Introducing....

Miss Amelia Kay
7 lbs 3 ozs
Born Easter Sunday, April 24th at 2:35 AM

It was a long, scary, blood pressure problem riddled delivery, but my daughter was an amazing woman throughout it all. Her prize was this little bundle of sweetness. I was so honored to be there and witness the arrival.

We are blessed!

(someone figured out that the next time her birthday would fall on Easter again, she will be 84!)

Book Review: The Violets of March, a charming read

Book: The Violets of March by Sarah Jio
Finished: April 2011
Pages: 304
Challenges: ** A-Z **


I received an advanced copy of this book from the author a couple of weeks ago, and I wanted to drop everything to start reading it right away, but I ended up exercising some self-control and saving it for the Read-A-Thon. It was the perfect book for that event----

The plot , from Amazon:

[[ In her twenties, Emily Wilson was on top of the world: she had a bestselling novel, a husband plucked from the pages of GQ, and a one-way ticket to happily ever after.

Ten years later, the tide has turned on Emily's good fortune. So when her great-aunt Bee invites her to spend the month of March on Bainbridge Island in Washington State, Emily accepts, longing to be healed by the sea. Researching her next book, Emily discovers a red velvet diary, dated 1943, whose contents reveal startling connections to her own life.

A mesmerizing debut with an idyllic setting and intriguing dual story line, The Violets of March announces Sarah Jio as a writer to watch. ]]


I adore novels with dual story lines--linking the past with the present. I loved that it was set for the most part in my neck of the woods, and I loved the character development.

If you go to Amazon you will see many early reviews from fellow authors, (most all of them favorites of mine), and they use the words: captivating , betrayal, lost love, gem of a novel, mesmerizing debut, cozy, engrossing, history and mystery......and I agree with them all!

Just like Kelly O'Connor McNees, author of The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott , I did not want the story to come to an end. It truly is a page turner.

Here I am, during the read-a-thon, totally engrossed in the book:


















The author, Sarah, is a lovely person, along with being a great writer. Visit her blog--I am sure she would love a visit!

The book trailer is a beautiful as the cover of the book----





The release date is April 26th and you really should go pre-order yourself a copy! And the good news for those of us enthralled with this new author's work? She has another book being released next spring!

The Sunday Salon: daybook style

Outside my window: After partly sunny, partly cloudy day today, the gray rainish looking clouds are rolling back in. I think by morning it will be raining again. Nasty April here this year. I am loving that it is staying light until 8:00 PM now though.

I am thinking: After the crazy exhausting week of work last week, where I took care of the duties of 1.5 people, this weekend was too short! Also, still thinking about the amazing movie we saw last night, The King's Speech. It deserved every award it won this year!

I am listening to: Smooth Jazz radio on the internet

I am grateful for: The great medical care my daughter is receiving right now as she approaches the time to deliver baby #2. She is playing the blood pressure dance again and is supposed to be down more than up right now.

I am reading: Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen. I am really enjoying it, and if I had more concentrated reading time, I would have finished it by now. I am really looking forward to reading her new one, The Peach Keeper. I love her writing style.

I am photographing: Who else?

I am listing: Not a thing!

I am creating: A little dress for new baby. After ripping it out 5 times, I think I am on the right track.

To live my faith: Attended a very meaningful Palm Sunday service this morning.

I am hoping and praying: I can get caught up on my work duties this week, now that my co-worker will be back from vacation tomorrow.

Around the house: Well, it is 7:30 PM Sunday night and I am just starting dear husband and mine's laundry. (that is a clue to how busy the weekend has been0

From the kitchen: I bought a lemon bread mix in a box and will probably make that tomorrow evening to take to our knitting night Tuesday night.

One of my favorite things this week: Watching my son's expression when he received his first college admission acceptance letter!!!!

The child this week: Since our State music contest is in 2 weeks, he will be practicing that bari-sax like crazy, getting a hair cut, and his tux dry cleaned. Oh, and now that he is in driver's education, he will probably be bugging the heck out of us to drive! ;)

Plans for the week: Work, knitting, reading, and prepping food later in the week to take to my mom's for Easter dinner.

Blogging & Book News: New Doctor Seuss book to be released! Upcoming books we should know about--there are some interesting looking ones on this list. This just made me laugh out loud, awkward wedding photos!

Wordless Wednesday: Molly

Unconditional Love

Book Review: Minding Frankie

Book: Minding Frankie by Maeve Binchy
Finished: March 2007
Pages: 383
Challenges: **A-Z 2011**

You know? I just loved this book. I loved it as much as I have loved every other Binchy book I have read--oh, and I have read all her books. If you like character driven plots and have not read a Binchy book yet, you must. When you read the last page and the close the book, you still find yourself thinking about the characters for days after.

I get totally lost in the lives of her characters, and this novel in particular brings back some favorites from her earlier books. Now I will find myself waiting to hear she has another new book coming out!

