Five Things Friday

Five things I did;

1. Unfortunately my MIL ended up in the hospital again after being home for 8 days. It was adventure to say the least. 

2. After being awake for about 32 hours straight; I crashed hard and slept for a straight 12 hours and 11 minutes. It was glorious.

3. My brother had his 8th grade orchestra concert! His last Middle School concert. I can't believe he is going into High School.

4. We bought a new recliner at the surplus store for $35! It's super comfy and we have been wanting one for awhile!

5. I went to Cedar Point and it was awesome! I used to go every single year in middle and high school.

Five things I ate:

1. On our way to visit my in-laws we stopped at Lances Bakery for some doughnuts. We bought a bakers dozen and shared them with everyone we ran into on our adventures.

2. I made tacos. So simple; but quick, easy and delicious.

3. Even though it was pretty warm, I made black bean and lentil soup. 

4. Cedar Point unhealthy foods. You're walking a lot, so it's okay - right?

5. I am currently obsessed with kettle cooked chips - specifically the flavor sea salt and cracked pepper. It's a problem.

Five things I read:

1.Hidden gems in Michigan

2. Bone Gap by Laura Ruby
This book got weird near the end up until that point it was a pretty good story. I gave it 3 stars.

3. Mom fights back against sexist pool party dress code

4. Heartography

5. The lives between us by Theresa Rizzo
full review on this one coming up in a few weeks!

As per usual, I am going to be linking with Fitting It All In and her Five Things Friday. I am also going to be at the High Five for Friday link up over at Coffee with Caitlin, Cup of Tea, Bright on a budget and Della Devoted

Beauty | Orange Blossom Water Toner

I was super excited when I got the email about reviewing FoxBrim's Orange Blossom Water Toner. I enjoyed FoxBrim's Vitamin C moisturizer that I received awhile back and I was looking forward to working with them again. Plus, I have used the same toner for about 5 years and I was looking for an opportunity to MOVE ON already.


The bottle this toner comes in is STURDY. I don't love that it doesn't have a pump top but I can get over that. The smell however may be more of a deal breaker. On the website it says that this toner has a "wonderful floral scent". I am not a fan. It does not smell wonderful anything to me, personally. But, when I first whiffed this product, I figured I could over it if the product was REALLY amazing.


This toner is 100% pure and natural flower water from the orange tree. I love that it doesn't have anything else added to it; its completely natural and that's why it smells the way it does. There is no perfumes or fragrances added to the product. Smell aside, the product does work. It completely removes any traces of dirt/grime/makeup left behind after cleansing. It also softens the skin and helps to balance oil production - which is definitely needed by me this time of year.


I love the way this product works, so I can move beyond the scent. Especially since it's so natural and that just makes it even better to be spreading all over my face. I give this product about 3.5 stars; marked down for smell and lack of pump top.


This review is sponsored by Tomoson.com and I received this product free of charge from FoxBrim in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own.

Recipe | Beef and Zoodles

 

Ingredients

• 1 lb of ground beef (I used venison, actually) and ground turkey would be even better!
• 2 small-medium zucchinis
• 1 tbsp. garlic
• 1 tbsp. oregano
• 1-2 cups of sauce of choice (I used pesto marinara)
• cheese (mozzarella or parmesan are great!)

Instructions

 

Using a spiralizer or julienne peeler; make your zoodles using the zucchini. The way I like to do it is: on a plate, place a paper towel. Make your first set of zoodles from zucchini #1. Set another paper towel on top of the zoodles and make zoodles from zucchini #2. Place another paper towel on top of those and press down lightly. I let it sit for about 30-50 minutes to soak up some of the water. Set aside.

 

• Cook up the meat until no longer brown, adding in garlic and oregano.
• Toss in zoodles and cook for about 2-4 minutes.
• Add in sauce and mix everything all up.
• Plate up, add some cheese to the top and voila!

 

Book Review | Inside the O'Briens by Lisa Genova

 

I read Still Alice by Lisa Genova in 2009 and it was probably one of my favorite books of the year. I believe that was my first book by her, and I read everything she wrote after and loved it all. So I was super excited when I heard about Inside the O'Briens I was really excited to get my hands on it. 

