March Wrap Up

I read a total of 11 books this month. I got my non fiction book read this month and I am in the middle of reading my chosen classic for the month and it is Pride and Prejudice. So, I can cross that challenge off my list for the month of March even though I didn't finish it. I also started a new series this month and will be reading a book from this series a month. I think you can guess which series I am talking about. 

1. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

2. The Fix by Kristin Rouse

3. A Wind In The Door by Madeleine L'Engle

4. Si-Cology 1 by Si Roberston

5. S.T.A.G.S. by M.A. Bennett

6. A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond

7. Propitiation by Damn Jones

8. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery

9. The Bears of Blue River by Charles Major

10. The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne

11. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Review: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

I am pretty sure that everyone has heard and read this book or knows what it is about, so I am just going to get straight to my opinions and how I feel about this book. I have heard about this book from everyone on booktube and already knew pretty much every character name and who they were and who were the bad guys and the items and weapons used in this story.

While reading this book, I kept picturing the actors from the god awful movie... even though I haven't seen it, reviews for it are so bad. While reading the clubs scenes, I was instantly back in high school reading another book series that was set in a club scene and the characters were the exact same. Arrogant, naive, stubborn, selfish, egotistical.

Clary got on my nerves whenever she thought of Simon and she kept saying that she had forgotten him, didn't even think of him, didn't notice he was talking to her, but yet whenever she needed something, she asked him to help her. She uses Simon and she doesn't even acknowledge him. This book was very fast paced and clearly written for a teenager. The plot and action scenes were all over the place. The book could have had way more detailed action scenes instead of overly detailed settings every time they went somewhere or saw something. 

Past Owl Crate Box Unboxing: June 2017: Make It Out Alive

I watch a lot of book videos on YouTube and most of them are Owl Crate unboxings. I love watching them and want each and ever one of them. This is the first box that I truly wanted to have and I freaked out when I saw that it was being sold on their past boxes link. I purchased one because of the theme and also that it contained not one book but two. The them is Make It Out Alive and it's of course dystopian. I also wanted these books because they are the start to my signed book collection. If you want to purchase past boxes from Owl Crate, you need to do it quickly because they will sell out quick. I also got the books that had exclusive covers. This is one of three boxes that I purchased. 

My "first" signed book. 

After I received this book, I read a book that I had won in a Goodreads Giveaway two years ago and when I got to the end I realized that it was a signed copy. 

The main reason I wanted this box was for the sleep mask. After I first viewed an unboxing video for this box and saw the sleep mask, I went on Amazon and put one on my wishlist and then when I went to go purchase it, it was sold out. Also, this is the second book that was put in the box. 

I love the button, stickers and The Giver patch. The Bath Bomb is divergent inspired and I wasn't a big fan of Divergent.

UP NEXT:
Past Owl Crate Box: May 2017: Comic Explosion

School Week 30 Photo Diary

I am slowly but surely catching up on these posts. I don't like doing back to back school week posts, but I gotta do what I gotta do. Th next post after this one will be an Owlcrate un-boxing, just to switch things up a bit. This week was a very productive and busy one.

Monday 3/5: We started the day at 7:55 AM. Our early start for the week. We did our usual morning work and chores to start the day. Addy watched a couple episodes of Super Why. She is getting more active with that show and screaming the answers at the TV. Then I had her watch Leapfrog: Phonics Farm to help her with her letter sounds. I had noticed that she is struggling with her sounds on some letters like M and N. Sammy and Airy did reading time and Easy Peasy lessons. Once Addy was done with Leapfrog, she had her own little reading time with my while Ariana and Samantha did a free write.

We then finished an episode of John Adams and Addy finished her day with Easy Peasy.

Tuesday: We started the day with morning work and Netflix. We finished Race Of Life. Watched another documentary called Nature: Raising the Dinosaur Giant and then we watched another documentary called Lions: Spy in the Den. I love watching documentaries with the girls. They love them as well, and they are the reason for long on going discussions in our home whenever Cayce gets home from work, or we go to visit family or some of our friends come over.

Sammy drawing her favorite part of one of the documentaries and Snow getting in the way

Today was mainly a Netflix and read day. After we finished out Netflix binge, we read two chapters in A Wind In The Door.

Wednesday: Addy started her morning with Easy Peasy. Ariana and Samantha did reading time and worksheets. They also had time to do a free write as well. They love writing and I give them a good hour of the school day to just write what they have in their brains. We finished our day with reading more of A Wind In The Door.

Thursday: Today was International Women's Day. Before I showed them some YouTube videos on the history of International Women's day, Sammy had asked me if they made a second movie about National Treasure. I said yes, and all three wanted to watch it. They loved the first movie just like I did when I first watched it and wanted to be a Benjamin Gates when I "grew up". I wanted to go treasure hunting and be a history junkie. They loved the second movie and could not stop asking question about the lost city of gold and was it real.

