{ Summer Reading List }

With my busy life lately, I have found that my moments for reading have dwindled, if not completely disappeared.

Oh I love reading, I just don't have the time and when I finally sit down for a moment, more often than not I am fast asleep.  Just ask my husband who is quite used to me sitting next to him on the couch to watch something, only to be nodding off within 5 minutes.

Thing is, I miss reading.

I miss everything about it.  The new pages of a book, the smell of the said pages and most of all, losing myself in a good story.  There is nothing quite like forgetting about real life for a moment and indulging in some good fiction.

I decided that I need to get back to my reading, and so, I'm doing something I haven't done in a very long time.  I am starting a Summer Reading List and I'm determined to get through it.

I'm starting small though, I am not going to give myself a huge list only to not be able to finish and thereby feel bad it.  Small....a few books.

I raided my bookshelf for books I have had for a long time but never got around to reading.  So here they are:

• Little Women by Louisa May Alcott  (why?  because it's been years since I read it and I love it)
• Plain and Fancy by Wanda Brunstetter
• White Christmas by Wanda Brunstetter
• A Sister's Secret by Wanda Brunstetter
• A Sister's Test by Wanda Brunstetter
• A Sister's Hope by Wanda Brunstetter
• Looking for a Miracle by Wanda Brunstetter
• What the Heart Sees by Kathleen Fuller
• Adoring Addie by Leslie Gould
• The Guardian by Beverly Lewis

Now that I've typed it out, it actually seems like a bit of a list doesn't it????  No matter, I'm going to get through it :)

Are you doing a Summer Reading List too?  Any good books you can recommend?

We are almost ready to turn in the keys to the old house, actually have to go in tomorrow and clean the carpets in the master bedroom....not that they need it, but I'm so used to military housing inspections that I just can't leave a house without giving it a good run through.

A lot of you have been asking about my knee, thank you for your kind words and thoughts.  My knee is fine, it is no longer swollen, I can walk just fine, but the bruising remains, it is now in that ugly yellowish phase, so I'm guessing a few more days before it is back to normal.

I have been good though, I have been taking it easy and staying off it as much as possible.

One of the things I've been indulging in, is World Cup watching, while plugging away on my crochet blanket, which let me tell you, is now on it's last two rows before being finished.  I'm going to give it a cute border and then it will be completely done, but I'll show you at that time.

I've also been loving watching my veggies and fruits growing.  I do enjoy gardening, though truth be told I am no expert and still fumble and kill the occasional plant here and there.  I am doing much better though and managing to grow a lot of things.

Something I've never been able to grow, was Lavender, but look at how well they are doing here in Idaho???  Happy, Happy with that!

And lastly, I've also been researching dinners on a budget, quick and easy meals to make without breaking the grocery budget.   Also, adding a lot more salad and veggies to each meal, it's something I use to do all the time and then stopped, but we seriously need to eat more veggies and fruit.

It's not hard to do, I will continue to make yummy meals but just adding salad or a veggie to each dinner.

Easy French Dip Sandwiches was tonight's dinner, with some creamed peas.  You can find the recipe on my food blog.  

Trying to work on a budget, trying to cut corners, trying to grow our own food, just trying to live life simply but good.  I've been purging as I unpack boxes too and so far have 4 boxes filled with items to do a yard sale with. 

So yeah, now you know what I've been up to. 

I'm sorry I wasn't around for the past few days, I just realized that my last post was on Monday and by now you were all probably wondering where I disappeared too with my jacked up knee.  HA!!!

I felt I needed to come in and let you know how I was and what I have been up to. 

Tomorrow we have some more cleaning up to do at the old house, and then at night we have the local rodeo to attend.  I can't wait for that, can you believe I have never been to one in the 16 years I have lived in the USA???  Goodness!!

Alright friends, I'm off for the night, going to finish my crochet blanket and try to watch something with the hubby before I fall asleep.  Wish me luck!!