New Year, New Linky Love

Slow Sunday?  Football got you down? Need some reading material?  Here your go.

16 Books to Read Before They Hit Theaters this Year

15 months in Virtual Charter Hell found via Teacher Tom's Blog

How to Raise a Son to be a Great Guy (lots of food for thought here)

What doing the Laundry taught me about Goals Angela at The Coupon Project

Lastly, 29 Things you Should Know Before Moving to Bellingham, WA.  Even I learned a few things and I only live near Bellingham. It is pretty funny. I noticed they left off a donut category and coffee shop etiquette. Our local talk radio station had some bones to pick about the list.

Tea Snob

Along with being a coffee snob, I think I might be turning into a tea snob as well.  Shh! Don't tell those die hard Pacific Northwest Coffee Drinkers. I discovered the Nutcracker Sweet Tea from Celestial Tea over Christmas break. I fell in love with it.  The Nutcracker Sweet Black tea is  sweet without any added sugar with hints of vanilla.  It is simply delicious. This is a seasonal blend that is only in some stores during the holidays.  I also became a tea hoarder buying up a bunch of boxes during the holiday season. It is an obsession.

This in no way a sponsored post.  Anyone have tea suggestions for when I run out of the Nutcracker Sweet?

Valentine Card Ideas

Every year I try to come up with a homemade valentine to send.  Need some ideas? Here are some previous years Valentine's

2013 was a bit of hybrid Valentine.  I made it in photoshop.  Chalkboard writing was the rage. I actually did 4 different versions.  I am little bit of an overachiever.  Details here.

2012 were very unique and involved lots and lots of coloring.  Details here.

Oh 2011 Valentine's involved the use of an exacto knife.  Lots of intricate cutting. Details here.

Charlie made these to hand out at school.  Thought they turned out cute.  Details here

I am still working on my idea for this year's Valentine. 

The Universe Smiles

Sometimes the universe does smile.  I found this smile on the back side of my front door.  I assume it was left by my youngest. He is known to leave me little love notes or just a hi.

Smile improve your face value!

What is on My Reading List for 2014?

Well, I have been scouring the best reads lists to complete a reading list for myself for 2014. These are books that look promising to me.  Depending on library availability and the lure of the hot reads table, will determine what I read.  My time is precious so if a book isn't speaking to me after a couple chapters I don't feel any guilt over abandoning the book.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell ( Young Adult Book)
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand (Going to be in Theaters this Year) NON FICTION
Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
The Fault in our Stars  by John Green (Going to be in Theaters this Year)
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (Already in Theaters)
Code Name Verity  by Elizabeth Wein (Young Adult Book)
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
What Alice Forgot by Laine Moriarty
Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt
Me Before You by Jo Jo Moyes
The Boys in the Boat By Daniel James Brown
The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls By Anton Disclafani

First to Find

We had our very first to find of 2014 in Lynden Wa.  The cache was called, "Down the Drain."  It was rainy and windy but we braved and were the first to find this geocache! We had to use a Tool of the Trade (TOT) tweezers to remove the log. 

Because I got that Kind of Time

Sometimes, I get a wild hair.  I made this 12th Man - Go Hawks mural with post it flags from the dollar store.  I love temporary art.

Mural in Hallway
made with post it flags
from the Dollar Store

Evidently, I have that kind of time. I am a little odd. See evidence below. I am a fan! Go Sea Chickens!

me and Russell Wilson January 2013