The new writing prompt for Laura Tremaine's 10 Things to Tell You podcast is, "Do You Journal?"
Yes, and you are reading it.
I have always been a person who has liked to document and record my life. When I was about eight years old I got my first diary as a Christmas gift. It was small and bright blue and I loved it. Each page was dated and I couldn't wait to begin writing in that diary. I quickly learned that I am wordy. One dated page wasn't going to cut it!! I liked to explain all that was going on in great detail. (Kind of like this blog.) But once I started journaling I never stopped. I have always kept some form of journal or diary ever since then. I have a big box of them. Occasionally my daughters like to rummage through that box and read them. Both Reilly and Ailey read my junior high journals when they were in junior high. They found them hilarious and very DRAMATIC! Yep.
Writing in my journal was super helpful in high school and college. I had a lot of big feelings and big life events and I really needed to write in my journals to help me process my feelings and to understand myself and all that I was going through.
The only time that I had a bit of a lull without much journaling was when the kids were super little. Things kind of dropped off around the time when Kameron was born and continued through Ailey's toddlerhood. I did fairly well when Reilly was little but by the time we had three kids it was difficult. I would journal occasionally and I recorded their birth stories and did some scrapbooking etc but life was super busy and I was overwhelmed and exhausted. I did not have the time nor the mental capacity to sit down and write pages and pages of thoughts, feelings, and experiences. I was in survival mode.
Right around the time that Ailey turned two years old my friend, Lucy, told me about something called a "blog". I had never heard of one before and I was shocked when she said that she had one. I couldn't believe that something like that existed and that people were putting their lives out on the Internet for anyone to read. I found them fascinating! And I also realized that they were basically online journals. Make that DOUBLE FASCINATING! I have always been a curious person and I loved getting glimpses into all kinds of different people's lives. Reading the everyday blogs of other mothers had a profound effect on me. It made me feel less isolated and lonely. It helped me to see the value and importance in what I was doing as a mother. That was a gift. It also made me cherish those moments with my children and to find the humor...even on the hard and frustrating days.
In addition...with blogging it allowed me to have a journal again...somewhere out there...on the Internet... rather than in a book that I would then have to box up and store somewhere. That was very appealing. I could also type much faster than I could write so I thought maybe this would be a way to quickly record what was going on in our lives during the kids nap time. It was also a way to connect with others and to build deeper friendships. I loved that idea and ...Voila.. the Springdellgirl blog was born.
I have now been blogging for almost 13 years. Wow. I really had no idea that it had been that long. I am so glad that I have kept up with it. I can guarantee that I would not have been able to keep up with writing regularly in a journal. Life is still so busy and I can still type much faster than I can write. :) Also, I can insert pictures and videos...no need to scrapbook...and I can print my blog into book form and have a journal/photo album in one. Two birds one stone.
Will I keep blogging? Yes. It is by far the easiest way for me to keep a journal and record of our family. Plus this blog gets a lot of reading ...by my children!! LOL.It seems like every few days most of them are on it at some time or another looking something up, settling a bet, winning an argument, reliving a memory, or snagging a picture. Every one of my children has told me multiple times that they are so glad that I have this blog. I love that some day when Tyler and I are long gone they can read all about their childhood and know how much their mom and dad loved them. Just reading different posts takes me right back to that particular time of life. It's like a mini-time machine. I love that and they do too.
Just last Thursday night Kam, Ailey, and Bryn were in our bedroom chatting. They were sprawled all over and we were all on our phones, on my blog, looking up pictures of our old pug....the dearly departed Mrs. Beasley. We scrolled through years of our family's history. We were laughing reading funny things that the kids had said and done. We played the videos that I had posted. We got teary-eyed from seeing faces and reading about loved ones no longer with us. We did that for over two hours just on a random Thursday night!! And the kids could've kept on going! They loved reading about themselves. Tyler had to eventually throw them all out of our room! LOL. But that was priceless to me. Absolutely priceless. So, yes, I will keep blogging, journaling, and and keeping a record of this beautiful family that I have been blessed with.
I also keep a few other types of journals. I have kept a gratitude journal ever since Kameron was a baby. So even during my journaling lull I always had a gratitude journal. Everyday (I sometimes don't do it on the weekends) I write down five things that I am grateful for. These journals aren't exactly riveting reading and I am not sure that I will keep them around in a box like I do now. I don't think it is so much what I have written or am writing down that is important. It is the practice of always looking for things to be grateful for, finding them, and noting them. It is the practice of doing that for over 18 years that has helped me to be a more positive person, appreciate the little things, not sweat the small stuff, not get caught up in keeping up with the Jones', and being able to see the hand of God in my life. Again, priceless.
I also have kept a goal journal for close to six years now. I have talked before on the blog about how I like to set goals and track them. I REALLY REALLY like to set goals and track them!! :) I like to track my progress toward my goals a couple of times of week. I have found this type of journaling to be really crucial to personal growth.
I also have an affirmation journal. This is something that I started doing about 6 months ago. I have 10 affirmations that I write out each day. I do this first thing in the morning along with my gratitude journal. This has been super helpful in setting my intentions for the day (and for my life). I have found this to be very effective in keeping me focused on what really matters.
I also used to keep a book journal because I liked recording what I read and my thoughts about each book. Thanks to Goodreads (and this blog) I no longer do that in a physical journal but still enjoy recording my reading online.
This has been an interesting writing exercise. I like to keep personal records but I really don't like clutter ie physical journals lying around. I REALLY hate clutter!! AND...boxes of crap in the garage, basement, and storage. Maybe I need to move my gratitude journal and goal journal into some kind of private online or digital format too. Hmmmm....something to think about.
I stumbled upon Melissa Radke via Youtube. She has some hilarious videos that went viral. I started following her on social media and was impressed not only with her humor but also with her deep faith. She is equal parts funny and serious. She loves the Lord and is bold in her faith. I have enjoyed listening to interviews with her on several podcasts and she also has her own podcast called Ordinary People. Ordinary Things. I highly recommend following her on Instagram. Her insta-stories are HILARIOUS!! I was excited to read her book. I just love her.
