March 2018 Reading

Goodmorning and happy Wednesday! Today I have some book reviews to share with you. Unfortunately March was a bit of a dud for me in terms of books. I didn't read many and the ones that I read were not great. Good news though...I'm in the middle of a couple really good ones (so far) so I'll have some better ones to share with you next month :-)

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The Handmaid's Tale

This was a book that has had tons of buzz around it lately and even a tv series. So I didn't really read anything about it and just downloaded it from audible. I really need to stop doing that. If I'd read the synopsis and reviews I'd of realized it wasn't a book for me. It's a dystopian story of the fall of the US government by extreme right wing Christians. Those extremists then use the story of Rachel and Leah in the Bible and how they used their handmaids to conceive children with their husbands to try and do the same today. I'm not sure how far I got into it...several chapters. But then due to the language and content I stopped listening.

0 out of 5 stars

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Shades of Milk and Honey

I'm still a bit confused on this book. It's weird, but I think it would be a lot more interesting as a movie instead of a book. It's a historical fiction that tries to give you the feeling of a Jane Austen novel but fails. Many people in this book use some sort of magic to create scenes that people can see and feel they are actually part of. I just couldn't really get into that part of the book. The main storyline just fell short for me too. I don't remember any language or adult content in it...so in line with a PG movie.

3 out of 5 stars

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Just Like Heaven

Have you ever read a book that sucked you in and then you ended up hating the ending? Yep, that's how this book was for me. It's another Historical fiction romance that started off so cute. The main characters are charming and the storyline was fun and lighthearted. Then nearly at the end those characters disappointed me. Adult content and a little language. In line with a PG-13 movie.

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- Jessica

About Me

Happy Wednesday.

I've once again been fighting some illness and so I don't have anything creative to share with you today. But I thought maybe I'd do this fun "this or that" list to get to know me a little better. These remind me of those emails you'd get and fill them out them send them to "10 of your best friends" back in the day, ha! This one is long, so grab a drink and enjoy...

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1. Coffee or tea? I like them equally as much

2. Black and white or color? Color

3. Drawings or paintings? Paintings

4. Dresses or skirts? I wear more skirts but I love dresses just the same

5. Books or movies? Books

6. Pepsi or coke? Coke...when I used to drink pop, but I haven't had any in nearly a 2 years

7. Chinese or italian? Italian

8. Early bird or night owl? Night owl

9. Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate

10. Introvert or extrovert? Introvert

11. Hugs or kisses? Depends who's giving... All my church family kid me about not liking hugs..but I just don't like LOTS of hugs from different people all in a row

12. Hunting or fishing? Neither... I fished some with my dad growing up but never caught anything. I might would try it again as an adult

13. Winter or summer? Summer

14. Spring or fall? Spring, it's my favorite!!!

15. Rural or urban? This one makes me laugh... As a kid I always wanted to live in the city. But after moving to a slightly more populated area a few years ago, I prefer really to have enough land that I can't see neighbors, lol.

16. PC or Mac? Mac!

17. Tan or pale? Pale... I used to tan in tanning beds in my 20s but finally quit since skin cancer runs on both sides of my family.

18. Cake or pie? Cake

19. Ice cream or frozen yogurt? Ice cream

20. Ketchup or mustard? Both mixed with mayo

21. Sweet or dill pickles? Dill

22. Comedy or mystery? Mystery

23. Boots or sandals? Sandals

24. Silver or gold? Gold

25. Jazz or classical? Both

26. Dancing or singing? Singing

27. Checkers or chess? I'd love to learn chess

28. Board games or video games? Board

29. Wine or beer? Neither

30. Freckles or dimples? Both

31. Honey mustard or BBQ? BBQ

32. Body weight exercises or lifting weights? Body weight

33. Baseball or basketball? Neither really though I'll go to a game w/ friends and I did play basketball a little in high school

34. Crossword puzzles or sudoku? Crossword

35. Facial hair or clean shaven? Clean shaven

36. Crushed ice or cubed? Crushed

37. Skiing or snowboarding? Neither

38. Smile or game face? Game face...people ALL THE TIME tell me to smile...lol

39. Bracelet or necklace? Necklace

40. Fruit or veggies? Fruit

41. Sausage or bacon? Bacon...duh!

42. Scrambled or fried? Fried w/ runny yolks. Though my favorite is poached. Eggs are actually one of my favorite foods until a couple of years ago when they started making me extremely sick. I've slowly been trying them again and I was able to eat one this past weekend without any problems.