Joe O'Brien is a Boston police officer; forty-four years old and the father of 4 grown children. He has been married to his high school sweetheart for decades and recently he has been been having a hard time organizing his thoughts, handling his temper and controlling his movements. He just chalks up these strange experiences to the stress of his job, a former knee injury and his age. These episodes continue until finally his wife encourages him to see a doctor, which he does,  and where he finds out he has Huntington's Disease (HD).

HD is a lethal, genetic neurological disorder that has no treatment and no cure. Each of Joe's four children has a 50% chance of inheriting this disease and they are able to find out their genetic fate by taking a simple blood test. Do you choose to find out what is awaiting you? Do you just wait and see?

I had never heard of HD before reading this book, and I absolutely love how Genova tells the O'Briens story. Even though you know the outcome before reading this book, at least if you've read the description, it's still intriguing. Seeing how this disease affects not only the person living with it, but those around them. Reading about the kids and the decisions they suddenly have to make because of their dad's illness. Seeing who will choose to find out if they're gene positive and who will not - and why they make those decisions. This is real life. This isn't just a book - this disease is real and affecting families JUST LIKE the one we're reading about. It's crazy good, crazy eye-opening and crazy heartbreaking. As a reader, I didn't like the ending but I think that it's a good metaphor for life. You don't always get everything wrapped up in a neat little package, with things ending just the way they should. I can appreciate Genova's decision to end the book the way she did. 

Five Things Friday

Five Things I Did:

1. Lorelei Lindsay was born! My newest niece took awhile to join us, but she is here and I can't wait for newbie snuggles when I finally meet her in June!

2. We went a trip to Ikea to get some items we had been needing/wanting. We actually weren't able to get some of the bigger things we want, so looks another trip will be in our future. Oh darn! ;)

3. My husband has accepted a fixed-term (1 year) position at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa! I am currently looking for job opportunities there and I am planning on moving with him at the end of July - as long as I find something work wise. On to our next adventures!

4. We headed out to Grinnell on Monday to look for housing. We stopped in Iowa City to walk around the University of Iowa and downtown.

5. We found our Grinnell home! It's a kickass loft above a currently empty storefront, but it's right in downtown; walking distance from campus and right next door to the movie theatre. It has tons of character, exposed brick and gorgeous hardwood throughout. 

Five Things I Ate:

1. After an exhausting trip to Ikea, wings seemed like a good choice.

2. We ate breakfast at Golden Harvest Monday morning; I had a strawberry rhubarb French toast crumble with cream cheese frosting. It was literally amazing. 

3. We ate lunch at Short's Burger & Shine in Iowa City. I had a burger with bacon, cheddar cheese and BBQ sauce along with a craft beer from Des Moines. Then we stopped at Molly's Cupcakes for dessert. 

4. Literally the best meal of my life. Relish is the bomb. This is sesame crusted chicken and asparagus and it was divine. 

5. I tried kiwi in my smoothies this week; it was delish.

Five Things I Read:

1. Apparently you shouldn't get sick in July

2. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

3. social media no-no's

4. If Disney Princesses were 30-somethings

5. I read the local Grinnell paper while we were there!

As per usual, I am going to be linking with Fitting It All In and her Five Things Friday. I am also going to be at the High Five for Friday link up over at Coffee with Caitlin, Cup of Tea, Bright on a budget and Della Devoted

Beauty | Regenepure Biotin Conditioner

I have a lot of hair and it falls out in crazy amounts. So when I was offered to try out Regenepure's Biotin Conditioner I was pretty sure I was going to turn it down because biotin stimulates hair growth and the last thing I need is more hair. But it does a lot more than that, this conditioner unclogs the hair follicles while replenishing them with nutrients and that is what encourages hair growth. So the hair is super healthy, full of nutrients and will hopefully fall out less which would equal less vacuuming and that would make me very happy.

This conditioner is free of parabens and sulfates; the main ingredients are biotin, tea tree oil, jojoba oil, keratin, silk protein, copper peptides and saw palmetto. It smells SO GOOD too, like mint and eucalyptus. It's a very fresh scent, which I really enjoy. The conditioner itself is super thick, you just kind of slather it on your hair and let it do it's thing. Rinse out and get on with your life. It feels very much like a mask, and I would even say it has a lot of benefits of a mask, just without the time. You don't have to let it sit for a certain amount of time which is great.

I really enjoyed the opportunity to use this conditioner and my hair definitely is reaping the benefits of it. It feels so much smoother and healthier and I definitely notice less breakage. I imagine that problem will cease to exist after consistent using of this product. I would definitely try other products in the Regenepure family.



