Snapshots of Sioux Falls, SD // Road Trip // July 2017

Happy Wednesday Friends, I am finally getting back to "normal" after my stint with ACoWaR... I have never ever ever fangirled so hard over anything. Wow.

Ok, so today's post is a recap of our July trip to the Dakotas. KC and I had a limited travel window due to his supervisor's maternity leave, and him being new in his position, so we took a long weekend and headed north. We are getting to the point where most places within driving distance we've already seen. Neither of us had been to either Dakota though, so we thought Sioux Falls and Fargo met our requirements. There wasn't a ton to do on these trips, and I didn't plan very well... because a lot of the places were closed on Sunday. Whomp whomp. Oh well, still things worth sharing!

Here we go, today I'm sharing about Sioux Falls, I'll post Fargo soon!

That's his, "oh snap!" face. LOLOL

LOL YOU GUYS LOOK AT MY FACE! :P

SO TIRED!

Omaha, NE:

Eat: We stopped in Omaha on the way up, and had lunch!

• 11Worth Diner - we loved this great diner. We had never been there and enjoyed sharing biscuits and gravy! This place is a dive and local favorite for good reason!

Sioux Falls, South Dakota:

Eat: We only had a few meals in Sioux Falls, but it seemed like there were some good options.

• JL Beers - we went here because the other option we picked seemed a bit fancy. We were pretty tired and dressed down... so we decided burgers seemed like the ticket. Aside from the root beer on tap (which KC loved!) the food was pretty underwhelming, and this is a chain. I got the burger with the special sauce, which had peanut butter in it. I know that's something people love, but it wasn't even marked on the menu. That seems really dangerous to me! :( 
• M.B. Haskett Delicatessen - We weren't sure what to expect with this restaurant since they were called a delicatessen, turned out it was a breakfast place (at least at the time we went). It was super legit though, and I am so glad that we went! We shared eggs, bacon, potatoes, and toast (homemade) with jam (homemade). YUM. It is definitely a local place, and the interior is really open and airy. Loved it! I think they have other food at different times of day.
• Coffea - We stopped here for coffee and a breakfast pastry. The coffee was super strong, and had a hint of something I couldn't place in it (molasses?). The coffee cake was the type that has everything (chocolate, nuts, dried fruit, etc.) in it. There was too much going on for me. I loved the vibe inside the shop though!
• CH Patisserie - we stopped here because they had macarons. We sadly didn't end up going back for any though. Whomp whomp. We did, however, get pastries for breakfast, and they were super legit. Very, very flaky and buttery! We tried a chocolate croissant and a ham and gryere croissant. YUM! Bonus: they have free post cards with macarons on them. ADORABLE! They had a fruity pebble macaron.. so I'm pretty sad we forgot to go back! LOL. 
• B&G Milkyway - This is a South Dakota chain, kind of like a Dairy Queen that has the cutest vintage stand restaurants and yummy ice cream treats. I got a dip cone, and KC got a sundae. Yum!

See: The downtown area, which has a sculpture walk throughout. So many neat sculptures there! Also, go visit the falls, not a far drive from downtown.

Shop: We didn't do a ton of shopping, though I promise they had some really neat little shops!

• Zandbroz Variety - this place is part bookstore, part gift store, part antique shop. It was really neat, and had a great selection of books, gifts, and other items. We got a lot of our post cards there. They also have a location in Fargo, and several others in the Dakotas as well!
• Unglued - this store is a mecca of all things crafty and homemade! They had such neat jewelry, souvenirs, crafts, etc. What a blast. A great place to get things for friends and family. My favorites were the post cards and homemade dream catchers. There was also a location in Fargo!
• Oh My Word Luxury Paperie - this store was my favorite, for obvious reasons... but they had the best selection of planners, stationery, accessories, etc. It was so much fun to look. They carry brands like Rifle Paper Co. and 1Canoe2. I got some fun thank you notes here!

Do: 

• Visit the Washington Pavillion of Arts and Science - they have several museums as well as a performing arts venue. We went on the free night, and got to see the art museum (with a gorgeous paper exhibit!) and also the discovery side, which was more like a kids' science museum.
• Check out the sculpture walk downtown.
• Visit the falls that the city was named after. They are gorgeous!

