WEEKLY WANDERINGS: Spring Into Horror Readathon -- #SpringHorror

Whenever I sit down to write, it feels like I was just writing.  Then, I look at the date and realize it has been over a week again.  Seriously, time needs to slow down!!

The month is already half over, but nevertheless, I have decided to join the Spring Into Horror Readathon.  I am feeling better about reading then I have the last couple of months, and with the 24 Hour Readathon coming up, I decided it was time to really work on getting out of this reading slump that I have been struggling with since February.  What better way then a good readathon!

I'm currently in between reads, dabbling in books here and there again, so I want you to help me decide which book to read for my horror selection this month!  Right now, I am looking at some Stephen King, Joe Hill, Jonathan Maberry, or a classic young adult.  I just can't decide.  I will take a picture in a bit of the books I've narrowed it down to and post it on my Instagram account to get some feedback as well.  Until I decide, I will continue to dabble.

YOUR TURN:  Are you currently participating in the Spring Into Horror Readathon?  Do you plan to participate in the big 24 Hour Readathon?  What good horror books have you read lately?

WEEKLY WANDERINGS: Snow, Snow Go Away . . .

Currently, it is snowing outside again.  It has been snowing almost all day.  And, it is supposed to continue to snow through the night and most of tomorrow.  I appreciate the snow and the moisture.  It will help the dry summers that we tend to have here in Montana.  I'm just ready for some rain and maybe some sunshine here and there.  I want spring!

On the reading front, both physical and audio tend to be lagging.  I have had another slow few weeks of reading.  I am getting little to no reading accomplished most days.  I think part of it is that my reading choices tend to be slow.  I also think that a large portion is because of my lack of time, and by the time I get home, I tend to crash.  Writing and blogging has been lagging for the same reason.

I have officially begun the final countdown of this school year.  I have 40 days left with the students.  This time of year is always bitter sweet for me.  I am ready for a break, yet I know that I will miss the students and the routine of the school year.  But this year . . . this year, I am really looking forward to the summer.  I look forward to some rest and relaxation.  I am excited for a number of adventures.  I look forward to a summer that is a little less scheduled and I get to hang out with my kids just having fun. 

So, this is me ready for the snow to just go away, for spring to come, and summer to get a little closer.  I am ready for more reading, writing, relaxing, and discovering new things with my kids!

YOUR TURN:  Are you ready for the spring and summer?  What is on your mind these days?

WEEKLY WANDERINGS: #Bloggiesta Wrap-Up

Over the last week, I have been participating in Bloggiesta, a week-long event to clean up and improve your blog.  I was going in pretty low key because of my schedule, but I did have a list of things that I wanted to complete.  I was not able to get everything on this list completed, but I did get a few things done. Here's the full updated list on my progress:

• Back-up Blog (DONE!)
• Back-up Template (DONE!)
• Update Books Read in 2018 (DONE! -- Check it out here!)
• Update A-Z Review Index (DONE! -- Check it out here!)
• Clean Out FB Saves (currently at 43 -- decreased to 39) 
• Catch Up on Blog Reading/Commenting (Feedly currently at 377 -- decreased to 48) 
• Write February 2018 in Review 
• Write An Eye on Authors Spotlight 
• Write a Discussion Post on Libraries 
• Catch Up on Reviews (too many to count!) 
• Clean Out Email (currently at 43 -- decreased to 19)

I still have a number of things to write for the blog, but I'm hoping that this serves as a bit of motivation to get back on track.  As I was reviewing the blog during clean-up, I discovered a couple of things.  First, in May, I will have been blogging for 11 years!!  Crazy!!  Secondly, it has been in the last couple of years that blogging has been a bit lagging.  I haven't written nearly as many reviews, and consistency went out the window.  I'm ready for that to change.  Let's see if I can actually make it happen this time!  Over the next week, I hope to continue with this list of tasks, and get back to regular posting starting in April.  Let's do this!!

I also did a bit of work for the blog I share with Tasha, Book Bloggers International.  We are featuring guest articles from around the globe this year, and next month I am hosting Mexico.  I am currently looking for book recommendations and guest bloggers, for those who may be interested.  

YOUR TURN:  Did you participate in Bloggiesta?  If so, what did you get done during the week?

WEEKLY WANDERINGS: #Bloggiesta, It's Been A While!

Bloggiesta is this week, all week long, and I thought it would be a great time to jump in and get some work done on this blog.  Afterall, as I was looking through my site, I have come to discover that it has been two years since I last participated in this event.  Honestly, it has probably been that long since I have really made writing and blogging a priority.  Where did the time go?!? 

Not sure what Bloggiesta is?  It's a time for bloggers to get together to clean up their blogs and improve them in some way or another.  The week will be filled with challenges, though I tend to not participate in these.  My goal is to just get caught up on all the stuff that I have been neglecting for far too long!  In fact, here is my official list of tasks for the week . . .

• Back-up Blog 
• Back-up Template 
• Update Books Read in 2018 
• Update A-Z Review Index 
• Clean Out FB Saves (currently at 43) 
• Catch Up on Blog Reading/Commenting (Feedly currently at 377) 
• Write February 2018 in Review
• Write An Eye on Authors Spotlight
• Write a Discussion Post on Libraries
• Catch Up on Reviews (too many to count!) 
• Clean Out Email (currently at 43)

I am fairly certain that I will not be able to complete this entire list, but I am sure going to do my best to give it a try.  I have neglected the blog for far too long, and it's time to get things turned around.

