New Years Help

If we are friends on GoodReads....you're well aware of my love of self-help books.  I feel like I'm always a work in progress and love learning about more ways to be awesome.

I do think I'm pretty awesome.   Wouldn't you like to be awesome too?

I just downloaded a couple ebooks from Amazon that I intend to read tomorrow.  Yes, tomorrow.  The new year is acoming friends!




 



 These are two books will help me to manage my time better. I'm anxious to make the most of every minute....because you never know how many minutes you have left.

Do you have any self-help recommendations for me?

 Happy New Year!!

Book Love

As a kid, I remember spending my weekends curled up on the couch with a good book.  It's still one of my favorite ways to spend time and I hope someday my kids love it too.

I started reading this book last week and I can't wait to put all of the ideas into motion in my home.

I'm excited to tell you that this book is available for FREE from Amazon for Kindle through Sunday!

Download Book Love: Help Your Child Grow from Reluctant to Enthusiastic Reader 1st Edition today.

Perfect Gift for the Zombie Lover

Does your husband love The Walking Dead TV show?  Do you watch the show with him...while covering your eyes because you love him and want to have an activity that you do together?  No?  That's just me?  Okay.

I just found the perfect Christmas present for my husband and it's a book, which I love.  I love reading books, receiving books and I really love giving books!

Zombigami: Paper Folding for the Living Dead is a great gift because my husband is always folding paper for the kids!  However, I'm going to encourage him to do this new hobby at work because our daughter is afraid of Zombies.

This could be a stress reliever for him!! And then he can decorate his desk with little zombigami people.

10 Great Gifts for Readers

With Christmas coming Connie and I thought we'd share our top 10 gift choices for the reader in your life!

I'm going to do a list of 5 and Connie will provide the other 5. Whether you are an E-Reader resistant reader or a two timer like me, I have a great list of 5 that I'm sure you will love to give or receive this Christmas!

Mimi's Five Gifts for Readers

1. Book Bag

2. Literary Necklace

3. E-Reader Cover

4. Bookends

5. Journal

Connie's Five Gifts for Readers!

1.  Lightweight Reading Headlamp

2.  Literary Charm Bracelet

3. Stationary

4.  A book mark

5.  A Book Purse

Have you seen our new facebook fan page?  Like us! 

24 Christmas Books for Children

It's that time of year again!

Less than a month before Christmas and time to plan activities to do with your kids. We have Magic Elves that come to our house and they like to bring books. They bring at least one new book every year but there is also a day when they bring a basket of books from Christmas past.

Here is a list to get you started!

1. How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
2. A Wish to Be a Christmas Tree
3. A Charlie Brown Christmas (Running Press Miniatures)
4. Merry Christmas, Curious George
5. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer) (Little Golden Book)
6. The Little Christmas Elf (Little Golden Book)
7. Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas
8. Charlie and the Christmas Kitty
9. The Very Fairy Princess: A Fairy Merry Christmas (Passport to Reading Level 1)
10. The Mitten 20th Anniversary Edition
11. Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree
12. Olivia Helps with Christmas
13. Pete the Cat Saves Christmas
14. Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale
15. Llama Llama Holiday Drama
16. The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree: An Appalachian Story
17. The Nutcracker
18. The Christmas Story
19. The Polar Express
20. The Sweet Smell of Christmas (Scented Storybook)
21. What Is Christmas?
22. A Bad Kitty Christmas
23. Flight of the Reindeer: The True Story of Santa Claus and His Christmas Mission (15th Anniversary Edition)
24. The Night Before Christmas

COME BACK MONDAY for Connie and Mimi's Gift List!


Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.  If you click on one, Mimi gets a cookie penny.

Holidays Are For Reading

My kids are out of school for Thanksgiving break and we love to sit around reading and drawing during school breaks. Okay...one of us is making LEGO creations.

All of these books had been on hold and became available at the same time! I'm going to be really busy reading this week.

And I love it!

What are you reading this week?

Daring Greatly

I've been a fan of Brene Brown for almost two years now.  I wish I knew the exact date that I discovered her TED talk on you tube and who directed me to it because I'd like to think that is the day that I really became a better mother and wife.

