Kurious Kids-Fest

In celebration of of reaching 100+ followers, Abby is throwing a fun contest over on her blog. There is still time to join so hop on over to her blog and join the fun!

I was hardly a kurious kid growing up. Don't get me wrong, I loved learning and experiencing new things but what I wasn't a fan of was getting in trouble. My fear of trouble seem to always keep safe and well, not so kurious. But, my favorite place in the whole wide world growing up was the library. It was there that I got to go just about anywhere, learn just about anything. I loved to read. One of the things my mom did for me was taught me how to read to learn. If I wanted to read a "silly" book, I had to read two books (non-fiction). I had to write a short summary about each book so that she knew I read it :D But there was one book... my FAVE book which also happened to be her FAVE book as well... did not count.

My all-time favorite picture book was the Amelia Bedelia series. OMG! That book was so hilariously funny! Amelia Bedelia was a maid who worked really hard to please everyone. She was so kind. But, she was a little silly. Unlike most adults, she seemed so much like a kid to me. She took everything literally, just like a kid! If she was asked to dust the furniture, she dusted the furniture with powder. If she was asked to dress the turkey, she put a dress on the bird. If she was asked to draw the curtains, she pulled out her pen and paper and drew the curtain. :)

I loved it! And I still do to this day! Everyone should experience Amelia Bedelia. And guess what? You can!!!!! I will give away your choice of any Amelia Bedelia book in the series! All you have to do is tell me: What was YOUR FAVORITE PICTURE BOOK from when you were a KURIOUS KID and WHY was it your favorite! Make sure you tell me which book in the series you want.

Partay!!!!!! @Tara's!!!!

I love celebrating happy ocassions!! This happy occassion is dedicated to Tara's one year blogaversery at her blog, Tara Tyler Talks.

                                                       Happy Blogaversery Tara!!!!!

I am bringing yummy Cheesy Pan Enchiladas!!! My Fave!!!1 :D I have so many variations that I love, chicken, beef, vegetarian and even a mix of a few like the other day, I mixed refried beans with tuna :D

Now don't turn your nose up at it, it was actually really good! LOL! But here is a recipe for my beef enchiladas. Enjoy!

didn't have olives this time round :(

                     

Recipe: Easy Cheesy Pan Enchiladas

This recipe is really easy because you can pretty much make it with any ingredient you like, whether it is leftover rice or pre-cooked chicken. It can even be a vegetarian meal as well.

½ pound       Ground beef/chicken  

1 sm             Onion                

1 sm bunch  Chopped green onion  

1 tbsp           Crushed/chopped garlic

½ package   Taco seasoning        

 (to taste)      Black pepper          

10 shells       Corn Tortillas

1 sm can       Enchilada Sauce      

2 ½ cups      Sharp Cheddar Cheese      

1 sm can       Sliced Olives                

1 tbsp            Vegetable Oil      

* For a vegetarian substitute, use one can of vegetarian refried beans. I sometimes like to add leftover rice to the refried beans.

1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees.

2. Brown the beef/chicken.

3. Once meat is cooked, add the garlic and onions and sauté until onions are soft.

4. Add seasonings to meat mixture; mix well.

5. Remove meat mixture from heat.

6. On a low flame or heat setting, heat the oil in a small pan.

7. Place a corn tortilla in the heated pan. When the shell is soft, turn over. Place another shell on top of it then flip over so that the second shell can be heated till it is soft. Continue in this fashion, turning the shells as you add new ones.

8. In a 9 in baking dish, place about 4 tbsp of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of the pan. Make sure the entire bottom of the pan has some sauce.

9. Arrange 4 or 5 of the shells at the bottom.

10. Spoon more sauce over the shells. Then, spoon some of the meat mixture over the shells.

11. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the meat mixture then cover with remaining shells.

12. Cover remaining shells with sauce, then cheese, then green onions and olives.

13. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then bake uncovered for an addition 10 minutes to brown a little.

Feeds 2-4

Monday's Muse: Teacher Power and more!

