Bookish and Not-So-Bookish Thoughts

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Bookish and Not-So-Bookish Thoughts is a weekly blogging event hosted by Bookishly Boisterous. It allows book bloggers (and non-book bloggers) to write about pretty much anything, bookish or otherwise (i.e. share exciting plans for the weekend, rants on things they’ve encountered during the week, etc.).


1. I read Eleanor & Park over Spring Break. It was good. It wasn't "knock my socks off good" - but that's my opinion. I'm still glad I read it.

2. Fourteen days until the next break from school. This time of year I am COMPLETELY focused on countdowns...ready for 4.5 days off and a trip to the beaches of SC.

3. My book club's March meeting ended up being cancelled. Lots of people w/colds etc. In a way I was glad not to have to rush out there and instead got back a couple hours to relax at home. 

4. The best part of Spring Break was that I made it to the gym 4 of the 5 days that week and rode the stationary bike for one hour each day. My knee felt GREAT all week. Now I'm back at work and my knee is back to being whiny. Ugh. Hoping to make it to the gym on Sunday. As much as I'd like to go sooner, I don't see an opportunity until Sunday.

5. I took Ethan for his 6 year check over Spring Break...see, what an exciting Spring Break we had--- (not!)...anyway, he is 47.25" tall and we are hoping & praying that he hits 48" by June since that's the height requirement for most big roller coasters!! Oh yeah!!

6. I got a whopping $17.04 in the Barnes & Noble Settlement...that was enough for 1.5 books with their insane e-book prices. Officially DONE with B&N.

 
7. I cannot wait to read The Invention of Wings...I'm #20 on the e-book waiting list at my library...way better than 200+ for the "real" book.


8. Really looking forward to reading Dorothea Benton Frank's newest book when it comes out in June...perfect Summer reading, as always.

9. On that note, I was trying so hard to make it to Dorothea Benton Frank's "desserts with the author" date on June 3rd in Greer, SC, but the logistics just aren't working out in my favor. Total bummer!!

10. And another missed author meeting opportunity - so bummed that Beth Hoffman's paperback tour isn't coming close enough to my neck of the woods for me to see her. Maybe on the next book?

currently

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enjoying: the little bit of "downtime" I get these days.

eating: slightly better now that those darn Girl Scout cookies are gone!!

finishing: being the person that puts more effort into friendship than the other.

reading: The Secret of  Raven Point by Jennifer Vanderbes--great book so far!!

sleeping: inconsistently. it's frustrating.

working: hard to save $$ for summer vacation travel.

planning: a quick Easter weekend getaway since we stayed home for Spring Break.

needing: a couple more hours in the day.

wanting: to go straight home after school...right now this only happens on Fridays. Ugh.

hoping: that summer gets here quickly!!

Friday Favorites

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Hosted by Tressa's Wishful Endings
Friday Favorites spotlights a favorite author, book, series, publisher, cover, blog, etc. Basically whatever bookish thing that you love, recommend, and want to tell others about. Just pick one and link up to Tressa’s post each Friday to share.

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Easy enough!!

I can't rave about Beth Hoffman enough!! 

I loved her first book, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt and could NOT wait for her to publish another book. And when she did, I got a hold of it just as soon as I could and loved it just as much!! 

I recommend her books whenever someone asks me for a good book to read. You will NOT be disappointed by either one. I must admit that I enjoyed Saving CeeCee Honeycutt more than Looking for Me, but that is simply a matter of personal taste really as both books are fabulous.

So when you are looking for something to read, grab one of these (or both!!) and  enjoy!!

Ides of March Readathon

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Weee! I'm so excited to have stumbled upon the Ides of March Readathon hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer!!  Such perfect timing for me with being on Spring Break next week I should (hopefully!) have some extra time for reading! Yay!!

To count towards the participation prize you must read a book published before March 1, 2014. This is an easy stressfree read-a-thon. Enter challenges, clean-up your TBR pile and make a few friends. It's only 4 days too, so everyone can find time to participate. Join in!!

