Handle with Care

I am a few books behind, but truthfully most of them were not especially note worthy, so I will just update you on the most recent book I finished - Jodi Picoult's Handle with Care.
The premise of the book is interesting in an uncomfortable sort of way (but I have felt that way about all of Jodi Picoult's books), depicting a family wanting for another child.
The O'Keef's were looking to begin fertility treatments and then with surprise and joy found out that they got pregnant the old fashioned way. Only when they discover their child will be born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) do they question their love for this child, and when they have to struggle for caring for a child with such high needs they question the care the doctor (and mother's best friend) provided.
As with all of Jodi Picoult's books, the charter development in this book is outstanding, you waffle between loving the mother figure and hating her, fearing for the children and wanting to yell at the Father figure, to shake him awake!
I can tell you this was a perfect elliptical book, it is very engaging! :)

The 30 day SHRED!

In my search for an AM workout video, I chose the 30 day shred because is is only 18 minutes long. I have 18 minutes that I can commit to exercising each morning, it is just a matter of doing the dishes and packing lunch/snacks before I go to bed (and cutting out my am blog reading/zoning out in front of the computer). Everyone has 18 minutes, you just have to prioritize, and right now this is it for me! :)
Anyway, I read quite a few reviews before ordering The Shred from Amazon and after day 1/level 1 this morning, I can tell you they were all correct! I may be overweight, but I am in pretty good shape, running a 10:46 minute mile, working out 5 times a week, and I take an ab class on Mondays that I swear each week may just kill me - but this lady is tough stuff! The Shred is fast paced (but not so fast you can't catch what you are supposed to be doing), and that 18 minutes is HARD!
Just when you want to quit and rest Jillian is telling you how a 400 lb person can do this so you can too! That this is when change happens, right when it burns the most, and reminding you that you get out of it what you put in! That stuff kept me motivated, and I am proud to say there was no quitting this morning! I'm not sure about the claim to loose up to 20 lbs in 30 days, but I can tell you that in 18 minutes I was sweating and I will be giving this DVD a try for the next 30 days!
Have you guys tried the shred? How did you like it?
Or if not, what are some of your favorite (QUICK) workout DVDs?

Fancy new CAMERA!

Look what I got today! My last birthday present from my Grandmother and David's parents - a Samsung TL220, with dualview (a screen in the front for those pics taken are arms length) and a touch screen in the back! It is charging now, so I haven't gotten to play with it yet, but I am so excited for new toys! :)
Scratch goal #8 off the list!