August Reads (11)

One star = did not like it at all

Two stars = eh, it was okay

Three stars =  liked it

Four stars = really, really liked it

Five stars = absolutely loved it

1-Star (0)

2-Star (0)

3-Star (5)

***Gift From the Sea (Non-Fiction, Anne Morrow Lindbergh)

Reflections on life and being a wife and a mother by the wife of Charles Lindbergh.  I think mothers would appreciate this more than I did.

***Life As We Knew It (Fiction, Susan Beth Pfeffer)

An asteroid hits the moon and knocks it WAY too close to the earth.  Chaos ensues…dormant volcanos erupt, tsunamis hit, earthquakes are abundant. And in a small town in Pennsylvania, a teenager tries to survive with her family.  I felt it was a bit too long, but the story still held my interest.  This is the first of a 4-book YA series.  I doubt I will read the other books.  From what I read, they just tell the same story, but from another person from another town’s perspective.  No thank you. 

***A Monster Calls (Fiction, Patrick Ness)

This is a ‘young reader’ book although I think it should be labeled more as YA.  And I TOTALLY understand why it’s won numerous awards and why it has such a high Goodreads rating.  And while I did enjoy it, I found myself skimming a lot.  It just wasn’t for me.  However, I think it would be the perfect book for a young person to read if they are experiencing any kind of grief.

***By the Shores of Silver Lake (Fiction, (?) L. Ingalls-Wilder)

The last one in the series.  I’ve now re-read the whole beloved series from my childhood.

***The Five Love Languages (Non-Fiction, G. Chapman)

Hmm.  I just couldn’t get into this one.  A lot of it felt self-explanatory and the writer just seemed to be tooting his own horn for the whole book.

4-Star (5)

****Along Came a Spider (Fiction, James Patterson, Alex Cross #1)

Oh, James Patterson.  I’ve read a random book of his here or there (he has SO MANY), but this one is the first one of the Alex Cross series, the one that ‘started it all’ according to the book cover.  It is dark (VERY dark), twisty, and suspenseful.  I had a hard time putting it down and read it quickly. There are currently 26 books in this series, and the 27^th is coming out later on this year I believe.  I have a lot of reading to do!

****Kiss the Girls (Fiction, James Patterson, Alex Cross #2)

Okay so if I thought the first Alex Cross book one was dark, I was in no way prepared for this one.  Probably the most disturbing book I’ve ever read. But…again, I couldn’t put it down.  And honestly I would not recommend it to anyone.  It is not for the faint of heart.  I actually had to take a break from it for like a week (and I NEVER do that with books) just because it was so intense/horrifying.  I plan to read it again lol.

****On the Banks of Plum Creek (Fiction (?) L. Ingalls-Wilder)

Quite the difference from the James Patterson books lol.  And I never know if these books should be considered fiction or non-fiction.  I think of them more as fiction.  But technically…they’re autobiographical.  So I don’t know.

****Fodor’s Kauai (Non-Fiction)

Technically I read it, so it counts, right?  Lol.  We’re *possibly* going to Kauai next year for our 10^th anniversary.  Possibly.  Everything is so stinking expensive!  Anyways, I thought I would read up a bit.  The internet always overwhelms me when trip planning.  I ALWAYS get a book.  This one is cool because it’s written by locals. 

****The Dearly Beloved (Fiction, Cara Wall)

Two couples.  The men both get ‘called’ to preach at a Presbyterian church in New York City.  The wives do not get along, which is unfortunate because they both go through some REALLY hard things basically alone.  I’ve heard this book compared a lot to Crossing to Safety, but I don’t agree with that. Crossing to Safety is a complete masterpiece, and the only similarities with this book is that the central characters are the 2 couples.  However, I really enjoyed it.  The writing is great.  The first half of the book is mostly character development (which is important, especially for Lily, one of the wives) and it’s a bit slow.  The second half really picks up in pace and dialogue.  This is a good one, especially because I think it’s her debut novel!

5-Star (1)

*****The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook: Kauai Revealed (Non-Fiction)

This one was way better than Fodor’s.  It was like “at the right side of the large palm tree next to the busted up yellow van, you’ll find the best shave-ice stand on the island”.  Lol.

