I try really hard to make little moments with my kids while I'm working 9+ hour days this summer. We are currently reading Secrets in the Hills : A Josefina Mystery. As we reach the end of the book I'm going to be sad to see this character go. The girls (age 10 and 8) are really enjoying her stories. This is the last one I've found. I greatly enjoy sharing characters I grew up with with my kids.

I love being able to share these books with my girls (ages 10 and 8). Josefina was one of my favorite American Girl characters growing up.

So I've been in an anti-reading mood for quite some time. However I picked this up yesterday and it is actually holding my interest. Which is good. I've missed reading. Just haven't been able to bring myself to do it for a few months. Hopefully this will spark that love again. Here's to trying.

So I finished what I'm calling the Flower Girl. And I'm on chapter 35 of my book. Looking for the motivation to keep reading and work on another project. So here's to finishing The Office and finding some motivation.

Been stuck at home for little ober a week now. Just now finding momentum in my book. That's okay though. I was working on my above project. Its not done yet. But it is definitely getting there.

IT'S HERE!!!!!!! After months of waiting for the library to get there copy back and strongly debating just buying this book..... I got the phone call yesterday. Picked it up last night while I was running errands and now I have final book of The Heros of Olympus series...... I am so excited.

Gaiman does it again. I don't know why I respect anything other than excellent story telling and character creation/development. I've absolutely loved every Gaiman book I've read. (Haven't made it to American gods it's on my to read list). Hugged the book for about ten minutes after I finished it early this morning before going back to bed. I'm going to miss Nobody Owens and his family.

Tried to read a bit more of my book today while I was waiting for water to boil.... Kids were not having it. Instead spent my Friday night doing a puzzle with Boyfriend. I now have a periodic table of the elements to out up on my house.

So the girls really liked the Kaya American girl books. I was perusing the library a few weeks ago and found that they had another Kaya book. They were so excited! I really enjoy how Kaya shows how to respect nature and all living things. I really wish there were more portals into her universe.

The rest of my books from the birthday haul at the library!!! The girls wanted me to read lemon meringue pie murder first (pretty sure it's because it's yellow.....). I sincerely thought about it. Then picked The Girl in the Green Silk Gown instead. I miss the characters from the first one.... And I don't think I'm quite ready for another bout with Hannah Swenson and my version of a murder mystery sitcom....

Just finished the three volumes of The Sandman that I borrowed from the library it is now time to transfer the recipes I wish to keep from my latest Hannah Swenson murder mystery. Still need to figure out what I want to read next.....

What do you do when it's your birthday in the middle of your work week? Well an unexpected trip to the library! Where you find some Neil Gaiman in the good ol graphic novel section. And while the kids do dishes and the boyfriend plays his video game you start reading said find from the library!!! Happy birthday to me!

We have had a mild winter in NE Missouri. Until last night. We got a ice storm of georgous proportions. Read fifteen chapters while this was going on before I decided that I needed to go back to laundry and then attempt sleep before having to come to work this morning.

So the girls and I have been making our way through the American Girl series that were not around when I was their ages (9 and 7). My nine year old (Rose) really enjoyed this one as it had a baby in it and she is all about the tiny humans. I can't wait to get the rest of the Marie-Grace/Cecile six book series.

So I finished the first book of the Glass and Steele series..... I thoroughly enjoyed it and cannot wait to read the second one. It definitely ended leaving me intrigued and wanting to know more about the characters. I've already checked hoopla and the second book is on there but I much prefer physical books..... We shall see if my impatience wins out over preference.

I am really glad that I asked my sister for this author's name over the summer. They're quick reads that leave the same feel good feelings other people get from Hallmark movies. (For me at least.). And there's that little touch of home feel in there too. My family lives in a small city in Minnesota and the setting for these books is small town Minnesota.

This series is definitely my "I need a quick pick me up murder mystery."

Got a call from the library while I was at work yesterday. Listened to the message right before bed. My interlibrary loan came through. All excited this morning that The Blood of Olympus had been found very quickly. Went to pick up said book today. Came home with this instead. I didn't even remember/realize I'd put in a loan request for this!!!! I'm pleasantly surprised / still slightly disappointed no Percy Jackson conclusion.

So I woke up yesterday really excited that it was library day. Told everyone at work who would listen that it was library day and I was excited. I had just finished The House of Hades the night before and was looking forward to getting the final installment to the series.... Library does not have it. Currently waiting to see if I can get it through a interlibrary loan. Slightly disappointed....

