The State of Affairs: October 2013

In October, we...

---Got a dog

---Watched the town Homecoming Parade (I love small-town traditions!)

---Had a haircut (a drastic cut for A & M; not so drastic for me)

---Attended a costume-themed birthday party and a Harvest Festival at church...all on the same day!

---Took a field trip to the pumpkin patch with the MDO class

---Celebrated Halloween

Books read:  6
I am back on track and reading some great stuff lately!

Between You and Me---Okay, technically this was a DNF, but I wasted enough time on it that I'm counting it for the month.  This is by the same authors of The Nanny Diaries, which I liked when I read it years ago.  This one just bored me to death.

The Stranger You Know---Reviewed here.

An Abundance of Katherines---Another John Green book that was a winner for me.  This was probably my favorite of the month.  Colin, Hassan, and Lindsey are some of my current favorite YA characters.  If you like YA and consider yourself maybe a little nerdy, or like your characters that way, read this one.

Dead Ever After---This was the much-anticipated conclusion to the Sookie Stackhouse series.  A lot of readers positively hated the ending, but I found myself on the satisfied side.  Yes, there was a major missing element in that some of the core characters barely made appearances in the book.  I get that that was a huge disappointment to many readers.  But after all the drama of the previous twelve books, I could understand Sookie's weariness in this book.  I liked the focus on her thought process and what she might want for her future.  Although it felt rushed or thrown together oddly at times, I thought this was a solid conclusion.

Dead Girls Don't Lie---I was completely distracted by some formatting problems with the electronic version of this book (it was an advance copy, so hopefully they will fix the issues for the actual publication).  Still, I skimmed through to figure out what happened, and it wasn't a total letdown.  I'd consider this one alright, but forgettable, as YA mysteries go.

The Winter People---Jennifer McMahon can tell a creepy story, and this was no exception.  There was a heavy ghost/supernatural element, and it was a fitting read for the week leading up to Halloween.

Soundtrack
I don't always write about what I'm listening to, mostly because I'm not cutting-edge in my music tastes at all.  Thanks to a work pal, I have some new stuff I've been enjoying lately.  The girls and I have rocking a mixture of The Civil Wars, Katy Perry, Kacey Musgraves, and Miley Cyrus (yeah, I know...but it's pretty good stuff).   It's nice to have a variety going on, and I love to hear A & M singing along with Katy Perry's "Roar".  We sound pretty awesome in the car.  : )

Notables
I was able to go with the girls on their pumpkin patch field trip, which was so interesting.  We all drove our children and met there, so no big "school bus adventure" yet.  But watching them interact with their friends during all the different activities...it was such an insight into their days.  I'm happy to report that Addison's very best friend (a rough and tough little boy) is every bit as crazy about her (and Mackenzie) as she is about him.  They immediately ran for each other on the playground, and he even asked a little girl to switch seats with him on the hayride so that he could sit between A & M.  (She didn't move and the girls didn't mind, but that was one of the funniest moments of the day for me!)

That picture in the top right corner of the collage up there is Mackenzie asleep in the buggy at the grocery store.  Believe it or not, that was an absolute first for us, her falling over asleep like that!  I have been fortunate to be able to do most of my major grocery shopping trips child-free, but last weekend they had to go with me.  Poor little M just couldn't take it anymore and was lulled to sleep in the front of the cart.  At least my fluffy jacket made a good pillow.

How was your October?

The State of Affairs: September 2013

We have been dreaming of September for months and months, for one simple reason:  VACATION.  (Well, Jeremy has been dreaming of it for something like eight months, for another reason:  college football.  But I digress.)

This year's annual visit to Gulf Shores was every bit as fantastic as we hoped.  We had a solid week full of the beach, pool, naps, food (and more food), shopping, and just being together.  There was not one rain cloud in the sky during our entire vacation, and it was just about a picture-perfect trip.  I have lots of pictures to share, but none on this computer, so that will have to wait.

Beach naps are the best!

Other than our trip, September was relatively low-key.  Football season began, which means it's officially fall in the South, regardless of what the calendar or the thermometer says.  That makes me think of this passage from Rick Bragg's All Over but the Shoutin', that has resounded through my head for weeks now:

Before the hot, wet air even begins to give way to the odd cool breeze, before the oaks and maples have begun to turn even the slightest bit red and gold, football banishes summer and announces, with crashing cymbals and an earth-quaking "Roll Tide", that it is now, officially, fall.

 So yeah, fall has been here for awhile, even it is only just beginning to feel like it.

Books read: 4

Pretty much all of these were read on our trip, at least in part.  I kind of had a little reading slump after that, but I'm back on a roll again now.

Perfect Match, by Kristan Higgins--A rather cute romance that was (sorry, bad pun intended) the perfect match for my first few days at the beach.  It's a series centered around a family of three sisters, apparently, but each can stand alone.  I won't be rushing out for the others, but I wouldn't necessarily turn them down, either.

The Moon and More, by Sarah Dessen--Ms. Dessen is almost always a win for me, and I was looking forward to reading this, her latest book.  Unfortunately, it did NOT have the Dessen magic for me.  The small-town coastal setting was near perfect, as always, but something was missing.  I also pretty actively disliked the main character and thought she made some pretty boneheaded decisions.  Not liking this book made me a little sad, but I will hope for better with Dessen's next venture.

And When She Was Good, by Laura Lippman--This book, on the other hand, I LOVED.  The main character is a professional escort who has built a fairly successful business, not usually the kind of character I would find absolutely charming, but I confess that I did.  I appreciated that she was never characterized as someone we should be pitying...though she'd been through a lot, she was shown as a woman who did whatever it took to survive.  I loved it; you should totally read this one.

When Will There be Good News?, by Kate Atkinson--I had this book sitting in a TBR pile for quite some time, and I nearly quit on it during a particularly slow part.  Kate Atkinson is an outstanding writer, though, so I stuck it out and was rewarded with a much-improved second half.  Fantastic characters.

Notables
I celebrated 15 lbs lost!   I ran more miles than ever before in any previous September, I can guarantee that. 

Addison & Mackenzie are really enjoying the 4-year-old class at MDO.  I can see much more of a preschool-type focus this year.  Their class is working on writing skills, and both the girls have come so far since late August.  A & M are constantly talking about something new they have learned or heard at school (mostly good things, but a few less-than-desirable behaviors...newsflash:  4-year-olds can be gross).  They have never been happier to go to school, and I'm so thankful for that, especially this last year before "real" school begins.

And now, all of a sudden, it's October.  Pumpkins, fall mums, Halloween...like every other person on the internet, I love it all. 

Happy Fall, y'all!

The State of Affairs: August 2013

It was a struggle to remember much of what happened in August.  I know we were busy at times, but it was a lot of little things--meetings here and there, finishing up grades from my summer class and getting prepared for fall, getting the girls ready to go back to school--the usual everyday life stuff.