This review is sponsored by Tomoson.com and I received this product free of charge from Regenepure in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own.

Recipe | Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli

I love beef and broccoli, and thought that I could make it rather simply in the crock pot. I whipped this up the other day and I really enjoyed it! I ate it so fast that I never took any pictures of it, but I promise it looked good and tasted great as well.

 Ingredients

• 1 lb of stew meat
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp garlic
• 1/4 tsp red chili flakes
• 4 cups broccoli

Instructions

• Grease the inside of your slow cooker.
• Add in meat, beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic and chili flakes. Give everything a good stir.
• Cook on low 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.
• About 20 minutes before serving, add in broccoli and mix in with beef mixture.
• Serve with rice or on it's own and enjoy!

The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant

 

 

So the first book I read by Anita Diamant was The Red Tent and I absolutely loved it; even though historical fiction is generally not my jam. So I immediately added all of her books on my to-read shelf on Goodreads. The next one I ended up getting from the library was The Boston Girl.

 

The narrator of this story is and 85 year old grandmother talking to her 22 year old granddaughter. Addie Baum is The Boston Girl, she was born in 1900 to immigrant parents who were and are suspicious of America and its effects on their three daughters. Addie's intelligence and curiosity take her into a world that her parents just cannot understand; one of short skirts, movies, celebrities and new opportunities for women. Addie is dreaming big; she wants to finish high school, go to college, find a career and fall in love.

 

Addie begins her story when she asked by her granddaughter, "How did you get to be the woman that you are today?" She takes us through her years, beginning in 1915 when she made new friends who would shape the course of her life.

 

I love reading about a woman finding her own voice, even under the repression of her family and the times she is living in. Addie has balls, and it wasn't really looked great upon for women, especially immigrant women, to have balls. I also loved how the book was told as a grandmother telling her story to her granddaughter. I felt like I was a part of it, like I really was sitting there listening to a grandmother tell her life story. It made the book just that much more engaging and it made me feel so much more invested in the outcomes. I definitely recommend this book for anyone that likes history, Boston or just a great story with interesting characters.

Five Things Friday

Five things I did:

1. We went and visited my MIL in the hospital. It's seeming like she is going to be busting out of that joint relatively soon, so we shall see.

2. A coworker arranged for some race cars to come up to the school for the kids to see them, sit in them and get their pictures taken. My kids were SO STOKED. It was a lot of fun.

3. I am fighting off something, so I literally went to bed at 5:30 one night.

4. We had our last day of school on Thursday. While I'm happy to be on summer break officially, it's always sad to say goodbye. Especially because our kids don't ever really remember us.

5. We bought a new computer. My laptop died awhile back, so we took the plunge and got a new mac mini, along with a fancy wireless track pad and keyboard.

Five things I ate:

1. I had a sweet tea for the first time in a long while. So good. Need to make sure not to get addicted again.

2. I made a new zoodle recipe! It will be up in a few weeks.

3. We ate waffles for breakfast one morning at school. seriously so good.

4. Apple Cinnamon muffins are my new obsession. I ate one, then I ate another one and now I can't stop thinking about it.

5. We have a pretty awesome taco truck here in Lansing, so one day after work we met up there for dinner. I ate chicken tamales and could have probably consumed like 5 more.

Five things I read:

1. I feel like I had this idea, just not the money to implement it

2. This is brilliant!

3. We produce a lot of garbage guys.

4. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
I feel like this book took me 5 years to read. I also felt like it went in circles. A solid 2.5 stars.

5. I got nothing. I'm sorry for failing. It's been a crazy week. I'm going on summer vacation now though, so hopefully lots of reading will commence. *fingers crossed*

As per usual, I am going to be linking with Fitting It All In and her Five Things Friday. I am also going to be at the High Five for Friday link up over at Coffee with Caitlin, Cup of Tea, Bright on a budget and Della Devoted

Amopé Pedi Perfect

Warning guys, I am going to talk about FEET. Feet are gross and weird to talk about, but most of us have them so it's just a part of life okay? If you're squeamish about feet I suggest you move along and try reading some of the books I'm reading or about some of my empty products or even this deliciously simple recipe. Just some suggestions, just saying.