43. Dark or white chocolate? Dark

44. Tattoos or piercings? Neither

45. Antique or new? I have a nice mix of both. But I do love perusing antique stores.

46. Dress up or down? Dress up

47. Cowboys or aliens? Neither

48. Cats or dogs? Dogs

49. Pancakes or waffles? Pancakes

50. Bond or Bourne? Bond...really both

51. Sci-Fi or fantasy? Fantasy

52. Numbers or letters? Letters

53. Star Wars or Star Trek? Neither

54. Fair or theme park? Fair

55. Money or fame? Money

56. Washing dishes or doing laundry? Laundry

57. Snakes or sharks? Both terrify me

58. Orange or apple juice? Apple

59. Sunrise or sunset? Sunset

60. Slacker or over-achiever? Over-achiever...at the last second which sometimes leads to being a slacker, lol

61. Pen or pencil? Pen

62. Peanut butter or jelly? Peanut butter...especially w/ honey

63. Grammys or Oscars? Neither

64. Detailed or abstract? Detailed

65. Multiple choice or essay? Essay

66. Adventurous or cautious? Cautious

67. Saver or spender? Spender

68. Glasses or contacts? Glasses...though it's only for detailed or computer work

69. Laptop or desktop? Laptop at work, desktop at home

70. Classic or modern? Classic

71. Personal chef or personal fitness coach? Fitness

72. Internet or cell phone? Ha...my cell has internet, who's doesn't anymore?!

73. Call or text? Text...but sometimes you just need to call and chat

74. Curly hair or straight? Wavy

75. Shower in morning or evening? Morning

76. Spicy or mild? Mild

77. Marvel or DC? Neither

78. Pay mortgage or rent? I rent, but I think it's better to buy

79. Sky dive or bungee jump? Neither

80. Oreos or Chips Ahoy? Oreo

81. Jello or pudding? Pudding

82. Truth or dare? Truth

83. Roller coaster or ferris wheel? Ferris...but I'm terrified of heights so both scare me

84. Leather or denim? Leather

85. Stripes or solids? Stripes

86. Bagels or muffins? Both

87. Whole wheat or white? Both

88. Beads or pearls? Pearls

89. Hardwood or carpet? Hardwood

90. Brights or neutrals? Brights on me...neutrals in my house w/ pops of brights

91. Older than you are or younger than you are? I quite like where I'm at

92. Raisins or nuts? Raisins

93. Picnic or nice restaurant? Nice restaurant

94. Black or brown leather? Both

95. Long or short hair? I have short but love long

96. Colored hair or natural? Colored

97. Fiction or non-fiction? Fiction

98. Smoking or non? NON

99. Think before you talk or talk before you think? Think

100. Asking or answering questions? Both

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- Jessica

February 2018 Reading

At first I wasn't sure I'd have anything to share with you that I'd read this past month. But then I finished a few right in a row and I have 5 books to share with you. Thankfully none of them were duds like in January.

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The Dead Shall Not Rest - Dr. Thomas Silkstone series #2

I really enjoyed the first book in this series so I was looking forward to reading this next one. It's a bit like CSI in the 1700's. This story felt darker than the previous. There was plenty of bringing the previous characters back into this story that it felt familiar. And the new characters developed quite well into this plot. Not much to keep me guessing but still a nice little thriller. 

In line with a PG-13 movie rating.

3 out of 5 stars

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Secrets of Sloan House - Chicago World's Fair Mystery series #1

This is a Christian based mystery. The ones that I've read before never really lured me in. But then again I usually stick to Christian romance and not mysteries. The beginning was a bit slow for me but about half way in it lured me in. In fact I read the final half in one night while in bed in a couple hours. The ending did surprise me a bit and I want to read more in this series.

In line with a PG movie rating.

4 out of 5 stars

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Wait and See: Finding Peace in God's Pauses and Plans

I feel like I've been in a few waiting seasons the past several years. So when I saw this book mentioned by a fellow blogger I rushed to order it, thankfully with Amazon Prime! The first day I tore into it hoping it would help me with learning to wait in a better way. I really wanted to like this book. And it is a good book...but just wasn't the right fit for me. The biggest issue I had with it is the chapters felt way too long for a "self-help" book. I prefer snippets and it's just part of me that I can't leave a chapter unfinished. So I ended up rushing through the end of the chapters just to finish. In the end it just didn't speak much to me and felt a bit redundant with each chapter.

