Winter 2017 Clothing Summary

Starting anew for 2017. My goal is to keep my quarter clothes budget to $200. I've still got some weight loss goals to achieve, but I need to do a bit of fill-in in the meantime.

Target $31.58

A couple of weeks ago, I took advantage of a B1G50% deal on sneakers and flip-flops. My favorite white and black striped slip-ons are too big (stretched out) after pregnancy, so i needed something new. I grabbed this pair of Vans-espue slip-ons and a pair of denim (Keds-esque) sneakers. The denim ones are actually slipons with fake laces!

Old Navy $85.34

After my birthday day in San Francisco, I stopped into Old Navy to take advantage of their 30% sale and find pants! I grabbed this great stretchy black pencil skirt (longer than the one I currently own) and coral tank top. The top is thin but not see through. Love some hot weather options as summer is coming soon.

I grabbed this coral tank top on clearance! Perfect for a layering piece. And I finally found some pants that fit! I bought these gray chino Pixie pants. They are ankle length and fairly lightweight, perfect for spring and summer here in California.

Finally I grabbed a graphic tee. Most of my tees are gross. I need a couple of good semi-fitted tees to throw on with jeans and shorts. Loving this one!

2017 Total: $116.92

The Lunar Chronicles Stores - Part 2

Title: Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky(The Lunar Chronicles #2.5); After Sunshine Passes By; The Princess and the Guard; Something Old Something New

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Felwel andFriends 2016

Genre: YA Scifi

Pages: 39; 21; 61; 56

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fairytale Retelling

The enchantment continues. . . . The universe of the Lunar Chronicles holds stories - and secrets - that are wondrous, vicious, and romantic. How did Cinder first arrive in New Beijing? How did the brooding soldier Wolf transform from young man to killer? When did Princess Winter and the palace guard Jacin realize their destinies? With six stories - two of which have never before been published - and an exclusive never-before-seen excerpt from Marissa Meyer's novel, Heartless, about the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, Stars Above is essential for fans of the bestselling and beloved Lunar Chronicles.

"Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky" -- A cute little story featuring Thorne's childhood. I loved reading about the expansion of a story Cress learned in her research.

"After Sunshine Passes By" -- More insight into the history of the various characters. This time we get to learn more about Cress and her childhood. Sibyl Mira is as scary as ever in this story...

"The Princess and the Guard" -- My favorite story of the entire book. I loved learning more about the relationship between Winter and Jacin. The story shows us the depth of their relationship and sheds some light onto where their character's are at when we meet Jacin aboard Sibyl Mira's ships. A great short story!

"Something Old Something New" -- A nice epilogue story for the series. It was great seeing all the main characters again. Plus we get some development in their stories. My only disappointment was not enough Winter and Jacin in this story. They were my favorites!

The Lunar Chronicles

Winter by Marissa Meyer

Title: Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4)

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel andFriends 2015

Genre: YA Scifi

Pages: 827

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fairytale Retelling; I Love Libraries

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.
Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won't approve of her feelings for her childhood friend--the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn't as weak as Levana believes her to be and she's been undermining her stepmother's wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that's been raging for far too long.

A fitting conclusion to The Lunar Chronicles. While I really enjoyed the previous books, this one really caught my attention. I was drawn into the story on page one. Winter is hands down my favorite character of the entire series. I loved the chapters that were from her point of view. The other chapters were good, but Winter stole the show. I was on pins and needles waiting to see if Winter survived and if she and Jacin finally got together. I was riveted by the build up to the confrontation between CInder and Levana. Oh my it was so stressful! But it was such a great ending. While the last chapter was a bit rushed, I still really really enjoyed it.

The Lunar Chronicles

#0.5 Glitches
#0.6 The Little Android
#1 Cinder
#1.5 The Queen's Army
#2 Scarlet
#2.5 Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky
#3 Cress
#3.5 Fairest
#3.6 Stars Above
#4 Winter

Top Ten Tuesday -- Spring TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish in June 2010.

The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett -- I need to get back on the Discworld train.
A Second Chance by Jodi Taylor -- Really loving the Chronicles of St. Mary's series. I have the next book, just need to start it.
The Golden Prince by Rebecca Dean -- As part of the Read Your Book Shelf Challenge. I started strong, but haven't began March's selection.
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah -- Our May book club selection. I'm really excited to read (or perhaps listen) to this one.
1984 by George Orwell -- Feeling like it's time for a reread.
Logan’s Run by William F. Nolan -- I can't believe I have never read this one.
One Woman, One Vote by Marjorie Wheeler -- I need to read about a successful social movement.
Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman -- Another classical reread that I need to get to soon.
Another Comic -- I got off my track with this challenge. Need more comics in my life.
A Classic -- I haven't even started this reading challenge. I need to get it going.

Quentin: 23-24 Weeks

Likes: Snuggles, Arthur, his toys (especially taggie monster and Sophie), eating his toes, avocado!

Dislikes: Loud noises, being left alone (or at least not being able to see mom), water splashed in his face (Arthur got a little over zealous in the tub), rain

Rare daytime nap. He looks so sweet here.

