August 2015 Wrap-up and Monthly TBR

Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.

August's TBR Pile (12/13):

1. Nonfiction: Creative Lettering by Jenny Doh √
2. Science Pick: How We Got to Now by Steven Johnson √
3. Writing Pick: Leaving a Trace by Alexandra Johnson √
4. Crafty Pick: The Complete Decorated Journal by Gwen Diehn √
5. Self-Help Pick: The Crafter’s Devotional by Barbara Call √
6. Home Pick: Young House Love by Sherry and John Petersik √
7. History Pick: The Secret Museum by Molly Oldfield √
8. Book club selection: Gods and Generals by Jeff Shaara √
9. Carry-over: Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon
10. Random pick: Where’d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple √
11. Series Ender: Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore √
12. Added: Common Phrases by Myron Korach √
13. Added: Interest by Kevin Gaughen √

Picture Book Roundup:

1. But Not the Hippopotamus by Sandra Boynton
2. The Little Dump Truck by Margery Cuyler
3. Elmo at the Zoo by Lori Froeb
4. Thomas and Friends Blue Mountain Mystery by by Reverend Awdry
5. Roar, Roar Baby by Karen Katz
6. Trains, Cranes, and Troublesome Trucks by Reverend Awdry
7. How Penguin Says Please by Abigail Samoun
8. 3, 2, 1... Circus! by William Wegman
9. Things that Go
10. Trucks by Debbie Powell
11. Dinosaur Opposites by Stickland
12. My First Books of Things that Go by Alain Gree
13. Duck and Goose How are You Feeling? by Tad Hills
14. What's Your Sound Hound the Hound by Mo Willems
15. Jungle Animals
16. Cookiebot by Katie Van Camp
17. A Line Can Be by Laura Ljungkvist
18. Super Guinea Pig to the Rescue by Udo Weigelt
19. Go to Bed, Monster by Natasha Wing
20. R is for Robot by Adam Watkins
21. Alphabet Trucks by Samantha Vamos
22. Never Ask a Dinosaur to Dinner by Gareth Edwards
23. Sun Above and Blooms Below by Felicia Sanzari Chernesky
24. Daddy Sat on a Duck by Scott Cohn
25. My Dinosaur is More Awesome by Simon Coster
26. What's Your Favorite Animal? by Eric Carle
27. Are We There Yeti? by Ashlyn Anstee
28. Boats Go by Steve Light
29. Dog Comes Too by Hazel Hutchins
30. I'm Dirty by Kate McMullan
31. Bizzy Bear Knights' Castle by Benji Davies
32. Red Wagon by Renata Liwska
33. Hi by Ethan Long
34. Pug in a Truck by Nancy Coffelt
35. Let's Look at Trains by Britta Teckentrup
36. Good Night Thomas by Reverend Awdry
37. Who's That On the Go by Tad Carpenter
38. Bug Patrol by Denise Dowling Mortensen
39. Race Car is Roaring by Mandy Archer
40. Digger to the Rescue by Mandy Archer
41. Silly Street by Steve Bjorkman
42. Spot a Lot Vehicle Adventure by Steve Smallman
43. Truckery Rhymes by Jon Scieszka
44. How Do Dinosaurs Say good Night? by Jane Yolen
45. Tractor Saves the Day by Mandy Archer
46. Cool Cars by Tony Mitton
47. Through the Town by Craig Shuttlewood
48. Jackson and Bud's Bumpy Ride by Elizabeth Koehler-Pentacoff

1,000,000 Page Goal

Monthly Total: 3862 pages
Pages Remaining: 783,936 pages

Current Read - Dragon in Amber by Diana Gabaldon; Mortal Fear by Greg Iles

Books Won (0)

Books I Gave Up On (1) - Mortal Fear by Greg Iles. This was a book club selection for this month and after 150 pages, I just didn't care about this book at all.

Challenges Completed  -- What's in a name: harder challenge given the odd categories, but I did it!  Mount TBR: 36 Books straight off my shelves! Woohoo!