My strong and intelligent girls!

They loved learning about International Women's Day and I want them to be amazing independent women when they get older and I want them to conquer the world, and I am trying my hardest to make sure they know that they can do anything that they set their minds too.

Friday: No Pictures. I decided that all 4 of us needed a mental health day. I could tell they were tired from the early mornings that we had been having this week and they had done quite a bit of work and I just wanted them to have a relaxing and creative morning. They started their day with Legos. They worked on that for about 2 hours and in those 2 hours, I just sat with them and talked about what they wanted to do when they grew up. How they feel about being homeschooled. Do they want to go on more trips. Do they want to do any extra activities.  We ended our day with finishing A Wind In The Door and episode 4 of John Adams.

School Week 29 Photo Diary

Once again, I am 3 weeks behind. I was going to work on these during the weekend, but I binge watched The Walking Dead all weekend and worked on my planner spreads. This blog isn't the only thing I am neglecting. I just finished my weekly spread for the first week in February. My blog and planner are being left in the dust unintentionally.

Monday 2/26:We started very late today. We all had a late night the night before and we were all exhausted from the previous day. After their morning work, we finished watching the last two episodes of Wild North on Netflix.

When we got done watching those episodes, I had Samantha work on phonics worksheets. Ariana read some more of her Captain Underpants book and Adalyn did some workbook pages. After an hour, I had Sammy and Airy switch what they were doing. Sammy started reading and Ariana did spelling worksheets. We ended the day with reading Chapter One of A Wind In The Door.

Tuesday: We started at a decent hour. After morning work, we started watching a new show on Amazon Prime called John Adams. We watched the first two episodes of that.

Afterwards, I had Sammy do reading time. Ariana did Easy Peasy and Adalyn watched Super Why and then she ended her day with Easy Peasy lessons.

Wednesday: We had another late start to the day. They did morning work. Sammy worked on Reading Eggs worksheets. Ariana did spelling worksheets. Adalyn worked on alphabet coloring pages. We also made it a pajama day and it was the most relaxing school day that we have had in a while.

We ended the day with watching 4 episodes of Race of Life and another episode of John Adams.

Thursday: No Pictures. I didn't take any pictures today. Addy didn't have school on this day because she had her annual doctor's appointment since her birthday was in this month. Sammy and Airy had an early day so when Cayce and Addy got back home, we could all spend time together. Sammy and Airy did their morning work and then Sammy did reading time. Ariana did Reading Eggs worksheets. After an hour, they switched. Sammy finished her day with more Reading Eggs worksheets and Ariana finished with Easy Peasy lessons.

Friday: No Pictures. We had a Netflix/ Reading day. We did our morning work. We watched more Race of Life on Netflix. We read two more chapters of A Wind In The Door which is the second book in the A Wrinkle In Time quartet. Sammy and Ariana finished their day with reading to themselves and Addy finished her day with Easy Peasy and finishing her Alphabet coloring pages from a few days before.

Saturday: Addy had to make up the day she missed on Thursday today. They had Home Depot workshop where they built periscopes and hung out with some of their new friends. Addy came home and we counted with flashcards and we did leapfrog activities together. She ended her day with watching some YouTube videos on letters, shapes, more counting, and the seasons.

Bath and Body Works Candle Haul

I made a Bath and Body Works Candle order a couple weeks ago. I have been eyeing these candle ever since they were released on the site. I also got them when they were on sale for 12.95 a piece except the geometric ones down at the bottom.

1. Mahogany Teakwood

2. Honeysuckle Bouquet

3. Rose Water & Ivy

4. Warm Vanilla Sugar

5.  Strawberry Mimosa

6. Mineral Springs

7. Lavender Vanilla

8. Palo Santo

Review: The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne

About the Author: John Boyne is an Irish novelist, born in 1971. His first short story was published in 1993 in the Sunday Tribune and was shortlisted for a Hennessy Literary Award. He is the author of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, Knock Down Ginger, Noah Barleywater Runs Away, and The Terrible Thing that Happened to Barnaby Brocket. His books have been translated into over 50 languages. He lives in Dublin.

About the Book: Cyril Avery is not a real Avery — or at least, that’s what his adoptive parents tell him. And he never will be. But if he isn’t a real Avery, then who is he?

Born out of wedlock to a teenage girl cast out from her rural Irish community and adopted by a well-to-do if eccentric Dublin couple via the intervention of a hunchbacked Redemptorist nun, Cyril is adrift in the world, anchored only tenuously by his heartfelt friendship with the infinitely more glamourous and dangerous Julian Woodbead. At the mercy of fortune and coincidence, he will spend a lifetime coming to know himself and where he came from – and over his many years, will struggle to discover an identity, a home, a country, and much more.

