Tag: Morning Meanderings

Good morning!  😀

Sun shining… mood hitting level awesome…. what could be going on?

OH – many things!  For one, today releases Forever by Maggie Stiefvater.  I reviewed this a few weeks back with the appropriate level of SSQQQUUEEESSSS so you know…. check it out.  😀  (Amazon rating here)

And check this out…. I am so not a fan of book trailers but this is something incredible…

I had pre ordered Forever back in January right after I finished Linger.  When I received the ARC at BEA this year, I still wanted the hard cover that I had pre ordered so that book is due here in the next couple of days.  Hmmm…. what to do with the ARC?  (*see bottom of this post)

Tonight is our book club Queen Event which is basically a potluck event where we all dress up in formal wear and give little speeches of why we should be the Queen.  Why do we do this?  It came out of a book we read years ago called Same Sweet Girls by Cassandra King.  It is just a fun crazy thing we do every July and it is a lot of crazy fun! 

Here is a glimpse into last years 2010 event:

Click here to read about this event

and here is 2009 before…

Click here to read about this event

I bought my dress for tonight on clearance… I have a closet full now of these fun dresses… (one of which you may have seen dive into the lake for the polar plunge in May).  😛

I love this event because we all agreed to do it… I wasn’t sure they would, but yes, for the past 5 years we have done this and had so much fun seeing what everyone came up with for their speech… some sing, some rhyme… some read off cards like a politician.  It is all in fun and we do have fun!  😀

Pictures and results will be up tomorrow 😀

**Leave a comment today on this post and I will choose one random winner to receive my ARC copy of Forever which I will send out to them this week. 

Good Morning!

Home as of yesterday afternoon and a happy road trip to the cabin was complete.  I went with my son Brad and his best friend Andy to our cabin on the North Shore on Friday.  We had limited time, but made the 3+ hour trip anyway… just to hang out and Brad had never seen the Cabin (he is home from the Navy just until this coming Tuesday).

We had a lot of fun putting our way there… stopping for lunch at Grandma’s in Duluth, Dairy Queen in Two Harbors for ice cream and then arriving at Finland, Minnesota.  We went to dinner down the road at Our Place and then back to the cabin for an exciting round of Jenga.  Would you believe I have owned the game all of the four years of the cabin and have never played it?

It was actually fun and we made it to level 32 before Brad (uh huh… I totally ratted him out) crashed the tower of Jenga. 

 

 

Yes, we are watching Grown Ups on the TV.  😀

We came home yesterday afternoon and I went out to dinner with hubby then a good nights sleep.

Today I move the IHN guests to their next location and with a little luck I will be home by noon to relax this afternoon into a good book.  Crazy week is almost…. officially over 😀

 

 

 

 

Good morning.  I was just drooling looking over the fantastic new releases.  What is it with this ever producing book world that fascinates me?  The books keep on a coming and I keep on wishing and wanting to read more and more… in a life time I could not read everything I wish I could!  😀

Look at these beauties here below…

NEW RELEASES BY GENRE

fiction

nonfiction

young adult

children’s

history & biography

memoir & autobiography

mystery & thriller

romance

science fiction

fantasy

historical fiction

graphic novels & comics

At first glance I already know I want to read, Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner, Haiti by Paul Farmer, I have already read (and LOVED) Forever by Maggie Steifvater, Growing Up Amish by Ira Wagler, Never Knowing by Steven Chase, and The End Of Everything by Megan Abbott.

How about you – any of these stand out as MBR (Must Be Read) for you?

 

I am going to our cabin today with our Navy son Brad, and his best friend Andy who is also in the Navy.  Brad has never seen the cabin before.  We had a small one when the kids were growing up, very old school – no indoor plumbing, so tiny that when you pulled out the hide-a-bed it took up the whole living room, meaning you had to climb over the bed to get out the door.  It did not have heat, we brought heaters….

