Sixteenth Week Wrap...Delayed

   Fourth of July, yay! For the life of me, I can't think of anything else. Late wrap. Read only one library book. Reread my Twilight books (5 book total week). Hmmm. Bit of a different experience this time; definitely not happy about it! The books are in the library, but I didn't actually borrow them. Not sure if I should review them.
   You know what? I am just not feeling this wrap right now. Maybe I should come back to it in a better mood.

Fifteenth Week Wrap

   Happy Fourth of July!! Ahhh. It's been a good day, full of baking, baking and more baking. Oatmeal cookies, peanut butter cookies, lemon oat streussel bars, fudge topped brownies, homemade apple pie all made today. I was really looking forward to eating goodies today; so far, half an oatmeal cookie. Oh well, maybe tomorrow. :)

   This fifteenth week had a day at Mojave Narrows with friends, Cabrillo Beach and fireworks shopping with family and a couple of pleasant days spent doing nothing that required preparation and planning. You know, the best kind of nothing.

   It's funny, this week began with me thinking that I wouldn't get much reading done (again) and actually finishing five books. Yay. Number five equalled sixty-six (66). That's right. I said it. Sixty-six!! I at least liked everything I read and super-duper liked most! Can you say "super-duper" without sounding like a dork? Hmm. Does spending time pondering that question automatically confer dorkiness? Does use of the word "confer" equate nerdiness? Good grief, I think I just answered all my questions. Eh. What the hay. I will accept your appellations and raise you one goofiness.
   Alright, alright. Reining myself in. Back to the reading. This week I have two picks of the week, almost three, but I'm going to limit myself to two.

Picks of the Week:

Jimi & Me by Jaime Adoff

and

Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie


Happy reading, happy summer, happy day.

Fourteenth Week Wrap

When it tastes as good as this looks, you take a picture.

   We have officially seen summer! Whoo hoo hoo!!! Clickity clack, clickity clack. I could dance a jig right now; it feels so good to say summer!!!

   This week we had sixth grade promotion,

 basketball awards,

a girl's slumber party,

Maverick's Scout Night,

a boy's sleep over, Oak Glen,

nature trailing

 and a do nothing Sunday. Ahhh, what a wonderful week; very glad the busyness is ovah!
   Now to look forward to some leisurely chores, the occasional outing, laying about and slow prep work for next year. Oh yes. And some books.
   Speaking of books. I did manage to get some reading done. Nothing too spectacular, but some things that made for fun reading. The cat books were so lightly spun that I was able to wrack up two more books than I anticipated this week. I'm thinking I might be all about the fiction for a short bit when I make my new pick ups. I am definitely feeling the itch to mark one shelf done, and the end of that particular shelf is very much in sight. (Well, the end as much as a library shelf can end. It will be exciting to see a new book finding its way there. I resolutely stay away from the new book shelf in the library.)
   We shall see, we shall see. I'm mulling and pondering and thinking some more. After I finish the ones I currently have and am ready to check out more I'll know which route I'll be taking. At least for that check out. :)
   Well, I am off. Must needs break our fast so we can get on with our day. Things to do, errands to run, sitting to be sat.


Singing "summertiiiime in the city" as I wrap The Wrap, but nothing beyond that because I can't remember the rest of the words to save my life. 

Thirteenth Week Wrap

   Slow reading week due to busy household week; yeah, I'll take it! Cub Scout Crossover, Father's Day weekend, PTSA/SITE Council stuff (whew!) all leading up to an exciting new week and new school and Cub Scout year. I'm thinking I'll need to cram in some summer reading lazy days for fortitude stockpiling. :)


Crossing Over



   Cub Scout Crossover means my baby Scout is now a Webelos Scout (still my baby) and I'll be his Webelos Den Leader (pretty excited/anxious). I can't wait for him and the rest of the boys to have a knockout time!


