Let's Bust a Recap : Tea with Elephants

Believe it or not, I am still trying to catch up on recaps for books I read last year, and today we're going to cover one of them. Despite this book being by one of my all-time favorite authors with a title that sounds tailor-made for me, it left me with a bad taste in my mouth so I've just been putting off writing this recap even though I've pretty much known exactly what I want to say since finishing this one shortly after it was published last October. 

I mean, "Tea with Elephants"?! Come on. Do y'all remember when I wrote an entire blog post about a tea cup my sister-in-law sent me that was shaped like an elephant? I would have bought this book based on the title alone no matter who the author was, but the fact that Robin Jones Gunn wrote it meant I pre-ordered it immediately after it was announced and opened it up to read as soon as it arrived in the mail. This should have been an easy homerun, and for the most part I really enjoyed it but you guys, ugh. It just didn't do it for me. 

In this brand new series that Robin Jones Gunn is calling "Suitcase Sisters" (which is funny because this book fits solidly into her Sisterchicks format so why the new series?), best friends Fern and Lily end up on the trip of a lifetime to Kenya together, but both arrive carrying some heavy emotional baggage—recent job loss, a strained marital relationship, death of a close family member—and throughout their time together, they do what girlfriends do best: help each other process and heal. 

Like I said, it was mostly a solid offering from an author I love. The descriptions of the lush Kenyan landscape, the exotic animals, and the warm and welcoming people were right on the money. The entitled young influencer Lily and Fern encountered was instantly recognizable. The little Katie Weldon Easter egg for longtime readers was fun. 

But somewhere about halfway through this novel, Lily starts bringing up the fact that Fern has never had a baby and pushing the idea on her even though at no point did Fern bring this up on her own or ask for Lily's opinion. This was not part of the aforementioned baggage that either woman brought with them on the trip. And Fern has a stepson with her husband that she mothered and helped raise. By the end of their trip together, Fern has not only decided she now wants a baby, but when she gets home and informs her husband of this, they immediately get pregnant. This rubbed me so wrong. Now, full disclosure: I am the same age as Fern and Lily in this book, and I also have never experienced pregnancy or childbirth. Whether Robin Jones Gunn intended it or not, the underlying message that your worth as a woman can not be fully realized unless you have brought new life into this world through your body is so damaging. Especially to the countless women who so badly want children and for whatever reason, haven't had any. When I married my husband, I wanted a big family. I wanted to adopt, I wanted to be pregnant, I wanted a house full of kids, and my husband was on board. Over thirteen years later and God did not make us parents. And that's okay. It hasn't been all sunshine and rainbows and smiles, but can I just stand up on this soapbox for a minute and say this loudly for the people in the back: you can be a woman and have a joy-filled, God-glorifying, fully satisfying life without ever pushing a baby out of your body. You really can. 

Just for funsies after finishing this book, I did a Google search for books—novels specifically—about women who have dealt with infertility. I found a lengthy list of popular ones on Goodreads. After reading reviews of the top fifteen or twenty in which every single woman or couple dealing with infertility ended up with a healthy child by the end of the book: I gave up. I'm not one to complain about representation in media (I mean, hello, I'm a straight white American-born woman, what do I really have to complain about?), but if any of y'all are sitting on a really great novel in which the female protagonist starts out wanting a big family, for literally any reason discovers that is not going to be her reality, and then she embraces that reality by the end: please pass that title along, thanks.

I know this recap got a little rant-y, and we even entered some spoiler-y territory as well, but I felt blindsided as I read Tea with Elephants and I obviously had some Big Feelings about it. So would I recommend it? I mean, if you want to read Robin Jones Gunn, this isn't the book I'd press into your hands. But if you don't have any underlying trauma surrounding infertility or growing your family, this might be a great option for you. 

Did you ever get blindsided by a book you expected to really love?

Let's Bust a Recap : Sisterchicks in Gondolas

It's been a few years since I last picked up a Sisterchicks book. I've read almost every novel Robin Jones Gunn has written with the exception of the final three Sisterchicks books, so I put Sisterchicks in Gondolas in the TBR Jar without much hope that I'd actually draw it in the course of the year what with the hundreds of other titles jammed in there. I've been slowly (or not so slowly, hello July 2023!)  making my way through Robin's earlier work again—I've read her books a million times—so I could still get my 2024 fix. Just imagine my delight when this title popped out of the Jar in June. 

(Oh and I may as well take this moment to mention that she has a brand new book coming out in just a few weeks which I preordered back in March so I've been looking forward to that too.)

Anyway, I read Sisterchicks in Gondolas in June and was planning to recap it immediately but you all have this book to thank for my major blog stall. Don't hold it against Robin. It's not her fault. I got it into my head that I'd like to tag on a photo or two of my own Venetian gondola ride to this recap but when I went to plug in my external hard drive, I couldn't get anything off it. (A problem I still have not solved, by the way, so if you're reading this: say a prayer for me. And if you went to Europe with me in 2008, SEND PICS.) 

But can we get to the actual recap? Okay, yes. 

