Halfway There....

Mid-Event Survey! 

1. What are you reading right now?

Still working on Tech-Wise Family and The Tea Planter's Wife but have not gotten far in either.... too much noise in the house today.  

2. How many books have you read so far?

None

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?

Just going to keep plugging away at the two in progress...

4. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?

All dang day but I figure I will read more once the weekend is over and the boys are all back to school and the house is quiet.... not so much today.  LOL

5. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?

I have done a lot of instagram pics....  that has been fun.  

Couple of links for fun...

All the Read-a-thon happenings can be found on the blog...  Check out the Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-thon link for more information and an hourly update.

Also check out the challenge going on over at Instagram from Amanda at Fig and Thistle Books Blog

There is also a Facebook page, a Twitter page and a GoodReads Group.

Hope you choose to join us somewhere along the way!

You can find me on mostly the blog and Instagram today.

End of Event Survey... Read-a-thon has ended... awe....

End of Event Survey

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?  I gave up and went to bed by hour 17 because I always sleep so I can get to church on time the next day but I was pretty tired at that point and my eyes were crossing.  LOL
2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?  I know everyone's tastes are different but I think shorter books are best for this challenge so you feel more accomplished and maybe something funny or an exciting mystery would be the thing to keep your brain engaged.  I tend to pick lighter reads for this event.  No Count of Monte Cristo for me!  
3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next season?  I think things are going swimmingly.... it is such a great 24 hours and I always love it.
4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?  The mini challenges were easy but fun and I loved floating around checking Instagram and Litsy this time out.... the photos were fabulous!
5. How many books did you read?  I finished one and had two more in progress but read a total of 300 pages for the day... even with knocking off at hour 17 and having to leave the house three times for taxi runs.
6. What were the names of the books you read?  You are Forgiven by the Love God Greatly Group, Howard's End is on the Landing by Susan Hill, and I Wish He Had Come with Instructions by Mike Bechtle.
7. Which book did you enjoy most?  I Wish He had come with Instructions
8. Which did you enjoy least?  I really enjoyed them all... 
9. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?  Maybe a cheerleader or bring a mini challenge or I might be able to come with a prize.  I will DEFINITELY be participating whenever my schedule allows!

The Halfway Mark Survey...

Mid-Event Survey

1. What are you reading right now?

Howard's End is on the Landing by Susan Hill

and this one, too... alternating

I Wish He Had Come With Instructions by Mike Bechtle

2. How many books have you read so far?

Finished one and have two more in progress.... I am working between the two after breaks.

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?

Staying with these two for the duration

4. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?

I am a mom.... there are always interruptions to drive a kid here and there or take a lunch or pick someone up but it has been a good day.

5. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?

No surprises.... I have done this a lot.

A Book and a Snack... RATMiniChallenge

Reading all day and stopping to enjoy a cup of pumpkin spice caffeine free tea in my cute little pumpkin mug.  The tea came from World Market and that is my cute little stainless steel teapot that I use all the time!  My mom bought it for me lots of years ago.  

Are you reading with me today?

Are you on FB, Twitter, Instagram, Litsy or blogging your experience?

Leave me a link and I will visit!

#RATbooksnack

LET THE READ-A-THON BEGIN!

Opening Meme:

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?

Reading from El Paso, Texas today

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?

My new book by Liz Johnson... Where Two Hearts Meet... Prince Edward's Island Dreams series... #2 in the series.

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?

Oh, there will be coffee and if I feel like it I have stuff to make gluten free donuts!

4) Tell us a little something about yourself!

Wife and mom of four.... two adult children, one teen and a preteen... I am a chef but don't work professionally as much as I used to due to health issues but I still cook a lot at home and I also love sewing, crochet, gardening... and reading, of course!

5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?

I have participated in many and my favorite times are like today.... where I have a quiet house with the boys all off to scout and band stuff and I get to stay home all day long and just read.  I don't always have this luxury but today just happened to be a day I could block out to just read.  

Check the website every hour for new challenges and winners... www.24hourreadathon.com

The October Dewey's Read-a-Thon is coming on Saturday

So, I thought I would take a moment to share my stack for Saturday.... two novels and three non-fiction books that I am working on right now.  Most of these are review books but one is a second in a series that I have already read the first book from so I am looking forward to reading it very much.

I know this is not a food post but I will be blogging a little extra on Saturday with the reading challenges so I am taking a break to share this and give you a link in case you wanted to join us.

Prayer 101 by Warren Wiersbe

I Wish He Had Come with Instructions by Mike Bechtle

What is Reformed Theology by R. C. Sproul

Where Two Hearts Meet by Liz Johnson

The Tea Planter's Wife by Dinah Jefferies

You can find out more about the read-a-thon at Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-Thon blog or on Facebook.  Feel free to join in the pre-event warm-ups, too.  :)  Let me know if you are doing this one if you would, please.  I would love to follow you as you read, too.

It's almost time for the October Readathon again!

The date has been set for October 22, 2016!

Are you reading?  

Are you cheerleading?

Are you participating in the challenges?

There is so much fun to be had and lots and lots of prizes to be won.

I hope you join us!

Learn more at www.24hourreadathon.com

Readathon TBR April 2016

Mostly working through the top three but the bottom three are just in case.

I actually bought Ruth Reichl's book today for 30% off at Barnes and Noble.  I had been waiting until I had coupons to get it.

Tomorrow will be a little insane with guys coming to replace two giant windows that are cracked on the back of our house and some running around of kids.  We also have tickets to the Harry Connick, Jr. concert for our family so there won't be as much reading as in years past but I will work some in as I have time.  I will be checking the reading website on and off, too.