I LOVE THIS!!! :D Not just because I am a teacher and I love it, but some of the most amazing people in my life were/are teachers and believe it or not, I, to this day think they had/have superpowers! Can't really explain it but I NEVER got away with anything! But I guess that is what I love about these amazing teachers. I learned so much from them. They did not just 'teach' me, they motivated me, they encouraged me, they supported me, they shared the love of learning with me. I think was the best thing they could have done for me. I am not all that surprised that after looking at a host of possible careers that teaching was the one career that suited me the most! So tell me, what is YOUR superpower?

I have a host of goodies to come this week!!!!!

On the 30th as part of Tara's Blogaversary Blogfest. I will be posting one of my all time favorite recipes (hopefully pictures included if the item does not get eaten before I can take a picture of it! :D)

From Sept 1-7th I will be participating in the Back to the Books Blog Hop co-hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer.  I will be giving away books and prizes away to three lucky winners!!!!! So don't forget to stop by.

Author Interview and Book Giveaway: I just received and started reading The Secret of Spruce Knoll by Heather McCorkle. I'm loving it so far!! On the 9th, Heather will be joining us to talk about her book and some of her interest. Heather is such a fun person so I'm going to love interviewing her! If you have not met Heather or visited her blog then You. Must. Do. It. Now! Ps. Check out her "Friday Feature Creature" posts. They are awesome! :D


Were you a Kurious Kid growing up? What was your favorite picture book? Why was it your favorite? Hop on over to Abby's blog and join her Kurious Kids-Fest as she celebrates reaching 100+ followers.  The Kurious Kids-Fest will run from aug 29th to Sept 10th. Quick, you still have time to enter to win a really fun book or a $10 Amazon gift card!! I will be posting MY fave picture book soon so don't forget to come back to see what mused my childhood :D

Picture Prompts: Cosmos

The night sky explodes with brilliance and color. A sound so deafening it lingers on even after the explosion. The ground shakes, trees fall and the mountains tremble. My body is thrown to the ground. Every building lay toppled or completely destroyed. Not even our fortified bunkers and sanctuaries are spared. But we knew this day was coming. 

For generations scientists warned of the great event. We knew our world would witness the birth of a new star system. We prepared for it. At least we thought we did. What we didn't know was that the new star system would open up a rift in our own galaxy. A rift that would either be a new beginning or a horrifying ending. 

But it is too late now. As the rift opens, we are bound to the fate of our world. Those who left before the great event, my family included, are likely safe in a faraway galaxy. But here I stand witnessing with my own eyes the most powerful birth of all. In all its beauty and glory, I  brace myself for what will come.

Third Writers' Platform-Building Campaign

I want to thank the lovely Heather for sharing this wonderful opportunity called the Writers' Platform Building Campaign that is being conducted by Rachael Harrie at Rach Writes. This campaign is all about getting us writers together, networking, supporting each other and creating lasting friendships. Here is a snippet from her blog regarding the campaign:

Basically, the Campaign is a way to link those of us in the writing community together with the aim of helping to build our online platforms. The Campaigners are all bloggers in a similar position, who genuinely want to pay it forward, make connections and friends within the writing community, and help build each others' online platforms while at the same time building theirs.

I am really looking forward to this campaign. As the only writer in the family and very few of my close friends who are interested in writing or reading picture books or scifi short stories, it often feels like a lonely road. But i have been fortunate thanks to the online community to find some wonderful ladies who have inspired me so much and in the short time I have tweeted and blogged with them, have learned so much. This Writers' Platform - Building Campaign will be a fun way to meet other writers who share our love and passion for the written word and love and passion for writing it! :) Hope to see you all there!!! :D


Thank you Rachael for this wonderful campaign and as always, thanks Heather for sharing this with the rest of us!!! :)

Haven't you heard.........?

.................There is a new book in town and it is making its rounds all over the web!

