It's Monday, What are You Reading? (7)

What are you reading on Mondays? is a meme hosted by Sheila. This is our opportunity as bloggers to share what we've read in the past week and what we plan on reading this week. If you'd like to join in (it's really fun), go to One Persons Journey Through a World Of Books and add your name to the list.

What I Read This Week:

Maximum Ride Vol. 1 ~ James Patterson & NaRae Lee 2/15

Maximum Ride Vol. 2 ~ James Patterson & NaRae Lee 2/15

Soulless ~ Gail Carriger 2/15

Fallen ~ Lauren Kate 2/16

Naruto Vol. 42 ~ Masashi Kishimoto 2/17

Naruto Vol. 43 ~ Masashi Kishimoto 2/17

Beautiful Creatures ~ Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl 2/20

Hush, Hush ~ Becca Fitzpatrick 2/21

Trixie Belden and the Secret of the Mansion ~ Julie Campbell 2/21

What I am Reading Now:


The Red Trailer Mystery ~ Julie Campbell

Still working on Jack and Jill by Louisa May Alcott. This book keeps getting set aside for more exciting, contemporary books.

What I Plan to Read This Week:

The Gatehouse Mystery ~ Julie Campbell

I know I was supposed to have read my Trixie Beldens this past week, but between working longer hours at my job and reading all the new books I bought this week, they definitely got pushed to the side. I don't have anymore new books to read so I really need to buckle down and get through my Trixie Beldens this week. We'll see what happens.

So, what did YOU read this week?

It's Monday, What are You Reading? (6)

What are you reading on Mondays? is a meme hosted by Sheila. This is our opportunity as bloggers to share what we've read in the past week and what we plan on reading this week. If you'd like to join in (it's really fun), go to One Persons Journey Through a World Of Books and add your name to the list.

What I Read This Week:

Twenty-Four Hours A Day ~ Faith Baldwin 2/9
Icy Heat ~ Leigh Wyndfield 2/9
The Ministry of Marriage ~ Jim Binney 2/12
Murkmere ~ Patricia Elliott 2/13
Shiver ~ Maggie Stiefvater 2/13

What I am Reading Now:

Trixie Belden and the Secret of the Mansion ~ Julie Campbell

What I Plan to Read This Week:

Fallen ~ Lauren Kate
The Red Trailer Mystery ~ Julie Campbell
The Gatehouse Mystery ~ Julie Campbell

My plan to read another huge list of books this past week went straight out the window with all the snow that hit Northern Virginia. Then there was the weekend trip to Seattle for Valentine's Day (yes, I have lots of pictures even though none of them are of Joseph and only two or three are of me.)

This week might be another "slow" week because I'd like to write a few posts about my time in Seattle as well as get some housework done since I was gone for a few days. We'll see.

So, what did you read this week?

It's Monday, What are You Reading? (5)

What are you reading on Mondays? is a meme hosted by Sheila. This is our opportunity as bloggers to share what we've read in the past week and what we plan on reading this week. If you'd like to join in (it's really fun), go to One Persons Journey Through a World Of Books and add your name to the list.

What I Read This Week:

The Poor Little Rich Girl ~ Eleanor Gates
An Old-Fashioned Girl ~ Louisa May Alcott
Glass Houses ~ Rachel Caine
The Dead Girls' Dance ~ Rachel Caine
Midnight Alley ~ Rachel Caine
Feast of Fools ~ Rachel Caine
Lord of Misrule ~ Rachel Caine
Carpe Corpus ~ Rachel Caine
Fade Out ~ Rachel Caine
Helen in the Editor's Chair ~ Ruthe S. Wheeler
Book of a Thousand Days ~ Shannon Hale

Currently Reading:

Twenty Four Hours a Day ~ Faith Baldwin
The Noisy Seven: A Story of Seven Boys ~ Alice Pickford Brockway

What I'd Like to Read This Week:

Under the Lilacs ~ Louisa May Alcott
The Ministry of Marriage ~ Tim Binney
The Shack ~ Wm. Paul Young

There are so many other books that I still have on my TBR shelf, but I really need to read The Ministry of Marriage since I borrowed it from a friend around two months ago. Yikes! As for The Shack, I'm not sure what to expect. My mother-in-law loved it. Raves about it. I tend to discover that books that are raved about by lots of people end up making absolutely no impression on me. And, honestly, even a bad impression is better than none at all in my opinion.

