It’s the end of September, so every year I get nostalgic about back-to-school from my own childhood, autumn semester in college and the fun it brought, and since becoming a parent I’ve been thinking back to celebrating all the autumnal firsts last year with W.
What I’m loving
The weather cooling down and the leaves beginning to change. The rhythm of our life currently. This coffee creamer. The rare Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew from Starbucks. Our autumn wreath on the front door. We actually have a new door mat since this photo that says “Come In & Cozy Up”. Friday night football games at the local high school.
What we’ve been up to
This month has been so busy and has truly flown by! W started both preschool two days a week and swim lessons two days a week. William is deep in the semester teaching. I’m deep in my grad school semester. Each Wednesday morning W and I go to music class and library story time. We’ve been enjoying Friday night football games at the local high school. College GameDay came to town which was really fun. The Farmers’ Market is stocked with fall produce. The Greenway has been wonderful for early autumn walks and lots of time at the playground. We had a fundraiser event this past weekend for our beloved Children’s Playhouse that was so much fun. It’s just been a really full and enjoyable month!
What I’m working on
ALL the school work. In one class I’m doing a research project on teaching challenged books. In another I’m doing a research project on South Asian representation in picture books. In my third class I’m working on a collection development project around the nonfiction sports books at a local elementary school. These big projects are on top of all of the other course work, on top of our home management, and being a wife and mama.
What I’m excited about
The coziness of this time of year and all the fun activities around this time of year.
What I’m watching
I’m so excited The Great British Bake Off is back with a new season on Netflix. I also enjoy Home Economics and I’m looking forward to heading back to Abbott Elementary too.
What I’m reading
I am reading so many fun picture books, middle grade and YA titles for my Critical Issues in Literature and Media course. I’ll have a post up soon with my thoughts on each so far. Currently I’m reading Darius the Great Deserves Better.
W’s favorite book of the month has been We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt – we read it multiple times a day. It will be so sad when we have to return it to the library.
What I’m listening to
I’ve been loving The Message channel on Sirius while driving around town.
Podcasts I’ve been listening to on walks are Back to the Beach with Kristin and Stephen. Pantsuit Politics. The Suburban Woman Problem. The Carpool with Kelly and Lizz. From the Front Porch.
What I’m doing this weekend
My cousin is getting married in Dahlonega, so we’re road tripping down to celebrate with them.
What I’m looking forward to next month
Visiting the pumpkin patch. The Wooly Worm Festival. The Valle Crucis Country Fair. Boone Boo.
What a fun weekend! I love long weekends and the extra time we get together as a family.
Friday morning we went on a family walk at the Greenway before W and I went to the playground for an hour – it was such a beautiful morning! After a morning outside, we made a quick stop at the grocery store and got home for lunch and a nap. Friday evening we went out to our favorite Mexican restaurant for supper.
Saturday morning we headed out on another walk on the Greenway. Town felt eerily quiet compared to a normal Saturday and that’s because of the noon kick-off of the first football game of the season – as busy as downtown and campus were, the more residential and commercial areas felt very peaceful. After our walk, we went home for showers before going to watch the game and enjoy lunch with some friends at their house. We spent a cozy afternoon at home before watching the Alabama game that night.
Sunday morning I took care of some cleaning before we went to church, where church nursery is back again for the school year. W had so much fun, he was sad to head home. We made a quick grocery run after church before coming home for lunch, nap and more cleaning. I also needed to do some school work that is due this week. It was a productive day.
Monday was a rainy day and our normal indoor play spot is always closed on Mondays, so we stayed home and played here. It was a cozy stay-at-home kind of day. Monday evening, W started swim lessons for the month. He’ll go twice a week for the month of September, and we’re excited for his continued growth and confidence in the water.
Monday morning W and I went to Hobby Lobby to grab a few fresh pieces of autumn decor. He picked out the wreath for our front door, I grabbed a runner for our credenza, a fun fall cup for his smoothies, a set of mustard colored napkins and a couple picture frames. We had a lowkey afternoon, working on transitioning to crib naps instead of contact naps as W starts preschool next week, though I still snuggle him to sleep before transferring him to the crib – he’s only little for so long! Monday night William and I worked together to make shrimp and grits for supper – such a yummy and easy meal!