Getting his Webelos neckerchief

    Father's Day weekend meant A.J. Bariles' Chicago Pizza in Yucaipa (go there, read this later) the drive in for The Green Lantern and X Men First Class (thumbs up for both) and a lazy Sunday with what seemed like an awful lot of eating (always a good time).


Not Father's Day, but I like the picture

  PTSA shopping for end of year events, meetings, prepping and more prepping capped off the week. I did manage to sneak in three books. One I enjoyed, one I thought was pretentious, man bashing tripe (oh, was that too obvious a review?) and one I thought was terrific. So where does that leave us you ask? It leaves us with The Book of the Week (you have to say it in a loud, deep game show voice, though I am hearing the iCarly announcer voice, which I totally and completely blame my children for).

Favorite Book of the Week:

Fault Line by Laurie Alberts

Twelfth Week Wrap

   Milemark week! Finished my 50th, yup that's right, 50th, book!! School is almost out for summer. Scout's are almost on summer vacation. Did I mention that it's almost time for summer?!
   This week saw my 50th book, followed in swift succesion by the 51st, 52nd and 53rd, exciting/disconcerting news, my 50th book, yes, I know, I'm bragging, and going on and on and on, but I finished my 50th book! In twelve weeks!! How cool is that?!!
   I can't wait to see what happens this week! Aside from all the year end closing activities and business (sigh). Sometimes exciting, worthwhile and happy = exhausting. Anywho, can't wait!

Eleventh Week Wrap

   Another week, another book. Well, books actually. This week saw...almost what last week saw. This week also puts us that much closer to summer (thumbs up). Hmmm. I think this wrap is done. It feels done. It feels overdone.
   Well, off to the library. I have seven books to return and seven new books to check out. Can't wait to see what's waiting!

Tenth Week Wrap

   Wow. Wow. Wow. Ten weeks and it feels like 100. Kidding. It does feel good though! This tenth week saw my (now) 11 year old's birthday sleepover (birthday table picture above, the rats and roaches are cupcakes), two important school meetings, a very special retirement, new library friends ("Hello!"), more blog design/setting figuring (yay) and the daily minutia that makes the world go round.
   I've also discovered my online library account. My library card was previously misplaced for a verrrry loooong time. I have also discovered Mango, another library resource that I am very excited about taking advantage of. I hope to hablaing or sprechenzieing soon. If you have your card you should definitely take a peek!
   Let's see the facts and figures. Three more books completed (definitely getting antsy to complete one shelf, any shelf), a discovery that the children's paperbacks allow me to run on the treadmill while I read (a definite, and welcome, time killer), another gem (Th1rteen R3asons Why) and yet another week that I have been unable to muster the enthusiasm necessary to read California's Stately Hall of Fame. (Nonfiction you are not enjoying is much more difficult to choke down than fiction.)



Book of the Week:

Th1rteen R3asons Why by Jay Asher


On that note, this is a wrap!

Ninth Week Wrap



Some of my personal flair. Yes, that is an authentic Archie Fan Club Button. My membership card is pictured in one of the other wraps. Yup, that's why I am sort of a big deal. :)

