Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone!

I'm headed to Iowa with the Huz

and the pup to spend time with family.

I will be back posting on January 2, 2015  

Have a wonderful break!  

Photo by moi. 

Where in the World Are You Reading: Holiday Reading Escape

This month's Where in the World Are You Reading theme is Holiday Reading Escape. Lisa, this month’s host, asks: "what does your Christmas Reading Escape look like? Do you enjoy Christmas themed books? Are you already sick of the Christmas spirit? Do you enjoy a nice glass of spiked eggnog with your books?

The Month of December seems to fly by so quickly and I never seem to have as much time for reading as I would like. One thing I’m trying to make time for this year is a re-read of A Christmas Carol. I don’t think I’ve read it in about 10 years. I’ve see an annual theatre performance of it every December for the past few years, but I’d love to dig back into the original book. I will definitely be enjoying a bit of eggnog or if I need a sugar rush, maybe some hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps!

I’m certainly not sick of Christmas spirit. I tend to be a big sucker for the holiday season. I can certainly get caught up in the madness, but I do love curling up with a good Christmas book or holiday movie. A few of my favorite films, just for fun: Elf, White Christmas, Love Actually and my favorite, It’s a Wonderful Life.

I also can’t remember a year when we haven’t read the passage from Luke 2 about the birth of Christ. It’s a beautiful reminder for me to stay focused on the real reason for the holiday.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!!!

Luke 2: The Birth of Jesus

2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Photo by moi, Where in the World from here. 

Top Ten Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Bringing Me

This week's Top Ten from The Broke and the Bookish asks for the Top Ten Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Bringing Me. These are all on my wishlist, especially books from the Penguin Clothbound Classics collection and the Puffin Classics collection. They are just beautiful! 

What books would you love to see under the Christmas tree?

1) Stardust: Gift Edition by Neil Gaiman

2) The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

3) My Ideal Bookshelf by Thessaly La Force

4) Penguin Classics – A Tale of Two Cities

5) The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

6) Instructions by Neil Gaiman

7) Penguin Classics – Jabberwocky

8) Puffin Classics – Grimm's Fairy Tales

9) Puffin Classics – The Call of the Wild

10) Puffin Classics – The Wind in the Willows

*Image from here.

Christmas is Awesome

I don't know about you guys, but I had a wonderful Christmas! Santa was amazing! An Out of Print t-shirt, bookstore gift cards, vintage books with gorgeous covers, a lovely edition of Sense and Sensibility, the Annotated Phantom of the Tollbooth, I'm feeling ridiculously spoiled.


This photo is of a lamp my sister-in-law to be (my brother is getting married in May) made me! She used old book pages and created the coolest library lamp I've ever seen. I saw some examples of that project on Pintrest, but it looks so much better in person.


My sister got me book earrings made by a woman in Italy! They're beautiful and so tiny, I love them. With all that loot I can't help but be grateful, not just for the amazing gifts, but for friends and family members who know me so well. I feel so blessed. My Christmas weekend was filled with fun get togethers, too much food and so many wonderful people. I hope all of you had great holidays as well.

What was your favorite Christmas gift this year?

Photos by moi.

Wordless Wednesday: Merry Christmas!

The tree and the pup. Merry Christmas guys!
More Wordless Wednesday here.

Photo by moi.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas (tomorrow) guys!!! I hope you all have an amazing day. Relax with your family and friends, eat too many cookies, drink some egg nog, open some presents (hopefully books!) and watch a Christmas movie. I'll be back on Monday.

Photo by moi.