30 Day Song Challenge: Day Twenty-four

Day Twenty-Four: A Song that you want to play at your funeral

          What a morbid thought! So, I'm not going to dwell on it very long, and I'm definitely not going to make a playlist! But, here are two songs that I'd want played at my funeral "Victory in Jesus", as I taught myself how to play this on the organ and I've loved this song my whole life and it would be sooooo true, and To Where You Are by Josh Groban...powerful song about love and dying and faith. And, just incase you were wondering, yes I did watch Josh Groban perform it on the Ally McBeal episode where Billy dies and, yes, just incase you were wondering I did cry like I'd lost my first and only love...it was that unexpected and powerful. No I am not ashamed of that fact!

Feel free to join in by commenting below (I really do love comments, on fb or here), or doing this challenge on your own blog.

The 30 Day Song Challenge

Day 01 – Your favorite song

Day 02 -- Your least favorite song

Day 03 -- A song that makes you happy

Day 04 -- A song that makes you sad

Day 06 -- A song that reminds you of someone

Day 06 -- A song that reminds you of somewhere

Day 07 -- A song that reminds you of a certain event
Day 08 -- A song that you know all the words to
Day 09 -- A song that you can dance to

Day 10 – A song that makes you fall asleep
Day 11 – A song from your favorite band
Day 12 – A song from a band you hate
Day 13 – A song that is a guilty pleasure
Day 14 – A song that no one would expect you to love

Day 15 --A song that describes you

Day 16 --A song that you used to love but now hate
Day 17 --A song that you hear often on the radio
Day 18 --A song that you wish you heard on the radio
Day 19 --A song from your favorite album
Day 20 --A song that you listen to when you're angry
Day 21 -- A song that you listen to when you're happy
Day 22 -- A song that you listen to when you're sad
Day 23 -- A song that you want to play at your wedding

Day 24 – A song that you want to play at your funeral

Day 25 – A song that makes you laugh

Day 26 – A song that you can play on an instrument

Day 27 – A song that you wish you could play

Day 28 – A song that makes you feel guilty

Day 29 – A song from your childhood

Day 30 – Your favorite song at this time last year

Work of the Week: Epoch and Weekly 100 Words

Here are my 100 words from The Heart of the Spring by Laura Valenti p79:

     "'...I should have been more sympathetic, but nobody can gum up the works on something like this faster than a bunch of men, I swear!'
     'Miz Josie," Becky giggled.'
     'Well, it's true. They talk and they talk and they talk. Truth be told, they can talk an issue to death in the time it takes a woman to get the job done, whatever it might be. Good thing our children don't have to depend on their fathers to feed them, put them to bed and change their britches. All that talk won't help a lick with...'"

This meme is hosted by Ruthi at Ruthi Reads!  The object is simple:  share exactly 100 words from the book you are currently reading, and no spoilers!  Be sure to include your book's title, author, and page number in your post.  Head over to Ruthi's site and add your link to your book!  Happy Reading!

50 Books in a Year: Book #26 The Heart of the Spring

          One of the coolest things about having a blog is getting to talk with authors about their books.
          Last week, my friend, Kate, and I received a rather cryptic email from a lady that we both know from church way back named Laura Valenti, she wanted to have lunch with us to talk to us about something that she hoped would benefit us (yes, it was that cryptic). Kate and I decided that we would go to the lunch together just incase she wanted us to sell Amway (no offense to those of you out there who sell or buy Amway). We met her for lunch at the Three French Hens and their Chicks, a not new, but new location, delightful restaurant and whatnot store of various and sundry things. I'd like to take a moment to talk about the food I had at this restaurant  only because I love food, especially flavorful combinations. I had the chicken salad which was good because they made it how I like it with nuts and grapes and celery on a croissant and then I had the half Maple Pear Salad...butter lettuce and some other dark lettuce with feta cheese, pears, pecans, Craisins and a maple syrup vinigrette (seriously amazing), to drink iced Jasmine tea, and for dessert coconut cream pie and a bite of Laura's burnt sugar pie. Sigh. If you are from the area and have not been to this restaurant, go now and while you are there check out the antique store, Apple Days and the wonderful booth of do-dads for kiddos including hair bows, my weakness.
          While we ate our lovely meals, Laura didn't waste time telling us about what she wanted. She'd been to a Writer's Workshop and wanted us to preview her latest book The Heart of the Spring to see if and how we could use it in our classes. And, while we were having a lovely conversation about family and teaching and summer, she gave us each a free copy of the book.

