Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week's pick: Abroad by Katie Crouch

Due out: June 17, 2014

Product Information taken from Amazon:

From the author of the bestselling Girls in Trucks, a sad, wry testament to the beauty and recklessness of youth

The city of Grifonia, Italy, is swarming with secrets—thousands of years of dark, murderous secrets.
     Taz, a British student who has just arrived for her year abroad, thinks that she will spend her time in Italy sipping wine and taking in the rolling Umbrian hills. But she soon falls in with a cabal of posh, reckless girls—the B4—who turn her quaint fantasies into an erotic and dangerous rush through the darkest realms of friendship and love. Abroad is a chilling parable of modern girlhood from an author who “from her opening line . . . grabs you and never lets go” (People).
     Not since Donna Tartt’s The Secret History have we been treated to such an addictive tale of tumultuous adolescence. We see Taz scared and alone, but hungry for new experience and piqued by the thrill of living abroad. We see her roommate, the plainspoken American Claire, who worries about Taz’s motives and expresses sincere concern for her safety—but everything changes when they fall for the same man.
     And then there’s what we don’t see—the perils that lurk around the corner. We don’t see the secrets that friends—and lovers—keep from one another. And we don’t see the force that is bigger than Taz, bigger than her friends and loves, a force that seems to be propelling them all toward a dark, awful end. Inspired by real events but tackled with grace and sharpness by a master storyteller, this is Katie Crouch at her finest.

Overwhelmed: Work, Love, and Play When No One Has the Time

Brigid Schulte is a mom, a wife, a journalist - and extremely busy. She is like most of the working moms I know.  There are not enough hours in the day to accomplish everything on the "to do" list.  Schulte begins researching why despite the many advances in technology, we don't seem to have any more leisure time than we did decades ago.  

Initially, Schulte is told by a time researcher that American women have thirty hours of leisure time each week.  Schulte isn't sure where this leisure time is, as she keeps a time diary of her every moment.  Most times Schulte isn't just doing one task, she is accomplishing two or three (or five) things at a time - and driving children to and from practices, racing to get there on time, isn't leisure time.  

Schulte spends time attending various conferences, meeting and talking to moms and scientists, and questioning how we can make some changes to make things better for women (and men, too).  

There are so many good points in this book that eventually I started taking notes. Although I will remember the general idea of what she discovered, I can't recall the actual data even now just a few days later.

Some important ideas I've taken away:

 *Women feel less stress when they are helped by their spouses.  Men feel less stress when their spouse does the entire task, not when the two work together.

* Teaching our children grit - hard work- is essential.  It is also important to teach them gratitude.

* I perhaps will want to encourage my children to move to Denmark to find a spouse as the Danes do a wonderful job of dividing work fairly between the genders and their government provides better maternity leave and paternity leave.

* Being busy is a bit of a status symbol.  People like to exclaim and brag about how busy they are.  The busier you are, the more important you must be.

* There are some companies that are innovative in their approaches to the amount of time required of their employees.  These companies might be few and far between, but there are some out there, and their employees are happy with their working conditions and their employers. 

I could relate to Schulte and laughed with her and felt her frustration with the lack of time she has to pursue leisure activities.  Fittingly, although I had great intentions of reading this book in just a day or two, soccer practices, piano lessons, and a variety of other activities overwhelmed me for the week, and I had to return the book four days late, accruing a fine of $1.  

TBR

You know the TBR piles that people refer to?  Or the meme about what's on your nightstand?  Well, here is the stack that I mostly try to hide behind my closet door.  I actually shut the closet door the other day and realized that I would be better off leaving it open before my husband took note of the state of the TBR stack/mountain.  I read as fast as possible, but they just keep on piling up.

So, what's on my TBR pile?  Way too many books - and the pile keeps getting bigger!

Sunday Salon

Today I spent much of the day lounging around. I didn't feel well last night and could feel a sore throat coming on before I went to bed.  This morning I woke up with a pounding head ache, stuffed nose, and general achiness. Yes, I think I have a cold.  I am the last person to take a day off of work for a cold, but lucky for me, it's Sunday and I could just rest a bit.  I watched a few episodes of The Good Wife, but did eventually drag myself out of bed to run a few errands.

First S'mores of the season

Yesterday we had nice, breezy, sunny weather, and my husband had our first bonfire of the season. It's a good thing I stocked up on graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows.  Today the weather has done a total 180.

