Adventures of a Semper Fi Family

A Year Of Reading 2018

2019-01-11T04:30:00.000-08:00

I hope there are readers out there who love books as much as I do. I don't typically talk books on the blog but it's one of my favorite topics. And I enjoy looking back on my reading life over the years. I love to read and have for my whole life. I think it would be safe to say words are my love language. I don't have many book people in my life so if you are, please let me know in the comments. Also, please feel free to leave any and all book recommendations you have to offer!

2018

In 2018, I read 63 books. My goal was to read 40 books in 2018 which was significantly more than my 2017 goal of 30 books. My final total was a result of changing responsibilities and more time for reading. Of those 63 books, zero were re-reads. All new books this year. I read several new authors this year but Tara Jenkins Reid was my favorite and binge read all her books in 2018. So glad I did. Have you read TJR?

My 2018 book list was equal parts fiction and nonfiction this year with some mix of graphic novels. I was interested in reading recent releases this year, so lots of new reads are listed. I continued to read my mostly from one of my favorite genres, contemporary fiction. I started reading some self improvement/motivation books this year which I enjoyed and will continue in the new year.

1. Best Book You Read In 2018?

I don't feel like I read anything that knocked me off my feet in 2018. My favorite was probably Big Little Lies from Liane Moriarty.

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

This was easy! And probably an unpopular opinion, The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, was a book I could not wait to read in 2018. In the end, I just did not like it. It was too unbelievable for me and the build up of suspense was so anti-climatic. A big nope from me.

3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read?

The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo. My favorite storyline is answering the 'what could have been' question. The Light We Lost was a tough read and I really wasn't sure I would like this one. In the end, I was pleasantly surprised and definitely a top ten from 2018.

4. Best series you started in 2018?

The only series I read in 2018 was the children's graphic novel series, Amulet. I was instantly won over. If you have an emerging reader (2nd grade or older), give them these books. The novels have such important themes interwoven in fantasy writing. I loved it. I wish I would have known about these when my kids were younger.

5. Favorite new author you discovered in 2018?

Tara Jenkins Reid by far. I read Maybe In Another Life in February and devoured everything else Reid wrote by the end of the year. I can't wait for her next release. I am such a fan. I can't believe I waited this long to read one of her novels.

6. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

I don't read classic novels very often, so The Handmaid's Tale would be my choice for this question. It was really good. I read a couple dystopian books this year and this was the best.

7. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

My fastest read was One True Loves by Tara Jenkins Reid. So entertaining.

8. Book You Read In 2018 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

I am most likely to read Believing Bigger by Marshawn Evans Daniels in 2019. I did a double read of Girl Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis in 2018. I'm definitely in a place of exploring motivation and vision building/goal setting. I imagine 2019 will be more of that!

9. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2018?

All the Tara Jenkins Reid books were beautiful covers.

10. Most creatively written book read in 2018?

11/22/63 by Stephen King was the most creative I read. This was my first Stephen King and I was drinking the Kool-Aid for this popular author. My goal is to read another Stephen King this year.

11. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2018?

If You Only Knew by Jamie Ivey was probably the book that got me on the path to goal setting and becoming more authentic. This started a year of self assessment and goal setting.

12. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2019 to finally read?

Anything from Tara Jenkins Reid. She is that good, people!

13.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2018?

Shortest Book: Sea Prayer, 48 pages

Longest Book: 11/22/63, 849 pages

14. Best Book You Read In 2018 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:

Every young adult book I read is because my teenagers recommend them to me. One of Us Is Lying was a book my daughter was telling me to read for a long time. A List of Cages was the second book she recommended. I don't read too many YA books but I try to read something my kids are enjoying.

15. Best 2018 debut you read?

The only debut I read this year was The Woman In The Window by A.J Finn and I wasn't a fan. I hope 2019 will bring better debut novels.

16. Books That Made You Cry in 2018?

What the heck, I don't think I cried the year! I rarely cry when reading so it's not a big surprise but last year I cried over two books: Everything I Never Told You and The Mothers. Wow!

17. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

My hidden gems were the Amulet graphic novels. I was so surprised by what powerful messages were written in the pages. I would recommend this to all young readers. It is so positive and powerful (in my opinion).

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2018 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2019?

All The Light We Cannot See is on the top of my list. I just keep pushing it down the list every year. 2019 is the year!

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2019?

I'm ready for another Tara Jenkins Reid book in March. Daisy and the Six is coming out and I'm ready for it! If Ruta Septys and Celeste Ng want to publish another novel I'm all for that too :)

3. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading Life In 2019?

I want to read all the books on my shelf.

Now it's time for you to answer some bookish questions. What was your favorite book of 2018? What book are you committed to reading in 2019?

Follow Along:

Instagram // Bloglovin // Pinterest

Greenville South Carolina 2019

2019-01-10T04:30:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the South's best kept secret, Greenville, South Carolina. This past weekend we took a quick getaway to this up and coming city and it was the best. I can see what all the fuss is about.

Greenville South Carolina is all about outdoors, small business, and Clemson. I'm not fully confident about the Clemson thing but we were there the weekend before their national championship football game, so there was a lot of purple/orange love being shown off! I was digging it.

I think the best feature of Greenville is the Reedy River. There is a waterfall running right through downtown. Seventeen miles of paved trails along the river for walking/running/biking. And walking bridges all along the way. We love the outdoors and Greenville was just what we needed!

I was all about the small coffee shops around town. The first place we visited was The Village Grind where I ordered a Rose Cardamon Latte. This is not my usual order but I wanted the local's favorite. It was interesting, floral flavors, but still very satisfying!

We enjoyed walking the main street through downtown and browsing the small shops. My favorite was J. Hudson Booksellers shop. I love all things reading!

The bookshop was filled with lots of good books, bookish gifts, and decor.

All of my favorite things!

At night, the town was all lit up and festive.

We had the best time. I can't say enough good things about Greenville. It was just what we needed to refresh and enjoy time together before Miss Ky goes back to school this weekend!

Favorite SemperFi Family Moments of 2018

2019-01-04T04:30:00.000-08:00

Are you a fan of the Best Nine collage? One of my favorite year end activities on social media is seeing everybody's favorite pictures of the year. The best nine are the pictures you received the most likes on Instagram and there is a website like, THIS, that will calculate those rankings for you.

Looking back on 2018, I see A LOT of Kyli :) She is a favorite all the years :) 2018 was a big year for her with prom, graduation, leaving the role of military kid, and you can see it all in this collage. It was also the year of the Marine's retirement ceremony. 20 years in the military. I think I started this blog at year 13 in military family life. So surreal. Technically, we are starting 2019 as an active duty family but in a few short weeks we will be moving on to the blue IDs.