Stay: We used airbnb and booked a place that was super inexpensive, and worked great for us! (if you want to know where it was, just email me!)

Favorites: The Falls, the paper exhibit at the museum, the stationery store... :P. 

New Experiences: Seeing South Dakota, seeing a waterfall in red rocks.

Have you been to the South Dakota?

Have you ever planned a trip poorly, and nothing was open?

Have you ever seen a waterfall in person? Or one in red rock?

Other Trips This Year: NOLA, 24 Hours in St. Louis, & Sioux Falls, SD.

Upcoming Trips: NYC!

Happy Travels!

XO,

Alexandra

Sh*t KC Says // Vol. I

GoT was crazy last night, right? The best season yet I think!

A lot of people do a "Sh*t my Significant Other Says" posts... well I'm too lazy to write it down... but here I've been trying to keep track since January. Everyone thinks KC is super serious.. .but he's actually hilarious. And not normally that serious at all. Lucky to be with someone who makes me laugh!

Here we go!

*while buying Hanson tickets...*

"If they screw us out of these tickets I expect to be compensated Hansonly."

*someone has a serious man crush...*

"Nick Offerman is so delightful. He makes picking weeds in a cornfield sound pleasant."

When you give a guy a book. This man loves Nick Offerman. . . . . . . . . . . . . #hubby #meandkc #reading #nickofferman #paddleyourowncanoe #christmas #christmasgift #mcm #bestfriend #besthusbandever #brocrush #mancrush #bromance

A post shared by Alexandra Consolver (@simplyalexandra12) on Dec 23, 2016 at 8:06pm PST

*a discussion related to the kama sutra book my friend got at her bachelorette party...*

The thing he always wonders is: "How do you pull this one off if you're not in the cirque du soliel?!"

*When drama comes a' callin'.*

"It's so easy to be connected to people. Sometimes it's a blessing, and sometimes it's total shit."

*While trying to choose a movie...*

"We could watch Chicago, We'd have to Geer up for that one!"



*I have this thing where I tickle KC, but he doesn't like it... and then he'll try to lick me in retaliation, which I HATE. HATE HATE HATE. His response the most recent time, on the "fairness" of it.*

"It's not an equal turning of the tables. It's like you're turning it a little bit, and then I come over and cut it in half with a chainsaw."



At Juliet's Wedding: "Do you think I'll get lucky with a bridesmaid tonight?"

"Would seeing my butt help?" *this happens a lot...*

Me:



*when I'm having a crummy day*

Hope you have a great week!

XO,

Alexandra

Have You Heard? // Taylor Swift - "Look What You Made Me Do"

OMGGGG. We've been waiting, right? I have! No shame here.

We all knew that something was coming. She'd been quiet for a while... and then those partial snake gifs... amiright?

Gahhhh... flashing back to when we saw 1989... *daydreams*

So, let's get to the new song!



OMG! There is a LOT going on in this song. As expected, she brought the drama and scathing lyrics. It will be so interesting to see what this album is like. I hope it's a bit more mature than I'm expecting right now. Either way, we'll see, I'm glad that we don't have to wait a super long time!

What do you guys think? Do you like T-Swift?

What are you up to this weekend?

We are going to see my sister for lunch and games on Sunday, but are otherwise free. I'm hoping to do some reading and some PL. I've got KC reading A Court of Mist and Fury (he'd made it part way through a while back) again, and so it's likely he'll be wanting lots of reading time. I can't wait for him to finish so we can discuss! LOL. I'm fangirling so hard that it's embarrassing. (this is not an overstatement)

Other Posts This Week: 2016 Project Life Album // Part I and Introducing Lazy Girl Fashion.

On YouTube This Week: April 2016 Project Life Album Flip Through and March Days 2017 Process Video.

XO,

Alexandra

Introducing Lazy Girl Fashion

Happy Wednesday, Friends! I hope that your week has started off well.

Today I'm talking about something that I don't chat about much... fashion.

