September 2019: Recap + On My Shelves

September 2019: Recap + On My Shelves

• Dec 2, 2019

And now we're back to some catch-up content! I'm only about a week of posts away from being current. September was such a great month – one of my favorites of the year, by far. Let me tell you all the reasons why!

1. Kelly's Visit – The month got off to great start with a visit from Kelly! I can't remember how long we'd had this visit planned – maybe a month or so in advance? I couldn't wait to see her since I felt like it had been forever, even though it had just been five months. We went to all the bookstores, spent an evening in the mountains, and just enjoyed hanging out around my house. We have the best time, no matter what we do, and I'm so thankful for her.

2. Dinosaur Hike – Someone in our neighborhood Facebook group mentioned a local hiking trail in our area that had dinosaurs (foam, I think?) on it. My son is still obsessed with all things dinos, and I had a feeling he'd love it. He was in heaven, even more than I'd expected! I was dying inside because I accidentally chose the hottest day of the year for our visit, but seeing his joy made all the sweating worth it. Mostly. We'll definitely be going back!

3. It's a Boy! – I reached the 20-week mark of my pregnancy, which meant it was time for the anatomy ultrasound scan. We prayed that everything was developing just as it should be and couldn't wait to know if it was a boy or girl. We got good news all around – and found out we were having another little boy! Nick and our firstborn got to be there, too, which was so perfect. We had fun calling everyone and celebrating after, too!

4. Beach Vacay – Nick was traveling too much this summer for us to plan a vacation, so my mom suggested that we take our own trip after everyone was back in school. It was seriously the best! My son and I had so much fun with "Mimi" and made the best memories. The weather was wonderful, the food delicious, and the vibe so relaxed. It was busier than we expected, but still so much quieter than the height of summer. I'd love to do it again.

Read 8 Books | Favorites:

The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

Well Met by Jen DeLuca

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

“There is nothing fearless about me. I am scared every day.
I fear the wide world and the way it stares at me and sneers at me
and whispers about me when it thinks I cannot hear.
I fear a life of half measures, full of shadows of emotions and hints of possibilities
 and a thousand things I might have had if only I’d reached a bit farther.”
Brazen and the Beast by Sarah MacLean

“Let us love you, and remind you that you’re worth it
until you figure out what you’re going to do next.”
Well Met by Jen DeLuca

“Your head is the house you live in, so you have to do the maintenance.”
Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes

“Often the mightiest things have the humblest beginnings.”
The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

 “The will to be polite, to maintain civility and normalcy, is fearfully strong.
I wonder sometimes how much evil is permitted to run unchecked
simply because it would be rude to interrupt it.”
The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

“Destiny is a pretty story we tell ourselves.
Lurking beneath it there are only people, and the terrible choices we make.”
The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

“Every story is a love story if you catch it at the right moment.”
The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

I was on a podcast binge in September! Here were three new-to-me favorites:

The Lazy Genius – This is my new favorite podcast, by far! So much so that I've been slowly catching up on all past episodes. I think I'm about halfway through. Host Kendra Adachi wants to help listeners "be lazy about the things that don't matter and genius about the things that do." I love her practical, real-life advice about a variety of topics.

Cultivate Your Life with Lara Casey – I've been listening to these in order and am thankful there weren't too many to catch up on. Some episodes are 15 minutes and others are 1 hour +, so I have to be in the right mood to start one. This is a podcast where I really enjoy the content but sometimes find myself annoyed with the delivery. 

Work and Play with Nancy Ray – Another podcast that I binged from the beginning! Nancy Ray's voice is so soothing, and I just really enjoy listening to her. The "play" episodes are generally more relevant to me than the "work" ones, but I tuned in to all of them. They're a great length and just have refreshing, encouraging content.

Sex and the City: The Movie (2008) starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon – I finished the last season of Sex and the City in June, a little less than a year since I started the show. Kelly is the reason I watched it in the first place, so it seemed only fitting to watch the movie with her when she was in town. We talked too much during it for me to say much about it, but what a fun memory with my friend!

Falling Inn Love (2019) starring Christina Milian and Adam Demos – When Kelly and I were trying to decide what to watch on Netflix, this popped up as a recent release. She'd already seen it and wanted me to wait to watch it until I could pay more attention. I'm so glad she recommended it because this was adorable. Yes, it was cheesy, predictable, and unrealistic... but it was so fun, too! I loved the home renovation aspect of the story. 

Used Books: It's Not You, It's Me by Mhairi McFarlane, The Best Yes by Lysa Terkereust, The Meanest Doll in the World by Ann M. Martin, and The Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty 

New Releases: American Royals by Katharine McGee and The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

From My Mama: The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman, The Nobodies by Liza Palmer, The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys, Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center, Circe by Madeline Miller, Beholding and Becoming by Ruth Chou Simons, How to Raise a Reader by Pamela Paul and Maria Russo, and Risen Motherhood by Emily Jensen and Lauren Wifler

Audible: Don't You Forget About Me by Mhairi McFarlane, The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker

Kindle: Free of Me by Sharon Hodde Miller and Taste and See by Margaret Feinberg

Review: The Harp of Kings by Juliet Marillier