Mud Run

A couple of weeks ago I participated in my first mud run. It was so fun!

Women only. I ran with a group of women that I didn't even know! My friend, Crystal, invited me to join her and a bunch of her nurse friends. I only knew Crystal and Beth, but it was so great to meet new people.

 

We cut up our shirts, thanks to our inspiration from pinterest.

 

 

We got pretty dirty! The obstacles were my favorite part - there was an obstacle every quarter to half mile. They included walking across a balance beam, scaling walls, climbing rope ladders, climbing up and then sliding down huge blow-up slides, crawling through a tarp-covered crawl space in the dark with water sprinkling on you, wading through mud pits, fighting through a rope obstacle, and alternately climbing over and crawling under walls.

It was a great time and I highly recommend it!

 

Pics

Amelia Jayne with Kaitlyn one Sunday after church.

Face painting at the Soccer Shots family festival. How fun!

Silly bath time hair!

My babies and their blankies

30 Days of Blogging: Day Three

Day three: Describe your relationship with your parents.

First of all I consider myself to have four parents. My Mom and Dad got separated just before my 7th birthday. My Dad married my stepmom, Karen, when I was 8. My Mom married my stepdad, JD, when I was 10.

I'll start with my mom. I just love that woman. I've always looked up to her and am so privileged to have such a wonderful role model. I wrote quite a bit about her recently and from that post, you could probably detect my love and devotion to her. We have a lot of history together (my whole history, technically) and she's proven time and again that I can count on her and that she loves me. We have a great relationship. I call her when I'm down. I call her when I'm happy. I can always count on her to help me see things from a different perspective and to look on the bright side. I owe a lot to her.

JD or as I like to call him JDad. Oh, that man. How I love him to pieces and how he exasperates me to no end. He and I are so much alike - we're fun-loving, silly, compassionate; yet so different - he has ADHD and has a hard time focusing, I tend to spend a lot of my time focused and get easily irritated when he can't. He loves to tease (me, specifically) and I have a hard time accepting teasing, even when it's good-natured and loving. One thing about that man - he is loyal to the core. He stands up for me, he fights for me, he loves me. And I am so thankful he is in my life. He's more generous to me than he needs to be. He's thoughtful, kind and caring. He's been a fantastic dad for the last 20+ years.

My Dad. I love my dad. He means so much to me. We, too, have a lot of similarities, yet lots of differences. Dad is outgoing, talkative, smart and focused. He just doesn't always understand relationships. I think he struggles to connect, and through difficult circumstances in our past, I've put up a wall to guard myself from connecting. It's not something I want, but it's there, nonetheless. I'm working on bringing that wall down and allowing more room for him. I do love him and I would never give up on our relationship.

Karen. Karen has been in my life for more than 25 years - she's been a big influence. I didn't live with my dad and Karen growing up, so it was harder for me to see her as a mother figure. She had never been a mother herself, so our relationship wasn't much like a parent/child as much as an adult/child relationship. I don't really know how to explain that better - maybe like when you go over to your friend's house and she has kids so you chat with the kid, maybe participate in an activity together, but the child knows you're not responsible for them so you just kind of hang out together. Maybe kind of like a babysitter? I don't really know. Anyway, I love Karen very much and have learned a lot in my relationship with her.  

I count myself very blessed to have the parents I have.

Fact of the day

Yes, thank you. I did know that.

Meeting the babes

Remember this guy? The Littles got to meet him today! He's doing great! Getting big - he's over 10 lbs now - and pretty healthy. He still struggles with weak lungs, which sometimes causes pneumonia, but he's doing much better!

We also got to meet David's other cousin, KJ's baby. Her name is Avery Clare. She was born almost 6 weeks ago. She was a preemie, too. KJ was around 35 or 36 weeks pregnant when she was born. She was right at 4 lbs at birth. She's doing well, too. She's up to 6 lbs now! Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of any of my fam with little Avery, but here's one of Aunt B and Avery.

I love all the babies! They're so sweet! And tiny!! I have never held a baby in my life as itty bitty as Avery! You know I have big babies - both over 9lbs. 6 lbs is tiny! 

And they both have that awesome baby smell! Makes me want another one! Until I see how tired their mamas look...then I'm okay with my "big" kids. :)

AD

I CANNOT WAIT!!! Only 2 more days, people. Get ready!

source

And because I just can't help myself:

Clouds

Incredibly moving story. Check out the documentary here. Bring your tissues.

