Weekend Away (Well Kinda)

Its been a rough week in my neck of the woods... well at least from my neck up! 

Hence the lack of posting this week! I have been battling one hec of an allergy season complete with sneezing so much my throat is raw, headaches, sinus pressure, watery eyes and itchy ears! 

Needless to say, I am WAY happy that the weekend is approaching! 

For lack of a better idea and thinking through my allergic haze... here are my happies and crappies for the week! 

Happies

|one| 

As of the end of next week, we are READY to make an offer on a home should one that we like come available! It is so close I can taste it. We of course know that we aren't going to find a home right away. In fact our Realtor called to make sure this fact was crystal clear. It will take a while, but knowing that we are able to do something besides look at homes is feeling like a relief. 

|two|

My hubs and I are staying with my favorite blogger/awesome friend and her hubby on Friday night. Can't wait! The boys are working on their house on Saturday and well ... as she put it in an email this week.... while the boys work away, the girls will play! Hiking Mount Roubidoux, lunch and some shopping, count me in! Oh and did i mention we are meeting up with Lin?!?!? So excited! 

|three|

Sleep! Wednesday night i went to bed at 9 pm! It felt so good to get that much sleep midweek! 

|four|

My kitty just adds so much to our home. She must make the happies list, because she really does make me so happy! 

|five|

New sandals that I only paid $!7 for!
(Pic to come next week)

and now for the ...

Crappies

|one|

Allergies! 

(See above for more detail)

|two|

My students have been a bit nuts! It definitely is gonna be an interesting Spring and Summer for sure! 

|three|

Hubs and I realized that the car must have gotten backed into. There is a crack and a spot where we think the tailpipe of another vehicle must have been hot enough to melt the paint on our bumper! Not happy! 

|four|

Leaving the kitty for the first time! While i am so excited for weekend plans, I know that i am truly gonna miss waking up to that little face. It's a good thing there are kitties where we are staying! (She is currently trying to lick my fingers as i type this post!) 

I think that's all for now! Pics will come next week, it's late and my bed is calling! It's alright, go ahead and call me a lazy blogger! I will just be here trying to breathe through my super stuffy nose! 

Still Going After All These Years

Reading has been a hobby of mine since high school and maybe even before. It is definitely something my mother and teachers helped to develop over time. I remember sitting in my room for hours and hours on end and then eventually moving to the backyard to read and read and read. Pages and pages of books that i just could not put down. I still love to read, but my habits have definitely changed over the years! 

Even though i am still reading the same book as last month, I thought I would still link up and share some of my reading habits! Head on over to Taylor and Lesley's blogs to check out more reading habits! 

What are you currently reading? 

I am still reading How to Bake a Perfect Life and it has finally gotten good! Even still I am not reading as much as i would like! Life just seems too busy and finding time to read can be a bit tough! 

Amazon or brick and mortar? Locally owned bookshop or big name chain store?

I love brick and mortar book stores! Love to go there, but lately I have been buying all my books as digital copies. I feel it is just easier since i have that thing with me pretty much all the time! When i do go to a book store, it's Barnes and Noble for me. It seems like there are fewer and fewer options when it comes to great small book shops! Sad! 

Bookmark or dog-ear?

Typically a book mark does the trick for me! 

Alphabetize by author or alphabetize by title or random?

I order my books randomly! Currently they are in the "however they fit in a box" order! That's right they are all packed away in a box or two in my garage! 

Keep, throw away, or sell?

If it's a favorite book, i tend to want to keep it, but I am learning that i don't want to have to store the dust collectors! Thinking i might begin to sell my books when I'm done with them as soon as we move and unpack that garage! 

Keep dust jacket or toss it?

Read with dust jacket or remove it?

I hate that darn dust jacket! It always seems to get in the way, that is when i am reading a hard covered book! I am usually reading a paperback. I prefer them! 

Short story or novel? Collection (short stories by same author) or anthology (short stories by different authors)?

Um, all of the above. I love fiction and biographies are pretty awesome too! 

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?

I usually stop when i can't keep my eyes open anymore and if that happens to be when a chapter begins or ends, then great! 

“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”?

Not one for mysteries and suspense in the books i read, so i would say that i lean more towards "Once Upon a Time"!

Buy or borrow? New or used?

Love to borrow and buy used books! I love that the pages are broken in and that someone before you really enjoyed that page and cared to turn it!  I have a few friends that don't believe in keeping books on shelves and often give away stacks of books to share with friends! Love that! 

Buying choice: book reviews, recommendation or browse?

I like to go off of recommendations from friends, especially ones that have similar reading tastes! My book club gals always seem to have some good ones that I should definitely add to my list! I love to browse too! But finding the right one can be quite overwhelming! 

Tidy ending or cliffhanger?

There's nothing wrong with a little bit of both! 

Morning, afternoon or nighttime reading?

Depends on if I am working! Breaks from work make me a reader of any time! 

Single volume or series?

I haven't read many series, at least not in their entirety. I got to about book 5 in the Harry Potter series and have read a lot by a few single authors but not many series. It seems whne i read a book i truly enjoy that is just a single volume, I then wish it was turned into a series! This is truly how I feel about The Help! 

Favorite series?

See previous question. 

