Getting into a Groove

School: My classes are supposed to be leveled tomorrow. While part of me still has an "I'll believe it when I see it" type attitude, part of me thinks it REALLY will be done. On Friday my class of 29 was already showing up as only 15 students on my online roster. Crossing all fingers...

DH: My sweetie started his own blog last week. He created it as a writing outlet and (I think) as a possible web connection with other authors. I'm a follower, but am not listing him on my blogroll as he is still thinking through how much he wants to mix his "personal life" with his "writing life" on his blog. Check out his first post, and wish him luck on his writing journey, if you wish: http://doubleawriting.blogspot.com/

--Without any suggestions or persuasion from me, I was tickled when DH decided to re-vamp his current novel and market it as a "teen lit" novel, rather than "adult." As an 8th grade reading teacher, I'm excited (and hopeful) to think that my students could one day benefit from his first novel. :)

--He let me read the 5 page prologue and I'm "hooked" and ready for more! But, I'm not allowed to read MORE until he has revised/edited. Sighs...waiting (impatiently.) :)

Emma:
--Fever of 101.7 yesterday. So it was a stay in bed, watch movies, hang out at home kind of day. She seems to be feeling better today...only a slight fever (99.2.) I'm hoping with continued medicine throughout the day that we won't have to miss school tomorrow. She had a slight cough yesterday, but I haven't heard any coughing today...hopefully we started the medicine quickly enough.

--At Em's weekly gymnastics class, they always begin with everyone sitting in a circle. Then each child introduces him/herself and answers the question of the week. Em's coaches cracked up when Em's answer this week to "What's your favorite movie?" was "Grease!" (Of course!)

Books: Despite updating my books-read list on my sidebar, I've been awful about posting about books I've read...

This weekend I read The Awakening and The Struggle, the first two books in the Vampire Diaries Series by L.J. Smith. I enjoyed them and am anticipating reading the 2 sequel books in the near future. (And as I've started watching the "Vampire Diaries" show on the CW network, it was neat to read the books...which of course are WAY better than the show.)

The past few weeks I re-read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. LOVE this book. I enjoy the entire HP series, but I think Hallows is my favorite. Action from start to finish, satisfying ending, and excellent closure to links and context clues from the first 6 novels in the series.

Last month I read Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. This book was one of the recommended summer reading novels for 8th graders at my school. It's a novel about a 9th grade girl who becomes outcast from her schoolmates after enduring a trauma. It takes 3/4 of the novel to learn what the "trauma" is. I appreciated the storytelling and the way the author guides the reader to "side with" the main character. I recently learned that "Speak" was a Showtime film staring Kristin Stewart ("Bella in the "Twilight" films) as the lead. We no longer have a net.flicks account, so I'll have to see if the movie is available online or at the library...

DH and I both read The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. I enjoyed the novel, but DH didn't care for it. And I was completely floored by a trauma that occurred near the end of the novel...broadsided. Did NOT see it coming. Made for very interesting reading! I'm anticipating viewing the movie adaptation of this novel as well.

I have now read 52 books this year. My goal at Kristin's 2009 Book Challenge is to have read 75 books by Dec. 31st. I think I will meet my goal. Woot-woot!

Autumn: We've been able to sleep with our windows open for a few nights now. LOVE this time of year...we've had temperatures in the 70's and 80's during the day, with lows in the 50's or 60's overnight. Perfect!

--Em and I used a recipe my Mom invented this summer...we made some AWESOME oatmeal brownies this week. Super yummy!

--We started putting Halloween/fall decorations around the house. Fall is here!