Sleeping: Hit or miss. He was sleeping from 8pm to 7am straight, but lately he's been waking up once or twice a night. Usually he just wants his paci, but sometimes he wants a bottle. Daytime naps are really miss most days. Apparently I just have a kid that doesn't nap! Occasionally he takes a decent 1:00 - 1:30 nap, but that's so so rare. Usually his nap is like 15-20 minutes two times a day.

Eating: Last night I introduced Q to his first food: avocado! I was planning on started sometime this week, but last night's dinner involved an avocado and we didn't use all of it. Perfect. We stuck him in the booster chair and I put some on his tray. He didn't get the feeding himself part, so I would let him eat the avocado bits off my finger. He was actually swallowing most of it after squishing it around his mouth. He kept coming back for more, so I kept giving it. He ended up eating about a 1/3 of an avocado. Then he tried to eat my popcorn, but we wisely moved the bowl. Tuesday we're having sweet potatoes, so we'll try those.

Playing: Q's really taken a shine to his toys lately. He loves messing with his taggie blankets and Sophie. But he's also a fan of the wire ball and links. We've also been utilizing the jumper for a few minutes here and there. Mostly when I need to cook dinner and he's very insistent on me holding him. So doesn't work! At least in the jumper he can play and see me at the same time.

Milestones: Almost sitting up by himself. He can tripod for a decent amount of time before flopping over. He also discovered his toes a while back. His new trick is trying to take off his socks and chew on his toes. He gets so excited when he actually gets them in his mouth. Q's also been "talking" a lot more. He's extremely loud some days.

Out and About: Arthur's been sick, so we haven't been out and about as much these past two weeks. We did hit up CuriOdyssey (small zoo and science center) and the nearby playground. Yesterday the boys joined me at book club and on a Target run. And... that's about it.

Life Right Now #6

As I look outside my window: Being blinded by the sunlight coming through the windows. Love the sunshine, but main it's bright in here!

Right now I am: Prepping to head out to book club with the toddler and baby in tow.

On my bedside table: Hamilton Revolution (so incredibly excited about this one), Dead Feminists, and Shitty Mom

On my tv this week: Catching up on a ton of currently airing shows.

Listening to: Bastille's new album on repeat

On the menu for this week:

Monday - Chili and cornbread
Tuesday - BBQ Cheddar Meatloaf
Wednesday - Apple Bacon Sweet Potatoes
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Chicken and Noodles
Saturday - ???
Sunday - ???

On my to do list: Lots of random weird tasks. Too many to list...

Happening this week: There's nothing on the schedule until Thursday when we're going to Happy Hollow in the morning and I'm hosting stamp club after dinner. For the weekend, I'm hosting two different crafting events. Otherwise, I have nothing set. I imagine we'll hit the library, the grocery store, Target, and a park.

What I am creating: I really need to get started on 2017's Project Life albums. I haven't even cracked them open yet. Don't want to get too far behind.

My simple pleasures: My pillow

From the camera: Check out those eyebrows!

Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton

Title: Hark! A Vagrant

Author: Kate Beaton

Publisher: Drawn and Quarterly 2011

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 166

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel

Hark! A Vagrant is an uproarious romp through history and literature seen through the sharp, contemporary lens of New Yorker cartoonist and comics sensation Kate Beaton. No era or tome emerges unscathed as Beaton rightly skewers the Western world's revolutionaries, leaders, sycophants, and suffragists while equally honing her wit on the hapless heroes, heroines, and villains of the best-loved fiction.

Oh my! History, literature, and jokes are wrapped into one? I am so into this volume of comics! Multiple times I found myself chucking out loud, much to the dismay of my husband. The panels about the suffragettes had me laughing out loud. I read this book cover to cover in about a day. It was great. I was sucked into every frame. Such a great collection of comics.

Fairest by Marissa Meyer

Title: Fairest (The Lunar Chronicles #3.5)

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel andFriends 2015

Genre: YA Scifi

Pages: 220

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fairytale Retelling; I Love Libraries

Pure evil has a name, hides behind a mask of deceit, and uses her "glamour" to gain power. But who is Queen Levana? Long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress in The Lunar Chronicles, Levana lived a very different story—a story that has never been told . . . until now. New York Times –bestselling author Marissa Meyer reveals the story behind her fascinating villain in Fairest, an unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes a special full-color image of Levana's castle and an excerpt from Winter, the exciting conclusion to The Lunar Chronicles.

In a sense, I didn't like this book. Levana is such a horrible person that of course I didn't want to have any sympathy for her. And I don't have any sympathy for her even after reading her story. She has always been a cruel person manipulating people to cover her own insecurities. On the other hand, I did enjoy getting more story featuring the characters we know now including Jacin, Winter, and Selene. Overall, a very interesting story...

