twitterature - 10-21-13 - better late than never!

i've been trying to stay offline more and that means i'm behind on posting my latest reads with the modern mrs. darcy.  here's some of what i've read over the past month or so:

Hector and the Search for Happiness - this was recommended somewhere online.  i didn't finish it.  #didntquitegetit #dontrecommend

Gathering Blue - i was really excited to read this.  it was a little slow for me.  not my favorite but i did enjoy the story. #youngadultfiction #thegiverwasbetter

The Husband's Secret - i think Liane Moriarty has become one of my favorite authors.  it's like she can read my mind. #wassurprisedbythesecret #hadtofinishinessthan24hours

elanor & park - while i didn't love this as much as i thought i would considering all of the hype i've seen online, i did enjoy this book. i was really fascinated with the details of elanor's home life and how it affected her.  a good lesson for teens. #sweetlovestorywithsomethingmore

Wife 22 - this was great.  it took me a few chapters to get used to the format, but once i did i was addicted.  was surprised and in love with the ending. #funreadonmarriage

well, that's all for now.  off to the library to get a few new books to read for next month's twitterature!  check in on the modern mrs. darcy's page for more quick book reviews.

seven quick takes friday - 10-11-13

*1*

last saturday i thought it would be fun to take the girls to a pumpkin patch.  the weather was beautiful and i knew it would be a great time to get out my real camera and take some pretty fall photos.  well, the minute we got to the pumpkin patch it started POURING!  we still tried to enjoy as much as we could, venturing into a scary funhouse, visiting the petting zoo and eating cotton candy.  but there was no hayride, no corn maze and of course no pumpkins to bring home.  instead we stopped at home depot on the way home from church on sunday and picked up two pumpkins for $4.00 each. 

I have more festive fall activities planned for this weekend.  I sure hope the weather cooperates this time around!

 

*2*

I'm starting to run regularly again.  I really love how I feel after I run, but it is so hard getting started in the mornings.  to help motivate me, I'm working towards #48milesinoctober with Marta - you can find her on instagram @hausofgirls_fitfamily.

*3*

Still Facebook free.  I'm loving all of the time I have now that I don't spend so much time mindlessly reading people's status updates online.  and after two weeks I'm starting to miss it less.

*4*

I finished Gathering Blue  this week and started attachments: a novel. both are ok, but not great.  i’ll write more about these books when i join modern mrs. darcy for twitterature later this month.  oh, and these links are not affiliate links because i cannot figure out how to do that :)

*5*

this past week I made yummy apple streudel muffins and  crockpot chicken and dumplings thanks to allrecipies.  I always forget how much I love to bake and cook until I try out new recipes.  to keep the ball rolling I just picked up two Pioneer Woman cookbooks from the library.  I cannot wait to try some of those recipes!

*6*

Hubby's coaching for our high school's football team this year.  high school instead of college so now the games are on Friday nights instead of Saturdays.  big sis dances on Friday nights, so we get to the games late, but we are trying to make it to as many home games as possible.  we were there this past Friday and saw them win 38-0.  woo-hoo!

*7*

we had our first family pet death this past Saturday.  back in march we won two goldfish at a carnival (named Goldie and Locks).  the girls were so excited as I've always told them they could have fish but never followed through.  finally, I had no choice but to go out and buy an aquarium.  unfortunately Saturday morning we woke up to discover Locks laying still at the bottom of the aquarium.  it was a sad day for us.  at first Goldie was pretty sad, but she seems to be doing ok now.  I think she actually enjoys having the whole place to herself :)

and that's all for today.  happy friday!  and for more quick takes, please go over to conversion diary!

seven quick takes friday - 10-4-13

*1*

i’ve been facebook free for a week now.  i’m feeling a little out of it, but i think i like not knowing every little detail of what’s happening in other people’s lives.  i actually have to talk to people now to find out what’s going on with them.  *gasp!*

*2*

one down, nine to go!  is it too early to start feeling like the worst end of school year mom ever in october?  don’t get me wrong, school has been going great for the girls.  i can already tell they’re learning a lot and i love hearing about the new friends they are making.  but i’m already struggling with reading logs and for the next 55 days we need to check off if they’ve done at least 20 minutes of physical activity a day (hopefully that should be a given, but still).  add to that packing lunches, figuring out how to gracefully bow out of three million different fundraisers, reviewing homework (that i don’t even always understand) and keeping track of extracurriculars and it’s no wonder i’m already counting down to Christmas break.  80 days folks!

*3*

i hate saying “no”.  i just realized that’s why i dread my job on most days.  i have to say “no” quite a bit.  it makes me sad.  i want to say “yes”.  i want my students to get what they want.  but unfortunately they always want to go against rules and policy, so i have to say no.  it’s my job.  and it’s no fun.  thankfully yesterday i was able to do more positive things at work and it made me feel a lot better.  balances out all of the “no” days.

i can't even say no to these!