AL (hubby and I) saved and saved and by the time Brad had graduated, we had finally found what we liked, a very nice double wide 2001 modular home with three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a nice large living room – and even a nicer kitchen than I have in my own home!  I can not wait for Brad to see it!  😀

We will be back tomorrow afternoon, I still have commitments to out IHN week and Brad has people yet to visit before he goes back to Florida this next week.  Posts and reviews are prepped while I am away. 

Good morning.  😀

I feel as though I am reaching a finish line.  😀  Today I work, help out tonight with IHN (homeless program) and then prepare to leave tomorrow for a quick but exciting trip to the cabin.  I am taking Navy son Brad and his best friend Andy to the cabin for a night.  Brad has never been there and we have owned it now for four years.

I can not wait to experience this with him!  He has little time to get around to see everyone before he goes back so we are popping up there on Friday afternoon and coming back Saturday afternoon.

Recently this part of America’s Got Talent (which I really enjoy watching!) was brought to my attention.

….I wept.

This is a wonderful reminder that it does not matter how old you are, what obstacles you may need to leap over (or blow up), never never never let anyone tell you that you can not do something.

Seriously, what a message this has. 

Reading a little Harry Potter currently and starting the second book of Bloody Jack on audio as well as Born In Fire by Nora Roberts (LONG STORY :razz:).

Have an awesome Thursday!

Good morning!  😀

I spent the last two nights staying overnight with the homeless in our community and just got home this morning to start laundry, cook some eggs, and of course reach for COFFEE CUP.

Ahh….. its good to be home.  😀

I am not a big holiday fan, I of course enjoy them when they involve a day off, but that is about the extent of it.  Yesterday I had no plan, both sons are currently in town for a few days but had plans with their friends.  I reluctantly went with hubby to the parade mainly because we have a group of friends that secure a nice location each year where they camp and grill.  About 50 of us showed up for this event, and while I was originally tired and not feeling like hanging out with people…. as I finally relaxed sitting in the sun I think the stress of the past few days melted off me too.

Last night while driving back to where I would be staying overnight, the fireworks were going strong ending the days festivities.  As I drove through town I seen people standing in their yards and outside businesses watching the sky.  I had to smile at the thought of how this tradition of lighting up the sky to celebrate the fourth really brought people together. 

I don’t have a lot of personal or family traditions… things I must do or experience that I carry with me year to year.  Things really changed for us when my mom and step dad died and I had to develop my own ways of doing things while the kids were growing up.  I admire those of you who do have the traditions that go from generation to generation…. family gatherings at certain times of year, holiday happenings, yearly events… 

What traditions do you have for your own family, or that  have come from your families? 

 

I hope everyone had a wonderful and safe Fourth Of July!

Good morning! 

Excuse me a moment.

*yawn*  *Stretch*

Ok.

GOOD MORNING!  😛

WOW.  yesterday was a whirlwind of activity!  I made it through the picnic, and made it home by 7:15 pm.  After 10 hours of activity prepping, doing, and then cleaning up…. I was in bed by 10 pm.

Today I have the morning and afternoon to chill and spend time with College son who was driving in to town last night from Mankato.  I am so excited – I have not seen him since May and I still have his birthday gift, the signed Rick Riordin book, from BEA! 

SO…. this I am looking forward to.

Later, I stay overnight tonight with my friend Jennifer for our week of staying with those without homes in our community.  We will have supper there and hang out and take the families to the day center tomorrow at 8 am….

and then….

TWO DAYS OFF.

YUP.  😛

I took the fourth and fifth off of work and right now it seems like an illusion, but I know it is true.  TWO DAYS! 

Whatever will I do with myself?  😀 

I can tell you one thing I have some awesome reviews coming up!  I am finishing up listening to Casino Royale, Bloody Jack, and Candy Freak and I have to tell you I am liking them all very much.  I am also reading (yes…. I read too :razz:) Escape From Zobadak, which is also turning out to be AWESOME! 

All I am saying is stay tuned because each of these will be finishing between today and Tuesday :D.

