This is the second time I‘ve read this and I find it oddly touching. I think it‘s a family of 4 wives and 28 kids but I kind of lost track.

“Sons of beekeepers!”

This book is full of the best swear replacements I‘ve heard in a long time.

Busy day today but first things first- my total for the first half of #WinterGames2024 is 4,865.

#XMasChaCha @StayCurious

(I didn‘t total up BINGOs or word search points. I‘ll do that at the end.)

It took me a while to get through this weird little book, but I did like it. In the face of a weird fog/plague/catastrophe the main character does her best to care for her mother, her ex husband, and the little boy placed in her care. #ToBLonglist but not #ToBShortlist I‘m surprised by that.

The mystery in this one didn‘t reveal itself until halfway through, there were some really questionable medical situations going on, and it seemed like Christmas was just stuck in there to make the title work, BUT there were kittens so that redeemed the book for me.

I read this earlier today for the Nancy Drew Buddy Read. I always like when Nancy‘s adventures involve a boat and this one had a boat plus a fake identity so that was fun. I enjoyed this one more than the last couple.

Happy Friday!
#5JoysFriday @DebinHawaii
1) brought my daughter (aka my broke bestie) out shopping and to get her nails done after a very stressful week for her. I‘m glad some problems are so easily fixed still.
2) cats at Christmas
3) spectacular sunsets all week
4) my city goes way out with lights this time of year
5) finally got holders for my advent candles so caught up on lighting them
Enjoy the weekend everyone! We earned it!

It‘s almost Friday the 13th where I am, so time for another Readathon! Eat or bake some cookies or other treats (if you want) and make your own reading goals. It‘s the holiday season! Anything goes!
I plan on making frosted oatmeal cookies and listening to many audiobooks, but first there‘s a little matter of my work holiday party to attend. It‘s Friday the 13th. What could go wrong?
Everyone is welcome!
#OatmealEscape #WinterGames2024

@AllDebooks I didn‘t get out until sunset tonight, but I did get out! My favorite walking route is my block. It‘s exactly a half mile per lap, and I love seeing what everyone has going on in their yards and what their dogs are doing. #Naturalitsy #MidWinterSolace

I liked the message of this book but found the reading part so boring 😴😴

Just not for me I guess.
#ToB

This steampunk Nutcracker retelling was perfect listening for baking and cleaning. I thoroughly enjoyed it. #WinterGames #XmasChaCha

Starting my hygge hour a bit late tonight, but I‘m finally in the kitchen with my book and a snack. I‘m feeling good, but also starting to get a bit worried about everything I need to get done this week. #hyggehour #MidWinterSolace

My first batch of cookies for the season made while listening to the tagged. I mostly froze the dough for later, but had to bake a few for us. My favorites are the Finnish Cardamom Cookies - perfect for pairing with coffee or tea. Links to the recipes in the comments. #FoodAndLit #GingerbreadJourneys #XmasChaCha #WinterGames2024 #ChristmasCardReadathon

Taking a break from a busy day with this #AuthorAMonth Terry Pratchett. I love short stories this time of year.

I picked this randomly from Everand and really enjoyed it. Lucky bonus that it‘s number 9 in the series so I get to go back to the beginning. #WinterGames #XmasChaCha @StayCurious

#GingerBreadJourney Readathon starts today! Everyone welcome, cookies optional 🍪

This week was a blur! But it was a joyful blur judging from the pics in my phone. #5JoysFriday @DebinHawaii

1) I cleared off a shelf and set up a wrapping station in an attempt to be more organized
2) Dodging giant piles of leaves on my walks
3) Prepping for cookie baking this weekend
4) We got a tree
5) Washing slipcovers and other general sprucing up for guests coming later this month

Happy Friday 🎉

My mood on this cold and windy day. I really appreciate having a warm place inside. #MidWinterSolace #Litsolace #Naturalitsy

One of my favorite short stories. I treated myself to a copy for kindle so I could read it when I had a few minutes on the go.

Thanks @Andrew65 for hosting #20in4 and @StayCurious and @LiseWorks for hosting #FirstSnowReadathon last weekend. I was thrilled to finish up 3 books I had been in the middle of!

I had to squeeze in some Anne of Green Gables for #FoodAndLit #Canada

I just love this book. Anne and her scrapes are so much fun.

Now on to Finland!

Last night‘s #hyggehour - the last of the pie, reading, and some ginger ale. Such a good way to end the weekend.

First read of December goes to Between A Flock and a Hard Place. We picked this book for our book club at work because we wrongly assumed it was about Thanksgiving. It ended up being a fun enough read though. #WinterGames #XMasChaCha

My last Nonfiction November read for 2024. This book was excellent. It was about Janesville, Wisconsin and what happened in the 5 years after the GM plant in town closed. I‘m glad I got to this one finally.

My top 12 reads from November. Everything I read this month was 4 or 5 stars!

How did Nonfiction November go for you all? I‘m in the middle of a book I‘m hoping to finish today so I‘ll post final stats later. I added so many new and interesting books to my list!

