As we end this year we thought we would take a moment to look back on our top ten favorite reads and adventures of 2015. This year really flew by. We read some great books and had some fun adventures! We each chose our three favorite reads and two favorite adventures from 2015. Here they are.
By Leigh Bardugo
Wow! This was quite possibly the best book I've read this year. I loved it that much. First of all, the book itself is beautiful. When I saw it for the first time I knew my bookshelf was just aching to display it. The pages are stained and it is so dark and gorgeous.
The book is written in multiple points of view which was essential in helping us get to know each of the characters. They were all incredibly complex and you learn their histories in bits and pieces as the story progresses. They are all thieves and misfits, working together to infiltrate a massively guarded prison to free a scientist for an outrageous sum of money. Leigh herself described it as Oceans 11 meets Game of Thrones.
By Gayle Forman
I knew going into this book that it was going to be sad. I have to be in the mood for a good tearjerker and I certainly was when I settled in to read this one. I made sure I had nowhere to go the following day just in case this book kept me up until 3 am and left me a sobbing mess unfit for the public eye. Thankfully that didn't happen. I was very much moved by this story and I felt like it was beautifully written but I wasn't inconsolable, the way I was with books like the Fault in Our Stars or Allegiant.
After a terrible car accident that left Mia without parents she is in the hospital in intensive care and has to make the hardest decision of her life, to let go and join her family in death or fight for a second chance at life.
"Sometimes you make choices in life and sometimes choices make you."
By Amy Engel
"Often, when I am able to check out a book, I read it a dozen times before returning it, desperate to remain lost in the magic of someone else's story."
I kept passing over this book because I thought it was going to be another sub par dystopian novel. I was so wrong! And I'm glad I was. It does have the same dystopian backstory: a catastrophic event, in this case nuclear war, destroys the world and leaves very few people who have to figure out how to survive. After the war there was a disagreement between the Lattimer and the Westfall families about how to run things in this new world and the two went head to head. The Lattimer's defeated the Westfall's. To maintain the peace the Westfall daughters are married off to the Lattimer sons and vice versa. This year it is Ivy Westfall's turn to marry Bishop Lattimer, the President's son. Ivy's father is tired of being on the losing side and wants to take over control of the city. He, along with her sister Callie, have been training Ivy to kill Bishop so that the Westfall's can take over.
THIS is how you end a series! 823 pages of non-stop action. I am exhausted. Cinder is heading to Luna to start a revolution and remove Levana from the throne and it is quite the wild ride.
Princess Winter, the endearingly lovely (yet not entirely dealing with a full deck) step-daughter of Levana is suffering from major lunar sickness due to refusing to use her gift which causes her to spontaneously see bleeding walls or turn into a girl of ice and glass.
I chuckled through so many scenes between Winter and Scarlet because the two characters are so vastly different. Scarlet is no nonsense, ready to spring into action, save the world and help her friends while Winter tends to wander off in her own little world happily singing and howling to herself.
"What did you bring me today? Delusional mutterings with a side of crazy?" - Scarlet
I LOVED this book! I didn't think it could possibly surpass Cinder, but it did, in a big way. Cress is the Rapunzel-like character of Marissa's series. She's an incredibly talented hacker who has been trapped on a satellite by Sybil, one of Levana's minions, since she was a child. She is socially awkward and naive but all that made her the perfect mix of damsel in distress and strong, capable woman. I found her absolutely adorable. She has a major crush on Captain Carswell Thorne and I just loved their scenes together.
Thorne loses his eyesight and there is a particular scene I thought was so sweet yet incredibly funny when he attempts to burst in heroically to save Cress but instead runs right past her, tries to shoot her attackers but can't figure out where to aim his gun, swings his cane wildly but can't hit anyone. I felt bad for the guy but couldn't stop laughing. He is cocky and full of himself but so funny and real and always has the best lines.
"Listen, Cress, I hate to break this to you, but I am sweaty and itchy and haven't brushed my teeth in two days. This just isn't a good time for romance." - Thorne
 |
| Which path shall we take? |
 |
| Heading down |
If you are quiet and patient there is a chance you will see various birds, squirrels and even bobcats. We didn't see any bobcats but we did run into Kermit who was out enjoying his day like the rest of us.