We are still here in North Carolina. We will be finalizing moving plans in the next 2-3 months. Even though I would love to be in our forever home, I do appreciate this down time during retirement transition. Nobody likes to talk about the transition but it's a big one. I like that we are taking it slow and going through the whole process. I didn't realize how important that was but I can see it now.

Anyways, back to the Best Nine, the favorite pictures were all about retirement and launching Kyli out into the real world. Which she is doing fantastic in the real world :) She is a little cold in Iowa this winter. Lucky child, she has only ever known warm weather living in California and North Carolina and Japan. Weather aside, she is rocking independent life!

I love all the pictures but I think my favorite picture of the year was our family pic. Our very last military picture with the Osprey on the base. And of course, those kids all grown up.

Did you get your Best Nine? Did you have a favorite that didn't make the collage?

Hello 2019!

2019-01-02T16:45:00.000-08:00

2019 is here. Are you ready? I'm ready!

This year I decided to push myself out of my comfort zone, to be bold, and risk hypothermia. We joined the locals for a very brisk and shocking dip in the Atlantic Ocean on the first day of the new year. I admit it took me two tries to get it done. I walked out after letting the water crash against my knees but luckily had friends (and a husband) who wouldn't let me miss the opportunity.

Yes, it took my breath away and pricked my legs like a hundred stabbing needles. Ultimately, it felt good to push myself out of my comfort zone. I feel like I set the tone for my new year's goal of being more courageous, stepping outside the comfort zone, and accepting others for doing the same.

This year is the beginning of a "new" life outside of the military. It's exciting to have all the possibilities laid before us. I'm ready to start that new chapter with positivity and an open mind.

Cheers to you all, may you find what brings you joy in the new year!

Shackleford Banks Sunset Cruise

2018-08-27T06:30:00.000-07:00

I felt like the weeks leading up to Kyli's send off was filled with all these "last" moments. Truth is, we took a handful of last hurrah trips to enjoy having the kids all together as kids (not independent people/adults). I was really feeling like life was about to change. I still think that but I'm not quite sure we needed all the "last moment" trips :) I might roll my eyes at my sentimentality sometimes.

This boat trip to Shackleford Banks was our very last trip together before we brought Kyli to college. We probably should have stayed home, packed the car, and went to bed early. Instead, we hopped on a catamaran for a sunset float out to a remote island to try to find wild horses.

It's sort of our signature style of doing things.

It was a fantastic time walking horse trails over sand dunes, collecting shells on the beach, and searching for the elusive wild horses on the deserted island. The down fall was stepping on cactus with bare feet. By the way, if you ever go out to Shackleford Banks in North Carolina, don't leave your shoes on the boat! It's a terribly walk without shoes ;)

We did eventually find wild horses. Which was great luck given the 9 mile stretch of land they have to roam! We were feeling pretty lucky.

It was a good time and we floated back to the mainland glad we made the trip.

We can't help but think of the next times...to stay longer...to go early in the day...to wear shoes...to bring a netted bag to collect shells. Our time is limited in North Carolina though. So, maybe, that is just good advice for other people :)

Good Times Iowa Style

2018-08-25T06:30:00.000-07:00

Delivering Kyli to Iowa meant we got to take some time to do Iowa things. We hit up the Iowa State Fair and ate all the garden fresh veggies our bellies could fit. We binged on all things Hawkeye and hung with our family. The boys did not want to leave!

I did not grow up going to the Iowa State Fair. It wasn't a thing for us. In fact, the two times I've attended has been in adulthood with my the kids. Every experience is as new for me as it is for them. We did a lot of walking and a lot of farm animal petting. It sounds lame but it was fun :)

We saw the biggest cow and the biggest pig in Iowa. I took a picture of the big cow, in case you were curious.

My favorite is the Animal Learning Center with all the baby farm animals. The barn is filled with pregnant farm animals and you can even witness a live birth (if you are lucky). It's pretty cool. Definitely a favorite for me.

At a young age, I can remember sitting in my grandparents' pig shed waiting for the pigs to give birth. It fascinated me and I would literally sit on an overturned bucket for hours waiting for the little piglets to be delivered.

One grandma thought the boys needed to ride the fair rides. The boys loved that! I was a little unsure about that one. Those rides always look sketchy to me.

Derrick was all about the University of Iowa booth. He needed his picture with the trophies.

I don't understand. Football isn't my thing. But it's important to him and he understands what all the trophies represent :)

Here is our girl with her mascot signed by everyone in the Class of 2022.
I'm so proud of her for working hard and being independent with her school thing.
She is enjoying herself and likes her school.
I feel like it's worth reporting the separation for this momma hasn't been too bad.
I was a little worried how it would go. Technology sure helps and she hasn't met her people yet, so she still calls home every day :)
I'll take what I can get for as long as I can!

College Bound. A Smaller Space. And Lots of Transitions.

2018-08-10T07:43:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow, we are going to load up our car with stuff and drive to Iowa. We are delivering our child to college. A 4 year state university. A ginormous student body and campus. Diverse ideas and driven people all pouring into my child. My smart beautiful child.

My friends asked me yesterday, "How are you feeling?" And yesterday, I felt very positive. I'm not sure why and next week I might feel differently. Today, I'm excited for her. I remember so distinctly desiring that independence of moving out on my own and becoming an adult. It really is an exciting time in life. She is smart, level headed, and open minded. She is going to be fine.

And we are going to be fine. I keep forgetting that not only are her parents going to miss her (that's us :) but her brothers will too. So, maybe next week will be a little off for us.

It's a big season of changes and transitions for us. In preparation, we moved to a smaller space. And the first couple of days, I was panicked! Like what the freak was I, who pushed hard for this to happen, thinking?!? Two weeks later, Best. Decision. Ever.

First and foremost, the money we are saving is worth it. Second, the space to take care of is so small. No stress of all the things I should be doing to take care of the house instead of doing important things like hanging with my kids, my husband, or showing up for a friend. This smaller space also has been amazing for us to gather together. I noticed that in our big houses we all tended to go to our separate areas and do our separate thing. So, I like our new togetherness... for now :)

Ultimately, everything is pointing to the direction of military retirement. Only a few months left to go before his ceremony and leave begin. Official retirement begins a couple months after that. No, we don't know where we are going. We really do not. We know there are two choices: Southern California or Austin/San Antonio, Texas area. There are pros and cons for both, we have no real convictions about either (right now), so we are going to be persuaded by a job. I'm going back to school so I can do a career change. Both places have plenty of education options for me to do that. Worst case scenario, we hang in North Carolina past retirement until things fall into place. Which is totally doable now that we have a smaller space! See how all our decisions come full circle? I'm so happy for that!