Jeremy and I took an overnight trip to Atlanta to celebrate our anniversary.  We went to two Braves games and stayed in a swanky Buckhead hotel.  When we arrived back at our hotel around midnight on Saturday night, there were fire trucks everywhere and all the guests were outside (many in pajamas--ha!).  Apparently, there was some sort of small electrical fire in the lobby, so of course we all had to be out while they cleared the entire 30-ish story building.  The fire alarms went off two or three more times in the night, as they worked on resetting the system.  Obviously, it was not the most restful night ever.  I was just very glad we didn't have the girls with us to deal with during the middle-of-the-night fiascoes.  The hotel more than made up for our troubles by refunding our entire stay, not charging for valet parking, and giving us an outstanding buffet breakfast the next morning (which they normally charge $19/person for).  So really, it turned out to be a very inexpensive trip to ATL, and I will definitely try the swanky hotel again.

The girls headed back to preschool in late August, for their last year there.  (Sniff, sniff.)  They are excited to be the "big kids" at school, and seem to be having a fantastic year so far.

Books read:  3 (ish)

It was a depressingly slow month, book-wise.  I had to spend a lot of free time grading final assignments and working on my fall courses. I am determined to make up for it in September.

My Life Next Door--Pretty good YA fiction.  The main character's mother is just a plain horrible person, which was almost downplayed a little bit in the book, but this was a great late-summer read.

The Panopticon--Reviewed here.

All Over But the Shoutin'--This is a memoir by Rick Bragg, a Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist who grew up within an hour or two of where I live.  I have been meaning to read this for years, and finally got to it this summer.  I am so glad I did!  It's an immensely readable memoir, full of stories about Bragg's upbringing in rural Alabama at about the same time my mom was growing up just a few towns over.  Really, really good book!

Coming up in September:  VACATION!!  We are all more than ready for a week away.  Also, football and the return of our favorite tv shows.  September is one of my favorites.

How was your August?

The State of Affairs: June & July 2013

A double recap, thanks to my blogging slump...let's see if I can remember what happened all the way back in June.

---I had a birthday; I'm not too old to have forgotten that!  I turned 31 and celebrated with a dinner at one of my favorite restaurants (Bonefish Grill) with family and friends.  As an added bonus, my actual birthday fell on a state holiday, so I got the day off.  The girls spent the night with our cousin Lindsey again (and stayed up waaaayyyy past their bedtime!) so that I could have a day to sleep in.  Addison helped Jeremy pick out my present, including a coffee mug that says "My Mom is My BFF".  It's pretty much my new favorite thing.  (On second thought, I think the mug was from Mother's Day, but I'm leaving it in here because it really is one of my favorite things.  I don't want to forget that she picked it out for me.)

---Jeremy officially moved to a new division in June, meaning he works normal daytime hours (for the most part)!  This is literally the first time in more than six years that we have been on the same schedule.  It is SO nice having him home in the evenings, to play with the girls while I cook supper, to trade off baths, etc., and just to be here and be able to enjoy the evening with us.  I hope I don't ever take it for granted.  Yes, we both mourn the loss of our 'alone time' occasionally, but we are adjusting well, I think. 

---J had a class in Nashville in late June.  It's rare that he gets to attend one by himself (i.e. without sharing a hotel room with a coworker), so I tagged along and we made a trip of it.  We shopped and ate and binge-watched episodes of Revenge in the hotel room.  While J was in class, I ran on the hotel's treadmill (I RAN ON VACATION!  That should equal an extra five lbs. lost right there.) and lounged by the pool with a book.  On Wednesday, my mom and aunt brought A & M up to stay the rest of the week with us.  The girls were pumped about staying in a hotel, which they have only done a few times.  We swam, ate, walked around, and visited the Frist Center for Visual Arts.  (I highly recommend that place if you find yourself in downtown Nashville--it's free for kids and has a great hands-on art section on the top floor.)  It was a fun, fun week, and a nice getaway in the middle of summer.

---We had a very low-key 4th of July.  It rained steadily for most of that long weekend, but we made the most of it.  The girls spent two nights with Jeremy's parents, so he and I enjoyed a couple of date nights.  (It seems like A & M spent a lot of nights away from us, but it wasn't all that much.  It does tend to happen a little more often when they aren't in school!)

---A & M attended Vacation Bible School at our church, and loved it, of course.  

---We went to a wedding, and everyone bragged on how well-behaved the girls were (I will never get tired of hearing that!).  They were so interested in every detail of the ceremony.  

---J and I went whitewater rafting with a group of friends from church.  I'll admit, I was not too excited during the week leading up to the trip, but I ended up having a blast.  I haven't been rafting in about 15 years, but I might be willing to repeat it again next year.  

---J and I rounded out July with a Braves game with two of our good friends.  They are Cardinals fans, but the Braves pulled it out to win the series, so Jeremy and I were the happy fans on the drive home!  : )

Books Read in June:  4
The Perks of Being a Wallflower--I have heard so much about this book over the years, and then....it sucked.  Maybe I missed something; maybe it was just me, but I really did not like it at all.  (Am I alone?)

Will Grayson, Will Grayson--This was the perfect book to read after Perks.  It restored my faith in smart, unpretentious YA.

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks--More smart YA.  I have heard a lot about this one, too, and I was a little afraid I wouldn't like it (there is a lot about prank wars, etc. that are not always my cup of tea).  I was greatly relieved to find that I liked it a lot, actually.   

The Exiles--Not a bad book; especially since I read most of it by the pool in Nashville.  Reviewed here.  

Books Read in July:  5
A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet--This is Sophie Hudson's debut book, full of stories about faith, family, and life in the South.  Sophie writes her book like she writes her blog, with much humor and heart, and I enjoyed her book quite a bit.

The Last Winter of Dani Lancing--Well, there had to be a dud in here somewhere, and this one was it.  Intriguing premise, but the author just didn't quite pull it off.  I kept reading to find out the solution to the mystery, which was rather disappointing as well.

Looking for Me--A little slow, but a nice, enjoyable story.  I'm a sucker for a Charleston setting.  I was afraid the ending was going to be unresolved (which I HATE), but it was done in a way that I thought worked out nicely.

Hungry--I have a review of this one coming early next week, but this was by far my favorite nonfiction read of the year (admittedly, I haven't read many, but still....).  Very good!

Me Before You--It seems like everyone is reading this lately, and for good reason.  I stayed up until 4 a.m. to finish it, then went to bed with swollen eyes and a stuffy nose from all the tears.  (Despite the tears, I do recommend it!)

Etc...
I'm down about 9 lbs. since beginning Weight Watchers in early June.  I am exercising regularly, thanks in large part to J being home at night.  I try to run at least three times a week and do yoga or some other type of light workout at least twice a week.  I need to get another link removed from my watch because it's now big enough to twist around my wrist...so things are going pretty well!

J and I saw The Heat on one of our date nights, and oh my goodness, I have not laughed that hard in a long time.  Lots of language, but so hilarious.

I have been painting a dresser for the girls' room for about three weeks now.  It is the largest piece of furniture I've painted so far, and I'm rather pleased at how it has turned out. I still have to put a clear coat on top and get some new knobs, but the end is near.  I'll share a picture when I'm finished. 

The State of Affairs: May 2013

How on earth can it possibly be JUNE already?  It seems like May absolutely flew by, but looking back at everything we did during the month, I shouldn't be all that surprised that it passed so quickly.

A sampling of the things we did this month:

• Jeremy and I went to Nashville with friends and ran the 5k Foam Fest.

• I went to a work meeting in Prattville and spent the night in a hotel room ALL TO MYSELF.  It was pretty glorious.  Plus, I got to eat at a few different restaurants with two work buddies.  It was a nice little getaway for the middle of the week.