To find out about the plot, just listen to this author interview I found on Amazon. She is as delightful as her books!

Monday Stuff---mailboxes and reading choices

Mailbox Monday, begun by Marcia, and now on tour is being hosted at Passages to the Past for the month of April.

It is Monday, and we all get a chance to show others what little treats we found in our mailboxes this past week. Watch out--you might find yourself drooling as you check out others' mailboxes!

I did not receive any mailbox treats, but I did download a few from Netgalley for my Kindle reading pleasure and I also picked up a little treat while browsing in Target on one of my lunch breaks last week. Just click the book to go to the product page on Amazon.

The Ninth Wife by Amy Stolls














Minding Ben by Victoria Brown














Why Jane Austen? by Rachel Brownstein













Already Home by Susan Mallery













Your Voice in My Head by Emma Forest














Purchased from Target:

666 park Avenue














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What are you reading on Mondays? is hosted each week by hostess, Sheila from One Person's Journey Through a World of Books.

Well--I had such a great reading weekend while participating in the read-a-thon, finishing 2 books yesterday and 2 during the week prior to the weekend, and frankly what with getting caught up with chores and grocery shopping today, I haven't even had a chance to think about reading today. My guess is that I will start out with Garden Spells and a galley on my Kindle, new ones listed above to choose from!

Last week I finished:
Minding Frankie by Maeve Binchy
The Hunchback of Nieman Marcus
The Violets of March by Sarah Jio
Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris

Reviews of all to come --and all of them I loved!

Happy reading to you all. What are you reading this week?

Last Update :: End of Event Meme: Sunday Salon

Another Read-A-Thon has come and gone! I am always a little bit sad when it is finished. Sam and I had a blast! I can't think of better way to spend a Saturday than to eat and read! But really? How can so many hours speed by on read-a-thon day, but not a typical work day?? :)

I didn't take many pictures, but did post a few in a post further down--but just want to say what a special time this is for me and my youngest child. He makes me laugh, and we just had so much fun together. I kind of dread the day when it will just be me, reading alone, as he has been my reading buddy in all 5 events I have participated in.

We were able to stay awake until the 22nd hour. That means for us in our timezone, it was about 2:20 am when Sam fell into bed, and about 2:45 am for me!

End the event personal stats:

How many pages read total:
Me: 559
Sam: 864

Books completed:
Me:
The Violets of March by Sarah Jio
Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris
Sam:
The Two Towers by JRR Tolkien
Cirque du Freak: child of death
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: the ugly truth

Running total of time spent reading since you started:
Me: 765 minutes or 12.45 minutes (I actually think I read a total higher than this, but messed up my stats early on in the event)

Sam: 1,105 or 18 hours and 25 minutes

Mini-challenges completed: 5

End of Event Meme:

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?
Me: Hour 22 (our last)
Sam: Hour 2, which was 6 AM here


2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?
We always love The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, and I am bummed I did not get to one this year. It was next on my list last night. Young Adult choices are great when tired! I purposely stayed away from anything that looked or sounded sad--I read the end of the 7 Harry Potter series last November and cried the last 1/3 of the book--pretty much destroyed my eyes for the rest of the read-a-thon!


3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
Heavens no! For an event this size it is managed amazingly. For us personally, some of the mini-challenges were a bit too time consuming to catch our interest, but they did look very well put together and thought out. I was thinking it would be nice to see a list of them at the beginning to be able to give more thought to them before I am so engrossed in my reading.

4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
I really, really, like the challenge blog page--so easy to navigate and easy to find information.


5. How many books did you read?
Me: 2
Sam: 3 and part of a 4th

6. Which book did you enjoy most?
Me: The Violets of March by Sarah Jio
Sam: The Two Towers by J.R.R Tolkien

8. Which did you enjoy least?
Me: loved both of mine
Sam: The Children of Hurin by J.R.R. Tolkien

9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?
I don't know what happened but cheerleaders seemed a bit sparse during the middle hours. Maybe more action was occurring via Twitter, but I don't Tweet, wasn't a part of that scene. Many thanks to those who did stop by and offer encouragement--I really appreciated you!


10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?
We will for sure be participating again. I have some ideas for a mini challenge floating around, so may host one.


THANKS to everyone who worked to make this such a wonderful event! Hope to see everyone in the fall.

Update #3 :: Hour14

What I'm reading now: Staying at Daisy's (Kindle)
How many pages read since last update: 103
How many pages read total: 293
Number of books read since you started: 1
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 165 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 345 minutes (almost 6 hours)

Mini-challenges completed:

1 Introduction Meme
2. Book Puzzle
3. Where Are You Reading Map
4. Oldies But Goodies
5. Mid Event Meme
6. Reading Habits


What Sam is reading: The Two Towers
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 180 minutes
Number of Pages read since last update: 216
Total number of pages read: 872
Total time spent reading: 685 minutes
Books finished: Cirque du Freak, 3/4 of Two Towers

What we are listening to: Smooth Jazz Radio on the internet

What we have eaten: Chinese food brought home by my husband; getting ready for something sweet, like choclate!

