currently reading
So somehow almost all of the holds I had placed at the library became available within a week or so of each other. The stack of books on my shelf is now 8 books tall (and that’s after I returned 2 that I just wasn’t into reading right this moment). At least the weather is cooperating; grey, rainy afternoons just beg to be spent curled up in a cozy blanket with a hot drink and a good book. In no particular order, here are the books I’ll be reading in the next month.
- And the Mountains Echoed – Khaled Hosseini
- Loving Frank – Nancy Horan
- The Midwife – Jennifer Worth
- The Baker’s Daughter – Sarah McCoy
- Happier at Home – Gretchen Rubin
- The Interestings – Meg Wolitzer
- Lean In – Sheryl Sandberg
- Family Driven Faith – Voddie Bachman
And there are still 5 more on hold…
- Bones of the Lost – Kathy Reichs
- Cooked – Michael Pollan
- Life after Life – Kate Atkinson
- Daring Greatly – Brené Brown
- Allegiant – Veronica Roth
And Bread & Wine by Shauna Niequist on my list as well…
What can I say? I love to read! What are you reading?
Not alone
“We read to know we are not alone.” – C.S. Lewis
Though what I read has changed over the years, this quote still holds true for me. Especially on grey, rainy June days when I can found with a cup of coffee and a book.
As of now…
I have fourteen blogs.
Seriously.
It’s a bit much, I know. About half of them, 0r more, are projects or collaborations with friends. Some are private; most of them just represent different stages of my life. One of them, Go Forth and Eat!, is one that I actually somewhat keep up on. Or at least plan to keep up on. Oh, and this one. I think. To be honest, I love the name of another one of my blogs, but I should keep this one. I think two is a reasonable number of blogs to maintain.
I’m overwhelmed at the prospect of starting to write again, both here and on my food blog. Just because I haven’t been writing. And that doesn’t really make sense, does it? I should just start again. Maybe the explanations will just weave in as I continue to share my story.
I’m not a fantastic storyteller or writer. I’m just not. But it’s ok. I just have to write. This really, insanely bothers the perfectionistic side of me. I’m embarrassed by my old posts. And my current posts. The truth is that I don’t have to be perfect; I just have to pursue excellence. And start writing again. 🙂
For now, I’ll just share a picture of me with my adorable 1 year old daughter, whom I’ll call E. She is ridiculously cute and such a delight!
Like mother, like daughter
Book Giveaway
My friend, Ariel K. Price, is hosting a book giveaway on her blog this week! Go check it out! http://arielkprice.wordpress.com/2012/09/04/book-giveaway/
This giveaway is to promote her new business website arielkprice.com (which my husband designed!). I’m proud of both of them!
Motivation
Mocha Motivation
Five Favorites
Today was a lazy day – you know the kind of day… jeans and a hoodie, hair pulled into ponytail, eating breakfast for all three meals (cinnamon rolls, eggs & hash browns, and cereal respectively) kind of day. Despite that, I did manage to both get some work done as well as write this post of five favorites from my week.
Cranberry Peach Pecan Scone at Bipartisan Cafe
Leftover sunflowers from a photo shoot that I put into wine and champagne bottles.
The African violet my husband surprised me with!
Personalized wrapping for a baby shower gift that I thought of all by myself.
Daffodils that brighten my day despite the Portland gloominess 🙂
Cranberry Peach Pecan Scone
This past Sunday morning, John and I went on a date to Bipartisan Cafe (on SE Stark & SE 79th in Portland) before heading to church. We enjoyed coffee and a cranberry peach pecan scone, which was quite delicious. I have a deep love for fantastic scones; this scone certainly did not disappoint! The unique flavor combination was a treat as well, broadening my horizons and sparking desires for both creativity in my kitchen and the fresh fruits of summer. I can’t wait to see what create and bake as I grow ever bolder in my kitchen. Until then, I’ll still delight in scones with coffee at cafes around Portland.
Five Favorites
- Vice Verses by Switchfoot – I love music! And I have been a Switchfoot fan for years. So when this album was released recently, I absolutely had to listen to it. I love how Switchfoot didn’t just recreate the same sound over again; they wanted to try something new and went for it. And frankly, it is excellent.
- Discovering new blogs – I found Daily Garnish through Espresso and Cream, a blog I already follow. While I’m not a vegetarian, I do need to incorporate more fruits and veggies into my diet and enjoy food blogs that inspire and share adventures in the kitchen.
- Scarves – I’m not a big accessories fan, but I prefer not to live without scarves. They add variety to my tees, jeans, and a cardigan standard wardrobe. Also, they help keep me warm when the temperature drops. I just love them.
- Having a three day weekend – Since I started working in May, I haven’t had three days in a row off except to celebrate my anniversary in July. I also rarely have two days off in a row. So having a three day weekend on an actual weekend is a reason to celebrate! So excited!
- Coffee – After randomly giving up coffee for two months, I’m slowly starting to drink it again. And I enjoy it! Especially with coconut creamer from Coffeemate. A cup in the morning with a good book is pure relaxation!
Also, I apologize for the lack of pictures. The one downside to owning a Macbook versus a Macbook Pro is that it doesn’t have an SD card reader, which wouldn’t be a big deal if my camera was new and Macbook-compatible, but it isn’t. So until I borrow my husband’s computer and upload pictures, I won’t be posting any pictures. Thankfully we share and all I have to do is remember to ask. 🙂 I’ll keep you updated!
An American in ... Portland 