From Goodreads:
My name is Melissa Radke, and there is a very real chance you have no idea who I am or why I wrote a book. But admit it, you're curious! Even though millions of people seem to like watching my videos bemoaning the trials of parenting, marriage, French braiding, faith, and living life as an anti-aging female, you may still be wondering who let me write a book. I mean, books are written by people who have been interviewed by Gayle King and say things like, "You see, Gayle, I was having a root canal and I literally died in the chair. I saw heaven. Also, when I came back to earth I could speak Mandarin." Yeah, that didn't happen to me. No Mandarin. Though I have been known to break out in song! (My voice was once described as a "ray of light in a dark world" . . . but I think my dad was being a little dramatic.) Although if Gayle King were to ever ask me I would tell her: "I wrote this book between taking my kids to the local pool and picking out flip-flops at Old Navy, and the only metaphysical moment I experienced came right after I looked directly into one of those mirrors with 10x magnification." I wrote this book because when I turned 41 I made a decision to be brave. To live brave -bolder and freer. You see, I thought our lives were supposed to change when we turned 40...but mine didn't. Yet every piece of it changed when I turned 41; when I set out to prove that it wasn't too late for me, that careless words wouldn't stunt me and rejection would not stop me. And maybe, just maybe, it will take you reading about the journey I took to finding my sense of self-worth in order for you to rightfully believe in yours. This book is about how all the years of my life led up to the one that changed it. So, cut a big slice and raise a fork...
The book was great! It is just like what I thought it would be. Equal parts hilarious and equal parts tender and serious. I listened to the audiobook version and hearing Melissa read it herself is probably the very best way to enjoy this book. Melissa is funny and at times heart-breaking. She is vulnerable and painfully real. I loved the chapter about her dad and how he would hide money and little gifts for her around her house. So good! My Rating: Good! Relatable and entertaining.
2.) Saints: The Standard of Truth
One day my daughter came home from seminary very excited to tell me about a book that I should read. They were discussing in her seminary class this new book that had come out that was all about the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Her seminary teacher loved it and was recommending it to all of her seminary students. Ailey thought that, me being the book reader that I am, would love to read this. I was intrigued. It is completely fact based... if they say it was raining on this day it was raining on that day. If someone is quoted as saying something that person actually said that. The amount of time and research that have gone into what will be a multi-volume series is staggering. I was also excited to learn that the book does not gloss over some of the more difficult and controversial parts of the history of the church. They are addressed head on. I also watched a church face-to-face broadcast all about this book that interviewed several of the historians who worked on this enormous project. I downloaded the book to my kindle and had it take the place of my night time insomnia classic. This book also did the trick. Interesting enough to read but not so engrossing that I couldn't fall back asleep. Although some parts were riveting and sad and interesting and difficult and uplifting. I feel like my emotions ran the gamut while reading this book. From Goodreads:
In 1820, a young farm boy in search of truth has a vision of God the Father and Jesus Christ. Three years later, an angel guides him to an ancient record buried in a hill near his home. With God’s help, he translates the record and organizes the Savior’s church in the latter days. Soon others join him, accepting the invitation to become Saints through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. But opposition and violence follow those who defy old traditions to embrace restored truths. The women and men who join the church must choose whether or not they will stay true to their covenants, establish Zion, and proclaim the gospel to a troubled world. The Standard of Truth is the first book in Saints, a new, four-volume narrative history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Fast-paced, meticulously researched, Saints recounts true stories of Latter-day Saints across the globe and answers the Lord’s call to write history “for the good of the church, and for the rising generations” (Doctrine and Covenants 69:8)
I think that this book is a great foundational history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I feel like I have a much deeper understanding of those early (and often misunderstood) Saints. It also helped that I had just finished studying The Doctrine and Covenants in my Institute class. We took two years to cover it in depth and my instructor was amazing. She taught us so much about those early days of the church. I felt like this book helped to solidify that knowledge. The book fleshes out those early days in the life of Joseph Smith and as he went on to do God's work of restoring the gospel.
The narrative is well told and easy to read. It's definitely reader friendly. I felt that the writing was almost too simplistic but I understand the need for it. The book is informative and extensively footnoted. Some of those footnotes were the most interesting parts of the book. I read the electronic version so I was able to just click on the link and go right to the footnote which made it very easy.
What I found refreshing about the book is that it acknowledges that the men and women of the early church were human...with flaws, frailties, and weaknesses. They had issues. Personally and as a group. Joseph Smith wasn't perfect. He too was human and made mistakes. The situations that they were in were complex. No one knew what they were doing. It is easy to look back after 200 plus years and make judgments about how situations were handled. The early saints were doing the best they could. They didn't have a well-structured example to follow. They were learning as they went. Some of those early church leaders had legitimate concerns about Joseph's leadership. It gave me a new perspective on why some of those early church leaders struggled and left the church. I have much more empathy for those early saints than I did before and a much deeper appreciation for what they went through and the persecution that they faced. I am staggered by the hardships that those early saints experienced and the incredible strength of their faith. Reading this book made those trials and struggles more real to me than they have ever been before. I asked myself many times, "Would I have stayed if I had to endure what they endured?" I doubt it.
You know who is a rockstar to me? Emma Smith! Wow. What that woman went through...she is amazing. I felt so deeply for her and now feel so much more of a connection to her that I ever have before. I gained a much greater understanding of what she went through and how she must have felt and was amazed that she just kept going. Lucy Mack Smith too. I am in awe. I loved the emphasis on different perspectives in the book particularly those of the women!! This is something that has not been emphasized in the past and I absolutely loved it.
