Reading with Momma

Sunday Salon & Read-a-thon Wrap Up

2010-04-11T09:40:00.000-05:00

Can you say utter failure? They say that failure to plan is a plan for failure. Well, I am proof of it. While I looked forward to this read-a-thon, I didn't take time to set books aside or find things to distract my children. So I didn't get to actively participate like I wanted to.

I woke up an hour late. I did start on a book, but I had to stop to make sure kids were getting dressed and ready for our scout meeting. Since I'm the leader, I had to gather everything together for our activity. I ended up conversing with parents afterward, so I didn't get back home and to my book as quickly as I had wanted. I neglecting to plan for lunch, so I had to stop and do that.

This list of excuses goes on, but in the end, I was a flop this time out. I'll have to try again in 6 months. I did visit some blogs and ponder some interesting mini-challenges. But I was too late to participate in many by the time I saw them. I still might do a big post with all of the ones that I liked.

In summary, here are my stats.
Total number of books read: 0
Total time spent reading: 2ish hours
Total mini-challenges completed: 0
Prize you’ve won: 0
Total number of participants visited: 15

The books I have read in the past week:
Haven't finished anything

Books I am currently reading:
The Map, Raising Financially Fit Kids, Just in Case, Urban Homesteader

Books I plan on reading this week:
In addition to completing some of the books on my in progress list, I plan to start on Plan B.

Read-a-thon: Update #2

2010-04-10T20:56:00.000-05:00

Title of book(s) read since last update:
Time spent reading since last update: 30 minutes
Mini-challenges completed since last update:

As you can see from my stats, today didn't go as planned. Kids take priority and they took over my day today. I'm hoping to join back in now, but I'm tired, so I'm not sure how much I will accomplish.

Total number of books read:
Total number of pages read: 60
Total time spent reading: 30 minutes
Total mini-challenges completed:
Prizes won:
Total number of participants visited: 5

Read-a-thon: Hour 1 Update

2010-04-10T08:23:00.000-05:00

I'm awake! I over slept and missed hour 1. I doubt that I will update every hour. I have to leave the house for a few hours to run a girl scout meeting. I think I'll update before I go, when I get back and may be a couple more times before my Wrap Up post.

I have a book that I need to read and review. So I'll do that now and participate in a couple of challenges. I'll check back in after hour 3.

Happy reading!

Read-a-thon is coming!

2010-04-09T07:00:00.001-05:00

This weekend is the 24-hour read-a-thon. In my time zone, we start at 7:00 am Saturday, April 10. Because of things I need to get done with my kids, I won't likely get the entire 24 hours in, but I'm going to give it my best. It's not too late to sign up.

WG: Checking Out Libraries

2010-04-03T11:05:00.000-05:00

Over at Weekly Geeks, this week's prompt is about libraries.
I have a mom who loves to read, so there were always books around the house. I recall going to the library and looking through the card catalog (would I be dating myself to admit that I miss those?). I loved having my own card. I'm sure that I went to the school library, but my childhood library memories involve the public library.

I now live in a larger town that has a library with several branches. I used to have the intention of visiting every branch, but that hasn't happened. I would guess that I have frequented 5-6 branches, though. I love the branch in my neighborhood because they know me and my children by name.

Since I've been blogging, I now visit the library about once every week and half. I frequent the library a lot more during the summer because I want to keep my kiddos reading. I'm cheap, so I rarely buy books. When I do, they tend to be more reference "how to" types that I typically purchase used or on clearance.

Thanks, Weekly Geeks, for the post idea!

I am a participant in the Support Your Local Library challenge.

Where am I wednesday? March 10

2010-03-10T07:56:00.000-06:00

I signed up for a lot of challenges - probably too many! I plan to check in every other week to track what I've accomplished. Here's where I am so far.

POC Reading Challenge
   Asleep
   My Life as a Rhombus
   Six Easy Pieces
   Violet's Music
   A Chair for Always
   14 cows for America
   Children of the Waters
  The Seeing Stick
   The Rain Stomper
   I am still reading A Thousand Never Evers and Bitter Sweets (library fines be damned!).

Short Story Reading Challenge for 2010.
   Six Easy Pieces

Finish That Series Challenge in 2010.
   The Bookman's Last Fling.

Revisit Your Childhood Favorites Challenge
   I haven't started this one yet.

Twenty Minute Book Club Challenge.
   I haven't started this one yet.

2010 Support Your Local Library Challenge
   Six Easy Pieces
   The Bookman's Last Fling.
   The Unexpectedly Bad Hair of Barcelona Smith
   The End
   Violet's Music
   A Chair for Always
   14 cows for America
   Dear Mrs. Larue
   Lost and Found
   Children of the Waters
   the Seeing Stick
   The Rain Stomper
   Crazy Hair
   If the World Were a Village
   Finn Throws a Fit
   Those Shoes
   All the World
   Duck and Cover
   I am still reading A Thousand Never Evers and Bitter Sweets.

Support Your Local Author Challenge.
   My Life as a Rhombus
  The Unexpectedly Bad Hair of Barcelona Smith

All the World
I am still reading A Thousand Never Evers

Young Readers Challenge
   The Unexpectedly Bad Hair of Barcelona Smith
   The End
   Violet's Music
   A Chair for Always
   14 cows for America
   Dear Mrs. Larue
   Lost and Found
   the Seeing Stick
   The Rain Stomper
   Crazy Hair
   If the World Were a Village
   Finn Throws a Fit
   Those Shoes
   All the World
   Duck and Cover

Flashback Challenge for 2010.
   I plan to reread The Color Purple

The Audio Book Challenge in 2010.
   I'm listening to Positivity

Where Am I Wednesday? February 24

2010-02-21T19:15:00.006-06:00

I signed up for a lot of challenges - probably too many! I plan to check in every other week to track what I've accomplished. Here's where I am so far.

POC Reading Challenge
   Asleep
   My Life as a Rhombus
   Six Easy Pieces
   Violet's Music
   A Chair for Always
   14 cows for America
   Children of the Waters
  The Seeing Stick
   The Rain Stomper
   I am in the midst of reading A Thousand Never Evers and Bitter Sweets.

Short Story Reading Challenge for 2010.
   Six Easy Pieces

Finish That Series Challenge in 2010.
   I am currently reading the Bookman's Last Fling.

Revisit Your Childhood Favorites Challenge
   I haven't started this one yet.