It's threatening to snow here today.... Stuck at work til two. Would much rather be reading right now with the sky still being dark and looking icky.

Okay litsy friends. I have a girl in my family who's about to turn twelve. She reads at a college level loves fantasy and doesn't need to be reading any "adult" content. Her birthday is coming up and she is an avid reader. She loves Harry Potter. I'm looking for book suggestions on what to get her? My thoughts are something Terry Pratchett.... Yours?

Over a hundred pages read today! This is what you get for being in a car for roughly seven hours. Totally worth it though!!! My older two girls got to see their sister and we had a lot of fun hanging out with her today! I also got a lot read on my book!

I read the whole kaya series to my girls (7 and 8) one chapter at a time right before bed. Gotta say I loved how it impacted them. The seven year old fell asleep to me reading most of the time but the eight year old and I had a quite a few good talks after I finished the days chapter. It's been a wonderful bonding experience and I can't wait to start the next series.

"Sometimes, all a dead girl can do is stand up and take responsibility for the things that gather in the shadows."

Some early morning reading before I have to head to work at six. It's nice and quite with everybody else asleep. Well all except the Meowgi.

"Taking care of OURSELVES often becomes a luxury we can't afford, rather than a necessity we can't afford ignore."

Quote that gives me hope this book will at least be decent. "...the brain ends up being a not-particularly-helpful a$$hole instead. It's like your friend that offers to beat the shit out of anyone who upsets you. Gratifying, but not helpful in the long run. "

I was looking through my hoopla from the library today and this intrigued me. Downloaded it. Haven't gotten a very good start on it. But hoping by the summary and what I've read so far it might have some new coping mechanism for me that are better than nicotine. (Trying to quit smoking cigarrttes. I do really well sometimes then something triggers in my head and j go right back to smoking more to help keep my mood stable.)

Cheers.

So my sister really liked this book series years and year ago and tried to get me to read one. I flatly refused. After my kerfuffle with my last book choice (1984), I messaged my sister to get the name of the author that had "bakery themed mysteries." I am not disappointed with this choice at all. Haven't gotten very far yet (only two chapters in) but definitely liking the vibe of this book. Looking forward to possibly having a new go to.

So I know that I have read this book before. I remember reading it. I remember parts of the book. I thought when I started it "it's been a while since I read a classic and I remember liking this one...".

It is not the time for this book. I thought it was and it is not. Kinda makes me sad that it's not holding my attention the way I felt it should. So I'm going to out it aside for now and look for something else.

One good mother was worth more than the entire murderous machine of the Nazi regime.

(I just finished this cross stitch for my niece who was born in May. Figured it fit my last quote that I wanted to share from this book.)

This book was absolutely amazing. I have read quite a few historical fiction books based on real stories from the WWII era. This one shook me to the core in all the best ways possible. So many quotes that just hit home for me. I highly recommend it to anyone who is searching for a thought provoking review if the human condition during this era.

All human beings are irreplaceable, of infinite value, and nothing can substitute the life that is taken.

Evil is much bigger than an antisocial behavior or a psychological deficiency. Above all it is a lack of love for one's self and for others.

For men, killing and dying for ideas may come naturally. For us bearers of life, to murder for ideals is the worst aberration created by humankind.

Built a blanket fort for the kids and their friend who stayed the night. Totally going to monopolize it while they're busy playing video games to read.

I absolutely love this series!!!!! It's all my favorite SciFi/fantasy bits all wrapped up into one series. However I am definitely not willing to share this series with my kids until they are much older.

She was thankful to him for seeing more in her than she had recognized in herself and helping her to also see it. But he wasn't responsible for it; she alone was responsible for who she was.

Change was so constant with children that you never had time to catch up.

I don't know what I was expecting going into this book but the first few chapters definitely threw me for a loop. Once I got a feel for her style of writing (felt like inspirational articles I would find on the internet) I had a new appreciation for the book. It was exactly what I needed at this moment in time. Not something I'm going to read religiously but definitely something that I can use to remind me to keep chugging along in life.

So I am currently in a Greek gods kick. (I go through kicks sometimes anywho...). This book series by George O'Conner is what got me started on it. I was looking for a comic book and this crossed my path. Now I'm finding more than the original six books he intended when he published the Zeus story. Absolutely love this book series!

Read this book to my girls (aged 8 and 6). It was a good bedtime bonding experience and we all can't wait to continue the series after I go to the library to get more!!!! Loved the American girl books when I was growing up. So happy to be able to share the with my daughters!!!