Welcome to Small Victories Sunday! This weekly post will recap for you the reading I’ve done during the week, the food I’ve cooked, the posts I’ve written and the small victories I’ve celebrated in my personal life. When I started this blog over a year ago, I wanted a place where I could focus on those accomplishments in my life, both big and small. It’s helped me to focus and gain a healthier, more positive attitude as I juggle my 3 boys and the physical impairment of Rheumatoid Arthritis (a chronic and incurable illness). I thought Sunday would be a perfect day to reflect on the week that passed and look forward to the week ahead.
This Past Week I:
WAS READING
Devil in the White City has been a fascinating but utterly disturbing nonfiction about a physician who is a serial killer and the creation and building of the Chicago’s World Fair in the 1890’s. I am enjoying it but it is taking me a long time to get through. I have about 150 pages left to go before our book club meeting to discuss this one. Should be an interesting discussion!
WAS LISTENING TO
Written by a pediatrician and mother herself, Dr. Meg Meeker shares her observations of the mothers she’s encountered and the ones that are happiest.
COOKED
* Ham, Egg & Cheese English Muffin Sandwiches
* Puffed French Toast and Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole (family favorite)
* Rachael Ray’s Spaghetti & Meatballs (family favorite)
* Greek Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce and Sauteed Yellow Squash
* Greek Chicken Salad with Strawberries (using leftover grilled chicken from gyros)
BLOGGED
I purchased the Ultimate Book Blogger plugin and am trying to update reviews using the plugin. I also updated my blog design to summarize excerpts on the home page and incorporate the slider at the top. How do you like the changes? Do you like the slider images of the book covers and quotes?
Updated review of Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay. 3 words: Heart-wrenching, emotional, amazing.
Review of I Just Want to Pee Alone by Various Mom Bloggers 3 words: Relatable, quick, hilarious!
Bloggiesta Mini-Challenge: Comment, Comment, Comment…Spread the Love and Grow Your Network
Feature & Follow {3}: Favorite Vacation Reading Spot
Tackle My Blog’s To Do List: Mini-Bloggiesta
OTHER SMALL VICTORIES
* Superstar learned how to swing by himself!
* Daredevil worked on writing the letter B and was proud of himself every time he identified a word that started with the letter B at the library (and hugged me after he found each one).
* Superstar, Daredevil and I tended to our garden and planted some bulbs.
* Blood work results were all normal. Although the x-rays showed lesions in my hands and feet so I will have to go back on Remicade infusions for my Rheumatoid Arthritis. Felt like I made the right choice in changing doctors. It’s the first time in the last 11 years of having RA, that my blood work results were sent to me! I like to be an informed patient so just seeing the numbers made me happy.
Next Week I Plan To:
READ
Finish Devil in the White City and start reading The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
COOK
Skinnytaste’s Summer Vegetables with Chicken Sausage
Skinnytaste’s Mexican Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas with Arroz con Gandules
Fluffy Pancakes with Strawberries, substituting 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp applesauce for the egg.
WORK ON THE BLOG
* Write Goals Post for the High Summer Read-a-thon hosted by The True Book Addict.
* Continue working on my Bloggiesta to do list even though the event ends today.
This post is linked up to It’s Monday, What Are You Reading with BookJourney and Little Things Thursdays with A Beautiful Ruckus.
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Be sure to leave me a comment and a link to your Small Victories Sunday post for the week! I’d love to hear from you and cheer you on in those small victories you are celebrating!
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Tanya,
You are so wonderful! I just love all of your goals and organization. I’m also in awe that you are able to read Mommy books so quickly. I can hardly get through rading a full kids book in a week.
Haha!
Thanks so much for linking up with us at the Mommy Monday blog hop! If you haven’t linked up yet, I invite you to link up! I always love seeing your posts!
Lisa Nelson recently posted..Mommy Monday Blog Hop – Week 5
Wow! That was a super post and lot of accomplishments for the last week. I wish I could make time to finish 1 book a month!
-Resh @ StackingBooks.com
Reshama recently posted..America’s Champion Swimmer : Gertrude Ederle
Good for you for taking charge of your own health by switching doctors – so important to advocate for yourself.
Devil in the White City scared the socks off me! I did like it though. I tried to read Thunderstruck but I just couldn’t get into it as much.
Have a great week!
Erin @Quixotic Magpie recently posted..It’s Monday, What Are You Reading?
Good that you changed doctors. It is always nice to be in the loop of things happening to your body. In the end you know best.
I started reading The Devil in the White City and it is really intriguing but I never finished it. Hope you will.
Have a great week!
Ciska @ Ciska’s Book Chest recently posted..It’s Monday the 22nd of July 2013! What are you reading?
Love the idea of this! I need something that sums up my whole week! Puffed French Toast=yummm!Visiting you via Mommy Blog Hop! Jordana @ Lovely Miss Turner
Sounds like you had a busy and productive week. I need to check out a couple of your recipes. That nonfiction books sounds really disturbing. Come see what I did last week here. Happy reading this week!
Kathy Martin recently posted..ARC Review: Hunter Moran Hangs Out by Patricia Reilly Giff
I enjoyed The Devil in the White City. Non-fiction tends to take me a longer time to read than fiction too.
I hope you have a great week and enjoy your books and all of those yummy recipes!
Lindsey recently posted..It’s Monday – look at all the books I read!
I hope you have a good book club discussion about The Devil in the White City. I really, REALLY liked that book 🙂
Good for you for always working on your health Tanya. You are an advocate for yourself which is so important! 😀
Jennifer recently posted..Weekly Wrap-Up 07/21/13
Hi Jennifer, Devil in the White City has been going slow for me lately, I think because it’s a paper book. I guess I am spoiled by my Kindle, I think I actually focus better on the reading when the room is completely dark and only the words on the page are illuminated. If the lights are on, I get distracted. Coincidentally, the library download was ready for me this evening, so now I’m cruising. I take it as a sign that I REALLY need to finish this book!
Yes, I agree that we need to be our own advocates. I think my condition has progressed worse than it needed to because I focused so much on taking care of my family and my job, that I put myself at the bottom of the list. Time for a change in the right direction and I appreciate your support.
It sounds like a great week–what do you mean by slider of comments and book covers? I see them, but don’t really understand I guess what a slider is.
Tammy Doiel recently posted..Scattered Saturdays: My Week in Review
The image slider is the sort of slide show of about 6 posts that it cycles through at the top of the home page.
I love your new meme and so glad that you are more informed with your RA!
Rebecca @ Love at First Book recently posted..Book Club: Elegance Week 4 – You Made It!!!
It’s 11pm and reading about the food you cooked is making me hungry. 🙂 I’m happy that you’re finally with a doctor that keeps you informed but so sorry that you have to deal with arthritis. Will say a prayer for you. Hope you’re enjoying your weekend.
Growing Up Madison recently posted..Splash Into Summer: Picnicking with your Toddler
Wow – you put me to shame! I was going to take The Devil in the White City with me on vacation (it’s the summer read for juniors at my school), but maybe it’s not a good vacationing book? And besides the background for the World Fair, I didn’t know it was nonfiction. Even the serial killer part?
Jennine G. recently posted..Husbands…Need I Say More?
I think it’s so cool that you add what you cook as well! Definitely got me hungry. Good luck with your busy schedule!
Laura @ Music Plus Books