 

*4*

i’ve read two and a half books this week.  Eleanor and Park (loved it!). Wife 22 (loved it!).  and i’m halfway through Gathering Blue (so far it’s so-so).  i’ll write more about these books when i join modern mrs. darcy for twitterature later this month.  oh, and these links are not affiliate links because i cannot figure out how to do that :)

*5*

lil’ sis turns 6 this month.  i’m not going to lie, this makes me sad.  but she’s so excited it’s her birthday month.  i hope we make it a super fun one for her.

birthday girl!

 

*6*

i’m so sick of being sick.  my sinuses freaked out the minute ragweed season began.  and a few weeks later i came down with a sinus infection that two 2 courses of antibiotics, a course of some sort of steroid, and now ongoing allergy medicine and flonase to fight it off.  sort of.  i’m still coughing and occasionally congested.  i hope this doesn’t last much longer.

*7*

because i always feel crummy in the fall (see above), it’s become an annual tradition for me to start considering drastic changes to my eating habits.  i’m sure they contribute somewhat to how i feel.  i do know diet coke isn’t good for me, and think that could be a good starting point, but i just can’t live without it.  so right now i would like to challenge myself to drinking more water this month.  ’m not ready to give up diet coke (i didn’t drink it for 9 months last year and missed it the entire time) but i think by drinking more water i’ll be more hydrated and will thus feel better.  and i’ve heard lots of water is good for people with sinus problems.  we’ll see about that…!

why can't diet coke be good for you?!?!

and that's all for today.  happy friday!  and for more quick takes, please go over to conversion diary!

twitterature - 8-15-13

linking up with the Modern Mrs. Darcy today to talk about summer reading...i thought i did more of it, but these are the only books i can recall from the past two months.  i'm guessing the others weren't memorable.  but i wish i could recall them if only to tell you not to read them!

so what do i remember reading?

The End of Your Life Book Club, Will Schwalbe

the only one i didn't finish.  it wasn't too bad, but just not my thing.  #bookaboutbooks #notintoit

What Alice Forgot, Liane Moriarty

i really loved this one. it completely spoke to me. #funnyandquickread

The Chance, Karen Kingsbury

finished this one in a day.  made me cry...a few times! #lovestory

The Lost Husband, Katherine Center

what a beautiful story.  and so much wisdom about parenting woven throughout.  #quickbutmeaningfulread

Leota's Garden, Francine Rivers

another beautiful story.  moving and makes you think about what's important. #inspiring

check out the Modern Mrs. Darcy's Twitterature for more quick book reviews.

faves on friday

i'm so glad it's friday!  this week has been a long one and we have a lot of fun planned for this weekend.  i can't wait to get home and get the party started!

i'm trying to spend less time online, but i still have some faves this week.

blog posts:

i'd rather be a little fluffy, thanks - this post explains how i feel about fitness so well.  i want to be fit.  i want to take care of myself.  but i don't want to be obsessed.  or miserable.  or no fun because i am so focused on counting calories and working out.  a must read!

breathe - this post came at the perfect time, thanks simple mom! this was a busy week at work and boy did i need the reminder to just calm down and breathe.

website:

free range kids - what a great mission!  reminding us that our kids need freedom to be kids.  i plan to come back to this site again and again.

books:

The Lost Husband - a great read that i could really relate to.  while it is a love story, it really approaches the topic of being a mom in a great way.

Fat Land - i'm still not done with this one.  slow read, but an important one.  reminding me of the little bad habits that can have a horrible affect on our health.

quote:

as i work my way through focus t25, i have to remind myself of this every. single. day.  and i definitely can say that i am making progress.  but deep down, i'm still wishing for perfection.  hopefully the more i say this, the more at peace i will be with where i am now, knowing that i am making progress every day.

happy friday all!  i'll be back tomorrow, i hope, with an update on my focus t25 progress!

my first Twitterature

boy do i love to read!  so much so that when i went to turn in my card for the library's summer reading program, i believe the librarian thought i was lying when i reported that i had read three books in one week!  but i did.  honest :)

here are some of the books i've finished over the past month:

Composing Amelia - a very real story about mental illness.  also about finding your way in life when things don't go the way you expected.  #inspiring #christianchicklit

Gift From the Sea - timeless advice for women.  every modern mom should read this! #alltimefavorite

True Colors - i have a friend who absolutely adores Kristin Hannah. i thought this was all right.  it was a bit suspenseful in parts and also brought tears to my eyes, so i guess that makes it a winner.  #aboutforgiveness

Summer People - my dream is to live on the beach, so i enjoy books set on the coast as i can live my beach life vicariously through the characters.  didn't like the ending of this one. #beachread #Nantucket

Sharp Objects - i guess you either love or hate Gillian Flynn.  so far i love her.  this book fascinated me. #thriller #shouldbeamovie

The Age of Miracles - seeing earth shattering events happen through the eyes of an 11 year old was extremely enjoyable.  if it was a movie, my husband would even love this story. #magical

check out the Modern Mrs. Darcy's Twitterature for more quick book reviews.

the links to amazon are NOT affiliate links, partly because i cannot figure out how to get it to work on my blog :)