Clean Sweep

I feel like I've overhauled my house today! I returned home early from my parents on the premise that I needed some time to get my Christmas taken down and have just a few days to relax before school started back. Well, I spent the first two days at home slowly bringing the Christmas stuff to central location, but mostly sitting on my couch watching movies and diving into a new book. So, today was do or die basically...I had to get that Christmas stuff taken down!

Now, I love Christmas and I love getting all the decorations out and having my home be full of Christmas spirit. I also like the way my home feels after all the Christmas decorations are put back in their boxes and my normal stuff is once again in place. I've sat and just stared at the end table and lamp that are back in their rightful place. All I can think is...ahhh. I guess it all boils down to being ready to face the new year officially. I do still have a little pile of Christmas things stacked in the spare bedroom, but it will have to sit that way until I can get to Walmart and buy another one of those huge plastic boxes. Last year, I had room to grow in the decoration department, but this year I guess I got too much new stuff! Anyway, things are so close to being back to normal that I feel safe in saying that Christmas is down for another year.

Today I also sat down and got all of my thank-you cards written. Warning...soap box rant fixing to begin! From the time I was old enough to write, my mom made me write thank-yous for every birthday, Christmas, or any other gift getting occasion. Thank-yous are also appropriate after any act of unexpected kindness. It has just been ingrained in my personality that thank-yous are a must...especially after Christmas. Now, if you're not a thank you writer please don't feel like I'm judging you or anything like that. I'm not. I'm just saying that for me personally I'd feel awful letting a gesture of kindness go unthanked. Okay, maybe there was a smidge of guilt thrown in there! There were many to write, but they are finished and ready to be mailed out on Monday.

There isn't much of my weekend left, but I intend to enjoy every last minute of it. I might scrounge around in the DVD cabinet or dive into my new "grown-up" read, Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult. I think it was made into a movie and I've seen the movie. I've had to force myself not to skip to the back (I'm notorious for reading the back of the book first!) and see if I'm right. So far it isn't bad, but unfortunately familiar. We'll see how it goes.

By the way...I've updated my photo spot on my sidebar with some new pictures. A couple are even from this Christmas! I'm sort of critical about the pictures and usually crop the heck out of them but I figured I'd just go with it. So, go check them out!

Sin On Wheels

I was out shopping today (I really was on the look out for something to be a gift for someone else) and I stumbled across this journal in the bottom of a sale bin at Books-A-Million. The more I looked at it the more I knew this $3 gem was coming home with me. I would assume that like most people I have a side that is a litter darker and naughtier than what you see and read on here. Maybe that is why a book where the woman on the front is a whisper away from being exposed and reads on the back, "...a journal that challenges you to be as bad as you can be on its virgin pages..." appeals to me.

Anyway, when I showed it to my mom (who made the appropriate humph sound and said my name in a way I know means she can't believe I bought that but then again she can totally believe a I bought that) she was quick to say, "What if you died and as we were going through your stuff we found a journal that said sin on wheels?" Well, I would imagine it would be quite an eye-opener! Take that to mean what you will.

The instructions say that I should unleash the raw passion of my life's lusty saga - the penetrating insights, the naked truths, the seminal events, and the graphic, gritty details of every betrayal, revenge, and triumph. While I'm sure my life has some of all of these things, I don't know if I'll be rushing off to record them all in this book. I've discovered that I have some memories and thoughts that belong to me alone. Though I have a feeling some of those would be the stuff this journal was created for. Besides, if I spill my guts in there what would I have left for here?!

This journal is based on a book so I think I'll look online and see if I can find it and order it. A book titled Sin on Wheels probably doesn't fall in my "grown up" reading list criteria, but I still have a love for the down and dirty romance. Who knows...it just might earn a spot on the side bar!

***I checked online last night and could only find two listings for this book on Amazon. The first was $60 and the second was $35. So, Unless I can find this at the public library I won't be reading it. Also, I did discover in my search that this is one of four pulp journals along this line. Those were ranging anywhere from $8 - $22 online so I got a deal on mine!***

Grown Up Reading

This weekend was a busy one and somewhere along the way I think my body said, "Enough!". I woke up this morning (though seriously is 2am really the morning or the dead of night...anyway) feeling pretty sick at my stomach, congested, and I was running a fever. I think the snot running down my throat was causing the upset stomach. That part is feeling much better now that I've put some toast in there too. So far the fever hasn't let up. Hopefully, the Advil will kick that in the butt ASAP. This is not the week for me to miss school.