• Jeremy, my sister, and I went to our first Braves game of the year.

• We surprised the girls with a trip to see Disney on Ice.  They LOVED it.  It helped that it was the princess-themed show, so they were familiar with most of the stories.  We let them wear their princess dresses, which added a touch of fancy to the occasion.

• After Disney on Ice, we went to dinner to celebrate Jeremy's birthday.  We ate at one of our favorite restaurants, but it felt a little more special because we actually remembered to make a reservation this time.  (Making dinner reservations is something we have done only very rarely, so it still makes me feel all grown up and stuff!)

• At the end of the month, J and I surprised the girls (again!) with a return trip to our favorite amusement park.  We told them that morning that we were going somewhere fun, but told them no more than that.  They were surprisingly okay with our keeping it a secret and didn't really ask for many details.  When we pulled in the parking lot and asked if they knew where we were, Mackenzie said, "No, but I see a fair over there that looks like fun!"  Ha!

We had an absolutely fantastic day once again, and my little daredevils were up for any ride we let them get on, including the ferris wheel, the sky lift, and the tilt-a-whirl (!!).  They may be little roller-coaster fans like their daddy...this mama will happily watch from the ground, thankyouverymuch.

• Finally, we wrapped up the month with the year's first trip to Huntsville's Thursday evening Farmer's Market.  There is music, food, lots of people, and of course, free samples.  Win!

Books Read:  3.5

I finished the second half of A Dual Inheritance from April.  Excellent book!  Reviewed here. 

The Silver Star--This one is by Jeannette Walls, who I've heard wrote a fantastic memoir.  This was fiction, but with somewhat of a dark undertone.

 Eleanor & Park--Oh, you guys...please read this book.  I loved it; every single stinkin' word.

Flora--All the action was concentrated in the last 15% of the book.  The rest was pretty slow at times.  

Notables
A & M had their four-year doctor visit at the beginning of May.  All is well with my petite little girls (both were 29 lbs. and 37 1/2 inches tall).  They had to get four shots each, which was pretty miserable.  Addison cried for her sister before she even took her own turn.  As soon as she was done, Mackenzie declared, through her tears, "I am NEVER doing that again!"  Luckily, she doesn't have to for a very long time. 

When J and I were in Nashville, the girls spent their first night with someone other than grandparents.  They stayed the night with our cousin Lindsey and had a blast.  Lindsey has a waterbed, which A & M have long thought is the coolest thing ever, and they finally got the chance to sleep in it...along with the two dogs (poor Lindsey nearly smothered with all that body heat!).  They all stayed up far too late watching movies, then slept until 10:30 the next morning!

Jeremy turned 31 on May 22, and my sister was home for a nice long visit before heading to Tampa for the summer.  All in all, May was a pretty great month.

The State of Affairs: April 2013

We kicked off the month by celebrating Addison & Mackenzie's 4th birthday.  I decided to majorly scale back their party this year, one of the last few before we get so overwhelmed with school friends, etc.  I reserved a local cafe for the afternoon and threw the girls a small, very laidback, princess-themed party.  It turned out perfectly, and I think my princesses and their guests had a very good time.  Since it is spring, I spray painted small clay flowerpots white, then let the kids paint them.  At the end of the party, they each got to plant a small flower in their pot to take home.  It was an easy craft, but hopefully a special touch A & M will remember.

The rest of the month has been fairly quiet.  The weather has been gorgeous, besides the awful pollen covering every surface.  One Saturday evening we played t-ball in the yard with the girls, and I have started taking neighborhood walks with them some afternoons.  A & M took swim lessons this month, which went...okay.  They (especially M) were a little scared, but I am proud of them for sticking with it for five weeks.  They learned some of the basics of swimming and are a slightly less frightened in the water than they were before we started lessons.  Overall, it was well worth it, and hopefully we can get in another round of lessons later in the summer.

Books Read in April: 3.5
The Clover House--Reviewed here.

Carry On, Warrior--Reviewed here.

Just One Day--I enjoyed this one very much, and it pulled me out of my reading slump.  It's YA, by the same author (Gayle Forman) of If I Stay/Where She Went, but much less emotionally taxing than those books were.  A bit far-fetched, but this book was just what I needed this month.  Can't wait to read the second book coming out this fall.

A Dual Inheritance--I'm a little over halfway through this one, which counts for a lot, I think, because it's a pretty lengthy read.  I can't put it down at night, a fact that surprises me a little since it's not what you'd call action-packed.  Review to come!

Still reading bits and pieces of a few others here and there, including Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma, which I've been meaning to find for a while.  Interesting stuff, and lots to think about.  (Thoughts to come, of course.)

Notables
I'm still running, roughly 2-3 times a week.  My goal is to turn that into a steady three times a week, hopefully soon.  Our big 5k/foam fest is coming up this weekend.  (I'm a little scared!)

I slacked off a bit on cooking new things this month, but now that spring is here, bringing with it an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables, I hope to pick back up in that area.  The first trip to the big farmer's market in Huntsville is scheduled for this week or next, and I can't wait!

How was your April?

The State of Affairs: March 2013

Trips/Outings
I finally got to meet Mandy and her girls in person!   We had a fantastic day in Nashville, and it was definitely one of the highlights of my month. 

We also went to a hockey game with friends, and J and I were able to have a night out with our Sunday School class.  It was nice to have dinner and a movie and lots of actual adult conversation.

It feels like things are beginning to pick up into the spring/summer busy-ness.  I needed a serious break from socializing and activities after the holiday season, and now I feel ready for spring fun.

Official Easter family picture--Hooray for the self-timer

Books read:  4 
The Dinner--Reviewed here.

Keeping Secrets in Seattle--Reviewed here.

Insurgent--Sequel to last month's Divergent, and the middle book of the series.  I have really enjoyed these two books, and I can't wait for the third to come out in the fall.  Again, if you were a fan of The Hunger Games, please read this one.

He's Gone--Pretty good; I have read the author's YA stuff, and I liked this book better.  (Review to come.)

I seem to have hit a reading rut during the second half of March.  I have read parts of at least three other books, but I just wasn't loving any of them.  It's getting better, though, and I'm about to pick up a just-for-fun YA book...always a cure for my reading slump!

LJ was home for Easter weekend!

Notables
We got new carpet!  Three years after moving in, we were finally able to replace the hideous light green carpet in the bedrooms.  It feels like a new house back there, no kidding.

As part of their birthday present, Addison & Mackenzie got new twin beds, which were delivered the day the carpet was installed.  They came home to an all-new room, and they are loving it.  (Pictures to come...eventually!)

We hosted Easter dinner at our house this year, having both my family and Jeremy's here.  It was very, very nice to be home and have everyone in one place.  Plus, they all brought food, so we pretty much only did the ham.  : )

A & M were a little sick at the beginning of the month, which is notable mostly because it is the only time they have been sick this fall/winter (knock on wood and all that superstitious jazz, of course).  It's been a good year somehow, even with the flu and stomach virus raging around us.

The running and yoga are still happening.  And of course, there's that 5k coming up in a month...still can't believe we're doing that (can you, Kelly??).  After that, I plan to run an actual 5k, with no water, mud, or foam involved.  It won't be fast, but if I can run it all I will be happy. 