I've got taco soup cooking on the stove this stormy afternoon - pouring rain with lots of thunder and lightning. 

I'm hoping I am full of energy tomorrow morning and ready to go for a week of work. We've got soccer, hair appointments, and a night out with the middle school youth group.

Here Lies Linc

Delia Ray is an Iowa author whose work I have enjoyed for a few years now.  This spring the Cedar Valley Reads program welcomed her to town and I was able to hear her speak with our fifth graders. 

Here Lies Linc is the featured book the fifth graders read by Delia Ray.  Linc and his mother live in Iowa City where his mother works studying burial rituals.  Conveniently, their house is located next to a graveyard.  Linc is attending public school for the first time, having attended an alternative home school previously. 

When he finds out his mother, Lottie, will be leading a tour through the graveyard, Linc makes his mother promise she won't give away that they are related. 

Linc and his classmates are especially interested in the Black Angel, a statue marking a grave.

As Linc works on his class assignment, he is drawn to the grave of a woman whose name the two share, wondering if they are connected in some way.  

His discovery helps him come to terms with the death of his father, and allows him to really talk to his mother.

Delia Ray shared more background information about the Black Angel and the research she did to write this story.  The students were totally enthralled with the idea of the Black Angel, and Ray proved to be an interesting storyteller, sharing little tidbits that intrigued my students.

I loved Here Lies Linc - one of the small things that I enjoyed being the epitaphs that begin each chapter that I discussed with the students.  Ray's previous novels Ghost Girl and Singing Hands were also wonderful reads.  Her newest book will be published next year, and I can't wait.  

Getting to hear an author speak about her inspiration for writing is a treat - one I enjoy as an adult, and an event I hope my students remember.

Friday Five

I didn't participate in the Friday Five last week due to the Easter holiday.  I'm back this week, sharing a few items that have caught my interest and kept me busy this week.

This week we had the elementary art show at the girls' school.  Middle Sister dressed up as the Mona Lisa while her friend portrayed Leonardo da Vinci.

We still have a bit of painting to get done, but I have decided I want new things to hang on our walls.  Amazingly, my husband is on the same wavelength. We are ready to look at something new.  I found this last weekend and love it. Someday soon I need to get around to posting some pix of the kitchen which is almost done.  

The middle school youth group from our church that I am the leader of went to see God's Not Dead on Wednesday night.  The overall message was good.  I thought a few parts were perhaps too predictable or trite, but still a good movie.

Hooray for libraries.  Check out this article to read  more about the importance and impact libraries have on people.  The pix are pretty cool, too.

On Monday I was able to hear Delia Ray, an Iowa author, speak (more about her next week).  Her book, Here Lies Linc,  tells the story of the Black Angel, whose gravestone is in Iowa City.  The information online helps fill in questions many of my students had- the Black Angel captured their attention.

Dept of Speculation

The Dept of Speculation is a short novel, yet chock full of wisdom.  

Offill's novel has a somewhat different feel to it, and I urge readers to give it a chance.  Although I didn't feel a connection to the characters in the usual way, I could easily identify with the wife in this story.  Told in fragments, this novel explores how life changes for the wife as she marries and has children.  The universality of her experience is one that many women can easily identify with.

Although this novel is short (just 160 pages) there is so much that these pages contain, so much wisdom in this novel.  I feel as though I could easily pick up this book many times and learn something new from it with each reading.

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week's selection: Winter Street by Elin Hilderbrand
Due out: October 14, 2014

Product Description taken from Amazon:

In bestseller Elin Hilderbrand's first Christmas novel, a family gathers on Nantucket for a holiday filled with surprises.

Kelley Quinn is the owner of Nantucket's Winter Street Inn and the proud father of four, all of them grown and living in varying states of disarray. Patrick, the eldest, is a hedge fund manager with a guilty conscience. Kevin, a bartender, is secretly sleeping with a French housekeeper named Isabelle. Ava, a school teacher, is finally dating the perfect guy but can't get him to commit. And Bart, the youngest and only child of Kelley's second marriage to Mitzi, has recently shocked everyone by joining the Marines. 