Today, I'm connecting this picture with this post because it was a moment captured. And today's post feels like it a moment captured. The husband and I went for a walk here while Zac had cross country practice at the same place. We came to this pond and it was one of those moments that left you in awe. The colors and the stillness of the water were my idea of perfection. It always just sets my mind right.

Happy Friday everyone! I hope this weekend is just what you need!

Hiking in William B. Umstead State Park

2018-08-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

If you know our family, then you know hiking is our thing. We hiked all over Southern California and truly miss all the trails out West. Some of our favorite trails were along the ocean and in the mountains. Heck, we were happy anywhere we could find a trail to overlook any part of the city.

We love to get out in nature and just cleanse all the crap that we collect in our heads from life. One thing we've missed terribly at this duty station is hiking. Coastal North Carolina is flatter than a pancake. Hiking is non-existent. Not being able to get out in nature makes me feel restless and sometimes grumpy. So, when we go inland, I'm always looking for trails. Raleigh has this cool outdoor retreat in the middle of the city called William B Umstead State Park that has lots of trails. It's beautiful and a perfect fix for a girl desperately needing to hike in a place where the terrain changes elevation.

When we drive to Raleigh for airport pickups (mainly), this is one of our go-to places. We have never truly hiked Amsted Park before now. We are always exploring little foot trails or driving along tree canopied roads. This trip we allowed a few hours to hike a trail at William B. Umstead State Park.

We automatically scoped out the trail with water. Those trails are our favorite. The boys like to get a little daring and test their balance.

You can see from the trail map there were a few choices. Of course, this is only a small section on the west side of Umstead park. There are lots more options around the entire park.

Even the Marine husband got comfy and relaxed.

We came across lots of bugs and flying creatures because HELLO it's North Carolina. How cool is this lunar moth? Cool story...this moth was hatching from caterpillar to moth right before our eyes. I love that we got to observe nature in action!

Hoping the last few months here bring a few more hikes!

Life Update- Iron Infusion

2018-07-27T09:09:00.002-07:00

Hey readers. I wanted to take some time to share something a little more real life today. I feel like it's worth sharing to bring a little more understanding to the lack of follow through over the past year.

The bottom line is that I've been dealing with a health condition over the past year. It's not too serious. I'm just one of the millions of people who deal with iron deficiency anemia. Nothing too abnormal but it can get kind of debilitating for me. Since last summer, I have been dropping super low on my red blood cell counts. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, RBC. All of them. Usually, doctors will prescribe a heavy duty iron pill and bounce those numbers up pretty quickly. After 10 years of iron pills, my digestive system said 'No Way. No More!" So, this past fall, we had to find an alternate way to get me my much needed iron. By way of iron infusion. They pumped iron right into my veins. It's pretty wild but worked like a champ. There are some risks and it's a little nerve wrecking going into the infusions but my body takes hold and goes to work. It's amazing and it helps me so much.

Unfortunately, it was only a matter of time before I needed another iron infusion this summer. It's a little disheartening when your body doesn't work like it was intended. But praise the Lord for modern medicine. In June 2018, I had another infusion and my body absorbed the iron the way it needed. And so now I'm juiced up and my red blood cells are nice and healthy :)

The problem is maintaining the iron stores and maintaining the healthy red blood cell production. My body works against me in that way. I will give you the basic cause...female issues. That might be TMI but I also know there is a whole community of women out there who need to hear this. I know I have felt like I'm the only one experiencing all this with the big scary (to me) treatments. This month I underwent a medical procedure to see if I could assist my body in maintaining my iron levels. I am one week post procedure and feeling on the upswing of recovery. Over the next few months, we will know if this is the answer to my problem. I am happy to talk about that with anyone who might feel that information is beneficial but prefer a more private platform. (You can email me at adventuresofasemperfifamily@gmail.com) It's funny because today at the bank I overheard someone talking about their anemia problem. And I wanted to say, "Me too!"

I give you all this information to bring a little more understanding for what is going on in my world. Why I start things, like running, and then abruptly stop within weeks. Because my poor heart can't keep up with me running when I have little oxygen to deliver in my blood stream. The same reason for no adventures or pictures to share. Do you really want to see me hanging out at the clinic? It's pretty uneventful and I know for some people it can trigger sad/sympathy/etc feeling. I want to try to keep this a happier and lighter space.

So that's me guys. Things are looking up and hopefully adventures and fun hobbies are on the horizon.

Much love to you all!

Time For Adulting

2018-07-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

Oh yes, girlfriend can now use the term 'adulting'. Not that she would, or even knows what that means :) But... now her long journey into figuring it out begins! It has been such a pleasure being her mother with the exception of 9th and 11th grade year...those I do not want back! And I'm very much looking forward to being mom to adult Kyli.

This girl is funny and smart. Loyal, influential, fierce, and quick witted. She is humble and easy going and unaffected by trends and mainstream (outside of scrolling through Insta and Snapchat every five minutes). She loves Jesus and is truly interested in others. She loves animals. And she loves shoes, lots of shoes, always. And stickers, so many freaking stickers! And junk food. Just all the vices!

We have thoroughly enjoyed her childhood and are so lucky to have her! Now, sink or swim baby! (Just kind of kidding ;)

DisneyWorld 2018

2018-07-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

DisneyWorld in July. Call us crazy! Long lines, humid heat, all the things you want to avoid on vacation. And despite all the negatives, we had the best time! We hit the parks in the morning and night. We took breaks for naps and swims in the heat of the day. And we let the kids have some freedom to roam the park while we (the parents) did our own thing.

That may have been the best part for mom and dad :)

We wanted to do something special for Kyli's graduation so we let her pick the destination. She picked Disney because that's her thing. Her friend from California joined us and we road tripped to Florida from North Carolina. Super simple 8 hour drive.

We had four days of park hopping thanks to our military tickets. And we got to enjoy the early & late hours, thanks to our military hotel on property. We will miss our military perks in 2019!

Here are a few fun pictures of our DisneyWorld trip.

Magic Kingdom

Epcot

Hollywood Studios

and Animal Kingdom.

Yes, Magic Kingdom is awesome. It's the iconic Disney place. However, we enjoyed Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios way more! Less crowds, shorter lines, and more thrill rides.
When you have teens that is what they want.

They also wanted freedom to go off on their own and ride Dinosaur four times in a row while being completely obnoxious (I'm sure). We, the parents, were also able to do adult things, like ride the "slow" rides and eating Dole Whips!

