Monday, September 21, 2015

It's Sunday/Monday: Check-In Time



Linking up with The Sunday Post hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer and It's Monday! What are You Reading? hosted by Sheila from Book Journey

On the home front: 
My youngest son and his girlfriend were over for dinner last week (I made Travelling Noodles and Swedish Chocolate Cake or Kladdkaka which I really should blog about because it's totally divine) and my granddaughter had her regular sleepover which is always fun. Mia is now slightly more obliging with 'selfies with nonna' :)


This week is the week for catching up with family and a few friends and since I was a terrible blogger last week, some blog posts #fingers crossed. 

I've got a few children's books planned for Banned Book Week (Sept 27th - Oct 3rd) hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Head over to sign up ... 

And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson & Peter Parnel, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig, Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne, Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (I loved this book so much when I was a kid) 



#FitReaders Weekly Check-In


 
#FitReaders co-hosted by Felicia @ Geeky Bloggers Book Blog and Jen @ That’s What I’m Talking AboutFitReaders is a great way to stay motivated, accountable and it's more fun having bloggy friends to check in with. If you also have a fitbit and want to add me, let me know :)  

Meh week, felt a bit unmotivated. I did a few 'intentional walks' but I was way under target. New week ... back to it :)

Fitbit Steps: 
Mon: 10,553 steps ~ walk with Bella
Tue: 7039 steps
Wed: 9597 steps 
Thurs: 4114 steps
Fri: 5277 steps 
Sat: 8083 steps ~ walk to community garden with Bella 
Sun: 6710 steps ~ walk to community garden with Bella


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Giveaway: 

Winner of eBook Forever boxed set; Forever Innocent, Forever Loved, Forever Sheltered by Deanna Roy. Congrats to: donnas

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Reviews & Posts: (click on title)

#bloggerfail ...  that is all 

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Finished last week: 

UNDER THE MOON by Gabriele Wills (Muskoka Trilogy #3) ~ good until the abrupt end, then I realised the trilogy is no longer a trilogy. Not sure when book 4 is due for release.

HAPPY GO PALEO by Irena Macri 

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This Week's Reading List: 

3 out of 4 reads this week by Australian authors



THE SADDLER BOYS by Fiona Palmer

THE LAKE HOUSE by Kate Morton ~ yippee! Book tour

LONE STAR by Paullina Simons (audibook) ~ 4 hours to go

THE OUTBACK MIDWIFE by Beth McRae (audiobook) 

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Reviews Coming: 

PRETENDING TO DANCE by Diane Chamberlain ~ excellent. Review Tue

THE COINCIDENCE OF COCONUT CAKE by Amy E. Reichert ~ another fave this year

THE LITTLE FLOWER SHOP BY THE SEA by Ali McNamara (audiobook) ~ good listen

ALMOST FRENCH by Sarah Turnball (audiobook) ~ loved it

ON RUE TATIN: LIVING AND COOKING IN A FRENCH TOWN by Susan Herrmann Loomis ~ wonderful for anyone dreaming of living in France. Review Friday

THE WATER DIVINER by Andrew Anastasios and Meaghan Wilson-Anastasios (audiobook) ~ I bawled my eyes out! 

33 comments:

  1. I will definitely be trying your Swedish Chocolate Cake recipe sometime. Thanks for sharing the recipe last week! I wanted to make it for my book club's movie night but I didn't have the time to get the ingredients so I made the pumpkin pie cake instead even though it wasn't Swedish :)

    Love the picture of you and Mia! Glad she seems to like selfies more now :)

    Banned Books Week sounds like a great event to participate in. We usually do some kind of display at the library. I'm surprised that Winnie the Pooh was ever banned or challenged but then people have had problems with all kinds of books from Little House on the Prairie to Anne Frank.

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    1. If you like chocolate you will love the Swedish Choc cake, it's not too sweet or rich but very more-ish.
      I'm gobsmacked at the reasons for some of the books banned and challenged. Winnie the Pooh was recent too (2006) ... ludicrous!

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  2. Boy she's getting big isn't she? Awesome that she gets to hang out with nonna a bit. :)

    And I'm with Christina, I didn't know Winnie the Pooh was challenged. Good grief! Makes you wonder... :)

    That chocolate cake sounds pretty good!