Comments - Very good month! I'm very excited to be average 3500 pages a month lately. I feel like I've actually be prioritizing reading above things like television. Go me!

September's TBR Pile:

1. Nonfiction: Happier at Home by Gretchen Rubin
2. Book Club Selection: TBD
3. MVPA Book club selection: Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
4. Carry-over: Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon
5. Random pick: The Distant Hours by Kate Morton
6. Favorite Author Pick: First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen
7. Challenge Completer: Don't Know Much About Mythology by Kenneth Davis

August Movie Month

My 30 day challenge was new-to-me movies. Unfortunately, my plan did not get off to a great start. I didn't watch a single movie for the first four days of the month. From there, I just lost momentum. Here are the movies that I watched during the month of August...

1. See Girl Run (2012) "A young adult woman decides to revisit her past relationships in order to find some guidance in her current life." -- Netflix told me that I would only give this movie 2 stars, but I enjoyed this quiet independent movie. It was a nice understated look a woman struggling with comparisons to her past and current relationships.

2. Lizzie Borden Took an Axe (2014) "The true story of Lizzie Borden, a young woman tried and acquitted in the 1892 murders of her father and stepmother." -- Very cheesy, but lots of fun to watch.

3. The Hobbit: Battle of Five Armies (2014) "Bilbo and Company are forced to engage in a war against an array of combatants and keep the Lonely Mountain from falling into the hands of a rising darkness." -- I hadn't gotten around to actually watching the last film in the trilogy. Josh got it for me so I could watch. It wasn't amazing, but a good movie. I loved seeing Elrond and Galadriel be bad asses in the added scene.

4. Teacher of the Year (2014) "Surrounded by the eccentric faculty of Truman High School, Mitch Carter wins the California Teacher of the Year award and immediately receives a tempting offer that may force him to leave his job." -- A pretty depressing comedy. Meant to be funny, but I wasn't laughing.

5. The Boxtrolls (2014) "A young orphaned boy raised by underground cave-dwelling trash collectors tries to save his friends from an evil exterminator. Based on the children's novel 'Here Be Monsters' by Alan Snow."  -- The red hats were the best part of the movie. Arthur enjoyed watching the trolls. He loved their silly looks.

6. World War Z (2013) "United Nations employee Gerry Lane traverses the world in a race against time to stop the Zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments, and threatening to destroy humanity itself." -- Finally watched this one. Yeah not a favorite. The pacing was really weird and there was a ton of exposition. A bit of a snore really. And I loved the book!

Summer Capsule Wardrobe Update #3

I made it through my first capsule wardrobe. And I would say it was a great success.

What worked?

• I stuck to the pieces that I pulled for the challenge. I only deviated a bit and mostly that was the few days that I was sick. Overall, I trie to make an effort to get dressed on a daily basis.
• I figured out what I really like: pattern tops, flowy tops (not tight in the stomach area), defined bottoms, comfy dresses, cooler pieces (I'm always hot!).

What didn't work?

• The pieces that I highlighted in last month's update are definitely being sold/donated. Every time I put one of those pieces on, I hated how it looked/felt. They needed to go!
• The number of pieces that I love is very small. I don't mind having a smaller wardrobe, but most of the pieces don't work well together.

Thoughts going forward:

• Never found a good pair of brown sandals, but I will continue looking. Especially since most of the summer clothes are now on clearance.
• I won't be doing a fall capsule wardrobe. I need some time to evaluate what's left in my wardrobe after the purge. And I need to really lay down what I want to buy.
• I'm toying with the idea of creating a wardrobe of neutrals and purple, that's it. Crazy? Maybe, but the simplicity appeals to me. I'll keep this in mind as I shop during the fall.
• I decided not to renew my Stitch Fix subscription. Currently their sizing only goes up to a size 14/XL. I'm right at the 14/16 line. I've heard that they are trying to get bigger sizes, but until they do, I don't want to commit to anything.
• Instead, I signed up for Dia and Co. Same idea as Stitch Fix, but they specialize in sizes 10+. Waiting on my first box to arrive.