It's Monday, What are You Reading?

What are you reading on Mondays? is a meme hosted by J. Kaye. This is our opportunity as bloggers to share what we've read in the past week and what we plan on reading this week. If you'd like to join in (it's really fun), go to J. Kaye's Book Blog and add your name to the list.

What I Read This Week:

Saint Ben ~ John Fischer
The Saints' and Angels' Song ~ John Fischer
Maggie: Life at The Elms ~ Eric Wiggin
Maggie's Homecoming ~ Eric Wiggin
Maggie's Secret Longing ~ Eric Wiggin
Liberated Through Submission ~ P. B. Wilson
The Hidden Valley Mystery ~ Helen Wells
The Innocent Libertine ~ T. Davis Bunn & Isabella Bunn

I didn't set aside any books that I started but couldn't finish this week.

What I am Currently Reading:

Helen In The Editor's Chair ~ Ruthe S. Wheeler
The Poor Little Rich Girl ~ Eleanor Gates

What I Want to Read This Week:

Well, I didn't get to my Trixie Belden's this past week and I don't think I'm even going to try to read them this week, so I've picked a few others instead.

The Noisy Seven: A Story of Seven Boys ~ Alice Pickford Brockway
Twenty-Four Hours A Day ~ Faith Baldwin
Under the Lilacs ~ Louisa May Alcott
An Old-Fashioned Girl ~ Louisa May Alcott
and maybe, just maybe
Kazan ~ James Oliver Curwood

Wish me luck, ya'll. All of the books on my list this week are OLD. And by old, I mean that the newest copy of any of the books listed above was printed in the 1950s. No offense to those of you who were born in that wonderful decade, but when it comes to books of that age, they aren't always in the greatest of shape. In fact, Helen in the Editor's Chair is actually a disaster. The published date in the book is 1932. I can guarantee you that particular book will never see the inside of my purse. :-) Anyway, my point in mentioning how old the books are is this. It is ever so much harder to read quickly and efficiently when you have to be careful and pay close attention to how you handle the pages. Don't get me wrong. I don't mishandle my books in anyway. In fact, I get teased by some people because even after reading a book twice, the spine isn't broken, and you really can't tell that I've read it.

Sheesh! Now that you've been given an entire history of how I read. LOL. What are you reading this Monday?

What are you Reading this Monday?

Just like last week, I am participating in J-Kaye's What are you reading on Mondays?

Books Read:

The Opposite of Love by Julie Buxbaum

The Ghost at the Waterfall by Helen Wells

Girls' Night In - a book of short stories

The Martyr's Song by Ted Dekker

Love You, Soldier by Amy Hest

Books I am Currently Reading:

Sing-Song and Other Poems for Children by Christina G. Rossetti

Books to be Read this Week:

Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan

A Taste of Blackberries by Doris Buchanan Smith

Far to Go by Noel Streatfeild

Miracle at Clement's Pond by Patricia Pendergraft

The Shy One by Dorothy Nathan

The Apache Gold Mystery by Eileen Thompson

Jack and Jill by Louisa May Alcott

Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys by Kate Brian

Yes, I realize that most of the above are children's books. I actually acquired all but the last two just this weekend when I was in Pennsylvania visiting my family. Now, I just need to make sure that I want to keep them.

So, it wasn't as productive a week as I would have liked when it comes to reading, but it was decent considering everything I did around my house instead. Oh! and all the book shopping I did online!

Now, I'm off to visit McKay's cause I picked up my $30 credit slip that I had left in PA a few months back. Wish me luck finding some of the books off my list of needs.

~Hannah

Silly Questions

Copied off my older sister at Daughter of Hope cause she thinks I'm most likely to follow in her steps. Hmmm. Guess I am.


1. What is your occupation right now? Wife, Sister/Landlord, Sales Operations Specialist, Mary Kay Independent Representative, and Piano Teacher (did I miss any?)

2.What color are your socks right now? socks? what socks!?!

3. What are you listening to right now? NCIS, of course! It's a back, to back, to back night!

4. What was the last thing that you ate? Papa John's Extra Cheese and Bacon pizza

5. Can you drive a stick shift? If I HAVE to

6. Last person you talked on phone with? Joseph

7.Do you like the person who sent this to you? I don't think I've got a choice. It wouldn't be very nice to not like my sister. (Of course, I like her!!)

