Friday, August 23, 2019

Have You Heard? // Taylor Swift - "Lover"

HAPPY FRIDAY FRIENDS! Today we have a brand new Taylor Swift album! WOOHOO! :)

image via google.
Here's the most recent single and video. The video is stinkin' cute. The end made me tear up.



I think it's sweet. I'm still not over the moon about everything I've heard for this album... but we'll see how it goes today when I download and listen to the whole thing! Things usually grow on me, and KC pointed out that the singles are usually not my favorites anyway. :) EE! :)

I also love that her lover in this video isn't white. I went on a bit of a "listen to old t-swift music via YouTube" binge last week... and they're all white. So this was a nice change. I always like to see more representation and diversity.

What do you guys think of this one? Are you planning to get the album today?!

What are you up to this weekend??

We have a bday part for one of KC's cousin's kiddos on Sunday, but are otherwise free right now. Hoping to do some organizing and decorating and of course reading. I realllllllllllllllly need to sort out some scrapbook stuff so that I can make some progress there. LOL I'm enjoying reading so much right now, which is great, but at some point I really do want to use the supplies that I purchased! 

OH YEAH! WHO IS EXCITED FOR THE NEXT SEASON OF GBBO?!?!?! It comes out on the 30th! SQUEE! :) 

Have a great weekend!!

XO,

Alexandra

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Thanksgiving 2018

Last November was busy as usual, but we had a nice set of Thanksgivings with my family and KC's. We are always grateful for time together, especially with our extended families. :)



We also made a gratitude "wall" which was a nice way to keep the focus on being grateful during the holiday season. I wrote about it for Year of Gratitude, here.

For my family's Thanksgiving I totally forgot to take any photos... but it was great. I'm really glad that we all got to get together early to celebrate, the meal was amazing, and I love that we've been getting to see my grandma more.



Thanksgiving with KC's family was great too. We had a nice meal with KC's parents, his sister and her husband, and his grandparents. It was great to share a meal and spend more time in a big group together. We took a family photo which doesn't happen a lot, so that was special. KC and his dad's test shot was cracking me up so I had to include it.




So that's it. We had our pie and cranberries and lots of great family moments.

Thanks for bearing with me as catch up on old holiday posts. I want to be able to look back on these here.

Do you have specific Thanksgiving traditions?

XO,

Alexandra

Friday, August 16, 2019

Have You Heard? // Ed Sheeran feat. Camila Cabello & Cardi B - "South of the Border"

Happy Friday Friends! I hope that you had an excellent week and gave yourself some grace. I hope that you have the best weekend ahead! :)



Back in the beginning I wasn't a huge Ed Sheeran fan, I don't really know why because I do love his voice, and I've loved pretty much every other album he's had. I looooove the collaboration album that he recently released! Of course it's no surprise that I liked this song with Camila Cabello a lot.

So here's a quite inappropriate ( ;) ) and catchy tune for your Friday friends!



What do you guys think? Are you a fan of Ed Sheeran's music?

What are y'all up to this up this weekend?!

We have D&D with some close friends on Saturday night, but otherwise I hope to get some chores/cleaning and reading/scrapbooking done this weekend because last weekend ended up being BONKERS BUSY with plans.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

XO,

Alexandra

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Keep It Together // August 2019

Hello friends! It's Keep It Together day!! It has been a fun documenting month around here! :)

I am excited to post today with Lauren at Shooting Stars Mag for our Keep It Together!

If you are new here, this is our linkup for all things planners, memory keeping, and journaling. Please feel free to join us on the third Thursday of the month with any posts that fall into those categories! :)


Planning:

I have still been enjoying my ECLP! I found some really lovely colored felt-tip pens with the school supplies at Target. They don't bleed through any pages and I am obsessed with the fun colors! These are the Paper Mate Flair Pens, in Candy Pop


see how nicely the golden color matches the August layout??