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    1. I'm so lucky I get to spend time with Mia every week, she's such a darling. Yes Winnie the Pooh ... talking animals - offensive to God or some such rot and Winnie the Pooh himself is not appropriately attired HA

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  3. Yes..what is this Kladdkaka you speak of..we needs pictures and a recipe my friend! I need something divine!

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    1. Sticky chocolate cake, it's to-die-for lol. And easy as and I promise I'll get a post up ... soon :)

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  4. Would love to share the recipes! Mia is darling, glad you get lots of time enjoying her. I've got a couple of kids books to share during Banned Book Week too. I think my Fitbit died, it won't charge. I miss finding out how many steps I accomplished each day.

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    1. Grandkids light up your life don't they, I can't get over how grown up Cole looks now. Bummer about your fitbit, have you tried cleaning the contacts? Time for a new one hey ... I'd be lost without mine.

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  5. I keep hearing great things about Dian Chamberlain so must check her books out!

    And I'm so envious of you getting The Lake House. I requested it on NG but got rejected (it wasn't from its Oz publisher, but still....)

    PS. You're such a young grandmother. One of my best friends just had her first (and only) child at 45!

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    1. I was surprised to get approved by Atria that's for sure and then when Amy from Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours emailed about the tour, I was all over it lol. Have you emailed the Aus publisher? I don't think I'm on their database?

      I have friends my age who have toddlers. I missed the boys when they moved out but I love it! I couldn't start again with a baby at 47, I think it'd kill me lol. My youngest is 21 and he doesn't plan on having kids anytime soon.

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  6. I'll be watching for the cake recipe :) Have a great week!

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    1. Thanks Mary, good excuse for me to make another one and take some better photos ;)

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  7. First of all, your granddaughter is so precious and I love the picture with you both. Thanks for sharing with all of us! I'm doing a post for Sheila's Banned Book Week event too. Some thoughts about working in a library and my experience with this event and also want to highlight a few books that appear on the lists and that I think are great. Have a good week!!

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    1. Thanks Kay and I'll be looking out for your post for Banned Book Week :)

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  8. Beautiful photo. I'm going to have my first in October!

    Here's my It's Monday!

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  9. I love the selfie!! She is just too precious. Um yes, please share that recipe!

    Super jealous you are on the tour for The Lake House. I hope it's good!!

    Enjoy your week!

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    1. Love her to the moon and back Brandie, I'm the luckiest Nonna. Maybe next week I'll get my act together, take some more photos of the cake and post the recipe :)

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  10. Your granddaughter is adorable - lucky you to spend time with her regularly! I had no idea Winnie the Pooh was ever banned, and the cake sounds amazing. Have a great week :)

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    1. Luckiest nonna ever, I hope they don't move away lol.

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  11. Great photo of Mia and you! And I love that community garden.

    I also have Pretending to Dance, which you know; and The Lake House is another of my e-ARCs from NetGalley.

    Enjoy your week, and thanks for visiting my blog.

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    1. Oh, and thanks for the reminder about Banned Book Week...I signed up, but haven't picked a book yet!

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    2. We now have a plot in the community garden and I'm so excited about having even more fresh veges :)
      Banned Book Week will be fun, I'm looking forward to everyone's posts.

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  12. Oh you made kladdkaka? I love kladdkaka. I even made a lemon one once, thought choco is of course how it is supposed to be

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    1. It's my go-to cake, so easy and yummy and sticky as long as you don't over cook it. I've never had a lemon one but we all love our chocolate haha

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  13. Yes please blog about the chocolate cake!! I've never tried it and would love to make it. You're reading list this week looks fantastic. The Kate Morton is high on my list. I've read one book by her and would really love to read more. I'm also very much looking forward to your Pretending to Dance review. I've got that book coming up very soon. Have a great week!

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    1. Now I'll have to make another Kladdkaka and take better photos ... I'm on it :)
      Hope you like Pretending to Dance as much as I did Katherine, have you read the prequel? That was excellent too!

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  14. The Cake! Recipe, please. You have some nice books lined up for Banned Books Week too. Thanks for visiting my blog. Happy reading!

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    1. I didn't participate in BBW last year so I'm looking forward to doing a post or 2 and I can't wait to check out everyone elses

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  15. The Lake House....I am jealous.

    Who is sponsoring the tour?

    ENJOY your reading week.

    Elizabeth
    Silver's Reviews
    My It's Monday, What Are You Reading

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    1. I was very lucky to get approved by Atria and then Amy from Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours emailed ... love Kate Morton so I can't wait :)

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