Twenty Minute Book Club Challenge.
   I haven't started this one yet.

2010 Support Your Local Library Challenge
   Six Easy Pieces
   I am currently reading the Bookman's Last Fling.
   The Unexpectedly Bad Hair of Barcelona Smith
   The End
   Violet's Music
   A Chair for Always
   14 cows for America
   Dear Mrs. Larue
   Lost and Found
   Children of the Waters
   the Seeing Stick
   The Rain Stomper
   Crazy Hair
   If the World Were a Village
   Finn Throws a Fit
   Those Shoes
   All the World
   Duck and Cover
   I am in the midst of reading A Thousand Never Evers and Bitter Sweets.

Support Your Local Author Challenge.
   My Life as a Rhombus
  The Unexpectedly Bad Hair of Barcelona Smith

All the World
I have checked out but not read A Thousand Never Evers and Trudy

Kid's reads

2010-02-21T19:08:00.000-06:00

This week's kid's books were visually entertaining.

Those shoes (Read as part of the POC, Young Readers, and Support Your Local Library challenges) I think that this one was my favorite one for the week. A young boy is saddened by the fact that he can't afford the popular shoes that all of his classmates seem to have. When his shoes fall apart, he is embarrassed by the shoes he has to take from the school's supply. His grandmother finds a pair at a thrift shop, which he buys even though they are too small. When his friend is without shoes, he makes a tough choice. This book really touched my heart while attesting to the generosity of children.

The Rain Stomper. (Read as part of the POC, Young Readers, and Support Your Local Library challenges) Beautifully illustrated, this book reminded me a great deal of my dancing daughter. The main character is looking forward to participating in the annual parade until the rain comes. But she doesn't let that stop her from expressing herself.

If the World Were A village. (Read as part of the Young Readers, and Support Your Local Library challenges) As a former math teacher, I was really excited about the numbers in this book. Using the premise that the world is a village of a mere 100 people, this books explains how the people represent different demographics. Oh the lessons and activities I could have students do based on this book!
The Seeing Stick by Jan Yolen. (Read as part of the POC, Young Readers, and Support Your Local Library challenges) I loved this one. The illustrations were awesome, and the theme of appreciating what's around you was nicely illustrated.
All the World (Read as part of the POC, Young Readers, and Support Your Local Library challenges) This beautifully illustrated book celebrates that mankind is one big family.
Crazy Hair (Read as part of the Young Readers, and Support Your Local Library challenges) I enjoyed the rhythm and rhyme of this book. The illustrations were interesting as well.
Finn Throws a Fit (Read as part of the Young Readers, and Support Your Local Library challenges) Super illustrations of a little one throwing a big fit. As the mother of a two-year-old, I can relate!
Duck and Cover (Read as part of the Young Readers, and Support Your Local Library challenges) A cute book involving animal antics.

Children of the Water

2010-02-21T18:01:00.001-06:00

Children of the Waters by Carleen Brice
isbn 0345499077, pages

This story brings two people together from seemingly different worlds. As they learn the secrets that have been kept, they begin to question their identities. Trish is a divorced white mother of a teenaged bi-racial son. When Trish learns that her baby sister had been given up for adoption, she sets out to find and unite with her. Billie is newly pregnant, which causes her boyfriend to consider abandoning the relationship. Learning that she is adopted and biracial causes her to question everything she knows.

This book confronted several racial issues. I appreciated that it didn't come off as preachy. Nor did it imply that there is a preferred position to take. Everyone had room to openly address their own biases and misperceptions. The characters had issues like we all do, and no one was better or worse off than anyone else.

I read this as a participant in the following challenges.

Pay it Forward

2010-02-21T17:10:00.000-06:00

I received gifts in the mail!!!

Last month, Zoe at Playing by The Book posted about receiving a gift from Vanessa at Silly Eagle Books. She offered three people a chance to receive a gift in kind, and I was chosen!! In the same spirit of giving, I want to give a gift to three of you out there.

If you're interested in participating

Leave a comment on this post. If more than 3 people leave a comment, then I’ll select 3 people randomly after 10pm CST Monday, February 22.
Don't forget to leave a way to contact you! I’ll then send out a small surprise package to you.
Once you’ve received the gift, pay it forward to three more people. This is the only “rule” of the game.

Six Easy Pieces

2010-02-19T23:43:00.000-06:00

Six Easy Pieces by Walter Mosley
isbn 0743442547, 288 pages

This collection of short stories features the Easy Rawlins character. Each chapter involves a case that he solves. While the chapters are sequential, each story is written in such a way that they don't depend on one another.
As a big Rawlins fan, I was not disappointed by this collection. I enjoyed how each story unfolded. While the stories didn't depend on each other, they came together to paint a full picture. The downside for me was how he had to repeat details each time.
In essence, Easy has created a "normal" life for himself and his family. But he is haunted by the death of his best friend and is drawn in to cases while trying to answer some questions for himself.

I read this book as part of the following challenges.

Library Loot

2010-02-18T21:13:00.001-06:00

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library.

Youth Fiction

the Seeing Stick
The Rain Stomper
Crazy Hair
If the World Were a Village
Finn Throws a Fit
The Unfinished Angel
Those Shoes
All the World
Duck and Cover

Recent Kid's Reads

2010-02-13T17:41:00.005-06:00

I've been trying to do a better job of reading with and to my kids, so I've picked up some kids books recently. I'll just give a quick overview of what I've been reading.

14 cows for America (Read as part of the POC, Young Readers, and Support Your Local Library challenges)
This is the story of a student from Kenya who was studying in America on 9/11/01. He was so troubled by the event that he traveled home to his village to determine what they could do to assist the affected people. The most valuable commodity in this village is a cow. Altogether, the village presented 14 cows to the American ambassador as a gesture of solidarity with the Americans.
The empathy and generosity expressed in this book touched my heart. I was taken back to the level of emotion that I felt at that time, and I found myself teary-eyed after reading this story. The illustrations were beautiful and contributed to my ability to feel the emotion of the time.

A Chair for Always (Read as part of the POC, Young Readers, and Support Your Local Library challenges)
I own two other books in this series (A Chair for My Mother, and Something Special for Me), so I couldn't resist checking this one out. Though the illustrations were similar to the other books, I didn't feel this one as much. While the excitement of a new baby is special, I couldn't get into the telling of this particular story. It seemed more like the author was capitalizing on previous success rather than telling a story that I needed to hear.