I love that the colors are fun and bright, but a little bit muted too. I'm loving the goldenrod one for fall spreads! I'm not usually in LOVE with a pen, so I wanted to share that. I'm tempted to try the larger package with even more colors in it, and at a thinner tip size. :) 

Documenting:

Maggie Holmes "Heritage"



via Crate Paper Blog

I am loving this new line by Maggie Holmes. Her collections are go-to buys for me because I love the girly and vintage styles. They are so easy to use on almost any project. I love that this collection has more muted colors, it reminds me of fall! Of course it has houses, butterflies, swans, and lots of florals. I think this would be a really lovely collection for someone who wanted to document things further in the past. I think I will pass along that info to my grandma because she has been wanting to start.

Hey Pumpkin!

I got the cuuuutest Halloween stuff from Crate Paper. I can't wait to make my October Daily album! Would anyone be interested in purchasing a mini Halloween album? I'd use this line, and the line from two years ago to make a festive little album for you. Just add pictures and journalling! I'm excited to use the ghost banner at the bottom over my chalk board!


images via Crate Paper Blog.


Boston Album:

I'm working on my Boston & NE Road Trip album. It is a TN size, and I am having fun documenting this trip finally. I feel like I'm "catching up" a bit, but really I'm just having fun and getting to what I get to. Which has been key in my experience documenting! hahaha



Another Giveaway Album:

I am working on a giveaway album for my second YouTube winner, Hallie. We went to high school together and I am super excited to make her a little album! :)

What's Next?!

I am still working on what I want to do for 2019 documenting... ooof. I need to get going because I am readddyy for October-December Daily! :) / I'm very "behind" Lol. That is the way of documenting.You just have to do it when you feel like it/have time.

CLASSES / Album Sales: I also heard from the library that I can hold scrapbook classes and open scrapbook times at the library! So I am hoping to get something going for that here pretty soon! :) I am also thinking about making mini albums from certain collections (Halloween, travel, various generic Maggie Holmes collections) and selling them for people to put their photos/journalling into. Thoughts?!

Have you been working on any documenting?

Would you or anyone you know be interested in buying a little blank album to add details to?

Please feel free to linkup with us below! We'd love to see what you are up to!


XO,


You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!
Click here to enter



Make sure to hop on over and see Lauren's post! :)

Alexandra

Friday, August 9, 2019

Have You Heard? // The Dixie Chicks - "Cowboy Take Me Away" // Throwback

Happy Friday Friends! I'm coming at you late today because I have been thinking about 90s country lately. Is that strange?

image via google.

We grew up listening to country, after all, I live in Kansas... and grew up in the country. I wouldn't call it a "farm" but we did have a barn and livestock (sometimes), and two pastures. So there you go. ANYHOW, sometimes I just itch to listen to 90s country. KC looks at me like I'm bonkers because I am NOT and was definitely not in the past (AT ALL) a country girl. It makes me giggle and I turn on old Shania, Tracy Lawrence, or Brooks & Dunn. KC laughs and laughs while I try to sing along to things like Texas Tornado and My Maria. My mom was a big Garth Brooks fan, so I can sing along to at least one of those Christmas albums like nobody's business. In the late 90s we had a lot of (IMHO) fabulous pop country that I could not get enough of. I was on my way to loving exclusively pop music... but I really did like Shania Twain's That Don't Impress Me Much album, along with The Dixie Chicks. I may or may not have dressed up as "Earl" one Halloween. There is a very bad picture, I'll try to find it sometime.

This video is so 90s 00s that I cannot even.



ANYHOW, Audrey has been listening to 90s country, and I have been turning it on off and on... and Cowboy Take Me Away came on yesterday and I was just like, "YAS". I hadn't heard it probably in 15 years. What a jam. I was imagining this as the soundtrack for Arrogant Devil and I just might have to do a re-read. Le swoon what a romantic song. LOL

image via google.


Today I read the Vogue interview with Taylor Swift, as one does, and they mentioned something that I briefly forgot... The Dixie Chicks reference in the Me music video. Yes please, I really hope this collab is happening. Also, it makes so much sense when TDC are known for opposing President Bush's decisions, and T-Swift has found her political voice. TDC kind of fell of the radar and have come back... which reminds me a bit of T-Swift's disappearance during Reputation... I'm so excited to see where this goes. These ladies will not be silenced, and I am here for that. (squee if they open for her during her stadium tour I would freak out!)

