Summer Reading

The Girl You Lost (4 out of 5)

I just finished this one last night and it was a page turner. It had an ending I didn't expect and I really liked it. I have a feeling we will be seeing this one of the big screen. It is almost hard to say what this book is about. It can be very dark in parts and there were times I had to walk away and watch some fluff tv but don't let that keep you away from this page turner.



What She Knew (3.5 out of 5)

What She Knew was a book that I purchased because the library didn't have it. After reading the sample, I just had to buy it so I could keep reading. It is the story of a child abduction and all the things that surround it.



Don't You Cry (2.5 out of 5)
I have Mary Kubica other two books so it was so difficult waiting for this book to come out. It was a disappointment. The writing was on point but the storyline wasn't just great. If you loved her other two books I think you should still read this one but just know that it isn't as great.



Have you read anything great lately?

My Summer Beauty Routine

Night

I take off my make-up with my favorite make-up removing wipes. The Simple are my favorite ones. I then use my Loreal hydrafresh toner and finish it up with No. 7 night cream. It is an easy regiment and works really great.

Day

After I brush my teeth I use a Simple wipe to give myself a clean slate. I put on No. 7 day cream. While that is soaking in I use Winsome & Wisdom Shore of Yourself sea salt spray on my hair. It gives my hair the beachy wave look with very little effort. On the days where I don't use this spray my hair usually ends up in a bun. When most of your afternoons are spent at the pool there isn't much need to do something with lots of effort to my hair.

I keep my make-up really simple in the summer. There are some days when I don't use make-up at all but when I do, this is what I use.

I use Maybelline Dream Pure BB cream. My eyeshadow and blush are both Revlon products. The eyeshadow is Moonlit and the blush is Oh Baby! Pink. I only use just a little, enough to give me a little color. My lipstick is Maybelline Romantic Rose. For a little gloss I have been using Ultra's Mentha Lip Shine which was a sweet gift from my friend Tabitha at A Hundred Tiny Wishes. The mascara I use came from my sister's Ipsy bag and she didn't care for it but I really liked it. It is Fairy Lashes.

What is your absolute favorite beauty product?

Weekend Recap

This wasn't an exceptionally wild weekend. Jack and I did some swimming, I made some homemade salsa, I met up with some friends, read, Jack had a playdate with his cousin Bennett, and I did some cleaning. The best parts were the swimming, seeing my friends, and yummy salsa.

After an afternoon of swimming Jack found a pacifier and had fun pretending he was a baby. He was laying on top of me making baby noises and sucking on the paci. He can be such a ham sometimes. Taking him swimming hasn't been as relaxing as I was hoping it would be. He wants to get in and out of the pool and wants to jump off the side. Those two things make it where I have to stick close to him. I do love being in the water with it being so hot.

Saturday night I met up with some friends. This is the second weekend in a row where I've seen friends. Getting to see friends so much over the summer has been so nice. I think the summer has me wanting to get out a little more. We laughed a lot and had a great time.

Friday night I picked tomatoes and there were just so many that I decided to make some homemade salsa. I went to the store and bought a few jalapeno peppers, some limes, garlic, yellow onions, and cilantro. Saturday morning I started by boiling my canning jars. My first batch I made in the blender and I quickly realized that it was too liquidity. I got out the food chopper and I liked the consistency a lot better. I made four jars and we enjoyed one jar yesterday and we will be opening another jar this weekend for our 4th of July party. 

I hope y'all had an amazing weekend like I did. I'm looking forward to this coming weekend of food, family, and fireworks. it is going to an exciting weekend!

Boy Mom Box Swap

I was so happy to be paired with Stephanie whose blog I was already following. I already knew how much her son Connor and my son Jack had in common. It was such a joy to shop for Stephanie and Connor. I hope they loved it all!

Jack and I sure loved what we got. Before I get started let me say that when I opened the box Jack knew exactly what was his because it was all in this blue zipper bag which has already become his swimming bag and is currently in the backseat with the clothes that he wore to the pool. 

Inside the blue zipper bag there were lots of goodies.  

He got two mini Thomas the trains that he loved so much that I went and bought him two more to add to his now growing collection. He also got bubbles, Paw Patrol chalk, a learning tablet that we have already been playing with, and a pair of cute sunglasses that we took to the pool. 

Mom got some great stuff too. 

I absolutely love my notepad, sticky notes, and notecards. Stephanie did an amazing job knowing just what I would love. I also got a Target giftcard that I plan on using at the Dollar Spot tomorrow. Included was some Johnson & Johnson face and hand wipes that I havent' tried before. They are going in my travel case that I take along when I go somewhere with Jack. These are going to be so much better than using diaper wipes. 

