I actually finished a book!

I started a fabulous book before school started and was almost finished. But since school, I have read about 50 pages in 1 month. A slow process to say the least. But I finally finished "Gods and Generals" by Jeff Shaara. It's a book that focuses on a few generals from the Civil War. It's very much a non-fiction book in the sense that it gives you the facts and the 'nitty-gritty' (as Nacho would say) details about the war, but it's also very fictional because Shaara uses those true details and weaves them into a personal story about the people leading the war so you know what they would supposedly have felt like or what their personal life was like. Here is my favorite review of the book.
"Shaara's beautifully sensitive novel delves deeply in the empathetic realm of psycho-history, where enemies do not exist- just mortal men forced to make crucial decisions and survive on the same battlefield...(He) succeeds with his historical novel through fully realized characters who were forced to decide their loyalties amid the horrors of their dividing nation"- San Fransisco Chronicle.
I wanted to read this book to somewhat increase my knowledge of the history of our country and it worked! I understand better now the process leading up to the civil war and understand that the leaders of the South or North were not strictly 'good' or 'bad'. They were decent, God-fearing men who were doing what they thought was best for our country. I hear it's a movie, so if you want to forgo the somewhat intense 500 pages, that may be an option! It also leaves you hanging at the end of the book right at the brink of the Battle of Gettysburg. Luckily Shaara's father wrote the sequel to the book called "Killer Angels" which I've heard is just amazing. FYI.

Alright, easiest, yummiest recipe in the world.
HOMEMADE OREOS
1 Devils Food Cake Mix
3/4 C shortening
2 Eggs
Roll into small balls, place on un-greased cookie sheet. Bake @ 350 for 8 minutes. Let cool on pan. Buy a container of vanilla frosting, spread between 2 small cookies!!
Lately, my favorite way to make cookies has just been to use any cake mix, leave out the water but put everything else in that is says and bake them as cookies. It makes so many, they are tasty, and it's SO easy!! Enjoy!!