What I'm Loving Wednesday

This has been a relatively uneventful week...in fact, right now I am watching a DVRed episode of The Pioneer Woman and trying hard to think of something that has really moved me this week. I'll try and come up with a few things...

1. Purses...

Two purses recently caught my eye...a girl can dream, right?

The first is the Kate Spade Sophie Flicker bag...drool! (I especially love the name:)




The second is the Coach Poppy Leather Glam Bag...it is adorable and I love all of the colors--especially the rose and the silver.



2. Television

I've tried but I can't get into all of the shows that the rest of America is watching (like the Bachelorette and The Voice). However, I am enjoying this season of Top Chef: Texas.



As previously stated, I enjoy watching The Pioneer Woman on Food Network. Of course, everything is DVRed...I never watch shows when they come on.




3. Movies

Have you seen Crazy Stupid Love yet? It's amazing to say the least, and don't get me started on Ryan Gosling...:)



4. Books

Right now I'm finally reading The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides. So far it's great. Next on my list is The Omnivore's Delimma...I can't wait to read it!

 

Have a great week!

What I'm Loving Wednesday--the welcome back to blogging edition...

Okay...you know it's time to blog more when your friends very casually send texts to remind you that you have a blog! (thanks Mel!)...well, just so everyone knows, yes, I do know that I have a blog and, yes, I know that I have been avoiding it lately. My only excuse is that I have been in a very lazy odd mood and have only been wanting to do a few things (more on that later)...



I think that you will see what I've been up to in this edition of What I'm Loving Wednesday. Of course I know it's almost Thursday, but I figure better late than never, right?

1. One of the main things I am loving is following a few channels on YouTube. I have no clue how this obsession interest started, but I will say this: apparently I like being a voyeur and catching a glimpse of how others live. Two of my favorite channels to watch are My Housewife Life and Organized Like Jen. The channels belong to Jennifer Ross, a housewife in Chicago, and she videos her extremely organized home and shows various things she likes and buys. It helps that she has the most amazing home and fashions! I cannot get enough...I know, weird, right??

Even odder than that, though, is the other channels I follow. Apparently beauty gurus are extremely popular on YouTube, and I must admit that I follow a few. Let me preface these statements by saying this: yes, I know that I am 40 (!) and way too old to be watching these young girls and their makeup obsessions, but for some reason these videos are cathartic and relaxing...go figure....If you've never heard of Elle and Blair Fowler you must check them out. They are two normal girls from Tennessee who hit it big by simply getting on YouTube and talking about their life, fashion, and make-up. It's amazing how social media changed their lives. They are also very entertaining to watch--they have several channels that I subscribe to. I also watch Make-up by Tiffany D, too.



2. I am loving anything that has to do with organizing (thanks to Organized Like Jen, I'm sure)...I have been making serious progress all over the place, especially the kitchens and the bathrooms...the true test will come this spring, however, when it's time to organize the garage...ugghhhh....There are also several great organizing blogs that I follow. Two of my favorites are I Heart Organizing and A Bowl Full of Lemons.

I have recently made two--yes two!!--trips to The Container Store and made several Elfa purchases during their annual sale...one of my next posts will be about my pantry...I stayed up almost all night one night and redid it completely...it is an organizers dream (at least for right now!)...



Speaking of organizing, did you know that Martha Stewart released a home office line with Staples?  Love it!!



3. Like most women in America, I have fallen completely under the spell of Pinterest...I was reluctant to start it because all I heard people say was how addictive it is...after being on it for a week, I can say that they were absolutely right! I think that these "funnies" sum it up perfectly....:)






 4. Thanks to all the beauty gurus I watch, I have a few beauty products that I love (I use the word "beauty" lightly here!)...

Revlon's new Color Burst Lip Butter is AMAZING...if you can find it in stores, I highly recommend it. I got Pink Truffle, and it's perfect for me--they are long lasting and very nourishing.



I also love the EOS Lip Balm Sphere...I have them in my car, purse, and at work...they are great, too...

And last but not least, the Naked 2 Eye Make-up Palette from Urban Decay is (for lack of a better word) AMAZING! You will throw out all of your other eye shadows and replace them with this...




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Ten Day You Challenge--Four Books

Four Books

Really? I'm supposed to narrow this down to four??? Anyone who knows me realizes that is an INSANE concept...therefore, in an effort to be diplomatic, I've decided to take a different approach. I'm going to list four books (or series) that I remember distinctly from my childhood and that had a major impact on my life. My mother never told me "no" when I asked for a book, and as a result, I became a voracious reader (thanks Mom:)

1. The Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder

I started this series when I was in the fourth grade, and I can honestly say that they changed my life. They are the first books I remember not being able to put down. My mother bought me a boxed set, and I literally read them over and over. The Ingalls family became my own, and I grew to love Ma, Pa, Mary, Laura, and Carrie. Garth Williams' illustrations added the perfect touch to the stories. I reread these books every year, even as a teenager. I was so proud to pass that same dog-eared boxed set down to Stephanie, and I love that she savored the stories like I did. I can't wait until Sophie starts reading them next year!



