Hey everyone! I hope you are all well. I have been MIA for like a month and I apologize. I have been going through some things and it‘s only going to get harder before it gets easier. I will try to get on more but not making any promises. I haven‘t even been reading outside of what I read to the kids. This month of course will be busy with NaNoWriMo.

I need short story recommendations.

I haven‘t been on in a while. I haven‘t been reading in a while either. I‘m in one big ole depression slump. I can‘t focus on much but maybe I can handle short stories. I honestly don‘t know.

1. There are many places I love to visit but my family roots are so imbedded in New Mexico that I always want to come back.
2. High of 87, low of 59 and ☀️
3. My high school boyfriend took me to a fancy restaurant for Valentines Day. He picked what he wanted then counted his money and said I could pick something that costed x amount. Needless to say he got a nice surf and turf while I got a salad. 😡
4. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦🐶🐱🐟
5. 💖💖💖
#FriYayIntro

1. I just can‘t.
2. Futurama? Friends? I‘m stuck a decade back in time.
3. Eggs, apple and all the coffee. ☕️ ☕️ ☕️
4. Mountain GMT-6
5. Black Thieves 🤘

#FriYayIntro

Poor Vladimir, it sure does suck making new friends only to have them stab you in the back.

I love this kid!

Also, 9th grade really is the worst. I see Freshmen walking down the hall and it‘s so easy to spot them. They are tiny compared to the juniors and seniors. Also their maturity level is still that inbetween innocent and reality phase so a lot of them wander around shell shocked. ok, enough of my tangent!

1. 🧛‍♂️
2. Going to Pagosa Springs. It will probably be my last chance to go this year. I‘m going to relax and catch up on all my Litsy mail.
3. Mint Chocolate Chip
#FriYayIntro
4. Played guitar and base in school, but haven‘t played either in years.
5. 👍🏼

Has anyone read this book? I was looking for a fitting title for this post and found it. Kinda sounds interesting!

We all know now how forgetful I am! Here are week 3 stats! I just barely didn‘t make my exercise goal, but I crushed my step goal!

This week is a no exercise week. We have been breaking our record high temps and it‘s just miserable outside.

1. My new book is called “A good night for dinner”
2. Hidden Identities (title of the book I‘m writing)
3. Yes! I love writing, it‘s fun. I‘m re-writing my NaNo novel from last year. Maybe it will be good enough to publish some day.
4. My therapist says I need the creative outlet.

#HumpDayPost

Last one for the day!

Fabio is a dog who doesn‘t like to do dog things. In fact he sneaks out at night to hang out with cats and do cat things! A great way to introduce transgender topics and tolerance. #ZeekApproved #BBRC

Hmmm, the book cover is wrong in the database.
Little Taco Truck has his spot that he goes to everyday. Then a falafel truck comes along and soon a gelato, arepas, and noodle truck cram into his area. Taco truck gets sad because everyone took his spot. Teaches sharing and introduces cultural food, complete with a small glossary at the end. #ZeekApproved #BBRC

I realized that I haven‘t posted anything for #BBRC in a while. This poor guy needs a new butt. He thinks he farted so hard that it cracked so now he has to decide what kind of butt to get to replace it. Charlotte has been running around the house saying “I need a new butt, butt, butt!” 🤣

#BFCr3 week 2. Our city hosts 4 summerfests and this evening one was at a park only about a mile from my house so of course we walked! I was super bummed though when I found out that the 80‘s band Starship had to cancel. I love those guys!

Who would you chose for questions 9 through 12?

I'm filling this out along with my students and I can‘t think of good answers for question 11 what literary character would you like to have as a classmate, well there are so many, and question 12, what literary character is most like you...I have no clue! I barely know myself let alone able to point out similar traits in others.

Any ideas? @LokiDokey you know me...

My week in a recap. Walking, reading, back to work trainings and a BBQ at a friends house so the kids could play in the pool before they all head back to school on Monday.

I managed to get 217 out of 200 minutes of exercise in and 63,217 steps out of 75k. I think I set the step goal too high but we will see next week once students return and I‘m back to full on educator mode.