Join the tour band wagon and see what secrets Heather McCorkle reveals as she travels and tells us all about her new book, "The Secret of Spruce Knoll." :D If you tag along, you have the opportunity to win a ton of fabulous prizes and swag! Join now or forever lose out on all the fun! You still have a chance to check out all her previous stops. Just check out her cover! Does that not intrigue you????? :D

PS. If you don't win anything the first time around, don't fret. You will get a second chance to own your very own copy because Heather will be here in September with her awesome book and one lucky winner will get to learn about the Secret of Spruce Knoll! *Knoll, Knoll, Knoll*

No Secrets. No Lies. Part Two (an interview)

Interview Part One:

Interview Part two:

Q: What does it mean to be telepathic on your world?

A: It is our form of communication. It means to have a complete understanding and to be one with my sisters

Q: Is there any kind of privacy when it comes to mind reading and communication? A: We have no need of privacy, only respect and honor.

Q: Is it difficult not having private thoughts?

A: No. I have nothing to hide. But I can see how a being such as your self would find it difficult, and would need to hide and protect yourself and your weak and feeble desires. But we have overcome those desires of greed, lust, envy and power. We Naqabashi are masters of our Hakana, our being, and therefore have no need for secrecy. We have evolved.

Q: So, it hasn’t always been this way for the Naqabashi?

A: No. We were once like you and the land dwellers of Naqaba. We did not understand our abilities; we were feared by non-telepaths and often used it against each other for our own gains.

Q: Then what changed?

No Secrets. No Lies. Part One (an interview)

Character Interview: Nusa

Place: Spaceship Hablas

Q: What is your name?

A: I am Nusa, daughter of Hidana

Q: Where are you from?

A: My home Naqaba. I was born and raised in Sky City.

Q: Did you go to school? Can you read and write?

A: Hai, all young Naqabashi go to school. I can read and write in the ancient language as well as the Naqaban language.

Q: What is your rank?

A: I am a warrior guard.

Q: What are some of your duties?

A: I patrol the sky cities and the valleys, I join the elite guards and warriors on various space missions, and I am an apprentice to elite guard, Zurana.

Q: What is a typical day like on your home world?

The Sum of All Things....

It has been a great week all and all (despite the naptime hiccup on Monday :D) I actually got a little creative write time in, got some reading done, visited with friends and the annual summer family picnic that center hosts was a success! A lot of families showed up and had a great time. It has been a good week!

This week on the blogoshpere I have come across some great items and fun contests!

Heather McCorkle is hosting a tour of secrets for her new book "The Secret of Spruce Knoll"! She will be giving out lots of secrets along her tour route with many opportunities to win big! Check it out and join the fun! Her tour schedule can be found on her blog.

Tara Tyler is hosting a food/recipe blog fest in honor of her upcoming blogoversary. Join the fun and post your fave food, drink or dessert recipe and enter to win some fun prizes. Come back on the 30th and you will see MY favorite recipes. :D

There is always something fun going on over at Kristi's Book Nook. She has fabulous book giveaways every week! I won "The Greedy Bee" from the wonderful and generous Kristi! It is a fun and favorite read in my toddler classroom. Check her out and win big!

Tuesday Tunes: From A Distance

This month of Ramadan I pray for peace, love, understanding and harmony for all of God's creation. There is just way too much violence and death. Too much hunger, poverty and pain. Mankind is failing his duty and obligation of being God's vicegerent on earth. Tonight, all of mankind are in my thoughts and prayers.

When one person hurts, we should all feel their pain.

Prayers of hope for the despair. Prayers of peace for distressed. Prayers of guidance for the lost. Prayers of love for the forgotten.

Picture Prompts: The Dark Side

Rumor has it that no one has ever returned from the dark side of the moon. Rumors that divide; rumors that conquer. Rumors that enslave and oppress. They say there is no turning back once you've reached the outer limit, where light disappears into the black of darkness. They say the dark side is an abyss of nothingness, where even thoughts can get lost in the vast expanse of mute space. But tonight I will take that chance. A chance to free myself of the rumors, perhaps even the lies. There is no turning back for me as I extend my shaking hand into the unknown of the dark side. It is a matter of uncertain life or excruciating death.