It was a blast for our last DisneyWorld trip. Disney is always a good time!

I admit I'm ready to graduate to something a little more grown up though :)

Stay tuned for those adventures!

She Did It!

2018-06-16T05:55:00.002-07:00

If we had a summer bucket list, then we would be checking off one big box. Graduation!!
Kyli graduated from high school! Cue the tears!

There is just something surreal about your first born graduating. Days filled with sadness over childhood reflections, anticipation of a changing relationship, anxious over what the future holds, and all the other things that sneak up on you as the day approaches. There are also positive things like celebrating this milestone of finishing 13 years of school with them, gaining their independence, and finding interests and passions they didn't know they had. I'm very excited to see what this child does with herself. She really is a great girl and has so many amazing characteristics that will serve her well. I just want her to hold on to those qualities tightly because I know the world doesn't always appreciate them :)

I don't quite think Ky knew what to expect on graduation day. It's understandable because she has never attended a graduation in her life. Weird, huh? After the ceremony, she was glowing. She said, "That was fun!" I thought that was just the cutest thing. You will see a picture below of her waving up to us in the crowd. I thought that captured her attitude the best.

The graduation ceremony was a special moment to watch and know it was honoring her (and her classmates) hard work. I couldn't help but reminisce about my own graduation sitting there. It is such a great memory and a great time in life. Ky is going to love adulthood. Recently, I have really sensed her desire to be more independent and explore what she will become in the future.

I'm looking forward to seeing her life unfold.

Could her smile be any bigger?

And we can't forget the graduation cap. I love all the creativity that goes into this graduation trend.

Kyli did hers all by herself with a nudge from Pinterest (of course). However, Pinterest still doesn't make my creations nearly this cute! She just has that creative, artsy touch.

My friends, this picture right here, is almost too much for me to manage :)

All of us together with one "launched" baby bird. And let's define launched as --technically she can do what she wants with her life now.

I can't even believe it happened!

My Summer Has Begun

2018-06-08T08:30:00.000-07:00

The day I've waited for all year. My last day of work for the summer! I'm free and it feels so good! I completed my second year of subbing at the elementary level. This year I worked for two schools in the same district which helped to control my stress compared to my first year hopping around to multiple schools through the week. Luckily, some very smart readers advised me NOT to do that, so I stopped doing that! Thank you for sharing that :) Subbing is tough no matter how well organized you are. So I'm exhausted! *haha* But I am happy to have employment in a tough job market.

What am I doing with all my free time? Great question! There will be so many beach days, mostly documented because the beach is amazing here!

There will be running and races because I'm vowing to BE a runner. It just has to happen! I have no other hobbies (besides reading), so this is it! All my eggs in one basket. Lucky me, I have a built in partner who will push me to run when I don't want to.

And our local running club is AMAZING! Real people running at all levels, paces, and distances. Plus, craft beer and socializing after your run. Who wouldn't want to be a part of that?

There will also be reading because it's me!

And adventuring because that is how our SemperFiFam does life!

And there will be coming to terms with the fact that my oldest is 18, graduating high school, and headed to college out of state :( Let's avoid talking about that for another week, m'kay?!?

It's summer friends! Let's enjoy every moment.

Summer of Fitness

2018-06-04T05:30:00.000-07:00

We have two goals this summer---> Fun and Fitness. Life is bringing so much big stuff our way and I refuse to be bog down by it. Fun will offset all the stress. The fitness part was something Zac and I are choosing because he will be training for cross country throughout the summer. If figure if I piggy back on those workouts then I will be more motivated to become the consistent runner I want to be. It's a lofty goal because it's hot and humid here; however, I think the way life has arranged itself will work out perfectly.

Saturday was the monthly 5k on Camp Lejeune. We love to participate because #1 it's our military community and #2 it's free. I feel MCCS (Marine Corps Community Services) does a great job organizing the races and the course is easy. The drawback is waking up at 6am to drive to base. I was secretly hoping Zac was going to change his mind but no luck.

Just coming off of track season he is still loving running and still in great shape. He ran ahead of me and finished 4th. I was proud of my finish too. Mostly, because I wasn't last, or second to last for that matter :) Which I always am! Plus, I broke through the 40 minute ceiling that had hung over me since I started running in 2017. This race I finished at 39:30. It's not a great time but it's a great time for me. And I am going to own it and be proud of it.

We always told Zac during track, you are doing better than 95% of the high school because you are running every day. It's true. 39:30 might not be a great time but it's better than all the other people who didn't run today :) That is how I keep motivated! Breaking the 40 minute mark was enough to motivate me to keep running this week and keep up with my health so I can keep running in general. And I know by doing those two things, I will shave off a few more seconds the next time I race in July.

So, there it is. Summer of Fitness--let's do this!

Summer Reboot 2018

2018-06-01T10:20:00.003-07:00

It's June 1st and that means our SemperFiFam is (almost) on vacation! We have collectively decided to enjoy these crazy hot humid days. No matter what! I've been struggling with the idea of coming back to the blog and questioning if I would be able to maintain writing when life gets busy again. But seriously, why worry about tomorrow?? "Tomorrow will worry about itself." (Matthew 6:34) There are no promises for where this blog is going or what I am doing with it :) I'm just missing writing, documenting, and having these conversations with you.

Yes, our life feels crazy right now. We are months away from leaving our active duty military life. Our oldest is college bound, out of state no less. We are thinking about jobs, houses, relocation, etc etc. And wouldn't you know, all the sudden I am worried and fearful over just about everything. Weird fears too. Stuff that has never really hit the radar for my attention and you know what everyone tells me? "It's because you have so many unknowns you can't control". Strangely, many people say that to me. I don't understand how that translates to fear but it sorta makes sense. Writing helps me lay everything out and process it. I know my 'WORDS' people totally get that. Another reason for coming back to the blog.

This summer, I would just like to write and take pictures and share them with you. Back to the basics of blogging over here. Come September, the crickets might move back in?? I'm just taking one day at a time! Welcome back long time friends and hello new friends. I'm looking forward to getting to know you!

Walking In A Winter Wonderland

2018-01-04T21:00:00.000-08:00

Today is a Snow Day. Yesterday was a snow day. It feels like we are on the longest winter break in the history of school breaks. I am dubbing this my favorite week of 2018! This BombCyclone... Snowmaggedon... East Coast Freeze has reached its icy fingers all the way down to North Carolina (and beyond). We love every single digit moment!

