Unringing the Bell

Sapphire's "The Kid"

My newest review for Sapphire's The Kid is up at BlogHer. For those of you familiar with her book, Push, which the popular 2010 film Precious was based on, The Kid, be warned, is an even more difficult read. If you can believe it! It's a hard book to recommend, but a difficult book to ignore.

If You Like YA Fiction, Check Out My Newest Review for BlogHer

You can read my latest review for the Young Adult fiction novel What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen, here!

Win! Win! Win!

Hey, guess what? Now you can have a chance to win a copy of A Jane Austen Education AND Jane Austen: The Complete Novels which I reviewed last month! BlogHer will pick five lucky winners on June 24 at 3 pm PT.
To enter, comment on this post on BlogHer. Enter as many times as you want.

"Getting to Happy" BlogHer Book Review

My newest book review for BlogHer is up. Check it out, here! (And I loves me some comments, so please do!)

A Jane Austen Education

Hey! Guess what? My latest review on the book A Jane Austen Education, by William Deresiewicz just went live over at BlogHer Book Club!

CHECK IT OUT HERE!

Girl in Translation, BlogHer Book Review

If you are in search of a new book to read, check out Jean Kwok's Girl in Translation. You can check out my review here.

Whirlygigs

Our weeks seem to be flying by and us a quartet of whilring dervishes! I can barely catch my breath between all the appointments and meetings and projects and picnics and playdates!

It's awesome!

I LOVE being busy. Sure, there are some nights when I get a little stressed because it seems that my to-do list is growing each day instead of shrinking, but I like being active. I like having things to do. This weekend was no different. We had things going from the moment we woke up until we crashed in bed both nights. We found ourselves out with the kids hiking and/or at the park before nine a.m. on both Saturday AND Sunday! One of my most favorite things about this is that Georgia is walking to the park with us, hand-in-hand, ALL THE WAY TO THE PARK AND BACK!

We hiked together without a stroller as a foursome for the FIRST TIME EVER on Saturday morning. Not far, and not difficult terrain, of course, but under a bough of trees, along a stream. The kids stoppednow and again to point out lichen and spray-paint markers on the trees. Holding Georgia's hand and walking along with her still gives me a little chill. Her bird-like little hand clasped in mine is stimply marvelous!

Besides that we have been spending a lot of time in the yard. Alex decided Mother's Day weekend was FINALLY the time to go ahead and get the shed I have been asking for for three years and the kids were so kind as to both nap this afternoon so that the two of us could put it together. I. LOVE. IT! No longer will my yard be a giant heap of STUFF STUFF STUFF! It's not huge (though nor it our yard), but it is perfect for us! Thanks, Alex!

Who is this crazy happy lady?

I swear, I just might put a sign on the danged thing that says "Tricia's Happy Place." You might just find me in there reading a book and hiding from the kids! (I kid.)

Also, for Mother's Day? Alex gave me something EVERY woman longs for. SIXTEEN CARATS.

Womp. Womp.

Actually, would you believe me if I told you THESE carrots made me happier than most carats likely would? Okay, okay, I can get a lot of carrots with sixteen carats, so I am not going to turn them down if you got them for me, but.....these carrots (and radishes) sure did make me smile!

There seems to be a growing tend of craved food stuffs on Mother's Day. A couple years ago, Alex roasted potatoes that spelled out "We love you, Mom." These veggies say, "Boo, Happy Mother's Day. We Love Mom."

I was WONDERING what he was doing in the cellar for so long last night!

I hope all you mamas out there had a lovely little weekend.

Oh! And stay tuned to the ol' blog. I have joined up with BlogHer to review some books as part of the new  BlogHer Book Club  and tomorrow you will find a link to my new review on the book Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok.

For the Record

The book Be Good To Eddie Lee has some nice illustrations, but the text which condescends, calls Eddie who is a boy with DS, a dummy, funny-looking, and "God's mistake" is positively VILE. It doesn't mean to be. I think the author thought she was doing us a favor or something. But she's way off.

The review on the book cover says "A book that can lead children away from harmful stereotypes and labels." I clearly was not reading the same book.