The State of Affairs: February 2013

Trips/Outings
Jeremy and I were able to have a real Valentine's date this year.  I took off work on Friday the 15th and we took the girls to spend the night with his parents.  Then we went to a matinee movie (Identity Thief--ehh, it was alright) and wandered around a fancy grocery store until it was time for our dinner reservation.  That's right, for the first time ever, Jeremy got us actual dinner reservations.  We are such grown ups now.  

We topped off our Valentine's celebration by sleeping until nearly 10:00 on Saturday morning.  It was glorious.  Then we picked up the girls and went shopping at Costco...because, you know, grown ups and all.  (Ha!)

I was able to have another night out this month when I went with a group of friends from work to a fundraiser painting class.  We had a delicious dinner together, then spent a couple of hours painting.  We were so busy that there wasn't much time for socializing, but I enjoyed being crafty without having to spread the mess out in my own house.  (And a big shout out to J for gladly keeping the girls all day and all evening that day!  Thanks, dear.)

Looks pretty good on my front door, no?

Books read:  5
Someday, Someday, Maybe--This was an ARC of Lauren Graham's debut novel.  She is a favorite actress of mine, and I'm happy to report that I loved her book.  Review coming soon!

Anna and the French Kiss--I finally read this YA staple when I caught a great deal on the Kindle version.  It pretty much lived up to the hype, and now I can't wait to read the author's next book.

This is How You Lose Her--This was a National Book Award Nominee for fiction, but I just couldn't get into it.  I am officially breaking up with short stories of any kind, unless they were written by Dorothy Parker or Kate Chopin.

Second Chance Summer--Another YA title, but this one was just okay, in my opinion.  I thought it was a little long for the story that was told.  I did like the way the illness in the book was handled, never made too melodramatic, even though it was heart-wrenching.

Divergent--YA again, but so very good.  This one earned my first five-star rating of the year on Goodreads.  If you read and enjoyed The Hunger Games, please, please read this book.

(It was a good month for books!)

Music
Did you see the list of books?  There was no time for music this month!

I kid...I am still completely obsessed with Fun. and I'm not ashamed to admit it.  I even have J listening to them, and the girls can rock the chorus of "We are Young".

Crazy hair day at school (A is still in her gown because she wasn't feeling well, but had crazy hair day at home.)

Notables
Geez, this month went by so quickly.  There is not a lot to tell, truthfully, but I will take that.  It was a peaceful, happy month...what more could we ask for?  I ran a couple of times, did yoga a few times, and we continued to improve our eating habits (for the most part).  I am glad to say there has been NO DIET COKE, and I've hardly even missed it.

As of tomorrow, there will be exactly one month until A & M turn four.  Whaaat?!

Happy March!

The State of Affairs: January 2013

Trips/Outings:  NONE, and that was absolutely fine by me.  After the whirlwind holiday season, the quiet weekends at home have been fantastic.

Oh, wait...I did go on a youth retreat with the kids from church.  This was my second time on this trip, and it is my most favorite kind--quiet, relaxing, and no phone service.  We don't have to lead anything or be anywhere; we just make sure the kids are doing what they're supposed to be doing.  It was like vacation for me!

 Books read:  5
The Duck Commander Family:  How Faith, Family, and Ducks Built a Dynasty--Jeremy and I really got into the show Duck Dynasty late last fall, so I ordered this book for him for Christmas.  It was fun to learn a few new things about the family, and their unabashed sharing of their faith is refreshing.  (It seems like nearly everyone around here is watching that show...is it just a southern thing?)

The Willpower Instinct--I had doubts about how much I would enjoy this book, but I am so glad I read it.  Excellent book for starting a new year.  Reviewed here.

These Things Happen--This was okay.  I could have liked it quite a bit, but the writing and the dialogue felt very pretentious and ended up being a little confusing at times.

Here I Go Again--Fun, fun, fun book.  Perfect light weekend or vacation reading.  Reviewed here. 

Into the Darkest Corner--Creepy, suspenseful, and chilling.  I'd definitely read more from this author.  Review here.

The girls received a copy of The Jesus Storybook Bible for Christmas, and they (especially Mackenzie) are absolutely loving it.  We read 2-3 stories from it most nights, and it's the only book M has chosen to read in bed for the last month.  Though I'm sure I will be tired of reading it aloud before too long, it thrills me to see how much they are learning from the stories.

Music
I had a couple of iTunes gift cards from Christmas, so I uncharacteristically bought two albums this month:  Fun. and The Lumineers.  I'm liking The Lumineers, but I haven't listened to it all that much yet because I am completely in LOVE with the Fun. album.  Seriously, I want to listen to it all the time.


(It may sound a little cheesy, but parts of this month were very, very difficult and the words to this song ("Carry On") became something of a mantra for me.  I can't get enough of it.)

Notables
I didn't start out this year with grand plans to make big changes in our lives.  I didn't want to get caught up in the January resolution-making, particularly the kind of dramatic resolutions that disappear by February 1.

Still, the changes seem to be creeping in on us, most noticeably for me in the area of food.  I am making big efforts to change my diet (and Jeremy's too, as a result) to a whole-food, plant based way of eating.  I am far from an all-or-nothing type of person when it comes to things like this, so I make no sweeping declarations in this area.  I'm okay with an 80-90% non-processed diet on a daily basis, and I won't feel bad for indulging or having a lazy moment here and there.  It happens, and it will continue to happen.

In the month of January in particular, I probably ate out fewer times than ever before in my adult life.  There were a couple of weeks when our Sunday dinner was my only restaurant meal of the week.  I feel good about that, and hope to keep that up and continue the new habits we're creating for our family.  I have been consistently eating less meat over the last few months, something I want to keep up as well.  I tried to keep track of my meatless meals during the month, and I think it was around 11-12 (that's lunches and dinners...my breakfasts almost never include meat anyway).

Finally, I can't really talk the "whole foods" talk with a Diet Coke in my hand, so that's something I'm working on too.  Again, no sweeping declarations, but I drank the last Diet Coke in my house a couple of weeks ago, and I don't intend to replace them.  I am quite sure I haven't had my last soft drink ever, but it's a start.  My water intake increased at least 100% this month, without a doubt.

This wasn't the greatest January on record, mainly due to the tragic events involving our family friends, but it was otherwise a good month.  I am still struggling with that situation, and I imagine many of us will be for a long, long time to come.  But we are "carrying on"  (see? mantra.), and keeping strong in our faith.

How was your January?

State of Affairs, December Edition

Outings
There were lots and lots of Christmas-related events this month, of course.  We began with our now-annual trip to the local John Deere store to visit Santa and take a sleigh ride.  The girls were still a little apprehensive this year, but ended up having a precious little visit with Santa.  

Other holiday outings included the Christmas parade, the MDO Christmas program, the church Christmas program (both of which the girls participated in), Jeremy's work dinner (complete with Santa, again), a shopping and family evening out at Bridge Street, and various family gatherings.

Aside from all those things, Jeremy and I:  had our annual shopping date, attended my work Christmas party, attended a surprise birthday dinner for a friend (Happy 30th, Mandy!), hosted a Progressive dinner for the youth from church, saw a movie on Christmas night, and made all manner of small shopping trips throughout the month.