Sisterchicks in Gondolas, published in 2006, is the sixth installment of the eight standalone Sisterchicks books by Robin Jones Gunn. In it, sisters-in-law Jenna and Sue take on Venice after being invited to be the cooks for a small missionary retreat group. They are both coming out of a difficult period of life and neither realize how impactful this trip will be for their emotional and spiritual health. But showing up in Venice means learning anew how to watch for God's goodness and mercy in their lives. From their rooftop sleeping arrangement under the stars, to mattress-surfing down the stairs in their gorgeous palazzo, to haggling in broken Italian, to finding the absolute best gelato—Sisterchicks in Gondolas was a delight. No surprise there. It actually wasn't my favorite of the series—in fact, it was my least favorite so far—but I loved it nonetheless. Robin Jones Gunn has written over one hundred books now, and the fact that she has never once missed with me in the 60+ books I have read so far is such a gift. (If you're curious about the discrepancy between how many books she's written vs. how many I've read: I haven't picked up any of her non-fiction.)

And ughhhhh! I wish there was a picture of me and my college girlfriends on our gondola ride right here, but alas, I'm a disaster with technology. I need my brother (who is currently in Australia!) to come to my house and help me. 

What author never misses for you?

Let's Bust a Recap : Sisterchicks Say Ooh La La

Y'all know I can't make it through a year without reading something by Robin Jones Gunn. In fact, I took a look back through all the year-end recaps I've posted since I started keeping a record of books I read and blogging about it, and in 2017 I read seven of her books. 

First up for 2021 was Sisterchicks Say Ooh La La, and (no big surprise here) it was a delight. I've slowly been making my way through the Sisterchicks books since 2017, only reading one each year, and this is the fifth one that I've read. The Sisterchicks books are the last of Robin Jones Gunn's novels that I haven't read, and I've only got three left. 

Sisterchicks Say Ooh La La was published in 2005 and in it we find childhood friends Amy and Lisa fulfilling a 30 year old promise to each other on the trip of a lifetime to the City of Lights. The book is chock-full of all the signature adventures Robin's characters find themselves in on these international trips. From getting their luggage stolen—and returned!—by a con man, to searching out old friends of Amy's Grandmére, to climbing the Eiffel Tower, Sisterchicks Say Ooh La La made me laugh and cry just as every other Sisterchicks book has done. After finishing it, I immediately bought a copy for my own childhood best friend because it reminded me of her and our relationship so much. 

I love how Robin can write a novel that remains faithful to real-life experience while still uplifting the reader and encouraging the heart. While I haven't found myself in all the same situations that Robin's characters encounter, I can always relate to their emotions and reactions. I often find myself nodding along in agreement or giggling conspiratorially with the sisterchick on the page. 

I'm sure with all the Robin Jones Gunn books I've recapped or mentioned over the last six years of blogging (and God bless all my real life friends who have to listen to me rave about them in person), I'm starting to sound like a broken record. But I am a tried-and-true fan, and I can't recommend her books enough. They are my go-to books when life gets too hard for me, and it is certainly no coincidence that I immediately picked one up after moving to NC. 

Who is your go-to author when life is too much? 

And P.S. my book is pictured with one of my favorite prints that I picked up from a street vendor on my own jaunt to Paris in 2008. 

Let's Bust a Recap : Being Known

Well, it's November 9th and even though 2020 has felt like it would never end in some ways, in other ways it has flown by just like any other year. Blogging has gone a little bit better this year than it did in 2019, but as it stands I have nine finished books waiting to be recapped, three books I'm currently reading, at least five other books I'd like to read by the end of 2020, and only about eight weeks left until New Years Eve. If you do the math on that it equals impossible, but let's give it the old college try, shall we?

Starting with this sweet new release that I read back in April. Yes, we're still catching up on books from the first half of the year. If memory serves, Being Known by Robin Jones Gunn was released April 28th, and, as I usually do with a new book by Mrs. Gunn, I promptly snatched it out of my mailbox as soon as our mail lady dropped it off and sat down to read it. Being Known is the second book in Gunn's new Haven Makers Series, and this novel focuses on Jennalyn's life. In the first book entitled Becoming Us (which was released last May) we meet a group of women who determine to prioritize their friendships with one another and end up becoming (get it?) a close-knit group of kindred spirits who help and encourage each other through the different joys and trials they encounter. If you're familiar with Robin Jones Gunn's work (which I am...intimately), two of the characters are already old friends: Christy and Sierra. Becoming Us focused in on Emily's life who had just recently moved to the Southern California area. In that book, Jennalyn was the instigator of the small group and in this book, we travel with her as she continues to process the grief of her mother's death.

Even though Jennalyn's mother has been gone for six years at the start of Being Known, the grief hits her in a new and overwhelming way as she settles in to life as a mother of two with a husband who is working a lot. In her vulnerability, she finds herself opening up to an old boyfriend that she bumps into who also has lots of fond memories of her mom.

Not only was this novel about intentional friendship so timely during the height of lockdowns and social distancing, it navigated the murky waters of social media relationships in such a real and grace-full way. I found myself sympathizing with Jennalyn and her struggle to discern wise boundaries, and rooting for her to open herself up to her friends' caring counsel and confide in the best people to help her through her grief. I so appreciate Robin Jones Gunn's ability to write these stories that address the issues we face today as friends—whether married, single, mothers, or without children—seeking to honor God in all our relationships. 

I'm also thankful for my real life DOEs who send me "Oh My, Cherry Pie" nail polish in the mail and come over for a middle-school style slumber party bash when our grown-up plans for a Girls' Weekend Away (that we'd been planning for a year) got cancelled due to corona. God blessed in the midst of the turmoil this year with not just an encouraging new book by my favorite author, but with true friends who have fleshed out the sweet relationships pictured in those books I love. 

~April 2020~

Looking forward to the next book in the Haven Makers Series. None have been announced as of yet, but I'm hoping we'll get a book from Tess's point of view soon!