I appreciated the transparency and willingness of the church to discuss the more controversial and turbulent parts of our history. I appreciated having some of the more sensationalized parts of our history put into the proper context while still addressing them head on. My testimony of Joseph Smith has grown. Who would go through what he went through, watched his family go through, watched his friends go through, if he didn't really see what he saw and know what he knew. No one would. I am grateful for the perspective that I gained about the restoration and seeing how the amazing work of the Lord has continued to go forth. I look forward to reading the next book in the series as this one ended with a bit of a cliff hanger. As a side note, it was fun to read about some of my husband's ancestors and some of my own distant relatives.
My Rating: A good basic history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 3.) The Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
This book has been on my to-read list for a long time. My mom recommended it to me a few years ago and I just never got around to reading it. This was my book club's February 2019 pick. It tells the story of the Ravensbruck "rabbits"... 74 Polish women who were political prisoners and the subjects of horrific abuse, medical experimentation, and sterilization while imprisoned at the concentration camp there. Ravensbruck was Hitler's only concentration camp exclusively for women. From Goodreads: New York socialite Caroline Ferriday has her hands full with her post at the French consulate and a new love on the horizon. But Caroline’s world is forever changed when Hitler’s army invades Poland in September 1939—and then sets its sights on France. An ocean away from Caroline, Kasia Kuzmerick, a Polish teenager, senses her carefree youth disappearing as she is drawn deeper into her role as courier for the underground resistance movement. In a tense atmosphere of watchful eyes and suspecting neighbors, one false move can have dire consequences.For the ambitious young German doctor, Herta Oberheuser, an ad for a government medical position seems her ticket out of a desolate life. Once hired, though, she finds herself trapped in a male-dominated realm of Nazi secrets and power.The lives of these three women are set on a collision course when the unthinkable happens and Kasia is sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious Nazi concentration camp for women. Their stories cross continents—from New York to Paris, Germany, and Poland—as Caroline and Kasia strive to bring justice to those whom history has forgotten. There is still so much to learn about WWII. I have read so many books about WWII from so many different angles and perspectives and every single time I learn something new and horrifying. I often have to gear myself up to read books about WWII because the subject matter is so horrific and heart-wrenching. But despite my occasional reluctance to read another WWII novel, memoir, or biography I am always glad that I did and I am always grateful for the knowledge that I gain. What happened during that time can never be forgotten. This story is told from the perspectives of Caroline, Kasia, and Herta...three women from three different countries: USA, Poland, and Germany. The story spans 20 years...1939 to 1959. It is based on real people and real events. Caroline and Herta are real people and Kasia is loosely based on a Ravensbruck survivor and her sister. The different perspectives of the story were interesting because we hear what happens from Kasia who is a victim, Herta who is a perpetrator, and Caroline who is a rescuer. It was an interesting way to weave the story. I have not read a WWII novel from the perspective of a Nazi sympathizer before and yes, it was extremely disturbing. I expected the novel to end with the end of the war but it did not. This is only the second WWII book that I have read that talks about the post-war aftermath and how the people suffered long after the war was over...mentally and physically. (Unbroken was the other book.) PTSD haunted the survivors and affected them far into the future. It wasn't always a happy ending for them when/if they were liberated. It was interesting to learn more about Poland and the conditions there which did not improve after the war ended and it was left under the rule of Stalin and his communist regime.
The stories of Kasia and Caroline are incredibly impactful and unforgettable. The real life Caroline Ferriday was a force to be reckoned with. What an amazing woman! And the women who survived Ravensbruck....There are simply not words to describe their courage and bravery. On the other hand, Herta Oberheuser and her actions are horrifying and disturbing. She did torturous medical experiments and killed many women and children by lethal injection and from the results of her medical experimentation. It is haunting. This is a story that I will continue to think about for many years to come. My Rating: Good. A story of survival and perseverance.
4.) Fire and Blood by George R.R. Martin
While impatiently waiting for the final Game of Thrones book...Winds of Winter. It has been a long wait! I was slightly annoyed when a 719 page book came out by George R.R. Martin that WASN'T Winds of Winter. I don't understand Martin and his bizarre writing process. Come on! Finish the series. But since the wait for Winds of Winter looks like it will be quite a bit longer I decided to read Fire and Blood. But really! Why is he writing this before finishing the Game of Throne series?? This could easily have been written AFTER! He is THE MOST frustrating author. From Goodreads: Centuries before the events of A Game of Thrones, House Targaryen—the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria—took up residence on Dragonstone. Fire and Blood begins their tale with the legendary Aegon the Conqueror, creator of the Iron Throne, and goes on to recount the generations of Targaryens who fought to hold that iconic seat, all the way up to the civil war that nearly tore their dynasty apart. What really happened during the Dance of the Dragons? Why did it become so deadly to visit Valyria after the Doom? What is the origin of Daenerys’s three dragon eggs? These are but a few of the questions answered in this essential chronicle, as related by a learned maester of the Citadel and featuring more than eighty all-new black-and-white illustrations by artist Doug Wheatley. Readers have glimpsed small parts of this narrative in such volumes as The World of Ice & Fire, but now, for the first time, the full tapestry of Targaryen history is revealed. I went into reading this book slightly annoyed and then I ended up liking it and then I finished it annoyed yet again. This book tells the story of the Targaryen dynasty. I got pulled right in. I love the Seven Kingdoms and I begrudgingly enjoyed the book. The writing style is unique... it is written like a history book not a novel. There is very little dialogue. It is the history of Westeros and the Targaryens. At first the writing style was a little hard to get into...all tell and no show... but I kept at it and once I did I was hooked. It is a detailed account of the wars, reigns, and relationships of the early Targaryen Kings and Queens. It was interesting to learn more about how the dragons, their riders, and the Seven Kingdoms world came to be. I liked that it gives a lot of back story and details to people who are only briefly referenced in later books and adds much to the rich history of Westeros and the GOT universe. It is definitely supplemental material to the series but interesting supplemental material. My annoyance at the end was that after reading over 700 pages the book only covered one half of the Targaryen dynasty!! Here I was anxiously reading and getting excited to read about the lead up to Robert's Rebellion when...the book just ended. Apparently there will be a book two to cover the second half but, of course, no date yet for when that will be out. Ugh... My Rating: Good... for the most part but also a little slow and frustrating at times. If you are a George R.R. Martin fan you will enjoy this book. 5.) The Cozy Minimalist by Myquillyn Smith