Brene Brown is a shame researcher and has written a couple amazing books.  Books that I devoured once I found her and her message.  Her latest book, Daring Greatly, is the icing on the cake.

Reading Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead is going to make me a better mom, wife, friend and daughter.  I honestly believe that Brene's books came into my life for a reason.  If I hadn't read about shame and embracing who I am and who my children are, then I would not have been able to make the hard choices for my son.

I would not have been able to face my fear and be vulnerable.  I would  not have been able to teach my son that being vulnerable but also being proud of himself, would bring him great joy.  I've learned that being all in and not looking back, is an amazing feeling.  Some things are worth doing, even if there is a chance that you'll fail.

I found the chapter on the workplace to be interesting because I know that my husband appreciates when he gets feedback at work and that it greatly contributes to his feelings of being valued as an employee.

Everyone can benefit from this book and it's message.  I'm betting that you'll read it and think of a friend that could use it too.  I know I did.

I know you'll want to learn more about Brene Brown and her research.  You can read her blog, Ordinary Courage.  You can tweet her @brenebrown.  She's on Facebook.  AND she's going on a book tour.  OH MY LORD...she's coming to Denver!

She is currently doing a weekly podcast where she discusses each chapter of the book.  She's on week four so if you hurry and catch up you can listen to them each week.  I have to say...I'm anxious every week to hear what she has to say!  If you have an iPhone/iPad you can download the Podcast App and the podcast will automatically appear each week.

September 2012 ~ It's Happier At Home

OH MYYA!!  You are THE WINNER!! 

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I agree. It is happier at home! I'm a home body though. I never used to be...I think I'm getting old. Anyway, where the hell was I going with that? I don't know!

The brilliant and talented and comedically blessed Connie (her latest posts have been killing it, let me tell ya!) has chosen our book for September and I think it's going to be great!  It's ALSO her birthday today!

It's Happier At Home by Gretchen Rubin is in the same vein as The Happiness Project, also by Rubin, which was a blockbuster hit.

I can't wait!

Amazon says:
One Sunday afternoon, as she unloaded the dishwasher, Gretchen Rubin felt hit by a wave of homesickness. Homesick—why? She was standing right in her own kitchen. She felt homesick, she realized, with love for home itself. “Of all the elements of a happy life,” she thought, “my home is the most important.” In a flash, she decided to undertake a new happiness project, and this time, to focus on home.

And what did she want from her home? A place that calmed her, and energized her. A place that, by making her feel safe, would free her to take risks. Also, while Rubin wanted to be happier at home, she wanted to appreciate how much happiness was there already.
 
So, starting in September (the new January), Rubin dedicated a school year—September through May—to making her home a place of greater simplicity, comfort, and love. 
 
In The Happiness Project, she worked out general theories of happiness. Here she goes deeper on factors that matter for home, such as possessions, marriage, time, and parenthood. How can she control the cubicle in her pocket? How might she spotlight her family’s treasured possessions? And it really was time to replace that dud toaster.
 
Each month, Rubin tackles a different theme as she experiments with concrete, manageable resolutions—and this time, she coaxes her family to try some resolutions, as well. 
 
With her signature blend of memoir, science, philosophy, and experimentation, Rubin’s passion for her subject jumps off the page, and reading just a few chapters of this book will inspire readers to find more happiness in their own lives. 

So. Are you in?

I think it's a great idea to incorporate some new and exciting resolutions to liven up our lives! Because let's face it...the day to day can sure turn into more of a "drag to drag" if you know what I mean.

And I'm not talking about sequins and feathers and men that are prettier than me, okay?

Wow. I really need to stop now.

Anyway. Get your copy, and join us on our Facebook page to discuss our new selection!

Connie is giving away ONE copy of Happier At Home.  Just leave a comment telling us what you do to be happier at home for a chance to win. Don't forget to follow our blog and join the facebook group.   Winner will be announced on Friday at 8pm MST.

Gone Girl Book Club Party

I have a confession. I've been cheating on you guys.

I've formed yet another book club with some friends from school. We all had kids in Kindergarten last year and we became fast friends! I'd venture to say that we are BEST friends. And...full disclosure, three of us are very active in the PTA. 