101 in 1001 Update #7

What I did:

8. Choose and document One Little Word 2015 and 2016 -- Still plugging away...

13. Pass 500 books for Arthur’s 1000 Books Before Kindergarten (303/500) -- Past the halfway mark for this goal!

26. Read 50 of my owned unread books (39/50) -- Three more books from my own shelves this past month.

28. Read 100,000 pages toward 1,000,000 page goal (22,722/100,000) -- In July I read 3438 pages! Very good reading month!

34. Make 250 different greeting cards (69/250) -- 13 more differently designed greeting cards. Making progress on this goal!

45. Make 50 new recipes (26/50)

• Kale caesar pasta salad -- Oh my yummy! Especially when I added a bit of salami.
• Fresh tomato sauce -- Found a super simple recipe to make fresh tomato sauce. Definitely going into heavy rotation.
• Ranch chicken club roll-ups -- Nope.

54. Try 25 new restaurants (12/25) -- We spent last Sunday in Niles riding the old train. We stopped at Joe's Corner for some lunch. I got the chicken pesto panini. Very yummy!

92. Participate in 30 Day Wardrobe Challenge -- I've been doing a summer capsule wardrobe that is ending this week. I'm counting it as my 30 Day Wardrobe Challenge. I kept my wardrobe to about 50 pieces and really weeded out what I like and what I don't. It was a great experiment.

Remaining goals and total:

Friends, Family, and Love 1.Send out homemade holiday cards in December 2x 2. Build a snowman 3. Complete 52 once a week photos of Arthur 5. Date nights x 20 6. Complete a Jar of Life 7. Host a tea party 9. Write a personal manifesto 10. Take a picture of myself every first day of the month 11. Give 5 Just Because gifts 12. Give Arthur 25 pictures books in 25 days for December 2015 16. Take Arthur and twins to go see Santa

Crafting and Culture 17. Attend an opera or musical 18. Reread the Lord of the Rings Trilogy and The Hobbit 20. Finish one of my Perpetual Reading Challenges 21. Make 10 non-greeting card crafts from my Pinterest boards (7/10) 22. Ask 20 friends to suggest one book, and read them all 23. Watch a meteor shower 24. Attend 5 concerts (1/5) 25. Complete 10 Day in the Life posts (2/10) 27. Tour a factory 29. Finish 2015 and 2016 Project Life book (family and Arthur) 30. Finish 2015 and 2016 December Daily 32. Watch 100 different TED Talks and do a short review/analysis on the blog (new series) 33. Watch/rewatch every Academy Awards Best Picture since the year I was born (1982) 1982: Gandhi 1983: Terms of Endearment 1984: Amadeus 1985: Out of Africa 1986: Platoon 1987: The Last Emperor 1988: Rain Man 1989: Driving Miss Daisy 1990: Dances with Wolves 1991: Silence of the Lambs 1992: Unforgiven 1993: Schindler’s List 1994: Forrest Gump 1995: Braveheart 1996: The English Patient 1997: Titanic 1998: Shakespeare in Love 1999: American Beauty 2000: Gladiator 2001: A Beautiful Mind 2002: Chicago 2003: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 2004: Million Dollar Baby 2005: Crash 2006: The Departed 2007: No Country for Old Men 2008: Slumdog Millionaire 2009: The Hurt Locker 2010: The King’s Speech 2011: The Artist 2012: Argo 2013: 12 Years a Slave 2014: TBD 2015: TBD 2016: TBD 35. See a drive-in movie 36. Listen to every song by The Beatles 37. Finish watching every Star Trek television episode and movie 38. Have a Pixar movie month 39. Complete The Artist’s Way 40. Complete a year of no book buying 41. Learn Ruby on rails 42. Participate in 30 Days of Lists 2x (1/2)