3 out of 5 stars

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31 Prayers For My Future Husband

No...I'm not engaged. Not even dating. But this was still a good book. I believe that God knows who I will marry and it's never too early to start praying over his life. Honestly I'd had this book for a while. I was super hesitant about this book at first because I don't read prayers to God.  I pour out my prayers straight to Him from me. But...this had so many great things to pray over that I'd never have thought of without being in a relationship. I'd definitely recommend it whether you are single and wanting to pray for a spouse or dating/engaged.

4 out of 5 stars

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The Garden of Letters

In January I read The Lost Wife and loved it. This book is by the same author. And her beautiful writing style is the same. I can't quite explain it but the way her words flow just draws me in. And her storylines are just filled with some of the things I love. This one was also set during the Holocaust but in Italy right before, and as, Hitler's troops invade. It mixes in love stories and hidden codes written into music.

In line with a PG-13 movie rating.

4 out of 5 stars

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- Jessica

January 2018 Reading

Have you read anything amazing so far this year? I've had a mixed bag of books for January.

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The Autobiography of George Mueller

I want to try and add in more biographies into my reading. This one was sooo good if you are looking for a faith building book. His life was definitely inspiring. Time after time God moved and answered his prayers when things were at what looked like their lowest point. Just a reminder that God sees us and hears our prayers.

5 of 5 stars

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Flowers From The Storm

I don't read a lot of romance novels, unless they are Christian romance...and this one wasn't. But as far as this style of book goes it wasn't too bad. The story line was somewhat intriguing for a while. But then I lost interest for weeks. The idea of a quaker falling in love with a Duke who has perhaps lost his mind...well, it had potential. But in the end I finished it by speed reading just to finish it.

2 of 5 stars

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Private

This book I didn't even finish. In fact I'm not sure I made it past the first couple chapters. There was nothing that I found appealing about the storyline. And then there was the language and sexuality that stopped me from even going any further. I've never ready any of James Patterson's books but if this is any indication I don't think I ever will.

0 of 5 stars

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The Lost Wife

So so so so good. I find the holocaust intriguing in such a sorrowful way. It boggles my mind that it could of ever occurred. This book takes place during that time and tells of a love story and the lives of that man and woman, each from their point of view. Best fiction pieces I've read in ages. I'm hoping the author's other books are just as good.

4.5 out of 5 stars

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A Quiet Life In The Country

Such a fun little mystery novel. Reminds me a bit of Miss Marple or Massie Dobbs...only more simplified. An easy read/listen. Fun characters. I'm going to read some more in this series.

4 of 5 stars

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White Fang

Another classic to check off my list. I hate to even say this...but I loved the movie with Ethan Hawke soooo much more than the book. And it goes against me so much to admit that because the books are almost ALWAYS better. The beginning of this book was great but then it fell away for me after that.

3 of 5 stars

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That's a wrap for what I read. I've got quite a few books in process right now...but I'm not reading that often so not sure how many I'll actually get through. You can always stay up with my reading over at Goodreads!

- Jessica

2018 One Little Word

Happy Tuesday! I know I mentioned last week that I was going to share my One Little Word then, but as I said yesterday I ended up sick with a cold. So...it got moved to today!

I've chosen a word now since 2012. Some years the word has stayed with me all year and other years it's faded into the background as the year progressed. One year I signed up for Ali Edward's class but then never actually made the album. This year I decided I'd like the reminders each month so I signed back up for her class. I'd like to work on an album but I'm still not sure if I'll do that or just use her prompts to inwardly reflect.

Here's a list of my previous words:

2012 - MOVE

2013 - TRANSFORM

2014 - DETERMINED

2015 - ABIDE

2016 - NEW

2017 - ARISE

Usually in December I start thinking on what my new word will be. Something that I feel called to. Many times it begins by making a list of potential words. Looking them up in the dictionary and thesaurus and slowly weeding them out or coming across new ones. As I started thinking on it in the last week of 2017 I knew one word was really coming to me for my spiritual life. But I also felt another one pulling to me for my every day physical life. Sooo...since it's my life...here are my 2018 TWO Little Words:

I want to simplify my physical life. I've come to realize the more chaos in my life the more chaotic I feel. It's like coming home to a messy house and it just completely drains me. I'm always reaching for something new but in reality I feel that I just need to strip it all down to the basics. I'm not sure what that means exactly but I feel it's something that I can work to adhere to in many aspects of my daily life. I want to explore and see where all it leads me.

