We’ve got a lot of linking today for one small post.

This is Day 3 of Jen’s 7 Posts in 7 Days Challenge.

This is linked to Hallie’s (guest hosted by Grace) Five Favorites

Lastly, Fave #4 is linked to Jessica’s What We’re Reading Wednesday. Enjoy!

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New School Supplies

Fall may still be a couple months away but it seems a lot closer with all the back to school supplies in the stores. As a kid, picking out new school supplies ranked up there with opening Christmas presents and decades later that hasn’t changed. Happily, my daughter shares my enthusiasm for journals, notebooks and cute pens. Bella and I went to Target the other night and we were giddy picking out new school/ office supplies. It was a lovely mother daughter bonding moment. 🙂

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Photo Challenges

I love those daily photo challenges you see on Instagram and Facebook and I’m currently participating in two – #fmsphotoaday on Instagram and #31dayfunphotochallenge on Facebook.

A friend of the family, Carole, created the FB one so I made the cover shot for her. 🙂

Here are a few other photos I’ve posted so far.

Day 1: Black & White (As long as he stays out of my house we’re good. 😉

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Day 2: Something that starts with the first letter of my name – Brian & Beach.

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Day 5: Tiny – It is amazing that a tiny round piece of gold can hold so much meaning.

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Day 10: My Favorite Color

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My Kindle

Our house is filled with books on numerous book shelves and I do prefer to read non fiction books in paper back so I can highlight and make comments in the margins. However, when I read fiction it must be on my Kindle (or Kindle app on my iphone) or I’ll never get any reading done. I love that I can read a few pages on my computer or my Kindle then open the app on my phone later in the day and it will sync to where I left off on my other devices. I don’t have big chunks of time to sit and read so I fit in a few pages when I can. And if I’m reading a “I-can’t-put-this-down” book then you’ll see my reading on my phone as I’m folding laundry and stirring spaghetti sauce or scrubbing the shower. (Who am I kidding? I cant remember the last time I scrubbed the shower, but I digress.) The point is I love having my current reads at my fingertips at any time!

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What I’m Reading/ Fave Book of the Week: Angela’s Song by AnneMarie Creedon

I love my reading list on GoodReads.com and I have been trying to alternate reading a “regular” fiction book and a Catholic fiction book. Since I did Austenland last week, this week it was Angela’s Song by AnneMarie Creedon, available in paperback or on Kindle.

Amazon Description:

Angela ‘Jel’ Cooke is a widow and mother of three who stays busy so as not to have to face the fact that her marriage was damaged and her husband, Devin, died before it could be repaired. Her good friends realize that no amount of home made lasagna, volunteering at church or late night games of Yahtzee can heal Angela from past regrets. When she meets Jack, the teacher of a class she is taking, he challenges her to face her demons. What follows is the poignant, yet often hilarious saga of how Angela overcomes her guilt and learns to love herself and others.

Many of the stories I read have a lot of action and tension that forces me to keep turning the page but that wasn’t the case with this book. There wasn’t a big, dramatic story arc but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. There was an easy pace of getting to know Angela and her story and watching a romance unfold. There were times when I thought Jack, the boyfriend, was a little too perfect but then again, he reminded me a lot of my hubby, just an unbelievable man of God. The writing is well done and this is a great novel for those who like their books to be very “Catholic.” Catholic elements and teaching were entwined throughout the story. For some that is a good thing, for others it’s a turn off.

Personally I could go either way but I will say that some of what was written was speaking to me directly. I happened to be reading the end of the book after I had an argument with Brian. As I was sitting there reading one of the character’s words about marriage and sacrifice and carrying the cross, I rolled my eyes and muttered something like, “Yeah, but wait until the honeymoon is long over…” As I kept on reading the Holy Spirit was at work and the words touched my heart I could see how silly and selfish I was being by staying angry at Brian. I swallowed my pride and apologized and in the end was happy to make up with him. 🙂 If a book could do that, that’s pretty good. That gave it a grade of 4 out of 5 stars. Go check it out.

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“Angela’s Song” Playlist

Author AnneMarie Creedon gets major kudos for creating a playlist for her book on Spotify. It contains all the songs mentioned in her book – from Frank Sinatra to Lady Antebellum to Black Eyed Peas. Pretty cool.

Have a blessed day!

PS – Don’t forget the Pinterest Party Link-up runs until Aug 6 and you can use a new or old post. 🙂