As Christmas approaches, Kelley is looking forward to getting the family together for some quality time at the inn. But when he walks in on Mitzi kissing Santa Claus (or the guy who's playing Santa at the inn's annual party), utter chaos descends. With the three older children each reeling in their own dramas and Bart unreachable in Afghanistan, it might be up to Kelley's ex-wife, nightly news anchor Margaret Quinn, to save Christmas at the Winter Street Inn. 

Before the mulled cider is gone, the delightfully dysfunctional Quinn family will survive a love triangle, an unplanned pregnancy, a federal crime, a small house fire, many shots of whiskey, and endless rounds of Christmas caroling, in this heart-warming novel about coming home for the holidays. 

The Divorce Papers

Told entirely in emails, letters and legal documents, Sophie has been hired to handle the divorce of Mia Meiklejohn Durkheim from her pediatric oncologist husband.

The divorce has a few twists and turns to it as both parties don't necessarily show their best sides all the time. Their daughter, Jane, and her custody arrangement is just one thing the two sides must agree on.

And for some reason, Mia has decided to have Sophie Diehl, a criminal prosecutor with no divorce experience  handle her divorce.

While Sophie grudgingly works on Mia's divorce (finding that there are just maybe a few aspects of this case she enjoys), emails with her friend, Maggie, reveal her own personal struggles with romance and her own parents.

I loved this novel and hope that Rieger has more stories in the works.

Sunday Salon: Easter Edition

I have loved having this long Easter weekend off of work. 

The entry and stair tiling project is nearly complete, thanks to my husband.  This has been a very tedious, time consuming job, but it looks great.

Today we celebrated Easter at my mom's house after attending church.  A lot of food, a little archery, a ride on the four-wheeler, and an egg hunt outside rounded out the activities.

This is my niece blowing out the candles on her cake. Her big day is tomorrow, but we celebrated a bit today at my mom's.

Little Sister getting an archery lesson from my brother

Yesterday my in-laws took us out for supper at Old Chicago, where we enjoyed some good pizza.

I feel like I could skip eating for several days just to make up for all the junk I have eaten this past weekend. I am trying to talk myself into a run a bit later on the treadmill.

Reading has taken a back seat this weekend as we have enjoyed beautiful weather- finally- and still been cleaning, sorting, organizing, and getting ready for the Easter holiday.

I did manage to read an ARC of Chris Bohjalian's newest book and have started a few more books that I need to get working on.  Right now I am taking a break from cleaning out our bedroom, while my husband cleans in our garage.  The girls decided to stay at my mom's a bit longer and have fun with their cousins, so we are taking advantage of the time we have to see how much work we can get done.

The week ahead looks busy, but the weather looks fabulous compared to the winter we experienced, and I am excited to continue working on our house project and get things finalized.

My Basmati Bat Mitzvah

Tara Feinstein is Jewish-Indian-American, an identity that she struggles with.  As she attends Hebrew school and her parents plan for her bat mitzvah, Tara tries to determine who she really is.  She embraces parts of both sides of her family.  

Tara is also a typical middle school student, struggling with friendships, and trying to determine if her best friend, Ben-o, is really more than a friend.  As she prepares for her bat mitzvah, ruins a beautiful Indian sari that has been handed down for generations, and works on a robotics project with a new partner, Tara has a lot of things to deal with.

Tara is a tween that readers will relate to.  Freedman has managed to create a very human protagonist that is easy to relate to and that represents well the feelings that go with this age group.

As I was reading My Basmati Bat Mitzvah, I couldn't help but think of two other tween titles that also deal with a character trying to find out who they really are:

The Immigrant Advantage

The Immigrant Advantage: What We Can Learn from Newcomers to America about Health, Happiness and Hope by Claudia Kolker caught my eye as I was browsing the book club section at the public library.

I teach in a school where there is a lot of diversity.  It is one of the things I most enjoy about my job.  But, I have often been able to find ways that immigrants are not at an advantage. Seeing this book made me curious.  What are things in which immigrants have an advantage?  

Kolker looks at several different immigrant groups and can pinpoint different customs or traditions that help their culture mentally, physically, and financially.

One of these things is arranged marriage (she uses the term assisted marriage).  While this is generally frowned upon here in the United States, there are some cultures, like those of South Asia, that still give suggestions to their children about possible dating (and marriage) options.  These cultures have a lower divorce rate and couples seem to value and love each other more as time goes on, not the other way around.