@Seabreeze_Reader
@JenReadsAlot
@TheDaysGoBy
@bthegood
@CatMS
@Willaful
@kelli7990
@OutSmartYourShelf
@zezeki
@Liz_M
@DogMomIrene
@librarybelle
@MonicaLoves2Read
@kwmg40
@inthegreensandblues
@TheBookHippie
@Larkken
@AnneCecille
@kspenmoll
@ChaoticMissAdventures

#WinterGames2024 #XmasChaCha @StayCurious

☕️hot chocolate
🎁Christmas day
🌲Angel
🥡Chinese food
STAY AT HOME (I feel just a little bit strong about that)

I love to re-read in December. I have so many holiday or holiday feeling books I love to visit each time this year. I usually re-read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn in December but decided it was time for a visit with Joy In The Morning instead. This is my most anticipated December read this year. #WinterGames2024 #XmasChaCha @StayCurious

@Andrew65 has brought back his #20in4 Readathon. My goal is to make a dent in as many of these as I can. Thanks for hosting Andrew!

Happy Friday! I‘ve been mixing up my days all week because of the holiday but I think it really is Friday today.

#5JoysFriday @DebinHawaii

1) raking leaves and a fire last weekend
2) cats doing cat things
3) a bit of snow this week
4) amazing sunrise
5) a peaceful, calm, and relaxing Thanksgiving with just the 4 of us. No expectations, everyone just pitched in, and we all took naps after. Just what we needed.

It took a minute to get to the point in this one, but once it got going it was great. So fun to read this right after Dracula. I‘m impressed that King has had a consistent voice and style for over 50 years. #LosersClub

I loved this memoir. Jedidiah and his mom drive from Louisiana to Oregon to retrace the route she walked in the 70‘s. They have fundamentally different beliefs but their love for each other and their willingness to keep talking is inspirational and hopeful, especially at this particular moment in time. #NFN

I couldn‘t narrow my list down to twenty so I decided to make two #BookSpinBingo boards. One for my 2024 challenges, buddy reads, Tournament of Books, and so on. Then I made another for the #WinterGames seasonal reads I want to get to. Yes I did go a bit overboard, but that‘s what December is for! #XMasChaCha #Bookspinbingo

The story lines in these later books are kind of off the wall, but I still love every minute of them. This one didn‘t have as much Three Pines action as I like, but I did love revisiting some of the monks from A Beautiful Mystery. Sounds like a new one is already in the works.🌲🌲🌲

Started this today and the forward read by the author was so good. It was about his mom and her willingness to get him what he wanted to read when he was young. #LosersClub

Experimenting with recycled cards for the winter card swap.

Already dropped my son off at work and been to the grocery store. Now settling in for a breakfast break. (Breakfast break might last until lunch.)

Spent my lunch going through the #TOBLonglist

Added just a few to my TBR 😂

This book was sad and covered some hard topics, but an incredibly good read. I didn‘t want the story of these women to end. #FoodAndLit #Canada

Weekend readathons were so much fun in October I decided to do it again in December. This time each weekend has a cookie theme! Make your own goals, show us what you‘re baking, have fun. These are good for #WinterGames points or just because. Everyone is welcome.

Dec 6-9 #GingerbreadJourney
Dec 13-16 #OatmealEscape
Dec 20-23 #SnickerdoodleSpirit
Dec 27-30 #SugarRush

I‘m so happy Rice wrote this follow up to Moon of the Crusted Snow. This one wasn‘t as good as the first, but it was a satisfying follow up. The audiobook had the same excellent narrator as well. #FoodAndLit #Canada

This week flew! I barely took any pictures, but it was a good week.

1) my daughter is finally starting to feel better after pneumonia
2) son started a new job and likes it
3) still had some beautiful color and even roses earlier this week (probably all frozen now but seasonal weather is a joy too these days)
4) cat shenanigans
5) lots of fun preparing for card swaps and Christmas crafts
#5joysFriday @DebinHawaii

I got 77%- nut allergies cuts down on my Thanksgiving consumption.

Has anyone ever made a popcorn turkey? I am now obsessed.

#ThreeListThursday #TLT @dabbe

This book was something. Russian prison is something I haven‘t thought a lot about, but now I will never forget it. And I will always empty my bags before I travel. #NFN

I am worn out tonight but in a good way. #hyggehour

I was really hoping the long list would come out today!

How is Nonfiction November going for you all? I‘ve read two nonfiction books and caught up on some podcasts. I have not made the slightest dent in my magazines.

@Seabreeze_Reader
@JenReadsAlot
@TheDaysGoBy
@bthegood
@CatMS
@Willaful
@kelli7990
@OutSmartYourShelf
@zezeki
@Liz_M
@DogMomIrene
@librarybelle
@MonicaLoves2Read
@kwmg40
@inthegreensandblues
@TheBookHippie
@Larkken
@AnneCecille
@kspenmoll
@ChaoticMissAdventures

Looking back on my pictures this week I guess I am in full on Thanksgiving mode.

1) pie for breakfast after my yearly mammogram
2) Thanksgiving socks
3) blue skies on a walk
4) neighbors who decorate for every holiday
5) beautiful sunrise last Sunday

#5JoysFriday @DebinHawaii

I think the ghost writer made a list of everything they thought kids wanted in a mystery and jumbled it all together in this book. What a slog. @Librarybelle #NancyDrewBR

I love this book and wanted to re-read before I read the sequel later this month. What happens to an isolated community when the world ends? #FoodAndLit #Canada