One thing I love about life, and being a woman is that I don't feel like I need to fit a mold. One day I want nothing to do with country music, all about current alternative tracks. I've pulled out a band tee and distressed jeans. The next day I'm listening to a Latin playlist, or 90s R&B and watching throwback tv shows. Today I just might find my denim dress and listen to The Dixie Chicks.

What about you, does your music taste vary a lot? 

Has it changed over time, or does it build on itself?

What are you guys up to this weekend?

We're watching my nephew and hopefully seeing my sisters, but otherwise hanging out around the house. I would like to get a lot of reading in, which should shock no one.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

XO,

Alexandra

Tuesday, August 6, 2019

July 2019 Reads // Book Slumps + A Few Really Good Reads

Woohoo! It's NOT book day! Whomp Whomp... well I'm early, but I'll leave this up anyway! I didn't read a lot this month, and a lot of the things I read and some that I read last month I just did not love. So, I was super happy to adore my latest two reads. Just the fun engaging books I was looking for! :) :)



War by Laura Thalassa own, ebook

4 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy paranormal romance, and can suspend your disbelief a bit.

The second book in the four horseman of the apocalypse book, where War ravages the earth.

I read this in a few bursts, which was made it a little bit disjointed. Overall it was enjoyable, I like the continued premise of the four horseman plot. I sometimes liked War better than Pestilence, but I also had moments where more-so than Pestilence, I am like HOW DOES SHE LOVE HIM??? I almost wish these were dual POV, because these relationship are SO problematic sometimes. This one felt a little bit long, but I did like the very end quite a bit. It think that the relationship part drug out just a little but the action, reconciling, and resolution of the plot during the last 30% of the book was really good. I'm really intrigued by the rest of the books and to see where they will go after getting a peek at Spoiler?? Death. I did have a harder time overall suspending disbelief in this one. I don't understand what God's role is in this. I always feel like the Horsemen are learning a lesson and not the humans... so why is God sending them to kill the humans...? Maybe it is meant to be unclear, but it was really distracting for me during this book.

Say You Still Love Me by K.A. Tucker* ARC, ebook

3 Stars? - I might recommend if you like heartfelt second chance romances.

Piper is reluctant to spend the summer as a camp counselor at her mother's old summer camp, but when she meets the irresistible and edgy Kyle she is suddenly more excited for the summer. The two quickly form an intense connection. Piper is drawn toward things she would never do, with destructive consequences. When the summer ends with their expulsion from the camp after an off limits incident Piper and Kyle promise to keep in touch. When Piper never hears from Kyle again, she never stops wondering what happened to him. 15 years later the two meet again. Kyle has become a security guard in her office building and he wasn't placed there coincidentally. What does he want?

I really liked the idea behind this story: two teenage camp counselors fall in love and then meet again later in life. I have to say that I did enjoy their teenage romance, I felt like the thrill of their relationship was very realistic, and it can be fun to read about reckless teenagers from time to time. However, it also had me going... oh dear... I don't know that I could ever be a parent of a teenager. LOLOL I wanted SO MUCH to love this story... but a lot of the present day stuff didn't quite work for me. While I was interested to see who Piper and Kyle became, there was a LOT of buildup in the present day plot. It didn't particularly help that I don't love corporate settings, and a lot of it was related to her job in real estate development. It also took too long for them to meet back up, and their wasn't a lot of focus on their present day relationship... which I really wanted. I did like some of the more emotional parts, and the ending was nice too. It was quite bittersweet, which I also kind of liked. Overall this was a fun read, but I wanted a little bit more from it.

The Lady in the Coppergate Tower by Nancy Campbell Allen*  ARC, ebook

3 Stars - I might recommend if you enjoy steampunk, or proper romance, or if you have read the rest of the series.

Hazel has spent her life under her mother's protection and as a fledgling medium. However, she finds her talent as Dr. Sam MacInnes's surgical assistant. He once saved her from a vampire attack, and now she must endure her severe crush on him every day as they work together. When she meets a mysterious Transylvanian noble, and he claims to be her uncle and caretaker to her secret twin sister, she is skeptical. She always dreamt of a girl who looked just like her, but her uncle seems less than trustworthy. When tells her that she must come help heal her sister in Transylvania, Hazel warily accepts. Sam is not about to let Hazel go alone, and inserts himself into the trip as a chaperone. What is her uncle hiding and what is wrong with her mysterious twin?