Another chapter focuses on multigenerational houses, something typical in Jamaican culture. This allows for grandparents to be involved in the raising of grandchildren, and for a stable home life for these children. It also allows the adult children to save money for a home of their own (a goal that is pursued in this culture) and to become more financially secure before striking out on their own.

Each chapter shares a practice or custom, and Kolker shares her own observations about these ideas. Some she tries on her own and is able to share her success and experiences.  Her writing is entertaining and she is able to use research along with anecdotes.

I have recommended this book to a few friends, and hope that soon I will have someone to discuss it with.

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week's pick:  The Vacationers by Emma Straub
Due out May 29, 2014

An irresistible, deftly observed novel about the secrets, joys, and jealousies that rise to the surface over the course of an American family’s two-week stay in Mallorca.

For the Posts, a two-week trip to the Balearic island of Mallorca with their extended family and friends is a celebration: Franny and Jim are observing their thirty-fifth wedding anniversary, and their daughter, Sylvia, has graduated from high school. The sunlit island, its mountains and beaches, its tapas and tennis courts, also promise an escape from the tensions simmering at home in Manhattan. But all does not go according to plan: over the course of the vacation, secrets come to light, old and new humiliations are experienced, childhood rivalries resurface, and ancient wounds are exacerbated.

This is a story of the sides of ourselves that we choose to show and those we try to conceal, of the ways we tear each other down and build each other up again, and the bonds that ultimately hold us together. With wry humor and tremendous heart, Emma Straub delivers a richly satisfying story of a family in the midst of a maelstrom of change, emerging irrevocably altered yet whole.
 

Motherland

Maria Hummel's grandparents lived in Nazi Germany, trying to quietly go about their lives while Hitler came to power. Letters discovered in an attic wall fifty years later gave Hummel the inspiration for this story, as she begins to explore what it meant to her grandparents and father to be a witness to the persecution of Jews and not do anything to help.

Liesl and Frank Kappus married just two months after Frank's first wife, Susi, died during the birth of their third son.  Now with three children, Liesl is busy with running a household while Frank, a surgeon, has been called up to serve in the German army, performing reconstructive surgeries on wounded soldiers.

All around Europe war is raging and Liels feels it growing closer to her and her family.  She does her best to continue to provide food and clothing even as supplies dwindle, while Frank focuses on his career and finding ways to advance professionally.

The Kappus' are just one example of a German family who went about life as best they could during World War II.  While  Hummel does not reveal if Liesl and Frank understood the atrocities being committed against Jews and other minority groups, she does briefly explore what happened to those suffering mental illness.  

My own grandparents lived their entire lives in the United States, but I have always been curious about their knowledge of this time period.  Hummel's novel is one that will stick with  me for years. Motherland is a must read.

Chew On This

I still read to Big Sister and Middle Sister, even though they resist this from time to time. I just can't quite give up on our time spent reading and talking about books together.  Part of it is the teacher in me. It is still an opportunity to make sure they are reading some books that I want them to be exposed to.  And, more recently we have been discovering non-fiction titles in our read aloud time.

Chew On This: Everything You Don't Want to Know About Fast Food by Charles Wilson and Eric Schlosser is the junior edition of Fast Food Nation.  There are a lot of interesting topics we discussed while reading this book.

- how workers are treated by employers.  Many of the meat packing companies don't want to pay their workers benefits and have them doing jobs in unsafe conditions.  

- the low salary of these same workers.  IBP, a meat packing company very close to us, was the first company to cut corners by paying their workers low wages.  It's not something to be proud of.

- the treatment of animals.  As a farm girl, my parents raised animals knowing that some of them (maybe all of them) would be killed to provide food for people. That doesn't feel the same as raising animals by the thousands and then killing them in cruel ways.

- Feeding chickens so much food that they bulk up and are unable to walk because of their size, letting them live for just 35 days until their scheduled execution - doesn't seem like the way animals should be treated.

- the fast food we eat at restaurants is bought from these meat packing places and from the chicken slaughterhouses.  Not only is the food unhealthy, it is also purchased from companies who don't seem very ethical.

- Fast food is not a very nutritious or healthy diet choice. There is a chapter about gastric bypass surgery and the number of American youth who are overweight. 

The girls still talk about this book a few months later. Middle Sister hasn't eaten at McDonald's since.

