The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer.
It’s a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.
What happened this week?
I hope everyone had a lovely christmas! This week was busier in some ways and quieter in others. It was a great week overall, but also tiring. I took it a bit more slowly with work this week and made more time for fun stuff. My boyfriend and I watched a lot of anime, we’re watching Sword Art Online and we really enjoyed the series, we made it through half of season one this week. Sadly after episode 14 it took a turn for the worse, so not sure if we will continue watching the series. We also found a new co-op game to play, where you have to pilot a space ship with two players. it has a cutesy feel and it’s a lot of fun, although a bit frustrating at times, in a good way.
I had some tours that ran this week which kept me busy during the day. I spent some time baking as well. I made peanut butter balls, based on one of the recipe exchange recipes, they were great! Although I didn’t check the measurements and ended up with enough for two families. And then later in the week I made Kruidnootjes and put chocolate on the rest of the peanut butter balls and brought some to my boyfriend his parents and my mom’s for christmas as well. My grandma gave me some money for christmas with which I (pre-)ordered some books.
For those wondering, the issue with bloglovin still isn’t resolved. So my posts still don’t show up unles sthey update it manually. Their system only waits a maximum of 10 seconds and if your feed doens’t load within that time it drops your blog. I haven’t contacted my host yet and will probably do that next week and else it I guess else you can’t follow my bloglovin anymore, which is sad. From followers I’ve heard feedly and other RSS readers do still pick it up, so the issue seems exclusively with bloglovin.
On thuesday we went to my boyfriend his parents for christmas. We got some presents and bought them both a present. I got a new round springform and a small one. A big bowl to make batter in, new slippers and a new mouse for my pc. My boyfriend got some new clothes, a monk’s robe costume and new slippers. We got my boyfriend his mom an elf figure, which she collect and his dad an apron with olives on it as he cooks a lot, but didn’t own an apron yet. Then we had a multiple course dinner, which was great, but I was so full afterwards. We ate soup, tortilla (spanish omelette), pizza, tiramisu, a yoghurt dessert with fruit and then a meringue desert at the tea.
On friday afternoon we took the train to the other side of the country where my mom lives. Where we had a nice first christmas day dinner. We also got her two small gifts and brought peanut butter balls and kruidnootjes. As she lives far away we slept there that night and would spend the rest of the day there too as then the christmas dinner for the whole family and her husband’s family would take place. I always feel a bit uncomfortable sleeping at another place and the bed was really bad so we slept horrible, I also had a headache so when I came out of bed the next morning I didn’t feel good. After breakfast and another nap I did feel a lot better, but let’s say it wasn’t my favourite day. I don’t really like big groups and it was pretty busy the whole day with lots of people around. But my mom really wanted to celebrate christms once with everyone there, so I hope she got her dream christmas, that’s what’s important. That evening after dinner we took the train back home and let’s say I am happy to be home again.
We haven’t unpacked the presents under our own christmas tree yet as we haven’t been home a lot during christmas, so we will do that somewhere next week. I am a bit behind on commenting due to the christmas activities and hopefully wil catch-up soon again.
Random Picture(s) of the Week
I didn’t take any pictures this week.
What did I cook for dinner this week?
- Sunday: leftovers Tomato Stew with Couscous – losely based on Sophia her Maftoul recipe
- Monday: leftover Tomato Stew with Couscous – losely based on Sophia her Maftoul recipe
- Extra: Penaut Butter Balls
- Tuesday: Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie
- Wednesday: leftover Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie
- Extra: Kruidnootjes
- Thursday: dinner at my boyfriend his parents
- Friday: dinner at my mom’s
- Saturday: dinner at my mom’s
This week I blogged about:
– Review: Murder at Redwood Cove by Janet Finsilver
– Lola’s Ramblings: Books I DNF’d in 2015
– Lola’s Ramblings: Ten random things about how I celebrate(d) christmas
– Book Blitz: Saven Deception by Siobhan Davis
– Review: Chasing River by KA Tucker
What to expect next week on the blog:
– Lola’s Kitchen: Top Ten Dinner Recipes
– Lola’s Ramblings: Top Ten New To Me Authors
– 2015 New Release Challenge: fourth quarterly recap
– Bookish Resolutions Challenge: December Recap
– Lola’s Ramblings: Best Books I Read in 2015
– Lola’s Kitchen: Ten recipes I want to Make in 2016
Tours open for sign-up on Lola’s Blog Tours:
Review Opportunities:
– Link by Summer Wier
– A Bramble House Christmas by CJ Carmichael
– Maisy and the Mystery Manor by Elizabeth Woodrum
– Indestructible by Emma L Adams
– Saven: Deception by Siobhan Davis – New!
Check the full list of open review opportunities here.