8. How old are you today? 25 (yay! I'm a quarter of a century!)

9. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? don't really watch sports, but I've discovered that I really enjoy watching late night Ultimate Fighter

10. What is your favorite drink? Dr. Pepper or 7-Up

11. Have you ever dyed your hair? haha! See post right before this one. LOL

12. Favorite food? Filet Mignon

13. What is the last movie you watched? well, as long as we're not talking the whole way through...Rocky Balboa...last night.

14. Favorite day of the year? every day I'm alive, actually

15. How do you vent anger? Ummm...can I not answer this one and say I did?...I tend to speak violently (as in...I would love to just knock that guy upside the head. or...can I PLEASE go blow that guy's house up!?!) I don't really mean any of it, but I do get verbally violent.

16. What was your favorite toy as a child? G.I. Joes

17. What is your favorite season? don't have a favorite. I love snow, so winter. Flowers and bright green make me happy, so spring. Warm weather and sun, so summer. Colors of all shades, so fall.

18. Cherries or Blueberries? blueberries, but only because I can't seem to eat fresh cherries anymore. I think i'm allergic. :-(

19. Do you want your friends to post this? Of course!

20. Who is the most likely to respond? Britt!

21. Who is least likely to respond? Alicia (she already did it!)

22. Living arrangements? two-story single family home. (live-in younger brother)

23. When was the last time you cried? Honestly? today. I was unbelievably frustrated with the lack of support that I get (or don't get) from my boss.

24. What is on the floor of your closet? flip-flops, joseph's shoes, the winter bedspread, and boxes

25. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending? If Leah reads this....her. Otherwise, I'll have to count my seester, Alicia.

26. What did you do last night? FB, watched TV, and started re-reading Eight Cousins

27. What are you most afraid of? never being able to have children

28. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? cheese

29. Favorite dog breed? that would be a Canaan dog (Boxers are my second favorite. I've got Rocky because Joseph doesn't like Canaan dogs.)

30. Favorite day of the week? Any day that I get off work on time. (NOT the weekend...I never feel relaxed after a weekend.)

31. How many states have you lived in? that would be three. (PA, FL, and VA)

32. Diamonds or pearls? diamonds. I don't care for either, but have found that diamonds match more of my clothes and other accessories.

33. What is your favorite flower? Daisies! (they're such happy flowers)

My Most Favorite Bag Ever

Britt from Nor-Cal Girl tagged me on a handbag meme. These are the rules:

1) Post a picture of whatever bag you are carrying as of late. No, you cannot go up to your closet and pull out that cute little purse you used back before you had kids. I want to know what you carried today or the last time you left the house. No cheating!

2) I want to know how much it cost:) And this is not to judge. This is for entertainment purposes only. So spill it. And if there is a story to go along with how you obtained it, we’d love to hear it.

3) Tag some chicks. And link back to this post so people know why the heck you’re showing everyone your bag.

I just happen to be VERY satisfied with the bag that I've been carrying recently. In fact, it is my favorite bag aside from my computer bag.

1) Here's my bag:
2) This bag cost round about $30.00. I actually did not buy it. Titus did. I had been eyeing it at my Barnes & Noble bookstore for quite some time but just could not justify my spending $30 on one bag. Yes, it's a book bag, but still. Anyway, Titus and I were at the store picking up a textbook for him, a few books for me, and a gift card for Titus' girlfriend when I mentioned that I had been looking at the bag. Titus proceeded to tell me to get it off the rack, that he was going to buy it for me. Far be it from me to deny my brother the chance to get me the bag that I was dying to own.

3) I tag...

Alicia at Daughter of Hope

Jendi at Jendi's Journal

and

Jacki at Moving at the Speed of Life

One Word

USING ONLY ONE WORD! It's not as easy as you might think! Copy and change the answers to suit you and pass it on. It's really hard to only use one word answers. Be sure to tag the person you received it from!
1. Where is your cell phone? table
2. Your significant other? Joseph
3. Your hair? straight
4. Your mother? nuts
5. Your father? Preacher
6. Your favorite? pink
7. Your dream last night? none
8. Your favorite drink? Virgil's
9. Your dream/goal? kids
10. What room you are in? family
11. Your hobby? reading
12. Your fear? lonliness
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Home
14. Where were you last night? Blockbuster
15. Something that you aren't? health
y16. Muffins? nah
17. Wish list item? bookshelves
18. Where you grew up? Steelton
19. Last thing you did? survey
20. What are you wearing? dress
21. Your TV? huge
22. Your pets? Rocky
23. Friends? more
24. Your life? boring
25. Your mood? blah
26. Missing someone? Joseph
27. Car? SportTrac
28. Something you're not wearing? earrings
29. Your favorite store? Barnes & Noble
30. Your favorite color? pink
31. When is the last time you laughed? 3pm
32. Last time you cried? today
33. Who will resend this? shrug
34. One place that I go to over and over? work
35. One person who emails me regularly? Hannah
36. My favorite place to eat? anywhere