I am hoping to get quite a bit of reading done over the break, specifically to be AHEAD on my Goodreads reading goal instead of always being BEHIND and trying to catch up!! 

Bookish (and not so bookish) thoughts

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Bookish and Not-So-Bookish Thoughts is a weekly blogging event hosted by Bookishly Boisterous. It allows book bloggers (and non-book bloggers) to write about pretty much anything, bookish or otherwise (i.e. share exciting plans for the weekend, rants on things they’ve encountered during the week, etc.). 

1. OK - I'm done hearing about how fabulous this book is. I've read countless glowing reviews and I'm just going to have to read it for myself and find out. What sealed the deal for me? It's set in the 80s and makes numerous music references. Oh yeah! I grew up in the 80s so this will be awesome.

2. Next week is Spring Break for me. Of course, the weather forecast is pitiful-rainy, not warm & somewhat depressing. This time of year is already challenging for me because I typically stay close to home (not by choice) and then coming back to school I am lucky enough to hear about all the extravagant (no exaggeration) vacations my students took. *sigh* Sometimes I feel like a Downton Abbey servant, living downstairs...you know, "below" everyone else. This year may prove slightly different however in that we may make a quick weekend run out to Folly Beach...only 2 nights, but hey, better than nothing if I get to see the beach & breathe in that fabulous salty air. A chicken sandwich at Poe's will help ease the pain too. 

3. I will be reading this next with my 5th grade book clubs! These kids are a riot. I plan out 4 meetings for book club and they finish the book before the 1st meeting sometimes. Sorta defeats the purpose but oh well, at least they're motivated, right? One of the girls told me she has 166 AR points this quarter. I think they only need about 15....oh to have so much time for reading. And they keep begging me to do book club w/them next year when they are in 6th grade. They don't know yet that once they become 6th graders, they won't want to be seen talking to me as it won't be "cool". Sad, but true.

4. Tonight is my book club, with friends, not students. Yay! We will actually briefly discuss TWO books since we got snowed out last month. We will be talking about "The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop & Cafe" and "The Story of Beautiful Girl" I absolutely LOVED the Blueberry Bakeshop - like "sad it was over" kind of love!! And for Beautiful Girl...it was ok, I read it quite a while ago so I won't have much to contribute to that conversation, but it will still be fun to finally get together. 

5. The next book for my book club is "What Alice Forgot" and I'm not sure if I'm terribly motivated to read it.  I'm #13 on the wait list so I guess it'll depend on how quickly that moves.

6. I'm working in Kindergarten Centers today. In Ethan's room of course. Always a good time.

7. Today is a crazy busy day and frankly, I just need it to be 6:30pm which is Book Club time. I have after school tutoring today & then need to get Ethan and RUSH to his TaeKwonDo class. O was supposed to take him but won't make it home from VA tonight as originally planned. This will be a true "chauffeur-mom" kind of day, racing all over town. Best part: Ethan loves book club too as he gets to see his friends there.

8. I'm still chuggin' along with my sad right knee. Still sore, swollen & stiff. Lovely. Not so much. All I'm "allowed" to do in regards to exercise is ride the stationary bike. With NO resistance. BORING! I am doing this however. I've been going on Sundays and a couple Fridays. Weekdays escape me at this point and I changed gyms and this new one, while nicer, is a bit farther away which is a challenge for me. I'm glad I'll have plenty of time to go next week during my pathetic Spring Break. I need some exercise. Badly. Girl Scout cookie season derailed me completely. It wasn't pretty. In other words, I ate an ENTIRE box of Samoas in ONE day...that's 15 cookies. I'm blaming emotional eating for that one, but they sure tasted good. I'm convinced they are laced with some sort of addictive material.

9. I miss running. Never thought I'd say that. But I do. Hoping & praying to be able to do the 2015 WDW Princess 1/2. Please!!!

10.  I'm thinking tonight will be a "stay-up-late-to-read" night. You know, since tomorrow is Friday and all....why not?!?!