From the back cover:

Eighteen year old Becky Darling is thrilled with her first job at the Brice Inn in 1924, especially when she learns that Bennett Spring may become Missouri's first state park. It sounds like real progress until she discovers her beloved father is working hard against the idea. Life during that Prohibition summer is further complicated by her older brother's involvement in illegal moonshine, the impending birth of a new brother or sister and the surprise arrival of a state senator and his handsome aide. Becky can't help but wonder if life at Bennett Spring will ever be carefree again?

I look forward to reading this book because it is historical (Valenti did all of her own research by the way) and for young adults, young adults who, nowadays, don't care enough to know anything about the area in which they live.
          I asked her if I could talk about it on my blog and also if I could interview her later (which I hope to do later this week), right now I'm excited about reading a book detailing this area of Missouri and I am reading all about Becky and her family who 90 years ago lived just down the way in the land of trout and bass fishing.
          I am amazed at how many wonderfully talented writers there are in the state of Missouri and am looking forward to reading this book that Ellen Gray Massey said is about "fishing, moonshining, distrust of outsiders, beauty of nature, importance of family and a romance."

Oh, and if you want to know more about Laura Valenti before I post the interview, she has a website and started a blog in January all of which can be found at: www.betweenthestarandthecross.com

The last week in a nutshell

One] Home Town Nazareth Where Jesus Was A Kid was the theme for Vacation Bible School. My friend Kate and I had a lot of fun hanging out with a bunch of 3rd and 4th graders. It's nice because they're about 1/2 our height, they are intimated by us just because, they laugh at our corny jokes and love playing outside and learning about Jesus as a kiddo. Dinner with them was loads of fun and getting to know them was even more fun.

Two] Last night we hung out at La Mexican Kitchen, not my favorite restaurant in the world even if they do have margaritas for a $1.50. Kay was smart enough to reserve their banquet room and we just ate and let the kiddos run wild. Up there I'm reading "Sally the Seahorse" to Miss Lila.

Three] Summer School started and, as usual, it's been rewarding but tiring (never do VBS, have an almost 2 year old and start Summer School all in the same week, boy, oh boy!). The students know that summer is their last chance to get credit and they are always so fun to talk to and teach. Summer school always revives me and after the year I've had it's nice to hang out with them in shorts, in air conditioning, without worrying about test scores, without contact from 'helicopter parents' and administrators lurking about handing out demerits.

Four] I found an awesome blog on Wordpress (and started following it...yes, I've a Wordpress blog, no it is not active)...seriously, read it now you will not be disappointed. Anyway, it's called Rosiesays and is about everything wonderful and feminine and feminist and on point and irreverent. It is my new obsession!

Six Word Saturday #8

My life in six words
Kid Friendly Programming all.day. long.

Want to play along? All that's necessary to participate is to describe your life (or something) in a phrase using just six words. For more information, try clicking here. Feel free to explain or not explain. Add an image, a video, a song, nothing. The full list and linky can be found here. And, here's where I found it.

Summer, Summer, Summertime...

Ever since my first year of teaching I've had this ritual...teach Summer School, blow said Summer School cash on traveling the rest of the summer. While my taste have changed (ie. I no longer stay in hostels on the cheap), my passion for traveling has not. I even take the tiny tot and occasionally the husband (he hates traveling...he says he doesn't, but he does) along.

Some highlights

Chicago

Cubs game

Art Institute
Architecture Walking
Food, food, food!!!
Frontera Grill

Estes Park and Denver, Colorado
Hiking in the mountains
Hanging with friends
Eating, eating, eating
Playing with the kiddo

Washington DC
My sister wants us to visit a Colonial town nearby...should be fun!
More delicious food and eating
Hopefully another visit to Frederick
BBQ party

St. Louis
NKOTBSB concert
U2 concert
Visiting and hanging with friends
Of course, eating...lots of eating...

What are your Summer plans?

Booking Through Thursday (Own or Borrow)

From Booking Through Thursday:

All things being equal (money, space, etc), would you rather own copies of the books you read? Or borrow them?

           Own, own, own, own, own...I can't imagine any passionate reader wouldn't want to have the books that he/she holds dear near at all times. Frankly, I would love just to go to the bookstore and touch the books I want and then have them magically appear on my bookshelves (kind of like clicking on books in the Nook) at home or at school in the proper place on the shelf. Ah, to dream.

Check out my Read Shelf on Goodreads!