Welcome to this week’s Sunday Post. This feature is brought to you by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer, so swing by after you are done here and get the full list of participants!
- [3 Jan] #SundayPost: Happy New Year!
- [5 Jan] Podcasts I love that aren’t bookish!
- [6 Jan] Her Kind of Cowboy by Dylann Crush ★★★½
- [7 Jan] Twisted Secrets by Amy McKinley ★★★½
- [8 Jan] #FreebieFriday: January 8th

- Roommate by Sarina Bowen
- Destructive King by Rachel Van Dyken
- Repeat Offender by Lani Lynn Vale
- Redwood by Janie Crouch
This is just too funny!
Whew, what a week! Back to work after 3 weeks off was tough, but no panic attacks so I’m thinking it’s a win. Then, the tragedy at the Capitol. I thought the images were of some other country. I could have never imagined such an act of sedition. I’m thankful it ended relatively quickly, but it was tragic that a woman died in those few hours. I hope this country will begin to recover soon. I don’t know how much more of this nightmare we all can handle.
I had an appointment with my audiologist on Wednesday to get an adjustment to my hearing aids. I was really having issues with my right ear and that made me nervous because THAT is my good ear. If I was losing hearing in that ear, I was gonna be super upset. Thankfully, it was a simple fix and nothing to do with my hearing at all. What a relief!
Friday was my students’ reward day (it was suppose to be the Friday before Christmas, but we got shut down). They earn rewards for meeting and exceeding their estimated progress on a standardized reading and math probe. They can earn chips, soda, ice cream, and candy for our movie day. Because most of our kids are low income, these aren’t treats they get often. Normally, I would be a little uncomfortable with so much junk food as a reward, but its a treat for them and they respond very well. Nearly every kid earned all 4 rewards for above target scores.
I’m hoping next week brings another week of no panic attacks. I have an IEP meeting Monday and an RTI meeting Tuesday, and both of those can cause my anxiety to spike. Fingers crossed for a low key week.
So, whats new with you this week? Did you read any of the same books I did? Did you find any great book deals I need to grab ASAP? Let me know in the comments!

Glad to hear the audiologist appointment went well, and that you had what sounds like an ok week. Good luck with the meetings.
I am glad to know that you had your anxiety under control! Let’s hope that next week will see you calm even if your incoming exams. And the events at the Capitol were…insane! Stay safe samantha!
I hope you have a low key week. I’ve been under a lot of stress and could use one too:)
Hope you don’t have any panic attacks. Good to hear that you hearing is alright and that you had a good week. Hope this weeks is great for you!
This country has been insane for the past year. Let’s hope that things get better this year. Have a great week!
Lol on that Twitter post! It was sad and crazy, but unfortunately not surprising. I just got a copy of Her Kind of Cowboy. I hope I like it. I guess you liked it overall but it wasn’t knock your socks off good with 3.5 star rating.
Glad your hearing aids just needed a minor adjustment. Have a lovely week, Samantha! 🙂
Well it sounds like everything to worry about went well, even with the first week back and the appt. We won’t talk about the sedition. It just makes me mad. I hope next week is even better.
It sounds like it was a good week – no panic attacks and your hearing not being further compromised… Though let’s not discuss the business on Wednesday, or our runaway COVID infection figures here in the UK -and I hope the coming week is even better, Samantha!
I’m glad your anxiety didn’t spike last week! Even with all the events at the capital – I call that a win. And yay that nothing is wrong with your right ear, I”m sure that was a relief. I always had mixed feelings about giving my students food as rewards too – but like your students, they didn’t get those sorts of treats often and it was super motivating for them. I feel like occasionally, it’s not a bad thing.
Good luck with your IEP and RTI meetings, I’m sure they’ll go great! Have a great week!