You know those women who look perfectly pulled together at all times? Just gorgeous from head to toe, but make it look effortless. I am NOT one of those women. Don't get me wrong, I am generally pretty happy with myself. I don't curse at the mirror or pick myself apart frequently.... but I would not consider myself a make up, fashion, hair, etc. etc. guru. I also have a hard time getting my nose out of a book or my project life pages... And if my outfit is cute, my hair probably needed washed the day before if you get my gist....

But there are some simple things that DO help me feel and look more pulled together, without trying too hard. And I can usually manage it alongside my reading and paper crafting. I call it Lazy Girl Fashion. I may also have some posts coming related to keeping your sh*t together around the house, schedule-wise, etc. that will probably be called Lazy Girl Life.

Upcoming Posts:

10 Ways to Look and Feel More Pulled Together
Ways to Beauty Multi-Task
My Closet Basics
Next Level Accessories
How to Travel with Just a Carry On
My Stupid Easy Outfit Method
My Fool-Proof Outfit Formulas

So there you have it, a new "series" coming your way. 

Let me know if there is anything in particular that you want to see a post on. :) 

Are you into fashion? 

Does it depend on the day how "put together" your appearance is?

Anybody else who'd rather read than master trends and contouring? :P 

XO,

Alexandra

2016 Project Life Album (Part I) // Documenting

In December... I decided to do a 2016 Monthly Project Life Album. Maybe it's because I got a lot of documenting gifts, or because I also bought myself a lot of things...? Either way, I had a blast going back through my year and documenting it. I just finished the full album in May, so I'm excited to share the photos and (much shorter!) videos with you!

Part I - January - March

I love how these pages turned out, I loved making the shaker pockets to begin each month. I loved playing around with "normal" Project Life since I had only done travel albums before this. Overall, I just had a lot of fun with this! :)

Check out the videos to see all the pages and hear some of the details on the products/events that happened in early 2016. :)

Videos

January


February



March



I had so much fun making this album (well.. 2 because... too many pages! LOL), I can't wait to show you guys the rest as the year goes on. :)

To see the videos as they publish, consider following me on Youtube! :) 

I hope you guys had a good weekend, I read ACoTaR ALL WEEKEND LONG! :) 

What did you guys do this weekend? 

Have you ever started a project WAY after the fact?

XO,

Alexandra

Have You Heard? // Hanson - "We Are Never Getting Back Together"

Happy Friday Friends! What a strange week, it should have been laid back at work, but it was EXTRA BUSY. Odd. In other news... I've been re-reading A Court of Thorns and Roses (so I can finish the trilogy...) and it is just as good as the first time. UGH THIS BOOK! Cannot wait to finally break open the other two! :)

Today I wanted to share something fun, and I just love when pop/rock/alt. singers/bands do covers. Especially if they are super good. I heard this Hanson cover of T-Swift's "We Are Never Getting Back Together" back in 2012, but today it seemed like a good thing to share. How well did they grow up..?!



So fun! We have Hanson tickets in October, yes, really! And I would love love love it if they did this and some other covers. :) :) Um, ok check out this mini cover of X-tina's "Dirrty" - dang.

What are you guys up to this weekend?!

Right now all we have is a bday party for KC's cousin's son. I can never figure out what that makes him to us.... I've just looked it up, that makes him our first cousin once removed. LOL. Other than that I might be spending my entire weekend in Prythian (ACoTaR world...) and I need to get to moving on my 2017 Travel PL Album. We shall see!

Other Posts This Week: What Should We Do In NYC? and How I Print My Photos for Project Life (and everything else).

Youtube This Week: 2 Hour 4x4 Scrap Album and Swan Lake Process Video.

XO,

Alexandra

How I Size & Print My Photos for Project Life

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Thank you so much for your recommendations on NYC. I can't wait for our trip!

Today I wanted to share a video tutorial on how I size and print my photos, all at home, all from my phone. This is useful for project life, but it is also good for other types of documenting, or just small photos to display at home or at work.

