Here's what's up:
What's Up Wednesday: Summer Adventure Edition
WHAT I’M READING
I have so many great books out from the library right now –
it’s hard to choose which to read next. My decision is sometimes dictated by
library availability and whether or not I’ve maxed out on renewals, so, based on a
complicated formula (not really), I’m currently reading THE MUSEUM OF
INTANGIBLE THINGS by Wendy Wunder.
From Goodreads:
I’ve also just started critiquing a new YA contemp manuscript from the charming and talented Becky Barrow and it's pretty amazing so far.
From Goodreads:
Hannah and Zoe haven’t had much in their lives, but they’ve always had each other. So when Zoe tells Hannah she needs to get out of their down-and-out New Jersey town, they pile into Hannah’s beat-up old Le Mans and head west, putting everything—their deadbeat parents, their disappointing love lives, their inevitable enrollment at community college—behind them.
As they chase storms and make new friends, Zoe tells Hannah she wants more for her. She wants her to live bigger, dream grander, aim higher. And so Zoe begins teaching Hannah all about life’s intangible things, concepts sadly missing from her existence—things like audacity, insouciance, karma, and even happiness.
An unforgettable read from the acclaimed author of The Probability of Miracles, The Museum of Intangible Things sparkles with the humor and heartbreak of true friendship and first love.
I’ve also just started critiquing a new YA contemp manuscript from the charming and talented Becky Barrow and it's pretty amazing so far.
WHAT I’M WRITING
The fact that I’m writing at all is something of a miracle. I’ve
renewed my goal to write every day, even if it’s only a tiny snippet or idea. I’m
working on revisions of KEYS (broken record) and hope to have that thing in
tip-top shape soon!
WHAT ELSE I’VE BEEN UP TO
School’s out for summer… and so we’ve settled into a new
routine at our house. Even though the kids are on a more laid-back schedule, I
need to get to work by 8 am (or earlier), so mornings are still a bit of
a rush. There are no buses to miss, so at least I have that going for me.
2014 is the Summer of Adventure. I want to make this one a memorable summer for my kids, so we've got lots of adventures planned around Minnesota and Wisconsin. I took a couple of days off last week before my daughter's summer program started and my sister and the kids and I went up to the North Shore of Lake Superior (favorite place in the world). My sister said that even if you're going on an adventure in a place you've been before, you should do something that you've never done. What a great idea - one I plan to incorporate as we enjoy the summer.
So far, we've had two adventures - the North Shore trip (Canal Park and Fitger's Brewhouse in Duluth, Stoney Point, Split Rock Lighthouse, and Flood Bay in Two Harbors) and a visit to Grandad Bluff in La Crosse, WI.
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| Birdy and Toad at Grandad Bluff Park |
Up next: Signing the kids up for the local library's summer reading program; Toad will spend this upcoming weekend canoeing down the St. Croix River; Hammer Guy is going to Colorado for several days for work; and Birdy and I will have the weekend to do lots of fun stuff together, including a Harry Potter movie marathon (she can only watch the first three), mani-pedis, and learning to ride her bike without training wheels.
WHAT INSPIRES ME RIGHT NOW
It was wonderful and rejuvenating to visit the North Shore last week. I'm inspired by those gorgeous landscapes and by my kids, who seem to have both reached an age of engagement and wonder (although they still struggle with long car rides) and have really enjoyed all the places we've visited recently. I love that they both love to read and write - Birdy recently asked me if I would teach her how to write a book this summer. I'm inspired by the possibility that this summer holds for our family - fun times and new adventures together. And hopefully, this summer will hold new possibility for me in other ways as well.
What's up with you? What exciting plans do you have for the summer?
What's up with you? What exciting plans do you have for the summer?