Monthly Musings

2. Chocolate, Flowers, or Both? I prefer flowers because I've never had much of a sweet tooth, however Blue always says flowers smell like a funeral. I disagree, but since she said that I obviously never bought her flowers again! This was her favorite bouquet though...

3. Favorite Romantic Date? We like going to dinner, or an experience like the pasta/wine tasting we did for our anniversary. 

4. Any Valentine's Day Traditions with Kids? No kids, so no traditions. 

5. How Do You Show Love? I'm reading this in terms of "What's Your Love Language" and in that case it's Acts Of Service/Gift Giving. I'm always bringing Blue treats or doing little things that I know will make her happy, from ordering peanut butter when I see the empty container in the trash to cleaning out her closets (which actually brings ME joy too!). 

6. Do You Decorate for Valentine's Day? No. 

7. Do you Wear Red or Pink on Valentine's Day? Yes! Nothing special, but it nearly always involves some pink or red. 

8. Is Valentine's Day a Big Deal or Small Remembrance? Small remembrance. We feel that everything is so overpriced for Valentine's Day that it's just not worth it. Plus after my birthday, followed by the holiday season and then our anniversary in early January, we keep Valentine's Day very low-key; just a card and maybe a small gift or date (not ON Valentine's Day, but shortly before or after). 

9. Favorite Ideas for School Valentine's Parties? Again, no kids so no school parties. I do remember giving out those little cards and maybe cupcakes when I was in school. 

10. Have You Ever Had a Secret Admirer? I have, twice actually! The first a high school friend and he was very upset when I didn't feel the same. The second was in college. We threw a big graduation party, and had cardboard posters where our guests could write us a goodbye message. I didn't even see it until the next day, but one of my friends from a year below me wrote that he had a crush on me- it was so sweet! 

How do you show love?

Linking up with Patty and Holly!

What's Up Wednesday

Hi friends! Since I've been a bit MIA I wanted to join Shay and Schaeffer for a recap of all the things goin on lately!

What I'm Eating... Don'tcha hate it when a restaurant (or in my case a fast food chain) gets rid of your favorite dish? I've been missing my Taco Bell spicy chicken burritos for awhile now, when lo and behold I found a copycat recipe on Pinterest and it's so good! This recipe will definitely be repeated since it's so easy (especially when you use leftover shredded chicken)!

This I plan to try this creamy garlic salmon pasta, these crockpot Swedish meatballs over egg noodles, and these oven baked chili cheese dogs- man, I'm getting hungry just thinking about it! 

What I'm Reminiscing About... bigger vacations in general, but especially our last "flight" vacation to Jamaica 2019. Who knew then that would be our last international trip for awhile?! I remember I was SO COLD at Dunn's River Falls, but has so much fun too!

What I'm Loving... right now, my last day working remote! We go back to fully in office next week. I'm going to treat myself to a little lunchtime walk over to the library and lunch from this Italian deli around the corner from me which is never open when I get back from work! 

What I've Been Up To... Blue and I shared a 7-year anniversary! We both love "experiences," so she took me to a wine-making class followed by a scrumptious dinner at a new-to-us restaurant, and I took her to a wine and pasta tasting. As I told my friend, "Great minds think of wine!" 

What I'm Working On... decluttering! I just got rid of 5 boxes of "stuff" and I feel so much lighter! Definitely nice to see some more of my closets and floors again haha! 

What I'm Watching... Let It Snow - Netflix

I'm a BIG fan of book-to-film adaptations. In most cases, I'll wait to watch the movie version until after I've finished the book but when this movie came out in 2019, I couldn't contain myself and HAD to watch it. Luckily for me (I guess?) I have horrible memory, so I didn't have a problem watching the movie again right after I finished reading the book earlier this month.

The book was great (though I'll admit I'm a sucker for YA romances in general, and intertwined stories especially). The movie was pretty great too. That being said, this was not the same story- and THAT makes me mad/unhappy/upset. The movie was one story and the book was another, and they didn't intertwine and they should have just made a teen movie by another name because it was SO FAR from the book!

What I'm Reading... I just finished Jane Austen Ruined My Life by Bath Pattillo for Erin's Book Challenge and it was pretty good, though I wanted a bit more from the ending. Here are the others I read in January:

What I'm Listening To... Billy Bossa Nova - Billy Eilish

Loving this calming track that I actually Shazamed from a TV show (though I don't remember which one... maybe SATC?) I don't really like Eilish as a person/pop icon, but her voice can't be denied! 