2. The Black Stallion series by Walter Farley

As a child, I loved horses and would devour anything associated with them. While some kids adorned their walls with pictures of their teen crushes, I plastered mine with photos of all breeds of horse. The perfect books to satisfy this love was Walter Farley's Black Stallion series. I read them all and would dream that I was riding along side of Alec and the Black. When the movie came out I remember crying with excitement. Horses were my first love, and this series will always be near and dear to my heart.




3. The Flowers in the Attic series by VC Andrews

In the seventh grade I discovered VC Andrews (just saying that gives me chills because I was way too young to be reading her!). Naturally, my hormone-filled self LOVED the series and I devoured every one of them. They were a scandalous series, and I distinctly remember all of my classmates passing the books around behind our teachers' backs. Years later I shared them with my mother, and (believe it or not) she loved them, too! She read all of my ratty old copies! We also read a few of Andrews' other series, but we lost interest after she died and her estate hired a ghost writer. Stephanie loved all of these as well, but I made sure that she didn't read them until well past seventh grade!



4. Forever by Judy Bloom

It's risque, I know. In fact, this book was one of the most controversial novels of its time. Of course, I read all of Bloom's other books (Are You There God? It's Me Margaret was one of my favorites), but Forever was in a completely different category. Gone were the novels about dealing with the awkward pre-teen years. There was actually S-E-X in this story, and I remember reading it with my head under the covers at night because I was afraid that I would get caught! I think that this book is almost a right-of-passage for all teenage girls--I know that it was for me, and I will never forget it.

What I'm Loving Wednesday

I'm linking with Jamie for What I'm Loving Wednesday....

It's been a few weeks since I've posted anything new...quite honestly I think that subconsciously I've been thinking that the less I do, the slower summer will pass by. Unfortunately, that plan didn't work, and it's time to face the music: summer is over, and it's time to get back in the groove of the school year. These posts are pretty easy to do and hopefully will ease the transition back into writing.



1. Apparently it's the small things that are going to make me happy right now because one of the things I am enjoying right now is an IPhone game called Words with Friends. It's an online Scrabble game, and I am totally addicted! My husband and I play several games a day and even though he skunks me a majority of the time, I love it! If you haven't played,  I highly recommend it. Be warned, however..you can't stop with one game!


        


2. Like most other female in America, I'm loving the movie and the novel The Help. I read the book a few weeks ago and enjoyed it immensely. The movie, although different in parts, was just as enjoyable. My favorite part of the book and the film were the female characters, especially Abileen. The story was a perfect combination of history, sadness, and laughter. As an English teacher,  I think that it will be a great novel to teach in conjunction with To Kill a Mockingbird. Do not let this one pass you by!



3. Most people will probably consider my next one pretty pathetic for an (almost) 40 year old woman but I'm loving the new song "I Wanna Go" by Brittany Spears found here. I cannot get the tune out of my head! Even though she can be a nutcase, I still like her music, especially this song (sad, I know..).



4. I've posted this last one before but since I went back to work today, I have to keep repeating it to myself. It's either this one or I will have to resort to this:



Happy Hump Day!

Summer Reading (Part 1)

I thought I'd take a moment and list some of the great books that I have been reading this summer. I listed in a prior post that my Kindle has been my constant companion since school has been out. It's so easy to carry around and is convenient for travel. Another one of its pluses is that I can easily go back and look at everything I have read. Here are the books in order from June:

1. The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins



I've already gushed about these books here, but I cannot get them off my mind! They are soooo good, and I literally went into withdrawals when I finished reading them. Even though they are classified as young adult, they appeal to everyone. After I finished the novels I saw the Entertainment Weekly edition that gave details about the movie that is currently being filmed in North Carolina :) It seems like they have done a pretty good job with the cast...I think that Jennifer Lawrence looks like the Katniss I imagined. Please, please Hollywood, Don't mess this up!! (fingers crossed)



This week's EW features the characters of Peeta and Gale...I'm not quite sure if they look like I had imagined them, but that's only because I'm not familiar with the actors (Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth) that were cast in the roles....I am keeping an open mind though!