My second word has been a word that has been popping up very often for the last few months of 2017. It's something mentioned a lot at church. It comes from this Scripture in the Bible: "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:14. I want to keep pressing toward that goal that my Lord has set for my life.

The more I think on these words, the more I see how they can be tied together in my life and work hand-in-hand. I want to keep them ever present and work toward a better life.

- Jessica

Welcome 2018

As I'm sitting here typing up this blog post, it's the last day of 2017. In fact there are only 2-1/2 hrs left in this year in my time zone. There's something wonderful about thinking of all the good things that the new year has in store.

There are things I want to do in 2018, especially things related to my One Little Word, which I'll be sharing later this week. And there are things I've been praying about that I hope to see come to fruition. I love thinking of all the possibility that lies in store. And it isn't really about the new year, but it's more about the fact that not only is each day new but each second of every minute is new and we can find hope in each of those moments.

I'm looking forward to this near year and all that God has prepared for me.

- Jessica

35 Before 35

I can't help myself. I love a good checklist. Even if I don't end up getting a lot of things marked off. Something about these just clears up my mind.

I've posted a few here on my blog:
28 before 29
30 before 30
31 before 31
autumn bucket list

So this year I decided it would be fun to revisit the birthday list. One afternoon the other day I sat down and came up with this list...

1. ONE YEAR CARD MINISTRY
I've done this for a month a couple times but I've really felt God leading me to do it full time so I'm going to work on it for a year. I simply ask my friends, family and church family if they know of someone who could use a card of encouragement. Once I have their address I send that person a handmade card with a little message in it and pray for that person. The recipient never knows who sent the card (unless they happen to know me or find me from my maker sticker on the back of the card)...but they never know who turned in their name.

2. ROAD TRIP WITH FRIENDS
We've just started working on a plan and hopefully we can get a trip together. It's so hard anymore with everyone's schedules.

3. MONTH OF FASTING FROM TV
I've done this before and it felt so beneficial. So many nights when I'm tired I just plop myself on my couch and zone out in front of the tv. It's just not healthy physically or spiritually.

4. MAKE SOME OF MY NANNY'S RECIPES
Went out the other night and had chicken and dumplings and it reminded me of my Nanny's which were way better than the ones I was eating. After she passed we never went through her recipes and I'd like to pull them out and try some that were classically her.
• I made her zucchini bread...which was yummy but of course not as good as hers
   
5. BAKE FRENCH MACARONS
I've tried twice to make these from a mix and they failed HORRIBLY!

6. MAKE HOME-MADE ICE CREAM
Several years ago I made ice cream and it was kind of a fail. My mom just bought me a new ice-cream maker so I'm hoping to get some made soon.
• coconut vanilla ice cream

7. UPDATE BLOG LOOK AND BRANDING
Everything needs some freshening up.

8. BLOG ABOUT COOKING
This one has been on my mind for a while. Just need to figure out exactly how I want to do it.

9. SPEND MORE TIME OUTSIDE
My AC was recently out for over a week. I spent so much more time out on my back porch and realized how nice it was just to sit there and watch the birds.

10. SCRAPBOOK MORE
Loving making scrapbook pages again and need to keep it up.

11. MEMORIZE SCRIPTURES
I went to a private Christian school where memorizing Scripture was required. Unfortunately as an adult I've not kept that up.

12. MAKE YEAST BREADS
I made yeast donuts a few months ago and I'm pretty sure it was the first and only time I've used yeast. The first time I killed it with milk that was too hot. Ha! I think I need practice.

13. MAKE SOURDOUGH BREAD
I'm always intrigued by the sourdough starter from King Arthur. Maybe I'll get around to ordering it.

14. MAKE A PIECE OF CLOTHING
I made a pair of pajama pants once. And I kind of think I made a skirt. I gave up on sewing lessons when I tried to make a dress that had darts.

15. MAKE A QUILT
I come from women who not only knew how to sew but also to quilt. I can't let that die out.

16. CROSS-STITCH
It's been years since I've tried my hand at this. I was pretty good as a teenager.

17. PAINT A PICTURE
Rarely a day goes by that I don't think about painting. Oils are my love but I'm going to try acrylics just for fun.

18. RELAX
All my doctor visits for almost 2 years are basically results of stress. And now my dental appointments are looking that way too. I need to learn to relax and put it all in God's hands.