The Little Girl Who Would NOT Go To Sleep

There was a little girl who would not go to sleep. No matter what she tried, she could not close her eyes.

She drank her milk. She hugged her bear. Then she lay flat upon her bed. She cuddled her blanket and nuzzled her pillow. But her eyes only got bigger and bigger.

She crept and she crawled, sneaking here and there, but to her bed she always returned. She took off her socks and threw down her blankie, bear and pillow and when there was nothing left, she got cranky.

She kicked and she screamed, she thrashed and threw a fit. Soon she began to cry. But the little girl would not close her eyes.

She pulled out her ponytail and twirled her hair. Tuckered and tired she soon counted sheep. 1, 2, 3 she closed her eyes and fell fast asleep...........

..... but only for a little while.

************************************************************

This story was inspired by a little girl in my toddler classroom who refused to take a nap today. :) Luckily, she got a half an hour of sleep to sort of hold her for the rest of the afternoon!

And the Winner is!!!!!!

And the Winner of the summer hop giveaway is...............

Janelle Ashton!!!

Congrats Janelle! you will be receiving a confirmation email soon. :) I hope you enjoy "Listen to the Wind" just as much as I do!! :)

Thank you all for joining the Summer Hop. Stay tuned for more hops and book giveaways in the near future! :D

The Gratitude Challenge - Day #20 many days, many thanks...

It has been a long while since I posted up some of my many blessings and thanks. God be praised, I have been doing well. I have been quite busy and things are hopefully looking like they will start to settle down to a nice simmer :D So getting straight to my challenge!

Blessing #15

Yay! my co-teacher Jessie is back from a one month vacation!!! While it was probably not as stress free as a vacation should be (she went home to get married <3) she was definitely missed! It is interesting how children rely heavily on continuity and familiarity. The month that Jessie was gone, I wouldn't say it was horrible or devastating to the kids, but it was stressful for them (and me) at times, especially the first couple of weeks. Getting to know a new face/teacher is a bit frightening for little ones so it made for a challenging month as the children learned to adjust. But she is back and Yay!!!

Blessing #16

I'm the type that likes to put on a brave face and smile no matter what. And, I like to make others feel relaxed and comfortable and smile too. But it also feels nice to be appreciated and valued. Well, the parents in my classroom are just wonderful. They gave me the most heartwarming card and gift when Jessie returned acknowledging and thanking me for all my efforts, love and care in maintaining the classroom all without breaking a sweat. Really, I have the best parents and it is such an honoring being their children's teacher/caregiver.

Blessing #17

It's nice when parents value you, but even sweeter when their children do. I recently visited a family and the first thing I got upon walking in the door was a gift and hug. The gift was a drawing of me and the child. PRICELESSSSS!!!!!!

Blessing #18

I have been following the news about the EAST AFRICAN CRISIS. My heart breaks into millions of pieces as I look at the pictures and hear about the suffering that the people of Somalia and other East African countries are going through as the famine rages on in their countries. I can't imagine how a mother (or father) feels watching and hearing their baby cry and wither away of hunger and are powerless to do anything about it. We (I) am so blessed to have food, clean water, sanitation, health care and more. I am making an even greater effort now to not waste these precious resources.

Blessing #19

I am equally blessed to have some money to donate to some really trust worthy organizations that are working hard to bring food, water, sanitation and medical aid to the devastated areas in East Africa.

Islamic Relief USA/Worldwide is a great humanitarian organization that I trust and often volunteer for. Learn more about them here.

Summer Giveaway Hop Aug 1-7

Blog Hop Book Giveaway!

All you have to do is fill out the form below for a chance to win

Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg & Three Cups Of Tea

Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Book Hounds

(Ships to US residents only)

Summary taken from Goodreads:

Greg Mortenson stumbled, lost and delirious, into a remote Himalayan village after a failed climb up K2. The villagers saved his life, and he vowed to return and build them a school. The remarkable story of his promise kept is now perfect for reading aloud. Told in the voice of Korphe's children, this story illuminates the humanity and culture of a relevant and distant part of the world in gorgeous collage, while sharing a riveting example of how one person can change thousands of lives.