What have you found to be thankful for during the year of corona?

Let's Bust a Recap : Sisterchicks Down Under!

Happy Monday! I decided to start this new week off with the book that's been waiting the longest to be recapped. (Well, technically that's not true. I still want to write a recap for A Tree Grows in Brooklyn which I read last year, but this one's been waiting the longest in 2020 so we'll count it.) I read this book back in April between Maisie Dobbs and Charlotte's Web and it's just been sitting at the bottom of the stack of my finished books while others keep piling on top. 

I know I say it every time I mention Robin Jones Gunn, but she's one of my very favorite authors and I always turn to her when I need a pick-me-up. Not just in the sense that things are crazy and I want to read something easy, but more because I know I'll be encouraged and refreshed when I read something she's written. And Sisterchicks Down Under! was no exception.

Sisterchicks Down Under! was published in 2005 and is the fourth book in the Sisterchicks series which consist of eight standalone novels. It's also the fourth one that I've read, and this one definitely had a different tone. It's the first one I've read that wasn't set up as a girlfriend getaway. In Sisterchicks Down Under!, Kathleen and her husband pack up and fly off to New Zealand for a short-term job opportunity that her husband has been offered. Even though Kathleen is initially excited for the opportunity, upon arrival she finds that more than her geography has flip-flopped and she has a harder time embracing the adventure than she anticipated. Through a series of God-things, she ends up meeting another California girl and they instantly become sisterchicks and take a fun trip together to Australia. 

Reading this one during the height of all the initial drama and unknowns with COVID-19 was a sweet reminder to make the best of the circumstances God has placed us in and look for ways to connect with others, even when it might seem more appealing to hole up and wallow. 

Another home run from my favorite author; no surprise. Pretty soon I'll be recapping her most recently published novel Being Known (which I also read in April) so be on the lookout for that!

Do you have certain books or authors that you turn to when life gets to be a bit too much? Have you found any new favorites during this pandemic pandemonium?

Let's Bust a Recap : Sisterchicks on the Loose!

When I decided to do the Modern Mrs Darcy 2019 Reading Challenge this year, "a book in the backlist of a favorite author" was the only category I didn't even have to think twice about filling. My two favorite living authors are Robin Jones Gunn and Francine Rivers and since I'm all caught up on Rivers' backlist, I knew I'd be filling this slot with one of the six Sisterchicks books I hadn't read yet. My sweet friend Amy completed my Sisterchicks collection for my birthday last year so I decided to go back to the beginning and read the very first book in the series. These are standalone books, but there are eight in total. 

It was also a no-brainer to take this book along with me on our vacation to Hawaii. Not only are several of Robin Jones Gunn's books set in Hawaii (not this one though), she lives on Maui. And all of Gunn's books are light and fun so this got thrown in my carryon quicker than you can bat your eye. I was definitely grateful to have it with me after finishing up the much heavier and darker Orphan Train (which I recapped last week). 

Sisterchicks on the Loose! was published in 2003 and follows the adventures of besties Sharon and Penny as they travel from the U.S. West Coast to the land of Penny's relatives: Finland. Between the chocolate and saunas and Penny's adventurous spirit, they get up to a lot of zany shenanigans for these two 40-something God-Lovers. 

What makes the Sisterchicks books so fun is that Robin creates these sweet novels from her own personal travel experiences with her real life Sisterchick friends. These books always keep me giggling while encouraging me closer to God with every turn of the page; not in a phony, cliché way but a real, life-giving natural way. I love them.

Sisterchicks in Sombreros is still probably my favorite of the series so far, but Sisterchicks on the Loose! has definitely furnished the most laughs. As always, no hesitation in recommending Robin Jones Gunn to all my girlfriends out there. Now that I've read the first three in the Sisterchicks series, I'll probably just keep going in order so Sisterchicks Down Under is up next. I can't wait to see what kind of mischief we'll get up to there.

Who are your favorite authors? What books do you turn to when you need a breather? Also, how many times did I type "sisterchicks" for this post? Because it felt excessive.

Let's Bust a Recap : Sisterchicks Do the Hula!

Sisterchicks Do the Hula! was the last book I read in April (yes, I know we're so behind with the recaps), and it was just what I needed after reading Night and The Kite Runner. I chose this book because I needed to knock out another book from my 2018 list (I subjected myself to The Kite Runner without it even being on my list!), but I also needed something full of beauty and light and I knew Robin Jones Gunn wouldn't let me down. 

In Sisterchicks Do the Hula!, best friends Hope and Laurie are determined to celebrate their 40th birthdays together in Hawaii, even when one of them unexpectedly finds herself expecting a new addition to her family. 

This is the second of Robin Jones Gunn's Sisterchicks books that I've read, and while Sisterchicks in Sombreros might have slightly edged this one out for my favorite so far, I still loved Sisterchicks Do the Hula!, and I especially loved it after the other dark reads I got mired in during April. 

For those of you who know me or have followed this blog for any length of time, you know that Robin Jones Gunn is one of my very favorite authors. For those of you who may be new around here, I've been reading her books since I was in middle school. She has a series about a girl named Christy Miller and from the very first book I ever read about Christy, I was hooked on Robin Jones Gunn. In the first Christy book, it's the summer of Christy's 15th birthday and Robin has continued to write about this character until she is grown up, married, and having babies. Her most recent book about Christy came out just last November. 