19. EXERCISE MORE
A couple months ago I joined the gym and loved it. But then I got sick and missed weeks and it's been hard to get going again.

20. UP MY STEPS USING MY FITBIT
My doctor wants me to get in 10k steps a day. Some days I only hit 3k. Need to up my game.

21. TRY MAKING COLD-BREW COFFEE
I have stomach acid issues and I do miss my coffee. I've read cold-brew has less acid so I want to give it a try.

22. INVEST MYSELF MORE INTO OTHER PEOPLE
I was listening to a podcast the other day and it made me realize that there was more investing I could be doing.

23. CROCHET
My Nanny tried to teach me. All I accomplished was the chain stitch. I'd like to give this another go.

24. DAY OR WEEK IN THE LIFE
I've always wanted to do this. I just need to set a date and do it.

25. GO TO 5 ART MUSEUMS
Art museums are my favorite.

26. PAY IT FORWARD
Maybe next time I'm at Starbucks or returning a Netflix movie. Though a more meaningful way would be nice too.

27. POTTERY CLASS
A pottery class has always sounded so fun.

28. MORE COMMITMENT AND LESS PROCRASTINATION
I am such a procrastinator. Really bad. I need to work on that more.

29. HOST MORE DINNER PARTIES
I LOVE doing this. Cooking and having people over. Games and chatting and laughter.

30. SUMMER OR FALL PARTY AT MY HOUSE
I had an autumn party last year right after I put up my Christmas decor. It was a lot of work but such fun.

31. PLAY THE PIANO AGAIN
I took lessons for nearly 10 years. Currently I don't have a piano but I'd like to have one again and relearn to play.

32. READ 12 CLASSICS
Not sure which ones...any suggestions?
• Robin Hood
• White Fang

33. LOSE MORE WEIGHT
I've lost about 30 lbs. in just over a year, mostly from being sick. But I'd like to keep that off and keep the momentum going.
• I'm now hovering at 37 lbs.

34. REDUCE DEBT
I would love to be debt free. But I don't see that happening anytime in the near future. At least I can work on it little by little.

35. GO TO A STATE PARK
This just seemed like a fun addition. I know in my own state there are some beautiful parks I could visit.

- Jessica

2017

As I embark on this near year I want to remember this quote -

"Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?"

- L.M. Montgomery

I can so easily get caught up in this new year and when things fail to go the way I had hoped that I begin to lose faith in the year as a whole. But it's each day and each moment that counts. Life is full of steps that either lead me toward or away from my goals. I want to be careful and purposeful with the steps that I take.

I'm thankful for a new year but I'm more thankful for a new day.

- Jessica

Blue Roses

Hello all! Yes, I'm still here. This summer was a bit crazy. Very busy at work and also I've been sick more this year than any other year. Lots of trips to the doctor, lots of new meds, lots of bloodwork. I still don't have all the answers, but thankfully I am feeling better. I have an appointment with a specialist in a couple of weeks.  The testing of food allergies did reveal that I am allergic to wheat. I've ate wheat all my life, so I'm not sure exactly how it's been making me sick. But I'm trying to eliminate it from my diet for now to see if I can tell a difference. It's not easy, but thankfully there are still lots of things I can eat.

I have some cards that I created back in early May that I'm going to try to post this week. And I did start making some more cards today so hopefully I'll be back into the swing of things. Also I've placed several orders for more supplies and I'm excited to start playing with those. Hopefully there are still some of you around that are reading my blog :-)

Today I thought I'd share this card I made for a lady at my church. It was for her birthday. I try and make a card and send to each lady in my church. I did get a little behind with being sick but I'm all caught up now.

- Jessica

Thankful

Last Tuesday night I was awakened out of a deep sleep about 1am. The wind chimes on my back porch were going crazy. I knew that storms were expected around that time. So I got up to look outside and to check the tv to see what the news was reporting. Right after I got up I could hear it...that dreaded sound of a train coming toward my home. I live in my grandparent's old home, which is a mobile home. But there was no time to leave to drive 3 miles to my parents house. So instead I headed into my closet and started praying. I prayed harder as I heard the wind pick up the items off my back porch and throw them against my house. I prayed on while I heard the wind howl across my roof. I prayed on when my home shook. And I know that my God heard my prayers. It sounded so bad I thought I'd walk out of my closet and find part of my home gone or at least part of the roof. Thankfully I had very minimal damage: partially torn off roof on back porch, twisted off satellite dish, a piece of a tree torn away and a few smaller things. Yesterday the National Weather Service confirmed that there was a tornado in my small town. They rated it an EF:1 which when you look that up says it can overturn mobile homes. I'm not lucky...I'm blessed.