As I mentioned in my How to Start a Project Life Album // Essential Supplies and 9 Reasons You Shouldn't Start Project Life (and Why They're Not Good Enough) posts, a big part of my documenting success, was printing my own photos. I knew I would not have the time to schedule runs to a store that prints them, I didn't want to be ready to document, but waiting on prints in the mail, and I didn't want prints stuck in our mailbox (getting stuck together in the heat!) or in our apartment's office, locked, because we rarely made it there when they were open... etc. 

So, I bought this printer, and I have not looked back. Watch the video for a quick tutorial on sizing and printing. If you don't print at home, you can still use this sizing tutorial to save money on your prints that you order, or pick up in store.



Supplies Used:

Smartphone + Wifi
Pic Frame App - $1.99 in app store
Canon Selphy - http://amzn.to/2uQDS2y
Canon Selphy Ink & Paper - http://amzn.to/2h5HAzx
Paper Cutter - http://amzn.to/2gXUHCT

So there you have it, my easy method to size and print your photos at home. Like I said, using this method has been a lifesaver for me! It makes it possible for me to document when I find pockets of time, and it makes it even easier that I can do it all from my phone!

I am hoping to start using it to print photos to frame around the house and to take into the office sometime soon. I don't have enough photos on display these days!

Do you think you are more of a print at home person? Or a order prints person?

Do you have a lot of photos/family photos in your home? If not, do you have goals to add some?

(I'm not great at displaying our photos in our home! I'd like to change that! :) 

Thank you for reading & watching! If you use YouTube, please subscribe to my channel! :) 

I have been posting twice a week on my YouTube channel. From tutorials, to flip throughs, to process videos, check those out for some inspiration! 

XO,

Alexandra

What Should We Do In NYC? // Calling All Travelers

Update: if you are not outraged by what happened in Charlottesville over the weekend, you are not paying attention. We cannot allow white supremacy in this country. We cannot allow this kind of hate in this country. My heart is so broken over this system of ours and what we allow. If any other group of people (gays, Hispanics, blacks, etc.) "marched" or "rallied" the way those people did in Virginia, they would have been brought down physically by the police. I have no doubt in my mind. Please take a step back this week and consider how you can spread love where you are, and how you can call out those who think their racism (etc. etc.) is ok. We have got to make it clear that this kind of hate will not be tolerated in America. After the president had insufficient things to say about the "rally", I was glad to see what the Governor of VA said. And also, glad to see that KY is pushing to take down confederate statues. *all the broken heart emojis*

Happy Monday Friends! I hope that you had a great weekend!

Last week we FINALLY booked our flight to NYC! :) We found a great price on tickets, and pulled the trigger! We will be there in the early fall, and are looking for recommendations and tips! We've never been!

Here's what we have in mind so far!

Central Park (duh)
Anastasia on Broadway
Ellis Island/Statue of Liberty
The Met
Lots of bookstores

Looking for ideas for hotels, other can't-miss places to visit, cute little districts to walk around, restaurant recommendations, and pretty much any tips for navigating the city! I would kind of like to see another show... but I'm not sure what to pick... too many good options! So let me know if you've seen any shows on Broadway that were great! :)

We want to do a mix of touristy/non-touristy things, and try lots of great food!

I know a few of you live there or near, so if you want to meet up, just shoot me an email! :)

Thank you in advance, sweet blog friends!

XO,

Alexandra

Have You Heard? // Hilary Duff - "Belong"

Happy Friday, friends! I've been such a blogging spaz lately. I've just been dealing with a lot of things on my plate, and blogging has taken a back seat. I'm hoping to get some posts scheduled ahead for the coming weeks, to try to negate some of that. Because I love to blog, and I love keeping up with you all! Thanks for your patience and love!

I mentioned in yesterday's post that I've been listening to this album a lot lately. I just find it so upbeat and fun! This song, is one of Hilary Duff's bonus tracks on her Sparks album from a few years ago. I can't find it on the internet anywhere except for here in this fan video... but I just love the song so much. They lyrics make me want to go out and do something amazing!

"When was the last time you did something for the first time? When was the first time you did something for the last time? Let's find a million things that we could do the first time. You never know, oh oh, it could be the last time."



