Happy Saturday!!!
Click {HERE} to check it out!
I was able to read a lot during my three week break, but this book, All the Light We Cannot See, was hands-down my favorite. (Just as an aside, what in the world does hands-down even mean? When I am excited, I tend to put my arms in the air and dance around and act like a lunatic, but whatever)
This is such a great book. I recommended it to Kerry and she loved it just as much as I did, too. It takes place during World War II so be prepared to be sad while you’re reading because it’s World War II, but oh my word.
It’s a little slow to start, but just hang in there for the first few chapters and then you will not be able to put it down. Each chapter is super short which also means that you’ll stay up late reading because you’ll say to yourself just one more chapter, and the next thing you know, you’ve read the whole thing in a day. You’ll also feel the need to tell your husband what’s happening as if it’s happening in real life even though you know he doesn’t want to hear about it anymore. But you don’t care because you have just got to get it out.
I will warn you that there is a reason it won the Pulitzer Prize. It is very well written and some of the words are very flowery, and you have to use your context clues to understand what in the world the author meant when he could have just said AND THEN SHE CRIED. But honestly, it never bothered me because you will fall in love with the characters and you will not be able to sit still while you’re wondering what’s going to happen.
Read it! And then email me or leave a comment or something because I can’t stop thinking about this book, and now I really haven’t been happy with any other books that I’ve picked up. This is the problem with good books.
The struggle is real . . . when you’re a nerd reader like me.
I like to place a napkin under the ladle so that the counter doesn’t get all sticky and gross.
Not everyone in my household feels the same way. Ahem.
I cooked!!!!
All by myself!!!!
And now I have to tell everyone about this slow-cooker recipe because it is DEEEEE-LICIOUS and I want everyone to cook it and eat it.
And by cook, I mean throw a bunch of stuff in the crock pot, turn it on, and then it will be ready a few hours later while you watch reality TV and paint your nails. (I am still on break)
I found this recipe while I was scrolling through Facebook. It just so happened that Kerry found the same recipe in her Facebook feed and so we compared notes and we both agree.
EAT THIS SOUP.
It’s called Chicken Fajita Soup.
Click {HERE} to see the recipe. I read some of the comments and it was recommended that you substitute chicken broth for the water so I did, and I recommend that you do that, as well.
PS I sent it to several people and someone has already gotten back to me and she loved it, too. So there you go. Three people agree. It’s in your best interest to make this recipe this week. Then get back to me. One idea is to eat this soup while you read the above book.
I know. I’m a genius.
I got to have a spontaneous lunch with Hadar and Rando! Steve and Tom were also there, I should add. It was a great afternoon and Rando was a perfect puppy — we sat outside on the patio at Brio because it was a gorgeous day.
I had something that wasn’t even on the menu! Yes, I’m special. I think the waiter was flirting with me. 😉 It was shrimp and lobster ravioli, and Steve said that when he looked over at me to ask how I liked it, more than half of it was already gone and I had no clue he was even looking at me.
Oh my my my.
The wine was good, too. 😉
But, best of all was the company. LOVE!
Later in the week, I met up with friends that I used to teach with when I was a youngin’, and had no clue what I was doing for the majority of the day, whereas these days I have no clue for just a minority part of the day.
It was super fun to catch up with these girls even though it was POURING RAIN when we left the restaurant, and I had to drive home on the freeway in my Mini and, let me tell you, there were several times I was afraid that I was either going to float away and/or drown in a puddle.
It was nuts, but thankfully I made it home just fine.
Lunch with these girls was so worth it. 🙂
I had a few requests to make a Winter pack of plays featuring Murphie and Milo. I already have a Winter pack of Plays for Advanced Readers that you can check out {HERE} which has some of my favorite plays and makes me miss some of my kids from last year because I can clearly see and hear them performing a couple of them. I’ve already put them in our centers for this week and I know my kids are going to freak out. In a good way. 🙂
BUT . . . when I wrote those plays, I hadn’t come up with the Murphie and Milo characters yet, and some of you love those characters (so do my kids) and that’s where the requests are coming from, I guess.
I finished them up recently, and I’m getting them prepped to add to our centers this week. I love writing plays with these two characters!
Here’s a sample of a play that cracked me up (I crack myself up on a regular basis) and I had to read it to Steve who said I was a dork, and I said yes, I know, that’s why first graders love me, thank you very much. By the way, dork is a term of endearment.
Now if you picture Murphie as me, and Milo as any student in my class, you will get a clear representation of how I have conversations with my students.
I drive them crazy. On purpose.
I think it’s only fair.
I’m having a giveaway for this pack over on my Facebook page, if you want a chance to win a copy. You’ll have to scroll down one post because the first post is going to say that my Five for Fraturday post it up which is the one you’re reading right here.
🙂
Have a happy Saturday!
I am going to try the soup this week. 🙂 You and Hadar are too cute, and I love your cardigan! 🙂
I also enjoyed reading All the Light We Cannot See and then I read The Nightingale. You will love that book! I really enjoy your blog up here in Canada where the temp today is -29 celcius.
My husband also uses dork as a term of endearment. I am one. And I know it. I love your latest play. It cracked me up, too. Have a great week.
Jan
Laughter and Consistency
Loved that book. Have you read The nightingale by Kristin Hannah? Excellent!
I bought your winter readers theater last weekend after seeing it in your Five for Fraturday and tried it with my first graders this week and …..love, love, LOVE. When they performed I was dying laughing because I can totally hear your "voice" in your writing. It's just like your blog-hysterical. I can't get enough. Now I need to buy more. Thanks for being awesome!
Always enjoy your posts! Love how Rando looks like he is posing for the photo so perfectly – what a cutie 🙂
I've heard really great things about 'All the Light We Cannot See' so I'll have to add it to my to-read pile now!
Stef
Miss Galvin Learns
You are the second person today who said that is a good book. I just bought it!!!
Yay! I love when you recommend good books. I have liked all of your book choices 🙂 Your new plays look great! Hope you have a great week!