Well I fell down, down, down

Into this dark and lonely hole

There was no one there to care about me anymore

And I needed a way to climb and grab a hold of the edge

You were sitting there holding a rope.

And we'll go up, up, up

But I'll fly a little higher

We'll go up in the clouds because the view is a little nicer

Up here my dear

It won't be long now, it won't be long now.

When I get back on land

Well I'll never get my chance

Be ready to live and it'll be ripped right out of my hands

Maybe someday we'll take a little ride

We'll go up, up, up and everything will be just fine.

And we'll go up, up, up

But I'll fly a little higher

We'll go up in the clouds because the view is a little nicer

Up here my dear.

It won't be long now, it won't be long now

If only I had a little bit more time

If only I had a little bit more time with you.

We could go up, up, up

And take that little ride

And sit there holding hands

And everything would be just right

And maybe someday I'll see you again

We'll float up in the clouds and we'll never see the end.

And we'll go up, up, up

But I'll fly a little higher

We'll go up in the clouds because the view is a little nicer

Up here my dear

It won't be long now, it won't be long now.

BY ZACH SOBIECH

Giving back

"We try to be too reasonable about what we believe.
What I believe is not reasonable at all. In fact, it's hilariously impossible. Possible things aren't worth much.
These crazy impossible things keep us going."

Madeleine L'Engle

I've been thinking a lot lately about what I believe. I have a hard time being decisive most of the time, but about this, I know. I believe in Jesus. He's a pretty crazy guy. I believe in his mission. To reach the lost, to show mercy, to love. I choose to love the Lord my God with all my heart and love my neighbor as myself.

One of the ways I want to do this is by giving back. There are so many people who are less fortunate than I. And I don't just mean people who live in a smaller house or maybe can't afford a house and live in an apartment - no I mean people like Katie Davis talks about in her book Kisses from Katie.

On page 104 she writes of some children in Uganda,

"In their small mud hut, the children sleep on an old, rotting cardboard box, packed together under piles of old dirty clothes and rags, like rats. A pet chicken walks in and out of the bedroom freely, defecating wherever she wants to. No animal should ever have to live in such a filthy condition, not to mention a human being....We scrubbed the little house with bleach and then filled it inside with the new things we had brought: straw mats to replace the cardboard they had slept on. Sheets and blankets to replace the clothes they had burrowed under. A new outfit for each of the members of the family, Auntie and Grandma included. We washed all the dishes with soap that we had given them and left our basins for washing. When Auntie and Grandma finally came back into their home, it was a new place. It actually looked cozy. Their eyes shone with tears. For just that look, just that expression of thankfulness, I would do it again. I would treat scabies and burn clothes and get covered in poop and mud and maggots every single day just to see Jesus in that old grandmother's face. I would."

I'm not saying my great mission in this world is to drop everything and move to Uganda to help the poor and needy. I'm not saying it's not either. However, at this time of my life, I'm here. In Charlotte, NC. I stay home the majority of the time with the littlest Littles. The other part of the time I spend working at the library helping at-risk families by providing literacy which can lead to knowledge, which can lead to a better life. I serve at my church to help people grow in their relationship with Christ. But I want to do more. 

I'm still praying about this and working it through, but for now I know there are some simple, yet practical ways to give back, too. If I'm going to be a consumer (which I am) and I'm going to buy gifts and necessities (which I will) then I want to choose organizations and products that reflect my mission.
I've been checking into this and here is a list I've come up with:

Mi Esperanza

Joyn India

Ten Thousand Villages

Sasa Designs

FashionABLE

TOMs


I haven't personally bought from all of these companies, but I hope to at some point. I have purchased gifts and accessories from Joyn India and I just love it. If you have another company or product you know of that's ethical, free trade, and gives back, please share!

30 Days of Blogging: Day Two

Day two: Describe 3 legitimate fears you have and describe how they became fears.

This is a tough one for me. I'm not a very scared person. I'm not a worrier or anxious all the time. I'm probably more of the opposite. I should probably be a little more cautious and maybe not quite as trusting as I am, but the fact is, I'm not. So, I'll attempt to be honest.

On my fear of rejection:
I am afraid to let people down. I always want to do my best and to be the best I can be. I want to please people and I want them to like me. I am often afraid of what other people think of me. Thankfully I am not nearly as afraid of this as I used to be, but it's something I still struggle with. I've had enough life experiences, situations arise, and my eyes opened to my own and other people's situations that I don't fear that like I used to. But every once in a while it creeps back in and threatens to overtake me.