Winter has ended and the sun is out in full force around these parts; at least for a few days at a time. I actually wore sandals a few times last week, and let me tell you - my feet were in rough shape. I like to get pedicures every now and then, but its not something that is always in the budget if you know what I mean. I had mentioned that I was intrigued by something like the Amope Pedi Perfect to my husband, I had previously used a PedEgg and it literally HURT my feet so that was no more. The Pedi Perfect seemed perfect, it just buffed away the callouses and rough spots. I looked into it but thought it was quite an extravagant price.

Well one day, my dear husband, surprised me with one! I immediately busted it out of it's package and put it to good use. It is super easy to use, you just turn it on and the roller spins and you put it up against the rough spots and it buffs them down. It doesn't make them disappear right away, especially if they are reallllly bad (like me) but with consistent use and some lotion it will dramatically improve the situation.

I am a fan, it's definitely better than a file or something that scrapes layers of skin off your foot. Plus, now I don't have to stop buying sorbet to pay for lots of pedicures.

Amope Pedi Perfect has no idea who I am; I purchased this product with my own money and am receiving no compensation for this post. I just liked the product and wanted to share it with you.

Recipe | Crockpot Lentil Chili

 

 

Ingredients

• 16 oz bag of lentils (I used green)
• 1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 32 oz vegetable stock
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tbsp. oregano

Instructions

• Combine everything into crockpot, give it a good mix around.
• Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
• Eat

 

Book Review | The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters

The Paying Guest takes place in London in 1922, and the atmosphere is tense. People are demanding change. In South London, a large house sits absent of all the men that once ruled it and vacant of all the servants that helped run it. Widow, Mrs. Wray and her unmarried daughter, Frances make the decision to take in some lodgers - Lilian and Leonard Barber. The Barber's are a modern, young couple and their routines are bound to shake up the stuffy house a little. But the Wray's have no idea how much the Barber's will affect Frances' life in particular. Frances and Lilian end up falling in love, and how this plays out is slightly ridiculous. 

So this was my first book by Sarah Waters and I enjoyed the ride, for sure. But I figured out what was going to happen before I got there and that is always disappointing. Then there is the fact that I felt this book was waaaay longer than it needed to be. It could have been edited down and still had the same impact and just not have been so wordy. 

I am also not convinced that level-headed Frances would have actually fallen for such a flighty thing as Lilian. It just wasn't entirely believable to me, that romance. Then the way the ending is handled, I wasn't a fan of. I did give this book 3 stars, and have another Waters' book on my nightstand currently.

Five Things Friday

Five things I did:

1. Went to a new store that just opened in East Lansing, called Fresh Thyme Farmer's Market. I think it's supposed to be like a Whole Foods/Trader Joes style place and that description seemed pretty spot on. It was kind of crazy cause it just opened, but I will definitely be back.

2. We had a little 4.2 (or thereabouts) earthquake here in Michigan and the surrounding area. I believe it was felt in Indiana as well, not sure where else. Super crazy, I definitely felt it move my bed while I was napping.

3. I attended a birthday/baby announcement bbq on Saturday at a friend's house. It was great to see people, catch up and find out all the great things that are happening in people's lives. More babies are coming in my friend group and I love it! Plus it was a gorgeous day to spend outside.

4. Had brunch with two friends (hi guys!!) on Sunday morning at Clara's. I ate breakfast, lunch and dessert and I don't regret a thing.

5. My parents have got a new dog, his name is Teddy and his is a snugglebug. He's a few years old, and is getting along alright with their 14 year old Jack Russell, Mojo. 

Five things I ate:

1. I had a craving for the blue box mac & cheese, and it was fulfilled.

2. Delicious birthday cake, it was a lemony goodness.

3. Plate 1 from brunch, consisting of eggs, hash browns, bacon and some delicious orange-y bread that was so moist and amazing.

4. Slow Cooker Beef & Broccoli. Recipe coming soon, it was so good!

5. We ate at Red Robin the other day on our way back from the hospital. I haven't been there in years, it was pretty good. 

Five things I read:

1. Adorable pets

2. The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant
Full review coming in the next few weeks. Spoiler alert: I am super in love with this author.

3. The last time I was me by Cathy Lamb

4. Names have consequences, people!

5. 6 words that will end picky eating

As per usual, I am going to be linking with Fitting It All In and her Five Things Friday. I am also going to be at the High Five for Friday link up over at Coffee with Caitlin, Cup of Tea, Bright on a budget and Della Devoted

Books | On My Nightstand

I am a little later than usual on this, and for that I do apologize. That being said, I have already read two of these books since I took this photo. Of those two books, I am going to be doing a full review on one of them so you have that to look forward to as well.