I feel like every week I'm like... "but the lyrics!" LOL, does anybody else really focus on lyrics when they listen to music?

What are you guys up to this weekend?!

We have a game night planned with friends on Saturday, but the rest of the weekend is currently open! :) Hoping to do lots of reading, work on some of my August goals, and maybe do some more PL pages. 

Other Posts This Week: July Reads // Math & Mermaids and August Currently.

Youtube This Week: How to Print & Size Your Photos for Project Life and Our Story // 2017 Process Video.

Also, Audrey wrote this FABULOUS post on a Mental Diet, and I couldn't agree more! Had to share it!

XO,

Alexandra

PS - finally got that pesky title/bio image replaced... now I just need update it and post a new one! We definitely have two cats... lol #catlady

August 2017 // Currently

I hope that you all are having a great week so far! Ours has been super relaxed. We've had time to get groceries AND do some chores, which is how you know things aren't too busy for us! I spent my day off being more mindful of my time, I finished up some audio for YouTube, read, did some cleaning, and made dinner. Calling that pretty good, but not quite sticking to my schedule. 

Drinking: Trying to stop drinking coffee. It has been absolutely demolishing my stomach. It's the worst. But I don't like tea, and I need caffeine. Anyone take caffeine pills? Still trying hard to drink a lot less soda recently. I think it's going well overall. I've had quite a lot of days marked "no soda" in my planner. Mostly drinking water! :) 

Eating: We've been trying to keep many things simple right now to reduce stress. Keeping our menus down to mostly sandwiches, pasta, rotisserie chicken, baked potatoes and breakfasts at home. It's not very exciting, but it's working well enough to reduce our eating out. We keep making this breakfast casserole, and it was great and has made lots of leftovers for us! We made our favorite fruit cobbler/crisp the other day and it was fabulous! LINK. 

Watching: We took Olivia (my 10 year old sister) to see Spider-Man last weekend, and it was really pretty good. I didn't like it as much as Wonder Woman, or Guardians I, but I liked it about as much as I *can* like a super hero movie. haha We've been watching a lot of Disney movies, most receently: Robin Hood, Frozen, Atlantis, Lilo & Stitch, and Cinderella (live action). Otherwise we've just been re-watching things like New Girl and Gilmore Girls. Wanting to be interested in a new show... considering continuing with Stranger Things, or starting The 100. Or possibly something else.

Reading: I spent so much time doing Project Life in the past few months, which has been great! I have tons of videos upcoming, etc. but it hasn't left me wanting to read very much! I read just a few books in July, you can read about those here. And I finished Fangirl last night, which was really really fun, but WOAH pretty long! Next I'm starting in on a combo of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore. I think reading both at once will help me get through any slow parts that come (for me) with reading classics. :) Working hard on Erin's 7.0! I had been missing reading, and am enjoying getting back to it! 

Organizing: I spent some time getting my closet under control yesterday, as well as my documenting supplies. I also cleaned up my desk a few weeks ago which was a feat. It's in a corner... so hello piles! LOL. I recently went through my bookshelves and sorted books in the following way: books to read soon, books for Erin's challenge, books that I can probably sell to the bookstore after completing. It's giving me a bit of focus with my reading. :) & also motivation! Woot! :)

Listening To: hmm not that much. Mostly just Hilary Duff's most recent album. I still love it. It's great for getting through slow work afternoons. I've also been craving a bit of classical music. So I'll have to queue up some Celtic Woman this week!

Feeling (physically): Alright. Still a lot of stress with family things, which equals an angry stomach. But I'm feeling good about having so much dental work done, and I also got a hair cut last week. Still taking walks at work when we can, but KC has been busy.

Feeling (emotionally): On and off drained. Things with my parents divorce have hit an all-time most stressful level. I've spent late nights on the phone with each of them... it's just a mess. Like, I can't even talk about what a mess it is. So I'm trying to keep the stress at bay with projects and goals when I can.

