Unofficial start to summer reads!

If you're looking for a good distraction or just a good unofficial start to summer read, here are a few authors and books you may want to check out:

Colleen Hoover recently released This Girl, her third of the Slammed series - 'butterflying' love it!

Jimmy Connors released a memoir last week - although the guy was a little too busy winning matches to autograph a tennis ball for me at an ATP tourney decades ago, I think I'm over it...his candid approach to this memoir could make a really interesting read. 

Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg have a new one called The Heist out June 18.

Tammara Webber rolls out Between the Lines #4 Here Without You this summer. 

Sue Grafton is nearing Z in her Kinsey Millhone alphabet-titled series. W is for Wasted pubs late summer, but there are 22 other alphabet mysteries you can read until then.

There is plenty more to come! Check back for special announcements and my Summer Reads series—including cool adult and children's books.

Post what's on your bookshelf in the comments, or share with me on Goodreads. :)

Let me entertain you...

I'm so excited! And it's not just because we've had three or more straight days of sunshine here. I'm super excited for several reasons. 

1. Hubs and I went out on a date. A real date! We went to see Joe Bonamassa, possibly the best concert we've ever seen. He's incredibly talented. With the exception of our lousy colds, we had a blast! We walked together, went to Hockeytown Cafe and had drinks, like real adults sometimes do, and saw a truly great show. What a night! Thank you, mom! We couldn't have done it without your help. Thanks to Debbie for keeping me from hyperventilating. :) Especially, thanks to my dear husband. It was a glorious night with you! Best. Concert. EVA! 

Other stuff I'm excited about:
2. Have you been outside? It's finally warming up! 

3. While our tulips are stemmy nubs, our rabbits have grown fat and happy. At least someone got to enjoy them. It's pretty cute watching them hop around the yard and skitter when we pull in the driveway, like they've been doing something they shouldn't have.  

4. Getting to see my mom before Mother's Day. 

5. Mother's Day - don't forget mama this week!


SYOAS - See you online again soon!

Hoppy Spring: 12 things to enjoy this weekend

Enjoying the weekend yet? It's a long one for us, so I found a little time to write this post. Plus, college basketball is on and we're up cheering for our teams to advance to the Elite 8, to win the championship really, but we're getting closer one round at a time. But, I digress.

The point is we're taking a collective breath after a number of action-packed and work-filled weeks. Today, I told my hubby, actually felt like the weekends we used to know. I mean, these days, weekends are as full of work as weekdays - all the work blending together. Work at work, work at home, drive, write, meet, teach, care for, cook, clean, play, pay bills, strive, learn, love, so many important things fill our days and nights. Maybe it's because we have kids, but it feels like we're running non-stop, and it is good, we just need a little downtime. Doesn't everyone?

Here's to long weekends. We'll be trying to slow things down and enjoy some special moments. Maybe these will help inspire you to enjoy a few of your own favorite things. 

1. Family gatherings, big and small
2. Spring
3. Celebrations
4. Sunday clothes, or comfy ones
5. Family meals
6. Kids
7. Flowers, even if you just see them at the store
8. Breezy days
9. Sunshine
10. Singing
11. Low-tech fun
12. Enjoying a little downtime 

Baskets, grass on the outside
by K. Gibson

It’s Baaack!

We brought the Porsche home from a warm winter slumber. The kids were as excited as we were to get it back. Let me just say, Thomas the Train has got nothing on this car. Our little guy can hardly keep away, “Porsche, Porsche!” he declares as he runs through the house hoping to get a peek in the garage. 

This is not so different from his sister’s reaction when we bought it. The car may be old, but it’s really cool. With all the upgrades my husband made, oil cooling – so it doesn’t overheat going around the block, tires, alignment, lowered a bit, front and rear spoilers, it’s even better than when we got it.

I do, however, admit to loving and loathing it on occasion. It’s a project car, so he spent a lot of time, and money, to upgrade it, and there’s plenty more he could do. Plenty more I’d actually like to see him do, but it takes time. Parents of young kids don’t have a lot of extra time, or cash, but we try to find what we can to get things done.

When he lets (encourages) me to take it for a spin, I sometimes feel guilty. But, it’s really fun to drive and it gets a lot of looks and thumbs up around town. It’s the lowest car I’ve ever been in, and sometimes feels like a Smart car could dwarf it. Really. I’ve pulled up next to trucks and been eye-to-eye with the running boards. There was even a time I imagined myself doing the Clark W. Griswold act from Christmas Vacation. Driving along and all of a sudden I'm driving under a semi, it seems possible sometimes.

While it is fun, it’s hard to steer around a track at high speeds – or anything over 50 mph. Holding the line through the corners is a workout since it has no power steering. Did I say how much I appreciate power steering? A lot. The car also has no heat, or air, and a bunch of other stuff he removed to decrease weight and increase speed. It worked, but some amenities might be nice when touring around town in the summer.

It’s just nice to have it back, and running. Although, it needs a tune up and who knows what else. At least now we can start planning track events and weekend drives, too bad there’s no back seat for the kids. Oh well, here’s to almost spring!

Melting

Warm weather follows the deep freeze. A sign of things to come...