What I'm Doing This Weekend... nothing on the books yet, but I have a Groupon for some bourbon tasting, so maybe that! 

What I'm Looking Forward To Next Month... a weekend getaway with 10 of my favorite people! We are heading to an Airbnb in the woods. I've actually never gone away for the weekend with this group but I can't wait. We're already starting to get a menu together haha!

What Else Is New... Blue got a new job! After several months of being unemployed she landed a fully remote program management position with a small company and I'm so excited for her! She said she really likes the vibe of the company and is looking forward to getting into a routine again. 

And that's it! What's up with you?

December Reads

Hi fellow bookworms! Hope everyone is off to a wonderful 2022!

December was the month of short and mostly holiday-themed stories for me. And romances! I love a good holiday themed romance. 

The Santa Suit - Mary Kay Andrews: 4 Stars

library e-book

I know this one gave me the warm and fuzzy Christmas vibes I was hoping for but unfortunately I don't remember anything about the story :shrug:

The Rejected Writers Book Club - Suzanne Kelman: 4 Stars

Netgalley (from 2016 LOL)

This was an unexpectedly good time. I liked that this story featured older women and that it was focused on friendship. The road trip and convention were both hilarious and the characters were strong and well developed. I didn't realize this was part of a series, but am now looking forward to reading the others! 

Snow In Love: 4 Stories: 4 Stars

library e-book

Snow and Mistletoe by Kasie West- I've never read anything by this author, however now I want to read EVERYTHING from her. This was  about a girl stuck at an airport when an old crush surprises HER with a road trip home. So. Sweet. I needed this story to be last in the collection, as nothing compared after.

Working in a Winter Wonderland by Aimee Friedman - meh. A girl gets a job (to buy an expensive dress... ugh) from her crush thinking he's gonna be working there too, but he's actually a total tool and the job is to be a Christmas elf. This may have been better if it was longer, as the end was kinda cute but felt rushed. 

The Magi's Gifts by Melissa de la Cruz - my least favorite in this collection. A retelling of the original (because duh, it's in the title). I'm not sure if I've read anything else by this author, but I definitely don't plan to after this major fail. 

Grounded by Nic Stone - first of all, I love stories told in a different format; in this case, through text messages. Second, this is a bit of a coming-out, #ownvoices story. Another girl stranded at an airport (hmm) fresh off a break-up from a dude because she realizes she's actually a lesbian, and hey, her old crush (again, hmmmm) is also stranded at the same airport. But Girl #1 is scared of seeing her again so they start a game of I-Spy/scavenger hunt while they wait for their (same) flight home. (Extra points for punny clues.) #swoon

If The Fates Allow - Rainbow Rowell: 3 Stars

Kindle Unlimited

I'm glad this was free, and that actually makes me hurt a little since I love Rainbow Rowell's stories so much, usually. I liked that this takes place right now, what with Covid and social distancing. And there was some romance (with the boy next door... ooohhhh) but it felt too rushed. 

Oh. What. Fun. - Chandler Baker: 3 Stars
Kindle Unlimited

I wanted to like this so much more than I did, but there were just too many characters (siblings actually) to try to keep track of unnecessarily. There could have been just 3, and we would've gotten the point: Dad is the Fun One, and Mom keeps the "miracle of Christmas" alive and well with all the traditions. And then Mom  goes AWOL. The End.

The Faraway Collection - Kindle Unlimited

The Prince and the Troll by Rainbow Rowell- 3 Stars: So I thought all of these were retellings, but I don't know what this was a retelling of. I liked all the references to the current time (like the new iPhone) but I'm not really sure what happened in the end. (highlight for spoiler- like, did she eat him or kill him or what?)

Hazel and Gray by Nic Stone- 4 Stars: In this take, a bf/gf duo get lost in the woods and the mansion they come across is basically a brothel. Definitely did not see that twist in the end coming! 

The Princess Game by Soman Chainani- 5 Stars*: Asterisk because this was my favorite of the series, as messed up as it is, because it is SERIOUSLY f'ed up! A very "boys club" type story where a serial killer is going around killing off all the popular girls in this high school and placing their bodies in fairy tale call-backs. 

The Cleaners by Ken Liu- 2 Stars: I had a really hard time understanding this one. Apparently this guy cleans off people's energy from objects, and it works for him because he doesn't feel the energies? I don't know, I didn't enjoy this one. 

The Wickeds by Gayle Forman- 4 Stars: This was a fun one featuring Snow White's stepmother, Cinderella's stepmother, and the woman who "kidnapped" Rapunzel, as told from their point of view years after the original fairy tales. 