Have an awesome start to your day – weather is remaining in the 80’s here in Minnesota and this is the first day that I get to sit outside and enjoy it.  😀

 

Good morning!

So…..  in case you wondered why a happy jolly morning post on Wednesday as usual and then….

crickets…

 

Ok… lets see… lately I have just been in love with sleeping.  I have been waking up later than usual leaving me little time to write my morning post, and in the evenings I am too tired to write my reviews. 

Thursday morning I woke up and did not even have time to look at Lap Top as I had to get to work, and while I did plan on writing when I got home…. I just did not have the energy.  GAH.

Whats zapping my super powers?  June has been a HUGE month.  I had a 40 mile bike ride the first weekend, the second weekend was the MS150 and I had my accident at mile 71, part of my job at work is Special Events Coordinator and we have had an event each week for the last three weeks and now this coming Saturday is our annual potluck picnic that I am in charge of organizing for 300 people.  I have been shopping and prepping in my spare time.  Then this coming Sunday is our serving week with the homeless which is a passion of mine so yeah… I organize the food, the overnighters, etc, for that.  Yup.  Looking forward to July 10… that’s all I am saying. 😛

Any hoo…. besides a typical crazy life style here are some positive things happening:

• Brad – Navy son is home for two weeks!  WOO HOO!!!  His “friend hang out schedule” keeps him busy but next weekend we are going to the cabin for a day and a half.
• I am taking Monday and Tuesday off from work and can not wait!!!
• I am going back to the gym tomorrow to ease back into working out.
• Justin (College Son) comes into town on Monday – Thursday next week, both boys in town at the same time!  😀

And finally in bookish news I completely changed my audio plan when I read a review of Candy Freak by Steve Almond on Jill’s blog, Fizzy Thoughts.  For some reason I was drawn to the story… fascinated about a book all about candy and within seconds I had it from audible.com.   Ummmm…. can anyone say audio addict?  😯

and finally – the Literary blog hop winners, which wow.  You gave me some interesting answers to my book question… I almost want to gather up those coveted reads and check them all out!  😀  Our winners of the two $10 Amazon gift cards using Random.Org are:

Chloe Hopper (#76)

Sarah Sparrow (#112)

Congratulations!!!  Your gift cards will arrive by email!  😀

Minnesota is finally HOT.  92 degrees yesterday and suppose to hang through the weekend! 

Good morning!  Quite the lovely weather in Minnesota currently and hopefully staying that way through the weekend.  I am in charge of special events where I work and this Saturday is our annual picnic, approximately 300 people with children and we are using a new camp for this event so I do have a wee bit of anxiety that it all goes off without a hitch 😛

This morning I was taking a quick read through my morning Shelf Awareness email and came across a small article about The Grey Zone by Daphna Edwards Ziman.  I seen this book at the Book Blogger Convention in May and was not overly drawn to it.  YET – during the Speed Dating session of BBC, this was a session where bloggers and authors met for 10 minutes to let the author discuss their book and the bloggers to ask questions and then you would get a new author to chat with.  BRILLIANT IDEA.  But I digress….

Daphne was at our table with her book, The Grey Zone which is about a 6 year old child, Kelly,  who witnessed her other murdered and her father wrongfully accused.  Through foster homes she is neglected, abused, and involved in human trafficing….

As I sat and talked with Daphne, still not sure I wanted to read this, we started connecting on child endangerment.  When I told her about my working with street kids in Honduras, we had hit a connection.  Suddenly – we were both sharing experiences at once and Daphne told me how she was worked to ensure child protection in foster care… wow. 

Suddenly Daphne’s book took on a whole new meaning… and now that I knew the passion behind the book.  I wanted to read it.

I have not read the book yet, but I do have it with my BEA books, given to me by Daphne. 

 

 

Have you ever had a book that you almost passed on but then for whatever reason, you found yourself drawn to it later, either by a friend, review, hearing the author…. I would love to hear your stories!  😀