1. The Fates Will Find Their Way by Hannah Pittard

Sixteen year old Nora Lindell is missing and as the days, months and years go on the mystery grows. There is a lot of speculation on what happened, but Nora's story becomes a projection of teenage lust, friendship, reverence and regret for the boys she left behind.

Full disclosure: I read this book already. It was told in a similar voice as The Virgin Suicides and I found the constant wonderings and non-specific voice to get old. I only gave it two stars.

2. The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant

Addie Baum was born to immigrant parents in 1900, the youngest of three girls and born to parents who were suspicious of America and the effect it would have on their children. But growing up on the North End of Boston cultivated Addie's curiosity and desire to learn, taking her to places in life that her parents could not understand. This story is told in the voice of 85 year old Addie telling her 22 year old granddaughter about her life.

Full review coming on this one in the next few weeks. But let me just say, you should read it.

3. The Last Time I Was Me by Cathy Lamb

Jeanne Stewart is in the middle of a mental breakdown. She packs up her car and drives from Chicago to Weltana, Oregon where she stops to eat pancakes for the first time in 12 years. Jeanne decides to stay and spend some time in Weltana and befriends a quirky group of people. She finds some things that she never thought she would.

4. Academy Street by Mary Costello

This tells the story of one woman's life spanning for 6 decades beginning with 1940's rural Ireland. One of the defining moments of Tess' life is when her mother dies. Then later in New York, the ferocious power of love.

5.  Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

Sue Trinder is an orphan left to "baby farmer" Mrs. Sucksby; a household that hosts a transient family of thieves - fingersmiths. One day a beloved and elegant conman, Gentleman, arrives and with an interesting proposition for Sue. 

6. Bone Gap by Laura Ruby

Young, beautiful Roza of Bone Gap goes missing; but no one is surprised. It wasn't the first time someone slipped away and left Finn and Sean O'Sullivan on their own. Just a few years ago, their mother up and left. But Finn knows that's not what happened with Roza; he knows that she was kidnapped in the cornfields by a dangerous man whose face he cannot remember. The searches have been fruitless and no one believes him anymore; including Sean.

7. Thirty Girls by Susan Minot

Esther is a Ugandan teenager abducted by the Lord's Resistance Army and forced to witness and commit unspeakable things; she is struggling to survive, escape and find a way to live with what she has seen and done. Jane is an American journalist who has traveled to Africa in hopes of giving a voice to teens like Esther.

8. Agent 6 by Tom Rob Smith (Leo Demidov #3)

It is 1965 and Leo Demidov is not allowed to travel with his wife and daughters from Moscow to New York. They are part of a "Peace Tour" that's purpose is to build a new relationship between the two Cold War enemies. While on the tour Leo's family gets caught up in a terrible conspiracy and betrayal that ends tragically. 

I know I can't wait to get reading these books! Any of these peak your interest? What's on your nightstand waiting to be read?

Hello Products

 Hello Products are oral care products that are natural; as in they are made without any dyes, artificial sweeteners, microbeads or triclosan (which is an antibacterial and antifungal agent). There are 5 different products; toothpaste, kids toothpaste, mouthwash, breath spray and toothbrushes. I have tried three of the five products they offer.

 





 

1. Fluoride toothpaste

This toothpaste comes in 4 different flavors: pink grapefruit mint, supermint, peach mango mint and mojito mint. This toothpaste is anticavity; proven to prevent cavities and strengthen enamel and have the ADA seal of approval. I can say that the packaging on this product is very nice and sleek looking, but because it's not like a typical mint flavor my mouth doesn't have that clean feeling afterwards. This toothpaste will run you about $4.49 at Target.

 

2. Mouthwash

The mouthwash comes in 3 different flavors; pink grapefruit mint, supermint and mojito mint. It was designed to cleans moisturize and refresh without any sting or burn because it's made with glycerin (which is nice and soothing). I DO NOT like the taste of this mouthwash. I would be willing to try the other flavors, because it does give a freshness to my mouth that I can feel for hours after; even after eating food. On Amazon this mouthwash costs about $5.65.

