Currently

The idea was to post this yesterday but the last few days were extra busy, so today it is! Thanks again for restarting this Katy Upperman!

Loving...

I'm loving watching the tiny tomatoes on our plants grow, my six year old discovering that she can read the Ramona books on her own, cuddling with my almost four year old in the early mornings, watching my oldest son teach his sister how to ride a bike.

Reading...

I read Magonia by Maria Dahvanna Headley. What an unusual book! I think my mouth dropped open a few times. I loved how unique and unexpected it was. Today I finished reading The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West and it was sweet and light like I was hoping. I'm now reading The Cage by Megan Shepard. 

Watching...

I finished watching Forever and I'm in mourning that it was canceled. I loved everything about that show but the characters were the thing I'll miss the most. I watched the pilot episode of Wayward Pines and it was creepy and compelling. 

Listening to...

I've been listening to a variety of folk music or music with a bit of that sound mixed in. 

Thinking about...

I've been thinking about summer and what I want to work on with my kids during our summer school session. We homeschool on an all year schedule so while we will have some extra time off, we will still be doing lessons. I want our summer lessons to be hands on and fun, not overly bookish. 

Anticipating...

I'm excited for June and JuNoWriMo.

Wishing...

I want to take my kids to see a waterfall. We see the ocean all the time, and its beautiful but my younger two don't remember waterfalls. Maybe we will find one when we go on vacation.

Making Me Happy...

Taking my kids for bike rides, watering the flowers I planted under the front windows, reading in the evenings, learning about the characters in the book I'm planning, learning how to do different sorts of braids on my daughter's hair.

Currently...

I have been suffering from major What's Up Wednesday withdrawals so I'm going to join some of the other bloggers and post a Currently post every other Tuesday. Thanks for starting this back up Katy Upperman!

Loving...

I'm loving my front patio and all the flowers and herbs growing there, wandering the beach and finding sea stars, having coffee with friends and reading with my children.

Reading...

I've been a bit scattered with my reading but I'm reading Dream a Little Dream by Kerstin Gier for myself and Little Pear by Eleanor Frances Lattimore to my children. I was surprised with a copy of Magonia by Maria Dahvanna Headley from Epic Reads today which caused an impromptu dance party.

 I also have A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas and The Fill-in Boyfriend by Kasie West waiting for me. Happiness!!!

Watching...

I'm watching Gilmore Girls while I wait for a new episode of Forever. 

Listening to...

I've been listing to Disney Princess Songs and not by choice! My daughter is obsessed. When I pick it's Mumford and Sons or Bastille. Oh and I listen to The Phantom of the Opera over and over. Each time I listen I get more ideas for my next WIP.

Thinking about...

I've been thinking about the story I'm planning to write for JuNoWriMo next month and how to allude to the classic it's inspired by but still keep it original. 

Anticipating...

I can't wait for my daughter's dance recital this weekend. She is so excited!

Wishing...

I've been wishing for my parents to come visit. There are so many places I'd love to show them, especially my dad since he hasn't been down here yet. 

Making Me Happy...

Walking in the dark, listening to the frogs.

Stacks of books waiting for me to read them.

Learning the names of the local birds and plants with my children.

Strawberries. Fresh basil. Coffee.

Book Review- Fika: The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break

  One of my favorite ways to relax is by having coffee with a friend. Another of my favorite things is to sample food from far away places. This cookbook is perfect! So perfect that I already ordered a copy for a gift.

   Fika is the Swedish tradition of having coffee with something sweet to eat. It is about making coffee a break, not just adding it in as you run through life. I love everything about this concept. The book is full of information on Fika and it's place in Swedish culture. It is informative, yet cheerful and relaxing to read. The illustrations are charming and fit the simplistic style of the book.

  When I first saw the title, I figured it would have recipes for baked goods and coffee drinks. I was half right. It is full of baked goods ranging from traditional Swedish cookies and breads to more modern takes on the tradition. It even has a section for holiday treats and one that contains recipes that are substantial enough for lunch. There is not a single recipe for a stovetop latte, which is fine by me. It leaves more room for breads and cookies spiced with cardamon and toped with hazelnuts or pearl sugar. Yum!

   So far I have drooled over several recipes in this book and I've made two, pannkakor (Swedish Pancakes) and chokladbollar (chocolate balls). Both were delicious! I even invited a friend over for chokladbollar and coffee. It wasn't as relaxing as portrayed in the book because we had five children racing in circles around us, but it was fun!

  Several recipes in this book require ingredients that might not be in every American kitchen but they aren't so exotic that you can't find them. I was pleasantly surprised at how basic most of the ingredients are. I can see myself serving friends baked goods from this book for years to come.

  You can check it out on Amazon here or Goodreads here.

I received a copy of this book to review from Blogging for Books.

#JuNoWriMo Blog Hop and Giveaway!

 It's almost June (or close to almost June!) and I'm gearing up for a month of writing, and socializing with the wonderful writing community. I'm also hoarding coffee and planning some freezer meals because I know from experience that this is necessary. As part of the JuNoWriMo blog hop I've decided to share five random but related things.

1. I prefer writing late at night, often while I'm baking muffins or bread for the next morning's breakfast.
2. June is an awesome month for writing 50k because my kid's take a break from lessons, we don't do school most of the month so I don't have to put a lot of time into lesson plans and there aren't any holidays or birthdays to worry about. 
3. Taking a long walk is one of my favorite ways to reenergize.
4. This year I'm going to be writing a YA gothic/fantasy that came to me while I was listening to The Phantom of the Opera. 
5. If I need a breather from my main WIP, I have a fast paced MG sci-fi that I'm writing for my son, so I can always switch to it for a bit. 

If you want to join the blog hop and help spread the word, it's super easy!

1. Write a post.
You can copy and paste the post on the JuNoWriMo blog, create your own, or do a combo of the two. If you choose to write your own, have fun with it! Share a little bit about what you will be working on this June, talk about your favorite part of JuNoWriMo, share your favorite recipe for a late night snack on those nights when you need to stay up and write all the words, the sky is the limit. The only must is please include a link to the JuNoWriMo website.

2.  Join the linky list.
Once your post is live, join the linky list here. That way everyone else participating can visit and help promote your post.

3. Hop!
Visit a few of the other participant’s blogs. It’s a great way to meet some of the other writers before the event.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with JuNoWriMo, it’s a month long writing adventure in the style of NaNoWriMo, complete with word sprints and plenty of other writers to cheer you on. The goal is to write 50,000 in one month (1,667 words a day). You can write whatever you want. Fiction, non-fiction, the final 50k to something you started five years ago. Anything. We’d love to have you write with us!

You can learn more and sign up here.

Our Facebook group is here.

One more thing! There is a giveaway, and these prizes are perfect to get you ready to write.

First prize – writer care package including a pen, post-it notes, and this official JuNoWriMo notebook.

Second prize – JuNoWriMo swag pack including a JuNoWriMo button, JuNoWriMo sticker, and a hand-painted JuNoWriMo bookmark.

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