Life has literally stopped. Everything in our area is shut down. No school, no work, no shopping. It's a nice way to be forced into simplicity. The boys are sledding with our one sled and making do with boogie boards as well. My husband and I managed a quick walk around the neighborhood before I cuddled up with my book and read all day. An legitimate excuse to read all day is another favorite.

I think we ended up with between 4 to 6 inches of snow here on the coast. Everything is so pretty and picturesque. The trees are covered in icicles. The trees are brushed with snow. The temperatures are low enough to keep everything frozen for one more day before it melts and life gets back to normal. I might have to bundle up and go for one more walk.

2018 Is The Year

2018-01-03T04:30:00.000-08:00

I'm putting all my eggs in 2018's basket. This is going to be an excellent year! 2017 had its ups and it also had downs. I think the Instagram #bestnine2017 says it all for the ups

Our year started with a military deployment homecoming. Our last military homecoming before his retirement. Yep, we've being doing this life for 20 years and it is almost done. I've said it many many times, it goes fast. After the first 10 years, the second ten fly by. Remember this advice young ones who are contemplating the direction of your military life, it goes fast. After he picks up some seniority, there won't be so much BS to deal with. Ok, there is always military BS to deal with, but you will be better at managing it.

We did a heck of a lot of traveling this year. It was our goal living on the East Coast to travel as much as we could before we left. We went to Florida, back to Iowa, around North Carolina, Washington DC, Virginia, New York City, and Kentucky in 2017.

Exploring this side of the nation has made me realize, I really do love the East Coast. I think I like it more than the West Coast. It so easy to get to so many places and there is so much history. If it weren't so cold in the North and I wasn't such a misfit in the South, the East Coast could be our forever home. Unfortunately, I never caught on to the whole Southern Girl hospitality/charm thing. So, we will be moving in 2018. *All the NC people are cheering right now*

This year was also the (beginning of) an end of an era for our family. Our oldest, Ky, started her senior year. If you have followed this blog for the past 7 years, then you are just as shocked as I am! She was a little girl when I started posting pics and telling stories. And now, she is going to be an adult, living outside this house for most of the year. Mommas, it is so hard to be on the cusp of launching children! It is emotional and frantic and exciting and all the emotions times a thousand. Sometimes, I'm ready and sometimes I want five more years. I'm thinking a pause button would be great to use sporadically over the next 6 months. Anyone got one??

This is one of the first pictures I posted of the kids back in 2011 when we vacationed to the Gulf Coast.

This year we've met a lot of quality people in our little town. People who we adore and call friends. I'll be packing them with us when we leave... along with the beach.

Our biggest down in 2017 was losing our Charlie dog. He has also been around as long as the blog. He drove me absolute batty most of the time. He liked very few people outside our family, he would go after the neighbors, and bark when someone down the street pulled into their driveway. He drove me crazy like that. But he was our dog and a part of our family. Now he isn't here and it's sad to think about.

I can't quite put my finger on what 2017 was all about. We had fun. We were together most of the year. However, the year just wasn't the greatest, you know? 2018 is the year of big changes and new beginnings for us. I am feeling the excitement. Next year at this time, I will (hopefully) be reflecting on a new home, new friends, new job, a girl home for the Christmas, two teenage boys in the house (Lord help me!), a husband who doesn't have to be gone for days/weeks/months, and all the things I can't even imagine. I'm hopeful for this new year and I wish you all the very best in 2018!

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A Year of Reading 2017

2018-01-02T05:00:00.000-08:00

When it comes to book talk, I have been quiet these past few months. My reading life has been pretty dismal. I guess life happens and reading takes a back seat. However, a yearly wrap up is always fun. If you like that sort of thing of course :)

In 2017, I read 44 books. My goal was to read 30 books in 2017 which was significantly less than my 2016 total of 60 books and 2015 total of 52 books. Of those 44 books, only 2 were books I had read before. I totally needed a refresher on The Hunger Games. 38 years old and I still love the book/movie series. No shame here!

My 2017 book list was equal parts fiction, nonfiction, and middle grade this year. Not a good reflection on my overall favorite genres. My favorites are contemporary fiction and celebrity memoirs. I read more suspense/ thrillers this year than I have in the past. I'm starting to like the new thriller genre that is taking off with all the twists and diversions. Hoping to get in more psychological thrillers in 2018.

1. Best Book You Read In 2017?

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. A contemporary fiction novel about the slow destruction of a family after the death of a child. We get to see the impact on each member before and after the incident. This book gets mixed reviews and yet something about it touched me to the core. You can go back to my August book review to read more. I have all the book love for Celeste Ng.

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

Sadly, there were several books that fit into this category. I was excited about the Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough. The ending just didn't do it for me. I was excited about finally reading Farewell To Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston. It was boring and unemotional. I can't believe it was required reading in school at one point. I think the subject matter is way more interesting than this author's shared experience. The last book, The Dry by Jane Harper, didn't meet my expectation. It was well written. It had a good storyline but I think the book was overhyped. I expected something more original and nail biting.

3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read?

The Arrangement by Sarah Dunn

4. Best series you started in 2017?

To All The Boys I've Loved Before series by Jenny Han. Otherwise known as Lara Jean series. It's a young adult series I picked up as a fluffy read and ended up loving it. I thought it was written in a way that adults would like it without being too sugary sweet.

5. Favorite new author you discovered in 2017?

Celeste Ng is going to take this one. I read all new authors this year with the exception of my re-reads.

6. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

Although most of my books were young adult, I do not usually read the genre. I was happily surprised with all the YA I read. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon was the "best".

7. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena kept me up to all hours.

8. Book You Read In 2017 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a book I will read over and over again.

9. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2017?

Inside Out and Back Again has a great cover.

10. Most creatively written book read in 2017?

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

11. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2017?

The Arrangement by Sarah Dunn. I don't know why but it was!

12. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2017 to finally read?

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah isn't that old to have waited until 2017 but it was that good. I'm always so hesitant to read overhyped books but I felt this one deserved the praise.

13.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2017?

Shortest Book: We Should All Be Feminists, 52 pages

Longest Book: The Nightingale, 440 pages

14. Best Book You Read In 2017 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:

The Nightingale was solely read from recommendation. Thank you friends!

15. Best 2017 debut you read?

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi was my favorite debut out of the 8 (I think) I read.

16. Books That Made You Cry in 2017?

I rarely cry when reading a book but this year I did it twice. I cried reading Everything I Never Told You and The Mothers. I wanted to cry about all the unfair treatment I read about, the stupid endings, and the lack of emotion in other stories :/

17. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

My hidden gem was The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt. It a middle grade novel full of history and conversation starters. We listened to this as an audiobook on a road trip and we all loved it. I would recommend reading it with a child or reading it then have your child read it. Then talk about all the things.

