Friday, June 29, 2012

Aloha Friday

Kailani at An Island Life started Aloha Friday. Want to play along? I ask a question, you answer the question in the comments. You can also ask your own question on your blog and link up at Kailani's site. Here's my question:

Have you ever been to a strip club, a la Chippendale's?

My answer: Yes. Quite a few times when I was in my 20s. It's been a while but I vaguely remember it being kind of funny.

Friday Finds

MizB at Should Be Reading hosts Friday Finds. What great books did you find online, in the library or at the bookstore? What did you add to your TBR list? Share with us your FRIDAY FINDS!





"We Only Know So Much" by Elizabeth Crane
"The Big House: A Century in the Life of an American Summer Home" by George Howe Colt
"The Three Weissmanns of Westport" by Cathleen Schine

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme about (mostly) books and reading. This week's BTT asks . . . Who taught you to read?

I honestly don't remember any one person teaching me to read. I do know that I was going to the library and bringing home books since I was in preschool. I assume my mother may have taught me, or I could be like my first-born and taught myself.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Musing Mondays

MizB at Should Be Reading hosts Musing Mondays. This week's musing asks . . . Do you set goals for yourself, while reading? For example, “I want to get this book finished this weekend“, or “I will read __ pages today“, etc. Why, or why not?

I do try to set realistic mini-goals, though they're not usually met. I'll try to read a certain number of pages or chapters per day and am thrilled when I get the time to accomplish it. It gives me a sense of achievement and encouragement to set more lofty goals - like a few more pages.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

6WS

Call Me Cate at Show My Face hosts Six Word Saturday. Want to play along? All that's necessary to participate is to describe your life (or something) in a phrase using just six words.

Today is my annual yard sale!

Friday, June 22, 2012

Aloha Friday

Kailani at An Island Life started Aloha Friday. Want to play along? I ask a question, you answer the question in the comments. You can also ask your own question on your blog and link up at Kailani's site. Here's my question:

What's your favorite animated movie?

My answer: If I was going old school, I would say Bambi. I just love that movie. My favorite current animated film is probably Toy Story. Either way, good job Disney!

Friday Finds

MizB at Should Be Reading hosts Friday Finds. What great books did you find online, in the library or at the bookstore? What did you add to your TBR list? Share with us your FRIDAY FINDS!





"The Train of Small Mercies" by David Rowell
"Flipping" by Mary A. Ellenton
"Seating Arrangements" by Maggie Shipstead
"The World Without You" by Joshua Henkin
"Family Pieces" by Misa Rush

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Library Love

I love my public library!

And I'm not even talking about the section for adults. Quite honestly, I haven't even had the opportunity to peruse that area yet. I'm referring to the kids' section.

The Eastern Branch of the Monmouth County library is beautiful, big and clean. The selection of books is OUTSTANDING. They run programs for the kids several days per week and even host movies some evenings.

Since the boys have been home for summer vacation, we've been to the library 3 times. According to my calculations, that's 3 times in one week.

Not only do I love it there, the kids get so excited when I ask them if they want to go. There's plenty of room for them to roam the aisles of books and dvds. We have quite a selection at home now that they're making their way through as I type this.

There are puzzles out for them to play with on tables. There's even a computer set up with educational games for them to play.

I'm hoping to instill my love of books in my children, and with beautiful, enticing libraries such as ours, it's not that hard.

I can't say enough good things about our public library. Oh wait, the most important thing on hot summer days like today - it's air conditioned and it's FREE!

Show your public library some love this summer.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Wordless Wednesday

Two Boys and a Hammock

Monday, June 18, 2012

One Person's Junk . . .

Even though the calendar says we have a few more days before the official start of summer, it has officially started at my house. Now that the boys are out of school, they're mine - all day, every day. I struggle with things to keep them busy (already), and have found that I have some projects of my own around the house that need to get done - with or without their help.

I've decided to hold my annual yard sale this upcoming Saturday. Every year, I set up my driveway for those thrifty garage sale seekers to come peruse my "junk" in search of a hidden treasure. I collect items all year long and put them in boxes in my garage. It gets the stuff out of the house until I can get them out of my life permanently while making a few bucks in the process.

I need to rifle through the so-called "junk", put prices on them and dust them off. I suppose I could have the boys help me with this endeavor; however, I've snuck a few old toys out there and fear they'll want to bring them back in the house. Maybe I'll keep the box of toys under wraps as long as they're around. Sorry, boys, but those toys have to go!

I probably don't have as much "junk" as potential buyers would like, especially when I hold a sale every year. I will always have toys, maybe a few outdated appliances or gadgets, a chair or two, pictures, perhaps some holiday items, and lots of books. I try to unload some of my parents' things as well. They have lots of hidden treasure that they just don't want to part with yet.

