READ IT

A few weeks ago, I completed another of my '30 before Thirty' goals: read 30 new books. It took about 20 months to tackle, which was longer than I had anticipated. But, you know. Kids. There were books I loved. There were books I hated. Some were read in 2 days. Some were read in 2 months. Science Fiction. Autobiographies. Thrillers. Romance. Religious. Classics. And everything in between. I read books that I had long hoped to read. I read books that I had never heard of.  It was lovely. And guess what. I'm not done. This goal reignited my passion for literature, so you'll likely find me with my nose stuck in a book. In alphabetical order, here are the books that I read (with links to each on Amazon):







If you made me pick ONE right this second to call my favorite, I would have to say Little Bee. I love Dean Karnazes. I love Ellen DeGeneres. I love Gillian Flynn. But Little Bee has stayed with me in a way that none of the others have. Maybe it's the way that it's written. Maybe it's the tie to Africa. Either way, it reached deep and left a lasting impression. 

365: WEEK 38

We have been busy busy this past week. Preschool means that our mornings are FULL; I wouldn't have it any other way. Everything just flows until right after nap time, when the mr. gets home from work for the day. Then, we play. My favorite image of the week: September 19th - Read Me A Story. This guy loves his daddy. Understatement of the year. He LOVES him. Is basically attached to him. Their relationship is adorable.
Let me give you a little bit of a backstory to 'Self Perception'. At church on Sunday, the new Stake Young Women's Presidency introduced themselves to our YW in such a way that led to a lot of introspection. A LOT. I spent the hour following church examining myself, looking at characteristics and qualities that I possess. It was a bittersweet process. That smile quickly faded and was replaced by tears. I know that I am courageous, stubborn, and strong. That I am intelligent, obnoxious, and creative. Outgoing, sensitive, and impatient. What was painful was realizing that I have never thought of myself as a beautiful person, especially in regards to my physical appearance. I know that I am not hideous or anything. Obviously others have seen beauty in me. It's just not something I have ever seen in myself. Like I said, it was a bittersweet process. Examining how you feel about yourself is tough and rewarding, all at the same time. - end awkward post -

365: WEEK 37

Another week. I'd write more, but epic tantrum going down right this instant. Girls... My favorite image of the week: September 15th - Playing With Baby. These two make each other smile and giggle frequently; being able to capture it without their knowledge is just priceless.

This last one. The littles kept sticking their finger in the baby's mouth over and over, laughing hysterically when he bit them.
I have no idea...

365: WEEK 36

Hi there. I've had every intention of posting some extra stuff this week but clearly that didn't happen. Meh. Sorry. Next week? This week has been rough. Not sure why. Probably finances. Birthdays. Halloween. Christmas. They are all looming over me and, with five littles, it adds up quickly. Sort of makes me want to cry. Oh, and that AWESOME storm that brought 5.5" of rain the other day? Caused our roof to leak. And it is looking as if neither home warranty nor home owners insurance wants to cover the repair. They are claiming "normal wear and tear". Right... We may have to pay for a new roof before the holiday season. So that's fun! My favorite image of the week: September 6th - Playing With Daddy. This babe is such a happy guy when he is being held by daddy. This photo is particularly special because I literally took TWO photos the entire day and this just happened to be one of them.

365: WEEK 35

Another week down. Another seven days that have passed by faster than I've realized. Doctor's appointment confirmed that we are for sure welcoming another baby girl at the start of the New Year. Baby B decided that he is ready to pull himself to standing on nearly any object available. The littles got to go to the aquarium twice in one day because mom felt like it. Another day trip to Payson, where we played at the park and ate ice cream. My favorite image of the week: September 2nd - Afternoon Glow. The light for this image was just divine. And this little girl is so much like me that it scares me.