Currently #4

Reading: My brain is a bit broken and so I have turned to manga to help myself out. Currently, I’m reading multiple series, but my current obsession is Parasyte.

Watching: We started watching Alice in Borderland S1 and I am so in love with the series.

Listening: All Stray Kids all the time!

Making: I got back into making scones this week and now I just want all of the scones. So good! My lemon poppy seed mini scones are still my favorite to make and eat.

Feeling: My sleep has been trash lately and I am so incredibly tired.

Planning: We’re heading to Indiana at the end of April for Alex’s college graduation. I’m planning a stopover in Chicago before and another after to hit a few museums.

Loving: Stray Kids dropped their new Mixtape a few days ago and I am absolutely obsessed! “Escape” is my absolute favorite song, but all four new songs are good. “Truman” is really growing on me, but will not be surpassing “Escape” as my favorite. Definitely love my Bang Chan/Hyunjin pairing!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #3

Reading: I’m almost finished reading Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld. It’s our book club selection this month and I have some mixed feelings. Waiting until I finish the book before making my official determination.

Watching: J and finally started watching Alice in Borderland as I finished the manga series last month. I am enjoying the changes while retaining the basic ideas from the manga.

Listening: Stray Kids all the time, every day. That’s all.

Making: J and I have officially started our podcast about War and Peace. I’m excited to get into the book more and establish a routine.

Feeling: Since Christmas, I’ve been feeling weirdly disconnected. My depression has been harder to keep at bay.

Planning: The Enrichment Co-op is starting at the beginning of April. I need to start planning my lessons, but I guess I need to reconfirm the weeks that I am actually teaching.

Loving: I finally got my birthday cake this past weekend and of course it was German chocolate. Love it so much!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #2

Reading: Finishing reading The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang for Dirty Book Month for book club. I actually have liked it a lot more that I was expecting.

Watching: J got me addicted to Pantheon. I’ve been watching some episodes during lunch, but wasn’t going fast enough. We’re watching the rest of S2 at night to finish before my trip.

Listening: My mom got me addicted to Stray Kids. I am obsessed now…

Making: I made a version of Kimchi Jjigae (just Kimchi stew with tuna and tofu) and we loved it. I think this needs to go into regular rotation.

Feeling: After being sick last week, I haven’t really slept well lately. Consequently I am tired. The cloudy weather is not helping me.

Planning: I’m finalizing the travel plans for the end of the month. I have just a few things to finish before we leave.

Loving: As a result of my Stray Kids obsession, I’ve been listening to more dancing music while making dinner. Makes the tasks a little less annoying.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #1

Reading: Currently in the middle of a Book of the Month, Unread Shelf book The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas. It’s the spooky ghost story that I was really needing this week.

Watching: J and I started watching Rivals S1 and I’m absolutely obsessed with the campy 80s drama. I cannot wait to see what happens next.

Listening: I put on a big music mix, but mostly it’s been podcasts. And in particular, it’s been You’re Wrong About. I am official in summer 2020 in their back catalog.

Making: Today it’s supposed to hit 57 degrees, but it’s been super cold for the last week or so. I’ve focused on making warm meals, dare I say comfort food.

Feeling: After a crap January, I am feeling so much better this week.

Planning: Enrichment Co-op starts in April and I have to hold all the informational parent meetings before then. They litter my calendar for February and March. Now to finish up my documentation.

Loving: My preferred breakfast this week has all been banana bread. I always forget how much I love it!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #19

Reading: I finally started reading the November book club selection, To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose. I’m really intrigued by the story.

Watching: I finally started No One Wants This and am absolutely loving it!

Listening: I’ll admit that I’m listening to all politics podcasts. This is going to consume my entire week.

Making: The weather turned, so it’s soup time. I’m pulling out all he cold wether recipes to put on our meal plan. This week, I made ham and potato soup.

Feeling: It’s time to snuggle up with a blanket and be cozy.

Planning: Christmas is getting close and it’s time to make definitely holiday travel plans. We will be traveling to Indiana like usual, but the specific days shift around.

Loving: I finally managed to make flu shot appointments and get them taken care of. I also got my COVID booster. (None of the local places have COVID boosters for kids.) I love being able to cross essential tasks off my list.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #18

Reading: I got back into comics with Year Zero, a series about the zombie apocalypse.

Watching: J and I are deep into S4 of Slow Horses. It’s just so so good. Love smart crime dramas.

Listening: I finally started a Beatles centered podcast called Nothing is Real. I needed something a little different than my usual news and comedy.

Making: I have filled our meal planner with lots of great fall dinners. I just tried a pork and sauerkraut stew that was lovely.