I suppose if I dig a bit deeper in my closets and drawers, I'll find some "junk" worth a few bucks. Then the following week maybe I'll hit a few yard sales looking for my hidden treasure.

Saturday, June 16, 2012

6WS

Call Me Cate at Show My Face hosts Six Word Saturday. Want to play along? All that's necessary to participate is to describe your life (or something) in a phrase using just six words.

Lazy Saturday, beautiful day, all's good.

Friday, June 15, 2012

Aloha Friday

Kailani at An Island Life started Aloha Friday. Want to play along? I ask a question, you answer the question in the comments. You can also ask your own question on your blog and link up at Kailani's site. Here's my question:

If you had a choice, would you rather lounge on the beach with a good book and a cold drink or go para-sailing out with the other adventurers?

My answer: I'm a lounger. I may get up to wet my feet once in a while. Other than that, I'm all sorts of relaxed under my beach umbrella.

Friday Finds

MizB at Should Be Reading hosts Friday Finds. What great books did you find online, in the library or at the bookstore? What did you add to your TBR list? Share with us your FRIDAY FINDS!








"Joy for Beginners" by Erica Bauermeister
"Inside" by Alix Ohlin
"Sea Change" by Karen White
"What the Nanny Saw" by Fiona Neill
"The Bride Stripped Bare" by Nikki Gemmell
"Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn
"Five Miles South of Peculiar" by Angela E. Hunt
"Little Night" by Luanne Rice
"Brand New Human Being" by Emily Jeanne Miller
"Bared to You" by Sylvia Day

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme about (mostly) books and reading. This week's BTT asks . . . Have you ever bought a book, started reading it and then realised you have already read it? If so, how far did you get? Did you keep reading?

Surprisingly enough, this has never happened to me. Maybe because I'm a pretty slow reader and I actually am able to remember the books I read. I suppose if I read more books during the course of a year, I would probably forget some of them and pick up the same one more than once.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

And We're Done

I'm happy to report R graduated from Kindergarten yesterday. I'm so proud of him.

He's a very smart boy, but he's also very sensitive and emotional. He cries so easily. I worried how he would handle school and its demands, but he got through Kindergarten with flying colors and only a few tears - thankfully. And now he's a first grader!

What a bittersweet time for me as a parent. Part of me wants to jump and down because my boy is growing up. He's growing his wings and learning how to be independent. The other part of me can't believe that tiny little bundle who cried and kept me up all hours of the night is now off on playdates on his own. I won't say I miss those days, because I don't, but I do marvel at how far we've come in a seemingly short period of time.

I'm glad and relieved he had a positive Kindergarten experience. I'll start to worry about September in a few more weeks. For now, here's to a relaxing summer - well, as relaxing as 2 little boys allow.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Skin Cancer Screening - Just Do It

I just came back from my 6 month check-up at the dermatologist's office. Since my initial dalliance with basal cell carcinoma back in December, I now get the privilege of having my entire body screened for skin cancer every six months - and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Now that the warmer weather is here (albeit it's a wet 72 degrees today in New Jersey), it's time to get your full body skin cancer screening. It only takes a few minutes, but well worth it to save your life.

Funny thing about basal cell carcinoma, you don't really think it's anything to worry about. Most of these bumps are whitish/pinkish (skin color) in appearance. These are not those ugly brown uneven things you always see when people are talking about skin cancer. You don't even notice these little suckers. Those are the ones to be cautious about. That's what the dermatologist took off my leg last December. I spotted another one on my arm about a month ago, so he swiped that one off for a biopsy today.

Whether you are a sun worshipper or not, whether you have questionable tags on your skin or not, you should get screened annually. The worst that can happen is you waste an hour of your time in an air conditioned doctor's office. The best that can happen is you save your own life.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Teacher's Gift Idea

The end of the school year is very stressful . . . for me. There's a lot of running around and teacher's gifts to be bought and brought to school. I'm not big on the do-it-yourself stuff, but I want to be. This is what I did for both R's and D's teachers this year.

I purchased popsicle sticks and round wood circles from AC Moore. I tacky glued them together. I found a cute template print out from another mom blogger of these circles that read "Thank you for helping _____ bloom." I typed in each boy's name, printed it out, used a scrapbooking cutter in the shape of a flower to punch out the saying and glued it to the wood circle. Of course, you don't need a special cutter. You can simply cut out the saying with a pair of scissors and attach it to the wood.


Then I purchased plants from our local garden center and stuck each stick inside the plant. Voila! Simple teacher's gift  complete.