YOUR TURN:  Will you be joining me for the week of Bloggiesta?  What is your priority for the week?

WEEKLY WANDERINGS: Currently Reading . . .

I am really trying to get back into the mode of writing again on a regular basis, so tonight I am popping in to chat about my current reads!  I'm going to keep this short and sweet, so let's get to it!  What am I currently reading?

My current audiobook is The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare.  I could have sworn that I read this book as a kid, but as I listen I think to myself that this is one book that I am sure I would remember.  But, I don't!

My current paperback is Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro.  I've been working on it for a couple of weeks now, and it is a very slow read for me so far.  I will continue to trudge through it, and I hope that it will eventually pick up.

My current read with my kids is A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle.  I first read this one as an adult and was not a huge fan.  I'm enjoying it much more with my kids this time around, and can't wait to finish to hit up the movie to see how it compares.

My current read for work is Bold School by Weston Kieschnick.  I'm not far into it, but I probably should be.  It's actually a fairly easy read, but I am just having difficulties in finding the time to read it.

Lastly, I have The Complete Sherlock Holmes, Volume 1 by Arthur Conan Doyle on my nightstand for when I feel like revisiting a favorite with some of his short stories. 

What are you currently reading these days?  Any (non-spoiler) thoughts about my current reads?

WEEKLY WANDERINGS: Sickness Has Hit Again

I'm back . . . again!!  This year has not given my household a lot of breaks in the sickness category.  Just when I thought we were on the track of healing and health, the flu hit my daughter.  And, it hit hard!  I have never seen my girl this sick or with such a high fever before.  It was scary and completely unexpected!  Then, of course, my daughter so graciously shared her sickness with me.  Ugh!  Thankfully, I finally feel like we are on the route of healing, and I'm hoping the sickness of all kinds stays away for quite a while.

In the midst of all this sickness, I thought I would at least get in a little reading.  That really didn't happen.  In fact, my reading was super slow in February, and I didn't get as many books read as I had hoped.  I will share a full monthly report later this week with more details.  I'm really hoping that March proves to be a healthier and book-filled month!  I'm also really looking forward to a bit of spring.  My neck of the woods has experienced one of its highest amounts of snow in history.  Areas not far from me have been hit even harder and have been snowed in for weeks.  I am really looking forward to less snow, more rain, and hints of beautiful greens displaying signs of new life.

While I wait, I've been trying to get in more reading and writing.  I'm trying to get back into reading a little bit each day.  I am doing a little weekly writing challenge that has my rusty wheels beginning to turn again (thanks to Piper Punches!).  In addition, I'm trying to bring back the daily exercise.  Overall, I'm trying to get back to my old habits that I desperately miss, with all my new responsibilities intermixed.  I want and need to find this balance again.  It's been missing for far too long, and maybe that is why we are getting hit so hard with sickness these last few months.  It's time to turn it around!!

YOUR TURN:  Have you ever felt like your life has become unbalanced?  How did you find your balance again?

WEEKLY WANDERINGS: Aching for a Good Read!

Aching for a good read!  That is what I titled this post, and really let's be honest, it's got a double meaning.  Allow me to explain . . .

Reading has been slow this month.  I haven't really been able to fall into a book like I usually do, and I'm feeling like I'm in a bit of a rut.  I've fallen into a comfort read of a little Sherlock Holmes here and there.  I'm continuing to read A Wrinkle in Time with my kids before the movie is released.  And, I'm currently listening to China Dolls by Lisa See every now and then.  Even my audiobook time is taking a toll these days.  Where did the days go that allowed me to read for extended periods of time without interruption, just to escape into another world?  Life is just so busy these days!

Now for the second meaning . . . As I mentioned earlier, I took a pretty good fall while out cross country skiing at the beginning of the month.  It left me quite sore, and I've been nursing my back for a couple of weeks now.  This week, I finally felt like I was healing and even started working out again tonight.  Then.  Then things took a turn that I am not happy about.  I wasn't paying attention while walking down my stairs tonight and fell.  Down the stairs!  Right on my back where I was previously hurting!  My only thought while I was curled at the bottom of the stairs, my family bombarding me with questions about if I was okay . . . You have got to be kidding me!!  So now, I lay in bed with heat on my back and pain relievers starting to work their magic.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'm able to move tomorrow morning!

In other news, I went to Black Panther this last weekend.  I went in with some pretty high expectations.  I have been looking forward to this movie since I heard that it was coming out.  My whole family was pretty pumped, and I must say that it lived up to my expectations and more.  I am not usually one to see a movie more than once in the theaters, but I want to go back and see this movie again on the big screen.  It was so good!!  In the meantime, maybe I need to pick up a little Black Panther comics to tied me over until this reading rut is gone?!  Actually, for tonight, I'm just gonna stick with my heat and pain relievers, and hope I fall asleep soon.

YOUR TURN:  What are you reading these days?  Wanna guess the one movie I have been to in the theaters more than once?