Catching up
Posted by: LizzieDear readers, I apologize for neglecting you. With the boys in school, we all have new responsibilities and struggles. It’s not that I don’t have time for my blog, I just feel like I don’t know what to write about anymore! My Turtle Round-up was fun while it lasted, but it became an unnecessary source of stress in my life. Perhaps I’ll revive it when I can justify spending three or more hours “shopping”. I ought to spread it out over the week so it doesn’t take that long in one chunk, but by the time I remember to do it, it’s Thursday morning already!
Ok, so what HAVE I been doing? I’ve been playing with Simon, trying to get him to take naps during the day (a feat which is sometimes impossible), being nauseous, and dealing with the chaos that unfolds every afternoon when the boys get home from school.
Speaking of, both boys are have a wonderful time and I’m so proud of them. Corey has acquired so many points in his Advanced Reading program that his teacher asked him to let some of the other kids catch up before he takes anymore AR tests. Not only that, but his “pod” has won every “pod war” so far and he’s almost brought home enough tootsie roll pops to replenish the Purple Bowl on top of the refrigerator. Aiden is having a great time in Kindergarten, and I’m proud of his behavior. Not that I expected him to have a really hard time, but he can be aggressive at home. I didn’t know how that would translate into a classroom setting. He’s had a couple bad days, but he, too, has been lucky to bring home candy for earning the most stickers on his behavior chart and when his group, the Green Triangles gets the most points for the week.
I’m still reading, of course. I can’t go to bed without reading until I fall asleep. It’s just the way it is. I’ve finished several books over the past few weeks. One of my favorites was Child 44, by Tom Rob Smith, one of the 14 that I won from the Hachette Group. I don’t normally read crime novels, but it was the setting (soviet Russia) that intrigued me. The story was so interesting, and I really felt like the characters were well developed. I often stayed up far too late reading this book.
Unrelated to the story, the only problem I had was that I’m pregnant and that new book smell really made me feel bad. I joked with Jamie a few times when we were getting into bed that it was time to “smell my book.” If I hadn’t been so interested in the story, I would not have tolerated the stink. Also, I had one nightmare about a Soviet leader threatening me. Pregnancy dreams are so strange.
If you’re interested, you can read an excerpt of Child 44 at the Hachette Group website.
I’m currently reading Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi. It’s been on my TBR shelf for quite a while, but I’ve been putting it off because I received it from Bookmooch about the same time that I got The Girls. I needed to space out the books about physical adversity. Know what I mean?
This book is more than that, though. About a Zwerge (dwarf) in Germany during the second World War, it involves not just her, but an entire town. Even though Trudi’s story is central, I really feel connected to more than just her part of the history of the town.
I’ve still got a ways to go before finishing this book, but I wanted to mention it because it’s turning out to be one of my favorite books of the year.
Tags: book reviews