What was/is your first book of the year? 

Linking up with Steph and Jana for Show Us Your Books!

Currently: January

Happy New Year friends! Though we had a historically warm NYE (49-50 degrees- whaaaat?!) we're definitely back to cold and gray January weather here in NJ today! I was fortunate to get an extra day off from work yesterday due to a scheduling error, so I'm just catching up with myself and trying to get back to a somewhat *normal* schedule which is always hard for me after a bit of vacation time. Like, "what's my password for my work email? You want what?! Wait... right now?! When is snack and nap time?" Amiright?

It was a great break overall though, and relaxing AFTER Christmas. I survived Christmas. Every year I'm most happy when it's over. There's so much pressure- gifts, equal quality time with everyone, not to mention this whole pandemic thing that is still here... many of my close friends who are fully vaccinated and boosted have contracted Covid during this holiday season, which scares the shit out of me. Of course they all say that it's not terrible, "feels like a common head cold," but still. Numbers are rising. 

But as I said, it was relaxing. Hence all the TV shows and movies I've been watching, and what else I'm currently up to (spoiler alert: some organizing after Christmas but not much else)! 

Reading: Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle. I almost never read the book after watching the show or TV adaptation, however I watched this on Netflix so long ago that I hardly remember it! I plan to rewatch it after I finish. 

Watching on TV: Station Eleven, Emily in Paris, ...And Just Like That (Sex and the City), Queer Eye, You, Love, The Shrink Next Door (what a crazy, manipulative little shit.)

Movies: The Hating Game - I never read the book but this felt rushed (Prime Video)

King Richard - WOW. I'd never heard of Venus and Serena's story, but this was powerful (HBO Max)

Being the Ricardos - Lucille Ball really wore the pants! This was interesting (Prime Video)

Single All the Way - not sure how many times I squee-ed! (Netflix)

The Christmas Chronicles - so CUTE! (Netflix)

Father Christmas is Back - great cast, TERRIBLE movie (Netflix)

8 Bit Christmas - better than I expected, tbh. I also didn't realize this was based on a book!  (HBO Max)

Don't Look Up - this was so silly but I was still laughing and quoting it days later (Netflix)

Planning: On moving my recent watched, to watch, and listening lists to a monthly post on the third Wed of the month, and possibly making it a link up. Would any of you be interested in that?

Anticipating: putting away Christmas, which I'll be doing this weekend since I always put away most of the holiday stuff after Three King's Day (Jan 6). I think I'll leave out some of the dish towels, candles, and my snowman twinkly lights, but the rest must go! 

Organizing: my kitchen, since I got a new awesome appliance! And my closets... again! I feel like I have to do this every few months, but I finished one at Blue's over the weekend and have already scheduled a Vietnam Vets pickup for later this month!

Resolving: I don't actually like making new year's resolutions; I prefer monthly goals, if anything. However while I was trying to not admit this and actually put an answer here, I found this list, which made me chuckle. 

Here are some ideas if you need inspiration though! 

Scheduling: a girls' trip to a cabin in the woods for Presidents' Day Weekend. Somehow I was made responsible for finding us the cabin which has been a bit stressful (trying to find a place for 10 people with a hot tub, fire pit, and full kitchen- oiy!), but I've never gone away with this particular group of friends so it should be interesting! 

What's currently going on with you? 

Did you make any resolutions? 

Linking up with Anne! 

Amazon Prime Purchases

Hi friends! So happy to be back to a "normal" schedule, though it was a great holiday break! I was originally going to post some of the things I purchased for friends and family for Christmas, but I just ordered some things in the new year which I'm too excited to share with you today- and they are all *actually* from Amazon! 

At the top of my list was some Christmas decoration storage since I don't own any. The box that my little fake Christmas tree was damaged, so I threw it out as soon as I put the tree up. My tree is only about 5 ft, so this Christmas tree storage bag fit the bill perfectly. 

I made Christmas wreaths for myself and Blue last year and stored it in one of those clear plastic bags you get from the dry cleaners, so needless to say I obviously needed a better storage solution! This 2-pack of wreath storage bags was only $12! 

I also had no organization for my ornaments, just wrapped in old newspapers and placed in a decorative but overflowing cardboard box. This protective organizer zips shuts and has enough room to add more ornaments in the future. 

