The Price of Love is Grief

Those aren't my words. I'm copying something one of my family members quoted. Just as you are trying to settle into your rut, some earthquake comes along and cuts a whole new path. I only thought life was returning to normal.

I try to keep my blog upbeat, but this has been a really tough couple of weeks. On Saturday, my Grandaddy went to be with God and my father (his only son). It is so hard to lose someone you care about. He was a wonderful man. We visited with him three or four times a week. The boys are heartbroken. Now, we have to find a new "normal."

Since I have finally moved (although the old house isn't sold and the boxes aren't unpacked) and I have this funeral behind me, I no longer have any excuses for not blogging, reading, and writing. I am trying to ease back into everything. The funeral was yesterday and I spent today reclaiming my house. If you turn you head for just a second, chaos will take right over.

My oldest son is at camp this week from 9:00 to 4:00(except for yesterday), so I don't have to worry about home schooling him right now. I have to check, but I think he has camp next week too. He is having a great time learning about the solar system, but he can't tell me what yet. I have to wait for the play on Friday. I am looking forward to it. We have swim team and martial arts in the evenings, so he keeps us busy. The younger one is only two. We haven't put him in stuff yet.

I am looking toward a productive full week (I hope). I have three books on my bed stand, a new classroom to organize, a pile of laundry that grows each time I look at it, and a story with a first line sitting on my computer. In a few days I will let you know how all of it goes.

Thanks for reading. Leave a comment and let me know what books you are reading, what you are writing, what fun summer activities you have planned, and what has turned your plans on their head.

Returning to Life as Normal

We have moved. The old house still isn't on the market and the new house is still boxed up, but we are moved. So life is beginning to return to normal, at least as normal as things ever are around here.

I have been able to start reading again. I LOVED Being Nikki by Meg Cabot. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson was good, but heavy. Then, I read The Noah Confessions by Barbra Hall. I haven't decided how I feel about it yet. Maybe I didn't get it or maybe the main character's attitude toward the south elicited an unconscious negative response. Now, I have moved to Coraline by Neil Gaiman.

As far as homeschooling goes, my son is on a field trip with a home school group and my mother in NY, NY. He is getting to see sites I only dream of. One day I'd like to take the whole family and visit Broadway, The Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Grand Central Station, The Natural History Museum and some of the other places he is now.

I have several ideas for my writing, but nothing is hopping onto the paper yet. I want to write a sequel to my chapter book, but hate to start when the first one hasn't been accepted yet. I need to get something done soon. My critique group meets Tuesday.

The rest of my day is full of laundry, dishes, meals, and unpacking. Now who packed these boxes? I grab one full of books and put them on the shelf. There is a box of sweaters and one of dishes. Then, I find a box with two dirty shirts, a couple of magazines, the missing telephone, a shoe (note, one not two), and bag of skittles. I can only guess what happened there.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday weekend. What books have you found recently? Are you writing? If you home school, what are your summer plans?

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson isn't a "fun" read, but it is a well written book examining a hard issue. Anderson is known for her talent tackling the tough issues.


Lia captures the reader's heart from the first chapter. Anderson also starts her story with a bang. Lia's best friend is dead and Lia thinks it is her fault. We struggle through Lia's pain right there with her. Each chapter brings us farther into her mind and exposes a little more of the complexity of her life.


Teenagers are faced with societal norms they have no way of living up to. Those standards paired with the normal changes that go on in a teen's/preteen's body cause confusion and often self-doubt. Many girls turn to eating disorders as a way to stay in control of their lives and feel better about themselves. Anderson tries to follow Lia through this pain and help other girls see that there is a way out.


I enjoyed this book. It was a little difficult to stay with the present tense, but the first person was perfect. Anderson researched eating disorders, and it is obvious in the story. This is a good book for people in search of hope, but as with Speak, it is anything but a light read.


View all my reviews.

The Move is Over

Hooray! We have just completed, more or less, the longest across town move in history. Perhaps I should call The Guinness Book of World Records and see if we can get in. Our furniture and "stuff" is now in our new house, somewhere. I suppose after another week or so it won't take an hour to find my clothes, and I hope the book my son is supposed to be reading for school turns up soon. I wonder if it was misplaced intentionally.

But, more importantly, it is time to return to life. Back to reading, writing, submitting, home schooling, blogging, and maybe even sleeping if I am lucky.