In this, Boyne’s most transcendent work to date, we are shown the story of Ireland from the 1940s to today through the eyes of one ordinary man. The Heart’s Invisible Furies is a novel to make you laugh and cry while reminding us all of the redemptive power of the human spirit.

My Thoughts: WHY DIDN'T I READ THIS BOOK LAST YEAR!!! This story was so amazing. It made me laugh. It made me cry. It made me happy. And it made me angry as hell. This takes place in Ireland and our main man was born to a teenage woman who was not married. She was cast out because of this. This is what bothers me. The bible says we must not judge others, but what precisely were these priests and community members doing. They were judging a teenager and basically damned her and Cyril.

With how big this book is, I got through it quickly. I am definitely going to re-read it more slowly. John Boyne is just an amazing author. 

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Polyvore Outfit #23

I am back with my polyvore sets. I have missed sharing my outfit ideas with you guys. I come up with these outfits in my head when I am writing and then visually putting it together helps bring my character to life somewhat. I have no name for this outfit idea.The shoes kind of remind me of that movie The Number 23 with Jim Carrey. I love that movie. 

1. Herve Leger Mesh Side Bandage One Piece Swimsuit
2. Christian Louboutin Heels
3. Vince Camuto Glam Punk Teardrop Collar Necklace

I am going to try to get back into this and also start posting my vision boards for my novel, to maybe help move my butt along in writing.

School Week 28 Photo Diary

I have no excuse for how late these next two school week posts will be other than I just had other things to do. I did have a good stint where I had posts already written, edited and scheduled but then when it came down to it, I just had other things take priority.

Monday 2/19: Happy President's Day. We started at 8:40, so it was an early day for us. After their morning work, we watched a couple You Tube videos on the history of President's Day. After they colored some pages and they were great.

After they were done coloring, we then watched Netflix. After that, I had Addy work on Easy Peasy lessons. She is on the letter T and made a tomato. Ariana and Samantha had reading time.

Addy finished her day with handwriting practice. Sammy finished her day with Reading Eggs worksheets and Ariana did Easy Peasy.

Tuesday: We had a late start. After their morning work, we watched 2 YouTube videos on the Declaration of Independence. They were also introduced to John Adams. When we got done with our time on the Declaration for the day, we went and finished watching Baby Animals in the Wild on Netflix. When that was over, I had Addy work on Easy Peasy. Ariana and Sammy read together again.

When Addy was done with her Easy Peasy lessons for the day, I had her work on her leapfrog tablet and then her puzzle for the rest of the day. I had Ariana work on spelling worksheets and Sammy did her Easy Peasy and she also had to do a writing prompt.

Wednesday: Sammy and Ariana started their day with free writes and Addy stated hers with drawing. That's what they wanted to do and I am all for them to creative artwork and beautiful words. My childhood was filled with writing and drawing. After they got done, they did morning work. We started a new Netflix show called Europe's Last Great Wilderness. They watched two episodes of that. After they finished watching the show, I had Addy work on Easy Peasy and Ariana read by herself today. Samantha worked on Reading Eggs spelling sheets.

They finished their day doing workbook pages, worksheets and reading time.

Thursday: Today was an awful day. We were without internet from 6AM till 3:30PM. We couldn't do anything. I could get on Facebook and that's about it and even that was slow because my data was almost gone for the month. So, I had to think about whether if we would have school this day or just make it up another day. We had a very late start to the day. When they got done with their morning work, Samantha worked on Reading Eggs worksheets. Ariana worked on Reading Eggs spelling worksheets. Adalyn did so many pages in her Kindergarten workbook.

We switched up after an hour and Addy worked on her handwriting. I was planning to let them watch National Treasure on Friday, but since we didn't have internet to do our other work, I moved it to today. They loved the movie and seeing all the items that we are learning about and the names mentioned and shown in the movie.

Friday: NO Pictures. This morning was our latest start of the week. After we finished our school day yesterday, I had to wait another hour for the internet to get fixed and I had to catch up on my work and I ended up going to be super late. I have goals I need to meet everyday to be successful. I have been doing this for the past 4 years. Anyways, they got their morning work and chores out of the way and then we finished Europe's Last Great Wilderness on Netflix and then we started watching Wild North right after. I don't know what it is about these British documentaries... they are extremely informative and addicting. After we were done with Netflix for the day, I had Samantha and Ariana do a free write summary on what they watched. Addy did some Easy Peasy lessons. We finished the day with a YouTube video on the History of the American Revolution.

March TBR

I like having these posts up almost right at the beginning of the month, but I had other things to deal with and I will be catching up on all my posts this weekend and scheduling them for next week. I have already started and completed some books this month, so it's going to be a little different than what I had planned in my head last week.

It may seem long and ambitious, but like I said, I have already read most of them.