Birthday Time

Birthday Time is upon us once again.  Kyrie picked her theme and now I am scrambling trying to make it happen because she can never find a theme they sell anywhere.  So I busted out the Cricut and made up some invitations that look like her Hip Hop shoes for dance only in Pink and Black Zebra print because what else would she have.  Then I have been waiting on the punch I ordered from Amazon to show up so I could make some bottle cap necklaces for favors, to go along with the fishnet fingerless gloves and the sunglasses we picked up.  And that will complete favors.  I still have to order the cake, make the banner and print up a few decorations but we are going fairly low key this year since she is having her party at the Dance Studio.
Ten has brought along a whole new world of changes she now wants to FaceTime her BFF after school and on the weekends.  We are also going through the how far can I push phase and she is not coming up with answers she likes.  But nothing has changed so she will quickly realize she is still expected to clean her room, do her homework before anything else and so on.
Seth's gift showed up and he already opened it and loves it.  It is so very fitting of him.  It's a hoodie from Dysfunctional Vet that says "Leave Me Along".  I couldn't have found him a better gift.

2015 Word of the YEAR

Since 2009 I have been participating in One Little Word by Ali Edwards.  I've gone through a wide variety of words starting out with Strong, Remember, Organize, Brave, Faith, and Happy last year.  This year I am taking my word to an entirely different place.  For the last year I have toyed with the word "me" and I've realized I need more Me in my life.  So when I sat down and started thinking of my word the first thing to hit me was

 I feel it fits so well into the Me path I so desperately need to take.

Merriam-Webster defines

¹spar·kle

 verb \ˈspär-kəl\

: to produce small flashes of light

: to perform very well

: to be or become bright and lively

  I know in the years we have lived in Maine I have let everyone and everything Dull my Sparkle.  I can see it in everything and I don't want that for myself anymore.  I don't want my girls growing up and thinking it's okay to let people dull your sparkle.  So I am going to spend 2015 embracing my SPARKLE and letting it shine bright.  

Banned Books Challenge

So as I was searching for Challenges I came across the Banned Books Challenge and who am I to turn down Banned books.  So I knew this Banned Books Challenge over at Buckling Bookshelves was perfect for me.  

RULES: Any book that has been banned or challenged counts. Books can be any format, any length, and can overlap with other challenges. Graphic novels, children's books, picture books are all fine -- any book that has been banned or challenged works for this challenge.

WHERE CAN I FIND BOOK SUGGESTIONS? There isn't one specific list to work from, but there are many different resources you can check out for ideas:

• The ALA's lists of frequently challenged books. There are multiple lists split up by author, year, decade, and a separate list for classics, so there are a lot of options from all different genres.

• GoodReads has several listopia lists on the subject -- this is particularly helpful for identifying books you already have on your shelves if you are a user of the site.

• The Banned Books Week Facebook Page is great about reporting current information on bans and challenges.

• I wrote posts last year about three Banned Book Victories as well as Additional Banned Books Resources including some information on challenged graphic novels.

• If you learn about a book getting challenged in the news, on a book blog, around the web, or wherever else you get your bookish news, it's fair game. One book that made headlines last year was The Miseducation of Cameron Post -- it doesn't need to make any of the big lists to count. And if you learn about a new incident, I'd love to hear about it!

LEVELS: Below are the levels you can choose from. Changing your mind is OK -- you can go up or down in level at any time. I said low-pressure, remember? I'm not the book police, I promise.

     Making Waves: 1-2 Challenged Books
     Trouble-Maker: 3-5 Challenged Books
     Rabble-Rouser: 6-9 Challenged Books
     Rebel: 10-14 Challenged Books
     Leader of a Revolution: 15+ Challenged Books

So I am going to go with Trouble-Maker and let Miss Zee help since she loves her banned books too.

1. the handmaid"s tale
2. Fahrenheit 451
3. coraline
4. the absolutely true diary of apart time indian 

Finishing the Series Reading Challenge 2015

I signed up this year for a Series challenge but like how this one sounds more.  It gives me some flexibility with books that are not completely finished that I am reading so I signed up for this one over at Socrates' Book Reviews.

Choose a level....

Level 1 (Novice series reader) - Complete 1 series.
Level 2 (Testing the waters) - Complete 2 series.
Level 3 (Experienced) - Complete 3 series.
Level 4 (Expert series reader) - Complete 4 or more series.

I am going to start with Level 2 completing 2 Series.  

Georgina Kincaid
Lonely Lace
Courtney Crumrin
Tantalize

2015 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

I participated in the Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge this year and have already outdone myself so of course when I saw it was going on again I signed on up.  So if you want to sign up to go here. 

Levels:

• Getting My Heart Rate Up: read 1–5 more books (or 250–1,499 more pages)
• Out of Breath: read 6–10 more books (or 1,500–2,749 more pages)
• Breaking a Sweat: read 11–15 more books (or 2,750–3,999 more pages)
• I’m on Fire!: read 16+ more books (or 4,000+ more pages)

I am going to start with Getting My Heart Rate Up since I read almost 100 books this year.

Im at 92 so far 

You Read How Many Books? Reading Challenge 2015

Even though I am setting my Goodreads and Shelfari goal for 80.  I am going to push past that with this challenge, hopefully I can make 100 and blow the 80 out of the water.   It's going on at Book Dragon's Lair.

1. There are several levels to choose from
   Level 1: 100 minimum
   Level 2: 150
   Level 3: 200
   Level 4: 250 or more

I am going with Level 1 with 100 books

I am at 92 so far 

Full House Reading Challenge 2015

I loved doing the Bingo board this year and I don't know if I will black it out but I am two books away.  So when I saw this board over at the Book Date I figured I would try it out for 2015.

1. Library Book
2. Novella
3. Author Outside your own Country
4. Won or Borrowed
5. 2nd book or more in a series ~ Secrets and Lace

1. A top book of 2015 for you
2. Setting that you now want to visit
3. Book by author you really like
4. Book set in Northern Hemisphere
5. Been on your TBR "forever"

1. You heard about the book online
2. Award winning
3. Free choice
4. Debut novel by author
5. Published in 2014

1. Set in the Southern Hemisphere
2.  First in a  series
3. Published 2000-2013
4. Published pre 2000
5. Type of book you rarely or never read

1. Published in 2015
2.  A Keeper
3.  Outstanding Hero or Heroine
4. Author new to you
5. You love the cover