Because of Winn-Dixie I Got a *Heart Flutter*

This week (and it is only Wednesday) and I haven't gotten along very well. If you are wondering how the week is truly going, ask one of my students. I am sure they will tell all.

I have been trying really hard to figure out what is going a miss and what I need to do to fix it. Pretty much I got nothin. I don't know if it is the really nice weather where I have the doors and windows wide open and then the next day my nose hairs freeze when I step outside. I don't know if it is just the traditional January sludge that happens every year. It's something.

While trying to figure out what is going on, I have tried (even if not very hard) to find some positives in each day. Today I made myself write a list of things that made me smile. I figured I would share the top moment of the day with you all.

Kate Dicamillo happens to be one of the most incredible authors of all time. In fact, this week she was honored with the highest honor in children's literature with the 2014 Newbery Award for her newest book Flora and Ulysses, this being her second win. Because of Winn-Dixie won the Newbery Honor a few years ago, so as you can see, her work is award winning.

Earlier in the year I read The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane to my class and they adored the story and one boy was upset for days that it was over. Today I fnished reading Winn-Dixie with a novel study group and I got the same results.

Once the last word was read one boy said, "I love this book. I just love this book. It is just so amazing. It is in my top ten most favorite books." The look on his face as he was professing his love of the book was priceless and what I hope to see on every students face. I asked him why he loved it so much and he had a few points, but mostly, "I just loved it!"

Of all the moments today where I wasn't prepared, the words wouldn't come out and I lost my patience, I did one thing right. I put a book into a child's hands and watched it change his world ever so slightly, just like India Opal's life changed because of Winn-Dixie.

Have you read any Kate Dicamillo books? I can't wait to get my hands on Flora and Ulysses.

P.S Kate did not ask me to write this, but if she did, that would be cool. That would mean that we were friends. All the opinions in this post are mine and if you know me at all, you know blurt out my opinions to anyone who might listen! ;0)

TTT~ Random Survey Questions

Can it be Tuesday already? I feel like I just wrote my Top Ten Tuesday post. Oh yeah, I did, a week ago.

Anyway, I once again didn't like the topic for the week (next week I do, so stay tuned) so I found some random questions to answer. They remind me of the email surveys that you share with your friends. I liked those, so why not? I found these ten here.

1. Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, and find line 4.
• reading my secret thoughts, Miss Boland held up her (Soup on Ice by Robert Newton Peck)
2. Stretch your left arm out as far as you can, What can you touch?
• the VCR remote control
3. Before you started this survey, what were you doing?
• cleaning the bathroom
4. What is the last thing you watched on TV?
• Watching Ellen right now, last thing was the Grammys (Did you see P!nk?!)
5. Without looking, guess what time it is
• 6:35
6. Now look at the clock. What is the actual time?
• 6:58
7. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?
• the dishwasher going
8. When did you last step outside? What were you doing?
• About 45 minutes ago and I shoveled a path for my landlord to walk down
9. Did you dream last night?
• I dream every night
10. Do you remember your dreams?
• Usually, but not always all the details

Well there is my super random Top Ten Tuesday. I already have my list made up for next week, so check back in next Tuesday!

Do you have any suggestions for Top Ten Tuesdays topics when I don't care for the given topic?

Sweet Summer Fling Januray Update

I got the email from Bookish saying it was time to review the month and how we were doing on our challenge. Does that mean that January is over already? Fraid so friends. There is still a little under a week left, but let's face it, we all round up. Plus with all the Valentine's stuff in the store, it is hard not to think that February is already here.

I am pleased with my start to the challenge and am still trucking along. I figured that I need to read at least three books a month and a few extra this summer to make it. Right on schedule!

So far I have crossed off two books from the list and hope to finish or get close to finishing the third this weekend while I recover from snowshoeing with my class yesterday in Estes Park. Who knew that it was a full body sport?

Here is what book candy I consumed this month:

Before I Die  by Jenny Downham was my first book of the year. I gave it three stars on Goodreads, but now that I have finished it, and read another book, I kind of want to change it to a two.

True Colors by Kristin Hannah had a lot of mixed reviews on Goodreads so I was a little worried. I read it quickly and had a hard time putting it down. Lots of drama and if something could go wrong it did. I found myself thinking about this one long after it was finished, and wondering about the characters. It too was given a three and I don't want to change its rating. I again enjoyed Kristin's style of writing and look forward to the other two books by her on my list.

Current read and third book of the month:

Speaking of not good reviews on Goodreads. This one seems to have taken a beating. I already know that it isn't going to be as good as the first two or three Anne books, but I am still finding the little joys that I get from L. M. Montgomery. I just have to know that the story of Anne is nearing an end and her story continues with her children. It reminds me of the Love Comes Softly series by Jeanette Oke. I am still an Anne fan until the end.

Not a bad start! Although I thought I was a fast reader, but the more I explore from other participants in the challenge, I am slow!

Here's to bookmances in February!

What books did you cross of your TBR pile this month?

TTT~ Ten Things I Am Looking Forward To

It is once again Tuesday, even though it feels like Monday. I love three day weekends, but they sure do cause some confusion! I like to participate in Top Ten Tuesday over at The Broke and the Bookish, but I can't come up with anything for the topic for this week, so I turned to another source.

A year ago, my sister, Ali, got each of us girls this book. I have done an ok job of keeping up and filling it out. This second year has been fun because I can look back at what I answered last year. Imagine what it is going to be in five years!

Anyway, I decided to turn today's question into my TTT topic. 

What are you looking forward to? 

Last year's answer: my massage tomorrow and hiking this summer.

