path to drive from Florida to Virginia.

Sigh. See you soon.

My unhappy Roma

Moving. Well, sort of planning the move. Which includes trying to get my house in Florida rented out, since there's no house selling in this economy, boys and girls!

My husband got a promotion and we are moving from Florida back to Virginia! Yay! Back around family and friends we go, and since I work from home and only need an airport by me so I can fly out to wherever, that part is easy... It's the renting out of our house and then finding a house in Virginia that's a bit crazy. And then it's packing everything up and getting everything moved. Good gracious. I've moved a gazillion times in my life but this one feels tougher!

So, this is why I've been a slacker over the past month, especially the past week. Hopefully we can finalize everything, find the perfect renter for our house, and then find the perfect house for us in Virginia. Hopefully!

Thanks for sticking by me...

Natalie at Coffee and a Book Chick