My most beloved Christmas present from this year was a many-years-wishlist item: a KitchenAid standing mixer! However, I had no room in my kitchen to display use it! So I purchased this 3-shelf rolling cart and it's PERFECT (and wasn't too hard to put together- though it took me several tries, I did it myself)! While I was planning to put Big Red (that's her name, yes, I occasionally name things) on the middle shelf, she didn't fit. However I was able to put my microwave on the top shelf, making room for her on my counter, and filled in the rest with other appliances that were hiding (and taking up space) in my closets/cupboards. I  love the hooks that come with this cart too- perfect for my slightly overflowing mug collection! (Additionally, this was $25 cheaper on Amazon than other places like Walmart.)

Once I'd found a suitable spot for Big Red, I had to fill in the bit of space next to her, so I repurposed (and repurchased) a 3-tier pantry organizer and placed some of my baking essentials on it. I didn't like how the boxes look though, so I purchased some clear airlid-tight jars that I'll label with my new label-maker a'la The Home Edit. 

In the middle bottom is my new planner. I'm a planner girl with no planner- ack! I had some Goldilocks-esque issues with the planners I've purchased for this year, so fingers crossed this one works! It's a dated calendar year horizontal layout weekly/monthly planner from Blue Sky. I think I last used a planner by them in 2019, so hopefully they're still great! 

And on the bottom left is some Mike's Hot Honey. I can't remember why I purchased this or what I'm going to use it with, so if you have any ideas please share them with me! 

What have you purchased recently? 

Linking up with Tanya!

Favorite Reads of 2021

I haven't been the best at blogging in general lately, and probably haven't done a book-related one in 6 months (I'm too lazy to check), but I have still been reading so I wanted to share my favorites from the year and hopefully I'll be better about reviewing next year!


Best Sequel You've Read This Year?
Mind The Gap, Dash and Lily (Dash and Lily #3) - Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

New Release You Haven't Read Yet But Want To?
Apples Never Fall - Liane Moriarty

Most anticipated release for the second half of the year?
Eight Perfect Hours - Lia Louis

Biggest Disappointment?
Outlawed - Anna North

    * This had a lot of hype around it (probably because I think it was a Reese Witherspoon book        club pick) and I thought I would like it because I unexpectedly LOVED Upright Women               Wanted by Sara Gailey last year which seemed like the same genre, but I didn't enjoy this           one.

Biggest Surprise?
One Last Stop - Casey McQuiston

    *This was a surprise because usually I don't like science fiction or time travel, but I                       absolutely loved this one (and don't worry, that's not a spoiler!)

Favorite new author (debut or new to you)?
B.A. Paris. I read Behind Closed Doors earlier this year adn already got The Therapist on deck- can't wait to read that and her backlist! 

New favorite character?
Elle Jones, the free-spirited social media astrologer who stand up for herself (and her profession) to her haters, in Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur.

Book that made you cry?
All The Ugly and Wonderful Things - Bryn Greenwood

Book that made you happy?
In A Holidaze - Christina Lauren
    *This gave me all the warm and fuzzies! 

Favorite book-to-film adaptation you saw this year?
Bird Box - Josh Malerman (also the only book-movie adaptation I read this year)

Most worthy of all the hoopla?
The Last Thing He Told Me - Laura Dave

Best non-fiction?
The Home Edit Life: The Complete Guide to Everything at Work, at Home, and on the Go - Clea Shearer and Jenna Teplin (I liked The Home Edit better, but the other two non-fiction books I read were memoirs and I didn't love either one of them)

Favorite book you read in 2021 by an author you’ve read previously?
Then She Was Gone - Lisa Jewell
    *This author ALWAYS gets me out of a reading rut! I'm glad I still have her backlist to read!

Book that had a scene in it that had you reeling and dying to talk to somebody about it? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc.)
The Push - Ashley Audrain
    *I was asking everyone I know if they had read this one! If you don't know why, you MUST          read it!

Book you can’t BELIEVE you waited until 2021 to read?
Small Great Things - Jodi Picoult
    *If I had to pick a favorite book of the year, it would be this one! 

Favorite relationship from a book you read in 2021?
To Night Owl from Dog Fish - Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer
    *The friendship between Night Owl and Dogfish was so sweet! 


Book Stats
Total number read: 36
Netgalley: 5
Owned: 7
Non-Fiction: 3
WOC: 4 (wow, terrible)
Given Away: at least 10

What were your favorite reads this year? 

Linking up with Steph and Jana!

Currently: December

It's been a whirlwind month, and I can hardly believe it's December already! I really don't feel like getting into specifics as to *why* it's been such a crazy month, so let's just jup into the prompts and save the drama for your llama (or another day)! 