    Nine weeks in and 36 books read. YES!! That's just over 1 book every two days. Dare I say it? Yes, I dare. F-U-N is spelled R-E-A-D. And thanks to the Victorville City Library it is a fun that I can afford!! Thank you Victorville City Library. Speaking of the Library, welcome to my "Venture", it has been a pleasure doing business with you.
   On to wrapping the week. My ninth week saw a renewed interest in the gym (6 straight days!), my little one cheering at the fair (she is loud, LOud, LOUD!!) and life changing events for my extended family (faith means hopeful sorrow). I also returned some and borrowed some. I really thought it would be enough to take all my books back at once, but I can't keep waiting three weeks to see what my new picks will be.
   I was going to say "Speaking of" picks, but it seems I've already used the phrase. Hmmm...what to say instead? pondering...pondering...pondering...Ah hah! While I am on the subject of picks, it seems that, once again, my book of the week is one that challenged my thinking. I like that. This is the reward for my epiphany. To date two of the three books I have been most challenged by were books that I would never have read had I continued to use the library as a source for books that I already knew I was looking for.
   As a child the library was a place of great wonder and excitement. It was thrilling to walk in the doors and see the veritable smorgasbord before me; I never knew what I was going to find. There would surely be times that I was looking for something in particular, but for the most part every spine was new. Every title was a treasure just waiting to be taken. As an adult with my grown up senses and sensibilities the library changed. It became a place to search for specific titles, certain authors. When I walked into the library I was no longer on an expedition; I had already made up my mind. It is no wonder that my library excursions were no longer pleasurable.
   Yet...the discovery is renewed. This venture has renewed my zest for the library. Shaking off the shackles of my grownup determinations and returning to the thrill of my youth has reinvigorated my love of reading and made it new again. Now, when I enter my library the only decision that is already made is that I will be taking the next books on the shelf, but what's inside them is anybody's guess. I am discovering new authors, new characters to befriend and scold, encourage and dislike. I'm learning new facts and figures. I'm cementing ideas and stretching ideology. I am having F-U-N spelled R-E-A-D.


Book of the Week:

Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa



Here are the newest books as of Saturday:

Youth Fiction

The $66 Summer by John Armistead
Going Through the Gate by Janet S. Anderson


Teen Fiction

Jailbait Zombie by Mario Acevedo


General Fiction

The Rainaldi Quartet by Paul Adam
The Dream Thief by Shana Abe


Nonfiction

How to Lose Your Ass and Regain Your Life by Kirstie Alley

Eighth Week Wrap

   A day late this week. Running around yesterday took all my time. Errands, Cub Scout rocket launching, sick children, sick me, gym time (oh yeah, baby), all add up to 1,2,3, no time for me...to do the wrap. This wrap is a short wrap because it was a week of short books.
   The week was composed of back to back field trips to the Los Angeles Zoo (6th graders) and Calico (5th Graders), the usual Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and Cheer and huh, I have no idea what else. Hmmm, would that be a good or a bad thing that I don't remember the week. Maybe we'll just call it uneventful and leave it at that. Oh! It also had a birthday party (giggly girls) and the first sleepover for my #4 (equally excited, we musn't say giggly, boys).
   As you can see from my earlier post, I did stop by the library for a midweek haul; much, much fun. I am almost done with the original books. But, man!, am I struggling with California's Stately Hall of Fame. I thought I would muscle my way through it last week, but found instead that I've put it down and have not been sorry to leave it. I know, I know. I am reading my way through the library. I will finish it...eventually. Though I think it might take me a renewal to do it.
   Library reading wise, this past week has shaped up to be a bit slow. That is not to say I haven't been reading. I read Dead Reackoning by Charlaine Harris. I love, love, love her Sookie Stackhouse series and had been waiting on pins and needles for the latest release. (Which was not a disappointment, by the by.) I also read Shakespeare's Counselor, same author, another series I enjoy and would like to see more of. I also like the Bard's cameos in the Sookie books, very fun.
   Back to work. Four more library books are completed with two in the chute (fist shaking at California's Stately Hall of Fame). Looking forward to reviewing Open, which should be today or tomorrow. Must check my list for what's ahead.

Favorite Book of the Week:   Tudor Portraits

Most Disappointing Book of the Week:    Flight

Seventh Week Wrap

All mine! (Sometimes) I share.