Violet's Music (Read as part of the POC, Young Readers and Support Your Local Library challenges)
This was the story of a girl being herself no matter what and being rewarded for her perseverance in the end. I enjoyed the illustrations in this one.

The Unexpectedly Bad Hair of Barcelona Smith. (Read as part of the Young Readers, Support Your Local Library, and Support Your Local Authors challenges)
This was also the story of a boy learning to be accepting of all aspects of himself. Nice pictures.

Dear Mrs. Larue (Read as part of the Young Readers and Support Your Local Library challenges)
This is a humorous tale of a dog's attendance at obedience school. My children enjoyed the dual perspectives illustrated in this book.

The End (Read as part of the Young Readers, Support Your Local Library challenges)
This is a fairy tale told in reverse. It illustrates cause and effect.

Lost and Found (Read as part of the Young Readers and Support Your Local Library challenges)
I enjoyed the illustrations in this book. The story was about the value of friendship.

Where am I Wednesday? February 10

2010-02-11T06:46:00.001-06:00

A Chair for Always

14 cows for America

   I have almost finished Children of the Waters and am in the midst of reading A Thousand Never Evers.
   I have checked out but not read Bitter Sweets.

Short Story Reading Challenge for 2010.
   Six Easy Pieces

Finish That Series Challenge in 2010.
   I am currently reading the Bookman's Last Fling.

Revisit Your Childhood Favorites Challenge
   I haven't started this one yet.

Twenty Minute Book Club Challenge.
   I haven't started this one yet.

2010 Support Your Local Library Challenge
   Six Easy Pieces
   I am currently reading the Bookman's Last Fling.
   The Unexpectedly Bad Hair of Barcelona Smith

The End

Violet's Music

A Chair for Always

14 cows for America

Dear Mrs. Larue

Lost and Found
I have almost finished Children of the Waters and am in the midst of reading A Thousand Never Evers.

I have checked out but not read Bitter Sweets.

Support Your Local Author Challenge.
My Life as a Rhombus
The Unexpectedly Bad Hair of Barcelona Smith

I have checked out but not read A Thousand Never Evers and Trudy

Young Readers Challenge
   The Unexpectedly Bad Hair of Barcelona Smith
   The End
   Violet's Music
   A Chair for Always
   14 cows for America
   Dear Mrs. Larue
   Lost and Found

Flashback Challenge for 2010.
   After seeing the stage production, I think I'm going to reread The Color Purple

The Audio Book Challenge in 2010.
   I haven't started this one yet.

Library Loot: February 9 - 16

2010-02-09T13:36:00.003-06:00

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library.

Youth Fiction

In My Nest by Sarah Gillingham
The Unexpectedly Bad Hair of Barcelona Smith
The End
The Flight of the Phoenix

Library Loot

2010-02-03T16:50:00.002-06:00

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library.

I didn't check out much since I still have books to finish from my last visit.
Juvenile Fiction

Violet's Music by Angela Johnson
14 cows for America by Carmen Agra Deedy
Dear Mrs. Larue by Mark Teague
Lost and Found by Olver Jeffers
A Chair for Always by Vera Williams

Returned Unread

The Long Fall by Walter Mosely. I love this author, but I just can't get to this one right now. Maybe later?

Sunday Salon

2010-01-31T22:23:00.000-06:00

The books I have read in the past week:
No finishes this week

Books I am currently reading:
I'm still working on The Bookman's Last Fling, and I started A Thousand Never Evers.

Books I plan on reading this week:
Since I read that Color Online is hosting a group book read on February 5, I plan to start Children of the Waters ASAP.

Where am I Wednesday?

2010-01-27T09:09:00.001-06:00

I signed up for a lot of challenges - probably too many! I plan to check in each week to track what I've accomplished. Here's where I am so far.

POC Reading Challenge
   Asleep
   My Life as a Rhombus
   I just finished Six Easy Pieces, but haven't had time to write my review.
   I have checked out but not read A Thousand Never Evers, Bitter Sweets, and Children of the Waters.

Short Story Reading Challenge for 2010.
   I just finished Six Easy Pieces, but haven't had time to write my review.

Finish That Series Challenge in 2010.
   I am currently reading the Bookman's Last Fling.

Revisit Your Childhood Favorites Challenge
   I haven't started this one yet.

Twenty Minute Book Club Challenge.
   I haven't started this one yet.

2010 Support Your Local Library Challenge
   I just finished Six Easy Pieces, but haven't had time to write my review.
   I am currently reading the Bookman's Last Fling.
   I have checked out but not read A Thousand Never Evers, Trudy, Bitter Sweets, and Children of the Waters.

Support Your Local Author Challenge.
   My Life as a Rhombus
   I have checked out but not read A Thousand Never Evers and Trudy

Young Readers Challenge
   I haven't started this one yet

Flashback Challenge for 2010.
   After seeing the stage production, I think I'm going to reread The Color Purple

The Audio Book Challenge in 2010.
   I haven't started this one yet.

Sunday Salon

2010-01-24T08:00:00.002-06:00

The books I have read in the past week:
Six Easy Pieces by Walter Mosely
Books I am currently reading:
The Bookman's Last Fling
Books I plan on reading this week:

*To share what have you been reading with your children this week, head over to Mouse Grows Mouse Learns !*

These are the books I've read to my children this week.

These are the books my children have been reading on their own.

0547020287

Library Loot

2010-01-23T16:56:00.000-06:00

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library.

YA Fiction:
Fiction:

Sunday Salon - Mystery Read-A-Thon Wrap Up

2010-01-19T13:47:00.000-06:00

I realize that it's Tuesday, but my weekend was busy and I just got around to posting this.

The books I have read in the past week:
Between sick children and preparation for return to classes, I didn't complete any books this week.

Books I am currently reading:
I started Bookman's Last Fling and Six Easy Pieces.

Books I plan on reading this week:
This is the first week of class, so I just want to finish what I started. I won't add to the list.

My weekend was busier than I had anticipated, so I barely eked out 6 hours for this read-a-thon even with the holiday. But I enjoyed both books that I started, so I will read mystery this week. I hoe to do better next time around.

Library Loot: January 13-19

2010-01-13T19:37:00.000-06:00

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library.

In preparation for the The 3rd Mystery Read-A-Thon January 16-17, I headed to the library to get a few reads ready.