Since I've been an adult, I've branched out into Robin's non-Christy related work and I love all of it just as much. I was super-psyched to grab 4 of her 8 Sisterchicks novels on my church's free table a while back, and I've been doing my best to not just sit and read them all (which would inevitably lead to a blissful swan dive back into the world of Christy and all the rest of Robin's work). I think I've been doing a pretty good job with the self-control so far though I've been sorely tempted to re-read her Glenbrooke series lately. 

If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times, I love Robin Jones Gunn and I have zero qualms about recommending any of her work to all my girlfriends out there. (I just don't see men appreciating her books the same way we women do, but hey, if any of you fellas want to read them, I say go for it.) Her books never fail to encourage my heart and lift my focus upward, and I'll always be grateful to her for that.

Have you read anything by Robin Jones Gunn? What author do you find yourself turning to when life gets yucky? Which Sisterchicks book should I read next? The two I have are Sisterchicks Down Under! and Sisterchicks Go Brit!

Let's Bust a Recap : Father Christmas Trilogy

Today, we're doing three recaps in one because I just read this sweet Christmas trilogy by Robin Jones Gunn. (Although it doesn't have to stay a trilogy, I'm just sayin'.)

Finding Father Christmas, the first book in this little series, was published in 2007. In it, we meet Miranda who has decided to spend her Christmas trying to track down her biological father. The few meager clues she has about his identity from her mother's belongings lead her on a trip to the small town of Carlton Heath in England. In her search for her earthly father, Miranda meets her Heavenly Father and finally comes to terms with her past. 

Engaging Father Christmas was published the following year in 2008. In this one, we catch back up with Miranda as she navigates her life after learning the truth about her past and as she hopes and dreams for the future. Sidenote: Robin writes one of the most romantic Christmas proposal scenes I've ever read. *sigh*

Last year in 2016, these first two books got picked up by Hallmark for a made-for-TV Christmas movie. These are the first of Robin Jones Gunn's books to be adapted for the screen. When Finding Father Christmas (the movie) became the highest rated and most watched premier in the network's history, they obviously decided to do a sequel the following year with the same name of the book sequel. Engaging Father Christmas (the movie) then broke the record again for being the highest rated, most watched premier. I have not seen either of the Hallmark movies, but from what I understand, they differ from the books pretty significantly, the biggest changes probably being the setting (which was moved from England to Vermont) and the fact that Ian became a key character in the first movie whereas in the book, he was introduced briefly at the very end. 

I'm not sure if it was because of the movie deal or if the idea just didn't come until later, but Kissing Father Christmas was published last year in 2016 right before the first movie premiered on Hallmark. In Kissing Father Christmas, we meet Anna who has fallen in love with the small town and people of Carlton Heath after attending the wedding of her cousin Ian to his bride Miranda. 

These books were hardly on my radar until last year around the time the movie announcement was made. I knew that Robin Jones Gunn had written some Christmas stories, but I never really looked into reading them until she started promoting them on her blog before the movie premiered. At that point, I had read a lot more of her non-Christy Miller fiction and realized that I truly love all her writing. I finally caved this year and bought these for myself, and I don't regret it at all. After reading these, I think I'm only seven reads shy of her entire work (not including non-fiction). I have never been disappointed with any of her books. Her writing is feminine and beautiful and poetic and I love it all.

If you are a woman (these books just aren't really for boys—sorry not sorry) looking for something sweet to read, I can't recommend these books highly enough. 

Have you read anything by Robin Jones Gunn? Do you like her writing style? The 7 books of hers I have yet to read are all in the Sisterchicks series. I have a few of them, so you can bet 1 or 2 will make it on my 2018 book list! Any suggestions for which one I should read next? The only one I've read so far is Sisterchicks in Sombreros. 

Have a Happy Christmas!

Casual Fridays

Where to even start? It's been a hot minute since we had a Casual Friday around here, and let me tell you why:

We got another puppy! I'm so kidding (what do you think I'm insane?!), but we did have him over for a few days while his family was out of town. We also went to Alabama for a weekend and finally got to spend time with my entire family. It's been way too long since we had all been together. Like, over two years, y'all. That's too long.

We had a Celebration of the Reformation concert at my church in which I was part of the choir, both puppies have had health issues lately, Halloween came and went, work, dentist, AWANA: suffice it to say, things have been busy around here.

But not too busy for me to read two books in the last two weeks. Sunset Lullaby by Robin Jones Gunn (the very last book from my 2017 book list!) and Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie. 

What can I even say about this precious book? It was the perfect way to wrap up the series I've been reading for over 15 years now. I was actually bawling at the end. That's not an exaggeration. I was ugly-crying, y'all. In the best way. I'm not planning to recap this one, so let me just say that I really do think this was the perfect way to end the Christy Miller saga. However, Robin has announced that she has begun writing a new book to be the first in the Gather series in which Christy will be a main character. I have mixed feelings about this because it's all about a group of young moms encouraging and supporting each other during the child-raising years. I'm not in that club, but, as you know, I love Robin Jones Gunn and everything she touches. So....to read or not to read: that is the question.

There will be a recap of Murder on the Orient Express coming to a blog near you soon (hint: this blog, Monday) so that's all I'll say about that for now. I'm currently reading a biography of Thomas Jefferson (over halfway done!), Anne of Green Gables (for like, the hundredth time), and the Gospel of John. Which brings me to something I've always wondered about: what do you think the relationship between Jesus and John the Baptist was like before Jesus' ministry years? I mean, they were related and John's mother certainly understood who Jesus was. Don't you think she told John stories growing up about the miraculous circumstances surrounding his own existence, his father's dumb days, that his cousin Jesus was the Messiah? Do you think John and Jesus ever met each other and played together at family reunions when they were boys? I wonder about these things.