Halfway down and it was clear we weren't in Florida anymore. It felt like we were in the middle of a miniature rain forest. The temperature was cooler, there were streams trickling down and small waterfalls surrounding us.
Once at the bottom we were greeted with this amazing sight. I half expected the creature from the black lagoon to pop out at any second. This limestone sinkhole has 12 springs that run into a small pond in the middle. Various fossils have been found including shark teeth and extinct land animals.
If you plan to take a trip to this beautiful little gem be sure to bring comfortable shoes, water, a camera and even a picnic. There's a small visitor center, a picnic area and a hiking trail. The fee to enter is $4 for up to 8 people per vehicle.
 |
| Heading up |
By Marissa Meyer
Scarlet is the second book in the Lunar Chronicles and follows Cinder as she attempts to escape from prison before Queen Levana has her executed. We meet some interesting new characters; Scarlet who's grandmother is missing, Wolf a mysterious street fighter and "Captain" Carswell Thorne (my personal favorite addition).
This book is written in multiple POVs so it jumps back and forth between the characters. I like Scarlet, she's tough and compassionate, she refuses to give up. She is selfless and kind but will not back down and knows how to kick butt when she needs to.
Wolf is a big, bad, undefeated street fighter with a softer side, and a little mystery going on there, who offers to help Scarlet find her grandmother when no one else will. As much as I enjoyed Scarlet and Wolf's story line I just couldn't wait to get back to Cinder!
In this futuristic re-telling of the classic fairy tale, Cinderella, Cinder is a dirty, greasy mechanic who lives with her stepmother and two stepsisters, while working endlessly to pay their bills. She is also a cyborg. Hold on. A cyborg? This is definitely not something I would normally pick up, but I heard so many good things about this book that I had to give it a try.
I'm a big fan of Cinderella and the Terminator series including the Sarah Connor Chronicles. I loved seeing a female terminator. How anyone could think to mix aspects of the two together and create a unique story is beyond me, but it works!
Prince Kai meets Cinder when he brings his defective android to her to have it fixed. Prince Kai is friendly, likable and treats Cinder with respect despite her filthy appearance, grease smudges and all. He doesn't see a beautiful woman in a fancy ball gown and doesn't fall instantly in love. He sees an intelligent, flawed, person and takes the time to befriend her. I found that refreshing.
By Anna Carey Once is the second book in the EVE trilogy. Just like with Eve, Once had me hooked from the very beginning. So many things happen in this book but I'll try to avoid any spoilers.Eve has been living in Califia for 3 months. She is desperately missing Caleb and doesn't feel like she quite fits in with the other women in the camp. After hearing rumors that Caleb is injured and in an abandoned warehouse ouside Califia, Eve sets off to rescue him. It was all a trap of course and she is captured and taken to the City of Sand. When she meets the King he is not at all what Eve or I had expected. I'll just leave it at that.
As soon as we landed in Vancouver we headed to Stanley Park. I had read so much about all the wonderful things to see and do there. It did not disappoint! We walked around for hours and still did not get to see everything. We started off walking along the seawall and just taking in the scenery. It was so beautiful! Then we decided to go deeper into the park and explore the forest trails. Did I mention we didn't have a map? We had no clue where we were going, but that's what made it so fun!
There were several beautiful gardens, my favorite being the Shakespeare Garden. Many of the trees had plaques with Shakespeare quotes and we enjoyed reading them all as we explored. After walking for about 2 hours we we came upon a nice little restaurant, The Stanley Park Pavilion. The food was sooo good!
After our much needed break we started walking again. This time we grabbed a map and headed over to the Lost Lagoon. As soon as we reached the edge of the Lagoon you could see an amazing view of the city. I had waited so long to be here and I just took a few minutes to soak it all in.
There were several beautiful gardens, my favorite being the Shakespeare Garden. Many of the trees had plaques with Shakespeare quotes and we enjoyed reading them all as we explored. After walking for about 2 hours we we came upon a nice little restaurant, The Stanley Park Pavilion. The food was sooo good!
After our much needed break we started walking again. This time we grabbed a map and headed over to the Lost Lagoon. As soon as we reached the edge of the Lagoon you could see an amazing view of the city. I had waited so long to be here and I just took a few minutes to soak it all in.
As we continued on our way we were amazed with all the wildlife. I spotted several different birds including swans, geese and several families of ducks. Those ducklings were SO CUTE swimming along after their mother. We came across beavers building a dam. I must say, it amazed me. I'd never seen a beaver before and they were hard at work!