This is one of my favorite series. The mix of fantasy, and proper romance is amazing and so much fun to read. I started this book out feeling the familiar love of the world, but this one fell a little bit flat for me in the middle. I liked the working relationship between Sam and Hazel was very sweet and swoony when they were working in London. However, as soon as they embarked on their adventure I didn't find myself quite as invested in the plot or their relationship. It was still sweet and the steampunk stuff was fun. The setting was interesting too, not a lot of books take place on a submarine, but I just felt like something was missing. I will say that I liked the beginning and end, so maybe it was just a fluke. While this wasn't my favorite in the series, I am still looking forward to more books if Allen writes them!

A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer - library, ebook

4.5-5 Stars - I highly recommend if you enjoy fantasy novels and fairy tale re-tellings.

Harper is minding her own business as a lookout for her brother when she witnesses a women being abducted. As she tries to save the woman, she is taken instead, and finds herself in another world. She is now the guest of Prince Rhen of Emberfall in his castle. The more she tries to escape and the more she learns about Emberfall, the less she wants to leave. Rhen just wants to break his curse, and it is his last chance. Harper is the only one who can help him, and she just might be able to help him save his people too.

This is the first book in a while that had me tearing through pages, and that I wanted to stay up all night and read. I really wanted to figure out what was going on, and I immediately was hooked by the short chapters and differences between Harper and Rhen. I appreciated the strength of the characters, their loyalty, and selflessness. I thought that the villains were strong, and the characters were courageous. I loved the setting and the re-telling element. It did remind me a lot of Beauty and the Beast, but it was new enough and different enough that I wasn't bored. I'm a sucker for romance, but I adored the friendships, courage of characters, and strategy to save their kingdom most in this book. The way that this ended was satisfying and suspenseful all at once, I like how some of the things tied together. I'm really excited to see where other books in this world will go.

Wicked and the Wallflower by Sarah MacLean own, ebook

4.5-5 Stars - I highly recommend if you enjoy historical romance with modern characters.

Felicity Faircloth was once the belle of the 'ton surrounded by friends and suitors, until she found herself in the bedroom of a man who was not her betrothed. Over time scandal after scandal ruined her reputation. Now she is a 27 year old spinster with no friends, and no prospects. As she sneaks onto an off limits balcony at a ball she meets a mysterious stranger in the shadows. He promises her a Duke that will save her reputation, family, and place in society. Devil is one of the Bareknuckle Bastards, the king of Covent Garden, and wealthy smuggler. When he meets Felicity by chance, he sees her as the perfect opportunity to deny his brother the wife and heir he so craves. Along the way he will quickly realize that Felicity is actually who he craves.

Ahh I really liked this book. I thought that Felicity and Devil were such fantastic characters. I loved her wittiness and her child-like awe at the world. I loved that she was a strong female lead who wanted to choose her own life. I thought that while Devil has a ridiculous name, he was an interesting character too. I enjoyed the parts where he was working with his brother, sister, and their men to complete their smuggling tasks, as well as his banter with Felicity. It did take a while for the truth of the past, the oath, etc. to come out, but overall it worked. I appreciated that the male lead was not just another Duke or Marquess... because that does get a bit boring in historical romance. I am super excited to read the next books in this series.

Monthly totals:

Read - 5
Owned - 2
Ebook - 5
Physical book - 0
ARC - 2
Library/Borrowed - 1
Bought - 31 ( 25 physical, 6 ebook) MOST of these were from bday shopping.. I don't even know if that "counts" as it was part of my gift from KC but there you go.
To Let Go - 4

Yearly Totals:

Read - 52
Owned - 15
Ebook - 33
Physical book - 20
ARC - 23
Library/Borrowed - 10
Bought - 113 (93 physical books, 26 ebooks)
To Let Go - 36

Linking up with Jana and Steph for Show Us Your Books today. :) 

What have you been reading? What do you hope to read this month?! 