2. The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters



This book has been on my list ever since I saw that Stephen King rated it his favorite book of 2009 in Entertainment Weekly (yes, I keep a running list of books that I want to read that goes wayyyyy back in time!)

He described it as "a terrifying, engrossing ghost story set in the English countryside not long after World War II, but it's so much more. Although told in straightforward prose, this is a deeply textured and thoughtful piece of work. Several sleepless nights are guaranteed."

With praise like this, who would not want to read it? Overall, I really enjoyed the novel, especially the surprise (though somewhat vague) ending. I really enjoy novels set in England, especially around this time period. My only caution would be is that it is more "literature" than simply 'light entertainment." I am not trying to sound like a book snob (though I somewhat am one), I'm just saying that it is not a book that someone can lose themselves in on the beach...Sarah Waters is a true master of words, and she captures the mood and atmosphere perfectly. I'm not sure that I would classify it as a ghost story though; maybe it would be better to call it a psychological novel...here is a review that sums up the book nicely.

3. Distant Shores by Kristin Hannah



After the serious nature of The Little Stranger, I decided to go light with my next book. I really enjoy Kristin Hannah, especially for light reading in the summer. I have read several of her novels prior to this so I knew what to expect (Magic Hour, Summer Island, On Mystic Lake, True Colors). This book was about a couple who had been married for many years and  hit a rough patch in their relationship. It shows how they got to that point and how they ultimately resolved their issues. It was an enjoyable quick read.

I put Kristin Hannah in the same category as Elin Hilderbrand. If you have not read either author, you should really check them out. Hilderbrand is an especially great beach read. A few of my favorites from her are The Island, Barefoot, and A Summer Affair.

More to come later....in the mean time I am still reading and loving American Wife...

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Well, I'm back. I know that I have been MIA for awhile, but it was all for a good reason. I have been enjoying the last few weeks of summer break and trying to soak in all the fun and sun while I can. I will try to blog consistently from now on (fingers crossed!)....

I've linked with Jamie for What I'm Loving Wednesday....

There are a few things that I have been loving this week (and all summer actually); the first is my Kindle!! I know that it sounds cliche for an English teacher to say that she loves to read, but I really do! I have been reading like a mad woman all summer trying to absorb as many novels as possible. I cannot praise my Kindle enough, especially because it gives me instant gratification!

Right now I'm reading American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld. I love her work, especially her previous novel Prep. I am awfully suspicious of the similarities of the wife in this book and Laura Bush. When I finish reading it I will google Sittenfeld's inspiration for the novel.

I love to watch as ebooks are taking off. I have had mine for a few years now, and I have always sung its praises. I'm so glad that everyone else is jumping on the bus, too...I'm a liitle jealous, though, because the one I bought Stephanie for graduation is nicer than mine...:(

My next thing that I love is a restaurant that just opened in my town. Sometimes I feel that Fayetteville is the last place on Earth to get things. Chipotle finally opened last week, and it is delicious. To be more specific, I'm loving their guacamole! A year ago I wouldn't touch the stuff and now I can't get enough...theirs in particular is especially good...yum!

So far all I've eaten there is steak tacos with lots of guacamole! I highly recommend it...

And finally, my mantra for now and the rest of the summer...

Take care....

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Despite being down about a few issues this week, there are quite a few things that I am loving and am thankful about. I am teaming up with Jamie at Little Daisy May to share my list.

1. I am thankful that my plane landed safely, and that I got to see Sophie. She has been fine without us the past two years, but this year she was not. It broke my heart to hear her on the phone every night. I am especially thankful my SIL Vicky and friend Melanie took such good care of her...love you both! To channel one of my favorite literary characters, "As God as my witness, I will never leave my baby girl again!!"

2. This is my second time in France, and both times I drooled over the Longchamp store and their bags. I got a few on my first trip, and I had to add to my collection. I LOVE my new le pliage bag!! This line of bags from Longchamp offers the perfect versatile bag, especially for traveling.




3. What trip to Paris would be complete without a trip to Laduree? I am still loving the wonderful macaroons I had there. If I had been in Paris at the end of my trip instead of the beginning, this is what I would have brought all of my friends. The rumor is that they are building one in New York City...gasp!!

 

4. and finally...a biggie for the week....

I am loving a new book series that has me totally obsessed. It is The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins. I had been hearing a lot of buzz about the series, especially since they just cast the first movie. I downloaded it on my Kindle before I left, and I have been reading it nonstop. They are fabulous! This is not even my genre (young adult, fantasy, dystopia), but I highly recommend them to anyone. I have actually started slowing my reading down because I know that I will mourn the books when they are finished. Does that ever happen to anyone else?



**As a final request, please say a few prayers for me this week...I definitely could use all I can get....