Book Club Friday - Four Books Deep.

Please excuse my lack of updates to my 2011 reading list and my lack of contributions to book club. I actually have been keeping up with my reading, though it's been mostly on the go lately (why yes, that include reading at stoplights and on planes).

I finished my study of Ruth with Kelly Minter followed by the next two books in the James Patterson's women's murder club (they're on the list too, now) and have moved on to read simultaneously the following two books:

Found this book at the closing of a bookstore for 75% off and after being told for a long time by many people I would love it - I have begun! I'm only a few pages into this but I have to say, I'm impressed so far. I like his style of writing, the heart behind his message, and the level of inspiration I'm feeling from what I've read, only a chapter in!


You may remember that last year I read 'The Weight of Silence' by this author and so when I found this book (also on crazy sale at the closing of a bookstore) I picked it up thinking I could probably devour it in a few days and pass it on to my best friend while she's in Tampa in 2 weeks. I started it Tuesday and I've been trying to read 50ish pages a day so hopefully by the end of this weekend of travel, I will be finished.

Gudenkauf has a way with words that keeps you intrigued and on the edge of your seat. Amazon has the following posted:

From Publishers Weekly -

Gudenkauf's scintillating second suspense novel (after The Weight of Silence) opens with the release of 21-year-old Allison Glenn from prison, where she has served five years for an unspecified but particularly horrible crime. Allison is reluctant to enter a halfway house in her hometown of Linden Falls, Iowa, where "even a heroin-addicted prostitute arrested for armed robbery and murder would get more compassion than I ever will." Allison, her family's former golden girl, secures a job at a local bookstore, but her efforts to resume some sort of normal life are undermined by her well-to-do parents' indifference, her sister's hatred, and the stigma of her conviction. Meanwhile, one little boy holds the key to the tragedy that led to Allison's imprisonment. The author slowly and expertly reveals the truth in a tale so chillingly real, it could have come from the latest headlines. (Feb.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Doesn't that make you want to grab it off the shelves?

I love book club, it feels good to be back!

Love,

B

It's Ok Thursday.

...to leave your suitcase unpacked for several days because you just don't have the time or energy to deal with it.





...to immediately repack it for the following weekend without so much as a sip of tea between.



...to let your room get totally messy from time to time.



...to be sad when your weekend with your family is over because it was perfect - absolutely perfect.



...to take a few days to catch up on the 12, yes 12, cards you received from your favorite penpals last week.



...to neglect your blog from time to time in favor of your real life.



...to make all your phone calls from the car, because you have no other time.



...to run out of milk.





...to go make-up-less to save time, sometimes.



...to be really excited already about a dress you bought for a work banquet in mid-November.



...to miss your blog friend terribly when you can't be read them daily.



...to use every lunch break for a week to catch up on life, laundry, and grocery shopping.



...to go to bed before 10:00 two night in a row.



Hey, it's ok.



Love,


B

Fall Fashion from my Travels.

Ok so since month is about style and I got all serious on you yesterday, lets get back on track. I remembered to take some photos this weekend (with my new phone - finally) for you all of how I dressed when I got a taste of fall in Indianapolis! The weather there was a beautiful break from the Florida heat I so love. I got the chance to wear trenches, scarves, etc. I will get more of that this weekend in Minnesota but in the meantime here's a taste of my fall fashion in Indy.

Blue trench at the Colts game in Lucas Oil Stadium - you all know I love me a good trench.

Finally wearing a scarf - with my sweet friend Sean after the event and before going out to dinner on Saturday night.
Sporting my new reddish-orange Kenneth Cole I found at Nordie Rack from $22 - marked down from 150!
Quite possibly my new favorite shirt - at least until I went shopping with Mom this weekend. Getting ready for the Colts game at my parents house in Carmel (hince cool lookin mirror).

Love,

B

Humbled.

Hello sweet friends. I know it's been a week or so since I've appeared here on the blog. I wonder if you've missed me as much as I've missed being here with you. If I had to describe the last week of my life I would have to say it's been humbling. I don't mean that negatively. As a believer I'm supposed to cherish humility, right?

I turned 26 in the midst of a 12 hour workday filled with fires to put out, stress, and a bit of exhaustion. It wasn't particularly fun or special but I found myself uplifted by the outpouring of love from friends. I got over 200 posts to my facebook wall, tons of phone calls, thousands - I mean literally thousands of texts that forced my phone into error about once an hour, and literally a mailbox full of letters and cards and packages everyday last week. I was humbled by your love.

Hear my heart as I share with you what is so hard for me to say. In the last few months but especially the last few weeks I have struggled with the balance of desiring to do my job with excellence and the rest of my life with the same. As my job has recently demanded more of my time, my energy, my passion, and well, me - my personal life has needed the same. And my heart felt heavy as I wondered - am I really doing any of it well anymore? I felt so ripped apart by trying to be too many things to too many people all at once.

One of my greatest fears is failure and as I got in the car to head to the airport Thursday afternoon, I hung my head and cried. My poor coworker who was driving me was a bit shocked - most of you know me to be strong, upbeat, positive. I'm sure my meltdown was a bit overwelming to her but I finally choked out - 'why can't I do anything right anymore? I have nothing left to give'.

Don't worry, most of that was just the exhaustion of a very long week coupled with anxiety about balancing family and work over an event weekend in my parents hometown. When I fall, I fall hard - but I always bounce back stronger.