Favorite book of which nobody else has heard?

Hmm... tough question for me. A lot of what i read is pretty well known. That and I'm having some difficulty figuring out what i have read! Ok so, here's one not many know about: 

Loved how funny and educational this book was! It really made me think twice about how things are presented to people who are new to our country! It isn't always a pretty picture no matter which country one is trying to assimilate to! 

I may have different habits than what I had when i first began enjoying books, but i still love to read and this summer, with a whole 4 weeks off, I plan to read a bunch! Can.not.wait! 

What are some of your reading habits? 

You're the Winner

Thought i would help out another blogger with another giveaway! 

It all started yesterday and ends soon! There are so many RAD prizes that could be won by ONE lucky  person! That could be you! 

It's Good to be Queen  |  Girl Booklet  |  Lipgloss & Crayons  |  Mikaela Rae  |  Pink Heels Pink Truck  |  Fabuless Wardrobe  |  Downhome Traveler  |  Not in Jersey  |  Three Inch Stitch  |  My Three Bittles  |  Just Jacq  |  Busy as a Honey Bee  |  (Bee)autiful Blessings  |  Dear Brighton  |  Fel's Got Swag  |  Oh So Nifty  |  Bamboo Blossom  |  Life with a Side of Coffee

One very lucky winner will receive:

$45 Amazon

$15 Starbucks

$20 shop credit to Pretty Little Prints

Choice of item from ThreeInchStitch Etsy shop

$15 shop credit to Bamboo Blossom

1 hr We Talk: You Write session

5 RedBox movie codes (US only, expires Aug 1/13)

Wedge ad space on Lipgloss & Crayons

Big Tex ad space from Downhome Traveler

Large ad space from Mikaela Rae

Large ad space from Oh So Nifty

3 months ad space on Girl Booklet

Enter now and help give Lesley a big ol' high five for her first year of blogging! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Addicted?

... is this week's topic for Random Thursday! 

So here's some stuff I'm addicted to: 

|one|

Tea

My mouth watered when i saw this on the Birchbox Website! 

Need a referral to Birchbox? Click here! 

|two|

Greek Yogurt! 

I literally buy 2 huge tubs a week and then 12 individual mini tubs for on the go! That stuff gets pricey! But every time I have some, I love it all over again and my wallet doesn't hurt so bad! 

Check out this post for how i prepare my Greek yogurt! It's sweet, fruity and really SOOOO much less in the sugar department! 

|three|

The Highway on XM

I never thought i would love having XM radio so much, bu truly I do! I love this station in the car and the fact that the djs are NOT at all annoying is a big huge plus! There aren't commercials and the music selection is always pretty great! 

Anyone else listen to the highway on Sirius/XM?

(Not the best photo but i was moving quick to be sure i got the name of that song! And yep, more  addictions: Country Music and this song - Runnin' Outta Moonlight by Randy Houser!)

|four|

The Carrie Diaries

I loved Sex and the City, but this is a younger version of Carrie Bradshaw! Yes, I now I am not 12, and maybe i should steer clear of the CW network, but this show has gotten my attention. It is kind of like My So Called Life meets Sex and the City! The girl who plays Carrie is adorable and has GREAT hair! 

|five|

My iPad! 

Shh... don't tell hubs I admitted this! He would be agreeing with me right now! 

I love tht darn thing and take it almost everywhere. It's where I follow blogs, comment on blogs, read my book, listen to NPR, listen to Pandora, find my latest workout, visit Pinterest, and gosh so much more! 

|six|

Playing fetch with the most adorable kitten in the world! 

Ok so she is almost fully grown, but will always be my little kitten! She is awesome! She is incredibly talented at bringing her ball, an old headband or hair tie, mouse toy, or some of her other small toys back when we chuck it across the room! We are currently playing this as i write this post! She is so cute. She brings it back and puts her paw on my foot to let me know that she has returned with her toy as if to say "please throw it"! Love it! 

I would post a video, but it is really hard to get a video of her doing this! 

I think that is a lot of stuff to be addicted to ... though i am truly sure i could add a few others like, sticky notes, pens, Pieology, and maybe some Chapstick! I could keep going, but i'm gonna stop NOW! 

What are your addictions? Healthy ones of course! 

Check out what others are addicted to! 

April Currently

Here's my currently for the month of April! 

Side Note: Can you believe it's already April???!??!? Summer's just around the corner! 

Listening: yep TMZ is on ... there was a funny conversation about Dodger dogs v. Angel Dogs.... pretty funny! 

Loving: We have been doing nothing but researching and researching and then doing that all over again! I think we are about ready to make offers but our bank account is about 4 weeks behind! In short, if something comes available at the beginning of May this couple will be ready to offer away! Key word to focus on there: IF! Either way, I am pretty excited and praying for it all to work out before our lease is up! 

Thinking: There is definitely a stench coming from the TurboTax program on hubs' computer! Mostly because we owe a bunch this year! Ugh! 

Wanting: More time for spring break .. ummm who doesnt?

Needing: Yep, homework that is self paced only leaves me feeling far behind ALWAYS! 

Advice: This one's for the bloggers out there... don't worry about the numbers, just enjoy and then the readers will show up! 

Off to visit three blogs! Hope you are having a great week!