Distractions: A skype call with the sweet grandgirl, husband home from work and bugging me!

Weather: Getting dark, clouding up more, breeze kicking up

The Time Is: 7:30 PM

Hour 12:::Mid Event Survey

Mid-Event Survey:

1. What are you reading right now?
I am just about finished with The Violet of March, and Sam is reading The Children of Huran

2. How many books have you read so far?
Sam has finished 1, 1/2 of anther and started a third. I am just finishing my first.

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?
Me: Diary of a Wimpy Kid or The Great Good Thing or Staying at Daisy' (on my Kindle)
Sam: Return of the King


Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?
Nope! OH the joys of having older children!

5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?
Not too many unplanned interruptions--mostly just taking time to blog, or get snacks!

6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?
How fast an hour flies by--How slow of a reader I am

7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
Not really....

8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?
I think I planned as well as I could this year---

9. Are you getting tired yet?
No--surprisingly not. Sam took a little break to play some Halo, but I am going to continue reading, even through dinner!

Update #2 ::: Hour 11

How in the world can it be hour 11 already?? And how can an hour of reading fly by so fast?

What I'm reading now: The Violets of March by Sarah Jio
How many pages read since last update: 112
How many pages read total: 190
Number of books read since you started: 0
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 3 hours ( 180 minutes)
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 5 hours and 53 minutes

Mini-challenges completed:
1.Introduction Meme
2.Book Puzzle
3.Where Are You Reading Map
4. Oldies But Goodies

What Sam is reading: Cirque du Freak: child of death ( he put down The Two Towers in order to take a break from it!)
Books Sam has finished:0
Time read since last update: 4 hours, 15 minutes
Total time read: 8 hours, 25 minutes
Pages read since lat update: 161
Total pages: 656

The Weather: Overcast, but not raining yet!

What we are listening to: Chris Botti Pandora

What we have eaten: apple slices & carmel dip, homemade chex mix, and Sam has eaten some Starbursts.

Distractions: I am starting to fight a bit of a headache--

The Time Is: 3:00 PM

Some fun photos from our day:

Sam, at 5:45 AM (He was up before me--at 5:00, I was up at 5:30) and this is how I found him in the den.

The view from my chair, shortly after the sun came up

Molly and me

Molly curled up at Sam's feet on the couch

Upside down Molly, smiling at me--she is in Heaven!

Dodger cat, not happy because I am in the chair he likes to be in. I keep moving him out!

Ooops! My bad. I got up to get a snack and look who was just waiting for his opportunity!

See you all in a little while--Happy Reading----

Update #1::: Hour 7

What I'm reading now: The Violets of March by Sarah Jio

How many pages read since last update: 78
How many pages read total: 78
Number of books read since you started: 0
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 2 hours 53 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 233 minutes

Mini-challenges completed:
1.Introduction Meme
2.Book Puzzle
3.Where Are You Reading Map
4. Oldies But Goodies


What Sam is reading: The Two Towers by JRR Tolkien

Books Sam has finished: 0
How Many Pages Sam has read total: 495
Time Sam has spent reading: 4 hours 10 minutes

The Weather: Started sunny, and now has become gray and cloudy.

What we are listening to: Nora Jones Pandora

What have eaten: Sam: Carnation instant breakfast, scrambled eggs, apple fritter. Me: 3 cups coffee, scrambled eggs, apple fritter.

Distractions: Talking to each other, bugging our pets who are snuggled up with us, taking Sam to his music lesson. We are home now and after this update is typed--I am ready to hit the books hard!

The Time Is: 11:30 AM

Prizes you’ve won: Zip!

MIni-Challenge #1

Mini Challenge: Book Puzzle

For this challenge, you will be creating a Book Puzzle. Essentially, this is a series of pictures, graphics, or photos that you put together that will describe a book title.

Kim's Book:






























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Sam' s book:



























Happy Guessing!

Intro Meme

Good Morning! It is 5:30 and we are up and reading!

Where are you reading from today?
My house--in a suburb of Seattle

3 facts about me …
a. I am going to be a Grandma for the 2nd time in less than a month!
b. This is the 5th read-a-thon for my son Sam and I.
c. My hair is graying but I refuse to dye it.

How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?

Me: 12



















Sam: 8






















Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)?
We just want to have a good time!

If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, any advice for people doing this for the first time?
Switch your reading choice up if y9ou start to get tired---try a YA novel or a graphic novel.

And now, a little trip down memory lane, the past 4 Read-a-Thon events with Sam:

#1.(age 13)

























#2 (age 14)



















#3 (age 14.5)




















#4. (age 15)