Cover Reveals:
None open for sign-up at the moment
Tours:
None open for sign-up at the moment
Book Haul:
Crystal Cadets #1
by Anne Toole and Katie O’Neill (Illustrator)
Format: e-copy
Source: for review through netgalley
You can find Crystal Cadets on Goodreads
Blurb:
Zoe is a shy girl, struggling to fit in at her new school, when she finds a mysterious gem left to her by her birth mother. All of a sudden, darkness-spewing dragons are chasing her down in the schoolyard, and a squad of crystal-wielding girls is there to save her! What does this mean for Zoe? Find out in the all-new Crystal Cadets #1
Duke of My Heart (Season for Scandal #1)
by Kelly Bowen
Format: e-copy
Source: for review through netgalley
You can find on Goodreads
Blurb:
Scandal can be handled…Captain Maximus Harcourt, the unconventional tenth Duke of Alderidge, can deal with tropical storms, raging seas, and the fiercest of pirates. But he’s returned home from his latest voyage to find a naked earl—quite inconveniently deceased—tied to his missing sister’s bed. And he has only one place to turn. Now he’s at the mercy of the captivating Miss Ivory Moore of Chegarre & Associates, known throughout London for smoothing over the most dire of scandals.
Miss Moore treats the crisis as though it were no more serious than a cup of spilt tea on an expensive rug. As though this sort of thing happened on the job every day. Max has never in all his life met a woman with such nerve. Her dark eyes are too wide, her mouth is too full, her cheekbones too sharp. Yet together, she’s somehow…flawless. It’s just like his love for her, imperfect, unexpected—yet absolutely true.
Wow! What a very full Christmas you had! It sounds like it was a lot of fun and very tiring, especially with a long train ride and a bed that wasn’t your own. That happens to me too when I travel, so I feel your pain there. It’s good to be back home! Sounds like you got some great gifts and got to see family too and that’s all a part of a successful holiday season. Merry Christmas to you!
S. J. Pajonas recently posted…Sunday Update – December 27, 2015
It was a bit too full in my opinion, but at least we managed to visit everyone. Traveling takes a lot out of me and I never sleep as well in a different bed. It’s good to be home. I slept amazing this night and slept for almost 12 hours straight. I guess I had a lot of sleep to catch-up on.
Lola recently posted…Sunday Post #158
You had a awesome week! I am glad you had a great Christmas.
I have so much to put away but am going to wait until after New Years since I want to go through the kids rooms and remove some of the stuff they no longer play with.
I hope you have a great week, Lola! Happy New Year! ox
Michelle@Because Reading recently posted…Out with the Old, In with the New ~ 2015 Recap – July #oldnew
Thanks! I know how I was as a kid I never threw anything away. I hope you can clean out your kids room soon and put away their new stuff. You have a great week too!
Sounds like you had a great Christmas. It was just DH and me. We had his family for American Thanksgiving in late November. My family is in Alaska and we weren’t able to get together this year. I have Monday off from work and then New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, so only working two days next week, which is nice.
I hope you have a great week. I’m looking forward to 2016. I think it will be a great year for books.
Melanie Simmons @mlsimmons recently posted…Top 10 Books I’m looking forward to in 2016
I wish we had a day with just the two of us, that would’ve been nice. My mom lives 3 hours away and even then it can be hard to find time to visit, so I can only imagine how hard it must be when your family lives in another state. I hope you’ll enjoy your week with only two working days :).
Lola recently posted…Sunday Post #158
I’m glad some parts of your Christmas were good 🙂 Except the headache of course, because those always suck. It is always good to be home though.
About your bloglovin’ issue, I know there are sites out there that test loading speed and tell you which plugins and things are taking the most time. I can’t remember the exact sites now, but you can try googling for one. Maybe then you can remove or replace any plugins if they’re a problem?
Kristen Burns recently posted…Cover Characteristics: Book Covers from Books I Read in 2015
Christmas definitely had it’s good and less good parts. The headache was pretty nasty, but after my nap I felt better luckily.
When I test my loading speed I can see that my feed loads slowly, I have a site I always use for that. But I do know it’s not my plugins, as I deactivated them all and it still loaded slowly. So it’s probably a problem at my host their server or something. And it’s a shame bloglovin their system doesn’t wait a bit longer as all the other rss readers don’t seem to have an issue.
Lola recently posted…Sunday Post #158
I am so glad I don’t have that many places to go to! I would be exhausted! No wonder you had a headache. I hope your mother’s Christmas was just as she wanted it to be! We never stop wanting to please our mamas! I hope you get some relaxation! Happy New Year!
Yeah it was pretty exhausting, especially with the long travel time and having to sleep there. I agree we never stop trying to please our mamas. I hope she had a great christmas.
Lola recently posted…Sunday Post #158
I’m not big on large groups either, so I like that we have a small family gathering. I am glad it’s over though. 🙂 Enjoy your new reads and Happy New Year! 🙂
I much prefer small family gatherings, that way you can actually talk to everyone and know everyone. I am also glad christmas is over ;), although there were some fun moments as well.