Six Easy Pieces by Walter Mosley
isbn 0743442547, 288 pages

The Long Fall by Walter Mosley
isbn 1594488584, 320 pages

The Bookman's Last Fling by John Dunning
isbn 1416523391, 337 pages

Sunday Salon - Bloggiesta Wrap Up

2010-01-10T10:00:00.001-06:00

The books I have read in the past week:
I finished Ask Me No Questions

Books I am currently reading:

Books I plan on reading this week:
Since the Mystery Challenge is this upcoming weekend, I plan to read the Bookman's Last Fling and Protector.

I participated in the Bloggiesta. My time was limited, but I got some things done. Below is the list of things I had planned to do along with my comments.

Write reviews. I got three written.
Conduct and edit author interviews. I have someone in mind to interview. I haven't had time to come up with good questions or the courage to ask for the interview yet.
Create template posts for my future reads. I revised the templates I had to make my process easier.
Create a text file (or Google Doc) of cheat sheets (html codes, post url’s, etc) Did it!
Improve my blog template, clean up sidebars, and install some plugins. Did it!
Add or edit my about me page, review policy, disclosure policy, privacy policy, and landing pages
Clean up and update my challenge lists. Did it!
Visit the Blogging Tips group on the Book Blogs Ning and find ways to improve my blog. Didn't get around to this one.
Clean out and organize my feed reader and blog subscriptions. Did it!
Find a blogging buddy. Need to get my courage to ask someone about this.

I also participated in 6 mini-challenges. I think I got in a total of 10 hours.

Addendum: When I originally posted this, I thought that the bloggiesta was over. When I later realized that I had more time, I put in another couple of hours on my craft blog cleaning up my sidebar, choosing a new background, and changing font colors. So my new total is 12.5 hours.

Bloggiesta Update 6

2010-01-09T18:24:00.000-06:00

I just put in another 30 minutes cleaning out my feed reader. I think that's 9.5 hours for me. I still need to visit the Blogging Tips group on the Book Blogs Ning. We'll see if I get to it tonight.

My Life as a Rhombus by Varian Johnson

2010-01-09T09:21:00.002-06:00

My Life as a Rhombus by Varian Johnson
isbn 0738711608, 312 pages

In this story, Rhonda attends a high end private school but avoids fitting in. She spends her time in the books. But she is forced to change course when she begins tutoring Sarah, one of the most popular girls in school. When she learns that Sarah is pregnant, memories of her own past help them to bond as friends. But Rhonda's past also blocks her ability to enjoy a relationship with Sarah's brother.

This was a nice story. It attempted to show a girl's struggle to avoid the mistakes of the past while trying to move on with her life. I also appreciated the fact that while the main characters where African American, it wasn't what defined them.

I completed this book as a participant in the following challenges.

Asleep

2010-01-09T09:16:00.001-06:00

Asleep (1999) by Wendy Raven McNair
1442125241, 442 pages

This is the story of 16-year-old Adisa who fantasizes about being a super hero and lives in the shadow of her beautiful, older twin sisters. She falls for her new neighbor and classmate, Micah, who is initially standoffish. As they begin their relationship, she learns why he keeps to himself and tries to adjust to his secret.

I really enjoyed this book. Does this mean that I am only as emotionally mature as a teenaged girl? I don't know, but I was intrigued by the relationship that this couple shared. I was proud when she stood up for herself, and I was glad that she knows herself. This is a book that I'm excited to pass on to my daughters to read.

I was excited to learn that this is the first in a series, and disappointed to know that the rest of the series hasn't been written yet. I will definitely be first in line to buy the rest of these books as they come out.

I completed this book to participate in the POC Reading Challenge

Bloggiesta - Update 5

2010-01-09T09:12:00.000-06:00

I put in a couple of hours this morning bringing me to 9 hours.

I updated my template posts
I commented on 15 blogs that were new to me (5 yesterday and 10 this morning).

I have to go be Super mommy for today (you know: scouts, hair appointments, playdates, etc.) I hope to get in another hour or two tonight to clean out my feed reader.

Good luck to you!

Bloggiesta Update

2010-01-08T17:24:00.001-06:00

I ended up taking longer than I had planned to write these reviews. I have template posts, but I guess I need to improve them since I had to do a lot of modification. Since my last bloggiesta update, I have

written 3 reviews

This gives me a total of 7 hours of participation. I really have to pick up kids now so I will stop for today.

Bloggiesta Update 3

2010-01-08T15:25:00.001-06:00

Since my last bloggiesta update, I have

participated in Rebecca's Resolution challenge
participated in Lynn's challenge from last year
graded my blog at http://blog.grader.com/ (I got this idea from Ruth from last year.)
updated my "cheat sheet" of html code

This gives me a total of 5.5 hours of participation. I have to pick up kids soon, so I plan to get a couple of reviews written before I stop for today.

Bloggiesta - Update 2

2010-01-08T14:24:00.000-06:00

Since my last bloggiesta update, I have

signed up for MotherReader's comment challenge
participated in Chelle's Best Post challenge
I joined Kristen's Mentoring program.

This gives me a total of 4.5 hours of participation.

Bloggiesta - Update 1

2010-01-08T11:55:00.001-06:00

OK, in my first couple of hours of the bloggiesta I have

participated in Beth's Label mini challenge by adding labels to those posts I had neglected. I also added a label gadget in my sidebar. (I hadn't realized that it wasn't there!)
I updated my list of challenges. It looks a bit intimidating to me.
I added a gadget, which recognizes new and returning visitors and changes the greeting text accordingly. Directions for doing this can be found here for blogger and here for wordpress.
I created a landing/about me page.

Bloggiesta - I'm starting!

2010-01-08T09:46:00.000-06:00

I'm arriving to the party later than I had hoped. I needed to get some housework done so that I would have no guilt about the fact that I'm about to spend the next several hours sitting in front of this computer.

My kids are at school and it's the last day I have the house to myself before I return to work and school. So I plan to get the bulk of my hours for this challenge in today.

I made my list of things to do, and I think that there are several mini-challenges that I will be participating in as well. I'm not yet sure how often I will update - maybe every couple of hours or so.

Bloggiesta - I'm in!

2010-01-07T17:03:00.000-06:00

I'm signing up for the 2nd Annual Bloggiesta. Here's what I'm hoping to accomplish over the weekend.