Tuesday morning W and I headed to the playhouse for music time and to play with all of the fun toys they have. After the playhouse, we swung through the Starbucks drive through for a pumpkin cream cold brew to enjoy on our walk.
Before our walk, we stopped at the rec center to ensure W was good to start swim lessons next week. On our walk we saw leaves beginning to change, a buck enjoying lunch and a mama leading two fawns across our path. It was a fun taste of early fall.
After our walk we had a trunk picnic before heading to get our hair cut. The stylist who I see also cuts W’s hair during my appointment since it takes less than 10 minutes and I have just been getting trims and fresh layers in my long hair. William came to grab W after his hair cut so we could focus on my cut and so W could get home for his nap.
After my haircut I headed home, which was great timing since thunderstorms began as soon as we pulled in. I made some coffee and turned on an episode of Big Bad Budget Battle before starting supper – crispy pulled pork tacos. I then said goodnight to W because I had two classes back to back, so I settled in for four hours of learning.
Wednesday morning we enjoyed music class again and W created a beautiful painting in the playhouse art studio.
After the playhouse we made a visit to the public library to play with the train table and pick up some books on hold. Following the library we headed home for lunch and a nap. When Warren woke up we headed out for a walk on the greenway and to grab Chipotle for supper.
Thursday morning we headed to the greenway for a walk and time to ride our balance bike and play at the tot lot. on our walk we saw several deer in the river, which is always a fun place to see them. After our outside adventures, we had a couple errands to run before heading home for lunch and a nap. We made an early dinner of grilled cheese before I had my research methods class, which I only attended an hour of and will have to watch the recording for the second hour of class. Our neighbor came over to watch Warren for a couple hours while William and I headed to our church for the parents’ meeting to start the preschool year for W. When we got home from that, we watched a bit of the West Virginia v. Pitt football game before reading in bed.
I feel like I read a lot, but also enjoyed my reading this month. It was a balance of reading for my graduate program and reading for pleasure, and it just felt like a good reading month.
It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
Goodreads Summary
“Tessa Bailey is back with a Schitt’s Creek-inspired rom-com about a Hollywood “It Girl” who is cut off from her wealthy family and exiled to a small Pacific Northwest beach town… where she butts heads with a surly, sexy local who thinks she doesn’t belong.”
Rating
3/5 Stars
Review
This was a fun, light-hearted engaging rom-com featuring miscommunication, misunderstanding, misjudgment and a beautiful and charming small town. The characters were fun and the world they lived in pulled me in to learn more. While parts were highly unbelievable, that’s the fun of a good rom-com!
One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle
Goodreads Summary
“When Katy’s mother dies, she is left reeling. Carol wasn’t just Katy’s mom, but her best friend and first phone call. She had all the answers and now, when Katy needs her the most, she is gone. To make matters worse, their planned mother-daughter trip of a lifetime looms: two weeks in Positano, the magical town Carol spent the summer right before she met Katy’s father. Katy has been waiting years for Carol to take her, and now she is faced with embarking on the adventure alone.
But as soon as she steps foot on the Amalfi Coast, Katy begins to feel her mother’s spirit. Buoyed by the stunning waters, beautiful cliffsides, delightful residents, and, of course, delectable food, Katy feels herself coming back to life.
And then Carol appears—in the flesh, healthy, sun-tanned, and thirty years old. Katy doesn’t understand what is happening, or how—all she can focus on is that she has somehow, impossibly, gotten her mother back. Over the course of one Italian summer, Katy gets to know Carol, not as her mother, but as the young woman before her. She is not exactly who Katy imagined she might be, however, and soon Katy must reconcile the mother who knew everything with the young woman who does not yet have a clue.”
Rating
4/5 Stars
Review
The magic of this story felt like such a beautiful way to walk through deep grief and grapple with understanding a different side of someone you thought you knew everything about. I loved that every character was flawed and vulnerable and working on discovering what life meant to them. I found this story tender and reflective and beautiful. It also made me want to call my mama!
Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Goodreads Summary
“When Louise Wolfe’s first real boyfriend mocks and disrespects Native people in front of her, she breaks things off and dumps him over e-mail. It’s her senior year, anyway, and she’d rather spend her time with her family and friends and working on the school newspaper. The editors pair her up with Joey Kairouz, the ambitious new photojournalist, and in no time the paper’s staff find themselves with a major story to cover: the school musical director’s inclusive approach to casting The Wizard of Oz has been provoking backlash in their mostly white, middle-class Kansas town. From the newly formed Parents Against Revisionist Theater to anonymous threats, long-held prejudices are being laid bare and hostilities are spreading against teachers, parents, and students — especially the cast members at the center of the controversy, including Lou’s little brother, who’s playing the Tin Man. As tensions mount at school, so does a romance between Lou and Joey — but as she’s learned, “dating while Native” can be difficult. In trying to protect her own heart, will Lou break Joey’s?”
Rating
4/5 Stars
Review
I was assigned this book for a graduate school class on critical issues in literature. I really appreciated that the characters felt like authentic teenagers and not fictional idealized teens. The values of family, home, identity, and friendship were so clearly developed and I loved that the characters faced some real world, challenging problems with realistic approaches. I’m grateful to have been assigned this text and for the story shared in its pages.
The Tobacco Wives by Adele Myers
Goodreads Summary
“For the audience of Fiona Davis and Lisa Wingate, a vibrant historical debut set in 1946 North Carolina following a young female seamstress who uncovers dangerous truths about the Big Tobacco empire ruling the American South.”
Rating
5/5 Stars
Review
Favorite book of 2022 so far. I LOVED it! The characters felt nuanced and relatable, the setting was authentic to North Carolina, the history was well-researched and though timelines weren’t perfect, those choices helped the story flow. The book tackled issues of classism, illness, workers rights, family, making hard choices and figuring out how to do the right thing. I deeply, deeply enjoyed this book!
Serena Singh Flips the Script by Sonya Lalli
Goodreads Summary
“Serena Singh is tired of everyone telling her what she should want–and she is ready to prove to her mother, her sister, and the aunties in her community that a woman does not need domestic bliss to have a happy life.
Things are going according to plan for Serena. She’s smart, confident, and just got a kick-ass new job at a top advertising firm in Washington, D.C. Even before her younger sister gets married in a big, traditional wedding, Serena knows her own dreams don’t include marriage or children. But with her mother constantly encouraging her to be more like her sister, Serena can’t understand why her parents refuse to recognize that she and her sister want completely different experiences out of life.
A new friendship with her co-worker, Ainsley, comes as a breath of fresh air, challenging Serena’s long-held beliefs about the importance of self-reliance. She’s been so focused on career success that she’s let all of her hobbies and close friendships fall by the wayside. As Serena reconnects with her family and friends–including her ex-boyfriend–she learns letting people in can make her happier than standing all on her own.”
Rating
4/5 Stars
Review
This book was a JOY. Making friends as an adult is hard and awkward vans complicated and this book depicted that so well! I found the characters endearing, loved the world of advertising in DC and the complicated family dynamics felt authentic. Navigating who you are and what you want in life and finding the people you want by your side while doing it isn’t easy and this book shares that struggle. It also looks at societal expectations of women and navigating if the traditional role of wife and mother is what you want in life, or if you have a different dream and path.
Better Together by Kallie George
Goodreads Summary
“Spring has come to Fernwood Forest, and the Heartwood Hotel is all a-bustle. With Mr. Heartwood off on vacation, it’s up to Mona and the rest of the staff to keep everything running smoothly. When rumors buzz of a rival hotel, Gilles is determined to prove that the Heartwood is the very best with the splashiest Spring Splash the forest has ever seen. Guests check in from near and far to compete for the Cutest Egg, the Tiniest Talent, and the Best Blossom. Newcomer Henry is all too happy to help out, making Mona start to feel unsure of her place. Does the Heartwood really need her as much as she thought? But soon there’s more to worry about than whose egg has the sweetest speckles. Some decidedly uninvited guests have been drawn to the festivities. Can Mona find a way to bring everyone together in time to save them all from danger?”