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2017 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2018?

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. Sorry scholarly readers, I let you down! I promise to make up for it in 2018 :)

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2018?

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks

3. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading Life In 2018?

My first goal for 2018 is to read only good books. Lately, I've been feeling the burn-- as in burnout. I'm not sure how to control the only good books thing, trust Goodreads ratings maybe. My second goal is to read all the books I bought in 2017 that went unread. Buying books is definitely my weakness and the library sale is two months away. I can't justify buying more books when I have so many still unread from 2017. My third goal is to re-read an old favorite or two.

Now it's time for you to answer some bookish questions. What was your favorite book of 2017? What book are you committed to reading in 2018?

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Holidays In The City - Macy's Thanksgiving Parade 2017

2017-12-31T11:39:00.001-08:00

Back to the city on Thanksgiving Day, parade day! Yesterday I recapped Day 1 and Day 2 in NYC. Today is all about Day 3. Our intentions were to see what the weather was like on T-Day and decide if we would do the parade. I was worried about the crowds and the cold, so I was ok with either choice, watching on TV or standing along the street. My daughter wouldn't hear it, "We are in NYC for Thanksgiving, so we must go to the parade." I mean when you put it that way.

We woke up early on Thursday morning with the best intentions to get to the ferry by 6am. Everything I read said, if you don't have your parade spot by 6:30am, then you might as well go home. Three teenagers later, we finally arrived at the ferry at 7:30am and were on the parade route by 8am. It wasn't nearly as crowded as we imagined. We were close enough to the front that we didn't miss anything. And yes, it was cold. And it was fun. And I wouldn't do it again! I like the parade from my warm home in my pjs! There is no other way:)

My assumption is, if you want front row seats, then you will need to be there by 6:30am. However, we were 3 people deep and we didn't miss anything (remember: we got there at 8am). Bring your blankets and (possibly) thermos. Wear all the layers and then add one more for good measure. We were icicles by the time we left the parade wearing double layers and cold weather gear.

If you research and research, you will find the same advice, don't leave your seats after you get them. I would echo that a hundred times. The closer you get to parade time, the more people fill in the spaces and you won't have a place anymore. Bathrooms are limited in general, so be warned. Starbucks and CVS are your best bets for bathrooms.

The parade was everything you would imagine. The balloons were so fun to watch overhead. The people walking the parade route exuded holiday joy. They waved, smiled, and wished everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. The celebrities on floats were hit or miss along our part of the parade route. Some were on their phones, some talking to their people around the float, some lip sang when they didn't have to, and others worked the crowd. Jimmy Fallon was one of those people working the crowd. I did fan girl when I saw him. He was the best.

After the parade, we went to the Soldiers', Sailors', Marines', Coast Guard, and Airmens' Club for Thanksgiving dinner. We celebrated with other military families visiting the city for the holidays. We exchanged all our best tips for NYC touring. One of my favorite topics is travel talk! After our Thanksgiving lunch, the boys headed to the hotel to warm up and the girls spent the final day in the city.

We headed back to Rockefeller Center and explored the NBC studio stores, Rockefeller Center area(again), and New York City Library.

I wasn't giving up anymore time in the city than necessary on our last day.

Every trip across the river we went right past the Statue of Liberty. New York is everything I thought it would be minus the rude people and high crime. What I mean is, I expected the people to be rude and to feel uneasy walking around. We had only good experiences! People were nice, the city was clean, everybody minding their own business, and people out and about at all hours. I loved it!

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Holidays In The City

2017-12-30T09:41:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays. Happy New Year. I wish this season of joy and kindness could last another month. Our family may not have made a Christmas bucket list or advent countdown, but we have enjoyed December all the same. There is just something about the holidays that make people re-prioritize the right things. I hope you have seen the lights, drank the hot chocolate, baked the goodies, donated the stuff, and snuggled the ones you love all month. Of course, you can continue to do that after December 25th :)

Today I am sharing our trip to NYC! Going to New York City during the holidays was a dream come true. I don't even know other words to say about it. It surpassed all my expectations and I want to go back as soon as possible. Some times I find myself justifying a weekend trip to get out of town. Sadly, I don't live in a world where I take weekend trips to New York City :( So I have to suffice with planning an in-the-future trip :) and hoping that means in 2018 future!

We made the trip by car A.) because that is how we travel and B.) it made more sense for car travel versus air travel. By the time, we drive to Raleigh (2.5 hours), get there a couple hours early (2+ hours), fly 2.5 hours, do the whole unload/luggage pickup (1hour), AND THEN travel to our hotel (apx.1 hour) plus the expense, car travel looked like the better choice. How can that be? I was happy to drive up north to be able to travel through new states. I'm soaking up all the East Coast things!

We arrived Monday evening at Navy Lodge Staten Island. For all my military people, this is the way to go! Yes, I would have loved the convenience of staying in Manhattan. However, for the price, Navy Lodge Staten Island is the way to go. If you are staying in prime tourism season (aka holidays), then staying outside the city is going to save you big time. The lodge is nice, well kept, and sizable for families. We were technically on a Coast Guard base which has some amazing lookout points of the river, the bridges, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and all the other places that converge in this area. It was AMAZING. We never went back to the lookout (pictured above) in the daytime but that would definitely be on my list next trip.

Tuesday morning was our first day in the city. We drove our car to the Staten Island Ferry terminal and parked in a lot nearby. The lot had a shuttle bus which we used when the weather got colder; otherwise, we walked the quarter mile every time. The Staten Island Ferry is free and hundreds of people use it every day. It is heated, there are plenty of seats, lots of security, and food/drinks are allowed on board. There are also bathrooms. I was really hesitant about the Staten Island Ferry because I didn't know much about it. Rest assured, Staten Island Ferry is the way to go. Did I mention it is free? When you arrive on the Manhattan side, there are a few subway stations right out the front doors of Whitehall Ferry terminal. So easy for someone who has never been to New York City.

We had tickets to the 9/11 Memorial museum mid morning. We took our time walking up through the financial district seeing the sights. I liked this area of the city because it wasn't crowded and busy. We missed a lot of big things down here like the New York Stock exchange and Federal Hall. We did see the Charging Bull, Wall Street, and St. Paul's Chapel of Trinity Church which was pretty cool in real life. We also saw One Freedom Tower and the 9/11

tribute.

The rest of our first day was spent walking around the city. We went to Times Square, Rockefeller Center, and the USO New York. Rumor is USO New York City often receives show tickets to give to military patrons. This probably rings true when it isn't the busiest week of the year :) We were totally ok with that. The options for tickets were a little grown up for us so we passed. I was happy to roam the city instead.