Food and Drink 44. Take a cooking class 46. Open a cookbook to a random page and make what ever is on it 47. Give up dining out for one month 48. Try Whole30 51. Make fresh pasta 52. Learn to make a good martini 53. Do a brewery tour 55. Try 5 new to me foods 56. No pop for a month

Health and Fitness 57. Lose 2 pants sizes 58. Walk a 5K 59. Get a massage 60. Take a yoga class 61. Get three pedicures (1/3) 62. Do a spa day 65. Get lasik 66. Get CPR certified again

Travel 67. Stay at a Bed and Breakfast 68. Go on a vacation with Josh 69. Visit the Redwoods (any park) 70. Travel to a new state

Philanthropic 71. Give a 100% tip 72. Donate something extra at each MVPA social x 10 (3/10) 73. Pay it forward at Starbucks/coffeeshop 74. Donate to a Kickstarter campaign I love

Financial 75. Two week money fast (starting with full gas tanks and a full pantry) 76. Open an Etsy shop

Miscellaneous 79. Get Arthur’s tattoo 80. Get a passport 81. Get rid of 100 things 82. Learn how to use our DSLR 84. Make a chalk mural on the driveway/porch 85. Finish a Soduku puzzle 87. Complete a coloring book 89. Take an IQ test 90. Play Bingo in a bingo hall 91. Go horseback riding or hiking 93. Unplug completely for 24 hours 95. Go to a convention (blogging, SU, etc) 96. Dye my hair purple 97.Revamp my wardrobe 98. Take real photos of me for my blogs 99. Post a vlog 100. Go apple/berry/etc picking

My First Dia & Co. Box

I used to do Stitch Fix, but since having my son, I'm too big for most of their items. Their 14+ sizes are very limited. I've heard they are working on it, but until then, Stitch Fix is not a good fit for me. Someone in my online mom group pointed me towards Dia & Co. They specialize in size 14+. Yeah! I signed up immediately and received my first box this week.

Details of how it works:  For $20 a shipment, you get a personalized style pack of five items.  Then, you try everything on and decided to keep 1, 2, 3, 4, or all 5 items.  The $20 stylist fee is credited to your purchase.  And if you buy all five items, you get an extra 20% off.

I unboxed my items and immediately loved the style. If they all fit, I would have kept the entire box. As it happens, a few of the pieces didn't quite work. Let's look at all the items:

Item #1: Calvin Klein Stripped Chiffon Maxi Dress $78

Pros: Pretty colors. Nice and lightweight. Like the thicker straps.

Cons: Black to color transition hits at largest part of my stomach. Made me very self-conscious. Also about three inches too short to really be a maxi for me.

Item #2:  ABS Miley Necklace $38

Pros: Love the simple shapes. Love the layering. Love silver and black together.

Cons: I don't wear a ton of jewelry (but maybe I should war more).

Item #3: Lucky Brand Crochet Tank $59.50

Pros: Love the lace and black. It's definitely the right length.

Cons:  Check out that side boob! Would definitely need a very different bra with this one.

Item #4: Maison Jules Knit Striped Tank with Patterned Detail $34.50

Pros: Lightweight. Interesting pattern detail. Not too expensive.

Cons: May be hitting a little high. Possibly be fixed with different bottoms.

Item #5: Levi's Bootcut Dark Wash Denim $58

Pros: Fit great on the waist/hips/butt. I love dark wash denim.

Cons: The bootcut is really wide. I think I need a slimmer cut from above the knee and below.

So, what did I keep?

..

..

..

..

..

Item #2 and #4: I loved the necklace and have resolved to wear more jewelry. Plus that tank was the right length, weight, and pattern. I need more good layering tanks in my closet.