Rating
4/5 Stars
Review
We love this sweet series so much in our house, though my husband was sad that owls were the “enemy” in this story.
I love that this story dealt with jealousy and fear of a friendship changing – such relatable themes for so many kids!
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Goodreads Summary
“Pa Ingalls decides to sell the little log house, and the family sets out for Indian country! They travel from Wisconsin to Kansas, and there, finally, Pa builds their little house on the prairie. Sometimes farm life is difficult, even dangerous, but Laura and her family are kept busy and are happy with the promise of their new life on the prairie.”
Rating
3/5 Stars
Review
I read this book for a graduate course, and it was delightful to revisit the Ingalls family in one of the first books I remember reading on my own. There were definitely problems with the book, like the quote, “the only good Indian is a dead Indian,” which is repeated multiple times. But, there are also beautiful depictions of the Great Plains flora, fauna, and animals. There are clear pictures built of the challenges of pioneer life, and I find value in the text for its role in history and in explaining a piece of history. I also find value in the story being shared between multiple directions, like this book was in my family.
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Goodreads Summary
“
Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel–prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with—of all things—her mind. True chemistry results.
But like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show Supper at Six. Elizabeth’s unusual approach to cooking (“combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride”) proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook. She’s daring them to change the status quo.”
Rating
5/5 Stars (I listened to the audiobook)
Review
Women in science. Sexism. Deep love – romantic, platonic, maternal. Grief. Secrets. Navigating a world designed to see you fail.
This story was compelling and engaging – I couldn’t stop listening, I had to know what would happen next. The characters felt authentic and layered, the settings in laboratories and television studios were well developed, and the story of this remarkable woman was just so very very good.
There is some language and violence against women, so if you’re sensitive to either subject, this may not be the book for you.
Lease on Love by Fallon Ballard
Goodreads Summary
“Beach Read meets The Flatshare in this warmly funny and delightfully sharp debut rom-com about a down-on-her-luck young woman who turns an innocent mix-up between a dating app and a roommate app into a new chance at love.”
Rating
4/5 Stars
Review
What a fun cast of characters that showcased such deep friendship and love for each other and saw the whole of each other – it was so enviable! I found the primary love story premise predictable but comforting in that 90s rom-com way. & was delighted for Sadie to find success by doing something that scared her, but that she had long dreamed of pursuing. I also loved that it dealt with mental health and healing after years of verbal abuse from a narcissistic relationship, in this case with a parent, and the importance of therapy and continuous work, even when you feel fully healed.
Class Act by Jerry Craft
Goodreads Summary
Eighth grader Drew Ellis is no stranger to the saying “You have to work twice as hard to be just as good.” His grandmother has reminded him his entire life. But what if he works ten times as hard and still isn’t afforded the same opportunities that his privileged classmates at the Riverdale Academy Day School take for granted?
To make matters worse, Drew begins to feel as if his good friend Liam might be one of those privileged kids. He wants to pretend like everything is fine, but it’s hard not to withdraw, and even their mutual friend Jordan doesn’t know how to keep the group together.
As the pressures mount, will Drew find a way to bridge the divide so he and his friends can truly accept each other? And most important, will he finally be able to accept himself?
Rating
3/5 Stars
Review
This book made me laugh out loud multiple times. I think it represents middle school well while dealing with racism and classism and the challenges of friendship and need for communication. I thought it was full of wonderful representation in the illustrations of characters presented, north primary and supporting. I found this to be a wonderful sequel to New Kid and am looking forward to the next installment of this graphic novel series.
Isla to Island by Alexis Castellanos
Goodreads Summary
Marisol loves her colorful island home. Cuba is vibrant with flowers and food and people…but things are changing. The home Marisol loves is no longer safe—and then it’s no longer her home at all. Her parents are sending her to the United States. Alone.