Write reviews.
Conduct and edit author interviews.
Create template posts for my future reads
Create a text file (or Google Doc) of cheat sheets (html codes, post url’s, etc)
Improve my blog template, clean up sidebars, and install some plugins
Add or edit my about me page, review policy, disclosure policy, privacy policy, and landing pages
Clean up and update my challenge lists.
Visit the Blogging Tips group on the Book Blogs Ning and find ways to improve my blog.
Clean out and organize my feed reader and blog subscriptions.
Find a blogging buddy.

Sunday Salon - New Year Read-a-Thon Wrap up

2010-01-04T08:37:00.000-06:00

Yes, I know that it's Monday.

I made a weak showing in the New Year's Read-a-thon. My weekend was more hectic than expected, so I only managed to get in about 10 hours.
The books I have read in the past week: I finished My Life as a Rhombus.

Books I am currently reading: I got a good start on Ask Me No Questions. I will probably finish it today.

Books I plan on reading this week: I'll probably select some short stories and kid's books to read for various challenges this week.

Challenges for the New Year

2010-01-01T09:11:00.006-06:00

Happy 2010 to you all! This past year I discovered the Novel Challenge Blog. As a result, I found all of these intriguing challenges that I want to participate in. As a relatively new book blogger, I've probably bitten off more than I can chew, but I couldn't resist the ones below. I'm hoping that I can find ways to use books for multiple challenges.

The 3rd Mystery Read-A-Thon will take place January 16, 2010 to January 17, 2010. The goal is to read mysteries for 12 hours during those two days.

Kate from Kate's Book Blog is reviving the Short Story Reading Challenge for 2010. January 1 - December 31, 2010

January 1 - December 31, 2010 The Royal Reviews is hosting the Finish That Series Challenge in 2010. I plan to participate at the curious level. I'm thinking I'll work on the First Ladies Detective Agency, Jane Perry, and Cliff Janeway. If I start them next month, I can do it as part of the Mystery Read-A-Thon.

The Revisit Your Childhood Favorites Challenge encourages participants to read 5 books that were favorites while growing up. October 2, 2009 - June 30, 2010. I'm thinking I'll read some of the ones I listed during a mini challenge in the read-a-thon.

December 29, 2009 - December 29, 2010 Nicole at Linus's Blanket is hosting the Twenty Minute Book Club Challenge. I'm going for the Aluminum level. I'm thinking I'll read these books: The Unit, Speak, Black Hills Dan Simmons, City of Refuge, Unaccustomed Earth, Revolutionary Road

J. Kaye from J. Kaye's Book Blog is hosting the 2010 Support Your Local Library Challenge again, where participants are encouraged to read from their libraries. January 1, 2010 - December 31, 2010. Since I rarely re-read books, I'll likely obtain books for the other challenges from the library. Two (or more) birds with one stone!

Support Your Local Author Challenge. There are several kids books by Angela Shelf Medearis that I plan to read. A good friend just gave me My Life as a Rhombus, and since I love Evelyn Palfrey, I plan on reading Cougar Tales. I also found A Thousand Never Evers, Trudy, The Unexpectedly Bad Hair of Bareclona Smith, and How Many Kisses Do you want tonight? (which I can use in the Young Readers Challenge below).

Young Readers Challenge Hosted by Becky of Becky's Book Reviews, January - December 2010: Read 12 Children's Books

Aarti and Kristen are hosting the Flashback Challenge for 2010. This challenge is all about re-reading books. January 1 - December 31, 2010.This is not something I typically do, but since I read a lot of kids books to my kiddos, I figure I 'll re-read at least three books this year, so I'll participate at the bookworm level.

January 1 - December 31, 2010 The Royal Reviews is hosting The Audio Book Challenge in 2010. Since I do a lot of driving, I think I'll find a few audio books and participate at the curious level.

New Year Read-A-Thon

2009-12-31T19:57:00.001-06:00

Kristen at Bookworming in the 21st Century is hosting a New Year Read-a-thon.

I'm going to give this a try, although I don't know how much I'll get read. Even though it has already begun, I probably won't get started until tomorrow afternoon. I probably will just do a wrap up post.

Sunday Salon

2009-12-27T20:30:00.000-06:00

The books I have read in the past week:
I didn't complete anything this week.

Books I am currently reading:
I'm reading Asleep by Wendy Raven McNair, which was gifted to me from Color Online.

Books I plan on reading this week:
A good friend loaned me My Life as a Rhombus by Varian Johnson and Ask Me No Questions by Marina Budhos.

Sunday Salon

2009-12-20T00:24:00.000-06:00

The books I have read in the past week:
I read the most recent short story by Laurel Dewey, Anonymous.

Books I am currently reading:
I don't have anything in progress at the moment.

Books I plan on reading this week:
I was gifted with the book Asleep by Wendy Raven McNair from Color Online. My teenager and I will read this one together. Given the holiday, I will likely only be reading recipes this week.

Author: Laurel Dewey

2009-12-01T07:00:00.001-06:00

I discovered this author via Daily Lit during the ReadAThon. Since I don't have a lot of time to read, I decided to try a couple of short stories. I read An Unfinished Death and You Can't Judge a Book By it's Cover, both by Laurel Dewey. Beginning in October 2009, Laurel Dewey is publishing five short works featuring Jane Perry. These are the first two of these five.

These stories reminded me of how much I enjoy the mystery genre. An Unfinished Death follows Detective Jane Perry as she solves a crime using information that she garners from visits with the deceased. When I read the description, I was sure that I would find this lame (for lack of a better word), but I really enjoyed this short story. Honestly, I found the resolution predictable, but I enjoyed how information from the deceased effected her personal life.

You Can't Judge a Book was set up a blog entry by Perry. In truth, this was far too long to be a blog entry, but it was a nice short story. Perry meets an emotionally disturbed child how guides her in solving an unknown crime.

I enjoyed both of these short stories so much that I plan to add Dewey's novels featuring this character to my holiday reading list. Surprisingly, I enjoyed Perry's faulted character and her gruff nature.

Sunday Salon

2009-11-22T08:59:00.000-06:00

The books I have read in the past week:
I haven't had a moment to read a single thing just for the fun of it. Not even to my kiddos.

Books I am currently reading:
I'm determined to finish the Shack this week.

Books I plan on reading this week:
I don't think it's wise for me to start any new reading this week.

Diversity Roll Call

2009-11-16T07:00:00.000-06:00

I'm a bit late, but last week's Roll Call question came from Ali at Worducopia. Participants were asked to find early readers with children of color as main characters.

In combing through the books I've purchased for my children over the years, I decided to share these.