FF #31 Nautical Pattern Plan

I love nautical inspired pieces. While the anchor necklace is the only actually nautical piece to this outfit, the rest make connections in my mind. I love the structured white bag (I would never own as it would be covered in goo in minutes, but it's amazing looking). The other gold accessories are nice and geometric (just how I like them). For the top and skirt I played with differing patterns. When mixing patterns, it's always nice to pair one more neutral or subtle pattern with a bold pattern. The shirt is clearly the bold pattern. The lace of the skirt makes it seem almost like a solid in comparison.

Sleeveless shirt

$70 - tarastarlet.com

MSGM a line skirt

modaoperandi.com

Paloma Barceló leather sandals

$185 - farfetch.com

Bowling bag

$280 - breuninger.com

Minor Obsessions initial necklace

barneys.com

Sole Society bracelet

solesociety.com

Gold jewelry

$4.04 - yoins.com

Joining Blog-Tember

This is crazy, but I've seen people do Blog-Tember in the past and it always looked like so much fun. An entire month's worth of blog post prompts! I decided to jump this the challenge this coming month. Which means, I had to decide what to do with all of my regularly scheduled features and blog posts... I'm pushing most of the not-time-sensitive ones (Fashion Friday, Music Monday, etc) to October, but keeping Arthur's birthday post, life goals, and 101 Update post. Hope this works out well.  To join me, hop on over to Brave Love Blog and check out the details.

Lots of Thanks

1. My customers -- Both of my businesses (Stampin' Up and Thirty-One) are doing well and it's all because of my amazing customers!

2. Niles Canyon Railway volunteers -- For keeping the railway running to the delight of Arthur and tons of other children. Plus, I had fun riding the rails!

3. The internet -- For always having the exact thing I'm looking for. Just need to use the right search words.

4. My crafty friends -- For providing support and inspiration.

5. Papermate Flair -- For being the perfect journaling pen for me. Yep, some days it's the little things...

Gods and Generals by Jeff Shaara

Title: Gods and Generals

Author: Jeff Shaara

Publisher: Ballantine Books 1996

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 512

Rating:  3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Reduction; Mount TBR

In this brilliantly written epic novel, Jeff Shaara traces the lives, passions, and careers of the great military leaders from the first gathering clouds of the Civil War. Here is Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, a hopelessly by-the-book military instructor and devout Christian who becomes the greatest commander of the Civil War; Winfield Scott Hancock, a captain of quartermasters who quickly establishes himself as one of the finest leaders of the Union army; Joshua Chamberlain, who gives up his promising academic career and goes on to become one of the most heroic soldiers in American history; and Robert E. Lee, never believing until too late that a civil war would ever truly come to pass. Profound in its insights into the minds and hearts of those who fought in the war, Gods and Generals creates a vivid portrait of the soldiers, the battlefields, and the tumultuous times that forever shaped the nation.

Good book, but I'll admit that war history is not my interest area. I wasn't as engaged with this book as others I have read. Or maybe it's because I have a fair knowledge of the players of the Civil War that I didn't really dive into this book. I can see the value of the book and it is well-written. It's just not my cup of tea.

Interest by Kevin Gaughen

Title: Interest

Author: Kevin Gaughen

Publisher: Kevin Gaughen 2015

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 297

Rating:  4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Reduction; Mount TBR; 52 Books - W34

It’s all the news channels can talk about: the White House has been bombed, there's chaos in the streets, and the United States has found itself in the throes of a violent revolution.

Surrounded by panicked people, washed-up journalist Len Savitz takes the crisis in stride. It’s nothing that a stiff drink won’t cure. After all, bad news only hurts optimists.

But when the mysterious leader of the rebels cherry-picks him to acquire certain information for her, Len is forced to go on an investigative mission where he uncovers millennia-old secrets and unwittingly triggers a chain of disturbing events that will determine the future of humankind.

A book club friend gave this to me to read. She thought I would like it and she was right. It was very interesting read. I loved the explanations of control by the Dranthyx (actually makes a sort of sense). I loved the discussions about the different types of people. And the main character, Len, was entertaining. The book was a quick read but packed with action and suspense. The only issue I had with the book was that the ending (last 40 pages or so) felt very rushed. Other than that, I really did enjoy this self-published piece of fiction.