On my fear of failure:
I am afraid of my actions sometimes. I am responsible for two very little and very dear lives each and every day. I am afraid I'm going to mess them up. Intellectually I realize that we're all screwed up in one way or another. We all come from dysfunctional families and homes that could've been better. I just want to do the best I can (see above) and do them right. I have a very real fear of failure. And I don't want to fail them. Or myself. Or anyone, for that matter.

On my fear of loss:
For myself, I am not worried or fearsome of death. I know that when I die I will spend eternity with Jesus. I look forward to that really. And though I know the same is true for my husband and my babies, I have a legitimate fear of losing them. More specifically, of living this life without them because they are my life. I love them all so dearly and so much more than I ever thought it was possible to love another human being, and to multiply that by three! I'm so lucky! They are part of me, part of my being. They bring so much joy and laughter and meaning to my life. I know I would be okay without them and I know that it is only by the grace of God that they are in my life at all. But now that they're in my life, I am afraid of what life would be like without them. 

My attempt at honesty got pretty heavy, right? Well here's another truth about me - I don't like to be scared. I think that's one of the main reasons I'm not scared of some of the norms like snakes, mice, spiders, bugs, lizards, storms, tornadoes, etc. - because I don't like the feeling of living in fear, so I choose not to. However, when I do get scared, like when I watch a scary movie (which I loathe) or if someone scares me (whether intentionally or not) I have a violent reaction - I usually hit/lash out or I cry uncontrollably.
Here are a couple of examples of this behavior:

David and I had been married less than a year. I had gone to the extra bedroom (when we had one of those...pre-kids) to take a nap since he had things he needed to do in our bedroom. I had fallen asleep so he came in to wake me up. All he did was lay his hand on my shoulder and say my name, but I guess it startled me awake, enough to really evoke my crying reaction. I sat straight up, looked at him and burst into tears. It was the silliest thing and David had no idea how to respond. He's very careful about how he wakes me up now. :)

One night, when I was about 12 years old, I was upstairs with a friend of mine who was spending the night. We were alone in the house, but we thought we heard a noise. I went downstairs to investigate. I walked down the hall, peeked around the corner and my step-brother, Sean, jumped out from behind the door and yelled, scaring me badly. He took off running and I took off after him. He ran down the hall toward his bedroom, slamming the door behind him. I got to the door before it latched and flung it open, catching up to him when he reached his bed. I slapped him so hard on the back that my hand print stayed there for minutes! Unfortunately, when I knocked the door open, it bent the door stop and the doorknob went right through the wall. My mom made Sean and I repair and paint the wall together. That was our punishment. I was thankful it wasn't more severe than that, and Sean was much nicer to me after that whole ordeal. :)


For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 
2 Timothy 1:7

Mama Kat making me laugh

These made me laugh so hard that I just had to share. Enjoy!

 

30 Days of blogging: Day One

I thought about starting this 30 Days of blogging challenge months ago and then time and inclination, not to mention inspiration, wained and I decided it was too much of a headache to even keep up with my blog, much less a challenge. Now that I'm more interested in writing, I'm having a hard time coming up with things to say! I still have things to post from weeks and months ago, but everything that comes to mind is so heavy these days! This just seems more fun and more interesting to me right now. I promise I will not be completing this in 30 days - it's just not gonna happen. But I thought I might throw one out there every so often. Today is one of those days. So, here we go.   Day One: List 10 Random Facts About Yourself
1. I can make an elephant noise. Like, a really good, elephant noise.

2. I know sign language.

3. I can name all the states in alphabetical order in under a minute.

4. I can make chocolate chip cookies without a recipe - that's how many times I've made them. They are, by far, my favorite cookie. This is the master recipe if you're looking for the best chocolate chip cookies ever.

5. I can share a story time or get up in front of a group of kids and entertain them with absolutely no preparation. I've had to do this many times.
Note: That is NOT my preferred way to do it. But I can. If I have to.

6. I can make my eyeballs shake/vibrate. The technical term apparently is nystagmus. I have voluntary nystagmus. The doctor always told me I have excellent eye muscle control. I've never known anyone else who could do it...until my niece. Must be hereditary. :)

7. I will try almost anything with my hair - cut, color, you name it. And it might have already been that way! Not that I do crazy things, but I might consider it. :)

8. Dark chocolate is my favorite of all the chocolates, but sometimes it makes me sneeze. Thanks for the inherited allergy, Dad.