- Jessica

March Book Report

I have several books to share with you today. But it's looking like I won't have anything to share for April next month unless I quickly finish up some books this week.

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Blog, Inc.; Blogging For Passion, Profilt and to Create Community
by: Joy Deangdeelert Cho

It took me quite a while to read this book. In fact I bought it two years ago. Since this book is packed full of information I didn't want to just fly through it. There were lots and lots of great things I picked up in this book and it has lots of highlighting throughout it now. But I almost feel like I waited too late to read it. The blogging community seems so much harder to break into now that everyone loves the immediate gratification of instagram. 

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Over The Edge
by: Mary Connealy

This book is part of a series, but I hadn't read any other of the books. It was an easy read with no vulgarity. This story follows the lives of Seth and Callie Kincaid along with Seth's family. Callie heads west looking for her husband, Seth, who disappeared not long after they were married. Seth, who's endured several injuries, is shocked to find out he's married and is missing a large chunk of his memory. Not only do they face the challenges of trying to make a marriage but drama of all kinds follows them.

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Death Of An Artist
by: Kate Wilhelm

I can't give you a review of this book other than to say I don't think I made it through the first chapter before the profanity caused me to turn off this audio book. It wasn't for me.

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The Banishment
by: Marion Chesney

There was something about this book that reminded me of a very simplified Pride and Prejudice meets Sense and Sensibility. Another easy and fun read. Isabella, the eldest of six sisters, has to leave her beloved home that her father gambled away. Her family is depending on her to catch the eye of the bachelor that bought their property. But slowly things are also blossoming between her and an elder Lord.

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The Solitary Envoy
by: T. Davis Bunn, Isabella Bunn

Years ago I vaguely remember reading the Songs of Acadia series. This book is a continuation but is the Heirs of Acadia series. Erica Langston loves to help her father with his business. But with the British invasion tragedy strikes her family. She soon finds she must travel over to England to try and collect the family's money being held by the British banks. Upon arrival she has to face her worst enemy, but the more she comes into contact with him the more her barricades are broken down.

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- Jessica

taking a break

just wanted to put up a quick little post to let you know why i've gone missing.

for the past year and a half i had been living with my nanny (grandma) as her health had been declining after a small heart attack. this spring she took a bad tumble at the house and ended up in the hospital and rehab for over a month and then finally in may came home with palliative care. a week after she was home the Lord said her battle here was finished and she passed away peacefully at home.

i do miss her but at the same time i'm thankful that she is no longer struggling with her bad health.

since i was a partial caretaker for her this past spring was such a busy time for me with her and is actually a bit of a blur. and even after her passing i have been helping my mom go through and take care of all of her belongings. we are finally starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel.

so i will be back, just not sure when. hopefully in a month or two.

today i'll leave you with this photo of my nanny and i circa 1990-ish...

- jess

january book report

do you like to read? i mean are you one of those people who loves to sink their noses into a book and sit like that for hours...me too!!! in fact sometimes i have to not let myself start a new book if i know that i just won't have the time to read it.

this year though i'm going to try to read 50 books. and the main way i'm going to be reading my books is actually by listening to them. which totally feels like cheating to me! i prefer to hold a book in my hands, feel the paper and smell it. but i just don't have the time. since i'm a graphic designer and sit in front of a computer most of the day i can easily listen to a book while i work. the first few times i tried listening to books i hated it. but slowly i've become a convert.

so each month i figured i would share a little book report of what i read the previous month. you can add me as a friend and see my progress on goodreads. also, please let me know what you are reading and leave me some good suggestions in the comments below.

*i'll be posting the progress number w/ each book as i review it. also i've made up some simple badges whether (a) yes - i loved it and would read it again (b) okay - it was a nice story to pass along the time but wasn't a favorite (c) no - i just didn't like this book

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01/50

The Secret Garden // Frances Hodgson Burnett

overview //  this story follows mary lennox as she moves from india to england to live at misselthwaite manor. there she roams the halls of the house and the gardens outside and not only discovers secrets in both but begins to come alive herself.

rating // i'm aware that this is a light read, even a children's book. but i had seen several movie productions of this book yet never read it as a child so i wanted to add it to my read list. i was surprised at just how much i loved this book. i really wish i had read it as a child, but even as an adult it was a nice little story to follow.