37 Things

ODD Things about you! If you opened this, FILL IT OUT!Learn 37 things about your friends, and let them learn 37 things about you!Send back to me and to several more friends!!
1. Do you like blue cheese? not typically, but on certain salads, it's a must.
2. Have you ever smoked? nope
3. Do you own a gun? not yet. Still looking into that one.
4. What flavor Kool Aid was your favorite? pink lemonade
6. What do you think of hot dogs? Only if they have ketchup and onions on them and are preferably Nittany Lion Franks.
7. Favorite Christmas movie? Holiday Inn
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? hot chocolate
9. Can you do push ups? only if i do the girly pushups and even then...only one or two.
10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? I don't really wear jewelry, but i suppose it would be the necklace that Tres and Somer gave me for my birthday last year.
11. Favorite hobby? reading
12. Do you have A. D. D.? no
13. Do you wear glasses/contacts? yes, contacts. Unless my eyes are irrated...then i wear my glasses.
14. Middle name? Marie
15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment: I really wish i didn't have food poisoning. It's super late for me to be up...I'm usually asleep by 9:20pm and it is currently 11:50. I'm hungry but afraid to eat because i think i'll just lose it all within a few minutes anyway.
16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink. Milk, water & tea
17. Current worry? Joseph's safety. He's in Seattle, WA for a conference for work this week.
18. Current hate right now? food poisoning
19. Favorite place to be? curled up in a warm place with a cold drink (i.e. milk or water or soda) reading a book
20. How did you bring in the new year? Is it sad to say that i don't really remember?
21. Where would you like to go? Germany
22. Name three people who will complete this: don't know
23. Do you own slippers? Yes
24 What color shirt are you wearing? i'm wearing a blue dress
25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? never slept on satin sheets, but knowing my sense of static...i would hate it.
26. Can you whistle? absolutely. in and out.
27. Where are you now? lying on the couch in my family room
28. Would you be a pirate? Bring it on!
29. What songs do you sing in the shower? Whatever is playing on the radio if i have it turned on...otherwise...nothing
30. Favorite Girl's Name? Jane
31. Favorite boy's name? Jack or Jedidiah
32. What is in your pocket right now? don't have any pockets
33. Last thing that made you laugh? talking to my mom on the phone today.
34. What vehicle do you drive? Ford Explorer SportTrac
35. Worst injury you've ever had? ummm, i'm not going to answer that because the answer is very incriminating to a certain person
36. Do you love where you live? definitely
37. How many TVs do you have in your house ? 4

25 Random Things about Me

1. Although I enjoy wearing jeans around the house, I prefer to wear dresses or skirts to work.
2. I used to think that I had Celiac Disease. Thankfully, a second blood test proved me wrong.
3. I would rather watch an action movie over a romance movie anyday.
4. I am the tallest of the “Claytor girls”. My mom is 5’1”, my younger sister 5’2”, my older sister 5’3” and I am 5’4”. (these heights are rounded to the closest inch and unless Alicia has either shrunk or grown, they are still correct.)
5. I had, at one time, a sort of fan club because I was the only wife out on the mountain paintballing with her husband. No seriously, I did. There were a few boys who totally told me that they thought that Joseph had the coolest wife ever!
6. I am the scaredy cat of the Claytor family when it comes to doing whatever I want. I was always afraid to get caught by the parents and was usually the first one to tell the truth about something that happened.
7. I love to try new things. New foods, new places, new activities, new friends.
8. I have Lyme Disease.
9. The cutest, sweetest, rottenest boxer pup in the whole world belongs to me. His name is Rocky. (I know…sooo original)
10. My random need to pick a fight with someone at a random time on a random day usually causes the biggest fight between my husband and I. He always wins.
11. I have my motorcycle license, but don’t have my motorcycle just yet.
12. I want a Harley Davidson.
13. I LOVE to read.
14. Despite loving reading, the title of biggest addiction goes to my Facebook Wrestler. (my wrestler could totally kill yours!)
15. I do write a blog (http://phoenixshadowbeast.blogspot.com/ ), but I prefer to read everyone else’s. My life just isn’t as interesting as theirs is.
16. I have been married for three years to the man that I used to absolutely hate.
17. But…before I hated him, I thought he was the cutest guy at PCC.
18. Some days it feels like I’ve been married for forever instead of just those three years.
19. I’m not really good at writing lists.
20. My dad told me that of all his girls, I am the most like my Mom.
21. Not quite sure how I feel about that. Lol
22. I have never kissed any guy other than my husband. Joseph was my very first kiss.
23. Joseph was also my first boyfriend, fiancé, husband. (oh. Wait! That’s my ONLY boyfriend, fiancé, and husband.)
24. My younger brother Titus, lives with me in Virginia
25. I love that I live so close to Washington D.C. although I haven’t been to D.C. nearly as much as I would like to.