9. I'm weird about the radio. I love all kinds of music and I've been known to switch from a rap to a classical to a country to an alternative station, all in a 15 minute drive. And all of these kinds of stations are programmed into my car's radio settings.

10. When I listen to my kids talk, I'm reminded that I really do have a southern accent. But it's not as bad as theirs, right? Right??
And when I talk to my co-workers who are from Chicago, Venezuela, and New York, I'm reminded anew.

Leave a comment and share some random facts about yourself. I'd love to hear them!

Amazing moments

I absolutely love stories like these. One of the reasons I appreciate Ridge Church so much and the reason I serve weekly and dedicate my time and energy to this church is because the heart of Ridge Church is to invest in people. People who may not know Jesus. People who are lost or seeking. People who don't like church or never felt accepted by "church people." My church believes that everyone is important.

As we teach in Waumba Land - God made you. God loves you. Jesus wants to be your friend forever. Such simple truths that I sometimes struggle to remember every single day. No matter who I come face to face with in the course of my day and look into their eyes - those people were created by our Heavenly Father. He made them. He loves them. And He wants to be their friend.
An important truth to remember.


Patrick Furey Baptism from Ridge Church on Vimeo.


Jessica Cale Baptism from Ridge Church on Vimeo.

Amelia Jayne Update - 18 months

Amelia Jayne turned 18 months old on April 24. I'm a bit behind, but mostly because I wanted to add her stats and we didn't go to the doctor until May 17. So here's her 18/19 month update :)


Weight - 26.4 lbs (74%)
Height - 33 in (84%)

She has a few words. Among them -
ball, bye bye, baby, bubble, no, yes, mine, boo, Mommy, Daddy, Mimi, Papa, Grandma, Grandpa, hi, car, please, up, why, cheese, cookie, okay, blue, green, up, and down.
I'm still waiting on more words. I find this to be the frustrating time when a toddler can't communicate very well, but has lots to say...and lots of wants. She tends to scream a lot when she wants something, which was not the case with Xander, so I'm having to get used to that. I can't say it's my favorite activity of hers. I do think she has the same mindset as Xander which is - "When I can do it well, then I'll do it, but I won't do it until I'm ready." I truly believe she could say a lot more if she wanted to, but she just doesn't want to.

AJ and Xander have become very sweet with each other. Xander will hold her hand, especially when crossing the road, and she gladly holds his back. They like to play with each other - wrestling is one of their new favorite pastimes. They're getting better at sharing, though it's still challenging at times. Overall they do a good job, though.

Xander has saved Amelia Jayne's life so many times! Whether he's telling me she's found a penny and about to put it in her mouth, standing on the bed, about to go in the road...he's a really good big brother. I'm glad he's such a rule-follower and a tattle tale! This will come in handy in the future...for me. He may not be as popular with his sister. :)

She's addicted to TV already. She asks to turn it on almost anytime she sees one. We don't always comply. :)

She loves music and dancing. She gets really excited when she hears a song she knows. Most nights David and I hear her over the monitor after we put her down for bed singing herself to sleep.

She loves school and gets so excited when David drops her off in the mornings.

She's still got her blanket. That's my next big project with her, I think - weaning her from the blanket. She never had a pacifier, but she always sucked on her blanket. It stinks. It's always dirty. I try to wash it daily or at least every other day, but it almost instantly seems dirty again. She won't sleep without it. In fact, one night after she was asleep I snuck in to get it so I could wash it. She woke up screaming because she couldn't find her blanket. I haven't tried to take it away from her in her sleep since then. I have a small window of time after she wakes up in the morning or after her nap to throw it in the wash. It's a pain, for sure.

She loves to pretend she's on the phone. She'll pick up anything rectangular and talk into it. "Hi!" and "Bye, bye" help me know that's what she's up to. :) All other words are unintelligible at this point. But it's pretty adorable.

She's a pretty good eater. She loves her fruits, vegetables, beans, and pasta. I still have a hard time getting her to eat meat - unless it's a chicken nugget or a hot dog. Those she'll gobble up. She also loves sweets and junk food. Her favorite food is probably french fries. But at least she likes the healthy stuff, too. I can't get Xander to eat his fruits and vegetables unless I promise dessert, and even then I'm not always successful...

Her favorite activity is reading. She brings me book after book and wants to read all the time. Her attention span is getting much longer and she can sit through many books. She'll even sit through Curious George books when I read them to Xander...and those books are sooooo long!!

