Faery Tales and Life update

Hi all!  I am sitting here tonight watching the 40th anniversary episode of Saturday Night Live.  It is hard to believe that this show has been on for this long.  I am just amazed at the stars that have appeared, acted and got their start on this show.  

We have freezing rain falling right now and expected to get about 4 inches of snow tomorrow.  For our area, this a major snowstorm.  I think I might even get a snow day tomorrow.  I am so excited!!!

I was playing on Pinterest one day and I saw this really interesting pin about 5 year journaling.  I went over to Get it Scrapped Blog  where she went into detail.  A five year journal is, just as it sounds, a journal you keep for five years. You write just one line every day, one minute of  your time – that’s all it takes. The fun part is that you record your one daily line in the same spot for five years, so where you chose to write your January 1, 2012 line is the same place you write your January 1, 2016 line.  This means that each year you get to see what you wrote the previous year(s).  

I thought it sounded like a great idea, so I went to Walmart and bought me a really cute little Journal and started back in January.  I actually started this Feb. 2 so I just had to back track for a month.

Stitching Update:

I am still working on Faery Tales and another Princess has appeared.  As you can see, Rapunzel has made her appearance.  I also finished another page...which means I have 32 pages to go.

 Two of the three princesses!

I ordered a candle from a friend of mine who was having a fund raiser for her son.  I decided on Cinnamon because it just smells yummy.   I waited and waited for it to burn down so I could get my piece of jewelry that was in that candle....

Look at my pretty ring!!!  In case you are wondering how this works:  You pick your scent and see what options you have:  Earrings, rings, or necklace.  If you want to order one...here is where I ordered it:  Candle Web Site

DH asked me what I wanted to Valentines day and I said just a bag of chocolate candy.  I woke up on Valentines day and he had cleaned my kitchen,  bought me the beautiful bouquet and 2 bags of chocolates.  I am so spoiled!  

Faery Tales update

Have you ever had one of those weeks when it seemed like it would never be over?   This was a rough week for me.  My para in my classroom (my right hand who keeps me organized and on task) mother had a stroke the previous weekend and she was out with her mom Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.  Which she did get a sub but that sub was no help. It was like having another student in the room. Then, this new teacher who I have been helping got extremely sick and had to go home in the middle of the day plus be out for 2 other days....which meant I had to prep lessons for her classes.  I had some backups for my days when I get sick so I just used those.  Not to mention that I was trying to get ready for my classroom observation which is tomorrow....on Monday....good times.

We also had to stay and help register all the incoming 9th graders for next year which meant 2 nights of staying until 7 pm.  Needless to say I was a little stressed this week!

I went to the library on Saturday and straight home!  I am happy to say that I didn't leave my house for the rest of the weekend.  I was so tired!!

Stitching update: This is Faery tales last weekend when I moved the q-snaps.  As you can see, I finished Beasts castle, and started the top of Rapunzel's tower.  

This was this weeks progress....Snow White has made an appearance and Rapunzel's tower has a little more detail.  My goal this week is to finish this page.  

Reading update:

I did finish 4 books this week and I will be writing a review on 3 of them at a later date.  However, there is one that I am appalled to say I read it....it was horrible.  The ending made me want to Vomit!!!!    I will tell you the name but please DO NOT read this....you will vomit!!!

The book was called "How to bake a tart"  The blurb made it sound like it was a misunderstood chef with a crazy family.  I enjoyed it until the last chapter...then it made me vomit!  I can't say this enough.  

Next weekend is Valentines Weekend.  DH asked me if I wanted to do something special and I told him no.  The restaurants would be crowded so I think I am going to find a special recipe that makes him go WOW!!!!!   So any suggestions????   I did tell him we should have a small bottle of Champagne just for grins and giggles.  We are not drinkers...I think the last time I had a drink was during the summer on one of my vacations.  

The Forgotten Seamstress by Liz Trenow

This was an Audiobook I listened too.

Amazon Book Link


Book Blurb:
She Kept her secret for a lifetime.....

A shy girl with no family, Maria knows she 's lucky to have landed in the sewing room of the Royal household. Before World War I casts its shadow, she catches the eye of the Prince of Wales, a glamorous and intense gentleman. But her life takes a far darker turn, and soon all she has left is a fantastical story about her time at Buckingham palace.