1. Outside unless it‘s weathering.
2. Coffee is a necessity, beer is a luxury.
3. Tough question. I would say somewhere old like a historical novel, but I also require plumbing so...🤷🏼‍♀️
4. Light pink
5. Yes
#FriYayIntro @howjessreads

Here are my stats for the day. Yes, I walked to work which also means I had to walk home-It was only 96 degrees outside. 🥵 In other news it was great to see some of my students. They make me so happy! As for the audiobook, I‘m only 3% into it but am already hooked.

You guys it‘s too effing early to be up and even think about walking to work. Arthur agrees. I know I‘ll feel better if I walk, but a part of me is like, no I should ease myself back in. The plus side of walking is the tagged audiobook came in last night which I‘m excited to listen to. The down side is I can‘t walk my dog while listening to it.

It‘s 6:30. I have 15 minutes to decide.

Here it is! My fitness challenge round 3 goals. Tomorrow is back to work so no more summer slacking. I epically failed round 2, but it wasn‘t a total failure because I consciously worked towards exercising more. I didn‘t always reach my goals, but I was more aware of my fitness vs. slacking so that‘s a huge improvement right there.

 @julesG @britt_brooke @imabusybee @reecaspieces @jb72 @Caropi @cocoreads @moony #BFCr3

1. Coke (although I‘m a New Mexican, everything is “coke”)
2. Cheerios buy I do like Chex mix
3. Barefoot! But it depends on the outfit and flats or vans for work
4. Ruffles with French onion dip. There are no chip or onion emojis.
5. Really? I have to choose? Is this like life and death or just a 1st world problem?
6. Waffle fries! I think tater tots are gross.

#BBRC

I took Arthur to the river this morning and clocked 50 minutes of walking. I even have the mosquito bites to prove it! This evening was spent at the neighborhood taproom with lots of friends for Friends trivia. I only wish @LokiDokey was there. Can you believe it‘s been 25 years since the show aired? @Moony @CocoReads @imabusybee @Reecaspieces
@julesG @britt_brooke #BFCr2 #TeamFlow @wanderinglynn

Is it sad that I had to look up the rules for this? I made a few comments on other littens posts and was wondering why everyone was posting emoji cocktails 🤣
1. Never have I ever played never have I ever
2. Never have I ever read an Agatha Christie book
3. Never have I ever paid a library fine
4. Never have I ever not spilled coffee on a book
#humpdaypost

I‘m using the heat as an excuse not to go walking. 90 degrees isn‘t that hot but I‘m being “lazy” watching America‘s Got Talent, drinking a beer, and doing some writing. 💖

 @laurenslibrary @Moony @CocoReads @imabusybee @Reecaspieces
@julesG @britt_brooke #BFCr2 #TeamFlow

#BBRC Part 2, we don‘t lack easy readers in this house! We have a whole shelf dedicated to them. A lot I saved from when I was a kid and I let #Zeek pick one out when we go to the bookstore. I‘m using the tagged book for written before 2000 prompt, Wild Kratts for the TV character, Nat Geo for non-fiction, and Moo Dog for readers choice. I already used Pete the Cat for published in the last 5 years. #raisingreaders

I think for round 3 of BFC one of my goals should be to remember to post my weekly totals Saturday night. I think it‘s because I always think of Sunday as the last day of the week.

Anyways, my totals are 123/150 exercise minutes and 1562/60k steps. I read 4 books for #BBRC .

The photo prompt was for your favorite exercise equipment. This is an old pick of Arthur and me, before the 2nd kid, when we used to run 3 miles a day.

What the actual what? The ending was going great until the last sentence which was completely baffling and now I have to wait for the library hold to come in to figure out what it meant.

This book was definitely an easy page turner, with great writing, and I would have finished it in a day if I had the opportunity to.

Now to finish my coffee and get off my lazy butt and take Arthur for a walk. He‘s impatiently waiting in the entryway.