Did you really think you'd get out of this post without me gushing at some point or other about my nieces? Let's just start with the top left: are they not the cutest trick-or-treaters on the planet? Especially that little ladybug. I can't. And what does the top right say to you? Pure joy? Correct. Bottom left: my oldest niece is a ballerina. Not for Halloween, she has started taking ballet classes. Her recital at the beginning of December is literally the biggest deal on my calendar right now. And obviously, I am my niece's B.F.F. That goes for all of them, bottom right there is just the mascot. Insert all the heart-related emojis imaginable. 

We have completed another puzzle, you guys. And when I say "we" I really just mean "me". I did this one almost completely by myself. And I finished it in like a week. I was addicted to this puzzle. I need to go get some custom frames made for this one and the pumpkin one. 12x34 inches. I'll probably go to Michael's but does anyone know of any other place that does custom framing that might be better (read: cheaper)?

I gave myself a pedicure recently, and I once again achieved smudge-free status! I think my BFF Lyndsey's trick of doing thin coats and letting them dry completely is the key. My toes were sorely in need of some TLC, and I actually went to Tips & Toes for a real pedi, but after waiting over 45 minutes with not even an acknowledgement from anyone that I was even there (and three other ladies coming in for scheduled appointments and no one acknowledging THEY were there either), I left and went home to do it myself. I mean, can you really beat having two puppies snuggled up to you with Gilmore Girls on the TV while your toes dry? I think not.

And speaking of Gilmore Girls, I've finally decided that I'm not #TeamJess or #TeamLogan or #TeamDean (I can't even believe there are #TeamDean people in the world, but apparently they exist); I've decided I'm #TeamMarty (which could also be called #TeamNakedGuy if we wanted to get cute about it). He definitely got the shaft and if Rory really does turn out as horribly as A Year In The Life made her out to be, then Marty's the only guy on her level. Jess is too good for her. Yeah, I said it. 

And if you're still reading, you may remember from back at the beginning of this never-ending post that I mentioned my poor, sweet puppies having health drama lately. Colonel somehow got a staff infection which meant we had to shove pills down his throat twice a day for two whole weeks, and now Major is getting over pink eye which means we've been putting some kind of steroid goop on his eye all week. (Don't get me started.) They are the best, but they have been a bit on the high-maintenance side lately. Bless.

Ok. We've been here way too long. I just have to throw in a quick plug for my latest obsession: Heather Land - I Ain't Doin It. She is hilarious and you need her in your life.

Also, my birthday is one week from today. Please consider donating to Compassion in honor of me turning 30. So far, we've raised enough money for 4 water filters and we're halfway to a 5th one, but if we're going to make it to 30, we've got a ways to go.

Much love, homies. Over and out.

Casual Fridays

Congratulations on making it through another week! I don't know about y'all, but April has been the crazy month this year. Our calendar has been slammed. But it's all good stuff so who can complain about that? I can. I mean, not that I'm complaining exactly, but I feel like I haven't slept in a year and a half. I'm ready for things to slow down just a smidge. I still haven't made it to the beach (notwithstanding my cruise to Mexico!), and it's looking like I won't be able to catch a beach day till about halfway through May. C'est la vie.

So in keeping with the craziness of this month, I'm just going to throw a bunch of random pictures at you and call this a Photo-Prompted Post. 

First of all, my pink camo iPhone case has officially bitten the dust. It never exactly fit properly in the first place, but now it is prohibiting the proper functions of my phone so it's time to go. Sad. R.I.P my happy pink camo OtterBox. You lasted almost two years so I guess that's pretty good.

Look at this gorgeous bouquet! As I was running around the house in a crazed everyone-is-coming-here-tomorrow-and-I-have-to-stay-through-both-morning-services-so-this-house-and-all-the-food-needs-to-be-ready-NOW frenzy Saturday night, my husband came home bearing these beautiful flowers and proceeded to arrange them into this fabulous bouquet which made the perfect centerpiece for our Easter celebration Sunday afternoon. If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times: he is the best. 

And speaking of Easter, it was perfect. The services at my church were poignantly beautiful, almost my entire family gathered at my house (we missed you, S-Baby! oh and you too, Oak and Caroline), and we ate a lot of food and shared a lot of laughter. Jesus is alive and He is good! And for the record: there were people in my life who thought I was a little ridiculous for registering for 16 place settings when I got married. But let me tell you, there were 14 adults and 3 children at my house Sunday afternoon and not a one of them had to eat off a Dixie plate, I'm just sayin'. The picture above is of the adorable salt and pepper shakers my mom gave me for Easter this year. How cute, right?!

Y'all. I got this letter from my Compassion girl this week, and I died. This is the first letter she has ever written all by herself, and she did it in English! She turned 9 last November, and up until now, she has drawn us lots of pictures, but an adult always wrote what she wanted to tell us in her "letters". I'm so proud of her. I want to frame it. How precious! 

My niece is playing soccer again, and y'all should see what an outstanding defensive player she is. She picks her man and literally becomes a human shield between that player and the ball. In fact, at the game after which this photo was taken, it was getting hot and the game was almost over and girlfriend had been working hard in that Florida sunshine, so she turned around to the little boy she was guarding and let him know he needed to "stop moving around so much!" I mean, really. Insert all the laughing/crying emoji faces here. Seriously. 