She also loves to go to the park. She's very brave and will slide down slides by herself, even the tall ones. She also loves to swing. She's very independent and self-sufficient with playground equipment, which is so surprising to me. I couldn't get Xander to climb up in the tubes at Chick-fil-A until a few months ago...and he was almost 4!

Just two days ago she used the potty! She's used it about 5 or 6 times in the last two days. She hasn't asked to go, but anytime we suggest it, she's more than willing, even excited! I'm not naive enough to think she'll be potty trained soon, but I am excited that she is excited. She seems to have the muscle control to know how to make herself go, so that's progress!

She's growing up so much! I am so in love with that little girl and incredibly thankful that she's in my life. Can't wait to see how she continues to grow and change!

Legacies

The most important thing she'd learned over the years was that there was no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a great one.

-Jill Churchill

I interviewed my mom just before Mother's Day in hopes of sharing a bit about her, and about me, too. I love my mom. She's an amazing woman. I have learned so much from her and have so much still yet to learn from her. Every time I'm with her I am reminded of how great a mother she is. She isn't perfect, for sure. But she most certainly is great.

I was blessed to spend Mother's Day afternoon with my mom and then spend the night and have her all to myself after the company had gone home and the littlest Littles were asleep in the bedroom on the other side of the house. We talked until the wee hours of the morning. I could gain so much even if I was just sitting in her presence. Do you know people like that? And wonderfully it was even more than just sitting there - I got advice and honesty and love.

I love our kitchen table and I now know why. I can remember from the time I was a little girl until now, sitting at the table talking to my mom, learning from her, asking her questions, crying with her, and feeling loved, safe, important. I hope I have many more "kitchen table moments" with my mom.

The interview:
 

How has motherhood changed you?

 

"Motherhood has made me a better person. My children have taught me how to be less selfish and more loving. They have improved my patience and perserverance. Motherhood has inspired me to stop personal bad habits like smoking, but most of all God has used my children to bring me back into relationship with Him. Knowing I was responsible for two precious little lives turned my heart to Him. God has changed my life completely- priorities, goals, thought processes - everything."

 

What ages were your favorites?

 

"Every age has its joys and its challenges. Overall I would say my favorite times were infants up to preschool. They are so innocent, loveable and loving. Life is brand new and I love the sparkle of excitement in their eyes. I also love teenagers. Yes, that time can be challenging but it is so wonderful to see a child maturing. I love to talk with them, listening to their struggles and questions about life."

 

 

Do you miss having kids in the house?

 

"Yes and No. I miss the energy and joy of children in the home, but I am older now and don't think I could handle it everyday. As my mother always said "God knew what he was doing when he gave children to young people!" Thank God for grandchildren!"

 

 

What was the most difficult part of being a mom for you?

"The most difficult part of being a mom was being a single mom. Aside from the obvious practical difficulties and emotional struggles it broke my heart that my girls would not grow up in a two parent home."

 

 

What was the most rewarding part?

"Grandchildren! :] No, not really! The most rewarding part of being a mom at this time in my life is having two gorgeous girls who are fantastic people! I am so proud of them! They are wonderful mothers themselves, give so much back to the world, and are a joy to be around."

 

 

Tell me the story of my birth.

"You were born October 6, 1980. (Like you didn't know that) You were due on October 5th so I didn't have to wait too long for you. I awoke at 5:00 am that morning and knew that it was the day! We didn't go to the hospital until 3:00 that afternoon. I remember that the trees were just so gorgeous, because they had already started to change into their fall colors. You were born at Forsyth Hospital in Winston-Salem back in the time when there were still delivery rooms. Your father was with me the whole time, and you were born at 8:39 pm. I remember when you were born, Dr. Taylor (my ob), put you up on my stomach and you opened your little eyes and looked at me. I touched you. I had never felt anything as soft as your skin, and have never felt anything that soft since. I know that we all have memories that are branded into our brains so much so that all you have to do is recall it and it is as if you are right there again. This is one of those memories for me. I was so excited you were healthy and beautiful! I was also excited that this had all occurred during daytime hours and I wasn't going to miss a night's sleep. Wrong! I didn't sleep any that night anyway. But that was o.k. because I had you to keep me company. The next day your big sister came to see you. She looked in the nursery window (back then they didn't allow siblings to be in the same room with the new baby), and your dad said "There's your baby sister." Erin replied "Where is my baby brother?" We figured out that for the last several months we had been telling her she was going to have a baby brother OR a baby sister, but she was hearing that she was going to have a baby brother AND a baby sister! We came home from the hospital on the third day after you were born. Your Dad and Erin pulled up to the hospital in our little Datsun 510 and we went to our home on Wessex Drive in Winston-Salem."