Total Books Read: 11 (7 fiction, 4 non-fiction)

DNF (Did Not Finish) :

The Huntress (Fiction, K. Quinn) – I just couldn’t connect with this one and it was soooooo long.

Matterhorn (Fiction) – too much swearing

Health Check-In: 09.01.19

Slowly but surely!!  Actually, not that slowly.  Here's where I'm at:  


Friday, 8/2/19   Start Date

Sunday, 8/4/19     -2.3        (TOTAL -2.3)

Sunday, 8/11/19   -4.7        (TOTAL -7)

Sunday, 8/18/19   -2.9        (TOTAL -9.9)

Sunday, 8/25/19   -1.3        (TOTAL -11.2)

Sunday, 9/1/19     -1.0        (TOTAL -12.2)


THOUGHTS:

While I wish I would have lost more than one pound this week, I'm trying to focus on the big picture.  Not every week will be a 2 lb+ loss.  It will all even out in the end and as long as I'm not gaining, I'm happy! 

Health Check In

Here's an overview of where I started and where I am now:


Friday, 8/2/19   Start Date

Sunday, 8/4/19     -2.3        (TOTAL -2.3)

Sunday, 8/11/19   -4.7        (TOTAL -7)

Sunday, 8/18/19   -2.9        (TOTAL -9.9)

Sunday, 8/25/19   -1.3        (TOTAL -11.2)



THOUGHTS:

I weigh every day (which I intend to keep doing), but I plan to only blog about it every Sunday and review my week.

It's been relatively easy.  I've stuck with the fasting, with the exception of usually one weekend day.  I'll be a little more 'relaxed' with my fasting times on the weekend, and be strict Monday - Friday.  

Misc. things I have eaten in the past 23 days (and still lost 11.2 pounds!):

-a large piece of white cake from Costco 
-one beer
-2 mixed drinks
-3 fried flautas (YUM)
-an ice cream cone from dairy queen
-MULTIPLE avocados

I'm sure I'm forgetting some treats, but I like to remember these just because with WW you can still lose weight and have treats.  It's all about the planning!

Like I said above, it's been pretty easy.  I eat a LOT of yogurt and a LOT of eggs.  I eat loads of vegetables with lunch (kind of to get them out of the way).  I also eat lots of avocados.  They are point-y, but I don't care.  I LOVE them.  Tonight I peeled two more, added some salsa and some garlic salt and now have a nice guacamole to eat on for the next few days.   I would say all week, but it won't last that long ha ha.  I have no guilt.

There was probably 4 or 5 days that I didn't get my gallon of water in and I could really tell a difference in how I felt.  I feel better with a gallon of water for sure.

So I'm very pleased with my progress so far.  :)

Fruit Smoothie

I made this super easy smoothie today.  I wanted to get some fruit in but also needed protein.

It's a whopping 2 ingredients:

(from Costco)

The fruit is frozen, but (long story) it was thawed in the fridge when I used it today.  So I threw some ice in the blender, added 1 cup of the fruit mix, and one vanilla Oikos Triple Zero Greek Yogurt.  I blended until completely smooth.  It was delicious!

Only 3 points.

On Health

I'm back on the WW bandwagon.

Again.  Ha ha.  I have stopped and started so many times.  But for some reason it feels different this time.  AND I've said that before too.

But I think what is making it a bit different this time is that I'm pairing WW with intermittent fasting.  So basically, I only eat between 8:30 - 4:30 every day and then fast for the 16 hours after that.

So because I don't eat after 4:30, lunch is my (our) 'big' meal of the day.  When I get our box from Home Chef, I make it all up and we have those meals for lunch.

I thought the fasting would be super difficult, but it hasn't been.  The first couple of days I was pretty hungry after 4:30 but I just drank a bunch of water and that helped.  I've been drinking a gallon of water each day.  I feel way less bloated and just feel better all around.  

Here's what a typical day of eating looks like for me:

8:30: scrambled eggs, beans, cheese, red chile (all in one bowl)  I get this at work in the cafeteria.  Only in New Mexico do they have beans and red chile on the cafeteria hotline every morning for breakfast ha ha.  It's delicious and SUPER filling. 