And while we're on the topic of my niece, she lost her very first tooth! How did this happen?? She was just born yesterday, wasn't she? I can't believe she's big enough to be getting visits from the Tooth Fairy. Go ahead and insert all the flat-out sobbing emoji faces here.

The new Christy book arrived Tuesday night, and I promptly read the entire thing on Wednesday. It was wonderful (of course), but in this book, Todd and Christy took a roadtrip to Glenbrooke so now all I want to do is re-read the entire Glenbrooke series. Stay on track, Hannah. For anyone wondering (since this blog is actually supposed to be about reading the books on my book list), I am slowly working my way through The Three Musketeers. It hasn't exactly grabbed me yet, so when I say "slowly", I mean s-l-o-w-l-y. 

I started a new Bible study this week, and it's Priscilla Shirer so naturally it's going to be good. For whatever reason, I find that Priscilla's studies challenge me the most. I've done a lot of Bible studies that encourage me or that I've learned a lot from, but Priscilla always seems to get in my face and tell me a thing or two I need to change or do better. In the very first video, she said the devil is strategic about his attacks on us so we need to get strategic about our prayer life. Ouch. How often am I haphazard about prayer? She's good. 

And to wrap this all up: Wednesday was haircut day for the boys! Don't they look sharp? The baby boy I nanny was not too happy that his buddies were missing most of the day Wednesday, but boy did they need some grooming. I love when their hair is long and shaggy, but I do not love how much dirt they bring in when it's like that. Yay! for not having to vacuum every single day. At least for a while. 

How's life with you lately? What did you do for Easter? Have you done any good Bible studies or read any good books recently? Do you sponsor a child with Compassion? What do you write in your letters to your Compassion child? 

Casual Fridays

Hi there! I think the best way to play catch-up this week is with a Photo-Prompted Post so let's just jump right in with it.

PhotoGrid to the rescue once again! Last week, I was on a Girls Only cruise with my BFF Danette, and let me tell ya, we had a fabulous time. We stopped in Key West and Cozumel, soaked up lots of sun, ate to our hearts' content, relaxed, read (of course!), played loads of Yahtzee and other assorted card and board games (all of which, I am loath to admit, Danette proved the Ultimate Champion of the Cruise), and just had a generally wonderful time together. We couldn't have asked for better weather, and I couldn't have asked for a better friend to share this with. P-Nutt, I hope your first cruise was everything you hoped it would be, and I can't wait for our next adventure together!

These are the books I ended up reading on our cruise: Under A Maui Moon and Sisterchicks in Sombreros both by Robin Jones Gunn. Neither of these are on my 2017 book list, but I had a little agreement with myself that if I finished John Adams before the cruise, I would take all my new Robin Jones Gunn books with me. Mission accomplished. I really loved Under A Maui Moon. It's such a sweet thing that I've grown up reading RJG and been able to connect with characters going through the same things in life that I'm going through--not only in my teen years, but now as a grown-up married woman as well. I'm always encouraged reading Robin Jones Gunn. And reading my first Sisterchicks book (there are eight! four of which I've recently acquired) was super-fun and totally apropos seeing as Danette and I were on our own Mexican cruise! Robin, you never disappoint!

Summertime has officially arrived in the Sunshine State and Cody has been making us smoothies for lunch every day this week. (Disclaimer: the above photo is some stock photo I stole from the internet to talk about how great Cody's smoothies are and not a photo I took of the smoothies Cody actually has made this past week.) He makes LITERALLY the best smoothies in the world, and now that he's back to work today, I don't even know what I'm going to do with myself come lunchtime. Seriously though, if you want the greatest smoothie you have ever tasted in your life, you have to have one of Cody's. I'm not exaggerating about this.

And finally, I know this is what you really come here for, right? The pups are doing great, and I have to say, I've been really proud of them this week. My mom gave us this bag of colorful balls, and the baby boy I nanny has been loving them (they're all over my house). The dogs have not eaten or even attempted to chew on a single one of them. There was a time in the not so distant past that Major would have taken it upon himself to personally demolish every single one and look at him: not so much as a sniff even though they're touching him. #dogownershipwin #codydoesallthetraining #ijustbragaboutit

That's it for today. I'm going to go eat some strawberry shortcake to console my smoothie-less self. Fill me in on your life lately, and have fun welcoming April this weekend! (I can't believe we've flown through the first 3 months of the year already!) Adios!

Let's Bust a Recap : Sandy Toes

* SPOILERS * SPOILERS * SPOILERS * SPOILERS *

Y'all.

My BFF Christy (Miller) Spencer had her baby ON my birthday AND named her after me.

Yes, I'm totally serious.

I can not even.

My life is complete.

Recap done.

Casual Fridays

You guys. It came late Tuesday afternoon, and I had enough self-restraint to wait until Wednesday morning to open it. 

But then I read that whole dang book.

I was up until 4 AM.

Even though I had to be up for work at 7:45 AM.

Newsflash: I do not bounce back from an all-night reading party like I used to.

#totallyworthit

#noregrets

Check back for the recap Monday.

These shaggy, dirt-tracking messes got haircuts this week! Don't they look handsome? The groomer put Tennessee Vols bandanas on them this time around. Why a groomer in Winter Haven, FL is putting Tennessee bandanas on their canine clientele is a mystery to me. They're lucky I grew up with a father from the Volunteer State. If those dogs had been wearing Gator bandanas, we'd be looking for a new groomer.