It was quite the whirlwind month, but somehow, I felt much less pressure this year.  I don't feel like we overdid it leading up to Christmas, and there weren't too many obligations keeping us busy.  I officially declare December a success!

Books read: 3
The List--Siobhan Vivian is one of the hot YA authors right now, at least from my observances.  This was my first book of hers, and I enjoyed it quite a bit.  I am reminded for the ten millionth time how thankful I am that I will never have to go to high school again (and how I dread those years for my children...even if they are good years, they are just SO dramatic.)

Alabama Moon--I saw this book in a local bookstore while we were in Mobile in October.  I didn't have any money with me at the time, so I waited and found it at the college library.  Written by an Alabama native, it's the story of a boy raised in the woods, completely removed from civilization (think Doomsday Preppers to the extreme)...which is all fine and good until his father dies, leaving him all alone.  Alabama Moon is a unique adventure story that is great for just about anyone (young teenagers and up).

Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover--Technically, I've been reading on this one awhile and I expect to return to it many times in the future.  Nearly everyone has heard of Dave Ramsey, and with good reason.  I am looking forward to getting started with some of these principles in the new year!

Movies watched: 3
Pitch Perfect--(This is available on DVD now, but it's still relatively new, so I'm including it on my list.)  My sister and I watched this on Christmas Eve, while I buzzed around preparing gifts for the next morning.  It is such a fun movie!  If you like music, Glee, or anything along those lines, definitely see this one.

This is 40--Jeremy, Laura, and I saw this in the theater on Christmas night.  It's a Judd Apatow movie, so true to his style, there is quite a bit of language.  We laughed a lot though.  I enjoy Leslie Mann and Paul Rudd in pretty much anything.

Parental Guidance--Jeremy and I saw this on Saturday night when we got the chance to go on an all-too-rare date.  We both liked this movie very much, and Bette Midler was fantastic.  It's a great movie to watch with family.

Crafts/Projects
I think part of the reason I didn't feel so overwhelmed with Christmas this year is that I laid off a lot of the craft projects I usually spend so much time on.  There were several things I meant to do--tote bags, bookmarks, photo books--but it just didn't happen, and it was totally fine.  I got Christmas cards sent, so I call it a win.

Also, Mama got a new camera for Christmas (well, technically, I got it the day after Christmas), so look out for the onslaught of pictures to come!  I am totally using full AUTO right now, and I haven't even had a chance to play around in the outside light, but I already love it.

Here are a couple of pictures from Jeremy's grandparents this weekend:

And with that, I complete the entire year of these state of affairs posts.  Can you believe it?  I don't know for sure that I will continue to do it next year, but I think I might.  I like having the chance to look back on the month, to find a few things to remember.

2012 was good to us; I look forward to seeing what 2013 holds.  Happy New Year!

State of Affairs, November Edition

{I was shocked to realize just now that I only blogged TWICE in November.  Unacceptable.  I hereby pledge to post at least five times in December!}

Outings
Geez, since I obviously didn't have time to blog, you might think we were just busy, busy, busy during November.  Sadly, I can't remember much about the month at all.  Maybe I'll just call it The Lost Month?

Looking at my calendar, I now see that we went to a friend's wedding in Tennessee, attended Grace's 4th birthday party (an artist party, where the girls painted a butterfly on a canvas and they LOVED it), and had our best friends over for a dinner/play date.  We had Thanksgiving at church, which provided meals to over 100 people this year (!!!), and a second impromptu Thanksgiving that night with just the four of us, comprised largely of leftovers.  I had four holidays from work--Veteran's Day and three days for Thanksgiving--and again, I really can't tell you much about those days at all.  Obviously, we were very exciting in November.

My sister did come home for most of Thanksgiving week.  We stayed up far too late, shopped, ate, watched movies, and crossed several items off the Holiday Bucket List.  It was a great visit, and left me looking forward to more time together over Christmas.

Books read:  2
The Leftovers-- It felt like it took me forever to read this book, and judging by the fact that I only read two during the entire month, it did!  I liked it okay, but it took me about half the (considerably sized) book to start caring about the characters at all.  Still, kind of a nice ending.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban-- I'm picking back up with my re-read of Harry Potter.  It's about this point in the story that I start to really be amazed at the huge amount of plot planning that went into these books.  I've heard it said that J.K. Rowling knew the end of the story from the time she created it, and I can definitely see how that would be true.  She had to have had SO MANY details pre-planned for the series to flow as well as it does.  Just amazing...

Crafts/Projects
I went on a clean out & donate spree this month.  I cleaned out the big hall closet, which contains all of my craft supplies, wrapping supplies, spare gift items, and lots of other random junk.  A couple of hours and three donation bags later, it was neat and organized, with lots of space to spare.  

My cousin did a pick up for Salvation Army and we filled the bed of her truck with items to donate.  I even made a quick decision to toss on the armchair we were just moving out of the living room to make room for the Christmas tree.  It needed to go...which means I get to look for a new one in January!  I am feeling very inspired by all this purging, and I'm ready to tackle other areas of the house as soon as I can make some time.

We put Christmas lights up outside for the first time ever.  The experience was, as you might imagine, not altogether enjoyable, but I think we have most of the kinks worked out now.  : )

Now we are just looking forward to a December full of holiday goodness!

(And more blogging from me, of course!)

State of Affairs, October Edition

October was one of our busiest months in a long time.  I started out feeling very overwhelmed with all we had planned, but it turned out to be a pretty successful month on the whole.

Outings

We kicked off October with a trip to see The Fresh Beat Band live in concert.  It was the girls' first live show of any kind, and they really had a great time.  It was so fun to see their amazement that the Fresh Beat Band members they love so much were right there on the stage.  Mackenzie kept waving at them, saying "Hi Kiki!  Hi Marina!"...and then I died of the cuteness.

After the Fresh Beat Band, we had birthday parties two Saturdays in a row, then family pictures on a warm Sunday afternoon.  We watched our town's Homecoming parade and spent an evening at a fall festival at a local elementary school, where Mackenzie rode a pony for the first time.  (Afterward, she proclaimed, "I think I'm pretty good at that!"  Addison was pretty nervous and decided not to ride.)  The following Friday, we left out bright and early, headed to Mobile for a wedding weekend.

We all needed a break after that, so the last weekend of the month was a quiet one at home, thankfully.  Finally, we ended the month on a great note with some fun trick-or-treating for my two butterflies.

It was a whirlwind of a month and we were all ready for a rest by the end, but we had a blast in October!

Books read:  2
I'm kind of in a book rut here...not really sure what that's about, but it's probably mostly due to the fact that I always start to feel a little overwhelmed this time of year.  Between holiday planning, regular work stuff, approaching exams and papers for my students, and all the aforementioned fall activities, I don't feel like I have a lot of time left for reading.  I'm determined to power through it though; this month, I'm giving myself permission to purchase a book I really want to read (that I can't find in the library), even if I have to pay full price for it (gasp!).

The Story of Us--A YA book about a girl on the cusp of major changes.  Just about ready to leave home for college, Cricket is making big decisions about the future of her relationship with her longtime boyfriend, Janssen.  I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either.  It was just...meh.  Felt like it took forever to read, which I think contributed to my reading rut.

Looking for Alaska--Written by the highly-regarded YA author John Green, this book has been on my list for awhile.  I devoured it in the weekend we spent in Mobile, mostly on the ride home.  Beautifully written and haunting, this is one I most definitely recommend.