Quote Wednesday -- Montessori

Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed. -- Maria Montessori

Top Ten Tuesday -- On the Syllabus: Intro to Science Fiction

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join.  If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

Today's class is all about introduction to science fiction. Have you wanted to dive into the science fiction world but found yourself hesitating? Did talk of Asimov or Clarke scare you? Never fear, here are 10 great books to dip your toe into the science fiction world. After wading in a bit, you may even become a huge scifi fan like myself.

1. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells -- A bit old fashioned at times, but look past it to see how science and fantasy are often intertwined. And if you're going to watch a movie version, please only watch the 1960 one.

2. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card -- My 12-year-old loved this book for the great storyline and action. I love it for the characters and the philosophical questions about dealing with other species.

3. The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury -- Also known for his fantasy novels, this slim novel of connecting stories tells a great story and brings out some great questions.

4. The Martian by Andy Weir -- A science heavy story released just this year. Don't let the science bog you down, it's a great look at the realities and risks of space travel and the main character has a great voice. I flew through this one in just a few days. After reading, you can compare to the movie they are making set to be released in November.

5. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams -- My favorite book on the syllabus (so much so that my son is named after the main character!). The first book is slim, but packed full of comedy and adventure. You can't go wrong with any of Adams' work, but this one is my favorite.

6. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury -- I'm not what to say about this book other than everyone should read it! It's a classic for a reason. Amazing look at a dystopian society that could be our future.

7. Ringworld by Larry Niven -- Another slim novel packed with interesting questions and adventure.

8. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley -- Another great dystopian classic. A must read for great discussions about society, structure, and government.

9. Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson -- I am not a computer geek, but I found this novel fascinating. I learned a lot about computers and philosophy. A must read!

10. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick -- I loved this thin volume so much.  Dick crafts a masterful look at what is means to be human. (While Blade Runner is amazing, the two are not the same story. Make sure to also read this book!)

Music Monday -- iPod Shuffle

Alkaline Trio "Burn" 

Jack White "Freedom at 21"

Anberlin "Retrace"

Bout of Books Wrap-up

Pages read today: 190 (Where'd You Go Bernadette) + 153 (Dragonfly in Amber)

Pages read total: 1007

Comments: I finished Where'd You Go Bernadette last night (great book!) and dove back into Dragonfly in Amber. I probably won't finish that one before the end of the readathon, but I can at least read a good chunk.

My Goals:

• Finish Bitterblue -- actually finished before Monday
• Finish 2 other books √
• Review all books read √
• Read 1000 pages √
• Knock off at least 8 reading challenge spots -- Only six, but still a good job

TBR Pile:

• Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore -- actually finished before Monday
• Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon (in progress)
• Young House Love by Sherry and John Petersik √
• Common Phrases by Myron Korach √
• Gods and Generals by Jeff Shaara
• Added: Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple √

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 17th and runs through Sunday, August 23rd in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 14 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. – From the Bout of Books team

Sunday Sunset #19

Listening To: Happier by Gretchen Rubin. Been on a podcast kick lately. Picked this one up as I am finally caught up with One Bad Mother. These are great little 20 minute episodes.

Book finished: Bitterblue; Young House Love; Common Phrases; Where'd You Go Bernadette

Reading: Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon

On the Nightstand: Gods and Generals by Jeff Shaara

MakingLists: Crafty to-dos, possible classes, ideas for Thirty-One events, etc.

From the kitchen: Nothing new this week. Just lots of standards for us this past week.

Crafting: Not much crafting this past week. I was busy with the crafty garage sale and Thirty-One party. Hoping to get some great crafting in for this next week.

Watching: We finally caught up with Mr. Robot and oh my goodness! Every time I think that show can't get crazier, somehow they top it!

From Nature: The temps have been up and down this week, but overall amazingly nice like usual.