When I am Interviewed...

I really do try my best to give good answers. Britt @ Nor-Cal Girl started this Interview process.

Here are the rules if you would like to be interviewed:
1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions


1. If you were to have a child right now (worry-free, no money issues or anything), would you want a boy or girl and what would their name be?
I would love to have two boys actually. Twins, if my prayers were answered. As for the names, assuming my husband let me name my boys, Jedidiah Andrew and Jack Lee.

2. You have the chance to spend a whole day doing ANYTHING you want, what would you do?
Definitely reading. Give me a nice warm spot in the sun, a stack of books, box of tissues (for my allergies), and an unlimited supply of either sweet ice tea or hot chamomile tea (my favorite).

3. If you HAD to lose one of the five senses (sight, smell, hearing, taste & touch), which would you willingly give up?
Smell, of course. Sight-seeing is a favorite pasttime, I need to be able to hear my babies crying (assuming #1 comes true), I LOVE food, and I'd hate to burn myself while cooking but not know it if I had no touch. Of course, the flavor of food would change a bit since half of what we as humans experience and associate with taste is actually our sense of smell.

4. If you had to eat one complete meal for dinner for two weeks, what would that meal consist of?
Steak, potatoes, and broccoli. Yum.

5. You get to have any exotic animal as a pet without having to worry about it attacking you or anything, what animal would you choose?
Hmmm. I'm stumped on this one. I kinda think maybe a kangaroo (it'd be a GREAT watch-animal) or a wombat (cause I think they're soooo cute!).

Anyone interested in joining in?

Flashback

For some crazy, ridiculous reason I decided to read through my journals from college. Wow. I've changed so much. But...that's not why I'm writing this post. There was a favorite past time of mine in college and that was to "interview" the people that I met each semester and to keep those interviews in my current (at the time) journal. But you know, I never filled out one myself. So, if you all, dear readers, will take up the challenge of filling out an interview of your own and posting it on your blog or in my comments, I'll finally do one. Of course, it won't be exactly the same as my college template since I'm married to my dream guy (so i don't have to worry about describing him), but it should still be pretty fun. Here goes nothin'!

Name: Hannah M. S.
Age: 25
Birthday: November 10, 1983
Home State (where you were born and grew up): Pennsylvania

Favorites:

Color: Pink
Ice Cream: Moose Tracks (chocolate)
Animal: Peregrine Falcon
Movie: (current) Iron Man (oldie) Gidget
Snack and/or Candy: 5th Avenue
Food: Steak (medium rare)
Book: Jane Eyre
Car: Lotus Elise (would you believe there are THREE in my area and one of those three is owned by a teenaged girl!?!)
Singer: Ella Fitzgerald
Scent: Fresh cut grass and Yankee Candle's Sweet Honeysuckle candle

Dreams:

House - basic parts your dream house MUST have: A wrap-around porch, at least five bedrooms, a HUGE kitchen, a room completely dedicated to being a pantry that is connected to the kitchen, a library.
Job: this is honestly my stump. I love photography, but I can't see ever being good enough to do it professionally. oh! and I love music, but I can't memorize. *shrug* oh well.
Family: I would LOVE a huge family and, yes, I am talking Duggar family huge. I know it will never happen, but I still think it would be awesome to have that many kids. (i don't mind if you call me crazy.)
Junket Destination: (I say junket because they're usually longer than vacations) Germany, Italy, Scotland, and Ireland. oh yes! and India.


So, tell me about yourself...