Sunday, Dec 21, 2008

The Sunday Salon: Ho Ho Ho

Like last week, I have this nagging feeling that I’m not meeting my own expectations.  I need to pray on that because maybe I need to spend more time getting used to the “new me.”  Sounds funky, I know.  But, a year ago I was FULL THROTTLE on everything and now I’m trying to stay motivated to even get going!  Wierd, I tell ya!  I guess you just never finish growing and changing and this was my year of great change.  Anyhow, as we wrap up the year and face the new one, I have a few Christmas wishes… and God knows each and every one of them… I have many New Year’s Resolutions and hopefully I’ll achieve them all.  Here’s my week’s wrap-up (and, thanks for reading them!):

The Sunday Salon: Week in Review AND Up n’ Coming Events…

I read and reviewed Starting from Scratch When You’re Single Again by Sharon Knudson and Mary Fran Heitzman as well as Dating Da Vinci by Malena Lott.  I am currently reading Gods Behaving Badly which is just a juicy, “oh so much fun” read.  You got to have one of those every now and them.  I really wanted to read and review this book, so when it arrived it mysteriously made its way to the top of my pile.  Hmmm….. I wonder how that happened.  But, I’m nearly 1/2 way done and I’ll be back to my TBR pile by Monday, definitely!  I want to read Life of Pi and Breathing Out the Ghost next week.

In my mailbox for review…

• Recovering Charles, A Novel  by Jason F. Wright
• The Makedown  by Gitty Daneshvari
• Five Things I Can’t Live Without  by Holly Shumas
• Love and Other Natural Disasters by Holly Shumas
• Holly’s Inbox  by Holly Denham (lots of Hollys here)
• Fire Me  by Libby Malin

Not in my mailbox, but ended up on my desk… 

• Nearlyweds by Beth Kendrick
• Hypocrite in a Pouffy White Dress by Susan Jane Gilman
• The Rapture of Canaan by Sheri Reynolds

Has anybody read any of these?

What I bought for myself with my birthday gift certificate at Barnes & Noble….

• The Bible Illuminated:  The New Testament (I’ve been dying to pick this one up and now I got it)

What I bought for the twins at Barnes & Noble…

• Two Brand New “For Teen Girls” Bibles for the twins… they are BEAUTIFUL… and they are part of their Christmas presents.  They address so many current topics and are written in script that is very understandable to them.  I loved the part where it focuses on obeying and honoring your parents!  AHA!

As for my contests & challenges…

I had to write my wrap-up post for Fall Into Reading Challenge 2008.  I didn’t finish 3 books and I hoped that I would.  Well, maybe I’ll make the next two challenges.  And, I just have to say… I have no idea how Alyce at At Home With Books read that many books!  Holy cow, Alyce!  You are a reading MACHINE!

At home…

The BookCharmers and ChainCharmers are still doing really well.  I wanted to thank everybody who showed my family support by purchasing some!  It means so much to us.  We’re working on finishing up all of our state paperwork and we’re going to start marketing to retail stores… pretty cool, huh? 

I still haven’t started my new job…. hopefully soon!

We cleaned house on Friday.  What a nightmare that was!  But, it’s done and all we have left is closets and laundry between now and Christmas.  If the girls are good, I’ll take them to see Twilight.   We’re going to my brother’s house this year on Christmas Eve.  I’ve ALWAYS had it at my place so this will be a nice change of scenery.  We are having a cook-off and my brother, sister-in-law, and I will each cook something.  The kids are the judges.  I’m still pondering my recipe.  Last year I did a Thai Shrimp Curry dish and a Cajun creamed spinach… and, massively stuffed portabello mushrooms.  Did I mention that it can be any type of food, not just traditional holiday food?  Anyway, I don’t have anything jumping out at me… so, if you have a killer recipe… PLEASE email me so that I can blow the pants off of my brother the chef!

Contests….

Deslily on this week’s Thursday’s Thoughts and elected to get a book from Amazon.com.  Thank you, everybody, for your entries.  They were GREAT!  This week there are no contests at Thursday’s Thoughts due to Christmas.  However, return on December 28th for the year-end Thursday’s Thoughts… Your New Year’s Resolution (I mean, what else could I do…???… had to do it!)

Holiday Cheer…

This week’s Holiday Cheer was my absolute FAVORITE lip treatment, fragrance, and facial cleanser by FRESH.  Once, my brother used the cleanser in my shower and he said that it was like washing his face with a salad.  Guys!  I swear, I don’t get them!  Anyway, the final holiday cheer (tomorrow) will be my favorite books of the year.

 Thanks, as always, to all of you out there in “cyberland” who read my rantings… it always means so much!

Have a great week, Saloners!

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