Lola recently posted…Sunday Post #158
You had a busy week but it sounds like you had a nice time with family. My parents live far and I also don’t feel comfortable sleeping at someone else’s house. So I understand why you wouldn’t get a goodnights sleep. Now that Christmas is over I feel too tired to clean up all the presents. They are still in our living room just waiting to be put away lol. I hope you have a Happy New Year and see you in 2016 =)
Kathy recently posted…Weekly Wrap-Up #82
It’s always a bit uncomfortable sleeping somewhere else, but she lives far away that we can’t go there and back on the same day. We still haven’t unpacked the presents under our tree, as we weren’t home long enough, but I did put away the presents we got from my boyfriend’s parents.
Sounds like you had a nice Christmas a a nice dinner.
Mary Kirkland recently posted…Review: Sahale Snacks
Yes we did, the dinners were great!
Lola recently posted…Lola’s Kitchen: Top Ten Dinner Recipes
Even thought it was quite a ways to go I am glad you spent time with your mom. My mom lives far away from me. Planning to put the presents and decorations away tomorrow since we are expecting a nasty ice storm. Have a good week.
Nise’ recently posted…Last Reading Wrap Up of 2015
It was nice to go out and visit her and I hope she had a great christmas. I put most of the presents away already.
It seems like you had a nice Christmas, even if it was a bit overwhelming at your mom’s house. I don’t really like being part of large crowds either, and I almost always sleep badly somewhere else. It’s never the same than being at your own home, in your own bed.
-Lauren
Let’s Get Beyond Tolerance recently posted…Give GAY for the Holidays + Merry Christmas to You All!
I think they were more than 20 people, it definitely was a bit overwhelming. Same here, I always sleep badly somewhere else, although this time was especially bad. I was so happy to be home again and sleep in my own bed.
Lola recently posted…Lola’s Kitchen: Top Ten Dinner Recipes
That was a busy Christmas. Those peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate are my brother’s favorite treat. I’ll bet they were a hit at both your families’ dinners. Sorry you didn’t feel comfortable and well, but at least you know you gave your mom what she wanted for Christmas by having all her family around her.
We went to Christmas dinner with all my husband’s family at his mom’s then the next day we met his sister and her boyfriend for dinner and to go see the new Star Wars movie. Very fun!
Sophia Rose recently posted…Dreams of Lilacs by Lynn Kurland #Review
The peanut butter balls were so good, they tasted a bit like peanut butter cups. They were a hit at both families :). And I am happy I could be there for christmas with my mom and gave her the christmas she wnated, but I also was really happy to be home again.
I still haven’t seen the new star wars movie. Your christmas sounds fun and relaxed!
Lola recently posted…Lola’s Kitchen: Top Ten Dinner Recipes
It sounds like you had a very busy Christmas! The peanut butter balls sound good though, mhm (peanut butter anything sounds good, to be honest!)
Your bloglovin’ feed is up to date at my end, so I’m not sure if the issue has been fixed or not (I hope so!) seems so strange it wasn’t working though :/
Wattle recently posted…Wattle’s Wonderings #8 – I have returned (yay?!)
Yes it was a very busy christmas, so I am glad the days after that were quiet and I could relax a bit. The peanut butter balls were really good and I alreayd bought enough ingredients so I can make them again soon.
It seems bloglovin updated my blog this morning, I check every morning to see what happens. It’s like they pick it up every once in a while or when they manually load it. So for now it’s up to date, we’ll see what happens tomorrow.
Lola recently posted…Lola’s Kitchen: Top Ten Dinner Recipes
Sounds like you had a very busy Christmas, I hope you have managed to catch up on your sleep. I hate sleeping in a strange bed.
Hope you get Bloglovin sorted out.
Have a great New Year!
Heather @ Random Redheaded Ramblings recently posted…BIZARRE BOOKS #14 – Extraordinary Chickens by Stephen Green-Armytage
Me too, I always sleep bad in a strange bad. I managed ot catch-up on sleep again, the first nigth at home I slept for 12 hours straight.
I hope I can get bloglovin sorted as well, it’s annoying.
Lola recently posted…Lola’s Ramblings: Top Ten New to me Authors 2015
Your blog posts show up without any problem on my bloglovin feed so I haven’t missed out on your posts. I’m just a few days behind after taking a few days off to concentrate on the Amazon sales!
chucklesthescot recently posted…Book Review: Les Battersby and Me by Bruce Jones
My monday posts did show-up, but when I last checked my thuesday and wednesday post don’t show up, it seems to update my blog sporadically instead of directly after I post. I am hoping it will solve itself.
Lola recently posted…2015 New Release Challenge: 4rd quarterly recap