I follow Myquillyn Smith on Instagram. She is known as The Nester. I read her previous book, The Nesting Place, and really enjoyed it. That book was about making your home a beautiful, cozy, and welcoming place regardless of your current circumstances and finding beauty and contentment in the everyday. I was excited to read her next book The Cozy Minimalist Home. From Goodreads: Cozy Minimalism isn’t about going without or achieving a particular new, modern style. Nope. It’s simply a mindset that helps you get whatever style YOU LOVE with the fewest possible items. You want a warm, cozy, inviting home, without using more resources, money, and stuff than needed. Why use more if you don't have to? In Cozy Minimalist Home, accidental stylist and bestselling author Myquillyn Smith guides you step by step on making purposeful design decisions for your home. You'll have the tools to transform your home starting with what you already have, and using just enough of the right furniture and decor to create a home you're proud of in a way that honors your personal priorities, budget, and style. No more fretting when it comes to decorating your house! I didn't like this book as much as The Nesting Place. This book was definitely more of a hands-on how-to-decorate-your-house 101 primer. It seemed really basic to me but perhaps for others it is a much needed practical guide. I love Myquillyn's philosophy that our homes should be places to serve, gather, shelter, and nurture. I also love her thoughts on creativity. She says, "We long to create because we were made by a Creator." In fact, her thoughts and philosophies on creating a home were my favorite parts of the book...and what I really enjoyed about her previous book. I liked her ideas behind decorating more than her step-by-step instructions for decorating a home. There were several ideas that I really liked and support: 1.) Less stuff...more style. 2.) Things don't have to be perfect to be beautiful. 3.) Don't be a stuff manager. 4.) Cozy doesn't mean cluttered. 5.) The idea of *quieting* a room. All in all, I thought that it was a practical book but extremely basic and a bit too long. My Rating: Okay 6.) Finding Fraser by KC Dyer
I wanted a quick fluff read and this book was exactly that. It's basically a kind of fan fiction for Outlander fans. The main character is in love with the fictional character, Jamie Fraser, and sets off on an adventure in Scotland to find her own Jamie. From Goodreads: Sometimes searching for true love can be a little...Outlandish. I met Jamie Fraser when I was nineteen years old. He was tall, red-headed, and at our first meeting at least, a virgin. I fell in love hard, fast and completely. He knew how to ride a horse, wield a sword and stitch a wound. He was, in fact, the perfect man. That he was fictional hardly entered into it. The story was fairly entertaining. It is a super quick read. The main character, Emma, was kind of annoying and I didn't love all of the decisions that she made but I did laugh out loud a few times. So there you go. My Rating: Okay...cute for Outlander fans. 7.) Mindset by Carol S. Dweck
This was our book club pick for March 2019. I am all for reading both fiction and nonfiction in a book club. I know that in some book clubs nonfiction doesn't go over well. I think reading nonfiction truly supports what a book club is meant to do...to encourage you to read outside of your regular genres. I like that my book club DOES recognize the importance of the occasional nonfiction selection. Also, my background is psychology so I enjoy reading books about psychology. This also came very highly recommended. From Goodreads: After decades of research, world-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D., discovered a simple but groundbreaking idea: the power of mindset. In this brilliant book, she shows how success in school, work, sports, the arts, and almost every area of human endeavor can be dramatically influenced by how we think about our talents and abilities. People with a fixed mindset — those who believe that abilities are fixed — are less likely to flourish than those with a growth mindset — those who believe that abilities can be developed. Mindset reveals how great parents, teachers, managers, and athletes can put this idea to use to foster outstanding accomplishment. This book discusses the power of mindset...how we think about our talents and abilities. You can have a fixed mindset which is the belief that abilities are fixed or a growth mindset which is the belief that abilities can be developed. Mindset affects outlook, potential, motivation, success, and relationships. I loved learning more about the concept of mindset. It has already been extremely helpful in my own life and with my family in identifying fixed versus growth mindsets. This is a topic that everyone should have a working understanding of. Dweck expands the concept of mindset to include parenting, business, school, sports, and relationships. It is a concept that has a great application in a wide variety of areas. The information and insights are valuable. That said, this book could have been MUCH SHORTER! This book started off with a bang. The first part of the book was extremely interesting. Then somewhere halfway through it became a bit of a slog... the business/CEO part and all of the sports...boring. My interest returned when relationships were discussed and also how to go from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. If you like psychology, self-development, and learning new ways to look at the world you will like the concepts in this book. Like I said, the concepts are great but it is a bit too long, too wordy, and too repetitive for me. My Rating: Helpful and informative...but a bit too long.
8.) Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
This has been one of the most hyped book that I have seen in a LONG time! It seems that everyone is reading it. It is on all of the book lists and book club lists. I was excited to get my hands on the book and read. From Goodreads:
For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life–until the unthinkable happens.
This is a beautifully written and poignant novel. The writing is descriptive and atmospheric. The imagery is lush, striking, and vivid. The marsh was a main character in its own right. I feel like I know it well. The characters are rich and well-developed. Owens sets the stage for an interesting story of survival, loss, loneliness, hope, love, and mystery. I was pulled into the the world of the marsh and Kya immediately.
Often popular and much-buzzed-about-books aren't always well written,; so it was really nice to read one that was. Delia Owens writing is something to savor. It reminded me of the writing of Pat Conroy with his beautiful descriptive passages with their sense of place and interwoven poetry. Any time poetry is included in a novel it is a thumbs up for me.
My only issue was that the plot, while interesting and thought-provoking, did require a rather big dose of suspended disbelief a few times and that pulled me out of Kya's story. I kept thinking "Is that even plausible?" when I would have rather stayed immersed in the story.