1. People look at me funny when I say the book is actually better than the movie but you have to watch the movie first so you can read the book with the proper character voices.
2. Detective Pikachu
3. Grilled corn
4. Umm I‘m Latino so who really knows, but 12 that I talk to regularly and 2 that I consider to be brothers more than cousins.
5. 💖💖💖
#friyayintro

It was so hot this week that I barely did anything and even ended up with a migraine as if I wasn‘t miserable enough. In all though my totals don‘t look too terrible and I‘ve already got one 30 minute walk in today so that‘s a good start for this week. @laurenslibrary @Moony @CocoReads @imabusybee @Reecaspieces
@julesG @britt_brooke #BFCr2 #TeamFlow

Todd Parr is the best for tackling big issues and simplifying them for young children. This one didn‘t disappoint and it had yoga for me and underwear for @LibrarianRyan 😀 #Zeek has already asked me to read it 3 times since yesterday. #raisingreaders #ZeekApproved #BBRC

1. I mean, who doesn‘t love tacos?
2. Both! (No joke, I have a student who can‘t wait to turn 18 so he can get a Cheeto tattoo 🤣)
3. Sunrise
4. Pay bills ☹️
5. Elementary was rough but my favorite teacher was in 3rd grade.

#friyayintro

I got out of the house today and took Arthur to the bosque. He couldn‘t even wait for me to get to a less muddy part of the river before jumping in! The area I went to had a really bad fire quite a few years ago and a local artist made a bunch of wood carvings out of the tree stumps that were left behind. It‘s really beautiful and one of my favorite places in my city.

Working on the #BBRC reading challenge. #Zeek loves Biscuit and I love Pete the Cat, so I read Pete to him and he read Biscuit to me! I love that he‘s starting to read. He was reluctant at first but then I assured him that I would always read to him whether he could read or not and since then he‘s taken off with the reading. 🥰 #raisingreaders

Here is my #nomakeup #nofilter #selfie for bfcr2 just me with damp hair, my books, and the sun shining through the windows. Now to go put my tinted moisturizer/sunscreen on! It‘s a high UV index of 12 today.

 @laurenslibrary @Moony @CocoReads @imabusybee @Reecaspieces
@julesG @britt_brooke #BFCr2 #TeamFlow @wanderinglynn

Honestly if Ezekiel didn‘t have school I would have stayed in the mountains. 100 degree weather with humidity but very little monsoon rain plus an evaporative cooler means it‘s hot both inside and out. 🥵

My week 3 totals for #BFCr2 are 163/150 exercise and 60,471/60k steps. This week I‘m just hoping for the best but probably won‘t get my step goal in.

Now to wade through and respond to all my Litsy notifications. 💖

I wasn‘t sure if I was going to get to post my week 2 results but I had to come into town to get more salad fixings for dinner. Here are some pictures from some of my walks that I‘ve been going on. I will check all my messages and tags when I get back into the city on Tuesday.
 @laurenslibrary @Moony @CocoReads @imabusybee @Reecaspieces
@julesG @britt_brooke #BFCr2 #TeamFlow

The first thing I did yesterday after we unpacked was go for an evening walk. It‘s so nice to get out of the hot city and into the cool mountains. I‘m going to take another walk this morning but first, coffee! ☕️ 🌲 @laurenslibrary @Moony @CocoReads @imabusybee @Reecaspieces
@julesG @britt_brooke #BFCr2 #TeamFlow

You can clearly see my packing priorities! We are going to Pagosa Springs, CO for the holiday. Hubs comes back Sunday because he has to go on a business trip but kids and I are staying until next Tuesday!!! Hoping to get lots of hikes and reading done.

Also, if anyone plays Pokémon Go, here are our trainer codes. There is a field research that we both have that requires us to make a new friend. ?

OMG this is the cutest book ever! First there is a riddle to solve and then on the next page is the yoga pose. #zeek had so much fun trying to figure out which pose the riddle referred to, and then we had to stop reading so he could do the pose! The boy sure does love his yoga. 🥰 He also got a kick out of the seagull on each page doing the poses too. #ZeekApproved #Raisingreaders #yoga #namaste #BBRC

Took #Zeek to the library after school today. It‘s July 1, meaning the start of the #BBRC ! The first couple of sections will be easy since I have littles. The adult stuff will give me more of a challenge. Anyways, I told Ezekiel to pick a picture book from authors A-G. Of course like me he got distracted and picked more than 1 of some letters. 😍
#raisingreaders

Week one is in the books. I did 125/150 exercise minutes and exceeded my step goal 93,356/60k! I probably would have made my exercise goal if I hadn‘t had a migraine on Wednesday which carried into Thursday. Then my daughters birthday and yeah. Life!