As a 2nd attempt not to vagueblog... KC lost his job in late March. But a few weeks later we found out that they needed someone on a different team that had his position. So luckily he is transitioning to that position right now. No gap in employment. However, I'm still a bit nervous. Working in funding dependent jobs is not really very stable. Trying to be grateful and optimistic right now, rather than worry too much. It's also keeping him a lot busier, which is usually good... but sometimes results in a need for wind-down time at the end of the day that wasn't there before. Trying to roll with the punches.

Looking Forward To: Honestly? Just more normal days with normal things like cooking and chores, and then time to read and work on projects or hang out together. After that? Really looking forward to fall, Halloween, and Christmas. I know it's too early, but I'm ready. LOL.

Wearing: Some fun "newish" things I've picked up over the last few months with older staples. I've got a new method for choosing outfits and it is working pretty well! Anyone interested in a post? Lots of stripes. SO many stripes.

Buying: So many Amazon purchases. We got a good portable charger (finally) which will be great for our NYC trip! We bought some gifts for Kyle's cousin's son's birthday, it's just the cutest thing! Then a few scrapbook items... and then a lot more because #sale. I'm cutting myself off unless it's for my December album or something that I run out of for as long as possible. I can definitely keep using up what I have (like my mini gift albums!). 

Loving: Keeping up with all of my bloggy friends. Even if that's in a once-per-week spurs on my part! :P Also love love loving some new Disney ipad apps I got! There's a Disney puzzle app that I'm losing my mind over, as well as a b&tb perfect match game, and Frozen Icy Shot. I don't usually play a lot of screen games... but I'm enjoying these. They fill random pockets of time well, and were great when I didn't have the energy to read or work on PL.

Working on: Lots of reading (hoping to update my Book Ban info and share it with you guys!), more Project Life (I'm almost caught up for 2017!), a cleaning schedule, bullet journalling, and goal tracking! Also collaboration ideas with Shea! Also, working super hard on budgeting better, and overall spending less and saving more! I think we are crushing it, but I want to keep working! :)

What have you guys been up to lately?!

XO,

Alexandra

July Reads // Math & Mermaids

Happy Monday! I hope you're excited for the week ahead. I've been just off my blogging game by a mile... not scheduling posts or getting them published in a consistent way, sorry guys, I'll get a new rhythm eventually... 

I know some of you read TONS during the summer, but for me... at least this year, it's not been a good season for reading. Oh well, I am still on top of my goal for the year! But it's a shorter list (for me) this month. :) 

*note* I cannot resist buying second-hand books about mermaids, or anything related... even if they have a silly cover, or sound like they are going to be really young... so there's a lot of that this month! :P 

Zenn Diagram by Wendy Brant

4 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy contemporary YA, and stories that show how lives intersect in unexpected ways. This wasn't overly heavy or overly fluffy (after the first several chapters).

Eva is good at two things: math and "seeing" people's problems when she touches them. While this makes her an excellent math tutor, it makes her socially weird. She doesn't touch anyone or their belongings unless she has to. When she meets Zenn, her new student and accidentally touches his jacket, she's hit with intense feelings of pain, loss, anger, and violence. She's never felt a vision that strongly before. Despite her best efforts, and their differences, she's drawn to Zenn. What happens when you can't touch the one you're with? Why are his problems so violent? Is there any hope that two people so different could find a common ground?

This book started out pretty fluffy, I was a little worried that it was going to be saccharine... but it quickly gained quite a bit of depth and character development. You find out more about Eva's and Zenn's past, and their current struggles. Despite their differences, it turns out that their lives overlap in some pretty big ways. I really appreciated the "realness" the book had despite the fantastical premise. The characters felt real, most of their problems felt real, their relationship seemed pretty real. It wasn't all sugar coated or all depressing. I liked the balance a lot. I also appreciated that while her parents are religious, and the beginning of the book starts out a bit too "pastor's kid," there is some balance there as well. I appreciate books that deal with tough issues and religious perspectives on them, but it's not OVERLY religious. Does this even make sense? It made me glad that all of the characters were very multi-dimensional, and experienced change. This book isn't earth shattering, but I really ended up liking it quite a lot. I also like that their relationship kind of mirrors Rory & Jess in GG. Though Zenn is definitely less angry. - which I obviously like! #teamjess

20 points - Erin's 7.0

Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Delamore

3 - 3.5 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy fantasy, especially related to mermaids or winged creatures.