• Pub. Date: January 2009
• Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
• Format: Hardcover , 32pp
• Sales Rank: 27,268
• Age Range: For infants or children in preschool
• Lexile: AD740Lwhat’s this?

• ISBN-13: 9780803730588
• ISBN: 0803730586

Book Review: Classified as Murder

Classified as Murder by Miranda James

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Classified as Murder" by Miranda James was a fun and entertaining read! Diesel, the feline sidekick added to its charm and character :D Admittedly, I first bought it because of the kitty on the page and the snippet about him pawing around and helping the "investigator" do his job. I found out at the end of the book just how involved the kitty actually was but I loved him anyways. A really fun, easy and light reading. :) I can't wait to read more in this series! Kitties and Mysteries are a double treat!



View all my reviews

The Gratitude Challenge - Day #11 Break-in, Heritage Day and more...

MY! What a day!!! I have to praise Allah (God) that is was not as bad as it could have been though I often had to catch myself from thinking...."Can my day get any WORSE?" because inevitably, if you ask that question, Allah answers with the affirmative! So I reframed and kept praising Him for it not being the WORST day.

So, it started off with me getting out a tad bit late, but that is no biggie since I normally get off later than my normal shift due to parents picking up their children a little late. So to keep from getting chewed up about overtime, I don't fret coming in a few minutes late, there is always coverage in the mornings. So I am a few minutes late and I get to my car to find that the back window has been broken into. Now, this is the second time my family's car has been vandalized in our current house and neighborhood. The first time, our camera was stolen. The camera had the last few pictures of my mom before she passed away. :( I chucked it up to it being the doings of some unruly, untrained and unsupervised kid/teens/young adults. This time though, there was nothing important or valuable in the car. In fact, the only thing of any use was a case of water (that the vandalizers stole!) So naturally, I took it personal. Some one was not being very nice or neighborly on our street! :( To keep from taking my frustrations into work and burdening my toddler classroom, I just made dua' (supplication) that whoever did it, did it because they were truly needy and did not intend malice. (That was the only way I could let go of my own anger and feelings that maybe one of our neighbors had done it.) Surprisingly, I got through the day pretty well. The children were their active, energetic selves, exploring, learning, loving, and having a blast!

Today was Heritage Day at the childcare center where I work. Lots of teachers and families brought food, clothing, cultural artifacts to school to share. In my class, we had an Ethiopian scarf, a Chinese shirt, Chinese decorative wall hangings, Hallah bread and a children's book explaining the Shabbat. :) I brought hot water corn bread to share as well as wearing my normal Muslim clothing. My co-teacher wore a tee-shirt with a German logo and flag on it. It was really nice. Some of the teachers shared cultural food, artifacts, music and dancing! It is so nice and such a blessing to work with so much diversity!

As my work day came to an end, I found out later that we are not the only ones who have had a break in. One of our neighbors came down as my sister was cleaning the glass up and waiting to get our window fixed that his car had been broken into FOUR times since he has been here. In fact, he once witnessed another car being broken into and chased the vandalizers down the streets and lost them in an area of trees were a bunch of homeless people live. That got me to thinking. The fact that our water was stolen meant it may not have been a vicious and malicious attack on our property. So, that is one more thing to be grateful for!

The Gratitude Challenge - Day #7

I missed quite a few days but I have loads to be grateful for! :D I wont do a day by day but I will include all my twitter post I did over the weekend for this gratitude challenge. I chose this picture from Sunday as it has a lot of fond memories. On Sunday, my nieces spent the day with me and my younger sisters at Mercy Mission Tacoma helping out in the kitchen and serving dinner to the homeless that the Mission helps. Then after the kitchen closed for the day, we all came here, Snoqualime Falls, along with two other friends to see the water fall. We got there around 8pm and had a good hour of daylight to enjoy the beautiful and serene fall. Then after that, we rushed over to Olive Garden to have dinner with my family before they closed their doors at 10pm.