Nothing about Marisol’s new life in cold, gray Brooklyn feels like home—not the language, school, or even her foster parents. But Marisol starts to realize that home isn’t always a place. And finding her way can be as simple as staying true to herself.
Rating
4/5 Stars
Review
This book was beautiful and heart wrenching and uplifting. The illustrations are stunning and do such a wonderful job of telling the story of an immigrant girl from Cuba leaving a life of brightness and love, interrupted by the rise of Castro, and arriving in the middle of winter to an unfamiliar country,language and family. Yet she soon finds joy again through reminders of what she loved in Cuba – plants and books and the steadfast care and affection of the adults who cared for her. I hugged this book when I was done, it just felt so tender and lovely and captured middle school emotions on top of the larger themes of the story.
Nursery Rhyme Comics
Goodreads Summary
Each rhyme is one to three pages long, and simply paneled and lettered to ensure that the experience is completely accessible for the youngest of readers. Chock full of engaging full-color artwork and favorite characters (Jack and Jill! Old Mother Hubbard! The Owl and the Pussycat!), this collection will be treasured by children for years to come.
Rating
3/5 Stars
Review
The illustrations in this nursery rhyme collection make the traditional stories feel fresh and modern. Nursery rhymes feel familiar to many students with their introduction in early childhood and this would be a fun way for students learning to read to enjoy familiar stories in a fresh way.
A Friend Like You by Frank Murphy and Charnaie Gordon
Goodreads Summary
“There’s nothing in the world like a wonderful friend. Friends are there to laugh with you and ready with a hug when you need one. Adventure friends and study friends. There are forever friends and brand new friends. In this book, celebrate ALL the marvelous ways to be a friend!”
Rating
5/5 Stars
Review
This books is beautifully illustrated and a true celebration of friendship and what it means to be a friend. Characters of diverse abilities, body types and races are present throughout in a way that feels both natural and intentional. I think this book is important because it answers the questions, “what is a friend?” and “how do I love this person?”.
And another summer is fading into fall, though it truly feels like this summer just began. The school year has begun for my husband teaching and my graduate program, and our son begins two-day preschool next week. The seasons are changing and time is flying quickly.
Our summer – we have done so much and it flew by! I’m trying to savor how sweet it’s been and know that the stage of life we’ve been in for the last 20 months is drawing to a close as W begins preschool.
What We’ve Been Up To
Settling in to the start of fall term. Soaking up end of summer activities. Spending time outside every day we can.
What I’m Working On
School. Organizing paperwork. Keeping the house clean. Waking up earlier. Exercising more consistently.
What I’m Excited About
The changing of the seasons. Introducing W to new experiences. The classes I’m taking this semester and the projects within. My cousin’s wedding on October 01.
What I’m Watching
I love the Discovery+ app and the various shows in the home and food categories. I enjoyed Indian Matchmaking on Netflix and am ready for the return of some of our network shows like Abbott Elementary.
What I’m Reading
Lots of wonderful books for my Critical Issues in Youth Literature course ranging from picture books to middle grade and YA across a broad range of topics. I’m also doing the academic reading for my Collections Development and Research Methods courses. In addition, I read a chapter book to W throughout the week and try to read a few books for pleasure too.
What I’m Listening To
I really enjoyed the audio book of Lessons in Chemistry this month and am looking forward to finishing The Cartographers and listening to Daisy Jones and The Six next month. I’ve also been enjoying my podcasts, particularly Pantsuit Politics and Back to the Beach. Sirius has been my go to for music in my car this month.
What I’m Wearing
Mostly athleisure and the occasional nice dress for church. I’m excited to start dressing up a bit more when I have to go into the school for a course assignment this term.
What I’m Doing This Weekend
We’re hopefully going for a walk and to the farmers market Saturday morning before going to a colleague of William’s house to tailgate and watch the first half of the App State versus UNC game before getting W home for a nap and more college football from our couch. Sunday we’ll hopefully get out for another walk and same with Monday. We may have friends come up the mountain from Winston-Salem with their kids, which would be fun!