Music/TV/Movies
Ehh, not a whole lot of time for any of it this month.  Jeremy has joined me in watching Nashville, adding one more show to our weekend rotation.  We record our shows during the week, then watch them together on the weekend when we're home together.  I love our routine, though yes, I realize that makes me sound old and lame. 

Are you watching Nashville?  Any favorite new shows this season?

Notables
-- I made an outfit that I gave as a gift for the first time.  My sewing is nowhere near perfect, but I'll keep practicing.
-- Christmas craft planning is in full swing!  Seen any cute ideas lately??
-- I am SO happy crockpot and soup weather is here.  Potato soup on tap for the weekend!!

Can you believe it's November already?  Can you believe I've nearly made it through the whole year with these State of Affairs posts?  I can't...I never follow through with anything!  

State of Affairs, September Edition

Outings
We kicked off September with a trip to Atlanta to see the first Auburn football game of the season.  Though I can't quite bring myself to cheer for AU, I don't exactly cheer against them either, and it was a fun day with friends.  Addison & Mackenzie had a great time with their NiNi & Grandpa, as always.

The big event of the month, of course, was our beach vacation.  Not much left to say there....except it stinks we have to wait an entire year to go back.

Last Friday night, I went with two friends from work to the Atlanta Braves game.  The season is winding down and this was our last chance to see Chipper Jones, a player we have all watched since childhood.  I was bummed that Jeremy didn't get to go (work--boo!), but it turned out to be a fun girls' trip.  I need more nights like that in my life, I think!

Books read: 5

A Wilderness of Error: The Trials of Jeffrey MacDonald--A fascinating look into the life of Jeffrey MacDonald, the so-called "Green Beret Killer".  Did MacDonald kill his pregnant wife and his daughters?  Maybe.  Did he get a fair trial?   Definitely not.  If you're interested in legal dramas or true crime, take a look at this book.  (Full review here.)

This Lullaby--Sarah Dessen knows her craft, and she does it so well.  This wasn't my favorite book of hers, and the plot was pretty forgettable....but still, it's always a joy to experience another Dessen book for the first time.

The Candidate--Not as great as I hoped it might be, but a fun look at some of the behind-the-scenes aspects of national politics.  (Reviewed here.)

The Guy Not Taken--A collection of short stories by Jennifer Weiner.  I suppose it says something about my opinion of the book that I didn't realize I had read it before until I was halfway through the first story.  I have a lukewarm relationship with short stories--they have to be really outstanding to make a lasting impression on me--and nothing here struck me as extraordinary.

Sad Desk Salad--An interesting first novel from former Jezebel writer Jessica Grose.  Review to be posted next week.

Music/TV/Movies

All hail the return of fall tv!  I'm cutting down to only the shows I really enjoy and deem worthy of my time, but I am super excited for the return of my favorites.  (For the record, current favorites would include Grey's Anatomy, Revenge, New Girl, and The Big Bang Theory.)

The new Mumford & Sons album was my splurge purchase of the week, and I'm loving it right now.

Notables
-- The dynamic duo spent their first night ever in a hotel.
-- I made my first semi-long-distance drive alone with the girls--from home to Montgomery.  It was just fine, not really a big deal at all, but I realized that was the longest trip I'd made with them by myself with them in the car.
--A & M tried calamari for the first time at the beach.  Addison liked it quite a bit and kept eating even after she found out what it was!
--Addison also had her first run-in with a crab at the beach.  We were playing in a small tide pool, looking at shells and little fish, when A saw the tiny legs of a sand crab poking out a shell she was holding.  She dropped it quickly and was ready to run, but finally calmed down and examined the creature from a slight distance.  It was pretty amusing.  : )

How was your September?

State of Affairs, August Edition

Outings
Apparently late summer/early fall is our busy season this year.  We tend to hibernate in the heat of summer, but now we are starting to come alive again.  Hello, world!

In early August, Jeremy and I chaperoned a youth trip to Six Flags.  I am not a fan of most amusement park rides and I'm adamantly anti-roller coaster.  Thankfully, my sweet sister tagged along and hung out with me all day.  Jeremy got to ride with all the teenagers, and he was happy as could be.

We also had a fantastic spur-of-the-moment trip to Chattanooga, which I wrote about here.

Jeremy and I somehow managed to venture out for a couple of casual dates this month.  We saw not one, but two movies IN THE THEATER last month.  Who are we?? 

Books read:  5
Fourth Comings--(Jessica Darling series)  I definitely think the best of this series were the first two books, but I liked number four better than the third.

Perfect Fifths--I was surprisingly satisfied with the way the Jessica Darling series wrapped up.  I'm glad to finally finish the series I started many years ago

The Fault in Our Stars--My first John Green book; I loved it.  I have heard so many good things about his writing, and judging by this book at least, they were all true.  I will definitely be reading more from him in the future.

Gone Girl--This book has been everywhere this summer.  I liked it pretty well as a whole, though I didn't L-O-V-E it like some others did.  The first half was just a little too slow for me and I very much disliked the characters.  I still disliked them at the end, in fact, but at least it all made sense at that point.  Despite a slow start, I recommend it.

Beautiful Disaster--I had seen this one around, so when I saw it available on NetGalley, I snatched it up.  I liked it a bit more than I thought I would.  It's not your typical sweet love story; in fact, it's a little trashy...but who doesn't need a good trashy romance every once in awhile?

Music/TV/Movies
We saw both "The Campaign" and "Hit and Run" last month, and I thought both were pretty funny.  Actually, "The Campaign" was hilarious, and "Hit and Run" was alternately funny/exciting/strange.  Sitting in a dark theater with a bag of popcorn, watching a movie without interruption?  Always a win!

In other news, my children are addicted to the song "This Little Light of Mine".  Seriously, it has been on repeat in my car for a week now.  I love to hear them sing it and all, but this mama's just about ready for a new theme song.

Crafts/Projects
Skirts, a shirt, and a new front door hanger...not a bad month.  I can't wait to get the Alabama and Auburn shirts finished to match the skirts.  I hope to make time for that this weekend, so my little football fans can support their teams.

Notables 
A long time ago, when I was in about the first grade, I learned the sign for "I love you" at school.  My mom, sister, and I have used it ever since--as a silent signal, in waving goodbye, across the football stadium in high school, etc.  A couple of weeks ago, I started showing Addison & Mackenzie how to make the sign, eager to pass on the tradition.  Of course it took a few days to learn to manipulate their fingers the right way, but they tried so hard.  Mackenzie picked it up pretty quickly, but Addison had a little more difficulty and therefore spent the next week inadvertently flipping me the bird every time she tried to sign "I love you"!!  Jeremy and I laughed so, so hard...but quietly and behind our hands, of course, so she wouldn't pick up on it.  : )  They have both figured out the sign now, and I love seeing those little hands waving to me in the mornings as I pull out of the driveway to go to work.

A & M started back to preschool last month, and so far they seem to be really enjoying the three-year-old class.  Judging by the amount of sand in their shoes every evening, I'd say the playground is their favorite part of the day.

August was a pretty great month, but I have to say, I think we are all super pumped about September....because it's less than two weeks until our VACATION.  The girls are talking about the beach every day, and Jeremy and I feel about the same way.  Bring it, September!

