A to Z Challenge Theme Reveal: Catch-up!

Ugh....I still don't have a great idea as to what to do for my theme.  But I want to get in on Yidya Sury's blog hop to reveal....so by the end of this post we should have a reveal! (At least I hope!)

Oh it is totally great and powerful!
http://vidyasury.com/2014/02/a-to-z-challenge-theme-reveal-blogfest.html

So I got one suggestion on Facebook, one suggestion in the comments of my post, and one vote on Twitter.  So in terms of voting you guys weren't a whole lot of help :P My brain has been doing a lot of A to Z because I am doing two other blogs in addition to this! Yes I am crazy.  My students are doing the writing but it is still a bit of work on my end to get them motivated and moving.  So go check out the main blog to learn about the theme of Cedar Ridge Academy and the revamped and new learning blog for Cedar Ridge Academy and their theme of Social Studies.

As a result of the brain in other A to Z things it has been hard to focus on my own blog.  So today on the drive home, I had just posted and gotten all of the stuff done for the school blogs--I kind of took a breathe and was like what should I do with my blog??

I had a lot of great suggestions and votes.  But I was thinking it needs to be something realistic--especially if I don't get all of the student ones scheduled in advanced like I would want!  And what I got suggestion wise seemed tricky and the vote I got was actually the two I had posted with the most work--and I might save those for another year. But they just don't seem like they fit this year. 

The other thing with realistic is lets be honest, since I finished the #365 project and work invaded my life more (which I didn't think was possible) I have been a HORRIBLE blogger! I had all of these grand visions when I was done that I would keep up with a regular schedule and update things and network more etc. etc. etc.  So that thought process led me to the idea of a CATCH-UP THEME! 

I had the idea on the other post about doing a week of each thing that my blog focuses on. And I kind of went with that idea for a little bit, but then I was thinking about how it would be a bit of planning to figure out which theme to do with which week and what if I want to change my mind.  So...the catch-up theme gives me the flexibility to do a book thing one day and a knitting thing the next day. I have a lot of book reviews I want to do and lesson plans I want to tell you about.  So, I am going to map out what letters I can use with catch-up things and then probably fill in the rest.  We'll see...like I said at the beginning I hope to have a reveal....I'm not super committed but I'm trying to be.  I think it would have helped if I had all of my letters mapped out already but I'm tired, its late and time for bed!

Thanks for reading the rambling! Feel free to follow on the side and follow my school blogs too--the students are excited to see what is said to their ideas!

Go to the link above to hop on yourself!

Ideas Needed!!!

So it is St. Patrick's Day which tells me that March is more than half over.  As March starts to end, I am beginning to realize that I am NOT ready for the April A to Z Blogging Challenge.  And I need to be!!

This year, I want to pick a theme--last year I just kind of did whatever came to me.  I have come up with a couple of ideas but I don't know what people would most be interested in.  Or if there is another idea that people have.

The biggest trick is I would like it to have something to do with the purposes of Inspirefly.  Inspirefly is a random blog sometimes. I do posts mostly about reading, knitting, my faith, and teaching. Sometimes you'll see other random stuff--but this is where I'm pulling my theme ideas from.  So in the comments please tell me which idea you like or if you have another idea for me.

1. Book Titles
2. Book Authors
3. All about the LDS faith
4. Education from A to Z
5. The Civil War from A to Z
6. I have also thought of doing a little bit of all of it on each week--do a week of reading themes, a week of knitting themes, a week of faith, and a week of teaching 

That's all I have thought of....so if you have suggestions or a vote I would LOVE to hear from you!!

TBR Pile Challenge Checkpoint 3

I have gotten started on my first book for this challenge.  I am currently listening to Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen on my drives.  I am glad about the progress that I have made on it.  It is seven discs, and I am on disc four--so I'm pretty proud.  I wish I had started earlier so it could be done by this checkpoint, but hey progress is good! Hopefully March is a better month.

Overall, Northanger Abbey isn't a bad book for me. It isn't one of my favorites of Jane Austen, but not the worst.  That at the moment is still Mansfield Park which I have yet to get through.  I think it is funny that there is the regular triangle drama though. But it moves a bit slow.  So we will see what the end gives me.

#TBRChallengeRBR Checkpoint 2

My first checkpoint was establishing my to-read list....and now that it is February it is time for the second check-in. I had planned to read Northanger Abbey first, and even got it on audio and Kindle so that I could read when and where I could.....but I haven't gotten it out :(  I am hoping that in March I can report finishing this one and another book on my list so that I can get caught up!

It is nice to have some motivation with this challenge for sure.