1:00:  a Home Chef meal, which is usually chicken and vegetables or pork and vegetables (usually with cheese or some kind of other delicious sauce).  If I don't have a Home Chef meal, my lunch usually consists of a chicken salad cup (from Costco), 2 hard boiled eggs, a yogurt and a piece of fruit and/or a string cheese.

4:00:  Premier Protein shake with 2 tspb of powdered peanut butter.  I LOVE this shake.  It's loaded with protein and usually keeps me satisfied until bedtime.  The Premier Protein can be found at Costco and the PB2 can be found at Target or Amazon (cheaper on Amazon).  If I have points left around 4:00 then I may have another yogurt or something if I'm still hungry.  I usually have points left.

I don't snack in between meals.  I think the gallon of water per day is why.  I'm either constantly drinking water or I'm in the bathroom ha ha.

It's working.  I've lost 10 pounds since August 2nd.  

My plan is to log my progress here once a week to keep myself accountable.  I may post meal plans/favorite WW point friendly foods/etc. also.  I got this!

July Reads (7)

One star = did not like it at all

Two stars = eh, it was okay

Three stars =  liked it

Four stars = really, really liked it

Five stars = absolutely loved it

1-Star (0)

2-Star (1)

**How We Eat With Our Eyes and Think With Our Stomachs (Non-fiction, M. Muhl)

I can’t remember where I heard about this book and who recommended it to me, but it was not good.  It was basically just little pages (it’s a little book) full of scientific facts and studies….and then it just abruptly ends.  ??  So weird.

3-Star (1)

***The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek (Fiction, K. Richardson)

This was a ‘like’ not ‘love’ book for me.  I learned a lot, but the book dragged on in places.

4-Star (3)

****The Wide Window (Fiction, A Series of Unfortunate Events #3, L. Snickett)

These books are so bad, as in NOTHING good happens!  Yet they are amazing.  Funny.  Quirky.  Original.  Dark.  And these three orphans really look for the good in everything, even though their entire life is one big unfortunate event.

****Body of Evidence (Fiction, K. Scarpetta #2, P. Cornwall)

A solid 2^nd book in the series.  Onto the 3^rd!

****The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning (Non-Fiction, M. Magnusson)

This is a charming book written by an elderly woman basically about cleaning out your stuff so that your kids don’t have to deal with it after you die.

5-Star (2)

*****The Bookish Life of Nina Hill (Fiction, A. Waxman)

The main character, Nina, and her quirky-anxiety ridden-socially awkward book-loving-cat loving-trivia loving-bullet journaling-planning self far make up for the few cheesy parts that are sprinkled throughout.  I LOVED this book.

*****A Night Divided (Fiction, J. Nielson)

Probably one of the best YA books I’ve ever read.  It grabs you from the first pages and doesn’t stop.  Gerta, a young girl, and her family live in Berlin.  When the wall goes up, they get separated.  Her father and one of her brothers are on the West side, and she, her mother, and another brother are on the East side.  This super suspenseful book follows their journey to reunite.  SO GOOD. 

Total Books Read: 7 (5 fiction, 2 non-fiction)

DNF (Did Not Finish) : 2

The Secrets of Ink and Paper – too fluffy, and then about halfway through I started reading more reviews on it and apparently it’s labeled as Christian Fiction.  ?  Strange.  I would have DNF’d anyways though.

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry – I just could NOT get into this one.  And I’m a Fredrik Backman fan!

June Reads (13)

One star = did not like it at all

Two stars = eh, it was okay

Three stars =  liked it

Four stars = really, really liked it

Five stars = absolutely loved it

1-Star (0)

2-Star (0)

3-Star (6)

***A Gentleman in Moscow (Fiction, A. Towles)

This was a great book, but it was way too long.  It was such a good story, and I wanted to be friends with the kind Gentleman, Count Roskov.  But it was REALLY long in the middle and way too wordy for my taste.

