Pin-it Tuesday

My ex is coming over Christmas morning to do Christmas just the 3 of us before the child and myself go celebrate with my family. I wanted to make some sort of breakfast, but since I'm not much of a breakfast person, I thought I would do something fun. Our first Christmas in our apartment my mom and sister stayed the night and I made something in the crock pot, but it burned. My crockpot is old and it burns things a lot apparently. So I came across this recipe and thought it looked fun, quick, and easy!

YUM!

Top 5

Top 5- Favorite things about winter

Winter is the second best season, to fall. Mainly b/c fuck the heat. Also, Christmas!!!!

First favorite thing would be the cooler weather. I don't have a woodstove anymore, but I loved it when we did have one. There is nothing better than cuddling up with a blanket and a fire going.

Second, I LOVE BLANKETS! I have probably an unheatlhy obsession with blankets, that I have passed onto my child. Sure, you can have blankets year round, but the holiday ones are the cutest!!!

Next, which probably should be first b/c it is the best thing, SNOW!! We didn't get any last year, and I am hoping for another set of storm like we had in 2015/16

Fourth, Christmas. I love everything about Christmas. Getting together with family, the lights the cookie baking, school being out, SANTA! Christmas movies. It's the best. 

Last, The end of the new year and start of a new. I'm not a fan of the whole new year new me bullshit, but I do think it's a nice thought that the slate is wiped clean and you can set new goals.

Pin it Tuesday

This is definitely going to be a dinner this week!

try it out!

Wrap-up-Feelings

Co parenting during the holidays, sucks. Especially with someone like my x. It's downright miserable at times. It's lonely and frustrating and all of the feelings. During one of our many fights last month I came across this article and cried during the entire thing. During on our fights, I pointed out that he was the one that wanted to split up. He checked out years before we actually split, whereas I was still trying to try, while also hating him for not trying. I moved out of state in hopes it would fix us, it didn't bc he didn't want to try. Now of course that is all my opinion and he of course disagrees, but whatever. Either way, I loved that man with every ounce of me. Through everything, he was what I wanted. And this article shattered my heart all over remembering what that felt like, what it still feels like. This article put into words, why after 4 years, I still can't just pick up and move into another relationship.

http://www.puckermob.com/relationships/you-lost-her-and-honestly-its-your-own-fault?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=facebook_page&utm_medium=PuckerMob

November Wrap-up

I started a new job last month (which I hate) and I can't listen to audio books as much. Which is the main reason why I hate the job. I have bad anxiety, and when left to my thoughts all night, it's not good. The books helped me escape from my thought spirals and kept me from literally going crazy.

Once or twice a week, I'm completely by myself and can sneak some headphones.  I only accomplished 2 books last month, b/c on top of not being able to listen to audio books, it was a rough month for me mentally (probably b/c I drove myself crazy thinking all night), and I couldn't concentrate on a book book. 1 book was a DNF after I got about half way. It was too sexual for me and I hated it. I can do erotic books if I can skip the sex parts, which can't be done on audio. Or, if the story is good enough to get through the sex parts, Which this one was not. So I have my first DNF of the year....

After I finally accepted defeat on this one I moved on to a random KU find. I didn't know it, but this book takes place in my hometown!! Well, right outside of it, but it speaks of traveling to my town for the movies and stuff. I loved this book and have already recommended it to all of the people.

Prompt day

The prompt in the group I'm in yesterday was "what authors do you like so much that you wouldn't have top read the synopsis of one of their books to pick one up". For me it's a couple authors.

One. Colleen Hoover. I read her new book last month and had absolutely no idea what it was about. I usually don't read synopsis of books, unless I'm at the book store and trying to find a new book to buy, but with hers I know she's going to rip my heart out and I'll cry and love every second of it.  Plus, how gorgeous are these covers?!?!

Another author for me would have to be Jamie Maguire. She hasn't wrote a new book in a year or 2 but there was one series I was hooked on and kept buying the next book without knowing really what it was about.

Lastly I would have to say a new author I'll add to the list is Tarryn Fisher. I recently got hooked on her books, and wish I had jumped on her books sooner. But you read books at certain times in your life and sometimes they aren't what you need to read and don't enjoy them.