My husband seriously outdid himself with the birthday spoiling this year. Look at these breathtaking books with their classic illustrations! They're gorgeous! I have a big-time crush on my new books, and I am starting to have an actual crisis about creating my book list for 2017. I really don't know how I'm going to do it. I'm trying to keep my list for next year shorter (as in like, 12 books total), but I just want to read ALL THE THINGS! Help.

What's on your agenda for the weekend?

Casual Fridays

Alright, listen. We're doing another Photo-Prompted Post today because, let's be honest, it's just easy. So sit back and enjoy the ride.

First of all, I got this e-mail yesterday, and oh my gosh I'm excited which is why it is the obvious choice for our first photo today. According to Robin's blog, this book releases November 25. So what does this mean?! That I'm getting the book prior to the release date?? If you'll remember, I was a tad distressed last year when my pre-ordered Christy book didn't show up until 2 days after the release date. I don't want to get my hopes up or anything, but if my book is on its way, it might be here in time for my birthday next week! I'll update you as soon as that Tracking Number goes active. Because I know this is just as important to you as it is to me, right?
**Update: Expected delivery is November 18th. That's this coming Friday! I'm freaking out over here!**

While we're on the topic of books, let me introduce you to my new favorite book in the whole world. (Yeah, I know, take that last statement with a grain of salt, whatever. Currently, it's my favorite book ever.) I alluded to my birthday in the last paragraph and my husband has already started spoiling me. He gave me this gorgeous collection of poems, songs, and lullabies selected by Julie Andrews and her daughter Emma Walton Hamilton. It is illustrated with beautiful watercolor paintings by James McMullan, and it comes with a CD of Julie Andrews reading some of her favorite poems. I'm a bit of a poetry nut and when Cody let me open this present, I proceeded to sit, absolutely enthralled, for at least an hour flipping through the pages, reading Julie Andrews' introductions to each of the 9 sections, admiring the artwork, visiting with some old favorites, and discovering some new ones. I love it.

Speaking of Cody, he and I went to the Switchfoot/Relient K concert last Friday, and it was awesome. One of Cody's birthday presents this year was this VIP experience which included meeting Switchfoot and hanging with them during their sound check before the show. The event was at a very hipster courtyard type venue in downtown St. Pete and we stood for hours on Friday between waiting in line, the VIP stuff, and the actual show, and my legs were killing me for 3 straight days after, but it was totally worth it. The concert rocked hard.

Oh yes. Yes, I did. Pumpkin Spice Cheerios?! You know I snatched those off the shelf as soon as my eyes lighted on them. And you also know Cody does not like the pumpkin flavored things so these morsels of absolute delight have been mine all mine.

And since I mentioned my pumpkin spice obsession, I need to commemorate my first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season provided by my BFF Danette. She dropped in the other day for a sweet visit bearing my favorite hot beverage. What a pal. We have another friend date planned for this weekend. Friends are the best (especially my friends).

Before we leave the topic of pumpkins altogether, check out our most recent accomplishment in the puzzle department. This may have been our most difficult puzzle yet even though it was only (note my use of the "sarcastic font") 700 pieces instead of 1000. Who knew there were so many subtly varying shades of orange?

And now for photos of my dogs because I mean, really, what is this blog even about? Books or my dogs? I'll let you figure that one out. I don't even really have anything to say about them today but just indulge me.

Moving on, let's wrap this post up with one last photo. We have been having open-all-the-windows weather lately, and I can't get enough of it. It's been beautiful outside, and it's fall, and I've been burning all the spicy-scented candles and drinking all the apple cider and eating things like honey-soaked cornbread for breakfast. I love Florida. Life is sweet.

What are you loving about life right now?

THE BABY YEARS!

Y'all. The announcement has finally been made. The next Christy book is coming soon. And you know that confirmation e-mail for my pre-ordered copy is already sitting in my Inbox. In 45 short days, I will be catching up with my very favorite real life fictional friends. I can't wait.

And wouldn't you know, I almost missed the announcement yesterday?! I have been positively haunting--HAUNTING, I SAY--this woman's blog for weeks, and the one day I don't check it, she rolls out the good news. I went over to my friends' house last night after church to hang out and eat pizza, and they casually mention something about seeing the pre-order option on facebook and I lost my mind. I immediately got out my phone (oh, btw, I finally have a reason to appreciate my Smart Phone), checked the blog, and sure enough, there was the post. I promptly proceeded to order my copy, from my phone, sitting on my friends' couch. Because priorities, people. #crisisaverted

That's all. You're welcome. Oh and P.S. I apologize if this post was misleading in any way. To clarify, I am not pregnant. Cody and I are not expecting any tiny humans. This is entirely about my friend favorite book series. The end.

Let's Bust a Recap : Departures

Good morning and a happy Monday to you! Today we're partying like it's 1999 which is the year our book of the day was first published. Departures by Robin Jones Gunn is the first of my new Robin Jones Gunn books that I've read, and let me tell you, it has taken some serious self-control to not move straight to the other two, but I've decided to use them as motivation to knock out some of the other books on my actual book list for the year. If I complete books from my list, I get to reward myself with Robin Jones Gunn. Pathetic? Maybe, but it works for me. 

Anyway, let's get to our actual recap. Departures is actually like two books in one (yay!), and I loved getting to discover these two lost little stories. Robin Jones Gunn has written entire series of books based off the characters Christy Miller and Sierra Jensen, and in Departures, we get an extra story about each of these girls. 