They let me pick the first book and since we all like different types of books,  I decided on Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. I thought everyone would enjoy a mystery and after reading it and starting to plan the book club gathering...I knew what I was going to do.

I made them look for their invitation by following a clue. They were hidden in the lobby of our school and I told our office staff what I was doing so that they could laugh at observe them and possibly help them follow the clue.

Make your way to the school doors, you'll have to be crafty.

Pass through the area that might be a bit drafty!

Find the desk that is welcoming, but don't sign in.

Search underneath for something blue...Your name on a clue!

The little blue envelopes were hidden at the welcome deck and under the sign in notebook.  During our book club meeting, the girls all told me stories about their search and one story made us all laugh so hard that I almost peed my pants. Note: wear depends to the next book club meeting.

My dear friend Heather took the underneath part of the clue seriously and was crawling around on the floor looking under the desk.  The problem was....this desk is outside of the principals office and this concerned our lovely principal who came out to see if Heather needed her meds assistance.  

In true Gone Girl form....I did a little quiz in the invitation.

I love planning parties and had a blast deciding what I'd serve at our book club meeting.

In the book, when Desi has Amy trapped in his house he feeds her a few items while they watch Nick on TV. (Mouse over the previous sentence to reveal the spoiler)  Manchego cheese and a single chocolate truffle.  He also gave her Sancerre wine but we went with something else.

Not shown....baked figs with goat cheese and honey!

Another part of my plan was to have a bowls of Fritos and Jelly Beans.  I was going to throw a jelly bean at each of my guest when they answered a book club question.  My husband advised me that if I wanted to stay in the book club...I should nix that from the plan.

He's so level headed.

After posting a few pictures on insta-gram, some of my husband's co-workers were questioning if our gathering was a book club, or a wine club.

I don't know where they got that idea!

If you are planning your own book club gathering for Gone Girl here are some resources for you.

Gone Girl Discussion Questions

Gillian Flynn's Website

Gillian Flynn on Facebook

Have you read Gone Girl?  Did you like it?

Connie's Summer Reading List Review

My summer ended last Thursday at 8:45am.  That's right.  School started!

I'm pretty proud of myself for reading 7 out of 11 of the books on my summer reading list.  How did you do?

Did you see Mim's Summer Book Review?


Jeneration X by Jen Lancaster

Jen Lancaster could write about the phone book and it would make me laugh.  Sometimes I think she's reading my mind.  This book is about Jen trying to finally grow up and of course, it ends up funny!


Let's Pretend This Never Happened: (A Mostly True Memoir) by Jenny Lawson

Pee your pants funny!  I read several of the chapters to my husband and he laughed too. His favorite chapter is the one where she talks about working in HR and guys that email pictures of their little friend to people.   I'm a little put out that she ALSO had a pet raccoon as a child.  I thought that was MY claim to fame.


celebraTORI: Unleashing Your Inner Party Planner to Entertain Friends and Family by Tori Spelling

I love throwing parties and I love Tori.  She's got some good ideas in here but they aren't as budget friendly as I'd like them to be.


Seven Year Switch by Clair Cook

I enjoyed this story about a woman whose husband up and leaves to join the peace corp. He leaves her and her young daughter and they make a new life for themselves.  And then he comes back.  Seeing how she deals with it and in time finds out new things about herself.  I was torn about how I wanted the book to end.

Taking the Leap: Freeing Ourselves from Old Habits and Fears by Pema Chodron

I wanted to like this short book.  But it was too new agey for me.  They lost me with all kinds of mumbo jumbo about shenpa.  I did read a few helpful things about making friends and fully feeling your feelings, but I skimmed most of the book.


White Girl Problems by Babe Walker

I couldn't finish this book.  Maybe I'm getting too old for ridiculousness and people that do stupid things.  I didn't like Babe and I actually wanted to run her down with my car.


Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Wiener

This was our book club selection for July and I really enjoyed it.  I could relate to being the uncool kid with a popular friend and was really curious how this little caper was going to turn out.  In our discussion on the facebook group, many people said they didn't like the ending.  I think I must be a sucker for a happy one, so I didn't mind it.


I did add ONE book at the last minute but I'm not telling you about it until September.  Stay tuned!