Feeling: Ready for academic co-op this Thursday. I’ve got our school bags mostly packed, handouts printed, and ideas of how to smooth the transition.

Planning: I finally set the date for the birthday party and now I need to get planning. I’ve got a ton of windows open with ideas.

Loving: We’re loving our weekly Vala’s visits. Tomorrow’s our next one.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #16

Reading: I’m currently deep into Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology. It’s giving me all the spooky vibes that I was looking for. There are some truly terrifying tales in here.

Watching: J and I have been on a game show kick. We’ve been binging episodes of Game Changer and Make Some Noise along with Breaking News and Um, Actually. It’s been a comedy week in this house.

Listening: J also got me started on a new podcast called Conspiracy She Wrote. There’s only a few episodes out, but they are good dives into famous women and conspiracies.

Making: We’ve almost finished our first homeschool section of the year. Time to make piles for the next 6 week session.

Feeling: Securing a location for the Academic Co-op has gotten ridiculous. Add in that fact that not everyone in the group is actually helping and I am frustrated.

Planning: Tomorrow we have to take the car in for an oil change and lots of other regular maintenance issues. We’re going to camp out in the waiting room and do schoolwork. Maybe we will actually get it done with the distractions of home.

Loving: The wind has finally kicked up a bit heading into fall and it’s making my life so much better.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #15

Reading: I’m deep into Kate Quinn’s new book The Briar Club. This is a different type of book for her. Still historical fiction, but this time we have a murder mystery that folds in an episodic way by exploring each character’s story.

Watching: We’re deep into S2 of Star Trek: Discovery. It’s so dramatic and good.

Listening: We’re loving our music study this year. This week we covered Johnny Cash. The boys liked him more than Elvis, but not as much as Fats Domino.

Making: This past week has been about trying new-to-us dinner recipes. I made a good spring green spaghetti carbonara, Mexican street corn totchos, and buffalo chicken chili. Two of those were hits. The chili was a bit disappointing.

Feeling: The temperatures spiked again this week and it’s terrible. I hate the heat.

Planning: I’m now teaching the last four weeks of enrichment co-op. Our theme is art + mathematics. I’m leaning on the math side to teach geometry puzzles to the Running Rhinos and then probability and cryptography to the Buff Gorillas.

Loving: We broke open the package of Key Lime Oreos (off brand from Aldis) and they were delicious. Now I have to wait another year to get another package.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #14

Reading: After social media pressure, I started reading The Idea of You by Robinne Lee. I’m not quite sure what I think about the book so far, but I will say that it’s an easy read.

Watching: J convinced me to jump back into Star Trek: Discovery. We sped through the second half of the first season and are ready to start the second season this week.

Listening: The boys and I are embarking on a great music curriculum this year based on Music Lab: We Rock! This wee we covered Chuck Berry and Fats Domino. The boys decided that they love Fats Domino. I’m more of a Chuck Berry fan myself.

Making: I’ve been working on creating academic co-op lessons for the civics course I’m teaching. I’ve got about half of them done completely. The rest have basic outlines and brainstormed ideas.

Feeling: We finished our first week of school strong. I’m feeling very accomplished with what we have done and the balance between school and activities that we created.

Planning: We’re going full force into fall with lots of social co-op activities. I’m very excited about the reopening of the Joslyn Art Museum in September. We are going to do a monthly art exploration meetup there.

Loving: Every time we go to Aldis, I have to get the kitchen sink cookies if they have any. I absolutely love them!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #12

Reading: I’m deep into The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett for this month’s Nerdy Bookish Friends pick. I’m really enjoying this murder mystery set in am epic fantasy world.

Watching: The Bachelorette is back! I’m enjoy Jenn, but I must say that her men are lacking as a group. I’m not impressed.

Listening: Very slowly making my way through S10 of the Revolutions podcast about the Russian Revolution. I only have ~60 episodes to go…

Making: Still working on travel plans to Indiana. I have a basic outline, but I need to fill in some details. Plus I need to confirm our sleeping arrangements while there.

Feeling: The heat wave is finally breaking today, but my goodness, it has been terrible. Yesterday when I was going to the dentist the temperature was 95 degrees with a feels like temperature of 108 degrees. That’s just way too hot!

Planning: I’ve got a co-op lesson about robots coming up. I also have all of the academic co-op’s civics class to finish planning. Plus I have a co-op lesson about geometry and two about cryptography to plan.

Loving: After 34 years, my fake front tooth started to show decay. My dentist has been watching it for five years, and determined it was time. The two appointments were not fun at all, but I’m loving my new tooth. No more discoloration. No more weird ridge. And it fits very well. I’m excited to eat normally again soon.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #11

Reading: Getting ready to dive into the 3rd book in The Illuminae Files series, Obsidio. I am really enjoying this series.