***The Library Book (Non-Fiction, S. Orlean)

This one surprised me, only because I thought I would enjoy it so much more.  The general library info was great (did you know that Public libraries outnumber McDonalds in the United States???), but the history/fire/L.A. part bored me to death.  L  Although it DID make me want to use my local library more.  And my library is awesome and not that far from home.

***Farmer Boy (Fiction, L. Ingalls)

I liked this one, but not nearly as well as the ones about Laura and her family.  I just wasn’t as interested in Almanzo and his family.

***Idaho (Fiction, E. Roskovich)

This book felt disjointed and all over the place, but the writing was decent and the story was somewhat interesting.

***Pachinko (Fiction, M. Lee)

Strong start, but about halfway through I started losing interest and there were too many characters that I didn’t like.   

***The Smell of Other People’s Houses (Fiction, B. Hitchcock)

A good book about the lives of a group of teens living in remote Alaska. 

4-Star (4)

****Maisie Dobbs #1 (Fiction, J. Winspear)

There is something so exciting about starting the first book of a new series and LIKING it and then discovering that there are 14 additional books in the series that have already been published.  I loved this little gem of a mystery, and hope that it only gets better.  We meet Maisie Dobbs, a former housemaid turned WWI nurse, turned private investigator.  She is smart as a whip and tries to not only solve mysteries but help people in the process.  We learn a lot about her background in this book, so there’s a bit of jumping back and forth in time.  But somehow it works!  UPDATE:  I DNF’d the 2^nd book because it got weird and then I researched some of the other books in the series and it seems to be a pattern so I won’t be reading any further books from this series.  

****Victoria the Queen (Non-Fiction, V. Baird)

I listened to the audio version of this book.  It was phenomenal.  I really didn’t know anything about Queen Victoria and now I feel somewhat well-versed!  Honestly though I’m not sure if I would have enjoyed this book as much if I had read it as opposed to listening to it.  The narrator was great.

****Sky Without Stars (Fiction, J. Brody)

3.75 ONLY because I think it’s about 100 pages too long (it’s a 600 page book).  And it’s not an ‘easy’ read, especially for YA.  But I really, really enjoyed it.  Who wouldn’t love a futuristic retelling of Les Miserables told from the perspectives of Chantine (Eponine), Alouette (Cosette), and Marcellus (Marius)?  I’ll definitely read the next book in the series when it comes out.

****Sorry I’m Late I Didn’t Want to Come (Non-Fiction, J. Pan)

Laugh out loud book about an introvert who decides to do extrovert things for one year including improv, solo traveling, talking to strangers, and stand-up comedy…basically the stuff of my nightmares.  I loved it!

5-Star (3)

*****Ask Again Yes (Fiction, M. Keane)

I don’t even know where to begin with this book.  It is emotionally exhausting, especially the last 100 pages.  It’s the story of the ‘friendship’ of two next door neighbors and their children (2 of them in particular).  The time period of this book starts in the late 70s, when I was born.  When the kids talked about social studies class, their lunch boxes (which were lined up on the shelves by the school cafeteria, JUST like ours used to be), Snapple, Duck Hunt video games, scavenger hunts, and the top 100 countdown on the radio, I got pretty nostalgic.  At one point in the book one of the characters wants to make a dramatic exit/escape, but he has to let his car warm up first.  Because that’s just what we DID back then in the 80s when it was cold.

But then of course, tragedy strikes and it affects EVERYONE.  Relationships are ruined, lives are changed forever.  Bad things happen.  Good things happen.  I found myself rooting for almost everyone.  This is a great book about mental illness, alcoholism, human nature, relationships, love, loss, tragedy, and most importantly, forgiveness.

*****The Book Hog (Fiction, G. Pizzoli)

A charming children’s book about a pig who LOVES books but doesn’t know how to read.  (don’t worry, it has a happy ending)

*****Little House on the Prairie (Fiction, L. Ingalls Wilder)

Obviously this is a re-read for me, and it’s just as wonderful as I remember.  There is something so calming about reading these books.

Total Books Read: 13 (10 fiction, 3 non-fiction)

DNF (Did Not Finish) :

Red Rising (it got weird)

Birds of a Feather (it got weird)