Normally I give one of the other teachers a really hard time because she is constantly worrying over her class when she it out. And she's been out a lot this half of the year. Anyway, when I'm out I usually know ahead of time. I leave detailed plans and make sure everything is ready so I feel okay knowing that my kids are in good hands. Well, today that didn't happen. I wasn't planning on being gone so my desk is a mess and there are no plans. I've thought about my kids a bunch this morning. I hope they are fairing okay!

As for me, I'm resting (well, along with doing a little Christmas wrapping and laundry) and reading. Which brings me to the title of my post. If you read any meme that I've done you know that I really enjoy settling down with a romance book. They are pretty predictable and probably don't resemble real life in any way, but I still enjoy them. Lately, I've thought that maybe I should read a little more grown-up material. You know...a novel versus a romance story.

So, in this spirit I picked up a new book this weekend. I bought gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson. So far it has been a surprisingly good read. The heroine is dealing with addictions, trying to keep secrets buried, and realizing the power of facing the demons and being free. I can oddly identify with her. Finding a connection with characters in a story is the major part of what makes a book good right?! Anyway, my goal is to read one "grown-up" book a month (there is no way I can completely go cold turkey from romance) and do a sort of book blurb in my sidebar under the what is on my nightstand section. And if you are in the mood for a good romance check out the one that is already over there. It is one of my absolute favorites!

Happy reading!

Go Wild About Books

The PTO always comes up with a theme for the school year. For the coming year we're doing a wild jungle theme. I wasn't all on board at first because that was the theme last year. I like to mix things up a bit, but after a vote more teachers liked it than wanted to have to come up with a new one. Anyway, I've been gathering things to make my reading center very jungle-esq. I've got a fake ficus and some big tiger, lion, and zebra animal pillows. And on the wall with cute punch-out letters it's going to say Go Wild About Books! Pretty cute huh?

Well, in keeping with my wild about books theme, I found this questionnaire over at Valerie's and decided I just couldn't resist. It's all about books and reading - one of my absolute favorite things to do!


Hardback or paperback? The majority of things that I read are paperback. They are cheaper and easier to handle. I do have a few hardbacks though.

Buy on line or in a store?
I like to shop on Amazon.com (I love how you can find books for a penny sometimes!) but I don't like paying for the shipping. Also, I'm pretty impatient so I like the convenience of a store.

Favorite bookstore?
Books 2 Enjoy! It's a little used bookstore in my hometown. They have a great selection and I could spend hours in there browsing the shelves. I've built up quite a credit there so I can get a lot of books for a little bit of money...always a good thing!

Bookmark or dog ear?
I know that every librarian will cringe, but I'm a dog ear-er. I've tried bookmarks but I either lose them or something of that nature. So, I dog ear.

Keep, throw away, or sell?
I keep my favorites and then usually trade in the rest at the used bookstore. Sometimes I pass them around in my family or sell at a garage sale but most of the time I trade them in.

Short story or novel?
I prefer a novel. I think short stories can't always get you deep down into the characters...it's just too short.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?
Oh that is a toughie! I usually try for chapter breaks, but sometimes I can't make it and have to find just a break in the text.

New or used?
Used...I'm not picky. But I won't turn down a new book.

Morning, afternoon or nighttime reading?
Mostly at nighttime before bed, but one a weekend or vacation I'll read anytime.

Stand Alone or Series?
I think I'm pretty even. I do enjoy a good series because I can revisit favorite characters.

Favorite Series?
I loved Sweet Valley High when I was growing up! And since I started teaching I've grown pretty fond of The Magic Tree house series (or as my kids say...the Jack and Annie books).

Favorite Books Read Last Year?
Bad Girls of The Bible by Liz Curtis Higgs and Too Much Temptation by Lori Foster. I really enjoyed those two.

On your “to read” pile right now?
There is a lot! I buy faster than I read...lol. Just a few are One Night Standards by Cathy Yardley, Hello, Darkness by Sandra Brown, Keeping A Princess Heart by Nicole Johnson, and Feeding Your Appetites by Stephen Arterburn

Favorite books of all time?
Oh there have been so many favorites...I couldn't pick just a few. I have favorites from childhood (The Berenstain Bears, Romona), from my teens (Sweet Valley High, The Babysitters' Club), and from now. There is no way I could list them. Though some of my favorite authors are Carla Niggers, Lori Foster, and Stephanie Laurens.

I have so many things to do today (pack for Math conference, shower, go buy stamps, etc.) but now I'm just itching to pick up a book for a few minutes!