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02/50

The Mysterious Affair at Styles (Hercule Poirot) - Agatha Christie

overview // hercule poirot is one of the great literary 'detectives' for great reasons. in this first book we find him helping his friend, hastings, trying to solve the mystery of who killed the lady of the house where hastings was a guest. there of course are lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing.

rating // i had a feeling i'd love this mystery and i did! i've seen a lot of the poirot mysteries on dvd and of course the books are equally as awesome. i love a good mystery to keep my mind working!

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03/50

The Hound of the Baskervilles (Sherlock Holmes) - Arthur Conan Doyle

overview // holmes and watson are once again on the hunt to solve the case of a massive hound who has been terrorizing the moors. with one man already dead they are on a race to catch this thing before another life is taken.

rating // once again, i'm loving a good mystery. i really want to work my way through all of the sherlock holmes series.

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04/50

Belonging - Robin Lee Hatcher

overview // felicia kristofferson is looking for a new start, one that involves working as the new school teacher of a small idaho town. colin murphy just wants to care for his daughter, charity and run his general store. as their paths continue to cross in this small town with gossipers and those who want this new teacher kicked out, will their friendship blossom into something more?

rating // i've read a dozen stories like this. they are a nice little read, with christian values throughout. my problem is they are all so similar and you can guess most of the ending within the first few chapters. i wish it had more twists and turns in it.

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05/50

The Host - Stephanie Meyer

overview // our world has been turned upside down by an alien invasion. at first glance all seems right, but there's something different about everyone. almost all humans have now been implanted by a "soul" who takes over the minds of the humans they now live in. only this one, melanie stryder, isnt' giving up without a fight. and the "soul" living in her, wanderer, begins to wonder if maybe it's okay for melanie to stay

rating //  i'm not usually a sci-fi fan, but there was something about this book that just kept me coming back to it and wondering about the characters even when i wasn't listening to it. i do wish it had followed a bit more of melanie, as it's from the view of wanderer. 

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- jess

january currents

listening // lauren daigle

reading // bible and blog, inc.

eating // too much holiday food still

drinking // lots of orange juice

wearing // sweaters

feeling // excited about 2015

weather // in the 30s with some rain

watching // netflix - trying the one month trial...so far not loving it

waiting // for spring

wanting // to be healthier

needing // to put away my holiday decor

enjoying // getting in crafty time

wondering // if i can ever get my body used to mornings

working // on becoming less of self and more like Christ

- jess

olw

i've loved the idea of choosing a word each year to represent my hopes and dreams. i started in 2012 when i first heard about ali edwards' class. that year i took her class but didn't really follow through on the participation aspect though. the next two years i chose words, but didn't take her class. i figured if i hadn't followed through the first year then why take the class again. but one thing i've come to realize is that i need reminders in my life. so this year, i signed back up for her class and i'm looking forward to it.

another thing i've realized is that as i progress along this pathway, my words seem to speak louder to me each year. i've felt God nudging these words into my life and once i grabbed them they constantly find their way into my life in either a daily or weekly way.

2012 - MOVE

that year i wanted to move more. to move physically and lose weight and to move out of my comfort zone. i dropped the ball on that one.

2013 - TRANSFORM

i was looking to kind of latch on to any traction i'd made with move in 2012 and work on transforming my life. but once again my word seemed to vanish from my thoughts as the year progressed.

2014 - DETERMINED

this past year was when i really felt strongly about God giving me a word. He also placed a song on my heart that helped to keep the word close to me. i was determined to follow through on some goals in my life and i definitely made some progress. i felt i'd lived up to my word.

2015 - ABIDE

this word came to me a couple weeks ago and i've felt it more strongly than i've felt any of my other words. i've felt God whispering it to my heart. He wants me to abide in Him. to abide in the moments and season of my life. to stop daydreaming and preoccupying myself when i'm in a moment i'd rather not be in. i need to stop and abide and gain what i can from that moment. it's only been a few days into the year but each day when i want to wish the day away and hope for another moment He gently whispers...abide.

