What I'm Loving Lately

 Woohoo! It's another installment of What I'm Loving Lately! To see past W.I.L.L. posts, click HERE

I love writing these posts because I think it's so important to tune into all the things we love....big or small. They all help make life extra special. 

1. Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions----T Swift is serving up the surprises this year and I am so here for it. This is a special that premiered on Disney Plus last week (this and Hamilton are worth the price of admission alone. Hank would say continual access to Ratatouille and The Incredibles are the masterpieces of Disney Plus). Folklore is probably my favorite album ever. I love every single track and this special is so eye-opening as it shines a light and gives backstories to every single song. She performs with Jack Antonoff (who is basically Ric Moranis' doppelganger) and Aaron Dessner in a stripped down, acoustic style at a cabin in upstate New York. It's beautiful and proves that Taylor's music is maturing as her audience is growing older. This documentary is definitely something I'm loving lately. 

2. Christmas music and decorating! I am in holiday music 24/7 phase now and we finished decorating our house for the holidays. We moved here at the beginning of January so it's been so fun to decorate our new house (last year was very paired down since we were packing up). In terms of music, I LOVE Carrie Underwood and John Legend's song, "Hallelujah." Listen asap if you haven't heard yet. 

3. Skinnydipped Nuts: I randomly tossed these into my cart a few weeks ago and these are delightful. They're yogurt and chocolate coated nuts. There's lots of fun flavors but the lemon almonds are my fave. Smiths carries a few types but Harmons has the most different varities. These are a perfect sweet little snack. 

4. Time at Home: Besides work and a few errands, we really do pretty much stay home. That means I rarely wear makeup and real clothes from Friday afternoon to Monday morning. I do miss outings and date nights, but with my Monday through Friday feeling so busy (especially this time of year!), I've been savoring these slow weekends. AJ's parents came last week for Thanksgiving. We enjoyed our meal together and kept it nice and small just the 5 of us. AJ made his first ever turkey on the Traeger and it was soooo good! I was really excited to host my very first Thanksgiving for my family and AJ's, including our siblings, but with Covid, we kept it simple. It was still a lovely time to relax and cook at home. I made a new corn casserole and roasted garlic mashed potatoes. AJ's mom made delicious pumpkin pie and orange cranberry sauce. We had lots more sides and I have been loving the delicious turkey sandwiches in the days that followed! 

5. Shows: The DVR is back in action after a slow period there. Here's a quick rundown of what's playing over here:

-Shark Tank: forever and always. I love this show. 

-The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City: Ohhh my goodness, I love this trainwreck! It is so fun seeing familiar restaurants and sights! The women are over the top and NO, they do not represent Utah women (well, maybe some, haha). 

-My Big Fat Fabulous Life: This season is sad since Whitney is so happy about her engagement but we know in real time, the relationship blows up. This season was also filmed right when all the lockdowns started so that's been interesting to watch too. 

-Hillbilly Elegy: This book is wonderful and the new movie on Netflix is excellent too. It's hard to watch but also uplifting. If you've read the book, watch this, I think you'll love it. If you haven't read the book, pick it up! It's the true story of a Yale Law student who is called back to his small Ohio town and confronts his "hillbilly" roots of his family's history in Appalachia. It's heartbreaking and inspiring. 

-Virgin River: I really enjoyed season 1 of this show and was excited to see season 2 on Netflix. I haven't watched yet but I'm excited to dive in.

-The Bachelorette: I think the guys on this season are really endearing and entertaining! I hope Tayshia finds love. She's classy and fun. 

-The Good Doctor: I love this show and I really appreciated how they handled Cornonavirus. I love the medical drama, the relationships. It's just a great show. 

-Southern Charm: This season is really different as some of my fave cast members aren't on this season, but this falls in the same category as Real Housewives---an entertaining, eyerolling, hilarious trainwreck. I've watched every season so I suppose there's no quitting now! 

6. Holiday Fun: I love this time of year but I love it even more now that I have a toddler that is VERY into the holidays this year! We have tickets to see some drive thru light shows (Cross E Ranch and Christmas in Color for those who are local), but we also love just driving around looking at lights! 1731 Hidden Valley Club Drive in Sandy is amazing and we've been twice already! There's a line just to get into the cul-de-sac, but it is worth it! Let me know of any other great lights around town! 

Now I haven't received my phone bill yet this month so don't come crying to me if this number charges an insane amount, lol. But this Santa voicemail is a FAVORITE around here. It's a cute little recorded message from the Big Guy himself reminding kids to LISTEN TO THEIR PARENTS. Amen, Mr. Claus! (951) 262-3062

There is so much to LOVE...in the midst of this weird year. Lots of sparkle to savor. In the midst of the peppermint, glittery, Hallmark movie, frosted and festive fun, I want to keep the real meaning of this season front and center. This quote from Ann Voskamp spoke to me this week. 