What I’m looking forward to next month
Celebrating my husband’s birthday. W starting school two days a week. W taking swim lessons. Working in a local school library for one of my class assign this semester. Digging into the “meat” of my courses this semester. Enjoying the early autumn weather.
What else is new
Honestly, each day is dynamic and different with a toddler, so everything constantly feels different.
Monday morning while William was doing syllabus day for his three classes he’s teaching this semester, W and I had a busy morning. We signed up for swim lessons, enjoyed a walk on the greenway, grabbed storage totes from Lowe’s, did a quick grocery shop and dropped off forms for pre-school at the pediatrician’s office. After our morning of running around we headed home for lunch and a nap before William came home. With such a busy day we took advantage of a special back-to-school coupon from Domino’s and ordered pizza for supper.
Tuesday morning we had to take William’s car into the shop for a few quick repairs, and then drop him off at work. Traffic was insane between an early morning accident and the back-to-school traffic. W and I went to music class and playtime at the local children’s museum for the morning before heading home for lunch and a nap.
Tuesday nights will be one of my class nights this semester, but this week neither of my Tuesday night classes met. I made some quick shrimp tacos for supper, cooking the shrimp in a yummy coastal seasoning blend and serving it with feta cheese, avocado & sour cream in flour tortillas. We also enjoyed some watermelon and cantaloupe on the side.
Wednesday morning we dropped William off for a day of teaching and W and I visited both the campus library and the public library – having access to both is so nice, especially with the awesome collection at the campus library of picture books, middle grade and YA; being at the top education school in the Carolinas definitely has its benefits! We also went to music class and playtime again before heading home for lunch and nap. I made crockpot pulled pork sandwiches for supper and we had more watermelon and cantaloupe on the side along with some roasted sweet potatoes – trying to enjoy as much melon as we can since the season is drawing to an end.
Thursday morning W and I joined William on campus. We went to his office to add some of W’s art to the gallery his dad has started. Then while William worked, W and I enjoyed a walk around campus and a visit to the library. I unfortunately spilled my coffee all down my shirt, so we stopped at the campus bookstore for an inexpensive T-shirt to get rid of the coffee shirt. After stopping to say goodbye to William, W and I took my car for a quick wash before lunch and a nap. We ordered Chinese takeaway for supper and I had my first research methods class. It was a full and busy Thursday!
And so a new semester begins. Today is the first day of classes for my husband this semester and the start of his third year as part of the faculty at this university. My classes for the semester technically start tomorrow.
Friday morning W and I were out the door early for a pediatrician appointment before we enjoyed a nice walk along the greenway and he practiced riding his balance bike in the parking lot. We ran a couple errands before heading home for his nap and an afternoon at home.
Saturday morning our family headed to the greenway again for a walk. There was a high school cross-country meet happening while we were there and W loved watching and cheering for all the runners. After our walk we came home for lunch and a nap before heading to M&M’s house to spend time together and eat supper. There was a fundraiser happening at the local VFW, so we called in our orders for takeaway and M went to bring it to their house for us to enjoy. It was so nice to see them and spend time together – it’s nice to have distant family in town and to have become closer with our shared location and connection to the university.
Saturday night I finished the reading for one of my classes for the week – one of the books we had to read this week was Little House on the Prairie, which was fun to revisit as an adult. It is one of the first chapter books I remember reading on my own as a child – my mama’s well-loved paperback copy from when she was a girl. Many of the descriptions of the flora, fauna, and wildlife of the prairie feel familiar even now – close to 200 years after the Ingalls family was homesteading.
Sunday morning we enjoyed a joint church service with all three services combining into one before a barbecue lunch in the family life center. It was a welcome back to college students, the beginning of a new sermon series, and a kick-off to the school year since both the public school system and the university begin classes tomorrow. We were able to catch up with some friends over the barbecue and it was fun to see the chapel so full since all three groups were together.
We spent Sunday afternoon at home for a nap and getting organized for the week ahead.
Halfway through August – one more week until fall semester begins and William resumes teaching and my classes start.