 

3. Breath Spray

This is my favorite of the three products, by far. I throw it in my zipper pouch in my purse, work bag, car and I am good to go. This breath spray comes in three flavors; pink grapefruit mint, supermint and mojito mint. They all have a refreshing zing, but with no stinging sensation which is great. I definitely feel like I have nice, fresh breath when I use this on the go. One of these little pods will cost about $3.75 at Target.

 

Hello Products has no clue who I am. I purchased these products on my own, with my own money and am giving a completely honest review with absolutely no compensation or perks from the company. I just like to try new things and let you know what I think about them.

 

Recipe | Italian Bean & Sausage Pasta



Ingredients

• 1 link turkey sausage
• 1 box rotini pasta
• 2 cans Italian Green Beans (or fresh cut work well too)
• 2 cans Italian stewed tomatoes
• parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions

• Cook pasta according to package directions.
• While pasta is cooking, cut turkey sausage into quarters and then halve again. Cook in a large skillet until done.
• Toss in the cans of green beans and mix everything up.
• Once pasta is done, drain and toss in skillet as well. Mix.
• Add cans of tomatoes and stir to coat everything.
• Serve with parmesan cheese on top, if desired.
• Enjoy!

This recipe literally couldn't be any easier. It takes maybe 15 minutes to make, and this recipe makes a ton of leftovers which is great for my husband to take to lunch. We make this probably once or twice a month for sure. Happy eating! ;)

Book Review | Daughter by Jane Shemilt

 

In Daughter, Jenny is a successful family doctor who is the mother of 3 great teens and married to a neurosurgeon who is also successful. But when their youngest teen, Naomi, who is fifteen doesn't come home after her school play their seemingly ideal life starts to crumble. A nationwide search is launched, but with no luck. It seems that Naomi has completely vanished, leaving behind her broken family. As the months go on the trail continues to be cold, until more than a year after Naomi's disappearance Jenny finds something that disturbs her. Everyone that she has trusted has been keeping secrets. Piecing together the pieces that have been left behind, Jenny discovers a very different Naomi from the one she believed she had raised.

So, I did enjoy reading this book. I truly had no idea what was going to happen, I didn't know what happened to Naomi so I was anxious to continue reading to get that mess figured out. All that being said, I thought the narration was a bit choppy with the present day - past back and forth nature, and I felt like that really took away from the flow of the story, and the tension that was developing. I would recommend this book for someone who likes a kind of emotional suspense story, and I did give it 3/5 stars. 


Five Things Friday

 

Five Things I Did:

1. Got some new trail shoes. I love them and I can't wait to use them on an actual trail instead of just wearing them around town to break them in!

2. A whole wall of glass bottle pops (or soda's, whatever). It was a hard choice but we went with Cherry-Cranberry and it's surprisingly delicious.

3. We had a police dog come and visit us at school, not on official police business either. He was so sweet and I am so impressed by his training. The kids really liked it as well.

4. Field day! Exhausting.

5. We had a real grown up type day and organized our filing cabinet!

Five Things I Ate:

1. We went to Denny's for brunch and I got the Red, White and Blue Grand Slam which included these bad boys. Blueberry pancakes topped with strawberries and cream cheese icing. I nearly died it was so good.

2. Guilty - we got Chinese food. It was delicious and we did eat it after like a 2 mile walk so maybe it wasn't so bad? Wishful thinking, right?

3. Italian meatball and cucumber noodle soup.

4. Blue Raspberry Lemonade sparkling water - it was pretty good!

5. Busted into my trefoils. I had been waiting for the perfect moment.

Five Things I Read:

1. Michigander Emoji's

2. The Knockoff by Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza
I got this book as part of the Birchbox Book Club and I really enjoyed it. I pretty much wrote it off as a fluff book, but it wasn't. It deals with technology integrating itself into every part of our lives and how that affects people all across the board. It's really decent and I definitely recommend it.

3. April 2015 BookPage
This may the second time I read this? I can't remember if I read it at the beginning of the month or not. It was interesting again if it was a reread.

4. The Fates Will Find Their Way by Hannah Pittard

5. I binged watch some Dancing with the Stars this week as well - not any reading involved in that but enjoyable nonetheless.


As per usual, I am going to be linking with Fitting It All In and her Five Things Friday. I am also going to be at the High Five for Friday link up over at Coffee with Caitlin, Cup of Tea, Bright on a budget and Della Devoted