I enjoyed this interesting and haunting book. It will stay with you long after you are done reading it and it is one that is fun to discuss. Also Delia Owens lives is about an hour and a half from me and her personal story is fascinating. I want to read her autobiographical book Cry of the Kalahari about the seven years that she and her ex-husband, both zoologists, lived in the uninhabited Kalahari Desert in Botswana studying wildlife. The author draws on her own experiences of isolation, loneliness, and survival when writing Where the Crawdads Sing.
My Rating: Wonderful. A bittersweet story of resilience.
9.) The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell
Bernard Cornwell is Tyler's VERY FAVORITE author and for years he has been asking me to read his books. I have always declined. They just seemed so boring. Then one of his book series was made into a TV show for the BBC and Tyler asked me to watch it and I again declined. Finely he wore me down and I LOVED it! I decided to read the book series while waiting for season four to begin.
From Goodreads:
This is the story of the making of England in the 9th and 10th centuries, the years in which King Alfred the Great, his son and grandson defeated the Danish Vikings who had invaded and occupied three of England’s four kingdoms. The story is seen through the eyes of Uhtred, a dispossessed nobleman, who is captured as a child by the Danes and then raised by them so that, by the time the Northmen begin their assault on Wessex (Alfred’s kingdom and the last territory in English hands) Uhtred almost thinks of himself as a Dane. He certainly has no love for Alfred, whom he considers a pious weakling and no match for Viking savagery, yet when Alfred unexpectedly defeats the Danes and the Danes themselves turn on Uhtred, he is finally forced to choose sides. By now he is a young man, in love, trained to fight and ready to take his place in the dreaded shield wall. Above all, though, he wishes to recover his father’s land, the enchanting fort of Bebbanburg by the wild northern sea. This thrilling adventure—based on existing records of Bernard Cornwell’s ancestors—depicts a time when law and order were ripped violently apart by a pagan assault on Christian England, an assault that came very close to destroying England.
I really enjoyed this book! Historical fiction is my favorite genre and Cornwell is a good writer so it's no surprise that I liked it. Tyler was right! I enjoyed Cornwell's writing style and his first person narrative. Uhtred is a fantastic and complex character and I loved the medieval setting. There is a great mix of historical figures and fictional characters. The story is quite the endless adventure of battles and intrigue. It is gritty and bloody...and interesting!
I really liked the TV series too! Be warned though...it is violent, bloody, and racy. I liked the book because there was so much more background info, character development, and deeper relationships. Several things have been changed in the TV series and it was fun to read the differences. I feel like I have a much deeper understanding of the characters and their motivations after reading the book. It was a fun read!
My Rating: I loved it and am already almost done with book two.
10.) The Pale Horseman by Bernard Cornwell
This is the second book in the Last Kingdom series by Bernard Cornwell. It was fantastic! I love this series and the character of Uhtred! Great historical fiction.
From Goodreads: At the end of The Last Kingdom, The Danes had been defeated at Cynuit, but the triumph of the English is not fated to last long. The Danish Vikings quickly invade and occupy three of England’s four kingdoms—and all that remains of the once proud country is a small piece of marshland, where Alfred and his family live with a few soldiers and retainers, including Uhtred, the dispossessed English nobleman who was raised by the Danes. Uhtred has always been a Dane at heart, and has always believed that given the chance, he would fight for the men who raised him and taught him the Viking ways. But when Iseult, a powerful sorceress, enters Uhtred’s life, he is forced to consider feelings he’s never confronted before—and Uhtred discovers, in his moment of greatest peril, a new-found loyalty and love for his native country and ruler.
I love that this is a continuing saga. This book picks right up where the last one left off and is even more fast-paced. I loved the mix of historical figures and fictional characters. I loved Cornwell's notes at the end of each book about which people and events are factual. So fascinating. It's interesting to learn so much about England before it became *England*.
Being a rather gritty battle and warrior novel I was surprised by how much I loved so many of the characters. Even the secondary characters are much beloved. I love Ragnar, Leofric, Hild, Beocca, and Pyrlig.
This was an action-packed book. I flew through it and I can't wait to start book three. My Rating: Excellent.
I think this is pretty self-explanatory after 4 straight WEEKS of sickness.
2.) Travel
I love to travel and am always so grateful when I get a chance to do it. Next up will be an epic summer Texas road trip with my mom, sister-in-law Meki, my niece Kaiya, and Ailey. It should be quite memorable! 3.) Wordscapes Game
I hate puzzles of any kind...word puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, logic puzzles, riddles. I also hate video games. So it REALLY baffles me how I ever got hooked on this stupid game on my phone. Tyler was playing it over the holidays and bragging about how good he was at it and then in a moment of competitive weakness I put it on my phone to beat him and the rest is history. Ugh... although it came in very handy during my weeks with the flu. Usually when I am sick I can read but not with this stuff. All I could do was either be on my phone or binge watch TV. Who am I?!?!
4.) Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs
No explanation needed here either. They are DELICIOUS. Despite feeling hellacious and having almost no appetite for weeks when the occasional hunger pains did strike these did the trick.
5.) ASMR Crackle
As I was in bed for literally over a week, I watched A LOT of ASMR videos. They are so weirdly soothing. My very favorite ASMR sound is crackling. I've watched more soap cutting videos and other weird *crackling* videos than you can imagine. Clearly I've lost my mind.
Last fall when my mom's 70th birthday was approaching...her birthday is in mid-December... we asked her what she would like to do to celebrate this special milestone. Did she want a party? Did she want a trip of some kind? She most definitely did NOT want a party! But she really liked the idea of a special trip. We discussed all chipping in to send her on a trip with friends or to visit friends. She said that while that sounded fun she would rather do a special trip with her family. We discussed different options, places, and times for the whole family to gather or a girls trip with her daughters but what my mom ultimately wanted was to take her five children...aka "the originals" to one of her very favorite cities...San Francisco. This was something that she had always wanted to do when we were younger and it just never happened. Kids grow up so fast! She did take Kirk and Jordi there when they were still living at home and Kelley had gone to SF on her own once before but Stacey and I had never been and my mom was really excited to show us her favorite city and the surrounding areas.