Starting with today....

Blessing #11 Nap time. No not for the little ones (who did take a nap though) but for me! I got a few nods in at lunch that had me a little refreshed at the end of day! Rest, it does a body and mind good!

Blessing #10 took in the beautiful mist at a waterfall with family & friends. A beautiful ending to a wonderful day of community service :)

Blessing #9 Being able to help the less fortunate. Spent the day with my younger sisters and nieces at Mercy Mission feeding the homeless.

Blessing #8 Good Friends! Just got back from a really nice baby shower of a friend of mine. We had a blast and she got lots of nice gifts!

Blessing #7 cool breeze. We have not been affected by the extreme heat wave crossing the US. In fact, we have had a cool rainy summer so far

The Gratitude Challenge - Day #3

Blessing #6 (yes, I skipped #5 only because these guys are extra special :D)

Family.

I had a great time with my niece and nephew. It was only a couple of hours and really really late at night, but my nephew had me in stitches. Kids are such a blessing and it is so nice watching them grow up and exceed your expectations (and I have very high expectations :D)

Thought for the day: Alhamdulillah

I remember dawns like this when I was a little girl. I miss those days. :)

I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I ended up where I intended to be.

~Douglas Adams~

Picture Prompts: Mystic Fall

There exist a mystic place that cures all diseases of the body and the mind, beauty for flaws, youth for age, intelligence for senility, strength for weakness, immortality for mortality. From this mystic place flows a water so pure, so clean, so true that it cleanses upon sight. I have seen this place. I have tasted its water. I have cleansed my soul in its fall. Its cool waters descend from an invisible heaven and gather in pools, glowing by the light of an unseen source. With every breath, my lungs filled with the mystic mist. My wrinkles vanished. My vision became clear, my hearing crisp, strength flowed through my veins again. My memory returned with knowledge I did not know before. Bliss. Wonderful bliss. I felt whole again. But that is all I remember. I never noticed the watchful eyes on the wall. The ones that protect these pure waters, this mystic fall. Glowing. Glaring. Savage. No one warned me when they whispered about the fabled cave containing healing waters. No one told me that a place so pure could be so cursed. No one told me that this mystic place was never meant to be found by a sinful mortal. So remains the secret of the Mystic Falls.

The Gratitude Challenge - Day #2

Blessing #1 I woke up this morning listening to birds singing outside my window.

Blessing #2 I was greeted with many smiles from my toddler classroom students. I was told they missed me and asked about me all day yesterday (I had the day off.)

Blessing #3 Peace and Quiet! You never know just how savory the sound of quiet is until you've left a room of ten energetic toddlers!

Blessing #4 Sweet parents. Just before I left work, one of my toddler parents gave me a bouquet of flowers & thanked me for my hard work :)

Monday's Muse: The Gratitude Challenge

“So remember Me; I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and do not deny Me”. [Quran 2: 152]

Gratitude is the acknowledgment that all things good come from Allah (God) and it is also the realization that when things don't happen the way we plan, or we don't see the blessing that we are trying to attain, that it is His plan and will to withhold that blessing. Thus, being grateful means to accept the blessings He gives with praises and humility and being patient when the Almighty denies.

This week I begin a challenge of the heart. This challenge will focus on all the favors and bounties I am blessed with, the good, the sad, and even the hurtful. This challenge is open and anyone can join. In fact, if you leave a comment or link to your blog, I would love to read what you are grateful for. :)

You can express your gratitude in how ever way you like be it in verse, prose or photography or all the above. :)

It is my hope that all who participate, including myself, will learn to focus on the favors and blessings our Lord has blessed us with, not the everyday struggles that make us forget just how truly blessed and loved we are.

Book Review: The Kingdom

This really is an unfair review of The Kingdom by Clive Cussler but at least I am aware of it and hope to do it some kind of justice.

Taken from Goodreads

The Fargos are used to hunting for treasure, not people. But then a Texas oil baron contacts them with a personal plea: an investigator friend of the Fargos' was on a mission to find the oil baron's missing father-and now the investigator is missing, too. Would Sam and Remi be willing to look for them both? Though something about the situation doesn't quite add up, the Fargos agree to go on the search.