   A slow and wonderful week. I was on the cusp of finishing three more books in addition to the three I reviewed, but only finished one (review to come). Time just got away and daily work had to be done.
   I'm almost finished with Tudor Portraits. I was in the middle of it when I realized that I wasn't tracking too well and so, epiphany. I decided to take notes (my husband has been teasing me about "learning on my own" since he caught me). It's great fun. I started my own personal encyclopedia of facts while I read. I know, I know, it sounds nerdy, but I am loving it. It's crossreferenced and alphabetized with bold fonts, italics and four sections. Heeheehee, I love it!
   I can't wait to add to it from other books and when I catch things that don't mesh I'll get to learn which is fact, which is fiction and which is perspective. Yowza! Do I know how to have a good time or what?!
This week saw Mother's Day, Scouts, Cheer, Camporee and the great, great news that my first has a job (Thank you, God!). My husband grilled on our new barbecue for Mother's Day dinner, perfect, and installed a new rainfall showerhead, delicious. At Camporee my second and third shot rifles, #2 compensated for the wind and got his shot in the 9 ring: awesome, #3 was homesick the first night and called me the second to excitedly tell me how he burned his hand in the peach cobbler and was having a fantastic time: wonderful.
   The week begins anew and asame, but with it will come more family tales, endless rounds of Slug Bug, Cruiser Bruiser and Cop Pop, making tracks to school and scouts and cheer, whining, scolding and laughing, watching Friends at night with my husband and, of course, more books. Same old, same old, same wonderful, terrific, fantastic.
   Sometimes you just can't help but love the same old!

Sixth Week Wrap and The New Haul

   It's been a good reading week; though not all the reading was good. I am incredibly pleased with the overall selections of the last haul. I am also pleased because they were all free reads. Yay, Victorville City Library!
   This new week brings a new haul. I choose a few extra books feeling flush and triumphant, and a little ambitious again, off the completion of last week's books. I also chose extra because, like castor oil (never tasted it, but I've read that it's not so good), some things when they must be tasted are better tasted quickly. In plain language, reading two more Hailey Abbots in quick succession is more palatable to me than knowing there's one more waiting for me. (Cue the Jaws soundtrack and a whispered prayer to the Patron Saint of Library Readers that there aren't any more lurking in another reader's hands just waiting for me when I go back.)

*Off to finish a (non-library) book before I pick up the kids. Finish the Wrap and the Library Picks when I return.  :)*

Aaaand, I'm back.

   This week's reading reminded me of how much I love to read. There are so many things you learn while reading. The greatest thing about reading is the unlikely information you find in the unlikeliest places. You can read junk and still learn a new word, or read fiction and learn some obscure piece of trivia. My husband consistently asks how I know certain things, and my answer, invariably, is that I just know it, I read it somewhere. Nonfiction, obviously, imparts lots of knowledge. Nonfiction also poses its own unique challenge; in the presence of "authoritative" factual information the reader must sift through the author's perspective and objective. Thus, one book leads to another. One book leads to a raft of knowledge and many divergent paths of self education. (I know my metaphors are mixed, sometimes I do that.)
   I was also inspired to write about my love of words today. It happened while adding to my Words Page. I was adding hobnob (a word I always liked) and learned its etymology (dictionaries are fun!). That was all it took to excite and inspire me and I was off. Once again, I found myself being introspective inspite of myself ;).
   Enough of that. On to this week's favorite and The Haul.

This week's favorite:

A Useful Woman The Early Life of Jane Addams by Gioia Diliberto because I learned a lot, it made me think, it included trivia (what is a corduroy road?) and used words like higgledepiggledy [sic].

The Haul:
Fiction:

The Architect by Keith Ablow
murder suicide by Keith Ablow
Delusion by Peter Abrahams

Nonfiction:

920s
California's Stately Hall of Fame by Rockwell D. Hunt
Tudor Portraits Success and Failure of an Age by Michael Foss

921s
Open An Autobiography by Andre Agassi
Christina Aguilera by MaryJo Lemmens

General
The Wit & Wisdom of Abraham Lincoln by Anthony Gross


Teen Fiction:

Getting Lost with Boys by Hailey Abbott
The Secret of Boys by Hailey Abbott
Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams
Flight by Sherman Alexie


Children's Fiction:

Skellig by David Almond
The Secret School by Avi

Hey! I just learned how to link my posts. Cool beans!! Now if they're linked, then they've been read and reviewed.