The only book I took the time to read during our move was Meg Cabot's Being Nikki. It was incredible. I highly recommend anyone who hasn't read it yet running out to the store and getting Airhead and Being Nikki. In Airhead, Em's(normal, smart high school student) brain is transplanted into Nikki's(supermodel, high school dropout) body, and Em is forced to live Nikki's life. As more and more complications arise from work to school to boys, this novel deepens and takes on issues beyond the imagination. Cabot explores the evils of huge corporations while capturing readers hearts through Em. Teenagers (and sometimes adults) dream of living some else's life. We never realize the issues other people face. The only complaint I have about this book is the next one won't be out for a whole year!

I have also picked back up with my submissions. Right now, I have several chapter books out and I am starting on a YA. I haven't heard yet, but I will let you know when I do.

As far home schooling, my son is almost finished for the year. I picked up a copy of the Summer Bridge workbook so he won't slip back while we take a break. As soon as I find the missing history book, we are going to finish up this year. It is time to turn in the end-of-year paper work and get ready for next year.

I have made a few necklaces amidst the wreckage of our move. I used them for mother's day gifts. I have learned so much since I started. Just this week I learned about wire protectors and crimp covers.

So, has anyone else had a productive week? What are you reading? What have you been writing? Let me know.

Moving is Bad for Your Nails

And you legs, feet, arms, back, and sanity. It even causes writer's block especially when you can't find a pen. We are in the new house now, and I have my Internet back, but the old house is still not empty. This weekend, we are taking a break. The kids are about to kill me.

I hope everyone is healthy and well. The swine flu outbreak is causing much concern. If you want the facts from the CDC, check them out here:




On a happier note, the second book in Meg Cabot's Airhead series is coming out very soon. I'll be heading to the book store in a few days :)

Preparing to Move

My weekend was a bit more eventful than I prefer. I would have posted on it sooner, but the beginning of the week was also too eventful.

Saturday was wonderful. The weather couldn't have been nicer. The kids played in the yard at our new house while I worked in the front flower bed (or lack thereof) and my hubby worked on the play set in the back. I spread 16 bags of mulch. I think I am half done. I saw more rolly-polys than I have since I was twelve and bigger worms than I have seen in my entire life. I also found some things stuffed into the bushes that seemed a little odd. I expected the three years of leaves, but the Tupperware, socks, and ice cream wrappers were surprising. Still, I enjoyed making the yard look nicer and accomplishing something. The contractor STILL hasn't finished the carpet, so we still can't clean the inside of the house.

However, late Saturday life took a turn for the worse and spiraled down from there. First, my husband got sawdust in his eye. I guess it was a little like having a splinter in your eye. Sunday morning instead of going to church, we went to the ER to get him fixed up. Sunday afternoon, I was informed I couldn't put plants out yet, so I just continued to work on weeding and spreading mulch. Out of nowhere, my oldest son (first grade) wanted to know the TRUTH about the Easter Bunny, which resulted in an afternoon of tears.

Monday, I had the worst headache I have ever had in my entire life. I worked in the dark until I couldn't stand and then my sweet, wonderful hubby took care of me while I vomited and writhed in pain all night long. Tuesday he took my to a chiropractor who said my neck was all out of whack and fixed my head.

We are finally back on track. The weather looks nice for most of the week. My husband thinks the play set will be finished today. (If you are wondering why this play set is taking so long, it came in four 200-300 hundred pound boxes. None of the pieces were preattached. The directions have 106 steps, some of which are wrong. About five boards were missing, and we have had more rain this month than in the past seven years.) With any luck, we'll move next week.

I hope everyone is doing well. What spring projects do have? How are they coming?

What a Week

I prefer to be positive in my blog. Really, I prefer to be positive in life. But this week has made it difficult to be positive.

We all went to the doctor and got drugs to make us better. We still aren't well. My youngest is coughing and my sinuses aren't clear. At least, we are better than last week. I really hope spring knocks this illness out.

We are trying to put up a play setat our new house. But it keeps raining. Of course, we do need the rain. I hope this means our drought is almost over.

I want to bead and my oldest son needs to finish this school year, but too much of our stuff is packed. I guess it isn't that huge a deal. He is way ahead and we started back in June, but I would like to get back to some routine.

I came downstairs and found our cat playing with a snake yesterday. At least it wasn't dangerous. Still, I'd like it to stay outside.

I am getting entirely too many rejection letters. At least I am submitting.

Finally, we have been waiting four weeks for this silly contractor to install our carpet so we can move. He is finally working on it. I am ready to move. NOW!

I suppose life isn't really too bad, but it has been an annoying week. How is everyone else doing? I hope your week is going well.