State of Affairs, July Edition

Here we are halfway through August and I'm just now getting around to talking about July.  To be honest, I can't remember many exciting details about the month.  It's summer, and we are enjoying all that entails.  We stay up late, skip baths, and wear pajamas all day (well, some of us are forced to get dressed during the week--you know, jobs and all that jazz).  We hide from the heat, have movie nights, and occasionally leave the house in search of ice cream or a trip to the pool.

Yep, July was just...July.  Nothing really notable to report.

Books read:  5.5
The Homecoming of Samuel Lake--Finished from last month, reviewed here.  Definitely one of my favorites for the year.  Recommend!

Heist Society--A fun YA book about a girl and her family of professional thieves. 

Dead Reckoning and Deadlocked--Books 11 & 12 in the Sookie Stackhouse series.  I wish these books could go on forever, I love them so much.  They're just pure fun reading.  I'm a little sad the series will be ending next year, but book 12 left me eager to see how it all wraps up.

Charmed Thirds--Book 3 of the Jessica Darling series.  I read the first two a few years ago and finally found the rest from a used bookstore for a cheap price.  I was less than impressed with this one than with 1 & 2, but the last two are shaping up nicely.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry--A little slow and meandering for my taste, and especially for summer reading, but beautifully written.  Reviewed here.

TV/Music:
Awkward is back on for the next month or two.  (On MTV.  I KNOW.  It's seriously the only time my tv lands on that channel.)  I love this show.  I'm not sure how it happened, but MTV really did something right with this one.  It's the best kind of teenage angst.

Music-wise, my girlies are obsessed with the Laurie Berkner Band.  The music is pretty catchy, and Jeremy and I find ourselves singing the tunes even when the girls aren't around.  (Embarrassing!)

Notables:
Hey, I did think of one thing... July was the month I learned to slightly-less-than-hate running.  I use the term "running" very loosely, as the most helpful advice I read was to slow down.  So I'm moving along at less than a snail's pace, but it's more than I've ever done before.  The first time I went out with this new mindset, I "ran" for a little more than six minutes before I slowed (or sped up, maybe?) to a walk.  Just a few weeks later, I'm up to "running" the entire 30 minutes, something I never, ever thought I would be able to do. 

I won't say I'm in love with running or anything, but it's fun to realize I'm doing things I never thought possible.

And now that it's August, how is the last of your summer going?  As exciting as mine?

State of Affairs, June Edition

Outings
Addison & Mackenzie (and Jeremy!) took their first trip to Lake Winnepesaukah.  The day will go down as one of the highlights of the entire summer, I believe.  Just today, on the way home from church, Mackenzie was asking when we could go again.  (Definitely not until the temperature drops below 100 degrees!)

We have made several visits to the local pool and the splash park.  A & M are still pretty timid around water, but each visit gets better, so we will keep on going.  Throw in the farmer's market/downtown arts fair in Huntsville and the minor-league baseball game, and we had a pretty busy month.

Books read: 3.5
Brand New Human Being--Reviewed here.


Shadow of Night--This is the sequel to last year's A Discovery of Witches, which I loved.  Shadow of Night is nearly as long as it's predecessor, but doesn't move quite as quickly.  Lots of history, but I would have liked a little more action in the first half. 

Never Tell--Good book, especially if you like the mystery/crime genre.  Reviewed here.

The book I read half of in June was The Homecoming of Samuel Lake, which was really, really good--maybe my favorite of the year so far.

Music/TV
I don't know how I left the "tv" category off this when I started doing these recaps back in January.  Actually, it fits my life much better than the music category...music is roughly the same most months, while I can talk about tv almost endlessly.


Jeremy and I started watching Veronica Mars back in the spring when it debuted on SoapNet.  (I had previously started the series, fell in instant love, only to find it removed from Netflix a few days later.  It was traumatic.)  Anyway, we have been powering through the three (ONLY three...there should have been so many more) seasons together on the weekends and loving every second of it.  Sadly, we finished the series this month...but we'll always have those Veronica Mars memories.  : )

Crafts/Projects
Ehh, not much exciting to report here.  I did a little bit of sewing and finally hemmed some dresses I had been meaning to get to for several weeks.  I'm in the sewing mood again, so maybe I will have more to talk about in July.


Notables
I turned 30...that's pretty notable, right?  It's just another number, so no major freakouts or anything like that.  Some days I feel 20; others I feel 60.  It is what it is!  I did feel a little old while watching an early episode of Friends last night...an episode in which the characters are TWENTY FIVE.  I am now five years older than Joey Tribbiani at the start of that series.  How did that happen??

Although I still struggle most days, Jeremy and I are both doing much better with our diets and fitness.  (Mostly the diet part for me, but Jeremy is doing Insanity and is making great progress.)  We are eating better than ever before, and the more whole, good food we eat, the more I want to stick to it.  I need to get back on the exercise bandwagon--yet again--but it's better than nothing.

Budget will be a focus in this next month, thanks to recent events beyond our control.  Not fun, but necessary.  Man, this adult stuff can be a drag sometimes, am i right?

How was your June?

State of Affairs, May Edition

First of all, how is it possible that May is over already?  This month flew by!

Outings
We took the girls to Chattanooga to A Day Out with Thomas, which was a fun adventure for all of us.  It is SO nice to be able to get out and go with the girls without a huge production.  Outings like these are the ones I always imagined having with my little family, and I intend to enjoy the heck out of these days.

Thanks to a sick day and a vacation day, I ended up being off work for five days over the Memorial Day holiday.  We spent Friday at the mall with the girls, visiting Build-a-Bear and hanging out in the play area.  Addison & Mackenzie went to spend the night with Jeremy's parents while the two of us enjoyed a nice dinner and walked around the outdoor shopping center.  It was a nice and much-needed date night.

Later in the weekend we spent the afternoon at a nearby campground with some of Jeremy's family.  The highlight of the girls' weekend?  Trying out their brand-new pink fishing poles!

Books read:  5

The Age of Miracles--LOVED this book.  Full review coming soon!

The Guest Book--I liked this one well enough.  It's light and well-written, perfect for a summer weekend.

The Anti-Romantic Child-- Despite a few initial misgivings, this is one of the best memoirs I've read.  So yeah, I very much enjoyed it.

First Date--Another light and fun summer read.  Kind of a teenage take on The Bachelor, except much more interesting (to me anyway...I hate reality tv!).  Just cute and fun.

Saving Ruth--This one fits into that all-too-small college/young adult genre, and I liked it quite a bit.  Set in summertime Alabama, it was a fitting accompaniment to this 90-degree week.  Full review to come.

Music

Oh, you know, the usual.  I got a speaker-dock thing (very technical term there!) for my iPhone for Mother's Day, and we have been blasting a wide variety of Pandora stations at all hours of the day.  I am loving my 90's pop station while showering and the girls love to have a "dance party" to anything I play for them.

Crafts/Projects

I was woefully uncreative this month, but I did get the playroom cleaned up and reorganized last weekend while A & M were still at their grandparents'.  Thanks to Jeremy's shelf-assembly skills, there is plenty of toy storage, and the room is finally starting to see some action.

Notables

This month we finally bit the bullet and ditched the cribs.  The experience so far has been better than I dared to hope, and I love seeing my babies crawl up in bed and snuggle under the covers like such big girls!  