Day 2 was our busy day! We were up early and back late that night. I'm not sure what a NYC bucket list would look like for you but bagels and pizza were on ours. All the research I found said eat the bagels!! You don't have to tell me twice. We went for the best...literally, Best Bagels & Coffee. Of all the flavors we tried, a plain bagel with fresh made strawberry cream cheese was the best. Doesn't that sounds delicious?

After searching for incredible bagels, we headed towards Central Park. We had plans to see Central Park, Museum of Natural History, and a peek of the parade prep. I could have watched them prepare all day. It's like a science to lay those balloons out, inflate them, and keep them contained.

We took a break to tour the Natural History museum. We didn't spend too much time there. I think the SemperFiFam is starting to get burned out on museums. I guess a lifetime of museums gets old?? Opps, who knew? I wouldn't feel right about skipping it all together. It's the Night At The Museum museum! P.S. I love Ben Stiller.

After the museum, we went to Central Park. Some of the streets had been closed at this point to prepare for the parade so we struggled a bit. The boys got separated from the girls and we used GPS to find our way back together. You can imagine the challenge with the less than accurate GPS system.

Central Park is gorgeous. We only saw a small area of the south side. Central Park would be on my list when we go back again.

We (think) we found the Elf bridge where the snowball fight takes place. So we had to take a picture. We love the Elf movie!

The boys went to find the ice skating rink in CP and we hung out on the rocks. Wednesday night we made a quick tour of Rockefeller Center and Fifth Avenue. We toured the windows and watched the light show outside Saks Fifth Avenue. We also took a quick visit to St. Patrick's Cathedral.

In Rockefeller Center, the tree wasn't quite ready. We watched the ice skaters and warmed up in the Lego Store.

Every store in NYC seems to be on board with decorating for the holidays. The Lego Store is always a must visit with the kids no matter their age. We ended our day with some pho and other Vietnamese cuisine which was so good!

I'm going to stop here and come back with a Part 2 of our Holiday in the City :)

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Meeting Halfway- A Family Trip

2017-12-19T06:34:00.000-08:00

On my way to sharing everything--that is worth sharing-- today is all about our fun in Louisville, Kentucky meeting up with some of my family. We recently met up with my mom, stepmom, sister/brother-in-law, and nieces. They drove from Iowa and we came from North Carolina for a long weekend. We let my mom pick the location in honor of her birthday.

For anyone living apart from family, visiting together is the biggest challenge. The military has kept us away from family for my husband's whole career. We have been on the West Coast, the East Coast, and Japan which doesn't make visiting Midwest family easy. When the kids were young, we always made a point to travel to Iowa for holidays or during summer vacation. The positive was we saw family. The negative is we don't get to vacation in new places.

Meeting up with family for a quick weekend to some place we've never been was win-win! I can't say Kentucky has been on my bucket list but I'm always up for some place new. My dad lived in northern Kentucky for many years so we spent summers there. However, exploring the city as an adult is much different :) and more touristy.

Louisville has some of the nicest people. The people we encountered in stores, restaurants, on the tours with us, and our house hostess were just top of the line, so happy and friendly! I could definitely see myself living there, if it weren't so cold :) and landlocked.

We visited Churchill Downs, the race track where the Kentucky Derby takes place. There is an interactive museum that was great for non-horse lovers too. I am speaking from experience. I am not a horse person. Fun fact: I am actually scared of horses. Complete irrational fear that is a little strange as an adult.I really though the museum was done well.

The next day we spent some time exploring the Louisville Slugger museum and factory. There was a lot of fun interactive stuff to do there too. This was the day of the crazy snowfall in the southern states. There was a 30% chance of snow for one hour in Louisville and instead it snowed all day long. We loved it!

Later in the afternoon, the adults took a tour of Evan Williams, a bourbon distillery downtown. Let me just say, not one of us in the group is a whiskey drinker. We just felt whiskey tasting was a given when visiting Kentucky! We ended up giving the worst (strongest) one to the guy next to us. I think he had a great time :) Are any of you whiskey fans? I do not understand how people stomach it. I wish I could be sophisticated and tough enough to sip whiskey without making feeling an urge to be sick.

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Our Furry Friend

2017-12-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

Our Charlie boy left this earthly life a few short weeks ago.

He came to our family through a failed first attempt at fostering.

In 2011, we had returned to Camp Pendleton (California) from NAF Atsugi Japan. Our on base housing area was not initially pet friendly but as soon as they made the policy change, our SemperFiFam made the decision to foster. Charlie was just a puppy found abandoned at a campground in the pouring rain. When he locked eyes with Kyli, he never turned back. He was instantly drawn to her and always wanted to be with her. He was too adorable to give back. I'm pretty sure it took us all of two days to adopt him.

That is the story of Charlie :)

Compiling these photos, which have graced blog posts over the past six years, was bittersweet. Charlie has been a huge part of our family and this blog. He is one of the best decisions we made for our military kids. He gave them a sense of consistency and companionship throughout our military moves. Wherever this SemperFiFam went, so did Charlie.

Pets are a funny breed. They can aggravate you to no end and still capture your heart. Maybe a little like we feel about our kids every now and again :) We cannot deny that Charlie was cute as a button, a lot high maintenance, and a tad bit sassy.

Charlie was a big fan of naps and sunshine. If he could have a nap in the sunshine, then his day was made. If he could have a nap...in the sunshine...while cuddling with you...#bestdayever.

Charlie was a California dog through and through. I'm not sure he ever really forgave us for transplanting him to the East Coast. His days of warm weather and fenced yards were out of reach. He had to deal with fleas, cold winter weather, and rain. Oh God forbid the rain! That boy would hold it all day long when it rained. My heart breaks a little just thinking of his face when I forced him to pee in the rain.

California was the one thing we saw eye to eye on :)

He looks happy :)and strangely comfortable.

Charlie was the guinea pig. Always being brought into things he wished to escape.(He never did like Halloween. Hot Dog was his default costume. I think he always secretly wanted to be the princess.)

You get the point.

He was very loved and beyond loyal to his girl.

The things she could get him to do!

I'm not a dog mom (by any stretch) but Charlie was part of

our family.

He went everywhere with us; sometimes, against my wishes.

He was a trooper. When I think of what a tiny dog he was to keep up with our adventures. I have to give him credit.

It's hard to lose a pet. The kids struggle with his absence. Charlie was their first and only pet so he holds a special place.