We had several months to plan and prepare. My mom had so much fun planning this trip! She found us a great beach house to rent in Half Moon Bay and planned a fun itinerary. We all bought plane tickets and made arrangements to be gone for six days in March. My mom was a little concerned about how our spouses and kids were going to feel about being left out of this trip but they were all very supportive! I think it is probably every parent of grown children's secret dream to have some time alone with their original children. It sounds kind of harsh but I think it is true. I already feel it and I only have one kid out of the house. My mom and I were talking on the phone today about how many people have come out of the woodwork to say that they have been inspired and want to take a trip like this with their own children. I have a friend who does this with her parents and siblings every two years and although they usually just meet up for a three day weekend somewhere she says that by keeping the core family strong it strengthens the entire extended family. I don't know that every family could do this especially if you have super sensitive spouses but luckily ours are not! LOL.
Since Stacey, Kelley, Jordin, my mom, and I all live in the same general area we were able to fly together to San Jose to meet my brother Kirk who was flying in from Salt Lake.
On the plane and ready for adventure!
I really like this pic of us at the airport so I am posting it again!
It was so awesome to get off the plane and see my brother waiting there for us!! We were all so excited. He said that was one of his favorite parts of the trip!! We flew into San Jose and rented a car and drove to Palo Alto for lunch at Zareen's. Kirk had been to this great Pakistani restaurant before and he was super excited for us to try it!
It was so good! We ate outside on the patio in the sunshine eating samosas and drinking mango lassis as we waited for our other food to arrive. It was heaven! Let's remember that there was a ton of snow in Spokane. Just being outside for us was amazing!!
After that we drove to our beach house in Half Moon Bay. I cannot believe how gorgeous it was right outside our door!! Our beach house was on Moss Beach.
We were all over that beach!! It was so beautiful.
Later that evening we went to a small market and got some groceries and supplies and then we headed to dinner at Sam's Chowder House and had the most fabulous lobster rolls!! We had such a fun night!
The next morning we were up bright and early and headed to Sausalito! We were out of the house every day by 7:30 am. That was quite a feat! Kirk was awesome to keep us on track and he also kindly drove the entire time! He's the best!
Sausalito was GORGEOUS!
We walked all over, did some shopping, and had breakfast on the water!
Then it was back across the Golden Gate Bridge to San Francisco!
First stop:
We walked all over the place and saw all of the sights down on Fisherman's Wharf. Then we chartered a fishing boat and headed out into the Bay. This was one of my very favorite activities on the trip! I absolutely LOVED it!! We are water people and it was the perfect way to see the bay, the Golden Gate Bridge, the San Francisco Skyline, and Alcatraz. We got the most amazing tour!
Alcatraz
Then it was time for some fresh seafood and clam chowder:
We did a bunch more sight seeing and then decided that it was time for some drinks and more food! My family is all about the food! We headed over to Boudin's famous for their sourdough bread.
Boudin's also has an awesome restaurant. Kirk and I had some of the best oysters of our lives. We had to have several orders! They were so good! We even got Jordin to not only try one...a feat in itself... but to eat three!! She liked them!! They were incredible.
Then we headed out to see more of the city. The sun was shining and it was absolutely beautiful!! We drove all over and went down Lombard Street. We found the Mrs. Doubtfire house and went to the Full House Painted Ladies Victorian Houses by Alamo Square.
We face-timed with all of our little girls who are HUGE Full House and Fuller House fans!! They were so excited!! Too bad this was also when "Aunt Becky" decided to make some very poor decisions. Why Aunt Becky why??
Who needs an Uncle Jesse when you have an Uncle Kirky!! LOL.
We went to Haight Ashbury and listened to my mom's stories of going there in the 60s with her BYU roommate Cathy. Too funny. Kirk and I jumped out and went into a cool record shop. We went all over and saw all sorts of things. It was a fun day! That evening we headed back to Half Moon Bay and my sisters really wanted to go to this restaurant called the Distillery that overlooks the ocean. By that point I was feeling pretty crappy and wasn't up for a late night so I opted to stay home and Kirk did as well. That was quite the funny night...despite me feeling so awful.
The next day my mom wanted to go on a bit of a road trip and she wanted to see a whole bunch of areas so I took a bunch of cold medicine, drank half a red bull, and we were out the door by 7:30 am. It worked out perfectly too because that was the one rainy day that we had the whole trip.
Our first stop was Monterey:
We went to Cannery Row and walked all over. Stacey and I...book lovers that we are...were super excited to be in John Steinbeck's stomping grounds!! My favorite Steinbeck book is East of Eden and Stacey's is Grapes of Wrath.
We had a great lunch right on the water. I had the most delicious sea scallops! There were the cutest sea otters swimming right by us and eating their seafood lunch too!
We got our fortunes told by Zoltar. Who could resist?! My mom's was freakily accurate!
We did a bunch of shopping and touristy things and then got back into the car and drove to Pebble Beach.
I absolutely LOVED Pebble Beach and the surrounding areas!! The water was the most beautiful color and the sand was so white and soft...once you got past the pebbles of course. The lighting while we were there was absolutely stunning!! It looked so magical.
My mom wanted to build a cairn. So we each stacked a rock on her cairn and left it on the beach.
We did the beautiful 17-Mile Drive and stopped along the way:
We stopped to find out about drinks at sunset with the bag piper at Spanish Bay. That was something that my mom really wanted to do but ended up not being able to. :( We were squeezing in a ton of sights in a short amount of time. We saw the Lone Cypress and loved looking at all of the gorgeous houses overlooking the ocean.
Then it was onto Highway 1 and we headed to Carmel:
I loved Carmel!! I can't wait to return with Tyler. Talk about a romantic and picturesque place. Gorgeous!!
We continued on to Big Sur which literally took my breath away with its INCREDIBLE beauty!!
