Saturday, March 12, 2011

Saturday Snapshot - New Mommy and Baby

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce @ At Home with Books



Obviously I didn't take this picture since I'm the new mom holding the baby :)
I have a very serious look on my face bc this is my middle child and she had a little trouble breathing when she was first born and spent her first couple of days hooked up to all kinds of monitors, etc.
I was relieved to finally be holding her in my arms.

She is almost 17 now and participating in the Jr. Miss program tonight.
Wow!
It's called Distinguished Young Women now...and she is certainly growing into a Distinguished Young Woman :)









Friday, March 11, 2011

Book Blogger Hop



The Book Blog Hop is hosted each week by Jennifer at Crazy for Books.


In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs to read!

This week's question:

"If I gave you £50 (or $80) and sent you into a bookshop right now, what would be in your basket when you finally staggered to the till?"

My answer:

I have a TBR list that is so long sometimes I forget what's on there :/  The only problem I ever have when I go to a bookstore is self-control...which book(s) do I want the most right now?  I love to browse the sale tables and shelves to get more bang for my buck...I don't care to read small paperbacks so if I can get a hardback or oversized paperback for less than the price of a paperback or Kindlebook, I'm thrilled.

After browsing my amazon wishlist, these are the books I would buy with my $80 :)
The first two are newer books that I probably won't be able to wait on...but the rest of them are books I've had on my TBR list way too long.












Committed (8.79)









Fingersmith (10.88)





I'm an English teacher, not a math teacher, so, of course, I lost track of my money...I think I've gone over my limit by about $4...
story of my life ;)


TIME TO HOP AROUND!!

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Almost Wordless Wednesday


What is it with this cat and my laptop??

Btw, that's the youngest in the background...thinking Uh-Oh is the funniest cat in the word :)

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Fat Tuesday...to Lent


Even congressmen were wearing Mardi Gras beads today :)
At dinner tonight my firstborn and I saw a 60 something year old man with a court jester's hat on.
And, we've eaten our share of King Cakes over the last month...yum!

While I love the history and culture of New Orleans, I wouldn't be there for $1,000,000 tonight...
the final night of the party...the final parade...the final drink...the final night of hedonism...
before Lent begins tomorrow and all the partiers become saints :)

All silliness aside, The Ash Wednesday service is one of my favorites; I am humbled by the symbolism of the cross imprinted on my forehead with ash.  Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of a 40 day period of repentance before Easter Sunday.  I don't usually "give up" something for Lent...but I do try to be more mindful of the reasons I believe what I do and try to live my life in the way that I think God wants me to.

Does that mean I'm going to always do the right thing?
Absolutely not.
Am I going to make mistakes?
You bet.
Am I forgiven?
No doubt.
:)
That's the most beautiful part.



Monday, March 7, 2011

It's the little things...


I'm back on the road again...this time with my oldest who's serving as a page for one of our local congressmen this week while Congress is in session.  Coincidentally, I have some work to to with the State Dept. of Education this week so it worked out for me to stay with my oldest in a hotel near the capitol building.  My youngest tends to get antsy when I'm away too long so I let her ride along with us for the first night. 

I'm sitting here tonight thinking about the small things she's noticed today:

The ride
How many different roads go in so many different directions
Time with her big sister and me
Walking into the hotel
Checking out the cool surroundings
Sitting in the lounge area while I checked us in
Pushing the elevator buttons
Using the card key
Giving the valet our ticket and/or keys depending on whether we are coming or going
Looking up at the capitol building and asking "How long ago was this castle built, Mommy?"

Makes me smile...
And makes me remember that life is worth slowing down a little and looking around
Honor the little things.
And the little ones.
:)