Let's be friends on Goodreads!

XO,

Alexandra

* Asterisks denote titles that I was given advance access to by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. These reviews are my own opinion, and based on the edition of the book I was given at the time. Thank you Netgalley

**Double asterisks denote books won via a goodreads giveaway! 

***Triple asterisks denote titles that I was given advance access to by Penguin First to Read in exchange for an honest review. These reviews are my own opinion, and based on the edition of the book I was given at the time. Thank you Penguin First to Read!


****Quadruple asterisks denote titles that I was given advance access to by the author of the book in exchange for an honest review. These reviews are my own opinion and based on the edition of the book I was given at the time! 

Thursday, August 1, 2019

Life Lately // August 2019

I used to join this linkup with my monthly goal recaps every single month.. but haven't in much too long! Today I'll just share what I've been up to!

Watching:


Earlier this year we watched Pushing Daisies, I never got to share that... but it was strange and adorable, and I loved it! We finished season 3 of Stranger Things (really good, a few qualms, but really good), and started The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (the first season had a rough patch, but has since then has been good, this is not as spooky/scary as I had expected based on what everyone had said... LOL). I enjoyed both Aladdin and Toy Story 4 more than I expected to. Otherwise we have started and stopped watching a bunch of shows.

Listening To:
image via google


Lots of Disney music. Kacey Musgraves. Camilla Cabello collabs. New T-swift.

Reading:
my comically large summer reading list. Not including ARCs or the many impulse reads. So far I have read 4 of these... not bad?


I've not read quite as much in the last few months, and most of my reads have just been ok. :( However, I am in the middle of A Curse So Dark and Lonely and so far am loving it! Crossing my fingers that it stays super good! :) However, I'm doing ok on my reading goal!

Wearing:

I've been having so much fun with clothing again. I put this in my IG stories, but I used to have such a toxic relationship with shopping to where I wouldn't buy anything thinking shopping was really bad (even when I needed something/had money) and then I would binge, and then I would return a bunch of stuff. It's sort of how I grew up and and I have been fighting it for years. I also struggled for a while to find clothes that I liked as a curvy woman. I'm so happy to be in a place where shopping and dressing is fun again. I still have to talk myself down... but I'm having fun and it makes me feel good and confident to enjoy my clothes. :) I just made Modcloth and Unique Vintage orders which I am super excited to try on and then I bought a very cute headband via an Etsy seller. Ready for fall fashion!!

Home Stuff:


We are finally more "settled" in our home. We are starting to organize, and to get rid of things we realize we're not using/don't want/don't have a place in our home. We are figuring out where we need to work on more. We did do a DIY chalkboard for our kitchen, and set up a glass door bookcase which I spent the day organizing one day. That was in my IG stories, and you can watch that highlight here. We bought some garden tools and planted some flowers in pots and little starbucks cups to start the seeds. Most have survived, but I haven't put any in the ground yet. I am finding lawn care/gardening to be a challenge and not something that I so far really enjoy doing... we'll see how it goes. A lot of this stems from my heat intolerance and it has been very hot here this summer. I get heat sick so easily and so I tend to avoid any outside activities.

Planning:


Disney! We are excited to head to Disney World in December. We love Christmas, and we love Disney so we are super jazzed about it! Have recommendations?! I'd love to know!

Halloween! I loooove Halloween and the sort of fall-ish things that come with it. I ordered some fall/Halloween clothes but now I've been thinking about our annual party and costumes. :)

Cooking/Baking:


For my birthday I bought a cookie decorating kit and taught myself to ice cookies with the flooding method. It has been super fun to try (and eat). I think I have figured out the dough/baking times and icing consistencies. It's been so hot that I haven't baked any this week, but am excited to make more cookies soon. We also tried this steak and potatoes salad recipe and it was so good. You could definitely just do the potatoes if you are veggie, or add chicken, etc. instead depending on your diet/tastes. KC approved.

So, yeah, that's what I've been up to! What's new with you?!

Linking up with Kristen!



XO,

Alexandra