What they find will be beyond anything they could have imagined. On a journey that will take them to Tibet, Nepal, Bulgaria, India, and China, the Fargos will find themselves embroiled with black-market fossils, a centuries-old puzzle chest, the ancient Tibetan kingdom of Mustang, a balloon aircraft from a century before its time . . . and a skeleton that could turn the history of human evolution on its head.

I did like the story, the plot, the twists, the action and more. But having read it AFTER Dan Brown’s, The Lost Symbol, it was like reading an amateur novel. Not amateur in a bad way but amateur in that it was not complex or sophisticated. But to be fair, it was a fun read. I was surprised to see that the most romantic action between the husband & wife team was a kiss here and there! LOL definitely my kind of read but still with all the action and suspense I could handle. The story was about a famed adventurous treasure seeking couple employed to find a very unique type of artifact. In fact, it was not an object at all, they were sent to look for a very dear friend of theirs. But from the get go, they don’t feel their employer is up to any good and they get to finding out what he’s really up to. Along the way they discover a plot way beyond what they were expecting and because their friend’s life is put in jeopardy, they take it personal and put their lives on the line (many times) to bring justice and bring the biggest discovery in history to light. I have to say though; this read was entertaining and light. I guess it was perfect to read after “The Lost Symbol” which was so intense and complex! If all of Mr. Cussler’s books are like this, fun, entertaining, adventurous, less romance, I will be on the look out for more of his work.

***** Stars for the Kingdom. J

Picture Prompt: The Lost City.......

No one knows for sure how I met my demise. There have been a lot of discussions, speculations, research, and even grand expeditions to find me and learn about my history and final days. But I was there. I know. Built by hands that were neither god nor human, I governed the great waters that nestled between the vast East and West continents. With knowledge and technology far greater and more advanced than any on the planet, my builders ruled supreme. A city of wonder, a city of power and a city of wealth; I was a city that all wanted to conquer and possess. For thousands of years they ruled in peace, but slowly, like the sanding of shores, corruption crept into and infested the hearts of the builders. The battle began not just from outside the great city walls but within. In a sacred room in the center of the city’s heart, the high elders made one final attempt to protect their city from the wicked and ruthless. During a great storm, they used every bit of their knowledge and power to hide me from the weak and narrow-minded. In one great wave, the finest, most technologically advanced city in the world vanished taking with it thousands of years of knowledge and wisdom. Some say a great tsunami swept me away, some say a devastating earthquake seized me while others don’t think I ever existed. But I know better. I am here to say I do exist. Once a strong, formidable, sight to see, I am here beneath the depths. A remnant of my glorious past, I am hidden away forever.

Picture Prompt: Crying Girl

Lowered gaze, a silent tear,

No one knows my worries,

my fears.

No one stops, no kindness to share.

they keep on walking

without a care.

I sit alone, waiting to hear,

all the while holding on

to what's dear.

My dignity, my pride,

my soul, my life.

Book Review: Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal

Hi friends! Here is a book, children's albeit, that I thought was really fun and interesting to read. I have always loved reading fairy tales growing up and Cinderella was a classic favorite. Growing up, I found other versions of the story from different cultures which were fun to read as well. Tonight however took the culturally diverse cake. :)

Once upon a time in Mexico.... in Iran... in Ireland... in Zimbabwe...... there lived a girl who worked all day in the rice fields..... cooked in the royal kitchen..... tended the cattle.... then spent the night by the hearth, sleeping among the cinders. Her name is Ashpet.... Vasalisa.... Sootface.... Catskin.... Cendrillon.... Cinderella.

In this retelling, snippets of the story unfolds across cultures, each page beautifully illustrated to represent each country. However, to truly appreciate this diverse telling of Cinderella, one would have to know the story to begin with and the fact that there are many different versions of the story. While I think older children would benefit reading the story alone, younger children would be confused by it especially if the classic story is the only one they know. Great picture book though!