Are you reading with us?

What are you reading?

April 2016 Dewey's Readathon is Saturday.... April 23

It is not too late to sign up so I am sharing here for those who want to join in...

Dewey's Readathon April 2016 Facebook Page

Dewey's Regular Update FB Page

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon Blog Page - you can go sign up and check out some of the warm ups to do before the event starts or during the event if you like.

Halfway Mark...

Time for a cuppa...

Working through another partially read book to finish for another book review 

(won't post it until tomorrow to avoid crazy review overload but I am loving this one).

The house is too quiet.... I need to "dance it out!"

I love this show!

I totally miss Cristina!

First Four Hour Summary...

Bible read - 1 complete hour of reading with 

breaks in between for the following

Laundry started

Breakfast and dishes done

Kids off to band competition and scout event

I am back to it now in hour 5.

Working on this right now...

there will be a review once I am done today.

Snackage for the day...

Big water coming up right now.

Are you reading with us today?

How are you doing???

And So It Begins... October 2015 Dewey's Read-a-thon

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?

Reading from the desert Southwest of the United States... El Paso, Texas

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?

I didn't really make a "stack" this year but rather plan to finish up a few loose ends with unfinished books.  I am just looking forward to finishing one or maybe two today.  

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?

I bought some Builder's Tea and I have some trail mixes instead of candy for snacking this time around.

4) Tell us a little something about yourself!

I am the wife of one man for 26 years and the mother of four children.

Autumn is my favorite.

I am a non-fiction book junkie.

I collect random bookmarks (still have a few from my time in middle school) and make my own from time to time.

I am never without a book... ever!

5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?

I volunteered last time and enjoyed it but read very little from my book stack so I am taking this one off to just read all day with no commitments to visit blogs and check in every hour.  More reading... that is what I am looking forward to.  :)


Check out more reading fun at the official site...

Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-Thon

Halfway There...

and my computer turned on!

Outside of taking a few days to work the rice out of the keyboard it seems all is right.  

Thank you, Jesus!

...and thank you ALL for praying!!!

So, now we move on to the halfway mark in the read-a-thon with a survey.

Mid-Event Survey:

1. What are you reading right now?

I have been off task a lot more today because I volunteered to be a cheerleader and that took a lot of my morning but I have been reading on 

Crazy Love by Francis Chan 

and now I am picking up A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry for the evening.  

2. How many books have you read so far?

Just working on two and reading a lot of blogs.

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?

Finishing anything at this point would make me happy.  LOL

4. Have you had many interruptions? 

Yes.... a lot...

How did you deal with those?

Deal and move forward when the next available opportunity comes

5. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?

No real surprises.

A Treasure Hunt Challenge

We had to find a book cover for each for this challenge....

with a weapon

snow... lots of snow

a tree

Here is what I found...

A Literary Quote

I try to read A Christmas Carol every year.... this is one of my favorite quotes from that book.

Laughter truly is the best medicine!

Join the fun and see what others are sharing as their favorites.

Spring Read-a-thon Underway

Borrowing Em's computer some today while she is studying for her History AP exam this weekend.  She is a generous daughter!  I am grateful.

Here we gooooooo.....

Opening Meme:

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?

Reading and blogging from El Paso, TX today... the desert southwest

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?

I will be trying to finish up some already started books today so I am reading some from my nook and some from my stacks but the one I have been wanting to start for a long time and have not is Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?

My favorite coffee - Community Coffee Pecan Praline flavor and I bought a bottle of Ginger Kombucha for later in the day.

4) Tell us a little something about yourself!

I am a wife and mother of four kiddos (ages 10 to 21)  I bake, sew, crochet, clean house, cook meals and read.  Nothing earth shattering about my life.  LOL

5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?

I have been doing the read-a-thon for several years now and I think I am finally getting my routine down.  I would certainly read more than I did last time.  I played a lot  and had a busy day last time but I cleared my schedule this year and will be plugged into the day here a lot more this year.  

Check out more readers at the Read-a-Thon official page

Preparing for the Read-a-Thon...

This is a very fast and thorough video guide to prepare for the coming Dewey's Read-a-Thon.  You might enjoy checking out some more of her videos when you have time... she is very "newsy" and cute.  LOL  There is a plethora of Booktubers over on Youtube for your enjoyment, too.

Dewey's Read-a-Thon - Spring 2015

It is almost here.... 

As a matter of fact, it has already begun in a manner of speaking!

The official date is next Saturday April 25, 2015 but the warm ups have begun over on the website.

Check out the posts so far here

You can also check out the fun on FACEBOOK, GOODREADS, and TWITTER to catch all the excitement and buzz this week in preparation.

24 hours of reading and blogging about reading and cheering and encouraging and lots and lots of fun challenges are on their way for next Saturday.

Choose a book or two or ten...

Get your food and snacks and coffee and/or tea ready...

Get a good night's sleep Friday night and be ready to READ, READ, READ next Saturday.

I hope you will join us!

Hope to see you there...

If you are joining in the fun would you please let me know in the comments below with a link to your blog so I can visit you to see what you are reading and if you are doing any of those fun challenges?  

LET'S READ TOGETHER!!!

Closing it out...

I have church tomorrow... and when you are the pastor's wife you have to be awake.  It is not appropriate for me to sleep through my husband's sermons.  LOL  So, I have read several chapters in several books today... done  a lot of challenges... eaten some snacks and meals and had some coffee and a plethora of water.  I did not break any reading records today and to this point I have not won anything but I will check again in the morning.  It is bedtime for me now...

It was enjoyable and I will be looking forward to April 2015 and going again.

Blessings and happy reading to those still going!