Just before heading back to the hotel we stopped at Vancouver Lookout where we enjoyed a 360 degree aerial view of Vancouver. There were many plaques located throughout the panoramic observation deck, giving insight to the history, infrastructure, local trends and many different cultures of the city.
The next day we went to Grouse Mountain to zip line! We rode the SkyRide up the mountain (and up and up and up!). We did the 5-Line Tour and had a blast! There's nothing quite like zipping across mountains and canyons at around 50 mph! The last two zips are at the very top of the mountains. We had to hop on the chair lift to reach the top. It was nice to take a min to relax and enjoy the amazing view. When we were all done zipping we headed to the cafe for some lunch and ate outdoors on the patio overlooking the lower mainland.
We couldn't leave without visiting the famous Capilano Suspension Bridge. It was one of the things on my "must do" list. The Suspension Bridge has an interesting history that you can read about here . The first thing I did was race over to that bridge and start across it! The bridge is 450 feet across and 230 feet above the Capilano River. I felt like the Queen of the world standing up there! Next we did the Treetops Adventure that gives you a "squirrels eye view" of the forest. It has a series of 7 suspension bridges taking you 110 feet above the forest floor. I felt like Tarzan cruising through the treetops. The newest addition to the park is the Cliffwalk which takes you on suspended walkways that jut out from the mountain side. It is very high, narrow and in some places the walkway is GLASS. So of course we had to do it! It was such a fun and unique experience and I would love to do it again some day!
WELCOME TO STORYBROOKE
We are huge fans of the show Once Upon a Time and have waited SO LONG to visit the real Storybrooke aka Steveston, B.C. This was the highlight of the trip. I finally got to cross off the #1 thing on my bucket list- visit Granny's Diner. And not only visit, but grab some lunch inside! Granny's Diner is actually The Cannery Cafe when the show is not filming. I was fangirling SO HARD.I stopped in to the Steveston Post Office and Visitor's Center and was given this handy guide to everything Once related in town! After buying alot of OUaT related merchandise we started our Once adventure! We visited every place on Moncton Street. It was so incredible to be in the world of of my favorite show. I kept pointing out all the little places I remembered from the show. "Maleficent met her daughter RIGHT HERE IN THIS SPOT" Lol! Some of my favorites were Gold's Pawn Shop, Storybrooke Library, Any Given Sundae and of course Granny's Diner.
Our hotel was right next to the Cannery and from our room we could see right down Moncton street, where all the magic happens. I was in heaven! All the Once stuff aside. Steveston is such a gorgeous little coastal village. It's the kind of place I could see myself staying for a while. Everyone is so friendly, the food is great, and every where you look has a beautiful view. It was so nice to relax and take a stroll down the docks after a busy day of sightseeing.
There were many things we didn't get a chance to do but we had an amazing time! Can't wait to visit Vancouver again!
We've been hearing a lot about this crazy thing called Geocaching. People hide containers all over the world, you take the coordinates and your phone or GPS, and head out on a treasure hunt.
Treasure you say? What kind of treasure? Toys, trading cards, key chains, trinkets, coins, random stuff. You just never know until you open the cache.
Why would I want someone else's junk? Good question. It's not about the random "treasure" you find in the caches, it's about...well, this.
Geocaching can take you places you may not even know about, right in your own back yard. Being nature lovers, and in desperate need of a new mini adventure, we decided to give it a try. The first two coordinates we attempted were complete failures. We searched and searched. Nothing. We started getting frustrated. So frustrated I deleted the app, twice!
I refused to be defeated, so we tried one last time. We headed to one of our favorite parks and went to work. We were looking for a tree. Okay, we were surrounded by trees. A specific tree, according to the hint. We find a tree that matches the description but it looks like someone got here before us and we were really hoping he wasn't still around!
We did not want to meet the owner of that snake skin! We almost gave up but I was pretty determined. We knew it had to be close.
I tiptoed, ducked, danced around the tree assuming random ninja poses any time a spider web touched my arm, and finally found our very first cache! I almost missed it. The little camo container did a pretty good job of blending in.
We snagged the container and attempted to sign the log book but the log was a bit damp so we just settled for logging it online and replaced it exactly as we found it.