- jess

i love a good candle

one of the things on my autumn bucket list was to burn some autumn scented candles. if you haven't seen my list, here's the link.

i have to admit that i've been a bit of a bath and body works candle fanatic. although this year i'm not letting myself buy any new ones until i've worked my way through my stash.

i love the glow of candle light. the warm radiance it gives to a room. most of the time i have candles lit in the day and usually when they are lit in the evening i still have on a light. but i'm thinking i might just turn off my lights, except for maybe a small lamp and curl up with a book.

so i found this one to burn and i love how it fills my space with that sweet and pumpkin scent. this is the pumpkin cupcake candle. i will say though it's not my favorite scent they offer and i'm not sure i'd buy this particular one again.

ps...the candle sleeve is also from bath & body works, though either from last year or the year before.

- jess

2014 autumn bucket list

i'm a little torn when it comes to autumn. part of me is very sad to see the warmth and sun-filled summer fleeing away. but the other part of me craves those cooler days that bring warm drinks and sweaters and boots. most years i'm ready to jump into autumn by the time it arrives but this year not as much. so i thought i'd list some of my favorite things that happen during the autumn as a bucket list to help me make the transition a bit easier.

• make pumpkin bread •

• go to a football game •

• eat a caramel apple •

• go on a scenic drive and look at the fall foliage •

• drink apple cider •

• snuggle in a blanket while reading a book on the porch •

• make smores •

• walk a 5k •

• bake a pie •

• crochet a scarf •

• bake cupcakes •

• burn autumn scented candles •

• try at least 5 apple varieties •
- honeycrisp -
- ambrosia -
- pinata -
- pacific rose -
- envy -
- mcintosh -
- jazz -

• send 'thankful for you' cards •

- jess

september currents

listening // autumnal weather just screams norah jones to me

reading // nothing this month besides the Bible

eating // less sugar and dairy

drinking // iced green tea

wearing // sandals

feeling // like i've fallen off the health train...gained 16 lbs in less than a year

weather // in the 80s

watching // vlogs

waiting // for cooler weather to switch over my wardrobe

wanting // to scrapbook

needing // to get moving more

enjoying // driving with my windows down because of the cooler evenings

wondering // what the next year holds

working // on myself

- jess

currents - june 17, 2014

goodmorning!  ah, i feel so much better now that i've got the cobwebs dusted off my blog!  i kept putting off doing a design change as i thought it would be complicated and time consuming.  turns out it was easy peasy and done in a few minutes.  i used this template that i purchased on etsy.  if you are reading this in your inbox or on a blog reader i'd love for you to pop on over and let me know your thoughts on the update.

on to my currents...

listening // still to podcasts every day at work.  it's a mix of scrapbooking, marketing, religious and old time horror and mystery shows

reading // here's my goodreads list (hope you can see it...if not scroll to the bottom of my blog)

eating // it goes back and forth between junk food, salads and smoothies

drinking // lots of water and iced tea

wearing // sandals

feeling // amazing... i was sick last week and slept so much last friday that i'm feeling renewed

weather // starting to warm up w/ temps in the 90s this week...which i think is lovely

watching // a bit of youtube and season one of father dowling mysteries... don't judge, lol

waiting // for vacation...don't even have one planned yet!

wanting // to bottle up this energy i currently have

needing // to clean my crafting space

enjoying // marking projects off my to-do list

wondering // if i still have a chance of getting in shape enough to run...okay, jog... a 5k in august

working // on listening for the voice of God

what about you...what are some of your currents???

- jess

currents - march 4, 2014

i haven't done one of these in a while so thought it would be nice for today...

• listening--> mainly to podcasts including old time radio shows...oh and treasure island audiobook. trying to get in a few classic books this year so i thought i'd try listening to it, but i have a really, really hard time focusing on audiobooks and this one isn't going too great so far :-(

• reading--> the massive stack of magazines on my nightstand

• eating--> favorite dinner lately is spaghetti squash with a sauce made from coconut milk and meyer lemons topped with parmesan cheese and a piece of salmon that's been cooked with meyer lemons...kind of obsessed actually

• drinking--> lots and lots of water and coffee

• wearing--> my running shoes since i'm training for a 5k in august

• feeling--> tired, i think it's the weather

• weather--> crazy! 70s one week, then sleet and snow and supposed to climb back into the 60s this week

• watching--> very little tv and already missing downton abbey

• waiting--> for spring and warm weather

• wanting--> to switch out my closet and brighten it back up with pastels and neons

• needing--> to scale back on my sugar intake

• enjoying--> catching up on project life

• wondering--> if i can ever catch up on everything

• working--> on using what i have and shopping way less often

what about you...what are some of your currents???

- jess