	I have all of the books in this Essence Series.

	I have several of the books in this series.

Sunday Salon

2009-11-15T16:41:00.001-06:00

The books I have read in the past week:
I finished the short stories an Unfinished Death and You csn't Judge aBook by its Cover, both by Laurel Dewey. Loved them both!

Books I am currently reading:
I'm still in the midst of reading The Shack and This Child Will be Great.

Books I plan on reading this week:
I have papers due, so I plan on reading education research this week.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

2009-11-10T07:00:00.002-06:00

Hardcover: 288 pages ISBN: 0316114278

I finally found time to finish Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
by Grace Lin.

This is the story of a family that has few earthly possessions. The father entertains his daughter with fables, but the mother sees these stories as useless. Because of the mother's dissatisfaction with the family's financial position, the daughter sets out on an adventure to change their fortune based on what she has heard in the fables.

I enjoyed the story within a story format. I also loved how the stories told by the characters weaved into the plot. The hopefulness of the main character, Minli, kept the story going for me. And watching the distress of the parents gave it the right amount of tension.

I actually have very little time for fiction right now, but I picked this book up at every opportunity. I was ready to see who Minli would meet next and how that would tie in to what had happened so far. This book is aimed at a youth audience, and I am sure that my 9 year old will enjoy it immensely. I know that I did, and I am MUCH older than 9.

Sunday Salon

2009-11-08T18:36:00.001-06:00

The books I have read in the past week:
I finally finished Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. I LOVED it. I'll try and get my review up this week. I finished the short story Home Again, Home Again.

Books I am currently reading:
I'm in the midst of reading The Shack, This Child Will be Great, and the short stories an Unfinished Death and The Black Monk.

Books I plan on reading this week:
If I get the opportunity, I plan to pick up Dr. Ebenezer's Book and Liquor Store from the library. I also plan to make time to visit the webcomic Bayou.

Friday Finds

2009-11-06T07:00:00.000-06:00

Due to my participation in the ReadAThon, I found lots of suggestions for reads and re-reads. Here's what I've added to my "to be read" pile this week.

Dave says that he rereads The Maze runner, so I will have to check it out.
Infogoddess suggested Dr. Ebenezer's Book and Liquor Store.
Nymeth introduced me to web comics so I'll be checking out No Rest for the Wicked and Bayou.

Thanks for these suggestions.

Sunday Salon

2009-11-01T07:10:00.000-06:00

Today's schedule is already packed for me, but I hope to squeeze in a bit of reading since, according to the clock, I'm up an hour early.

I'm in the midst of reading a couple of short stories. Home Again, Home Again by Cory Doctorow is a science fiction tale set in the future. I'm not really feeling it, but it's short, and I have this thing about finishing what I start. An Unfinished Death by Laurel Dewey is a detective story, one of my favorite genres. I've just started it, so I'll have to give my opinions later.

I'm nearly done with Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. It's a beautiful book that I love getting lost in. But my time to read is limited, so I have to settle for reading it here and there.

Friday Finds

2009-10-30T07:00:00.002-05:00

Due to my participation in the ReadAThon, I found lots of suggestions for reads and re-reads. Here's what I'd added to my "to be read" pile.

Ashley reminded me of Flowers in the Attic. It has been forever ever since I read that one, so I think I'll go looking for it to see if it makes me feel the same as my young innocent self felt all those years ago.
Alyce suggested Outlander, which I had never heard of. So I'm giving it a try.
Helen suggested Animal Dreams. This another I hadn't heard of, so I will give it a try.
Resurfacer mentioned Shantaram, so I'll have to go and find it.
Luluette told me about And ladies of the Club.

There were lots more, but I'm going to stick with these for now. Some of them appear to be quite long. And I don't have nearly the time for reading fiction as I would like.

Thanks, guys, for these suggestions.

Throwback Thursday

2009-10-29T07:00:00.001-05:00

For this week's Throwback Thursday, I'm reviewing a book that I reread and a short story that I discovered.

I chose to reread I know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou primarily because I discovered the Banned Book Challenge. I remembered that this book was on my shelf and that I had enjoyed reading it the first time, so I thought I'd try reading it again. I had forgotten a lot of the story, so I enjoyed it a second time.
This an autobiography that chronicles Ms. Angelou's life until early adulthood. She tells of being raised by her grandmother in Arkansas and her adventures in and California with her mother.
I enjoyed her descriptions of life in the South. Although I am of a later generation, the feelings and fears that she described seemed familiar. I, too, had a superstitious grandmother from Arkansas, so I understood some of the rules. Because of her frank descriptions of the misbehaviors of others, I found myself wondering if the folks she described upset that she had described their actions.
As she described her attempts to find herself, I often wanted to hug her and let her know that someone understands her. I felt empathy for the girl that she was. I am thankful for the woman that she has become.
While the scenes describing her victimization as a child were startling for me, I can't imagine that I would forbid my daughters from reading it. I might wait until they are in high school, though.

The Yellow Wallpaper

I found this short story while adding to my pile for the readathon. It was written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.
It is about a woman in the late nineteenth century who apparently suffers from postpartem depression before the diagnosis had a name. Her husband is a doctor who believes that there is nothing wrong with her and forces her to rest. She is confined to a room in which she becomes obsessed with the wallpaper.
While I'm not sure that depression leads to a break in reality, it was scary to think of this poor woman losing her mind will she hides it from those who care for her.

Sunday Salon: ReadAThon Wrap Up

2009-10-25T09:00:00.001-05:00

I have participated in my first 24 hour read-a-thon. I didn't catch up on nearly as much reading as I wanted. But I had a good time. I was awake until hour 21, but I stepped away for several hours because of various commitments.

I managed to complete a book from my in progress list, complete 2.5 short stories, and start a book in my to be read pile. I participated in 5 challenges, and I hosted one of my own. I also visited some blogs along the way. I guess that's pretty decent for a rookie.

ReadAThon Update: Hours 18, 19 & 20

2009-10-25T01:52:00.003-05:00

At hour 18 I decided to switch to short stories. I had a few queued up electronically at DailyLit. I completed A Doctor's Visit by Anton Chekhov but fell asleep shortly thereafter (shame on me!). I woke up towards the end of hour 19 and decided to dive into another short story, The Lady With the Dog.

I was too tired to do any challenges this time. I'm about to start one more short story, but I think I'm going to sleep soon. I know I should force myself to get through these last 4 hours, but I just don't think I can. We'll see.