Fifth Week Wrap

   It appears these past weeks, that reading has been slow. Another week has come and gone and taken with it only three completed books. So many things to do and keep me busy definitely make for less time time for leisurely pursuits. Ahhh, at least there is some time. :)
   April happenings included Spring Break, birthdays (that of yours truly and my grandmother, 90), rock climbing for my Second and Third, community cleanup with my Fourth and Fifth (which included the adrenaline inducing unexpected discovery of a snake by myself), my young one's first cheer exhibition, a much anticipated field trip to Calico, a baby shower and, of course, Easter and an upcoming 40th birthday and an incredibly precious vow renewal. April has been and will continue to be lovely.
   Reading has been grand. Fun and powerful. Entertaining and enlightening. I learned what draw poker's "Dead Man's Hand" is and can't wait to see it played and know why it's called by its name (read Great Gunfighters of the West  by Carl W. Breihan to find out for yourself). Though that might be a long wait as I'm not known to run in draw poker circles. ;)
   Alright, the Wrap is feeling slow; words are barely trickling to mind. I'm off The Wrap and on to write the sixth weeks first review.

Fourth Week Wrap

   One month in and I'm feeling fine. I'm also feeling a mite dumbed down. It has struck me, whilst reading from the 920-21's series, that I have too long gorged on dessert and neglected meals. It has been disconcerting to see how long it is taking me to read something that is not fiction. Methinks I must devote more time to exercising my brain.
   That said, I have several books that, I hope, are more meat than fluff. We shall see. I think I will start a poetry and classics reading children with the kids, lest they too suffer the syndrome of dumb down their mother finds herself in. Mayhap, the use of classical language in the Wrap will permit me to pull up my ego by its bootstraps for the moment as well.
  
   Had to make tracks for a moment and what do you know? My Number Four showed me his book and just told me that he can understand it, but it's taking him a while. And do you know why? His library book is written more classically than current books usually are. Well, if that doesn't answer that, then I don't know what does? I believe I will begin the poetry and classics reading series after all.
   This moment opened with personal observation and ended with conviction for balanced change. Fancy that; I'm introspective!  ;)

Favorite quote of the day: "Yeah, cause I've been reading Goosebumps like a sucker!" -My Number Four

New Library Books & Third Week Wrap

   I'm a day early to return my books and I haven't finished Howard Bryant's The Last Hero A Life of Henry Aaron (good so far), but today is my birthday, the kids are in school and I feel like a treat. So I am off to get more books! Yay!! So excited!!!
   Will update the list after I return...

   Back from the break. I walked to the fiction section, with not a little trepidation mixed with excitement. Trepidation regarding the possibility of another Jeff Abbott book (sorry Mr. Abbott), excitement about what would be waiting. This time I stuck to books that were next up on the shelves rather than adding free picks, but I picked three fiction and two from the 920's as well as two from the 921's. I also added books from the children's section.
   That being said, I am reserving the right to pick and choose in that section. I do not see the Animorphs series in my future. I already have another romance (ugh) book in my bag and a second book that I am not looking for to either (I am judging by both the book and cover; it's more well rounded judgement that way).

On to the Wrap. The first checkout was a success! I had so much fun reading my library books; more than I expected even knowing how much I enjoyed reading. I read books that I might never have picked up had I not started this venture.
   I have one book left of my original checkout, which I should finish tomorrow or the next day; I hope, I hope, I hope, I hope. If I finish it tomorrow I will have finished my checkout on time (crossing my fingers). At any rate, I am excited and ready to call this venture a GREAT IDEA!!

Fiction

- The Smoke Thief by Shana Abe   check
- Queen of Dragons  "    "      "        check
- Intimate Enemies   "     "     "         check

Nonfiction

   920's
- Great Gunfighters of the West by Carl W. Breihan    check
- God Grew Tired of Us A Memoir by John Bul Dau     check

   921's
- John Adams by John Patrick Diggins    check
- A Useful Woman The Early Life of Jane Addams by Gioia Diliberto    check

Teen Fiction

- Watersmeet by Ellen Jensen Abbott   check
- The Perfect Boy by Hailey Abbott     check

Youth Fiction

- My Land Sings Stories from the Rio Grande by Rudolpho Anaya
- Remnants by K.A. Applegate    check


Oh, note to self: Flip flops in the library are obnoxiously loud, and make you incredibly self conscious.