Project: Retreat planning and Arthur's birthday party. These two will continue to be my two big projects until they happen in October.

Picture: My garage sale set up on Saturday.

Summer Reading List Redux

Earlier this summer I made my reading list for the season. Let's see how I did...

Fiction Choices:

• This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald √
• Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon -- in progress
• Highlander Unbound by Julia London √
• Highlander in Disguise by Julia London (DNF)
• Highlander in Love by Julia London (DNF)
• Bayou Folk and A Night in Acadie by Kate Chopin √
• The Lost Soul by Gabriella Pierce √
• The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern √
• The Mad Scientist's Daughter by Cassandra Rose Clarke √
• Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple √
• Steamlust by Kristina Wright (DNF)
• Witches by Paula Guran √
• Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore √
• The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins √

Nonfiction Choices:

• The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo √
• Bait and Switch by Barbara Ehrenreich √
• The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin √
• The F Word by Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner √
• The Art of Steampunk by Art Donovan √

Holy Cow! I finished almost every single one of the books that I listed. I did have some DNFs, but that's because I just wasn't into the story or characters at all. I knocked out some great reads this summer and went beyond this list. I love being able to check items off my list. I may just have to make a winter challenge in a few months.

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

Title: Where'd You Go, Bernadette

Author: Maria Semple

Publisher: Back Bay Books 2012

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 330

Rating:  5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Reduction; Mount TBR

Bernadette Fox is notorious. To her Microsoft-guru husband, she's a fearlessly opinionated partner; to fellow private-school mothers in Seattle, she's a disgrace; to design mavens, she's a revolutionary architect, and to 15-year-old Bee, she is a best friend and, simply, Mom.

Then Bernadette disappears. It began when Bee aced her report card and claimed her promised reward: a family trip to Antarctica. But Bernadette's intensifying allergy to Seattle--and people in general--has made her so agoraphobic that a virtual assistant in India now runs her most basic errands. A trip to the end of the earth is problematic.

To find her mother, Bee compiles email messages, official documents, secret correspondence--creating a compulsively readable and touching novel about misplaced genius and a mother and daughter's role in an absurd world.

This book was a delight. I laughed, I cried, it had everything. I was skeptical reading the first 25 pages, but quickly got hooked with the amazing characters. Bee is such a great character and Bernadette is even better. I loved learning bits and pieces about them through the emails, journal entries, and notes from other character. The story structure really held my attention. And of course, I wanted to find out what happened to Bernadette. A great quick read.

FF #30: Crop Style

WhileI don't personally wear them, I love the look for structured crop tops. This pink one caught my eye and I knew I had to create an outfit around it. As it's still very much summer around these parts, I paired the top with a great floral skirt, comfy wedges, and basic accessories. No need to cover this outfit up at all!

River Island sleeveless shirt

riverisland.com

Floral skirt

$20 - kokocouture.co.uk

Wedge sandals

neelybyvnb.com

Dressage Collection crossbody handbag

onekingslane.com

Chanel gold jewelry

$1,590 - rebelle.com

Dorothy Perkins floppy hat

$22 - dorothyperkins.com

Video Party

Yep, gotta see it. 

These guys are awesome and I love this ad campaign!

Love John Green and his lists. And really love maps!

This one looks really cute. Definitely putting it on my list to see.

So incredibly excited to see this one...

Currently #14

Watching: Buying and Selling. I'm a sucker for real estate shows. This one is nice to have on in the background during lunch.

Reading: I'm trying to catch up with my blog roll.

Listening: Arthur has been watching Thomas and Friends lately. I hear it in my sleep.

Making: Trying to figure out our weekend plans so I can get to actually crafting something.

Feeling: The inside temperature is set at 73, but I am still hot. And this migraine is making my whole body sore.

Planning: All the parties! So many coming up to either help plan or do it all by myself.

Loving: Caffeine in the form of pop is the only thing getting me through the day.