I gave this book to a fifth grade student, a boy who loves non-fiction. He promptly told a few friends about it.  Last week one of the fifth grade teachers was recommended this book by her students, and stayed up late reading Chew On This.  I never predicted this would be a word of mouth book that would really take off, but it is.  

Saturday was a beautiful, nearly 80 degree day.  Today it is a rainy, cold 45 degree day. Such is Iowa weather.  My three year old nephew spent the weekend with my mother and my family.  We traded him back and forth a few times, and he was a busy little guy.

He pretty much mastered these little stilts.

LS

The hail storm provided some entertainment as the girls and J tried to see how much hail they could collect.

 Although not Easter yet, we decided we could decorate eggs with J. I bought the plastic ones from Wal-Mart that can be dyed.  I would give them a failing grade, but we had fun just the same.

Little Sister provided the bed time reading, David Gets in Trouble by David Shannon.

In addition to my nephew we had a college friend come and stay with us for part of the weekend. He helped my husband work on putting down new flooring on our stairs and entry. They don't have the project completed, but my husband is on his own now, and busy trying to get it done. 

I have barely read anything at all this weekend, and enjoyed the weather and soccer games that Middle Sister and Little Sister had yesterday.

This coming week we have only four days of school, and I am excited to have a short break for the Easter holiday.  There is a lot to get done before then and I am hoping that I can still get quite a bit done today so I feel a bit more prepared for the busyness of the next few days.

What about you? Any big plans for your week?

Friday Five

(ONE)

On Wednesday the teacher librarians in our district attended a reception to thank a generous donor who gifted books in honor of Black History month to every school library in the district.  These book worm and library cookies were too cute to pass up (and my girls told me they were quite tasty, too).

(TWO)

My obsession with the royal family is something I may never get over....I loved watching Prince George on his first official playdate in New Zealand.  Of course this reminds me of Prince William's first official overseas tour in 1983 (also to Australia and New Zealand) below.

(THREE)

Old Navy has these canvas drawstring utility vests right now that I am thinking would make a great addition to my wardrobe.  I've been seeing these all over the place, and might even get Big Sister one since they also have them in girls' sizes.

(FOUR)

I love guacamole but I hate wasting a whole avocado. These 100 calorie packs are perfect when I am the only one who is eating guacamole.  I use these on salads, in tacos, with chips, as a spread on a wrap....so good!

And finally....

(FIVE)

Little Sister just finished reading Junie B., Toothless Wonder. Now she is a toothless wonder herself (I am thinking I should retake a photo of LS- this one is terrible!)

Sum It Up

When I was in college in the mid 1990s, I had many friends on the women's basketball team.  They were the ones that first introduced me to Pat Summit and her amazing coaching ability.  It is no wonder that one of these friends rated Sum It Up by Pat Summit as the best book she read in 2013.

I've had this book since it was published, and just finished it up on the treadmill. My running has slowed down considerably, which has also slowed my treadmill reading, too. But Pat Summit's memoir has had me looking forward to my time on the treadmill a bit more.

Summit's upbringing was no-nonsense as the first daughter and fourth child (another daughter was born after Summit) of a farm family. Hard work was expected and no excuses were tolerated. Physical affection wasn't a part of the way Pat was raised, and she possessed a drive that allowed her to pursue her passion for the game of basketball relentlessly.

As Pat recounts her life, she shares anecdotes of the players and people who have been a part of her life.  The highs and lows are discussed and Summit admits to her own failings openly.

In 2012 Pat was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's disease, and there are bits of this that Pat writes about as well.  However, Alzheimer's is not the focus of this memoir, nor are there medical insights or treatment recommendations.  This is an account of Pat's life and career by Pat Summit while she is still capable of remembering and sharing her story in her own words.

My college friends selected a great role model when they decided to pick Pat Summit to admire. I have always felt that Pat was an asset to women's athletics, but reading Sum It Up makes me more impressed than ever.

Her Alzheimer's diagnosis is a tragedy, yet even as Pat's future seems bleak, she aspires to help others and live life.  

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week's pick: The Sweet Spot by Stephanie Evanovich
Due out: July 8, 2014

Product Information taken from Harper Collins:

When pro baseball player Chase Walker first meets Amanda at her restaurant, it’s love at first sight. While Amanda can’t help noticing the superstar with the Greek-god build, he doesn’t have a chance of getting to first-or any other-base with her.