This book follows Esmerine, a mermaid who is about to become a siren like her older sister Dosinia. Becoming a siren is a high honor, and reserved for the brightest mermaids who have a love of land as well as the sea. One day Dosinia dissappears leaving Esmerine as one of the few who could venture after her on land. Walking on land is hard for a mermaid and so Esmerine seeks the help of her old friend Alander, who is from a winged race. Together they journey across the world to find Dosinia.

This book had a really cool concept. I like the idea of the world that Delamore built, but I definitely wanted more from it. It was a shorter book, so maybe I just need longer fantasy books haha. I love the idea of mermaids, so it was fun to read how Delamore wove different types of mermaid myth into her characters (siren belts, walking hurts though they have feet, etc.). I liked the idea as well of the winged race of people. There was a bit of the politics within the world building, but I wanted to know more about each race, world, and their interactions. Overall it was fun to read, and it was cute, a little bit romantic. I read it quickly in just one day. I would recommend, but only if it sounds like your thing.

10 points - Erin's 7.0

Tides by Betsy Cornwell

3.5 - 4 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy YA fantasy, especially ones filled with mythology and folktales. This one deals with coastal myths of selkies (similar to mermaids).

This book follows Noah and his sister Lo as they spend a summer with their grandmother on a remote island in coastal New Hampshire. Noah has a dream internship with a marine biology center and his idol, a renowned professor from a university. Lo is recovering from her eating disorder, and trying to get a break from her parents. When Noah mistakenly saves a girl from drowning one day, he can't get her out of his head... or his grandmother's stories about selkies. Mysterious creatures who shed their seal skins and come ashore as humans. 

I think I picked this one up at a booksale (a discarded library version, noless) and said, "hmm... this looks really young... but it's about selkies! uuughhh" .. so it came home with me. I hand't read anything about selkies before, and it was very interesting. They're basically nicer versions of sirens or mermaids, who are therefore often taken advantage of by humans. I thought it was interesting how the generational aspect of Noah's family was woven into their connection to the sea, and to the selkies. I thought the mystery was very easy to guess, but that's ok. This book was quite easy to read, a tad bit too easy I suppose, but it was very fun. It varies POV by chapter, which was mostly ok, but I felt like a few of the chapters were from POVs that don't get developed very much by the end of the story, yet I don't know that there are more books or anything. Nothing really wrong with this one, sweet, and fun. I appreciated that there was a bit of diversity in this book as well!

15 points - Erin's 7.0

Currently Reading:

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
A Fork in the Road edited by James Oseland
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Be Your Own Fairytale: Working with Storytelling for Positive Life Chaneg by Alison Davies*

Books on Deck:

Everything for Erin's Challenge!!

Shotgun Love Songs by Nikolas Butler
Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
East by Edith Pattou
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Looking for Alaska by John Green
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll

Point Total: 45

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

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

Let's be friends on Goodreads!

XO,

Alexandra

Seven Months In // 2017 Goal Progress

Hello everyone! I hope that you have been having a great week! 

In order to keep up with my goals for 2017 a little better, I have been trying to do monthly mini goals. :) See my 2017 goals here.

Goals for July:

1) Try another make ahead breakfast

We made that breakfast casserole again, LOVE! And we tried it another time with different ingredients. It's so easy and tasty. Plus it makes enough food for our work week. #winning I would still like to try other make ahead breakfasts in the coming months of the year. We're on a yogurt/granola/berries kick right now. :) 

2) Enjoy our road trip to the Dakotas!

We enjoyed our trip, though there honestly was not too too much to do. Hoping to share that recap soon!

3) Enjoy my birthday!

I did, very much, much more than in quite a while. Check out my recap, here. 

4) Read 5 books 

I only read two, I've been spending so much time documenting! I did however get into a book last night, so I'm crossing my fingers that the rut is over!! I read Between the sea and the sky and Zenn Diagram. I'll talk about them next week for SUYB! 

5) Do some major goal and soul searching (it's another year folks!)