I share this with you because it came to a bit of head over the weekend when my Dad was sharing with our dads and kids at the event and he said about fatherhood, 'we cannot fail at this, it's too important'.

I managed to spend a few meals and one very early morning driving my Dad to work - catching up with him and I hope encouraging him. I spent a morning/afternoon shopping and catching up over starbucks with my Mom. And I managed to work in there two event days full of work and feel good about the work I put in there. The one thing I didn't get enough time for was friends, but lucky for me - they understood this trip needed to be about family.

After a long, crazy, but wonderful weekend I hopped a plane back to Tampa late Sunday night to prepare to leave again this Friday for our Vikings event and I kept asking myself, 'what is too important in my life to fail at?'. That friends is where I remain.

Not one to wait around to take action - I came home and let go of some commitments right away. I knew which ones didn't fall into that 'too important' catagory and I said goodbye and opened up a few additional nights in my week. Because the too important to fail list includes my family, my job, my friends, and above ALL else - my relationship with the Lord.

Hear me clearly when I say that I have been humbled by feelings of failure - some warranted and others not. I know more than ever my need for a Savior and for a godly support system I find in my church family and my friends. I serve a gracious God, I tell ya. He gave me exactly what I needed to take me from 'I have nothing left to give' back to feeling my cup overflow. I sat last night and wrote out a long letter to a sweet friend in New Jersey about all the Lord has been teaching me through my study of Ruth and now in 1st Samuel.

If any of you feel caught in this kind of place I offer you this verse that has been on my desk the last few weeks and constantly on my heart:

'But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint' - Isaiah 40:31

I see now more than ever that this holds true in my life. The Lord is where my hope is, and he has given me strength I can't explain in words.

Love,

B

A Fairwell to Twenty-five.

Well loves in honor of my last day of being 25 - I wanted to celebrate a GREAT year. 25 noteworthy events during the quarter-life-crisis year:



1. I was in my best friends wedding.

2. I successfully completed my first year of homeownership!

3. and 4. I wore coveralls for the first time AND road a four wheeler, in the dark, on the ice.

5. I added Missouri to my list of states I've been too, putting me one closer to my goal to visit all 50.

6. I finally saw Wicked.

7. and 8. I fell in AND out of love.

9. I kissed a camel, no really I did.

10. Ran my first 5k.

11. I went to New York City for the first time!

12. Saw my blog hit 40,000 views.

13. Finished reading 50 books in a year.

14. Found out I was becoming an Aunt!

15. Met Justin Bieber ...oh wait, he was made of wax.

16. Took dances lessons.


17. Completed a 21 day Daniel Fast. (and broke it with a giant chicken sandwich, obvi)

18. Learned to cook.


19. Got my wisdom teeth pulled, sans drugs (but somehow still looking quite drugged).

20. Got a roommate (for the first time since being a homeowner -does that make me a landlord?)

21. Went to Berns for the first, second, and third times.

22. Sold my first item on Craiglist (and lived to tell about it).

23. Spoke in front of my whole church (that's thousands of people, by the way)

24. Survived my first real injury (a torn romboid - how do you spell that?)

25. Grew up.

This has been a year of learning, growing, friendship, love, and spiritual maturing. I'm so grateful to everyone who has been a part of it. I wouldn't trade it for anything - it has truly been my best year yet. Looking forward to the next one, starting tomorrow.

Loved ya 25,

B

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Book Club Friday: Style Edition.

In the name of Style I'm still participating in the Book Club Friday link up but giving this weeks post a stylish flair...

This week I'm sharing a book ALL about making the most out of what you've got hanging in that closet (or lining the floor, in your makeup bag, and under your sink). This is the book that covers it all from skin care to what handbags go best with your height and build to how to wash your face.

I posted earlier this month some ideas from the book I saw in a magazine and then I quickly hopped online and reserved this baby at the library. I picked it up a couple days ago and started flipping through and I have to say she knows what she's doing! A great book for working on the wardrobe you already have - what to keep that's still fabulous, what needs to go, and what you can redeem with a little tailoring.

This book should be on all our shelves - but especially those budget savvy working girls, this bookw as made for us!

Love,

B

It's Ok Thursday - Style Edition #2.

Hey it's ok...

... to untag all unflattering pictures of you from facebook when you're friends post them (I don't want fat arm, my bangs unruly, or to be tagged in photos of me in my bathing suit, thanks).

...to dedicate an entire month to Style on the blog and then suddenly have serious things to say (October may be deep, ya'll)

...to reserve a style book from the library to browse for blog ideas because you've almost exhausted your magazines for this month.

...to schedule your blog posts a week out so you can take a week off...and then show back up because you can't go a week without reading other peoples blogs.

...to blow dry your hair and go from time to time (to work, at least). No flat iron, no curlers, just rollin' it with it. (hey, it's event season people - something had to give)

...to desperately want a boyfriend watch but be non commital on color, brand, and metal so just keep lookin.

...to buy your friends present from time to time - just because it would look great on them.

...to want people to know you loved zebra print before it was cool.

...to have a 'style' to your stationary, not just your wardrobe.

...to obsessively buy office supplies for at home, even though you don't work at home. I like stylish office supplies, sue me.

...to tote books around in your giant purses everywhere because you never know when you might have 5 minutes to read.

...to also tote a Kindle in addition to your library book in said giant purse in case you have tons of time to read, randomly.

What's ok with you this week?

Love,

B