what i've been reading lately

I have not done this since January. Which is just ridiculous. But what that also means is that this list is quite extensive and so therefore this post could be quite nuts. I counted and well... 32 books. So I'm going to have to break it down into sections here. And I'll keep my comments very short. Ha!

I found a few new authors I love! Kristin Hannah and Sandra Brown. Totally different types of authors to be sure! From Kristin I read, The Great Alone, Between Sisters, and Mystic Lake. All three I loved! I am always left wanting to know more and they always end too soon. As far as Sandra's go I feel like she has herself a successful book writing recipe there. From what I can gather. These are page turners and I always read them so quickly! Mean Streak and Lethal were the two I have read so far and I plan on more! I have read Grisham before but it's been a bit. I read Camino Island and The Rooster Bar, both good as you can expect.

During the summer I read a lot of what I would call "beachy" reads. Meaning sort of mindless and light. Fun? So if those are your types of books may I recommend:

Still Me - JoJo Meyers

The Hating Game - Sally Thorne

Love & Gelato - Jenna Evans Welch

Beautiful Day - Elin Hildebrand

I read a few historical fiction books and I just love those. These all were WWII themed and as we know, that's my favorite part of history to read about. Fiction or otherwise.

Beneath a Scarlet Sky - Mark Sullivan (This was about a side of WWII I rarely read about, the Italian side. In the alps.)

Secrets of a Charmed Life - Susan Meissner (Loved this one, about two sisters and The Blitz)

Beautiful Ruins - Jess Walter (also in Italy. jumps from the past to present and somewhere in between)

These are books I felt like I had to read just because of the author.... All were good.

The Chemist - Stephenie Meyer 

Origin - Dan Brown

Seven Stones to Stand or Fall - Diana Gabaldon (love me some Jamie!)

Varina - Charles Frazier

Anne of Green Gables - L.M. Montgomery (just for old time's sake)

I read two dystopian society type books and both were good. 

When She Woke - Hillary Jordan (the future where your skin is dyed to match your crime and no prison)

100 - Kass Morgan (delinquent kids sent to earth to see if it is inhabitable, also a show)

And ones that I just can't seem to categorize...

Wonder - R.J. Palacio (loved! cried! watched the movie! will read again!)

Little Fires Everywhere - Celeste Ng (family dynamics, prejudices, stereotypes. worth a read)

An American Marriage - Tayari Jones

Sweetbitter - Stephanie Danler (also a show and I like that better I think, about being a server in new york)

I wouldn't recommend these necessarily and I'll just leave it at that.... To each their own!

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet - Becky Chambers (it was just a lot. if you're into aliens then you'd probably love it!)

Shape of Water - Vanessa Taylor (weird)

Capital Gaines - Chip Gaines (you know I wanted to love this, I did! just felt very self-helpy to me)

Seinfeldia - Jennifer Armstrong (wasn't as interesting as I thought it would be)

Homegoing - Ya'a Gyasi (super important story but super heavy and I got confused)

The Princess Diarist - Carrie Fisher (although I did learn some interesting gossip)

So. Any book suggestions for me? I'm all ears (eyes)!

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the thing about amber bottles

Has anyone else noticed something happening lately on Instagram and home decor blogs and even at Target? It's all about the vintage amber glass bottles. Apparently.

I saw it first on Liz Marie's blog and as you may know I find her to be just the very best and I thought, oh that's fun! And then I started seeing amber bottles pop up in my Instagram feed. Allll over my feed. And then I went to Target and wouldn't you know it, Joanna also has a few things (this vase or these canisters) in her collection as well! So you know she probably was the one that started the trend  in the first place and now I am just obsessed with it. As things go when Joanna is involved.

groundhog day

I very much feel that this season in life is just one biiiiig hamster’s wheel. Every day (or week) the same activities return once more and we are just sort of doing the motions of life. Rinse. Repeat. Or in our case it’s: get the kids out the door (fed, dressed, with clean teeth), fold the laundry, empty the dishwasher, try and find something to occupy the morning, pack the lunches, do the homework, prep for tomorrow, dinner, some sort of extra-curricular activity, bedtime routines. Rinse. Repeat. 

It’s a lot. And it feels a lot more because all of this happens in the 45 minutes before they leave... and then these quiet hours when the kids are away life sort of pauses for a bit and I'm a little lost and then it jump starts the second they are home. Which is what it is and all of that. Nothing to be done about it. They are healthy! Thriving! The things need to be done and why dwell on it? Because I am a Master. Dweller. That’s why. It’s also hard for me to not always be planning. What comes next? Am I ready for tomorrow? Do I have something to do with myself every single day they are away? So on. Probably perpetuating the Groundhog Day type feel I got going on.

I have been looking through old photos of Letty and David lately.... and they almost seem unrecognizable compared to the Letty and David of today. Where did her curls go? When did her curls go? Where are my round-cheeked soft little dimpled innocent children? When did they become these thinner, taller versions of themselves? With adult teeth???? You blink and you miss it and I’m just so thankful I have this blog. To help me remember. To document. And to relive those moments where my hamster wheel life style got in the way... 

Normally when they do their homework I’m off doing some other task. Prepping lunches or signing paperwork of my own.... Returning emails, etc.  Not paying attention, not in the moment. But yesterday I just watched them. David who has been really working on his handwriting and it’s impressive how smart he is! Have I mentioned how smart he is?? Letty working so hard to get through her books she brought home. She works harder at that task than I have ever had to work for anything. Except maybe to get her? Which is interesting.  But focus on the now, Laur. Today.

currently

It's been a hot minute since I did one of these so... yes, let's!

On the chalkboard: I didn't go too nuts with this wall as I typically do... The chalkboard in the kid's playroom however.... I have too many chalkboards to keep count of. It might be a problem.

our weekend

Oh this weekend! Like much of the country we have been under a siege of gray and rainy and cool days lately but this weekend!!! The clouds went away and the sun came out and we all got a nice big heaping dose of vitamin d! Just what the doctor ordered!