Decades later, Caroline Meadows discovers a beautiful quilt in her mother's attic. When she can't figure out the meaning of the message embroidered into its lining she embarks on a quest to reveal its mystery, a puzzle that only seems to grow more important to her own heart. As Caroline pieces together the secret history of the quilt, she comes close and closer to the truth about Maria

page-turning and heartbreaking, The Forgotten Seamstress weaves together past and present in an unforgettable journey.

My Review:
Run to your library and get this book!!!!   I loved that I listened to it instead of "reading" it the traditional way.   This book is just amazing!!!  The story of Maria will break your heart and you just want to make it better for her.  

Maria was a seamstress to the queen however, she found herself being committed to a "hospital" for the majority of her life.  It while she is in the "hospital" that she meets a young lady working on her Ph.D in the mental health field.  She gets Maria to talk about her life and why she was there.  Her story is amazing!  She talks about her quilt she made for her family and the description of this quilt is a breathtaking....I want to see it!!!

This book is one that goes from the past then back to the present in each chapter.  I cannot say how much you should read this!!!!

Wedding Beat by Devan Sipher

This was an Audiobook I listened too...

Amazon Book Link

Book Blurb:
Sometimes the Best Man is not even in the wedding Party.
Gavin Green is a hopeless romantic. He's also a professional one: He writes the wedding column for a Pulitzer Prize -winning newspaper, covering spectacular parties from coast to coast. But there's a thin line between being a hotshot reporter on assignment....and being a single guy alone on a Saturday night at someone else's wedding. 

Everything changes on New Year's when Gavin meets Melinda, a travel writer with an adventurous spirit. A moonlit stroll across a Manhattan rooftop seems to seal the deal. But she slips away.

Gavin crisscrosses new Your city to find her again, navigating stressed-out brides, gossip blogs, a budget-cutting boss and his daft but well-meaning parents. Along the way, he learns there's something worse than losing the woman of his dreams--having to write an article about her wedding.

My Review:
I am a true romantic!  I love Cinderella and believe in love at first sight.  I read this blurb and thought "Wow!!! this book is one I am going to love!! I can just tell!!" I couldn't been more wrong!

The book started out great!  I loved his parents, and his best friend Hope.  The characters were well developed.  However, Gavin got on my nerves!  This character whined about his lack of a woman in his life for 90% of this book.  I just couldn't tolerate it.  I really just wanted to reach in the book and so I could slap him and tell him to Man up!   I wanted to say some other things but those are not appropriate for me to write!!!   I did finish the book but it was a chore!

Shopaholic to the Stars by Sophia Kinsella

This was an Audiobook I listened too....

Amazon Book Link

Book Blurb
Sophia Kinsella returns to her beloved Shopaholic series with Becky Brandon(Bloomwood) newly arrived in Hollywood and starry eyed. She and her two-year-old daughter , Minnie have relocated to L.A. to join Becky's husband, Luke,  who is there to handle the PR to the famous actress, Sage Seymour. Becky can't wait to start living the A-List lifestyle, complete with her celebrity sightings, yoga retreats and shopping trips to Rodeo Drive. but she really hopes to become  personal stylist-Sage's personal stylist-if only Luck would set up an introduction. Then, unexpectedly, Becky is offered the chance to dress Sage's archival and though things become a bit more complicated, it's a dream come true!   Red carpet premieres, velvet ropes paparazzi clamoring for attention - suddenly Becky has everything she's ever wanted..or does she?  

My thoughts:
I have read every shopaholic book there has been printed and I have watched the movie that went wit the first book.  I love this character, her ever patient husband, her best friend Suze and her crazy parents.  Her daughter, Minnie, is a little bit trying at times but she is adorable.  I was so excited to find this on my library's audio book section.  I quickly put it on hold and was thrilled when it was ready to be checked out.

I liked this book but not as much as her others.  This one had Becky doing all sorts of crazy schemes with her family and her husband was usually in the dark.  However, I didn't enjoy this one as much as the others.  Becky was a little snotty in this book and very uncaring toward her friend, Suze, who had come to stay in L.A. with her.  Suze had brought her entire family and Becky seemed to be oblivious to what is going on with them.

This is a fun book but not as great as the others in the series.  I recommend this series though....it is hysterical. ☕☕☕