Thanks Stephanie for all the amazing things! Jack and I loved everything! 

Father's Day Makes Me Worry

Father's Day was Sunday and thankfully Jack is too young to fully be aware that he basically doesn't have a father. It hurts to my core that Jack doesn't know the love of his father. I do everything in my power to make sure that he never feels it though. I try to be intentional about wrestling with him, playing ball, getting in the dirt, and pushing cars around.

I'm dreading the moment when Jack asks me because to be honest I don't know what to say. Do I make up a lie about why his dad isn't around or do I tell him the truth? I feel like telling him that his dad is a selfish person will make him feel inferior. I never want him to feel like he isn't enough. Not once do I want him to feel that it has anything to do with him.

The last time Jack saw his father was November 14th and before that it was March. The man battled me and cost me thousands of dollars for him to just disappear from his life. The papers say he gets Jack every Saturday. We haven't heard from him or gotten the first dollar in child support. Many people ask me why I don't go after him for child support. My reasons are 1. I'm tired of fighting. 2. If he doesn't feel like that is the least he should do then I don't want to force it. 3. We are okay without it (it is only $100 a month so it isn't like it would change our lives). 4. I believe that if he was forced to pay then he would try and affect my life negatively.

Jack has his uncle Tyler and my father for positive male influences but it sometimes makes me sad. He calls his uncle Tyler Daddy because his cousin Bennett does. I do correct him but when he does it, it hurts. He is starting to talk about daddies from watching tv shows.

I'm starting to really feel the pressure of trying to figure out what to say when the time comes. At daycare they made two little things for Father's Day and I just had to throw them away. It hurt too much to look at them.

I know the time is coming where I'm going to have to tell him something. Any suggestions? Anyone want to handle that for me :)

5 Pics That Currently Sum Up Life

1// All about the comfort. It is H. O. T. but mainly it is VERY humid. Shorts, tanks, flip flops, BB cream, hair tie, and sunglasses are my summer fashion and beauty life. For the next few days we are under a heat advisory so light clothes for sure.

2// Too much sun. Bless his heart but I think we should have reapplied sunscreen a little more often. You could tell where I missed spots. Of course I spent the same amount of time in the sun and I'm still white as a ghost. A little sun wouldn't hurt these legs. We have spent every waking moment we could in the pool and playing outside. We are soaking up lots of sun and doing lots of sweating. 

3// Lots of baking and cooking. I took a cooking break this last semester off school but I'm back at it full force. My favorite thing I've cooked is you take a piece of Italian bread and broil it a little (just enough to give it a little crunch). You then take it out of the oven and put a slice of tomato, a slice of mozarrella, a basil leaf, a little sea salt, and a grizzle of EVOO. You then broil it until the cheese is melted. Oh my goodness it is delicious and when you can pick your own tomatoes in your backyard it is even better. 

Saturday I had an assist in the kitchen while making two batches of brownies, one with and without seeds (Jack calls nuts seeds). However, I think he did more taste testing. 

4// Garden life. In the background of this picture you can see a piece of our garden. We are currently picking beans. We don't need an abundance so once they are ready, we pull the whole plant and pick the beans off under a shade tree. These are pinto beans and last week we focused on snap beans. Once veggie items start becoming ready we stay pretty busy with picking, shelling, freezing, canning, and mostly eating. 

5// Lunch margaritas. My high school bestie and I have met up a few times this summer for Mexican food and margaritas....for lunch. We catch up, make plans, and do lots of laughing. It's so fun having this time to make fun plans for during the day. 

Here are some other fun things I've been up to:

• working out 
• listening to podcasts
• reading wonderful books (I hope to blog about them soon)
• spending lots of time with my niece and nephew
• doing professional development and learning some new things I'm excited about
• sewing (or at least trying to)
• learning Snapchat (amponder)

My 5 Favorite Podcasts

I've talked a little about my love for podcasts but today I wanted to take it a step further and share with you my favorites (you know those that you can't get enough of). I've also shared my love for growing as a person. I never want to stop working on myself. Most of these podcasts are just that, ways for me to learn and grow.

During the school year I listen to podcasts on my commute to and from work. I have a solid hour and a half each day so falling in love with podcasts has really made that time more enjoyable. Now that it is summer and I don't have a commute I am having to make the time to listen to my favorite podcasters. I've been finding that time right before bed, while running errands, and during simple chores like folding laundry and dusting.

So here are my current top five:

1// Mom Struggling Well. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm obsessed with this one right here. It is Christianity based but isn't too churchy. It is authentic and funny and you will fall in love with Emily Thomas like myself and many others. She uses interviews to give life to what other moms are doing to struggle well.