Okay I admit, that was fun. I got bit by the geocaching bug. I would have done a happy dance at this point but between the jumbo sized banana spiders and that snake I just knew was lurking, we were out of there! On to the next cache.
This one was a bit larger and completely full of swag. The only thing we took were pictures. We had absolutely no idea what to expect. Now that we know how this works, we'll come prepared next time with some goodies to trade or to fill up a dwindling cache.
This one was well hidden but termites were having a feast so we had to carefully place it back together and toss some foliage on top to hide the cracks in the lid.
We stopped to take in the scenery many times. I have to admit, my favorite part of this experience is getting to explore places you wouldn't normally think to go. The wonderful, creative owners of these caches put a lot of thought into finding these amazing hiding places.
This next cache was tricky! We had to do some searching to find it. I'm pretty sure if we didn't work together to find it, I'd still be out there searching.
This cache contains two little trinkets and a log. We weren't able to sign any of the logs because of the dampness but we really liked the idea of using a stamp as others had done.
This little guy was hanging out and watching the action. We asked him for hints but his lips were sealed. I'm sure the critters got a good snicker out of us trying to be stealthy so people in the area wouldn't see us searching.
If you are out in the woods wearing a bright purple shirt, stiffly hiding behind a tree and you have to ask, "am I blending?" the answer is most likely, no. I will neither confirm nor deny that I have done this.
There are geocaches out there only reachable by boat, and we are going to find them! But not today. The weather was changing and we did not want to get caught in a downpour, plus the temperature was approaching Mordor, so we headed out.
We learned a lot from our first geocaching adventure. Next time we plan to go prepared.
We'll need:
1. A stamp or really good pen to log our visits
2. A kayak to reach those hard to get to areas
3. Fun swag or signature items to leave behind
4. Neutral colored clothing for better blending
Now we just have to get creative and figure out some unique signature items. As soon as the weather cools off (and all the creepy crawlies go into hiding) we will be back. There are so many geocaches to find!
If you want to join the fun we suggest visiting Geocaching.com and sign up for a free membership.
Treasure you say? What kind of treasure? Toys, trading cards, key chains, trinkets, coins, random stuff. You just never know until you open the cache.
Why would I want someone else's junk? Good question. It's not about the random "treasure" you find in the caches, it's about...well, this.
 |
| Mother nature's beauty |
Geocaching can take you places you may not even know about, right in your own back yard. Being nature lovers, and in desperate need of a new mini adventure, we decided to give it a try. The first two coordinates we attempted were complete failures. We searched and searched. Nothing. We started getting frustrated. So frustrated I deleted the app, twice!
I refused to be defeated, so we tried one last time. We headed to one of our favorite parks and went to work. We were looking for a tree. Okay, we were surrounded by trees. A specific tree, according to the hint. We find a tree that matches the description but it looks like someone got here before us and we were really hoping he wasn't still around!
 |
| Sneaky serpent. Guardian of the cache |
We did not want to meet the owner of that snake skin! We almost gave up but I was pretty determined. We knew it had to be close.
I tiptoed, ducked, danced around the tree assuming random ninja poses any time a spider web touched my arm, and finally found our very first cache! I almost missed it. The little camo container did a pretty good job of blending in.
 |
| Our first cache blending in quite well! |
We snagged the container and attempted to sign the log book but the log was a bit damp so we just settled for logging it online and replaced it exactly as we found it.
Okay I admit, that was fun. I got bit by the geocaching bug. I would have done a happy dance at this point but between the jumbo sized banana spiders and that snake I just knew was lurking, we were out of there! On to the next cache.
 |
| This contained a log only |
This one was a bit larger and completely full of swag. The only thing we took were pictures. We had absolutely no idea what to expect. Now that we know how this works, we'll come prepared next time with some goodies to trade or to fill up a dwindling cache.
This one was well hidden but termites were having a feast so we had to carefully place it back together and toss some foliage on top to hide the cracks in the lid.
We stopped to take in the scenery many times. I have to admit, my favorite part of this experience is getting to explore places you wouldn't normally think to go. The wonderful, creative owners of these caches put a lot of thought into finding these amazing hiding places.
This next cache was tricky! We had to do some searching to find it. I'm pretty sure if we didn't work together to find it, I'd still be out there searching.
This cache contains two little trinkets and a log. We weren't able to sign any of the logs because of the dampness but we really liked the idea of using a stamp as others had done.
