This has been a week. I’m posting my reading week from my daily IG, but this morning’s Gage update is that he is feeling quite a bit better. Mornings have been rough and this has been the best one so far this week, so here’s hoping the rest of the day continues the healing trend!
Sunday morning mimosa anyone? Don’t mind if I do! Some days opening a bottle of Korbel for one (okay, maybe two) mimosas on your deck seems like the only thing to do.
I really should be drinking whisky since the hero of the latest Ravenel book is a Scottish distiller. This book brings together the Ravenel family with her other popular series, The Wallflowers. I’m not sure you really need to have read any of the other books to enjoy this steamy historical romance.
Right from the get go hardworking Merritt and Keir feel lust and within days the widower and the Scot share a passionate night together. The trouble begins immediately as someone tries to kill him and almost succeeds.
This was a fun read. Kleypas is fast becoming my favorite historical romance writer. This one is hot off the presses and hot in the romance.
We finally finished our 500 piece Norway puzzle from Completing the Puzzle . It was harder than it looked at first but we all liked finding the Vikings around the puzzle.
I read the 400+ page Ocean Prey with Lucas Davenport (#31) and Virgil Flowers. I’ve read all the Davenport books (except last year’s, somehow I missed that one) and a few of the Virgil ones. Lucas has been a US Marshal for awhile and the case of murdered Coast Guard puts him in Florida.
I don’t want to say too much, but if you read this series you might get a little teary at something that happened to a favorite character.
Loved this one! I didn’t realize how much I’d missed these two.
I remembered to grab the Nintendo Switch for Gage, but forgot a book for myself, so last night before bed I read him The Hill We Climb by the youngest poet to deliver a poetry reading at a presidential election. This poem is perfection and gave us so many things to talk about with all the things going on in this country.
A taste…
“Scripture tells us to envision that:
‘Everyone shall sit under their own vine and fig tree,
And no one shall make them afraid.’
If we’re to live up to our own time, then victory
Won’t lie in the blade, but in all the bridges we’ve made.
That is the promised glade,
The hill we climb, if only we dare it:
Because being American is more than a pride we inherit-
It’s the past we step into, and how we repair it.
We’ve seen a force that would shatter our nation rather than share it,
Would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy.
And this effort very nearly succeeded.
But while democracy can be periodically delayed,
It can never be permanently defeated.”
The force that would shatter our country rather than share it is alive and well still. May Gorman’s words give us all the resolve we need to make sure our democracy remains strong for our children.
Gage was pretty sickly this morning. Back in the ER they gave him fluids and ran bloodwork. And sent us home with nothing but give him Miralax, Pepcid, and Zofran and hope that in a few days he’ll feel better 😟. So, anyone out there who would like to say a prayer or send some positive energy that would be appreciated. I sent jason and gage to grandma’s to enjoy her electricity while I’m here trying to enjoy some de-stress time in the growing darkness.
Last night before bed we read this beautiful picture book about a mother preparing for the birth of her child. Loved learning more about the Inniniwak and their traditions. The illustrations and story were just what this mama needed last night. A sweet book for a mom-to-be. I Sang you Down from the Stars by Tasha Spillett.
After we got back from the ER yesterday Gage and I finished this gorgeous double sided puzzle. So fun and happy, something we both needed yesterday. Now we’ll take it all apart and do the other side. Stay tuned!
After the electricity went out and the guys went to grandma’s house for TV I sat outside and finished this wonderful book. Seriously, it’s way more than I thought it would be. It’s Texas history told in relation to her own personal experience and the the history of the country. I learned so much! By sharing the history we never hear about of blacks and Native Americans as Europeans first made it to this land the picture of our country becomes clearer. The emphasis is on Texas, but even as an Ohioan I was drawn in by her storytelling.
Juneteenth by Annette Gordon Reed. It’s only 148 pages and I highly recommend it. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Gage is pretty much the same as yesterday. Rough morning, little to eat, but was able to tolerate some potatoes with chicken for dinner. Baby steps.
We’re studying Kansas this week and I read these three yesterday and let Gage choose one to read today. This week I have allowed way more screen time than necessary, but there has to be some upside of being sick, right?
All three of these are longer picture books for the older elementary crowd and about real people.
Sharice’s Big Voice: A Native Kid Becomes a Congresswoman is the story of Sharice Davids, one of the first Native American women to hold the office and the first LGBTQ congressperson to represent Kansas. It’s a good story for kids, that no matter what people say you can or can’t do, it’s you who decides your fate. Inspiring story of her childhood and heritage. It just came out in June.
Fieldhouse is another autobiographical kids book, this one a graphic memoir that I found a little busy, but Gage loved (I knew this would be the one he picked!). Dreaming of playing for the Kansas Jayhawks, Scott Novosel made his dream come through with perseverance.
No Small Potatoes: Junius G. Groves and His Kingdom in Kansas was my favorite. Junius was born a slave in Kentucky but was still a child when freed. He headed west, stopped in Kansas and got a job working on a farm. He was such a hard worker he was soon overseeing it. He held firm to his dream of having his own farm and through sweat and sacrifice became Potato King of the World, in 1919 he had over 2,000 acres of his own land. Loved this story and the illustrations.
Still reading books published this year, so if you have one I should read let me know!
Stacy's Books 
So sorry to hear Gage isn’t feeling well. I hope he’s on the road to feeling better and getting back to normal. Nice puzzles!
He’s getting there 🙂
I’m glad to read Gage seems to be finally getting better. As mother’s it is so awful to see our kiddos (even grown ones) sick. Amanda Gorman is so inspirational – lov e her and that Norway puzzle looks amazing as well. Glad you seemed to have made the best of an awful week Stacy. Hope the coming week is much better.
This week is starting a bit better. We actually got a half day of school in 🙂
Praying Gage is all better soon! I love that puzzle and see a few books that look good for my great granddaughter (she’s only 1 but I already have a bunch of books to give her soon.
I hope you have a better week with a well Gage and no electric outages!
Thanks Vicki! Prayers are always appreciated.
Hope Gage is feeling better by now and is completely recovered soon. It’s so awful (and exhausting) when they are so sick.
Thanks! It makes for a long,stressful week for sure. He’s back to about 95% so I’ll take it!
Best wishes to Gage. Keep those mimosas coming!
Yes to the mimosas!!
Thoughts to you and your family
Thanks so much!
So sorry Gage isn’t feeling well.this week, poor little guy. It’s not fun when it’s miserable to eat.
And those power outages!!! You aren’t up in Michigan are you? My co-worker is somewhere in Michigan and her power was out on Thursday, I think, and not scheduled to come back until tomorrow night??? Crazy!
Hang in there and I hope things are much better this week!
Mercy! What a week for you. I’m so sorry to hear that Gage isn’t feeling well this week. I hope he is a little better today. (I took a look on Instagram, and it looks like he is. Whew!)
The Norway puzzle is great. It sounds like it’s also a little bit of a Where’s Waldo, too.
I don’t see how anyone could hear Amanda Gorman read The Hill We Climb and not be deeply moved. I intend to buy her book when I get a chance.
The Norway puzzle was fun and I loved all of the Vikings 🙂
Oh, dear! What a worry to have such a sick little kiddo. I hope he’s on the mend and that the ER visits are soon a distant memory.
Well, I just lifted a quick prayer for Gage. Hope this week goes well. My Sunday Salon post
Thanks so much. Prayers are always appreciated 🙂
What a tough week… hope Gage continues to improve.
Thanks so much Jo Ann!