2// The Girl Next Door. I've listened to about ten episodes so far and I am enjoying starting them from the beginning and working my way to their current episodes. It is two women who live next door to each other and became friends. It is like reading a book. You get to hear about their lives as things unfold. They typically discuss topics like vacation, fashion, being creative, and so many others. You really get to know them and their family. They also share a cocktail recipe each episode which has me thinking we need to implement happy hour into this household. 

3// Unruffled. This is a parenting podcast that I turn to when I'm having a particular issue with Jack, such as his biting. They aren't long and each one has a topic. You receive great advice and it gives you the umph to get back in there and tackle the situation. 

4// The Big Boo Cast. I discovered this podcast after I read Melanie Shankles' books. I love the dynamic between Big Mama and Boo Mama. They are so funny and real and just a joy to listen to. I've actually already listened to every one of their episodes and am dutifully waiting for another. 

5// The Inspired to Action Podcast. This podcast is Christian based and the greatest thing for me about it is that it is relaxing to listen to. It's more churchy than Mom Struggling Well but it isn't overwhelming. It gets your mind straight by inspiring you to be better and do better. For the most part it is about motherhood (which is where I feel like I need the most guidance). She interviews amazing people each week that have a great story and leave you wondering what God has in store for your life. 

I was a little late to the whole podcast thing so I'm still discovering my podcast taste. So far I've learned that I enjoy podcasts that either have me laughing, learning something new, or inspiring me to become my best self. 

If you have a favorite podcast please let me know as I have found that I typically like what other people like. So tell me, do you listen to podcasts, and if so which are your favorites? 

Haircuts, My New Favorite Drink, and Friends

Guys I had an amazing weekend, so amazing that it took me until now (Monday afternoon to recap). Yesterday Mexican food was consumed and a nap was had. Does anyone else crave Mexican food after a night of too many cocktails? 

First bit of exciting news is that I finally cut my hair and I'm in love with it! I even had my girl Jade put in some blonde highlights. I've never really done highlights before and I must say that I'm a fan. Of course, I can't perfectly recreate how my hair looked when I left the salon but regardless I am loving the shorter hair. 

Saturday morning me and four other gal pals drove up to Little Rock for the annual Riverfest Festival. I found my new favorite drink, a orange basil mojito. I will be trying to recreate this yummy and very summery cocktail. 

Riverfest was so incredibly hot this year. Typically it is Memorial Day weekend but they moved it to the first weekend in June. Although technically there is only a week difference, it felt like months with the heat. You add in all the people and it was just plain miserable. But we had a blast because gal pals and cocktails adds up to lots of laughter no matter how much we are sweating.  

In other news, I'm reading 5 Habits of a Woman Who Doesn't Quit. It resonates so much with me. I highly recommend it if you are a woman who tends to quit a little too easy. She uses the story of Ruth to guide you through the 5 habits. I'm just about half way through and oh it has me thinking. 

 

4 Days Into Summer

It's been a little while since I've made it here to my space. I'm currently four days into my summer break. I'm already feeling really accomplished. The last thing I posted was my summer bucket list. I am obsessed with it and want to do it all and more.

I've already joined the local Boys Club so we can swim. We are just waiting for it to open. They are running behind schedule with some maintance work but we are ready when they do open. I picked up some new beach towels for us to use.

The gym has been my greatest friend and worst enemy lately. I've been doing the whole walking/running thing and yesterday decided that the ellictical would be a good idea. It was not. I am currently laying in a chair with a heating pad attached to my back. Lesson learned.

my official gym hairdo

Me and my gal pals are gearing up for River Fest this weekend. It appears the weather is going to be awful. We are suppose to see Chris Stapleton in concert and I hope the weather cooperates long enough for at least that. The other part of the time we will either be running our mouths inside the hotel or singing along at the piano bar. 

Before school was out we drew for new Secret Pals and I already have an amazing one. Look at the loot I walked away with for summer.

Jack got so many amazing things. We have opened everything except the bubbles. We have too many issues with bubbles. Bubbles cause craziness. And look what I got! An Amazon and iTunes giftcard and some super cute Yellowbox flip flops. It was such an amazing surprise!

Yesterday I started my sewing adventure and let me tell you sewing machines are the devils work. Thank God for YouTube videos. I'm still working on the bobbin and threading. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. As discouraged as I currently am, I am looking forward to seeing my progress by the end of the summer. 

I hope to get into a better blogging schedule once I start feeling more productive in the other areas of my bucket list. I hope to share all of our fun activities, things we are learning, and things we are getting accomplished.