Summer Reading List for MiMi - Semi Complete

Connie and I both posted our summer reading lists back in May. Wow, it's been 3 months already!!

Mine is here if you wanna take a gander.

If not, here's the list I had:

Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich.
Done! I love the Stephanie Plum series, it's easy and breezy to read, pretty funny and just total fluff for me. Also I sort of want to be Stephanie Plum. Big hair and all! I think I am actually a Jersey girl at heart even though I've never been there.

Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris. (a Sookie Stackhouse book.)
Done! Man, do not spend a lot of time between books in this series. I had read the book preceding this one years ago and was sort of lost for a couple pages in there. Still a good series, though, and I have to say that if you watch True Blood you are missing out. The books are really NOTHING like the show. The show is skeevy. There. I said it.

Broken by Karin Slaughter.
Done! I love, love, LOVE Karin Slaughter!! Her books always, always take some turn that I didn't foresee. Which is weird because most books follow a formula and you figure out "who done it" way early on, which irritates me.

Jeneration X by Jen Lancaster. (in case you don't remember or haven't been keeping up, this was our pick at the beginning of summer!)
Done! Freaking. Hilarious.

Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner. (this was another book club pick, the one we just finished up.)
I love Jennifer Weiner. She's a good writer and I love to say her last name, which, by the way, is totally pronounced the way you would think, I saw her in an interview talking about that once. Anyway, the book was great with really descriptive narratives about places and people. Character development is always good with this author. The only thing was that the ending was too cookie cutter perfect. Way overboard, In my opinion.

Fifty Shades Trilogy by E.L. James.
Not done. The entire reason that I haven't read these books are because I don't have them and I just refuse to pay upward of $30 to buy them in paperback or download on my Kindle. Especially since I heard they're really bad writing. But. I'm determined that I will read them somehow. I love to read and I want to know what the heck everyone is talking about! I also want to understand those ecards about Christian Grey on Facebook. I also hear tales of a hamster and you know I gots to know what that's about!

So there you have it...my summer reading list and how I did on it.

Did you read all of the books on your summer list? Did you even have a summer list??

Vote Now for the July Book Club Selection

Thank you everyone for voting.


The winning book is Best Friends Forever!


I did things a little differently this time and if you voted for a book, you were entered to win a book.  


Congratulations to Barbi from The Bold Blend.

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It's time to vote for the next book club selection!

Mimi's Pick....Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner.

From Amazon....


Addie Downs and Valerie Adler will be best friends forever. That’s what Addie believes after Valerie moves across the street when they’re both nine years old. But in the wake of betrayal during their teenage years, Val is swept into the popular crowd, while mousy, sullen Addie becomes her school’s scapegoat.

Flash-forward fifteen years. Valerie Adler has found a measure of fame and fortune working as the weathergirl at the local TV station. Addie Downs lives alone in her parents’ house in their small hometown of Pleasant Ridge, Illinois, caring for a troubled brother and trying to meet Prince Charming on the Internet. She’s just returned from Bad Date #6 when she opens her door to find her long-gone best friend standing there, a terrified look on her face and blood on the sleeve of her coat. "Something horrible has happened," Val tells Addie, "and you’re the only one who can help."

Best Friends Forever is a grand, hilarious, edge-of-your-seat adventure; a story about betrayal and loyalty, family history and small-town secrets. It’s about living through tragedy, finding love where you least expect it, and the ties that keep best friends together.

OR

Connie's Pick....Seven Year Switch by Claire Cook.

Roll out your beach blanket for this sweet summer read about making mistakes and moving on. Struggling and sassy single mom Jill—left to raise three-year-old Anastasia when husband Seth runs away to join the Peace Corp—is just about over the devastating loss when Seth reappears seven years later ready to pick up where they left off. Jill wrestles with her still-raw anger and her precocious daughter's heart-breaking need for her daddy back in her life. Honey, if you don't forgive him, it'll eat you alive, counsels Jill's boss and best friend, Joni. For his part, It wasn't the life we planned, Seth explains. But Anastasia helps him remember it's the life he needs while Jill discovers letting go teaches you how to hold onto new possibilities. 

You have until Monday, July 2nd to vote on the Facebook Group Page.