Top 5

Last week, one of the prompts in my blog group was 5 books you've bought based on the cover. I thought it would be such an easy pick! I was wrong....there are plenty of books I've read based on the cover, and I have tons of pretty cover books on my shelf, but they were bought b/c they were pretty and for something else, like who wrote the book. So I went through Goodreads and found 5 books I've read based off the cover.

This one was a book club read, and if I ever find this series cheap I will buy it. The covers are absolutely gorgeous and I need them on my shelf!!  

This is a series as well that I plan on owning. I bought the 2nd one in the series, (the are stand alone) and hope to own the other ones one day.

October Wrap-up

October was a fail month for me. I only read 4 books :( I think I  might be hitting my slump b/c I haven't really gotten into anything this month either....funny, last year this time is when I got *out* of my slump! Even with Deweys the 21st, I failed. But here are the 3 books I read in October.

★★★★

This was our book club pick, and my first Stephen King book. Growing up my dad had all of his books on the book shelf and I always wanted to read them, but my dad said they were too scary for me. I listened to this on Scribd and the narrator was amazing! The book was great, not scary, but creepy. For book club we watched the movie, but I slept b/c I had to work that night. The girls who watched it said it sucked and was nothing like the book. I plan on watching it soon.

★★★★★

LOVED this book!!!! It kept popping up on my suggested reads for kindle and I wasn't sure. A friend read it though and told me I  must read it. I was on a WW2 kick for a bit, so I picked it up and absolutely LOVED it!! It  focuses on the war from a European side, and I don't remember learning about that in school, so I'm enjoying reading books about it. This is the 2nd or 3rd book I've read about that. 

★★★★★

 Colleen's new book for the year! And the only book I read for deweys. It took me about half the book to get into, but the second half sucked me in and I loved it.

★★★

This one was okay....took me 2 weeks to finish it. I started it as an audio the last couple days at the job I quit last month, and then we went to disney. My plan was to listen to it in the car and that did not work out. I think I would have enjoyed it more had it not taken me so long to read it. The 2nd one should be out soon, and I do plan on purchasing that. 

Book Wrap-up

This is the first chance I've had to go somewhere with internet and post a review for last month. I'm sad it's late, but better late than never! I'm also excited b/c 3 of these were actual books, not audio

★★★

I picked this book as my suspense book for book club and it was awful. I decided after this, I need to take a break from thrillers

★★

This started my love for Tarry Fisher!!!

★★★★★

★★★★★

★★★★

★★★

Pin-it Tuesday

It's Fall!!! I can finally justify carving a pumpkin and not worrying about it melting in the 90 degree heat. We don't have enough space to have 2 pumpkins outside, so we are going to carve one and paint the other one. Here are some cute ideas I found


https://www.pinterest.com/pin/247346204514423785/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/98657048064484540/

Friday Reads

I feel like I always say that I'm excited about my Friday Reads, but I am REALLY excited about this week. Last week, I tried Tarryn Fisher again and fell in love. I joined her fan page, and admitted that I didn't love her first 2 books, but that I loved 'F*ck Love' and wondered what I should read next. Well, first off, SHE COMMENTED ON MY POST!!

 And then, later, I was attacked by a couple of the girls for not liking 'Mudvein' . Apparently, it's *thee* Tarryn book to love. Which I did not. So then, Tarryn posted talking about me!! So I totally fangirled over it.

So I went and downloaded the books that were suggested to me, and that's what I'll be catching up on. First on the list in the 2nd book to one of the other ones I read. I liked it but didn't like the ending, but according to them, if I finish the series, I'll like it better. They are all Free on KU, which is exciting!

Top 5

I haven't done a prompt from my blog group in awhile, so I thought I would do a quick, fun one!!

So the prompt was top 5 classics that you want to read, or have read. I didn't do a lot of the required reading in school, so I missed out on a lot of the good classics. These are the ones that I've picked. Some I already had on my to read list and some I added 

I really, really, really want to read and love this book. The whole old english doesn't do it for me though...I downloaded it as an audio book thinking that would be easier. And it wasn't. So maybe one day. 

