Read-a-Thon!

Welcome to We'll Always Have Books! I'll be updating this page throughout the day, so check back here for updates! You can also follow me on Twitter. All memes and mini-challenges will be gathered at the end of this post, so as not to bog down the updates section.

Hour 1
I'm up! Early than anticipated! I'll use this time to do the introductory meme, before the rest of the house gets up and I head over to my friend Heather's (it's her first read-a-thon!).

Hour 5
I've been fortified with coffee and breakfast, and I'm hanging with my friend Heather and actually getting some reading done (in between the chatting, of course). I think it's about time to take a small break and open up some snacks!

Reading: English Tea Murder by Leslie Meier
Snacking on: Apple Smoked Gouda cheese cubes
Listening to: nothing, at the moment
Books finished: 0
Total pages read: 60
Total reading time: 61 minutes
Memes/mini-challenges completed: 2

Hour 6
It's almost 2 PM here so I think it's finally time for some lunch and a break for my tired eyes. Hope everyone's read-a-thon is going well!

Reading: Sad Desk Salad by Jessica Grose
Snacking on: chicken salad and an assortment of cheese and candy
Listening to: still nothing
Books finished: 0
Total pages read: 149
Total reading time: 2 hours 25 minutes
Memes/mini-challenges completed: 2

Lunch! Keep in mind, there are 2 of us.

Hour 8
I finished a book! And I've also eaten way more than I would ever need to for just laying on the couch, but whatever, it's read-a-thon day! Here are the stats:

Reading: I'll be diving back into English Tea Murder by Leslie Meier, hoping to finish that one, too.
Snacking on: Twizzlers
Drinking: water
Listening to: still nothing
Books finished: 1 (Sad Desk Salad by Jessica Grose)
Total pages read: 205
Total reading time: 3 hours 19 minutes
Memes/mini-challenges completed: 2

Hour 11
2 books down! I'm feeling so accomplished - and so glad I pushed myself to get halfway done with them through the week so I wouldn't have an uphill battle to feel accomplished today.

Reading: I don't know yet! I've reached my goal, so now the possibilities are endless.
Snacking on: nothing. OMG so full.
Drinking: water
Listening to: Mumford & Sons and The Lumineers
Head count: 3! Heather and I have been joined by our other book club friend Mandy!
Books finished: 2 (Sad Desk Salad by Jessica Grose and English Tea Murder by Leslie Meier)
Total pages read: 291
Total reading time: 4 hours 49 minutes
Memes/mini-challenges completed: 3

Hour 15
Well, that's it for me folks. I can barely keep my eyes open and I still have to drive home. This was a very successful read-a-thon for me; I finished 3 books and got a group of girls together that had never participated before. I had a great time reading today, and as always, thanks for hanging with me during the read-a-thon!

Head count: 4! Heather, Mandy, and I have been joined by our other book club friend Natalie!
Books finished: 3 (Sad Desk Salad by Jessica Grose, English Tea Murder by Leslie Meier, and The Tao of Motherhood by Vimala McClure)
Total pages read: 471
Total reading time: 7 hours even
Memes/mini-challenges completed: 3

Mini-Challenge: Self-Portrait
The Estella Society is hosting this mini-challenge which asks us to take a self-portrait. Here I am in the middle with 2 of my favorite book club friends!

Mini-Challenge: Spine Poetry
My first mini-challenge of the day! Here's what I could come up with for Spine Poetry, hosted by Capricious Reader.

Introductory Meme
1) What part of the world are you reading from today? Indiana
2) Which book are you most looking forward to? Not one in particular, but I'm looking forward to potentially finishing two, which would be a read-a-thon record for me!
3) Which snack are you most looking forward to? Mmmmm....cheese....
4) Tell us a little something about yourself! My name's Amy, I haven't blogged in a really long time but I'm starting to miss it, I have a wonderful husband, rambunctious dog, even more rambunctious toddler, and I'm pregnant with our second child!
5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what's one thing you'll do different today? I'll be spending it at a friend's house! I love the online community of the read-a-thon, but I'm really looking forward to participating with an IRL friend as well.