A successful entrepreneur who’s built her business from scratch, Amanda doesn’t need a Prince Charming to sweep her off her feet. And a curvy girl who likes to cook and eat isn’t interested in being around the catty, stick-thin herd of females chasing Chase and his teammates.

But Chase isn’t about to strike out. A man who isn’t interested in playing the field, he’s a monogamist who wants an independent woman like Amanda. His hopes rally when she discovers that squeaky-clean Chase has a few sexy and very secret pre-game rituals that turn the smart, headstrong businesswoman on-and into his number one fan.

Then a tabloid discovers the truth and turns their spanking good fun into a late-night punch-line. Is Amanda ready to let loose and swing for the fences? Or will the pressure of Chase’s stardom force them to call it quits?

Restaurant Good

My husband is a picky eater.  Many times I have tried recipes that I think are quite tasty, only to have him give it a "meh" rating.

Last night I decided to try a recipe from Janssen at Everyday Reading.  My husband loved it. In fact, he declared it "restaurant good."

I know I deviated a bit from Janssen's recipe, but it was still amazing.

1 turkey ring sausage, cut
2 cans fire roasted tomatoes
1/2 c. half and half
10 oz. tortellini (I think I used more)
garlic
salt and pepper
chopped fresh spinach

In a pan, warm olive oil and add sausage slices to brown.  Add minced garlic (Janssen used garlic cloves).
Add cans of tomatoes and half and half. Simmer. Add tortellini and cover. Cook about 10 minutes until tortellini is soft.
Add fresh chopped spinach, salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

This was a great meal - but very spicy!  My daughters tried a bite, but couldn't handle the spices.  I like spicy things as does my husband, so we loved it.  I think the spiciness came from the tomatoes so perhaps next time if I want my children to eat it, I will have to look for a more mild version.

The Secret of Life of Violet Grant

Beatriz Williams has managed to write a another interesting historical fiction novel with characters I can't quite get out of my mind.

Vivian is living in New York City in 1964 when a mysterious suitcase comes into her possession.  The suitcase once belonged to Vivian's great aunt Violet, and perhaps holds the key to her disappearance. As the story alternates narrators, Vivian's great aunt Violet's story is revealed, although for decades her family has managed to keep it hush hush.

Secrets that have long been locked away are revealed as Vivian tries to locate her great aunt Violet.  Although Vivian has hopes of writing a story about her great aunt, she is also curious about her mysterious disappearance and accusation that Violet murdered her husband.

As we read Violet's narration, we see that Violet's marriage was anything but happy, and her scientific work and the people she spent time with played a part in her disappearance.

Williams is able to recreate the era Violet lives in and I could imagine Europe in the early 1900s as I read.  The twists in this story kept me guessing, and I was caught up in both Violet and Vivian's stories.  Williams work is quickly making her one of my must-read authors, and I can't wait to see what she writes next.

Sunday Salon

We are feeling over-scheduled at our house. Between soccer practices, games, and trying to finish off our kitchen, there is not a moment to spare.  

Things were moving along nicely in our kitchen until a week ago. It now appears we have hit a standstill which is disappointing because we are so close to being finished.  The old refrigerator has been sitting in our living room for over a month just waiting for the new owner to pick it up.  We have talked to him, but he apparently is in no hurry.  The plumber isn't rushing right over to install our dishwasher, either.  And the electrician who needs to finish our lighting in the basement?  Well, we haven't seen him lately at all.  

Next weekend my husband and a good friend of his will be doing another flooring project- tiling our entry and stairs.  

We have ordered saddle back chairs for our eating bar.  And, we have planned out the kitchen table (see my Friday Five post to see pictures and info).

Today I'm going to head off to school to get some work done.  There is plenty there for me as well.  

Yesterday Middle and Little Sister had soccer games. For six weeks the two of them play at the same time, mostly in different locations.  Both girls' teams won big and afterwards, they relaxed with a cold drink.

Later we watched Wisconsin lose a heartbreaker to Kentucky at a friend's house.

So today, in addition to school work, I am going to get caught up on some book reviews that are awaiting my attention, and finish reviewing novel excerpt for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award competition.  I would love to sneak in a run, but there are only so many hours in the day. My husband gets to tackle our taxes, and if he finishes that, he plans on balancing our church's books (he was the unlucky fellow that was elected treasurer a few years ago. This is year 3 of his 3 year term - thank goodness!)

What's on the agenda for your day?