Watching:

Red Notice (Netflix) - this was SUCH a stupid movie. I figured with the all-star cast it would have been better. And truth be told I only watched it because of that, but WOW. It was pretty bad. 

Love Hard (Netflix) - this was a cute holiday movie. A bit Hallmark-y, but since I don't have cable (and therefore no Hallmark channel) this fit the bill. 

The Shrink Next Door (Apple TV+) - I have never hated Paul Rudd as much as I do in this show. I honestly cannot watch more than 2 episodes in one sitting because he is SO repulsive. And even though it's a trainwreck (not the show but the plot), I can't stop watching. I'm to invested... especially since it's based on a true story! 

Music Box: Jagged (HBO Max) - this was a bit disjointed with the side stories, but I've always loved this album and really enjoyed learning about  Alanis Morissette's rise to fame and some of the struggles she dealt with getting there. I haven't watched any of the other musician specials that have been out recently (Tina Turner, Britney, Janet Jackson, etc) so this was quite eye-opening. 

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (in theaters!) - Honestly, I did this one for Blue. It was a little long, but cute and nostalgic.  I just felt uncomfortable in the movie theater because when we ordered tickets and picked our seats for a 2:30 showing on a Saturday, the theater looked empty, and then right before the movie started 2 girls sat DIRECTLY behind me, so I wound up wearing my mask throughout the movie. Needless to say, I won't be heading to another movie any time soon. 

Listening to: Adele's 30 album. How DEPRESSING! She still sounds great, but man, this one hits ya right in the feels! 

Sending: a Christmas present to my friend in CO, and books! I recently got back into Paperback Swap, so I've been clearing some room on my bookshelves!

Smelling: My Fireside candle by BBW

Wrapping: I haven't wrapped anything yet, but I'm just about finished with CHristmas shopping! I usually shop a little bit throughout the year but I also bought a bunch of stuff on Cyber Monday (won't find my in stores on Black Friday!), so the wrapping process shall commence in 5-7 business days LOL! 

Decorating - Nothing yet.  I took down all my fall decorations the day after Thanksgiving and got all of my Christmas decorations out from storage, but I realized I wasn't quite ready to put everything up yet. I plan on doing it this weekend though. 

Feeling - ambivalent? I'm not a huge Christmas person and things are pretty crappy at work, so I'm just trying to stay chill at this point. 

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I also wanted to share an update on my Fall Bucket List before it's time to make a new one for Winter! Overall I did pretty well, managing to complete all but 3/12 (and one that I'm not counting since this new variant arose). 

Try 3 new "Fall" recipes - I made Shay's Penne Sausage Bake and although I had to leave it in the oven a little longer than the instructions said, it was delicious! I also made Coconut Curry Lentils with Spinach from one of my favorite food bloggers/authors, Budget Bytes! I love how she almost always has recipes with items I already have on hand, however this was probably my least favorite in terms of flavor- as in it didn't have any! It was so BLAND! I also made carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting for my Mountain Mama's birthday. They were so moist and delicious- definitely a hit! 

Light fall scented candles - Hmmm.... what are your favorite "fall" scents? I DID light candles, but not so sure they fall (haha) into the "autumn" category. Either way, I'm marking this as a pass. 

Paint nails a fall color - check! I sported "In The Cable Car Lane" by OPI for our bi-annual town hall at work, and am currently wearing an old favorite, Carry On by Essie. 

Decorate for fall - check! I decorated my mantle and porch.

Change over summer to winter clothes and donate the extras - check! One of my mom's friend's family was coming in from South America, so many of my cold-weather accessories went to them, and the rest to the Vets.

Go on a (weekend) getaway - No, but I wasn't mad about it since this new variant surfaced. I'm vaccinated (and already have appt for booster), but still, I'm too nervous.  

Enjoy a hooky spa day - check! Ok, so it wasn't a "hooky" day as I was originally planning, but my mom bought me a gift certificate to a spa and I went last Sunday and treated myself to a Korean body scrub. Though I don't anticipate going again for at least 6 months, I have to admit that my skin feels so smooth! 

Finish Erin's book challenge (deadline 10/31) - check! Getting ready for the next one! 

Check out a new winery or brewery - Nope...

Check out a new restaurant - does ordering in count? If so, then yes! We recently ordered in from a place called 30 Burgers and it was really good! 

Have a pumpkin martini + enjoy pumpkin ice cream - no. I even tried to make a homemade martini and my local liquor store didn't have the ingredients! Harumph! Luckily there's still some time left!

What's new with you?

Linking up with Anne!