His passing was sudden and traumatic. We weren't expecting to say goodbye so soon. It's a sad situation whenever it happens. My heart goes out to anyone who has lost a pet because I never realized what that felt like.

Charlie loved his kids and his kids loved him.

He is missed. He will be missed.

Rest in Peace Charlie

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Poppin In To Say Hello

2017-12-12T05:00:00.000-08:00

Hello friends! I found a little pocket of free time and thought it the perfect time to check in.

It's the holidays and my social media feeds are beautiful! I loved to see the surprising snowfall all over the United States this past weekend in the most unexpected places. What fun that must of been.

It reminds me of our snow fall in California a few years back. I stayed up to the wee hours of the night/morning to see if the snow would really fall. It did! And it was amazing. I'm sure that is how all you Southerners felt too. What fun for you :)

As we plug away at December, I'm quickly reminded of how much life has been lived in the last 11 months. Another year behind us. I have so much to share. I'm sure many of you are wondering the answer to the million dollar question :) Where will our forever home be?? We still don't know. Eek! I know I know, time is ticking away. But, yikes, this is a hard decision and there is so much to consider. I do know walking away from social media for a couple months was a good decision. My mind is much clearer and focused. I'm going to try to find time to share those things with you in the near future.

Right now, I just want to say 'hello friends'. I've missed the interaction through the blog but what fun to see you all enjoying life through social media. You all do a great job of that! Your babies are adorable! And my friends without babies, you look amazing! I really need to up my game in 2018 :) just to keep up!

Keep doing your thing in December friends. It's fun to see how winter looks in all the places.

Stepping Away For A Few

2017-10-03T04:00:00.000-07:00

Why the heck would a blogger do a media fast? It's like an oxymoron, right? I laugh myself but this is probably the best decision I could make. Here is how I got to this point.

As many of you know, our military guy is approaching retirement next year. After 20 years, we finally get to pick where we live. It's the weirdest best thing to ever happen to us in our adult life :) But, it's also probably the most difficult decision we are going to make.

We have so many options on the table. And honestly, I keep adding more as I scroll through Facebook and Instagram. You all live some pretty great lives in some pretty great places. I could see our family there too. However, that isn't realistic and adding more places to the list isn't helping to narrow things down.

Therefore, I am taking a break from all the media that I feel is contributing to my confusion. I want to gain a little clarity and be prayerful about it. Don't think for a second this isn't going to be a ginormous challenge for me. I rank right up there as the biggest Instagram and Bloglovin' lover in America :) At the end of this media fast, I hope best case scenario we have our forever home picked and worst case we have a united list of goals and ideals for our forever home. And a concise list of possibilities that we agree on :)

Until then, I will miss you!! Send all the positive vibes this way (because I won't be reading comments :( for awhile...unless I cave. Which I won't, so positive vibes please.

A Hodge Podge of September Books

2017-10-02T04:00:00.000-07:00

It's October! Have you done all the Fall things by now? I'm running a little behind. I haven't even indulged in my first Pumpkin Spice flavored anything. Am I even an American? It's hard to say! Fall is an exciting time in the South. Yes, I will always refer to North Carolina as the South because humidity. To me, real humidity can only be found in the South...and on islands in the Pacific Ocean. But seriously, I'm not sure if North Carolina is technically the South to Southerners, but it is to me :) Anyways, Fall or mainly October, means the weather is bearable and we can spend more time outdoors. Hallelujah!

You know what goes perfectly with Fall weather and Pumpkin Spice? Books! Let's talk about that shall we? September was such a weird reading month for me. I just couldn't figure it out. I think I'm ready for a really good book. Do you know of one? I want a book that sucks me in pretty early on and doesn't let go. It has been awhile since I had that. I miss it. My weird mix of books was a hodge podge. Nothing in the bunch was amazing but they weren't horrible either. Here they are:

#1 Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachan. A Newberry Award winning children's chapter book from ages ago. Sometimes, I feel the need to catch up on great children's lit that I should have read as a child. This book is about a motherless family living on the prairie who exchange letters with their father's potential wife. The author uses both characters to educate readers about life in two different areas of the United States which would have been important way to glean that knowledge before the Internet ;) Not a page turner but it's a classic.

#2 The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams. This is a comical "dystopian" sci-fi book about the ins and outs of surviving in an intergalactic world. Aliens and humans co-exist and life is explained through the non-human perspective. It really is humorous in a clever and sarcastic way. This was my second attempt reading Hitchiker's; the first time I quit the book. I think you just have to commit to see it through :)

#3 Holly and Ivy by Fern Micheals. Fluffy Christmas novels are one of my all time favorite things. Every year I only read Christmas themed books in the month of December. It's a thing I started about a decade ago when I picked up reading as an adult. This year I was ready for Christmas reading early...way early. Netgalley to the rescue! The novel is about a single woman who is confronted with a motherless child and a relationship begins. Old wounds are healed and life evolves into a magical happy ending. Could we expect anything less? It's a feel-good novel. I liked it. You are in luck because the publication date is October 2017.

#5 Taking The Lead by Derek Hough. Another favorite genre of mine is celebrity memoirs. Derek Hough as a celebrity is another guilty pleasure as wel. ;) He is such an incredibly creative talent and he uses and continues to perfect those gifts. Years ago, I had a brief encounter where I was able to observe him in real life. That sounds creepy but bear with me :) I went to Dancing With The Stars taping and as we were leaving down the stairs he was walking up the stairs. A group of teen girls in front of us mulled him with hugs. "We love you. We love you!" He was taking aback but he was genuinely kind to them. I had to give him credit because it was a little much :) We also stood on the stage right above him and Kellie Pickler and they waved and interacted with the audience during commercial breaks. I promise you, watching those celebrities during commercial breaks...you can see some celebrities put on a really good show. You can definitely tell who does not like their partner or who is a diva. Once filming resumes they put on a fake gracious attitude. Puh-lease. If you like Dancing With The Stars or Derek Hough, you will most likely enjoy this short read.

#6 Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman . Remember that book I abandoned 70 pages in? Yep, it was this current popular bestseller. My apologies to all who love this book. I just couldn't do it. The first chapter I laughed so many times. I was so excited to read the whole thing in two days. By page 40, I was not wanting to read it at all. The book is about this quirky socially awkward woman who finds a love interest and begins to pursue a relationship. It really is funny. There seems to be an underlying story that (I believe) helps us to understand Eleanor. I kind of felt like that storyline was a little too dark for my taste and it wasn't progressing quickly enough for me. I might attempt it again in the future.

Looking forward to spooky October reading in my sweaters with hot chocolate in hand ;)
How was your reading month?

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