We stopped to eat at the Big Sur Inn up in the mountains. That area reminded me so much of Oregon. It was so pretty and the Inn was so charming. There was a fire burning in the big stone fire place. So cool!
Then we turned around because we wanted to be back at Point Lobos at low tide so we could check out all of the tide pools. Kirk, Jordin, and I had so much fun doing that! We could have spent hours and hours. You pretty much had to drag me and Kirk off of every beach and it was fun to have Jordin just as into it as we were!!
We were so excited to find starfish and so many other beautiful creatures!
This was also the sight where I was nearly taken out by a rogue wave as Kirk was yelling "RUN!!" and where I had a hilarious fall. Ha ha!!
We had an absolute BLAST!!
On our way back to Half Moon Bay we had to stop in Santa Cruz and get our Lost Boys fix. The time that we got there and the way the light was fading on the amusement park and pier had a very suitable Lost Boys vibe. Kirk and I were facetiming Tyler! (After we all got back home after our trip Kirk called me and told me to watch Chasing Mavericks ASAP. I did and it was so fun to see all of the places that we had been on our trip but that is one seriously sad show!)
After that it was getting late and I wasn't feeling well and Kelley wasn't feeling well. She got the same bug that I had. We got back to our beach house super late and ordered delivery. They had pizza and I had Greek food. Man, I love CA. So many options!!
The next day we planned to have more of a rest day after our super busy mini-highway-1-road trip. Kelley was feeling terrible so she stayed at the beach house for most of the day. Kirk, my mom, Jordin, Stacey, and I went to the tide pools at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve which was really close to our beach house.
It was so fun to go out exploring on those fingers of rock at the marine reserve.
Kirk looking like he was walking on water!! LOL.
My mom was having so much fun! Some of the beaches were really hard for her to maneuver and get down to so she was super excited when there were beaches that she could get out at and explore.
Me and my mom
We found more starfish! I love them so much!!
And...some harbor seals. It was also pupping season so part of the reserve was blocked off. We were hoping to see some baby seals but no luck. We learned a lot about the area and the marine life from the ranger there. Her son is a professional surfer and surfs the Mavericks and last summer had a huge shark take a big bite out of his surf board! I now have a much bigger appreciation of that after watching that darn Chasing Mavericks movie!!
After that we went out for breakfast in Half Moon Bay and then headed to the Montara Beach area to explore. It was one of my other favorite places! And...the sight of Kirk's spectacular fall!! LOL.
We stumbled upon this guy! Don't worry...he was alive and just soaking up the sun.
The waves here were CRAZY powerful!! We were jumping them and running into them and getting absolutely battered by them. We got soaking wet and loved EVERY.SINGLE.MINUTE.
After huge wave nearly took out my mom she decided to stay further up on the beach. She could've stayed there all day just watching the water. Me too. Stacey was there also but she stayed in the car for some of it. She told my mom that beaches aren't really her thing and that they give her anxiety. I did learned a lot that I didn't previously know about the kind of travelers that each of us are, the things we enjoy and don't enjoy, and the things that make a trip fun and memorable for each of us.They are not always the same things. It was interesting and surprising although I guess it really shouldn't be.We are five very different people with very different interests. Like I said, it was interesting to learn more about each of my siblings.
Later we went back to our beach house to change clothes. Kelley still wasn't feeling well (neither was I but I wasn't going to let it stop me). We dropped off Stacey and Jordin at a winery in Half Moon Bay and Kirk, my mom, and I went to Dad's Luncheonette for lunch. Kirk had been there before and had met the owner. He had been raving about this place for a long time. He was super excited for us to try it and it DID NOT disappoint. It was SO GOOD!
It was busy but the food was so delicious! We got to meet the owner, Scott Clark, who is former three Michelin star chef. He wanted a lifestyle change and opened this place in Half Moon Bay. He is a really nice and cool guy!
We had so much fun!
After that we went into the cute and charming little town of Half Moon Bay and wandered around and went into some of the shops and bakeries. My mom was wanting to get more sourdough bread and some pastries for the morning. I got some delicious macarons. My favorite. But they were second best to the ones in Portland! Those cannot be beat!
Kirk, my mom, and I wanted to do a bit more exploring so we drove up to the mountains to check out the redwoods in the Purisima Creek area. It was so pretty!
It's not easy getting a picture of a giant redwood!!
After that it was back to the beach house where we all crashed and napped for several hours. We had reservations that night for a late dinner at the famous Pasta Moon. By dinner Kelley was feeling better and I was feeling worse but this was the night that we had planned a special dinner for my mom so Kirk dragged me out of my bed and made me get ready. I'm glad he did. Despite feeling really crappy it was a fun night!
Jordi's selfie game was strong!
We also learned a lot about each other's diverse eating habits on this trip. Bread, pasta, pizza, and wine aren't my forte in the food department and not everyone loves seafood. (How can that be?!) Tyler couldn't believe that I ate maybe two bites total of sourdough bread the entire trip. What can I say? I'm not a bread person. And...while I am not a pasta person either...Pasta Moon was pretty amazing! So while I ate a salad... but let me just say that it was the BEST salad that I have ever had in my entire life...my mom and siblings were moaning and groaning in ecstasy over their pasta. I did end up eating quite a bit of Jordin's butternut squash and mascarpone ravioli. It was pretty amazing and that is coming from someone who doesn't like pasta. I would definitely order it if I ate there again. I can also CONFIDENTLY tell you that their desserts are fabulous because desserts ARE my forte!! Even when sick!
That dessert was homemade butterscotch pudding and it was to die for! Very fitting for a special celebration! I would also highly recommend the lemon passion fruit parfait! We got back to the beach house super late that night!
The next day we were planning to head back into San Francisco but Stacey and Kelley decided that they had seen San Francisco and didn't want another day of sight-seeing. They wanted to do their own thing and stay local and relax. So me, Kirk, my mom, and Jordin left them early that morning and headed into the city for breakfast at the famous Tartine!