ReadAThon Update: Hours 13, 14, 15, 16 & 17

2009-10-25T00:03:00.002-05:00

I was at a banquet the past few hours, so no reading occurred. I'll likely be sleep soon, but we'll see if I can squeeze anymore reading in before the end.

Since my last update, I've read:
NOTHING !
I participated in these mini-challenges:

Nicki’s Mini-Challenge
Lynn’s Mini-Challenge

And I visited a few blogs.

ReadAThon Give Me Five Challenge

2009-10-24T23:26:00.003-05:00

Lynn asked us to name five favorite children's books.

Here's my list:

Harold and the Purple Crayon

The Sneetches

Where the Wild Things Are

The Monster at the End of this Book

Chronicles of Narnia

ReadAThon pdate: Hours 9, 10, 11 & 12

2009-10-24T18:38:00.002-05:00

Since my last update, I've read:
NOTHING! So sorry, but I took children to a carnival and am now off to a church banquet. Maybe this wasn't the best weekend. But I got to host a mini challenge, so that was cool! Hopefully I'll tune back in in the wee hours of the morning.

Readathon Mini Challenge

2009-10-24T15:45:00.001-05:00

UPDATE: The randomly selected winner is Emily . You will recieve one set of Katrina's booksmarks and 2 books of your choice. Please email your book choices (you get to pick TWO books!) and address info to deweyreadathon(at)gmail. You can find your book choices on the Prizes page.

Generally, I’m not the type of person who watches movies for grown-ups more than once or reads a fiction book more than once. I have been known to watch Disney movies ad nausea because I have children. I only buy sewing, crafting or education books, since they serve as references that I can return to. I love children’s books and will read them night after night to my children. But I get my fiction from the library.

That being said, I do have one fiction book that I reread from time to time. But before I tell you about it, I’d like to know about you.

What book or books do you return to read again and again and why?

You can leave your answer or a link to your short post in the comments. This is a 2-hour challenge, so you have until 6pm CST, which I believe is hour 12. One winner will be chosen at random, but you must answer the question to be eligible.

And now for my answer. I just love The Temple of My Familiar by Alice Walker. It is so rich in plot, that I’m able to get lost in it every time. Admittedly, I space my reading out about once every 18 months or so. That’s about long enough for me to only have a vague recollection of all of the interrelatedness of the characters. They are like old friends whom I haven’t seen since that last class reunion. I’m always excited to hear about what they’ve been up to. Maybe I’m a little weird, but I love me!

ReadAThon Update: Hours 5, 6, 7, & 8

2009-10-24T14:54:00.001-05:00

I had to leave to run a girl scout meeting, so I read nothing during hours 5, 6, or 7.

Since my last update, I've read:
Chapters 2 - 3 from Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. (pitiful, I know)
I participated in the Collection Obsession mini-challenge and visited a couple of blogs.

ReadAThon Collection Obsession Challenge

2009-10-24T14:13:00.003-05:00

Wendy asks that we share what we collect besides books. Books are by far #1 for me. But I guess that there have been other collections along the way.

I used to collect Christmas angel ornaments. They are currently packed away, so I can't share a picture of those. I collect hobbies like sewing and jewelry making. The only related picture I could come up with is my fabric collection in my small sewing space. I apologize for the quality. I had to use my phone since I can't find my camera at the moment.

I'm behind on my reading, so I need to get back to it.

ReadAThon Update: Hours 3 & 4

2009-10-24T09:11:00.003-05:00

I didn't do as well as I had hoped during this stretch. The kids woke up and wanted me to be a mommy! And I visited other blogs, so I got distracted.

Since my last update, I've read:
Chapter 1 of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin.
I participated in Hey Lady's mini-challenge.

I have to go be a Girl Scout Leader for the next two hours, so there won't be reading during that time period. See you at hour 7 or so.

ReadAThon: Update for hours 1 & 2

2009-10-24T08:55:00.000-05:00

Since my last update, I've read:

63 pages from I know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. This was a read in progress, and I've now finished it. I plan to read Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin next.

I participated in Wordlily's mini-challenge.

I don't have a definitive list of books, so I can't give you a count. Also, I'll be reading some in electronic form since I subscribe to DailyLit.

ReadAThon: Twitter mini challenge

2009-10-24T08:39:00.000-05:00

This first challenge is hosted by WorldLilly and is to take a screen shot when the #readathon hastag starts to trend. For full details on how to enter click here.

Start your engines!

2009-10-24T07:00:00.001-05:00

The read-a-thon has begun! I've got some electronic and "real" books to read, and I'm ready. I'll have to take breaks to attend to other matters, but I'm excited and raring to go. My goal is to update every 2 hours or so.

Don't forget to look for my mini challenge later today!

Ready to read?

2009-10-20T09:26:00.000-05:00

The 24 Hour Read-a-Thon is this weekend! I already know that I won't be able to hang for the full 24 because I have to lead a girl scout meeting and my kids have a school carnival. But I'm going to give it my best.

I also get to be a cheerleader! Please look for my mini challenge from Hour 10 through Hour 11, which is 4pm until 6pm Central time.

And go sign up if you haven't done so already.

Sunday Salon

2009-10-11T22:10:00.001-05:00

My life is a bit hectic right now with midterms underway. But I've tried to pick up a couple of books to read for fun.

I'm rereading I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. It's been years since I've read this book. I'm enjoying the stories of people who seem all too familiar. I love the colorful language and imagery.

I also picked up Beezus and Ramona as part of the childhood challenge. I'm reading it as a bedtime reading for my children. So far, they haven't been as excited by it as I have, but I'm sure that they'll find it funny.

Friday Finds

2009-10-09T08:00:00.002-05:00

I know that Friday Finds is supposed to be about books you've newly discovered, but I'm being different today. Since I'm relatively new to this, I'm listing my discoveries in the book blogosphere.

My biggest discovery was Novel Challenges. This blog lists the reading challenges that are going on in the book blog world. I've already joined a couple of challenges as a result. I can already tell that I'm going to be in trouble if I'm not careful.

I also discovered memes, many of which are listed on the Book Blogger Appreciation site.

(Much thanks to Jackie at Farm Lane books for pointing me in the right direction.)