The Lunar Chronicles

#0.5 Glitches
#0.6 The Little Android
#1 Cinder
#1.5 The Queen's Army
#2 Scarlet
#2.5 Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky
#3 Cress
#3.5 Fairest
#3.6 Stars Above
#4 Winter

The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey

Title: The Girl with All the Gifts

Author: M.R. Carey

Publisher: Orbit Books 2014

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 409

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - Pseudonym; I Love Libraries

Melanie is a very special girl. Dr Caldwell calls her "our little genius."
Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don't like her. She jokes that she won't bite, but they don't laugh.

Our book club selection for March and it was my pick! The main character is a zombie, or is she? The central question is very intriguing. I love books that raise interesting questions and this one centers on a big one. What does it take to be human? My favorite parts of the book were the interactions between Melanie and Ms. Justineau. Their conversations add so much to the book. Instead of just a zombie book, we get an interesting examination of the human condition. Plus I loved the explanation of what caused the zombies. The reasoning was much more plausible than most zombie origin stories. Overall I really enjoyed the book.

dc049a522d84b84f_PS16_JP_Living_2017ReadingChallenge_List_R2-259x1024.jpg

New Videos

I enjoyed Doctor Strange, but this Honest Trailer is spot on and made me laugh.

Yeah I'm excited!

So depressing, but I'm always entertained by Jon Stewart.

Currently #4

Watching: J and I are catching up on Season 2 of The Magicians

Reading:The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey; our book club selection for March. I'm 2/3 of the way through it and loving this book so much!

Listening: Catching up on watching The Bachelor and consequently listening to the Here to Make Friends podcast.

Making: Taking a crafting break after my marathon crafting time last week. Instead, turning to making food items such as Mongolian Beef.

Feeling: Have had a headache for almost a week. It's really uncomfortable at this point.

Planning: Laying out my crafting plan for the next month or so along with my birthday celebrations.

Loving: J bought me chocolate cake on Saturday for my birthday. Oh so yummy!

Music Tuesday -- Starset "Monster"

March 2017 Life Goals

Let’s check in on February’s goals and my progress.

30 Day Challenge: 20 minutes of exercise — Success!
Prep and send February’s card — Success!
Read 2000 pages — Success! I almost reached 3000 pages.
Research vehicle options — Fail. Just never got around to this one.
Plan at least two kid activities — Success! I scheduled visits to CuriOdyssey, Happy Hollow, and the Oakland Zoo.

March's Goals:

30 Day Challenge: New greeting cards every day -- Part of my big crafty birthday celebration. I've got high hopes for my crafting in March.
Have a day alone in San Francisco for my birthday -- So excited to pull this one off!
Read 2000 pages -- Want to keep my reading going
Read my library books and don't check out any more (except for the few holds) -- I've had an issue in checking out too many library books instead of reading my own books. Hoping to get back on track in March,
Start Q on solids -- He's been reaching for my food at every meal time. I think it's just about time to start solids.
Plan a family day -- Hoping to fit in a family day sometime in March. Maybe Cal Academy?

February 2017 Wrap-up

February's TBR Pile (9/12):

MVPA Book Club Selection: (already read)
Series Pick: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer √
Nonfiction Pick: The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell
Carry-over: Voyager by Diana Gabaldon
Carry-over: The Daily Show by Chris Smith √
Carry-over: The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett √
Read Your Book Shelf Pick: Burning Bright by Tracey Chevalier √
Discworld Pick: The Light Fantastic
Added: A Study of Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas √
Added: The Very First Damned Thing by Jodi Taylor √
Added: Tales of the Peculiar by Ransom Riggs √
Added: Cress by Marissa Meyer √
Added: A Symphony of Echoes by Jodi Taylor √

Picture Book Roundup:

Frankie Stein by Lola M. Schaefer
Michael Recycle by Ellie Bethel
Funny Face, Sunny Face by Sally Symes
Animals by the Numbers by Steve Jenkins
Toys Meet Snow by Emily Jenkins
I Wanna Go Home by Karen Kaufman Orloff

1,000,000 Page Goal

Monthly Total: 2989 pages

Pages Remaining: 731,191 pages

Current Read - The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell

Books I Gave Up On (0)

Books bought/received (0)

March's TBR Pile:

MVPA Book Club Selection: The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey
Series Pick: Fairest by Marissa Meyer
Nonfiction Pick: The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell
Read Your Book Shelf Pick: Golden Prince by Rebecca Dean
Discworld Pick: The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett
Carry over: Voyager by Diana Gabaldon
Short Stories: Stars Above by Marissa Meyer
Comic Pick: Love Hurts by Kim Anderson
Comic Pick: Monstress Vol. 1
Comic Pick: Pretty Deadly Vol. 1
Comic Pick: Pretty Deadly Vol. 2
Library Pick: Dead Feminists by O'Leary

Movies watched

Allegiant
Cinderella
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2
Love and Friendship
Doctor Strange
Bad Moms

TV Shows watched

30 Rock S2-4
The Great British Baking Show S7
Avatar S1 (rewatching this with Arthur)
Broadchurch S1

Comments - For being the shortest month of the year, I killed it with my reading. I really tried to focus on reading in my spare time as opposed to always turn to tv. Seemed to have paid off!