I'M DDDOOONNNEEEE!!!!

All done. I finished the Twilight series on Monday!!! Let me just say... WAHOO!!!! I loved those books. I think because I saw the movie first and was able to picture the characters, the writing style was very easy going, and I just love the "forbidden love" part of it all!!! So, let's tally,

Book #1, 498 pages
Book #2 563 pages
Book #3 629 pages
Book #4 756 pages

Total 2,446 pages!!!

I'm not good at math, but I do know, that's more reading than I have done since high school combined. I'm into reference books, parenting magazines and the Ensign. Not so much into novels of any kind. Anyhow, and if you're keeping track, I read all of those books in less than a month (that averages about 81 pages per day)!!!

So what took me so long to get to it? I had absolutely NO desire to read the books, but a movie? Why not? I fell obsessively in love with the movie. Still no interest in the books. Christmas day, Gina had me read "just one part" of book one (when Bella sees Edward in the sun, in the meadow for the first time) and I was hooked. I couldn't stop thinking about how descriptive it was, so on New Year's Eve, I called Anna to get Twilight from her. It took a few days for us to meet up, which was ok ... I didn't know what I was missing. After I finished that book, I was fine not reading the rest, UNTIL.... I read the first chapter of the second book (conveniently located at the end of book #1). UHGGGG!!!!! Now I had to keep going. Book #2, done in 3 days. When I finished book #3, it was like a heroin addict, I needed book #4 NOW!!! And when I mean now, I really mean YESTERDAY!!!

I am glad she wrote those 2 beautiful words at the end of Breaking Dawn THE END because if I had to keep reading at that rate, I would be in a lot of trouble. There were MANY days that my sweet Randy would come home to me, in my robe, not showered, the house a mess, and Cambelle eating Pop Tarts for breakfast and lunch. Only to be greeted with a, "will you please fix dinner? I'm busy". He's a good sport, and he knew there was an end to the madness when I finished the series!!!

My favorite parts....

Book 1- the relationship between Edward and Bella, isn't that what every girl wants?
Book 2- the relationship between Jacob and Bella, isn't that what every girls wants?
Book 3- the "tent" part.... that's all I'm gonna say. I was laughing so dang hard.
Book 4- the banter between Rose and Jake.

Those are the parts that stand out to me. I didn't say I wasn't going to become obsessed about these books, I just needed to do it on my own time. What was the worst parts of the books? For me, the Vulturi . I hate their unpredictable nature. And their just freaking scary!!! Except, I have to admit that I can't wait to see the part in movie #2 where the tourists are taken down to the Vulturi!!! Morbid, huh?

So I have to tell you about my Grandma Albrecht. The first time I saw the movie was over Thanksgiving with my Aunt Iva, Danielle and Grandma. On the way to the theatre, my Grandma was saying how she didn't like the obsessive nature of the relationship between Edward and Bella (she had read the first 2 books). On and on and on she went about how teenage girls shouldn't think that it's ok for a guy to wait for them at every class at school, or driving to and from school and she REALLY hated that Edward watched Bella sleeping at night. "It's just too much for girls to think it's ok." SOOO , we get in, get seated, the movie starts, I'm sitting next to Grandma. The first few minutes, Jacob comes on screen. My 71 YEAR OLD GRANDMA, grabbed my hand and breathlessly uttered, "THAT'S Jacob". I laughed SO hard, what happened to "obsessed" and "not good"? Oh, jeesh!!! I hope I never forget that moment!!! The DVD comes out the day after her b-day. I keep teasing her that she can have a slice of Jacob for her birthday!!! Her response? A shy little giggle!!! I love my Grandma!!!

So, some of the lessons I learned while reading Twilight:

1. A 3 year old can survive on granola bars and Pop Tarts for almost a full month.
2. You still are the mom, even if you yell, "LEAVE ME ALONE, I'M READING!!!".
3. My husband doesn't mind a little vampire loving.
4. Don't bite too hard, it just hurts and no one turns into a vampire.
5. The house is ok with less cleaning.
6. I'm not the LAST person on Earth to read Twilight.
7. I'm in love with a fictional character (or 2!!!).
8. Reading in bed isn't easy.
9. Even when I'm into books that I'm loving, reading is still VERY boring to me.
10. You don't have to be just Team Jacob or Team Edward. It's ok to love them both!!!

I'm sure there is more that I learned, I will just stop there!!! If you haven't read the books.... DON'T, you'll be sucked in just like I was. If you have.... aren't they fabulous?