Today's top ten answers:

~Summer break (this is a really bad one since we are only in week three after Christmas break)

~Going to Alabama with Jane over spring break

~Meeting my cousin's little boy in April

~My dad to get home from working in Kansas

~"Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" the play

~Seeing "The Book Thief"

~St. Patrick's Day 5k

~Making my sister's Valentine's gift

~Starting a new journal

~My hair being long again

What are YOU looking forward to?

Three Day Weekend Happiness

This couldn't be farther than the truth! I enjoy three day weekends immensely even though it throws my week off a tad, it is well worth it. Plus this week is going to be a little off at school anyway!

It has been a lovely weekend, filled with *heart flutters* everywhere.

Saturday I spent most of the day reading True Colors by Kristin Hannah while doing laundry and catching up on some other cleaning. Later that evening I had dinner with my OMM, Sarah and Alex. Nice and relaxing.

Sunday brought the epic win from the Broncos. I watched the game at the ranch. We actively watched the Bronco game, but did our own thing, (me reading) during the San Francisco/Seattle game. It was a nice day to just be and relax. This is the best part about Sunday...

Sitting on the porch with a book in a t-shirt!
Thank you Colorado.

Now for the extra day of the "weekend" I ended up staying the night at the ranch and getting up early to go with Jane to run some errands. We both forgot all of our money, so we had to make two trips (that part wasn't so fun,) but once we got going things picked up from there!

I started a blanket for a graduation gift  in November and ran out of yarn.  I didn't think this was going to be a problem, since gray is a common color right? Nope. I went to three different stores (one of them being Hobby Lobby) and NO ONE had gray yarn. I was able to find one skein at Michael's today, but need more than that. At this point I was trying to figure out what else I could do with this blanket to get it finished when Jane suggested checking Jo Ann Fabrics. Jackpot! They have the best selection of yarn I have seen in a long time. I was able to get the yarn I needed to finish my project and the knowledge of where to get my yarn from now on!

Another exciting thing on the crafting front is that I got the supplies to make what I hope is the coolest Valentine for my sister! I can't wait to get started!

Since we had some time to kill before Jane's doctor appointment, we went to a book store that we both had a gift card to. Do you think I was able to find the books I wanted? Nope. If I didn't have the gift card, every book I wanted would have been there. Oh the irony. They did have some of the JFic books I want to read, but they were all in hardback and I refuse to pay twenty dollars for a kids book! None-the-less, I did finally find a book that is on my list and got Meg Cabot's Size 12 Is Not Fat.

Over all, it was a very relaxing and happy weekend. Like I said earlier, it is going to be a crazy week, so hopefully I will be able to blog next weekend sharing all of our adventures.

Did you get a three day weekend? What did you do with it?

Ten Best Reason to Share a Room with Your Best Friend

Friday. What a glorious word! I was having a hard time thinking of how to participate in Finish the Sentence Friday, but wanted to blog, so I headed over to my trusted writing prompt web site. My cursor landed on #319: Ten Best Reason to Share a Room with Your Best Friend. I got to do this!

For three years, I shared a room with my best friend Kari. Probably the best person I ever shared a room with!

Zapata Falls

• Open closet policy
• Sadly, I did not benefit from this as much as Kari did. I couldn't fit into her clothes or shoes, but she sure could fit into mine! Many times she would walk in wearing a shirt of mine and usually looked better in it!
• Falling asleep talking
• She usually fell asleep first
• Staying up late talking
• Well, until she fell asleep mid-sentence
• You get the biggest room in the house
• Only makes sense
• If they don't clean, you don't feel guilty not cleaning
• It was a good thing that we had similar house keeping skills. We did get better towards the end.
• You don't have to hide your journal
• She knew everything in it anyway!
• It doesn't matter what you look like when you wake up
• If your hair is all crazy, don't worry, she looks the same.
• You can use their stuff whenever you want
• Since I couldn't wear her clothes, I took advantage of other things she had.
• Learning to compromise
• I like to fall asleep to music, Kari doesn't. With her good reason, I had to give it up. LONGEST. THREE. YEARS. OF. MY. LIFE! 
• Never being alone
• I always knew that she was there. If she wasn't, she soon would be. She was there the two months that I cried every day straight and dealt with my used tissues all over. She let me pour my heart out even though she knew that things were for the best. She was there for me when I was happy and excited. She was there.

The two of us with author Mark Ludy

Have you ever shared a room with your best friend? Do you now? What are/were the best parts?

1/14 RAOK

It's January 14th! Which means it was a RAOK (random act of kindness) day! I have been thinking about what I wanted to do for this first one, but was really struggling with what to do and to whom. I was slightly over thinking it, but also knew that some of my resources were limited this month.

Once I got to school, I had my ideas!

First, I put a note with a dollar on the pop machine. This ended up as a funny story. I forgot about it until the end of the day and asked the secretary if anyone had said anything about it. She informed me that only one person said anything and that they thought that the pop machine was broken. She didn't know that I had done this and didn't have time to go and investigate. So I went back and checked, and sure enough, it was still there and no one had bought any pop that day! Here I was trying to help someone, and end up depriving everyone from pop! So I wrote a not on the envelope and hope that someone tomorrow is blessed!

The second one I did was a note of thanks to a co-worker who has helped out everyone in the building at some point in time and always with a smile on her face. I attached a 100 Grand candy bar to the card telling her that she was worth more than 100 grand and put it in her box.

Not anything too big with only a small hiccup, but still made a *heart flutter* or two.

On a side note, my computer has been fixed!! Bring on the blog reading and writing!