Savor Your Sparkle,

Leslie 

November Reads

 Hi Friends,

    It's time again for another monthly book post! 

Photo from Oprahmag.com
I am loving this cozy aesthetic #hygge 

 I read 4 books this month. These books were all thought provoking in different ways. Check out the end of the post for my first 11 months of reading in 2020!

The 7 and a 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle: This was the November book club pick for my school's book club. I don't normally read books like this so I was excited to pick up something new. I was reminded why I don't normally read books like this, haha. This is a twisty murder mystery about a man who wakes up at Blackheath Manor and needs to solve the murder of a woman named Evelyn Hardcastle before he can be free. However, the catch, though, is that to solve the murder, he spends 1 day in the body of a different person at the manor. There's a twist toward the end but honestly, I was so confused by the time I got to that point, it was sort of lost on me. I was reading this book the same time I was binge watching The Haunting of Bly Manor so I think my brain was like, Girl, chill with the confusing creepy old manor scene. I didn't love this book but if you like Agatha Christy and trying to solve a mystery with a lot of moving pieces and sort of a sci-fi twist, you might enjoy this one. 

Too Much and Never Enough by Mary Trump: I have been on hold at the library for this book since July! This is a short and very fast read written by Trump's niece. In addition to her inside look at the dynamics of Trump's background, she is also a professor and psychologist, making her point of view particularly astute. Did anything in this book surprise me? No. Do I think the title and subtitle ("How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man") are excellent? Yes. Did I glean much more information than the Netflix documentary about Trump, An American Dream? Nah. If you're into psychology you might really enjoy this take about how Donnie became an egomaniac (hint hint: major daddy issues), but if you're a fan of Trump, you could easily dismiss this book as the bitter ramblings of a less successful Trump. It was interesting but not a fave contender of the year or anything like that. 

The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan: I was a big fan of the first book in this series, The Royal We. I remember so clearly reading that book when Hank was a newborn and I'm pretty sure I devoured most if it between 1 and 4 am while rocking Hank and/or pumping! It's crazy how I can remember the seasons of my life based on the pages on my nightstand! This book is essentially if Meghan Markle was in Kate Middleton's place, so an American woman who marries the heir to the throne. This book was sort of meh for me. It's long and I'd say the action doesn't really begin until the second half. The basic idea is that Bex (the American would-be Queen) is struggling to produce an heir and the ups and downs that come with your classic fish out of water story. It's cute. There's a happy ending. But the length really did a disservice to this story, it dragged. I recommend reading The Royal We just before picking this one up since I had to remind myself of a few of the characters and circumstances. If you're looking for a cute chick lit story about the royals, be my guest, but I tend to think there's better reads out there in a similar vein. 

Leave The World Behind by Rumaan Alam: This book!!!!! I woke up at 6am Sunday morning so I could sip my coffee in peace and finish this book. Wow is all I have to say. This was my October Book of the Month pick and it's been nominated as Book of the Year and I can see why. I NEED someone in my life to read this ASAP because it's just begging to be discussed! The premise: A wealthy New York family heads to the countryside for a relaxing trip away and are delighted by the beautiful modern AirBNB awaiting them. However, one night into their getaway, the owners of the home, an older African American couple, arrive in a panic asking to stay at their own home because there's a black out in the city and very strange stuff is happening. I won't give away too much, and in all honesty, the book is left very open ended (that might frustrate some), but what happens is alliances are formed, the truth is up for discussion, and every character, for better or worse, acts in accordance with what they think is right given the circumstances. I have never read a book that evokes such feelings of panic and suspense without being blatant about it. The terror here is subtle, the clues lay hidden, and I promise as you read you will wonder what you would do in the same situation. This is a very short book but it's one I can imagine picking up again. It's bizarre. It's creepy. But it's also sort of relatable if that makes sense. The sense of foreboding you get with every turn of the page will have you on the edge of your seat. I will warn, this is rated R for some bedroom scenes, and if you like a book that wraps up nicely, this is not it. If you want a break from the panic and unknown of 2020, this is not your read either. But dang, this story left me breathless. Please let me know when you read this because I just need to talk about it! 

It occured to me I need to start choosing my top reads of the year! Gah! So many good ones to choose from! 

Here's a list of my 2020 reads so far with stars by my faves!

