Happy Friday! I hope your tummies are full of watermelon and barbecue chicken. The food is the best part of the Fourth of July, well, except for the freedom part. That’s my favorite part too. And when the holiday falls at the end of the week giving the longest holiday weekend ever, there’s really no place to complain. So I hope you’re all having an amazing Friday, and had an even better weekend.
Today is filled with rain, rain, rain. It seems to have stopped for a few minutes for the fireworks but then rained rained rained again. And unlike back in Texas where a power-cut meant downed power lines were treated like four-way stop signs, in Summerville it means helter skelter. So we’re staying low key for the weekend.
Let me know your weekend plans!
Friday Recap
Off the Grid
Last weekend we drove all the way up to CNY, stayed for a hot minute, then drove all the way back to the Low Country. As much as it’s significantly closer than we were while living in Houston, the trip is still a doozy. Especially to make it both ways in a single weekend.
While we were Upstate, we visited with my sister who is ready to pop with her first child. Unfortunately, the tiny dinosaur is still breech, so we’re sending all the spinny vibes that it will turn before next month. She is huge (in a loving way) and who knows if Waszkisaurus has enough from to flip at this point. We can only hope.
The best part of being upstate was seeing my grandparents and some aunts. I do not miss New York, but i do miss my family. We always seem to fall into great conversation, which doesn’t happen over social media.
My Sweet Sassygirl
While in Upstate New York, we drove to a tiny town in CNY for the baby shower. The home that hosted had a huge yard, dirtbike trails behind the properly, and a creek that ran through. It was beautiful.
Charlotte-Ann was drawn to the creek, naturally. As a salty baby, we knew she would love the water before she was even born. My father, aka Poppy, told her that the minnows in the creek were piranas that would bite her toes. He hoped this would defer her from playing. Instead, she chanted “I am brave, and I can do the things that scare me” as she jumped from rock to rock.
She really inspires me each and every day to step out of my comfort zone and do the things that scare me. Also, she was in a no pictures please mood, so we didn’t get any pictures together, even though we matched. Mucho bummer.
Book Nook
One of my goals for 2019 was to read five books each month, and while I’ve fallen short a few months I am still reading more than I would have if I hadn’t set the goal. This week I read two books, and started a third.
I am also working on my own novels- I finally printed out Book Two (tentatively named Two Hearts to Tame) for a revision, and jumped ahead to start Book 6 (tentatively named Strong Enough to Love). All author updates go through TinyLetter, if you’re interested in that.
Anthony by Kelsie Rae
Anthony is the 7th book in the Signature Sweethearts series. We first meet him as the boyfriend, er… ex-boyfriend, of Indie in Book 6, Marcus. (Spoiler Alert: Indie ends up with Marcus, not Anthony). This book is perhaps the most emotional of the series since Book 1, Liv. The whole series is great, and I’m excited to see who’s next.
Defending What is Mine by Abby Brooks and Will Wright
The Wilde Brothers series follows five brothers with super unique names, as they pursue love. Defending What is Mine is the 4th book in the series (although can definitely be read as a standalone), and follows Jack through war overseas and then an internal war within himself. Definitely a tear jerker.
The Secretive Wife by Jennifer Peel
I am currently reading, but so far hooked. I really enjoyed the Sidelined Wife (Book 1), so was eager to start this one. The first book follows Sam and her journey after divorce. This book follows her sister-in-law Delanie, as she tries to balance the secrets of her past and the secrets of her present.
Side Note: There’s nothing quite like holding a book in your hands, and I am not going to suggest that a Kindle or other e-reader is the same. It’s not. But in the case of convenience, speed, and also cost, I have fallen in love with the Kindle app on my phone. With the Kindle Unlimited membership you can read as many books as you’d like for just a low monthly fee. Click here for your first month free.
Finding Fitness
Falling back into fitness has been impossible. I am really struggling to wake up before 9, let alone workout at 7. I am hoping to get back on schedule this upcoming week and knock out a few workouts from 80 Day Obsession before I road trip back to New York.
I did squeeze in a mile and a half moderate walk on the treadmill on Tuesday, but then the gym had crappy hours for the holiday so I couldn’t fall back in the groove. We also planned on running a race for the 4th, but that also didn’t happen. It just goes to show that habits go both ways- the same way doing something positive makes it easier to continue, the longer you go without means the harder it is to start again. But once you start, break that lack of movement, you can keep going. I will get there and you can too.
Quote of the Week
Being a former pageant competitor, I often felt the need to defend my participation in pageantry. Somehow people couldn’t understand why I wanted to prove something on stage when my grades and accomplishments were already something to be proud of. I still struggle with the balance of brains and beauty, especially raising a daughter. I want her to love her body, and feel beautiful. But also she is so smart, and I would hate for her intelligence to be downplayed for her beauty. It’s a balance alright.
This quote popped out to me in my reading, and I decided to apply it to my week’s affirmations. Especially with my first (and possibly only) Mrs. pageant quickly approaching.
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