Watching: While I was gone, J started watching Barry S1. He paused, backed up, and restarted it so I could watch too. This is one of those shows that we wanted to watch when it aired, but then it got lost in the media shuffle.

Listening:I started S10 of the Revolutions podcast. This last full season is on the Russian Revolution. Eleven episodes in and we are just now covering anything to do with Russia. There was a lot of political and economic philosophy set-up to the season.

Making: We switched from Paprika to Mealie for our recipe management, so I need to make some meal plans for the rest of the summer. I like the interface, but the transfer is a bit of work.

Feeling: I wasn’t feeling great this past weekend (migraine), but thankfully I’m doing better. Ready to tackle the rest of the week.

Planning: Working on our late summer trip to Indiana and then Ohio and Michigan. I think I’ve got the basics mapped out. Now I need to work on hotels and restaurants.

Loving: After horrid hot days, a nice rainstorm moved in yesterday. It was so nice to wake up to the sound of the rain.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #10

Reading: I’m almost finished with the current Nerdy Bookish Friends pick Annie Bot by Sierra Greer. I can’t say that I’m enjoying it, but it is interesting.

Watching: We needed some light viewing and are making our way through S2 of Loot.

Listening: I haven’t started another audiobook and I haven’t listened to many podcasts. So nothing really right now.

Making: We’re putting grilled cheese on the menu this week per a request from the kids.

Feeling: My bookish retreat was last weekend and really recharged me. I’m feeling fairly relaxed right now.

Planning: Next Monday to Wednesday I’m taking the boys to Waterloo, IA for a mini road trip. We’re going to stop in Des Moines on the way. The boys are super excited about the waterpark we are visiting.

Loving: Between the retreat and a lighter activity week, I’m fully invested in lots of reading time.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #9

Reading: I’m slowly making my way through Blood by Jen Gunter. Just like one of her previous books, The Vagina Bible, I am learning so much! A must read.

Watching: We’ve made it to S3 of Welcome to Wrexham. Of course we are loving it.

Listening: I finally finished my giant audiobook, so I’ve switched back to the giant backlog of Hello from the Magic Tavern podcast episodes. Maybe in five years I will have caught up…

Making: So many piles hanging out! I’m a little over a week from the Bookish Retreat and that pile has grown dramatically. I also have homeschool piles, random school piles, coop piles, and random things all around.

Feeling: The temperature has dramatically increased this week and I am sweaty. I’m just living in a sweaty state.

Planning: I have most of the retreat tasks done, so I’ve turned to some of the more fun tasks. One of those is choosing my retreat TBR.

Loving: I got a new delivery of puzzles from Galison and they are really helping my mental health. My meditation is sitting down and puzzling for a few minutes. So good.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #8

Reading: Finally diving into The Morningside by Téa Obreht. This is one of the retreat book club selections and I’m leading the discussions. I wanted to read it closer to the event to keep it fresh in my mind.

Watching: We have made it to S3 of Welcome to Wrexham. Such drama!

Listening: I’m nearing the 75% mark of the audiobook of Kaiju: Battlefield Surgeon by Matt Dinniman. Dungeon Crawler Carl is still my preferred book, but this one is good. Very gory…

Making: Finishing up the last pieces of retreat planning. I have a few leftover tasks before I’m completely ready to head down.

Feeling: With so many projects in progress, I’ve been feeling a little scattered. I need a good brain dump/reset this weekend.

Planning: Another project I’m working on is curriculum plans for fall.

Loving: I’m really enjoying watermelon and grapes. Fresh fruit is my go-to snack right now.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #7

Reading: I’ve been diving into A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall. I really been loving the atmosphere and the mystery of this book.

Watching: J restarted Welcome to Wrexham S1 so that I could start watching it. Obviously I’m enjoying the show.

Listening: I finished an audiobook and decided to take a break and move back to podcasts for awhile.

Making: I’ve started the process of prepping book recommendations for the retreat in June. It’s a big process and takes a bit of time. I definitely needed to get started.

Feeling: I’ve got a lot on my plate right now and feeling a bit stretched. I need to get through the next two weeks before things calm down so that I can focus on the retreat.

Planning: Part of me being stretched is switching coop from spring to summer sessions. I’ve got everyone signing up for lessons and prepping the admin side. I’ve also got the planning of activities for our summer session.

Loving: With so much on my to-do list, I’m enjoying the quiet moments here and there.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #6

Reading: Diving into The Housemaid by Freida McFadden for upcoming book club. It’s a thriller, but I’m actually enjoying it right now.