Kirk had also been there before and had had an hour wait in a line outside the door. We got there early enough that, while busy, we got right in and even managed to snag a table! I cannot describe the amazing smell that hit our senses as we walked down the street toward Tartine. It was the heavenly smell of quiche! I adore quiche. It is one of my very favorite foods and I am very picky about it. The quiche that I had at Tartine was hands down the best I have EVER had!
We explored the mission district.
Then we went back downtown to Fisherman's Wharf to get more bread to bring home. That bag was full and all for Tyler!! My entire carry on was sour dough bread!! That is love!
Kirk's sister-in-law, Kira, lives in the Bay area and he and Meki and the kids usually come to SF for their spring break each year. The end of our trip happened to coincide with Meki and the kids arriving for spring break. We weren't planning to see them but Kirk and Meki's teenage nephew was going to be in a sailing regatta at the St. Francis yacht club. Since we were already downtown there was no way that we weren't going to stop and see them!!
It was such a pretty day down on the water!
And I got to see my cute niece and nephew! My other nephew Kirin was too fast for a picture yet again! That's a three year old for you!
It was great to see Meki and to meet her sister Kira and her brother-in-law and their sons. Meki's mom was also there too.
Kirk was pretty happy to spend some time with his cute family!
The sailing regatta ended up getting cancelled due to water current issues (the kids kept capsizing) and the fact that the bay was full of WHALES!! It was AWESOME to see them so close. We had had some whale sightings...far in the distance...from the deck of the beach house and along Highway 1 but these whales were SO close...literally right in front of us in the bay. It was so cool!!
I wish I had better pictures!! We watched them for a long time! Pretty amazing!
Meki's sister, Kira, took us to Japantown which I LOVED!! It was so fun! Lots of great food and shops.
This picture is a CLASSIC!!
There was a great Japanese ice cream shop and I got the best mochi of my life!! Passion fruit!! Kirk and I were eating all the things in Japantown!! I can't wait to go back.
After Japantown we said goodbye to Meki and family. They met up with us later that night at the beach house. We continued on our way to see more sights but we were thwarted in a lot of the things that we wanted to do thanks to BERNIE SANDERS!! UGH... He was having a rally downtown that same day and I was NOT feeling the BERN! Parking is a nightmare on a good day and this just made parking impossible. So no riding the cable cars for us. No Ghirardelli Square. I was so bummed.
We should have kept our parking place at the yacht club and Lifted or Ubered to where we were going.
We saw Oracle Park where the Giants play.
We drove all over Chinatown trying to find a place to park but no luck. We did see a ton of it though and it was packed and insane! Probably more Bernie supporters. We finally gave up and went to eat some Mexican food before heading back to Half Moon Bay.
On our way home we stopped at a grocery store for steaks and chicken. Our beach house had a nice grill and while on our Highway 1 road trip we had stopped at a roadside stand and had purchased artichokes and strawberries and some other snacks. Kirk and I were wolfing down blood oranges in the parking lot of the fruit stand. They were AMAZING! Anyway...we got stuff to marinate the meat and to cook the artichokes and supplies for strawberry shortcake.
Here's our ghetto marinating job in the parking lot of the grocery store... Italian dressing, ziplock bags, and a ton of handsanitizer. Gross but did the trick. I was on the ground laughing as people stopped and stared.
Jordin pretending that she doesn't know us!! I was wheezy laughing by this point!!
The weather was beautiful when we got back to the beach house. So back out to the beach we went. Kirk and I had been on a hunt all week long for sea glass. We had found some gorgeous pieces. This is my very favorite picture from the trip. Playing on the beach with my brother. We had so much fun together!
When Reilly saw this picture she said, "Aw... I love this picture! I can totally see you guys as little kids".
My mom said that that was the best part of this trip. She kept getting flashes of all of us as little kids and then as adults and just feeling so proud and happy with how we had all turned out and that she had done her job as a parent. When you remove the spouses and grandkids and just got back to the original family it was interesting to step back and look at that dynamic. While this trip wasn't perfect and there were annoyances and irritations it was actually a pretty great trip and strengthened bonds and new memories were made. That can only strengthen our entire family in the long run.
Stacey and Kelley had spent their day going to wineries and hanging out. It was definitely interesting to realize that there are people who are "goers" and "doers" and people who are "relaxers". I am a goer! I want to see all the things, eat all the things, and experience all the things. My family: Ty and the kids are the same way. We can relax at home or at the lake but while traveling we want to see and experience it all. Seeing that not everyone was the same way was interesting to me but despite our travel differences we gave each other space to experience SF in our own ways. I think that made a big difference in the trip and in all of us getting along.
Meki, Kira, and the kids arrived and we were all down on the beach running around and jumping waves. Kaiden found a jelly fish. First one of the trip!
We soaked up the last of that California sun!!
Then Meki and crew headed back to Kira's house and the rest of us stayed up talking late into the night. I feel like we had our most meaningful conversation that last night at the beach house when it was just us which seemed appropriate.
One of my sisters stepped outside and even got a picture of it which I thought was really cool!
We eventually staggered to bed. We had to leave super early the next morning to drive back to San Jose to catch our flights. That morning I was so sick and definitely ready to go home. We said goodbye to Kirk at the airport and waited to catch our flight to Spokane.
When we got off the plane and were headed to baggage claim Tyler and Ramon were waiting for us and they were a sight for sore eyes!! Jordin and I were so happy to see our men!! Ty took me out for lunch and wanted to hear all about the trip. That night Reilly and Hunter came over and I had all of my kids at our house looking at all of my pictures and videos and wanting to hear every detail. That was an extra special bonus... seeing that my kids appreciated how special this trip was to all of us and that they wanted to see the pictures and hear the stories.
My mom really cherished this trip and I don't think that we could have given her a better gift!! A trip with her "originals".
I am a stay-at-home mom and small business owner. I have four FANTASTIC kids: Reilly (29), Kameron (25), Ailey (21), and Bryn (17). I have been married to my amazing husband Tyler for 31 years. We are also grandparents to four cute grandkids and another on the way!