Yes, yes, yes! Oh my gosh, it had been too long, no wonder I was in a slump. Check out this post with some ideas for how to get out of a rut, and some specific (FREE) resources I used!

6) Check off some Netgalley reads

No... sad face. I think I am going to change some of my picks for Erin's 7.0 so I can read a few from Netgalley!! Or just make myself read some in between. When I prioritize reading (and feel like it) I can get through tons and tons of books!

7) Go through 3 boxes (or the like) that we are storing. Purge, purge, purge!

No... though I did clear off my piled desk, and sort through a few huge stacks and bags there. That might count as one. Half pass..!

8) Learn how to do voice-over audio for my videos on Youtube!

I did this. For those who are curious, I used this method. :) Though I guess Youtube Editor is going away... :( SO I'll have to learn another method. Ha one step forward... 

9) Work on Tuesday schedules

Since I don't work on Tuesdays, I wanted a way to structure my day a little more. As much as I love to read or PL all day... it's good to get a variety of things done. I started by making some lists. I now have two "schedules" to test out on Tuesdays. I'll start with one and see how it goes for a few weeks. Each schedule has 8 items: 3 before lunch, lunch, and 4 after lunch. Since KC comes home to eat with me, it made sense to break it up in that way. I know you guys said you were curious about this, so I'll try to work out a post for you! :) 

10) Make other Youtube Videos (Planner, Crafts, etc.) - what would you want to see?!

I have been making videos like a crazy person. The tripod and voice-over ability make all the difference! I'd love to know what types of videos you'd like to see. :) 

11) Do Yoga every Tuesday + arm weights

No... at least we've been taking walks at work... 

12) Get something accomplished in my Etsy store (starting should not be a hurdle!)

No... at this point, I am not even sure what my goal is. :( 

Total: 7.5/12 

Rationale/News: After spending a lot of time by myself and at home, and working on my goals, etc. I'm feeling much better. :) However, divorce stuff with my parents is at the all time (so far...) high. Which has left me up until early morning twice, having to go into work on only a few hours of sleep. Which amounts to rough work days, and me going home early (dizzy) to take naps. Boo. 

Other things that happened in July:

My SIL Kelsey got to marry her best friend! It was a great day! Check out how cute KC is with his sister you guys. :) 

I basically made a TON of project life pages, and two gift albums. I filmed as much as I possibly could while I worked... so there are tons of videos on the way. :) 

I had such a good time today meeting @simplyalexandra12 and talking Project Life, reading, and other creative endeavors! I can't wait to work together on some fun projects soon, stay tuned.

A post shared by Shea Sayers (@shealennon) on Jul 29, 2017 at 2:03pm PDT

I met up with Shea! We planned to meet last year, but ran out of time pre-Violet! She was interested in starting a PL style album for her recent trip to Minneapolis, so we met up to chat about project life, blogging, creativity, and happiness. We're planning some fun collaborations in the future, so stay tuned! So fun to meet another blogger friend in person!

Also, I got my third round of dental things done. Yet again, not a root canal! Woot. AND it ended up being a lot cheaper than expected overall, AND the dentist got credits back from my insurance, SO I have a CREDIT at the dentist next time! That's super good! I think I have only one more appointment, but I am waiting to schedule it for later in the fall (after NYC). Still, feeling really good about the progress!

Goals for August:

1) Get some planning done for NYC!
2) Try 2 new healthy recipes 
3) Save more than our goal amount with each paycheck!
4) Read 5 books 
5) Clean up / use second room (dust shelves, purge magazines, put away packed items, hang up bulletin board, make reading nook...)
6) Check off some Netgalley reads
7) Go through 3 boxes (or the like) that we are storing. Purge, purge, purge!
8) Learn how to use another program for my videos on Youtube!
9) Try out Tuesday schedules...?
10) Work on new cleaning schedule
11) Do Yoga every Tuesday + arm weights
12) Get something accomplished in my Etsy store (starting should not be a hurdle!)

How was July for you?

What did you accomplish?

What are your goals for August? 

Linking up with Kristen and Gretch for, What's New With You tomorrow.

XO,

Alexandra