Sunday Salon: July wrap-up

Work:

Ok, my big news about work is mostly official (just needs School Board approval, but I assume that will happen). I am going to work 4 days a week this year! I will stay home each Wednesday so that I can work on my National Boards, drive my daughter to school, maybe even volunteer in her classroom. My friend and former colleague (we taught Humanities together for a number of years) is going to work when I am not there. My daughter is really excited that I might be able to be in her classroom on occasion. I am both nervous and excited about it. The nervous is all my own personal crap so I'll just have to get over it. 

It must be getting closer to school starting because I am going in tomorrow to meet with my assistant to go over what we need to get done before school starts, which is August 23. I don't mind going in early so that the beginning of school goes off without a hitch. 

Life/Family:

Summer is humming along with foggy mornings (such a drag) and sunny afternoons. While the rest of the country is suffering heat waves, Santa Barbara seems to be cruising along in cooler-than-usual mode. Good for reading and walking though. I don't really have much to report in this area except that my brother and his family are arriving next week, which will be really great; we all miss them very much.

Books/Reading:

Don't forget, today officially begins the Middle East Reading Challenge (no minimum books required).

July Wrap-Up:

I loved my reading this month!

• Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten
• Sing Me to Sleep by Angela Morrison
• The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd
• Jumping off Swings by Jo Knowles
• Riot by Walter Dean Myers
• Climbing the Stairs by Padma Venkatraman
• The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade
• Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac
• The Vast Fields of Ordinary by Nick Burd
• Seaglass Summer by Anjali Banerjee
• Mare's War by Tanita S. Davis
• Boost by Kathy Mackel
• Angry Management by Chris Crutcher
• Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher
• As Easy as Falling off the Face of the Earth by Lynn Rae Perkins
• Bamboo People by Matali Perkins
• Creating a World Without Poverty by Muhammad Yunus
• The Postmistress by Sarah Blake
• before i fall by Lauren Oliver

Awards:

I received three awards in the past few days! That always feels good.

Thank you to Kailia at Reading the Best of the Best, Becky at Escapism Through Books, and Danielle at Every Last Page for the Versatile Blogger Award!

Here's the rules of this award:

1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you this award.
2. Share 7 things about yourself.
3. Pass the award along to 15 bloggers who you have recently discovered and who you think are fantastic for whatever reason! (In no particular order...)
4. Contact the bloggers you've picked and let them know about the award.

I've won this award before so am not going to pass it on to 15 bloggers again. But, here's 7 things about me (I am stealing ideas from Kailia and her 7 things!)

1. I was born in Michigan, but moved to California at only 6 weeks old
2. I've lived on 2 continents (North America and Europe), 4 countries (US, United Kingdom, Germany and Austria), 3 states (Michigan, California and Connecticut)
3. I am the oldest child (one younger brother)
4. I love the ocean, especially the smell of the salt and the sound of the waves
5. I love dark chocolate, Italian food and Mexican food
6. I love to dance and was in a swing dance performance group until I had my daughter
7. For my next vacations I'd like to go to: San Juan Islands in Washington state; Portland, Oregon, or New York City.