My Poor Little Neglected Blog!

So....it has been a month--an absolutely crazy month.  I have been trying to write this post in my head for the better part of a couple weeks. I have been really glad that I didn't decide to restart my 365 project...or everything didn't happen like this during that, because I really might have just failed right away.  So let me do my best to try to update you.

Physical Health: My health has not improved--my most recent meds haven't seemed to have helped.  But I suppose on the upside, I decided this week that it is time to go see somebody else, and try another route.  I am hoping that this works--but I feel like I have been saying that a lot.  I am trying to have faith that I will get better. LDS people believe that the priesthood is God's power on this Earth.  I had the opportunity to get a blessing about a month ago, and God promised me that I would be better in 2014.  This is a big relief to know that the end is near....but it is also one of those moments where I bet that it will be like the end of the year so I can keep learning this patience thing.

Joys of Home Ownership: The furnace broke in January, water heater broke in December...trying to fix up the basement and finish the unpacking....sometimes I wonder why we moved, but other times it is nice to know that this whole place is ours.....well and the bank's.

Work: This has been the real reason for my absence...a lot of the stress in my life has stemmed from this...due to some re-structuring at the company my scheduled hours have changed a lot.  I work a few evenings now, and still some mornings like I did before.  It has been a hard adjustment and a lot of days I feel like all I do is go to work and sleep....like yesterday I only had 4 waking hours at home.

That is also the biggest reason why I haven't written....this and other changes in my life has really taken a toll on me mentally and emotionally.  My regular readers know that I don't like to complain on this blog...I don't want to be a whiner on here.

My hopes for my blog going here on out:

• I want to do some catch-up on reviews
• Share more about my reading books--I really want to do better with this 
• Establish some challenges to participate in
• Do some more networking
• Do more about knitting and teaching....knitting has been a nice thing to get me through all of this!

I hope to write again soon! Thanks for hanging out with me as I got this month back together.  

As a picture today my motto for this week:

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/128915608057242718/

2014 TBR Challenge with Roof Beam Reader

So this is a challenge that I really would like to do this year.  It is hosted by Roof Beam Reader. I need to hurry up and get myself committed to this before the deadline!!

The rules:

• 12 books that have been published from 2012 to earlier
• Tell you my progress each 15th day of the month

So I am super excited to do this challenge...but as I started looking at my books--I was like WOW I have a lot of books that I wanted to read forever! So I have tried to pick books that I really want to read--and understand that I can read more than this! So here are my books:

1. The Help by Kathryn Stockett (2009)
2. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (2006)
3. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (2010)
4. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (2007)
5. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (2012)
6. The Perks of Being a Wildflower by Stephen Chbosky (1999)
7. Matched by Ally Condie (2010)
8. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin (2011)
9. The Templar Legacy by Steve Berry (2007)
10. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen (1817)
11. Lady Susan by Jane Austen (1791)
12. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (2004)

Wish me luck :) I hope to be super successful!

Bout of Books Wrap up

Today is the day in which I look back at my goals and start last Monday and see how far I come!!

Yesterday I finished Plague Legacy: Acquistions!! (Gain of 16%) Made it to page 194 in Allegiant (a gain of 92 pages)! Also made a gain of three pages in Book of Mormon.

So my goals and progress was:

1. Read everyday...not just listen to my audiobooks in the car or around the house...but actually read!

• I am pretty sure that I did that one....if I didn't I only missed a couple of days. I did my best to at least read a little bit. Looking back at my updates...it looks like I missed one day kind of--I only read Book of Mormon that day and probably not much because I like listening too

2. Participate in the Twitter chats for the first time

• I only was able to do Monday's chat...but that's progress!!! I slept through Saturday...and ate dinner through Wednesday's with the husband.

3. I really want to finish reading a book-which I haven't done on a Bout of Books

• I FINISHED A BOOK! You have no idea how excited I am that I finished a book :) And I read it in almost a week--I was only on 9% on Monday.

4. I will specifically focus on reading: Fablehaven 3 (audio), Allegiant (print), Plague Legacy: Acquisitions (Kindle), and Book of Mormon (audio and Kindle)

• I managed to read all of these throughout the week, and sometime all of them in one day :)

So how much did I accomplish?

Fablehaven: almost three complete discs (I was two tracks off...finished them this morning)

Allegiant: page 52-194 (Gain of 142)

Book of Mormon page 179-226 (Gain of 47)

Plague Legacy 9%-100% (Gain of 91%)

Overall a very very successful Bout of Books week!! My best EVER!

Join us next time in May!!
Go here for more info: http://boutofbooks.blogspot.com/