Our first story, "Now Boarding at Gate 10", is from Christy Miller's life, and if you've read the series, it takes place between books 11 and 12 right after Christy has just broken up with Todd and graduated from high school. Christy and her family are on a little weekend trip for the 50th wedding anniversary of Christy's grandparents, and this story is all about Christy going back to Brightwater, Wisconsin and thinking about how her life might have been different if her family hadn't moved to Escondido, California her sophomore year of high school. Christy also learns some important lessons about relationships from her grandparents which Robin Jones Gunn alludes to later in The College Series about Christy Miller.

Our second story, "In the Event of a Water Landing", is from Sierra Jensen's life, and if you've read her series, this story actually takes place right before her books begin. Her family hasn't yet moved to Oregon to live with her Granna Mae, and Sierra is on her own little weekend trip with some of her Pineville friends to their cabin in Montana. In this story, Sierra is being pulled between childhood and womanhood and trying to navigate all the tricky emotions and decisions that go with that. 

I read this book in two sittings: Christy's story in one sitting, Sierra's in the other. I loved every second of it. If you've read the Christy Miller or the Sierra Jensen series but somehow missed this little treasure like I did, I definitely recommend picking it up and giving it a read. Obviously, my recommendation shouldn't come as a big shock to anyone since you should all know by now what a huge fan of Robin Jones Gunn I am. This was definitely a welcome addition to my reading for 2016 although I must say, I've thoroughly enjoyed everything I've read this year. 

Have you read anything by Robin Jones Gunn? What have you been reading this year? Do you have any fond memories of a summer trip you took when you were a teenager? Is it totally ridiculous that I'm still so into these books even though I'm supposed to be a grown-up? #dontcare #foreverfriends

Casual Fridays

This past Sunday night, my house was full to the brim with sweet friends. Sweet friends that I graduated from high school with 10 years ago. (I must have graduated when I was 14, right? Oh leave me be in my denial!) No matter what age we are, I can't believe it's been a whole decade since my high school days, a whole decade of marriages, children, careers, and moves, and I loved every minute of having these people laughing, playing, eating, and talking in my home. I hope each and every one of you knows I love you and you are always, always, always welcome here!

Colonel's Corner/Major's Mischief

Well, yesterday it was Major's turn to go under the knife. That's right, there will never be any little Majors running around because Major no longer has the necessary equipment to spawn. Bless. And to be honest, I think Colonel was more stressed about it than Major was. I mentioned last week that Colonel doesn't do well with separation, and boy was he a mess yesterday. When I got home and Major wasn't with me, that was it. Colonel could not be consoled, and he would not let me out of his sight (or reach) all day. And when it was finally time to go get Major, I ended up just taking Colonel with me because when I picked up the car keys, we had a meltdown. He hasn't left Major's side since. Annoying? A little. Incredibly sweet and endearing? Totally.

Link Love

Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life - Trailer : Hey-o! We've got an air date at long last! Anyone who wants to revisit Stars Hollow this fall is welcome to come over to my house for Pop-Tarts and coffee because duh. 

www.jamesbreakwell.com : I recently discovered this webcomic, and it immediately made the very short list of websites I must check every single day. Hilarious.

Onion News: Nation Down to Last 100 Grown-Ups : And speaking of hilarious: this article, right here. I'm not a huge fan of the Onion News normally, but this one nailed it. 

Sheet Pan Roast Chicken Dinner : My sister made this for me while I was in Japan, and YUM. She used boneless thighs, and I will definitely be adding this to the monthly rotation in my house fo' sho. Thanks for the recipe, Caroline!

Have You Read the Most Popular Book From the Year You Were Born? : I found this list of the most popular books by year from 1930 to 2016 very intriguing. I think it'd be interesting to read through it. (with exceptions, of course, because when it comes to books like Twilight or 50 Shades - #iwillnever) Incidentally, I have not read the most popular book from the year I was born: Patriot Games by Tom Clancy.

Christy's Coconut Contest : Robin Jones Gunn has a fun little contest going on and the winner gets her own Phil. 1:7 coconut mailed to her from Hawaii! And if you've ever read the Christy Miller series, you'll understand the significance of that.

And last on the agenda for today: pretty, pretty books and handsoaps! There's just something about getting a package in the mail. Even when you ordered it yourself and you know it's coming and you know what it is, it's still just fun when it finally gets to your mailbox and you get to open it, amiright? You may remember the amazing sale Robin Jones Gunn had going on and the sweet deal I got on books that have been on my wishlist for a while now. Well, they came on Wednesday and now you get to know what they are. Gardenias for Breakfast, Christy Miller's Diary, and Departures. Even though I'm dying to know when the new Christy books are going to be released, I'm super-pumped about these three. I've never read any of these before, and I've wanted to for a very long time. And what's with all the handsoaps, you ask? Bath & Body Works had a 10 for $30 sale going on and, in case you didn't know, that's like, a million percent off the normal price so really, who could pass that up? Not me.

Well, somebody stop me. I think that's about enough uselessness for one day. Which of my new Robin Jones Gunn books should I read first? (I'm leaning towards Departures.) What's your favorite Bath & Body Works scent or product? Did you go to your high school reunion or do you keep in touch with high school friends (besides just checking out their pictures on facebook which totally doesn't count)? What was the most popular book from the year you were born? Any tips on how to keep Major down during his recovery, poor thing? Have a fabulous weekend after you leave me a comment.