Second Week Wrap

   Celebrated a cousin's wedding, first time in Laughlin, discovered that I love me some penny machines. Lucky Lemurs rock!! Wished a beloved grandmother a very happy 90th birthday this week, and not a frail, can't get around 90, but an active, still out and about, 90th birthday. My Granny is grantastic!!! Gossiped and joked with cousins, spent time being strong armed into sewing a glider cushion cover (115 pound pregnant women are no joke, let me tell you), watched my children play and get sweaty with cousins, once and twice removed.
   It was a really good week... Wait, wait, I think I can do better than that. Last week was wonderful, filled with a living mosaic of faces, food, snapshots of love and peals of laughter. Okay, enough of the smarm and onto the books!
   Five more library books down; two were meals, two were dessert and one was that stuff you eat when you're not sure you're even hungry and it isn't really what you want, but you can't find anything better. I'm halfway through my first library check out. Should be done this week, since we're still on Spring Break (yay!), most of them are fluff I picked out for fun, and I am planning to do as little as possible before we return to school.
   The book snob in me is a little embarrassed about the amount of junk on my list. I think I'm going to assuage the feeling by peppering the Wrap with a judicious use of my big girl vocabulary and vivid word pictures. Judging by my last sentence, I'll be resorting to incredibly long, though nicely phrased, sentences. (That was an unbiased opinion of my sentence structure and form, by the by.)
   Reading has been more and more enjoyable. While books have been lifelong friends and reading a major pasttime spender for as long as I can remember, it has been feeling new these past two weeks. Beginning a new book, wondering how it will be reviewed, which quotes will be chosen as favorites; it is all great fun!
   Getting a little tired of all the "I" usage in the Wrap. Thinking of either omitting them or switching to writing in the third person. Will see next week.

Favorite quote of the week, "Do you know how to spike hair? Because all my spikes go in a specific location." -My fourth, 8 years old, prior to my gelling his hair.

First Week Wrap

   My first week's reading se fini. I read three books, two library, one Nook. There have been slower weeks, but not by a lot. The biggest difference this week was my boys' GATE fieldtrip; it set me back two days worth of reading. Now ask me if it was worth it. Go ahead. Ask. (Pause, while listening to question.) Heck yeah, it was worth it!! My boys had a blast, and it was so much fun hanging out with them. Plus, and this is a big one, we discovered PooPooPaper. That would be paper made out of recycled, odorless elephant dung. Hey, I have four boys, stuff like that is a big deal around here.
  Back to reading. To date, this has been fun. There is a slight bit of reading pressure that wasn't there before, but I think it's added to my experience rather than taken from it. Maybe it will fade as time goes on, however at this moment, there are a few more cylinders firing while I read. I think it's knowing that I'm going to be sharing what I read that is causing me to look a little further into the story. I like it.
   Something (After adding the last four sentences, I'm changing "Something" to "Some things", if you're reading this directly after "Something" you're reading out of order and should disregard until further notice.) to know about me. I am not looking to be more of the me that I can be. I am not trying to find myself, I know exactly where I am (on my bed, watching my husband play Halo Wars, while I flip between tending my city in Cityville and typing here). I like books that are meals and books that are junk food. On the way to school the kids and I discuss our Bible verse of the day and learn our new word of the day. My day is spent doing PTSA stuff, Scout stuff, cheerleading stuff or a combination of the three with some household chores/errands thrown in. The hubby and I hang out, watch some TV and just enjoy each other's company. See first ( ) in this paragraph now. I'm a pretty simple, sometimes slightly/more than slightly harried housewife, who passionately watches over her family and is sometimes (my husband would say most times) intensely involved in anything? everything? somethings.

Until next time, Hillshire Farm! Go meat!!