 1. The Confession Club by Elizabeth Berg

2. The Wives by Tarryn Fisher

3. *Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak

4. Over the Top by Jonathan VanNess

5. *Teach Like Finland by Timothy D. Walker

6. The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield
7. *Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
8. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
9. *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
10. Finding Chika by Mitch Albom
11. The Sundown Motel by Simone St. James
12. *Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan
13. The Dead Girls Club by Damien Angelica Walters
14. *Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
15. *True Crime Addict by James Renner
16. The Ingredients of Us by Jennifer Gold
17. You Are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
18. Rushing Woman's Syndrome by Libby Weaver 

19. Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
20. The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver
21. *On the Bright Side by Melanie Shankle
22. *One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus
23. The First Time by Colton Underwood
24. Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston 

25. *Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling

26. *The Paris Hours by Alex George

27. The St. Francis Society for Wayward Pets by Annie England Noblin

28. *The Chestnut Man by Soren Sveistrup

29. Girl Logic by Iliza Schlsinger

30. *Harry Potter and the Half Bloos Prince by JK Rowling

31. *Look Alive Out There by Sloane Crossley

32. *Happy and You Know It by Laura Hankin

33. The Honey Don't List by Christina Lauren

34. Ghoster by Jason Arnopp

35. All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda

36. *One to Watch by Kate Stoyman-London

37. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows by JK Rowling

38. One of Us is Next by Karen M. McManus

39. *Stand All The Way Up by Sophie Hudson

40. *The Lies That Bind by Emily Giffin

41. Here for It by R. Eric Thomas

42. *A Good Neighborhood by Therese Anne Fowler

43. The Hideaway by Lauren K. Denton

44. Unorthodox by Deborah Feldman 

45. *The Wife Stalker by Liv Constantine

46. *An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

47. Open Book by Jessica Simpson

48. That's My Son by Rick Johnson

49. Hungry Heart by Jennidfer Weiner

50. *The Night Swim by Megan Goldin 

51. Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes

52. *27 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand

53. *The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi

54. Beach Read by Emily Henry 

55. The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult

56. *Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

57. The United States of Anxiety by Jen Lancaster

58. *Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

59. *Always the Last to Know by Kristen Higgins

60. The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

61. Too Much and Never Enough by Mary Trump

62. The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan

63. *Leave The World Behind by Rumaan Alam 

Savor Your Sparkle,

Leslie 

Life Lately

 Guys. Guys. It has been so long since I've blogged! My last post was my October Reads and now we're into November and this girl has some THOUGHTS. I've got a Hallmark Christmas movie on (why is the hair on these leading ladies always so on point?!), Hank is upstairs napping, and I decided to do a photo dump here to catch up on life lately. Every few months I toy with the idea of moving my blog to "private" mode. I think I might someday, but I always return to it because I love documenting and then later, looking back and remembering. So here we are.....halfway into November---living life in a Pandemic (I know we're sick of it, I know it's stressful, but it's still happening and we need to try and be part of the solution), approaching the holidays, and we have a new president. I wish I kept a tally for how many times I refreshed CNN.com from November 3rd-November 8th. It was a lot. I'm thrilled with the results (not exactly the margins I was hoping for, but hey) and hope that our country can come together to build a better and brighter future for everyone. Ok, folks, Life Lately Photo drop.....

Halloween: Hank had a fun Halloween party at school and we had some friends over for a Halloween celebration the day before. We didn't trick or treat but Hank had a blast being Buzz!! He wanted to be Woody all summer long and then about a month before Halloween he declared, "It's Buzz, mom, I want to be Buzz!" 

My awesome mom made party bags for Hank's classmates and my MIL made party bags for my 1st graders. So sweet! 

Hank has been working hard on a "dinner manners chart" and after 35 evenings of good manners, he earned his prize: a wiggle bike! He LOVES this thing and it's awesome for zooming around our basement. 

I've been making all kinds of new recipes! AJ made a pulled pork on the Traeger, I made dehydrated strawberries (they cooked for 3 hours at 250 degrees and turned out so chewy and yummy), crustless pumpkin pie, slow cooker chicken marsala, tortellini soup, and tonight I'm trying a new recipe: Hamburger and fry pie! (Cheeseburgers are Hank's favorite food so I hope he enjoys this new twist on it). I love trying new recipes especially when we're home so much! 

Christmas has arrived at Starbucks! I had my first caramel brulee latte of the season today and waited in line for 30 minutes for my free reusable cup the day of the holiday roll out. It's so crazy but going on "opening day" is sort of a tradition now. Starbucks helped me get through conferences last week. They were held via Zoom. I missed the camaraderie of the whole school together and seeing former students and visiting the book fair, but overall, they went well this year despite the different format. 

These guys are my whole world. Hank is chatting up a storm and makes us laugh all the time. He does this new look we call "side eye" and it's hilarious. And don't worry, AJ slipped his annual autographed school picture into my lunchbox this week. I added it to my wall but strategically moved it so it wouldn't be in the frame of my zoom meetings because ummm, weird. Lol. 

I'm just over here trying to resist putting up all my holiday decos (I want to respect the turkey), but I can't help putting up a few things here and there.....the holly jolly will be on overload this year. We all need it. We've never celebrated Christmas in this house and I'm so excited to decorate.

 I have been listening to Leslie Odom Jr.'s Christmas album and it is perfection. (He's Burr if you didn't know!). I'll leave you with this jam I've had on repeat. Have a happy week and Savor Your Sparkle,

Leslie