**** stars for unique story-telling and beautiful illustrations!!!

Tuesday Tunes: Brothers Under the Sun

Things are.....as it should be.

We often find ourselves wondering about the should have, would have, could haves in life. Things we see that others have and that we want for ourselves. Yes, it is nice to work hard to achieve an outcome, an outcome that would or could make life a little better, a little easier or maybe just a little more different. I am a hard worker and I have dreams and goals that I want to reach as well so I sometimes fall into that "looky-loo" trap (seeing what's around me and trying to get it for myself.) But right now, I am at a moment in life and time where I feel good about myself, my state of mind, my state of happiness and my state of life.

Things are....
as it should be.

I am not rich, but I have what money I need for when I need it.

I may not live in a big house, but I have just enough room to call my own.

I don't have the highest paying job, but I love where I work (and it pays my bills :D)

I may not have a ton of friends, but I have the best friends EVER!

I don't drive the newest fad cars or wear the high brand clothes, but my car gets me to where I need to go and I have all the right clothes I need to make MY statement!

I may not know where I am going, but I am definitely up for the ride.

I don't always know what to say, but I always know when to remain silent.

I may not be famous, but I am known for my heart and smile. :)

I don't know when I will get a chance to finish my higher education, but I will continue to strive and reach my goals in life.

I may not have the perfect man, but I have what it takes to find him, right mind, right intentions and a better understanding of myself.

I don't know what my destiny is, but I have been blessed with the tools to shape it.

My life isn't celebrity worthy, but my life IS worth celebrating.

Things are.....
definitely.....
as they should be.

Summer Book Giveaway! Week four!!

It's the fourth week of our book giveaway! For a chance to win your choice of book or prize, do one or more of the below:

Answer the question:

Name a book you have read MANY times (or at least twice)?

or

2+ Follow my blog Of Thoughts and Words
1+ Leave a comment on the blog
2+ Follow me on Twitter @worddiaries
1+ Tweet me @worddiaries a book you have read many times (or at least twice)

2+ Like Family Reads fan page

1+ Leave a comment on the Family Reads page

To read or not to read....

I feel so guilty |0_0| I think I have committed "booktry".

I have yet to open the "The Kingdom." So here is the deal, every time I have the desire to sit down and read, something comes up that takes my attention away from it. Then, there are the times I go to pick it up and another book catches my attention. Today would have been the day to start. I had an hour and a half long wait for my sister to pick me up from work and was the perfect time for me to start reading The Kingdom only I did not have it with me! I had taken the book out of my purse and left it at home some days ago and forgot to put it back. |<.<.| So, I did the next best thing, I took a walk through B&N. I had originally planned to just browse the bookshelves to kill time. They have a few comfy chairs for reading in the store so when I saw

"The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown, I grabbed it and got comfy in one of those chairs. Well, after an hour and a half, I got up to find my way home (on foot |`_'| that's another long story!) So, the prologue and first ten pages into the book I was hooked. I bought and have started reading TLS before even beginning TK. I feel horrible, it has been almost two or three weeks and I have not started on the book. TLS is not the first book either, I read "I am Nujood....", albeit it was a really easy and quick read, I feel like I am doing TK a disservice having up in my currently reading section. I don't want anyone to think it is a boring book or that the book is not interesting just because I can't see to finish it.

So now I am torn between reading

or

Wordless Wednesday: My dream room..... Can you say books galore!

Tuesday Tunes

I have been listening to this song for a while. I got to thinking about all my loved ones who have passed on and just remembering the legacy they left behind. My thoughts and prayers go out for my mom, grandmother, grandfather and uncle tonight, and every night. I love you all and I pray one day, God-willing, we are all reunited in heaven.

Book Giveaway Winner #3

!!!!CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

And the winner of this week's Summer Book Giveaway is....

~drum roll please~

dum dum dum dum

!!!! KAREN @KarenMusings !!!!!!

(Karen, please contact me so I can send you your choice of book or prize from the bookshelf)