Friday morning I met a friend for a walk along the greenway in town and we saw some leaves already beginning to change and the weather had me wearing a long sleeve shirt with my shorts – the end of summer is feeling closer and closer.
Friday night we met a friend of mine who was visiting from out of town for dinner at a new to us restaurant that serves “southwest meets Caribbean meets soul food.” I thought it was really flavorful and I appreciated how many vegetarian and vegan options were available – so nice to see! It was also great to see my friend; we were neighbors and co-workers in Colorado, but haven’t lived in the same place since 2015. While we’ve been in Idaho, New York and North Carolina, they were in Colorado and Michigan and are now moving to New York. Somehow we’ve seen each other roughly once a year since 2017 though.
Once home and W was in bed I finished reading The Tobacco Wives, which is easily the best book I’ve read in 2022 – I loved it so much!
Saturday morning we headed to the farmers market and a local bakery first thing. We grabbed three varieties of tomatoes and a few zucchini at the farmers market and picked up pizza dough, bagels, and some fun breakfast pastries at the bakery.
Later in the morning we met up with my friend again for a walk with our combined three dogs along the carriage trails at Moses Cone Memorial Park and made a loop from Bass Lake up to the manor house. It’s always such a beautiful walk with lots of shade and a wide variety of flora and fauna. All the dogs did great on the walk and it was fun to chat for the five miles and enjoy a pretty summer North Carolina mountain morning.
Saturday afternoon we picked up pizza from Mellow Mushroom and had a low key afternoon at home since both William and W were feeling a bit poorly. After his nap W was feeling better but William wasn’t. We watched Finding Nemo as a family since W loves fish and turtles. I also ordered a baby shower gift for my sorority little – I am so excited for her and her husband and wish I could make it to Coeur d’Alene for the shower. That sweet baby is so dearly beloved!
Saturday night I started reading Serena Singh Flips the Script and it’s cute so far. Navigating all of your relationships changing and feeling alone is such a familiar feeling in your late 20s and early 30s.
Sunday was a very low key day since William was still feeling poorly. We made smoothies for breakfast and I did lots of laundry. William watched his beloved Tottenham match and I enjoyed a bit of reading and playing with W. Sunday afternoon we used the pizza dough from the bakery to make a cheese pizza and some tomatoes from the farmers market to make a side of caprese.
I am really enjoying the family pictures we took in June!
I have a massage today and I’m so excited! This past Mother’s Day, William & W gifted me two massages, I used one at the end of May when William returned home after a few weeks in India and before our summer of travel, and scheduled this appointment then. I always feels so relaxed and my muscles feel so loose after seeing my masseuse.
I’m done with my Summer II classes! I took four graduate classes over the course of the summer, so it’s nice to be on a little break before fall term starts.
August – wow. Here we go with the transition of saying goodbye to summer and preparing for the new academic year and all the fun the autumn season brings. I’m hoping to soak up as much end of summer magic as we can over the next couple weeks.
Saturday morning we went to the Farmer’s Market where we got some of our kitchen knives sharpened by a local blacksmith. We also picked up some fresh local tomatoes and poblano peppers to use throughout the week. While we waited on our knives, we grabbed biscuits from a favorite local truck – William and I had a ham biscuit with chipotle peach jam and W had a plain buttered biscuit – it was a fun treat.
Later that morning we headed to one of our favorite parks for a walk and a bit of time in the river – it was so nice, if very muggy! Next time, we’ll being W’s swimsuit and a swim diaper so he can play in the water longer.
William made us a delicious shrimp and grits for supper late afternoon and we had a relaxing time watching a movie and playing.
Sunday I had a bit of school work to do in the morning – after I finish my assignments tonight, Summer II session will be over, and I’ll have a three week break before fall semester starts!
We ordered pizza for lunch/dinner on this gray, rainy day. We had pulled out steaks, but they didn’t thaw in time, so they’ll be supper tonight!
I took care of a lot of laundry and cleaning in between relaxing, playing and reading lots of books with W.
Sarah Elizabeth 