 

How did you choose my name?

 

"Your dad and I could never exactly settle on a name before you were born. I liked Sarah so I told him that was going to be the girl name unless he came up with something better. You know, back then we didn't know the sex of the baby before he/she was born. We had a boy's name picked out (Justin Odiorne) from when Erin was born. So after you were born I called you Sarah. Then dad told me he didn't really like that name. So I told him he better come up with another (that I liked) before they came with the birth certificate or your name was going to be Sarah. I remember so well when he called me on the phone and said he had thought of a name - Dallas. I was mortified! "You can't name a baby Dallas! That's a city! No way I can agree to that. Go back and think some more." So he did and he called me back and said "What about Emily?" I immediately fell in love with the name, and it went so well with Grace, which of course was your paternal grandmother's middle name. So you became Emily Grace!"

Books I've Read - Jan-Apr 2013

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
Again.
I know, I know.
How many times can you read one book? Well, I could read this particular book more times than I care to admit. I actually haven't read it since Xander was born, so it's been a few years. I used to read it about once a year, so I think I've read it about 6 or 7 times. It's that good! It is my all-time favorite work of fiction. Ever.
I told a co-worker about it recently and she is going to use it in her book club. I love when I recommend this book and people read it. I've never had someone say they don't like it. It's a go-to gift for me to give to a friend and always my first recommendation if someone asks for a fiction novel. I love it!













Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath
Good information. I found it interesting and mostly accurate. You should try it!

The 17 Day Diet by Dr. Mike Moreno
This has been very helpful in my health-minded approach to living. I stuck with it to a "T" for the first 17 days and lost 11 pounds. I've only lost 8 more since then, but I haven't stuck with it as well. I recommend it if you're trying to lose weight!
*Side note: I have not been sticking to it very well over the past 3 weeks. One thing I learned from it though, is that I rely too much on nuts and cheeses, especially for snacks. If I can trade in some of those for fruits and vegetables, I feel better and I'm getting more nutrients. Not that nuts and cheese are bad for you (though some are, and especially portion sizes can be) but it's better for me to eat those in moderation and eat fruits and vegetables more regularly.















Real Marriage by Mark & Grace Driscoll
I read this book last year, but in February, we started reading it in our small group. I re-read a lot of the chapters, but I decided to listen to the podcast on Mark's sermons regarding each chapter. It was a nice supplement to the book. I would definitely recommend reading the book along with it, though. I have to admit that it got long and tedious at times. But it was nice to do in a small group - especially since we broke up girls/guys for some of the chapters. It was a good bonding time for us girls and I think the guys had a pretty nice time, too.
















Unglued by Lysa TerKeurst
Ahh. For the emotionally-charged woman this is a must-read. I've learned a lot about being an exploder and a stuffer, and how I'm both and neither and everything all at once sometimes, too. As someone who struggles with emotions and how to react, respond and deal with them, while embracing them, too...I recommend this book.














The Cove by Ron Rash
I don't read too many literary fiction novels. I started reading this book because it was set in NC and looked like an interesting topic. The description was intriguing and, though the book itself had moments of intrigue, it was a tad slow for my taste. As far as literary fiction goes, though, I would recommend it.















The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Another piece of literary fiction. This, like The Cove, is set in the '40's. I do love some historic fiction, so maybe that's where these titles are coming from? I don't know. But wherever this book came from, may I say, I am incredibly glad I stumbled across it. It is fantastic! I was only a few pages in when I knew I must immediately share this with my aunt - funny that the authors are an aunt/niece combo. I had no idea until after I sent her the recommendation. She read it and loved it, too. I only told her about it last week, but that's how she rolls. I love that about her.
Amazing book. One of my favorites of all time. Please check it out. You won't regret it.

Loving the Little Years by Rachel Jankovic
A short read - appreciated by mothers of little ones everywhere. I enjoyed this book. I didn't care for her style of writing at times and I didn't always agree with everything she said, but she makes some valid points and I took some things from this that will certainly help me in my parenting. She has four kids under 5 years of age. I only have two. I admire and commend her for writing a book about it. :) Definitely check it out if you have little kiddos.