This book I have read and LOVED! This is the only book that I can think of that I watched the movie and then read the book, and loved them both equally. 

Barnes and Noble had this as their $5 classics for the summer, and I should have bought it.

I've never heard of this one, but I read the description and it sounds so good!

I feel like this was a book club pick....? Again, something I've never heard of but read the description and thought it sounded interesting. 

My sister actually loaned me this book when she was in town and said that I MUST read it. So it's on my list!

Pin it Tuesday

We are having a family dinner tonight with my in-laws and my son and I made a special dessert. I got some Apple's from a local orchard a couple weeks ago, and with the chilly-ish weather we've been having I wanted to make baked Apple's. I've never made them before and picked this recipe to use bc it seemed the simplest.

http://suburbanepicurean.blogspot.com/2015/10/crockpot-baked-apples.html?m=1

Spotlight Saturday

Last week, I finished my reading Challenge!!!

This is my second year doing a reading challenge. Third year tracking my books, and second doing a challenge. Last year, I hit a slump around June and didn't complete it. So this year, I cut back on the books and I finished!! This is really exciting to me, and I've read such great books, too.

The book that put me into the finish line is a book I finished the night of the 31st. B/c I work overnight, to me technically I finished it on the 31st in my head but I know technically it was the 1st. Either way, I'm too obsessed with things being in order and I didn't know whether to put it in my Aug wrap up or save it for my Sept. Ultimately, I know it really doesn't matter and I know no one cares but me, but I decided to post it here, so It's not in Aug or Sept, and I can stop thinking about which one is right.

                                                                       ★★★★

I liked this book, but b/c I've been on a suspense kick, I kept expecting something to happen.

 Pregnant wife, is riding in the car with wife #2 and its raining...Oh wait! It's a storm! And they are trapped! And wife goes into labor 2 months early!! Something like that to happen....but nope.

Still really good, really cute, and not 100% predictable as I usually find most romance books. The ending was VERY cute and since its free on KU with audio, it's something I would suggest to others.

Friday Reads

My Friday reads this week are really good! One is a book by Tarryn Fisher. Tarry is a favorite author of a friend of mine in my book club. I've read 2 of her other books, and according to goodreads I sort of liked them? I remember hating one...but oh well. I can't remember which one. But, this book sounded really good and I figured I would give her another chance. The friend in book club who loves her, actually gifted the book to me, and I LOVE IT! I can't wait to just go home and binge it tomorrow. Which actually probably won't happen b/c my mother in law is in town. But a girl can dream....

The next book I found on Amazon last night looking for a new audio book for work. I have read one other book by this author. I think it was the beginning of last year? I really enjoyed it so I didn't want to miss out on this one. And I think she has one more book out too!!

Monthly Wrap-up

★★

I actually don't even remember what this book was about, that's how awful it was. But I gave it 2 stars b/c it was okay enough for me to finish it.

★★★★

Really great fiction book with real life pictures. It was a cool concept. Interview style writing, telling the life of a young artist. I'm still not really sure who the girl in the pictures is, but its a good read. 

★★★★★ 

I went back and fourth between giving this 4 and 5 stars b/c I did enjoy this book, but the characters I wanted to strangle sometimes. The old lady was hateful. At times I felt bad for her b/c she did fall for a scam, but then she started scamming people?! And she was just hateful. The teenager I felt sorry for at first. A rich white girl who gets thrown in foster care b/c her parents get arrested. She runs away from foster care and is almost sold into a sex slave ring. She then runs away from the predator. That is where my sympathy ends for the most part. She's a vegan, and not only a vegan, but doesn't eat sugar or white bread or salt or fucking everything. Which is fine, when you're in your house, but not when you're a 15 year old  fugitive. When people are offering to buy you food and you turn them down b/c you "can't" eat it?! Fuck that. She almost starved in jail (really it was barley 3 days, which is not starving to death) b/c she wouldn't eat anything. But it was a cute story and for the most part I enjoyed it. 

★★★★★

★★★★★

By far, the best book I read all month. Amazing. Highly recommend.