This week is the start of July so I will be adding in my Camp NaNoWriMo and #BBRC goals into the mix.

Finished reading this book with #Zeek last night. I love how much important things they can stuff into the pages of a J fiction book without it feeling forced.
Taking care of pets? ✔️
True animal facts? ✔️
Environmental sustainability? ✔️
Aging people going into nursing homes? ✔️
Consequences of keeping secrets even when they are against the law? ✔️

#ZeekApproved

So I woke up with a migraine this morning. There is no way I‘m making any kind of goals today. My medication kicked in this afternoon though so I managed a bath in my garden tub and then decided to get a pedicure. I still feel awful, but it‘s more of a hungover feeling. Time to pick the goobers up and then I think it will be a quiet night. @laurenslibrary @Moony @CocoReads @imabusybee @Reecaspieces
@julesG @britt_brooke #BFCr2 #TeamFlow

Walked Zeek to school before it got too hot, and then did a lot of shopping getting ready for Charlotte‘s birthday party this weekend. It‘s only 2 pm but I am completely exhausted now. I‘ve also gone way over my daily step goal!

Now it‘s time for a nap before picking up the goobers and then hopefully I can read the rest of the afternoon/evening.

A light Pilsner, kids playing, sun shining, watering plants and delving into a book. Some of my most favorite things wrapped into one! I‘m finally after I don‘t know how long the book had been on my shelf, I‘m cracking it open. I can‘t decide if I like Gansey or Adam more. I‘m only on chapter 5 though so it‘s still early.

I keep Charlotte home from daycare on Mondays and Fridays during the summer. Today we walked #Zeek to his summer program at his school. Now we are home eating breakfast and watching Amazons If You Give A Mouse A Cookie series that they adapted from Numeroff‘s books.

 @laurenslibrary @Moony @LibrarianJen @CocoReads @imabusybee @Reecaspieces
@julesG @britt_brooke #BFCr2 #TeamFlow

Two teens Addie and Fitz escape a psych ward to help come to terms with a siblings death. It gets messy. The ending is hopeful though for Addie and Fitz. It‘s not perfect, but mental health doesn‘t ever fully go away; you just continue to learn new ways to cope and live the best way you can.

I hope there will be more YA books to come that deal with this topic because 1 out of 5 teens have mental illness of some form.
⬇️

Good morning #BFCr2 people! I got out early because the air quality is supposed to go down. We‘ve been getting heavy smoke from AZ past few days and I‘ve been cooped inside. I did a short 30 minute walk and then was so into my audiobook when I got home I did dishes, made coffee, and spent an hour weeding my garden all before the husband woke up!
 @laurenslibrary @Moony @LibrarianJen @CocoReads @imabusybee @Reecaspieces
@julesG

1. We are home to the International Balloon Fiesta. I love walking amongst the balloons and all the people from around the world
2. Getting to go to the mountains (without snow)
3. Fry bread from roadside stands on the way to the mountains
4. Both, sometimes simultaneously
5. 👋
#FriYayIntro

Yay for Wizzards Unite! Honestly though I‘m so into Pokémon Go that I don‘t know if I will get as into the HP one. Don‘t get me wrong I love Harry, but I‘ve loved Pokémon longer. Anyways, my friend id is 1280 5549 9458 if you want to add me!

I have a lofty to-do list for July. Camp #NaNoWriMo the start of #BBRC and #BFC round 2. Hoping to start the new school year off in August refreshed, accomplished and with more energy.

What do you think Team 6?
 @laurenslibrary @Moony @CocoReads @imabusybee @Reecaspieces
@julesG

What a cute book! I loved Russian literature in undergrad so to read about other people who love it as well was fun.

There were some loose ends that weren‘t tied up at the end like, what was Luca going to do with the grant money? How was his family going to react to meeting Anna? Those aren‘t necessarily consequential to the story as a whole though, so you can treat those questions as a choose your own adventure.