Jeremy turned the big 3-0 on May 22.  I won't say much about that, since my turn is coming up this Sunday!  : )  Happy Birthday, J!  I think our next 30 years are going to be pretty awesome.  

Did May treat you well?

State of Affairs, April Edition

Trips taken:  2
We went to the Nashville Zoo on Addison & Mackenzie's birthday, and had a great trip.  We look forward to a few more trips this summer, to make the most of our family pass!

In mid-April, Jeremy, my sister, and I went to Atlanta for the first of (hopefully) a couple of Braves games this year.  It was the home-opener weekend, so there was lots of excitement in the air and the place was packed.  We had some pretty great seats and best of all, the Braves won!

It wasn't a trip, but Jeremy and I dashed out for an impromptu matinee movie and dinner last weekend.  One of the many upsides of living near family is that someone is almost always willing/able to watch the girls on an hour's notice.  I am so glad our little town has a nice movie theater now, so there is actually something to DO on afternoons like that.

Books read:  2.5 (-ish)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets--LOVE.  What else can I say about Harry Potter?  (This one was finished from March.)

Survival Mom--Eh, not my cup of tea.  Reviewed here.

The Shoemaker's Wife--In case you missed my review earlier this week, I pretty much loved this book.  I will be reading more by Adriana Trigiani.

I started a couple of others this month, but I'm not sure I will stick with either of them.  Maybe May will be the month I stop reading anything I don't really enjoy. For reference, the books I started were The Gilly Salt Sisters (the one I'm most likely to finish), The Summer My Life Began (terrible, flat writing), and Fifty Shades of Gray (I am embarrassed to even admit that...I bought it on my Kindle to see what all the hype was about, and returned it for a refund a couple of hours later).

Music
I just bought The Hunger Games soundtrack, which kind of makes me want to jump up and pretend I'm Katniss running through the forest.  The girls are still into the Fresh Beat Band, and I now know all of their songs by heart.  Sadly, I wake up with one of their songs stuck in my head at least a few times a week.

I have a slight obsession with this cover of Gotye's "Somebody I Used to Know".  I don't even know how many times I have watched it this month.

Crafts/Projects
Not too much happening on this front this month, but Laura and I did make fabric headbands while she was home.  They turned out really cute, and I can imagine lots of possibilities for these.

Source: happytogethercreates.com via Deanna on Pinterest

 We are still talking/dreaming about house projects, but no finalized plans yet.  The goals for this month are to meet with a contractor to find out if what we want to do is feasible with our budget and get to the bank about financing options.

Notables
April was a busy month, with the girls' birthday, Easter celebrations, and taking every opportunity to enjoy the fantastic spring weather we've had.  We marked the one-year anniversary of the April 27 tornadoes (more on that soon), but the weather has been blessedly calmer so far this year.

Addison & Mackenzie got their first major haircuts this month.  They had a trim at the salon several weeks ago, but this time, we decided on a real cut.  The girls are both loving their new 'dos!

A & M gave up their pacifiers at the beginning of April.  It was a big deal and brought a few days of whining and crying, but I'm happy to report we are all back on track.  I'm so glad that milestone is behind us and we don't have to fight that fight again!


We were thankful to get to spend some time with Laura Jo this month.  She came up from Baton Rouge for the week following Easter.  We all miss her SO much, and can't wait to visit her soon...and hopefully to spend a week together at the beach in September.

See any family resemblance??

How was your month?

State of Affairs, March Edition

Trips taken:  None, again
I did get out for fun shopping trips all by myself on a couple of occasions, both in the name of gathering supplies for the girls' birthday.  Naturally, I managed to squeeze in a bit of shopping for me too while I was out and about.  It's only fair, right?  I got to go to a movie this month as well, when I took some teenagers to see The Hunger Games.

I also took a Saturday trip to Fayetteville, TN with my mom and aunt to a fabric store.  We enjoyed a leisurely day, stopping at a local craft fair, eating lunch on the downtown square, and checking out the gigantic Goodwill store.

(There are already two day trips on the books for April.  Woo hoo!)

Books read:  5.5
Anything--Meh.  Strange and vague on the details.  More like an outline of what could have been a better story.

The Lifeguard--There was a somewhat-unexplained supernatural theme to this one too, but I didn't mind nearly as much.  Not bad.

Shooting Stars--Far-fetched, but pretty entertaining.  I liked the way it worked out in the end, and didn't really see it coming.

The Last Plea Bargain--My favorite of the month.  A legal thriller in the vein of John Grisham, but with a main female character.  A little on the long side, but I liked it quite a bit.

Speak--I have heard a lot about this YA book over the years and finally picked it up at the library this month.  I read it in just a couple of days, but I didn't just love it or find it that outstanding.  I did like the ending of this one as well.

I'm halfway through both Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (continuing my Harry Potter re-read) and Survival Mom.

(By the way, for anyone who may be interested in any of the books I mention in these recaps, they are listed on my Goodreads profile.)

Music
Eh, nothing exciting here this month.  A & M have now discovered The Fresh Beat Band on Netflix, so I get to hear a lot of that before bed at night.  Thankfully, it's not too annoying.  We have also listened to the Disney/Broadway station on Pandora and I have been reminded of just how much I love that one song from The Little Mermaid.  Cheesy much?

Crafts and Projects
The project I am most proud of this month (maybe for the entire year?) is outfit I made for the girls' birthday party.  I have a ton of party pictures and details to share soon, but I loved the way their outfits turned out...even if they included skirts and not a full dress like Dorothy wears!

I made cupcake toppers and party favors for the party, as well as designing their invitation.  I have never really fooled around with digital design before, except for the blog, so I was excited that I managed to accomplish that as well.  I bought fabric for simple kitchen curtains, but that project was sidelined for the birthday craftiness.

Project-wise, Jeremy gets the gold star this month.  With a lot of help from my dad and his stepdad, he spent an entire weekend putting together our birthday present for Addison & Mackenzie:

They love it, and I love that we have something to keep us busy outside in this beautiful spring weather.  I have already claimed a prime spot for my lounge chair and plan to spend a lot of time there, reading and watching the girls play.  : )

Notables

Here, at the end of March, I am not nearly as stressed as I was at the beginning of the month.   Though some things didn't turn out as well as I had hoped this month, I have pretty much let it go and given myself permission to start over with a clean slate in that area.  And I have vowed again to say no to things that will just add to my stress.  Every couple of years I have to be reminded that I can't do it all and refocus myself on what I can do.

Jeremy and I did a lot of thinking and talking about food this month, and while we aren't yet committed to huge changes, I do see good things beginning to happen in our attitudes about the way we want to feed our family.  I am very much looking forward to the upcoming fresh foods and vegetables of the summer.  Also food-related, I made a first attempt at any kind of homemade bread and made this Cinnamon Strawberry Bread.  It is amazing, and has become a regular rotation in our house...proof that I can actually follow a recipe sometimes!

We also finalized some plans for fixing up some things around the house and began to loosely, but seriously, discuss adding on to our house.  We love this neighborhood, our yard, and most things about this house, but we want just a little more space.  We hope to possibly meet with a contractor this month to find out the possibilities to add a new master bedroom and bathroom.  I don't know if it will work out or not, but it's fun to dream.

How was your March?