Welcome to the place where I share what I’m up to each week and a bit of my real life outside of the blog.
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Doing
My daughter has convinced me to ride horses with her so I have been taking horseback riding lessons along side her. She stands at the edge of the arena and takes pictures of me like a proud little mama. It’s hysterical.
We rode today and oh boy do I have nothing but respect for the people who really ride. My thighs are dead from trying to post. I’m sure I’ll be sore af tomorrow.
With the Kids
We’re in the throes of potty training our older son.
It’s total chaos. Like complete and utter chaos.
A totally different ballgame than potty training my daughter.
Any suggestions?
Watching
So much!
First, I watched all of Inventing Anna and was surprised by how much I loved it. The whole story was super engrossing and was fantastic motivation during my workout times. It’s wild that it was based on a true story. It’s even more wild that Anna Chlumsky (aka Vada from My Girl) was one of the main characters.
I’ve delved real hard into the world of trash reality tv and am ashamed to admit that we binged Love is Blind and are now midway through the Ultimatum. And… and I just have so many questions. SO MANY.
Beyond those, we’ve also been watching Moon Knight, which I am seriously on the fence about. I haven’t watched the finale yet, but the whole series is sort of weird to me. I can’t decide if I like it or not.
And of course, I’m watching season 2 of Bridgerton. However, I will admit that it has lost some of its appeal without the Duke. Because let’s be honest here, without his smolder and his burn… it’s just not as fun. Still enjoyable, but…
Reading
I’ve broken out of my reading rut!
I was in a serious slump earlier this year.
Some of my recent favorites:
- Part of your World by Abby Jimenez– This book was so fun. It was a sweet small town romance between a sophisticated city dwelling doctor and a b and b owner/mayor/furniture artisan, sort of like all the Hallmark movies I love, but it was funny and very well written. Plus, there’s a baby goat in pjs. And that’s all you really need to know about why you should read this. But it was the first book I finished in under 48 hours this year.
- Just Haven’t Met You Yet by Sophie Cousen– This book was one where I fell in love with the setting as much or more than the characters. Set on the island of Jersey, this book followed a hopeless romantic who was inspired by her parents’ epic love story to write their story fohttps://amzn.to/3FgMH7Cr the media company she works at. While Laura is Jersey to do her assignment, she picks up the wrong suitcase from the airport and falls in love with the contents inside and the man attached. She also makes an unlikely friend that may be more than a friend. Who will she choose?
- The Royals Next Door by Karina Halle– This is the book that broke me out of my reading rut and also had one of those charming settings that I adored as much as the characters in the book. This book follows quirky outsider Piper who lives on a small island in British Columbia with her mentally ill mom. In the five years she’s lived there, she hasn’t managed to find her place or people until a fictionalized version of Harry and Meghan move in nextdoor to her along with their hot James Bond-esque bodyguard. She finds friendship, love, and a place in the community she longs to be a part of in this modern day fairytale.
- To Sir with Love by Lauren Layne– This book has been on my list forever and I’m so glad I finally checked it off! It’s an updated take on You’ve Got Mail, which of course was an updated take on The Shop Around the Corner. It follows Gracie, a struggling shopkeeper, as she falls in love via a blind dating app with Sir and becomes entangled with the infuriating businessman, Sebastian, in real life.
- A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Mass– This one is a different read for me and a break from the contemporary romances and women’s fiction I normally read. This is a high fantasy dystopian romance that combines Beauty and the Beast with the Hunger Games. It follows, Feyre, an impoverished huntress who lives near the border between the human world and the fairy world after she mistakenly kills a fairy who was disguised as wolf. Tamlin, the high fairy lord of the Spring Court, comes to make Feyre pay for her crime by forcing her to live in the Spring Court. Tamlin treats Feyre well and takes care of her family. But Feyre finds the fairy world to be full of hidden dangers and politics that she didn’t fully understand until she fell for Tamlin. What will become of their relationship as their world falls around them?
Eating
We’re in this weird time of year where it should be spring and time for eating lots of fresh salads like my strawberry Caprese. But it’s been so rainy and cold that it feels more like comfort food weather.
My kids have been super into beef tacos lately. I’ve been dressing them up with fresh salsa and pineapple salsa so I don’t get bored.
The other thing that has been on repeat in this house is my fluffy waffles. My older son has decided he wants them every day and will stand at the cabinet we keep the waffle maker in and whine until we make them.
Writing
I had the best experience writing this piece about the loss of my son for HuffPost.
I was very honest about what was said and why it matters what we say when a celebrity loses a baby.
The piece clearly struck a chord with people and I’ve received so many emails and messages from people who read it. I appreciate them all.
Of all the pieces I’ve ever written, this one is one that I very proud of and makes me feel like I’m doing something meaningful with our experiences.
Loving
These stretchy jeans. They are super flattering and don’t squish the squishy part of my mommy bell, which is key.
That’s it from me this week! What are you up to? Leave me a comment below and let me know!