Watching: We’re keeping up with the currently airing Shögun series. I am really really enjoying it and super excited that they do not dub the Japanese.

Listening: I’ve dove back into Motionless in White’s entire discography and a remembering why I love them.

Making: It’s time to make grocery lists and meal plans for the next month. It’s one of my least favorite household management tasks.

Feeling: The weather took another turn to the chilly and wet again this week. I’m craving comfy sweaters.

Planning: It’s time to start seriously planning the retreat meal plan and grocery lists. It’s a big job, but I’ve streamlined the process fairly well.

Loving: I taught chemistry yesterday to three very excited students. I really love their enthusiasm.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #5

Reading: I grabbed the new Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett and I am so in love with it! There’s an element of cozy fantasy in this series that I’m really drawn to.

Watching: J and I started the new Shogun series. It is very well researched and extremely cinematic. We are hooked.

Listening: I’ve pushed off audiobooks in favor of podcasts lately. But I haven’t actually listened to many episodes lately. I’m just enjoying the quiet lately.

Making: I’m moving into the next phase of retreat planning. I’m taking a long look at the budget and category breakdowns. Plus I’ve sent the next email so I can start working on the grocery list.

Feeling: After my birthday day out, I’m feeling a lot better. I needed just a bit of time away to recenter myself.

Planning: I’m looking to summer and redoing our bucket list. Last year didn’t go as planned. Hopefully this year we can do some travel (locally) and visit some interesting places.

Loving: Spring is not my favorite season, but I am really enjoying spotting signs of the season while out and about. Little green shoots are catching my eye.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #4

Reading: I finally got the second Midsolar Murders book, Chaos Terminal, by Mur Lafferty. I’m really digging these murders in space books.

Watching: We’re deep into another Nic Cage Quarterly. We’ve finally made it past 2000!

Listening: I took a break from audiobooks and jumped back into some of my podcasts.

Making: Book club is tonight and I’m making spinach artichoke dip. I love it so much, but definitely cannot eat an entire crockpot’s worth. Thankfully friends will be over to share in the wealth.

Feeling: I’m not sure why, but I’m feeling a bit at sea this week. I decided that we might need a bit of a break next week from school. We’ll think of it as our spring break.

Planning: Working on spring and summer plans and schedules. We’re changing things up for the coop during this summer and I’m rethinking our schedules and timelines. We’ll see how it goes.

Loving: Per the aforementioned plans and schedules, I’m really excited about a few changes with respect to the coop. The changes calmed and then excited me. This bodes well for the next six months.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #3

Reading: A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft. I picked up this fantasy Regency-inspired young adult novel. I’m only a few chapters in, but it is entertaining so far.

Watching: We’re back into another month of Nic Cage Quarterly. In fact, we’ve made it to the late 1990s and peak Nic Cage action movies.

Listening: I’m still making my way through the fifth book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. So close to finishing this volume… And then I will one more volume that’s been published.

Making: I’m really into baking this week. I’ve made some ham and cheddar scones and blackberry coffee cake. Tomorrow or Thursday I’m going to make some banana bread (maybe chocolate chip or coconut banana bread) and maybe an orange breakfast cake.

Feeling: I have been exhausted all week. Testing negative for COVID. Just completely exhausted I guess.

Planning: We have one big weekend trip on the calendar for late April. It’s in connection with a coop field trip, but of course I added on some activities. I really want to nail down our accommodations, but need to get some more information from other families. A few of us might go in on a larger AirBNB.

Loving: I’ve really been craving quiet time lately.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #2

Reading: I picked up The Last One by Will Dean for my Clock Reading Challenge. I’m not usually into thrillers, but I was intrigued by this one.

Watching: Weirdly, we fell into a Tom Cruise movie hole this week. We watched Top Gun: Maverick and Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1.

Listening: Finishing out the Murderbot series on audio this week. I don’t usually got for audiobooks, but have been listening to these in the background this month.

Making: Quentin requested banana bread and I made it. So good! I might just have to make another loaf later this week for the weekend.

Feeling: The temperatures finally increased. In fact, the temps increased by almost 70 degrees. Intense! I would have been okay with temps in the 30s. Instead we are not in the 40s and 50s.

Planning: I will be teaching chemistry the next two weeks (with a collaborative teacher). And so, we are planning the experiments and procedures.

Loving: I’m leaving on Friday to spend a quiet weekend reading in a rented house with a few friends. Getting away from the family for a weekend sounds absolutely amazing right now. As such, I have a stack of 10 books that I’m taking. I need a variety of genres, book sizes, and reading levels. Super excited!

Next up on the TBR pile: