More to come......

In exactly 6 hours I will be officially on spring break! I am so in need of a full week away from it all. I am very hopeful that I will rest, relax and rejuvenate in that time frame and be more than ready to head back to school for the final 8 weeks.

I feel like I have been remiss in my postings this week. I have had quite a few papers to grade, tests to create, and literature units to complete before the break and have not had much chance to sit down and adequately compose a blog entry. I have several ideas for entries, however, that I plan to write next week. So as a teaser....here are a few of the fun, exciting things that have happened to me over the last few days:

• I learned my course schedule this summer and I managed to secure my two first-choice classes: Rewriting a Life and Teaching Shakespeare. I will write a separate blog entry for anyone who cares to know more about the classes and the books I will be reading.


• I finished the book, We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver. This was recommended to me by several after I reviewed The Hour I First Believed. I am still sifting through my thoughts and reactions to the book and will post a review next week.


• I hope to finish The School of Essential Ingredients this evening and will also plan to write a review for that book as well.


• I can actually participate in Mailbox Monday!! I received my books for the summer classes I am taking AND I received my first review book from author Christopher Barzak. I am hoping to read and post about his book next week -- and to really get a head start on the 10+ books I need to read prior to June 16.
  
• Another author, whom I discovered on Book blogs, has asked me to review her memoir about being an artist in France in the 1960s. This sounds just lovely and I am very honored to have this opportunity. I will probably receive the book sometime next week.
  
• I won a give-away!! Actually, I won two give aways -- I never win anything in my life! I will post about these two highlights of my week and give full credit to the two wonderful ladies who made it possible.
  
• I have a ton of library loot --- woot woot! I went to the library to finish grading papers yesterday and thought I would just check to see if any holds were received. I was SO surprised when 8 books were brought out! Many were books I plan to skim for my 7th grade mystery unit but.....Drood and The Help were available after weeks of waiting. AH...spring break is going to be good.


• and last...but certainly not least.....I was bestowed the I Love Your Blog award by Jackie at Farm Lane Books. I am truly touched by those who think my ramblings are worth reading - and I am humbled and blessed by this gift. I do have a question - for anyone who is in the know - I would LOVE to properly showcase the award buttons that I have received, but I do not know how to add a 3rd column to my blogspot page (the right side is getting a little cluttered!) If you can help me out I would GREATLY appreciate it!

Well, that is all that I can think to write about for now. Like I said, I am very hopeful to get lots read - and many posts written - over the next 7-10 days when I am relatively free from life's duties, responsibilities and obligations. I am not going anywhere exotic or fancy -- but my husband has reserved a room for me in Branson, MO (about 4 hours away) from Sunday - Friday and I will have quite a bit of peace and solitude --- something I desperately need and which sounds quite exotic to me at this stage in my life.