Becky at Young Readers is hosting the Young Readers Challenge 2009.  Here are the details:

Read 12 children’s books in 2009.  ‘Children’s books’ are defined as anything written to be read (or read aloud) to children 12 and under.  Examples of children’s books are: board books, picture books, early readers, chapter books.  No list is required. If you choose to post one, you can change it as needed. But it isn’t required at all.  Audio books work.  Rereads are acceptable, but try to mix it up old and new if you can.  Overlaps with other challenges are acceptable.  You may consider yourself ‘finished’ with the challenge if/when you complete the twelfth book. (You could finish it January if you’re ambitious. But there is no requirement to read one book per month all year long.) If you want to keep going past twelve books, that’s fine. I won’t stop you!

As a teacher, my first love is children’s books, so joining this one was a “no-brainer.”

Sheri at A Novel Menagerie is hosting the Just For the Love Of It Challenge.  Click on the link for this one; it’s different, so look out!  I just couldn’t turn down my blogging buddy Sheri when she started this one.

Finally, is the TBR Reading Challenge, which has it’s own blog.  This is my chance to get through the ever-growing TBR pile that I have thanks to this blog.

I will be posting lists for these later, so look for more to come concerning all the challenges I will be involved in this year.

Can I just tell you, had the kids/grandkids not been here last night, I would have been jumping up and down for joy over this!  I had vowed not to get the computer out while they were here, but hubby needed a recipe that had been emailed to me, so I had to do it.  While I was online, I stopped in at The Bookworm’s Booklist and saw that she had received the Butterfly award.  I was excited for her, but even more so when I saw what she had posted…

After much thought, I have decided to pass the Butterfly Award on to the following fellow book bloggers! I really enjoy their blogs. They are beautiful, tasteful, informative, unique and enjoyable!

Would you believe that one of those beautiful, tasteful, informative, unique, and enjoyable blogs, was mine?  Me either.  I was shocked!  Little ol’ me who has only been blogging a short 3 months.  Thank you, Marietta, for your kind words and for the award.  I will treasure it always, as it is my first!

Now, for my nominees.  I chose these book bloggers as they are ones that have taught me so much about book blogging and whom I love for their posts that never cease to inform me, make me laugh, and inspire me.

A Novel Menagerie

Bermudaonion’s Weblog

Grow Wings

In Search of Giants

J. Kaye’s Book Blog

What do these 5 book bloggers need to do?  Add the Butterfly Award to their blogs by posting that they received the award. Then, turn around and honor their fellow book bloggers by giving them the award too! (Up to 10 bloggers)

I am a fan of the 160 Acre Woods, and when I read her blog this morning, I found this contest.  It sounded like so much fun, but I was sure I was too late…nope; I was one of the first 3 to respond.  Respond to what, you ask?  Well, I’ll tell you. 

here’s how you play.

• be the first 3 bloggers to leave a comment on this post, which then entitles you to a handmade item from me!!!
• Promise to post this challenge on your blog, (meaning, that you will then ‘pay-it-forward’, creating a handmade gift for the first 3 bloggers that leave a comment on YOUR blog!!)
• the gift can be any price range and you have 365 days to make/ship your item.

I am more than willing to do international! So let the games begin!

I know that many of my book blogging friends and readers are crafty; is it you???

Life I Am the New Year

Life I am the new year.
I am an unspoiled page in your book of time.
I am your next chance at the art of living.
I am your opportunity to practice what you have learned about life during the last twelve months.
All that you sought and didn’t find is hidden in me,
waiting for you to search it out with more determination.
All the good that you tried for and didn’t achieve
is mine to grant when you have fewer conflicting desires.
All that you dreamed but didn’t dare to do, all that you hoped but did not will,
all the faith that you claimed but did not have –
these slumber lightly, waiting to be awakened
by the touch of a strong purpose.
I am your opportunity
to renew your allegiance to Him who said, “behold, I make all things new.”
I am the new year.
– Author Unknown

You can find the rest of the Poetry Friday Round-Up over at A Year of Reading

Happy New Year, everyone!

So … any Reading Resolutions? Say, specific books you plan to read? A plan to read more ____? Anything at all?

Name me at least ONE thing you’re looking forward to reading this year!

Here is mine:

One thing I’m looking forward to reading this year is my TBR pile as it stands now.   It is lofty as of yesterday, Dec. 31, 2008, and I want to get through the TBR pile that was.

What is yours?

I hope this post finds you well and ready to embrace a new year.  However you chose to celebrate, or not, last night, I hope it was what you wanted to do and fun!  We stayed in as usual, but loved our together time watching the ball drop in NY from our couch in TX.

Thanks to a great blogging buddy, Aerin, who blogs over at In Search of Giants, I will be moving over to Blogger very soon.  I will make sure to keep you all posted as to when that will take place, include the link to get there from here as well as send out emails and tweets about the new address.  Things will go on here as usual until that happens.  I hope you will make the move with me and enjoy the new site for this blog.

There are tons of ‘08 wrap-ups around the blogosphere as well as New Year’s wishes.  Both of which I’ve done; the wish just won’t post until tomorrow.  Here is what I found over at Papertigers.  I really liked the short and sweet post.

Giveaways

I found a new blog this week – Life Starring Ellie and Eve.  Great giveaways happen here, including this one for Eric Carle books.  2 winners will get all of the books listed.  Giveaway ends Jan. 10. 

Consumer Queen.com is new to me this week also.  In one of her posts, she gives you 7 ways to save and has a great giveaway to go along with it.  Here are the 7 ways to save:

Sign up for Fanatics to print $5 in Savings coupons                   Purchase the January “All You” magazine for $1.50 Savings (Magazine contains $50 in manufacturer’s coupons)Purchase the Fast Fixin’ Breakfast items and send in the Try Me Free for up to $5 in savings.Cut out the UPC’s from the products and collect 10 to earn a free product coupon. = $7.99 SavingsUse the coupon inside the box of Fast Fixin’ Breakfast items for a $1 savings.Use the Coupon in the Breakfast Burrito box for a Savings of $1.50

Use the Coupon in the Fast Classics Country Fried Steak for $2 off any 2 Fast Fixin’ Breakfast Items= $2 Savings

Here is the giveaway!  15 families will win a year’s supply of breakfast from Fast Fixin’ & Fast Classics.  This one will end on Jan. 15th with many ways to earn extra entries.

If you read my blog frequently, you know that I love Parent Reviewers.  They are wrapping up their Mega Giveaways with some great ones!  Who wouldn’t love a SNAP! digital camera?  Want to see Altar Boyz?  Readers available near the New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania area or readers traveling to NYC would be able to take advantage of this opportunity.

A Peek At My Bookshelf is putting her blog through some changes for the new year, and she wants to do a You Pick It! book giveaway once a month, but she won’t unless we help her get to 50,000 by tonight.  Read the post here.

Don’t Forget

The Cybils short lists are due out tomorrow.  There are many bloggers who have been busily reading tons of books to whittle down each category.  Thank you for all your hard work; can’t wait to see the list!

Challenges

I will be participating in many challenges in the upcoming year.  I am trying to refrain from overloading myself with too many, but here is one that I may have to add to my list.  Check out The Ban on Spending Challenge!

That is all I have for today, unless you have something for me to add.  Let me know in the comments about what you’ve “wandered” on as you blog hopped this week.

Until next week…