This little guy was hanging out and watching the action. We asked him for hints but his lips were sealed. I'm sure the critters got a good snicker out of us trying to be stealthy so people in the area wouldn't see us searching.
If you are out in the woods wearing a bright purple shirt, stiffly hiding behind a tree and you have to ask, "am I blending?" the answer is most likely, no. I will neither confirm nor deny that I have done this.
There are geocaches out there only reachable by boat, and we are going to find them! But not today. The weather was changing and we did not want to get caught in a downpour, plus the temperature was approaching Mordor, so we headed out.
We learned a lot from our first geocaching adventure. Next time we plan to go prepared.
We'll need:
1. A stamp or really good pen to log our visits
2. A kayak to reach those hard to get to areas
3. Fun swag or signature items to leave behind
4. Neutral colored clothing for better blending
Now we just have to get creative and figure out some unique signature items. As soon as the weather cools off (and all the creepy crawlies go into hiding) we will be back. There are so many geocaches to find!
If you want to join the fun we suggest visiting Geocaching.com and sign up for a free membership.
We had a great time at Dragon Con 2015! Here are a few of our highlights.
We've been waiting so long to meet Anna and Ksenia and it finally happened. Both ladies are so incredibly kind.
Ran into our favorite werewolf, had some laughs and took some goofy selfies. What a character!
 |
| Lost Girls |
 |
| Kris Holden-Ried "Groupie" Collage |
Ran into our favorite werewolf, had some laughs and took some goofy selfies. What a character!
The top of my bucket list consists of sky diving, visiting New Zealand and touring my favorite wineries in Napa Valley. I have finally...FINALLY had the opportunity to visit Napa. Dreams really do come true!
First on my list was Castello Di Amorosa. The "castle of love." This winery did not disappoint. We took a self guided tour and took our time climbing to the top and enjoying the views. This is an authentic, 13th century, Tuscan style castle. I was already in love!
We headed down to the courtyard while I snapped pictures every chance I got. It was my first time in a castle! Actually, my second time if you count Cinderella's castle at Disney World.
The courtyard is beautiful. I could just sit with a glass of white wine and read all day. Maybe even write a book. I never wanted to leave.
There was only one thing that could make this tour even more enjoyable. Wine tasting! The wine was amazing. It took everything I had not to spend all our vacation money ordering several cases.
The wine they make here is not sold in stores, which made the tasting all the more exciting. I will be hopping on their website and ordering my favorites to share with family and friends.
We picked our favorite bottle to take back to our resort to celebrate and headed out through the gift shop. This suit of armor was calling my name but alas, it wouldn't fit in my suitcase.
Once outside the castle we explored a little of the grounds and everywhere we turned these guys appeared. I want a whole flock of these chickens! How cute are they with their poofy feathers?
August was the perfect month to visit. Just look at those beautiful grapes begging to be picked! I was so excited to see them up close. We were sad to leave but excited to visit the next winery on our list.
 |
| Grapes almost ready for harvest |
We headed over to my favorite winery, who's wine we are very familiar with, Beringer. This wine can be easily found and purchased in stores all over. Beringer was one of the first wineries in Napa, so I just had to see it.
My favorite part of the tour was exploring the tunnels and tasting some amazing wine. So many glorious barrels. Like the suit of armor, not one would fit in my purse or luggage!
Every time I buy a bottle of Beringer wine I will always think fondly back to our trip.
Further into the tunnel we came to the spot the scene was filmed where Anthony Quinn and Keanu Reeves sat and drank wine right before the drunken serenade.
 |
| A Walk in the Clouds filming location |
It was a tight squeeze but I managed to get a closer shot.
 |
| Keanu Reeves & Anthony Quinn sat in this spot |
Outside we were able to see and tour the Rhine House which was built in 1884. Absolutely beautiful.
 |
Front of Rhine House
 |
| Side view of Rhine House |
Here we have the Hudson House. Built in 1850 and eventually moved using logs and horses so the Rhine House could be built in it's spot.
 |
Our tour was over and it was time to head back. We were looking forward to some dinner and a chance to savor our bottle of Simpatica. A wonderful sweet white wine from Castello Di Amorosa. The perfect end to a perfect day.
Our trip was paid for by us. All thoughts and opinions are our own.
Pin to Pinterest