Beyond the Bayou by Kate Chopin

2009-10-08T14:32:00.000-05:00

I chose a short story for today’s Throwback Thursday. Beyond the Bayou is from the book Kate Chopin: Complete Novels and Stories (Hardcover: 1075 pages 1931082219).
This is a short story written near the turn of the 20th century. Apparently set in the time of slavery in Louisiana, it is the story of overcoming fear.

The main character, Jacqueline, experienced a fearful moment in her childhood. As a result, she has reached the age of 35 without leaving the small plot of land around her cabin. But when emergency strikes her favorite of the slave owner’s children, she must overcome this fear.

The author artfully illustrated the appearance of the bayou as well as what I suppose was the dialect of the time.

I think that I liked this story because I enjoy the feeling of combating fears and coming out triumphant. I love to see people who realize that they are more than they’ve given themselves credit for. It was a quick read, and one you might enjoy. (I read it via DailyLit.)

Childhood challenge

2009-10-07T16:48:00.001-05:00

I can tell I'm headed in a dangerous direction. I added Novel Challenge to my feed reader, and I keep finding tempting challenges. Perhaps I can combine some challenges. (Notice that I didn't suggest quitting.)

Anyway, I found the childhood favorites challenge, and I can't resist. But I can pick short books, and they can be bedtime reading for me and my girls, right? And I have a year to read five books. No problem!

24 hour read-a-thon

2009-10-06T22:30:00.003-05:00

I think that I'm going to give it a try! October 24-25, 2009. More info at http://24hourreadathon.com/

Welcome readers

2009-10-06T00:01:00.000-05:00

My name is Erika. I'm a wife and mom living in central Texas. My career is in education, but I'm always looking for creative outlets.

This is a blog is a spin-off of my craft blog. I started that blog to talk about things I was making for my children and challenges that I participated in. But I found myself doing book reviews as well. I first reviewed books about making things. But I found challenges that led me to review other types of books. So I decided to separate the two.

If you find that you like what I have to say, please consider subscribing to Reading with Momma’s RSS feed.

I'm a winner

2009-09-09T20:00:00.001-05:00

This post originally appeared on my craft blog.

I created this blog hoping to exercise my craftiness. Somehow my true favorite took over, and it's starting to morph into a book blog! I can't complain because I've been rewarded for what I love.

Thanks to Color Online, I received this great book. I can't begin to express how much I LOVE this book.

And I neglected to mention that MotherReader awarded me this beautiful book. In fact I received it from the author herself.

I guess that I better get busy reading and writing reviews.

Review: Sport of the Gods

2009-08-26T07:30:00.000-05:00

This post originally appeared on my craft blog.

by Paul Lawrence Dunbar
1409963004 Paperback: 132 pages

Thanks to Tashi for the Throwback Thursday idea! Throwback Thursday is when you review a book that you read in the past or that was published a while ago. This is a serious throwback that I found at DailyLit.

This is the story of an African-American family from a post-slavery south. Unfortunate events cause this family to flee the south in shame and head to New York in hopes of a new beginning. The contrast in the harsh life of the big city to the slow life of the south serves in destroying the fabric of this family.

Being from the south, it was interesting to read the dialect portrayed in this book. I couldn't decide how realistic it was. I also know that the drawl of a Texan can be quite different than that of someone from Mississippi.

I found the story a bit predictable, but worth the read.

This book is part of the “August Color Me Brown Book Challenge” hosted by Susan from Color Online.

Review: Hell-Heaven

2009-08-21T06:24:00.000-05:00

This post originally appeared on my craft blog.

From
Unaccustomed Earth: Stories (2009)
by Jhumpa Lahiri
0307278255 Paperback: 352 pages

I found this story at Dailylit. I loved receiving a bit of the story each day. It became my break in a hectic schedule.

This is a sort of coming of age story of an Indian-American girl and her attempts at coming to grips with her identities in the two cultures. While the story is told through her eyes, she focuses on her family's interaction with an Indian man as he deals with his identity in an American world.

I really enjoyed this story and felt like I knew this girl, though I can't quite pinpoint why I felt that way. I found it interesting to watch her admire those things that were different than what was expected of her. And I felt sad for the lack of appreciation of those things that shape who and what we are.

While this is a short story, it is full an it caused me to want to read more about this character. I want to know how her life has evolved and what she values today.

This book is part of the “August Color Me Brown Book Challenge” hosted by Susan from Color Online.

Color Me Brown book challenge

2009-07-26T22:06:00.000-05:00

This post originally appeared on my craft blog.

I never intended for this to be a book blog, but I love books - I almost wish that I had become a librarian. The books I've reviewed so far have been how to books because I intended this to be a book about things I make.

I just stumbled upon the Color Me Brown book challenge, and it called my name. As a mother of four beautiful daughters, I want them to develop a love of reading. I also want to instill positive self images. So this particular challenge has personal value for me. I'm not yet sure which books I'll be reviewing in August, but I'm looking forward to whatever they will be.

Read with Kids challenge

2009-06-09T15:22:00.000-05:00

This post originally appeared on my craft blog.

Reading for the 48 hour book challenge has me on a roll. I'm now particpating in the 2009 Read With Kids Challange. I didn't intend for this to be a book blog, but I am a sucker for a book. The challenge dosen't end until June 30. You ought to do it too!

From their site:
"Read and Win a Disney Vacation!
For a second year, Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) and US Airways are working together to help children nationwide discover the joy of reading. Starting April, adults are invited to join the 2009 Read with Kids Challenge and help collectively log 5 million minutes spent reading with kids. You’ll have the chance of winning a family vacation to the Walt Disney World Resort® and more great prizes. Get on board! Visit www.RIF.org/readwithkids today."

I'm done: 48 hour book challenge

2009-06-08T00:00:00.000-05:00

This post originally appeared on my craft blog.

I completed something! Here is my summation.

Number of books (re-) read: 8

Number of pages read: 847

Hours spent reading/reviewing: 16

My comments: This was cool to do. It gave me a reason to add posts to a new blog. It refreshed my memory of what resources I have at hand. I wish I could have done more, but life got in the way this time. Next time, I might focus more on fiction books. And next time, I WILL get my kids to participate.

I'm in: 48 Hour Book challenge

2009-06-06T09:30:00.000-05:00

This post originally appeared on my craft blog.

I’ve decided to participate in the 48 hour book challenge. So I think that I will reread and write reviews on some of those craft books I purchased.

I also hope to get my daughters to each read at least one book and write a review. I know that school just let out, but they’ll thank me for it later.

I'm starting Saturday morning. Why don’t you join in?