Where do I start?

It's been months since I posted. I literally posted the day before I gave birth to our second little hobbit and haven't posted since. 

The whole world has kind of turned upside down since then. For us it was already turning upside down with the addition of another hobbit so in a lot of ways it didn't change too much but in other ways it changed so much. 

Reading has fallen by the wayside quite a bit but I've still fit some in. I made a low goal this year on Goodreads because I've failed the last couple years. So with my low goal of 20 books I made it with so far already having 21. I remember the days when I used to get 100 books in a year. Life changes though and that's not bad. I wouldn't trade our precious hobbits for anything. 

I try to keep up with my blogging friends as much as I can admit the chaos. I miss the blogging world. There was a time in my life when it was such a wonderful outlet for me and while it probably won't ever be that again it still holds a special place in my heart and I can never abandon it completely though I might neglect it. 

I pray that you all are finding joy in this time of uncertainty. As we head into this Christmas season may you find peace in God's unfailing love. Merry Christmas and happy New Year! 

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New Year, New Bout of Books, New Post

I know I barely post anymore but I do love to keep up with the blogging world and I try to keep up with y'all's posts.
I'm trying to keep up with my reading also, which has also fallen horribly behind. I got 21 books read for 2019! I'm proud of myself for at least getting those done but I also look back at a few years ago when I could read a 100 books a year easily. Times have changed though. My goal for this year is 20 books. With another little Hobbit on the way I think that's a reasonable goal.
I've been recently inspired by the Literary Life group on Facebook and the Literary Life podcast. It's my new book nerd place. It's definitely classics focused but it has a bit of everything and is tons of fun. I can pretend I read more books when I read the posts and listen to the podcasts about books. 😂

There's a new Bout of Books starting today also so I'm going to jump on that and hopefully use it to inspire me to get some more reading in this year.
Currently I'm trying to finish up books I started last year that have been taking me forever before I start any new ones. I'm getting close to being done with Don Quixote and then I'll work on finishing up Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. After that there's a world of possibilities!

I was inspired by the Literary Life group's 20 for 2020 Reading Challenge but I knew there were some categories that would stretch me further then I really could expect of myself this year so I took some of their categories, some of my local library's reading challenge categories and some of the Popsugar reading challenge categories and put together my own challenge for myself. It will still challenge me a bit this year but hopefully still be realistic.

What is up with y'all's reading life? Hopefully you're doing better than me.

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Bout of Books Sign Up August 2019 Plus Announcement

So looking back apparently I haven't posted since January?!?! Oops! I have a few drafts in the works though that in my head I had posted.
Anyways there's another Bout of Books coming around starting up next Monday! Here's what Bout of Books is about if this is new to you.

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly Rubidoux Apple. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 19th and runs through Sunday, August 25th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, Twitter chats, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 26 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

I haven't participated in Bout of Books in probably over a year but I really need a kick in my butt to read more so I'm hoping this is it. I looked back today over what I had read so far this year on Goodreads and of the thirteen (absolutely pathetic number for me!) books I've reads of far this year almost half have been for my book club, almost another half was nonfiction (mostly parenting books) and then only two for fun books I picked out for myself! I am just sadly not making the time for so many of the fun reads on my list so I'd like to spend this Bout of Books enjoying some new fun books I've had on my TBR list for awhile.
Here are a few I'm looking at:

• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling 
• Love and Friendship by Whit Stillman (based off of Jane Austen's Lady Susan obviously) 
• Farewell to the East End by Jennifer Worth
• At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon 
• Daddy Long Legs by Jena Webster
• The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton 
• Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine 
• Wonder by R.J. Palacio 

I also need to work on finishing up Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clark. I've really enjoyed it but I haven't picked it up in awhile. 

Obviously I won't get to all of these but I'd like to get to a couple of them. My little Hobbit thankfully still takes a good 2-3 hr nap in the afternoon which gives me some time to read though I normally fritter it away looking at my phone or watching Midsomer Murders. Sometimes napping. This pregnancy has been exhausting and I need the rest! 

I'm hoping to keep up a bit more with blogging... hoping. I do love it. I do keep up with y'all's blogs still! Sometimes when I can't get out to keep up with my real friends it's nice to keep up with my virtual friends. So see ya'll in the blogosphere. 

And yeah, you read that right, I'm pregnant! 😁

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A Little Life, A Little Hobbit

It's been a looooong time since I've posted. I don't feel like I've had a lot to say and I've been busy/lazy so I haven't been very active in the blogosphere. I haven't been reading too much either, except for to our precious little Hobbit. With that in mind, this post will mostly be about life and baby.

On our family vacation to North Carolina this summer.

I've found that even though I'm working only one day a week since having our little Hobbit I am busier then I ever was. Part of that is definitely just having a baby it part of it is also that I find myself with all of this free time I never had before and I keep trying to fill it up with all the things I've wanted to do and haven't been able to and I go a little overboard. I'm able to get together with my friends a little bit more, be involved in a women's bible study and I take our Hobbit to baby story time at the library. I'm not the best time manager in my life though so that's probably a big part of my issues. Oftentimes I feel overwhelmed and I've discovered a messy kitchen is often the cause and a clean kitchen can make me feel less overwhelmed. Getting places takes longer and is so much more involved with a baby. I have to budget so much more time than I ever did before. Every moment with our little Hobbit is worth it though.

Our little Hobbit is now six months. She amazes me everyday and I still have trouble sometimes believing she's mine. She's crawling, sitting up and pulling up. I'm scared but excited to see what she does next. She's very determined and stubborn. Right now we are learning "no" as she tries to get in to everything. Since our theme for her nursery (and obviously her nickname) was "Hobbit" we were given a lot of items that went with that theme. I've loved using them for photo props for her monthly pictures. 

One of the hardest parts of being a new mom has been figuring out breastfeeding. It's certainly not as simple as seasoned moms make it look but what I've learned fro those seasoned moms was it was not easy for them when they started out and sometimes even now it's not easy. I'm so blessed though that we are six months strong with our journey. 

I love watching TV shows while nursing. I have sped through Gilmore Girls (so many thoughts about this show... not sure if I wasted my time or not) and Agents of Shield, caught up with Call the Midwife, have one season of Daredevil down and right now I'm watching Brooklyn 99. It's been fun to watch shows that I had never gotten around to yet. Then Brian and I watch shows together too. We honestly watch too many shows at the same time. We recently finished our rewatch of The Office. We're watching Arrested Development, Seinfield, Frasier and Star Trek: Next Generation (this is all Brian's idea... I am not a Trekkie but he is). All of those are shows that Brian has already watched but it's my first time watching them. We also recently finished White Collar, which was a first time watch for both of us. 

We have made it to the movies a couple times sine having our little Hobbit. The first time we did Avengers: Infinity War and dinner and Brian's parents watched her. The next time we did the drive in, which was fun as ti was a first for both of us. Since it was the drive in we were able to take her. That worked out really well except we were out super late! At the drive in we got to Watch Incredibles 2 and Ant Man and the Wasp. 

We had a Reformation Day party this past weekend, which seems appropriate to mention since today is Reformation Day. We've never had so many people in our house before!  It was crazy but tons of fun. It was a beautiful time of unity as we had people from four different local churches represented. Now we just need to get around to watching the Luther movie! 

On a final note. I just want to give a huge shout out to my husband. He has been my rock in this journey through motherhood. He's so incredibly patient and sweet and I don't know how I would do it without him. As my luck would have it, Abby seems to be infatuated with him. How could she help it though? He's amazing!

So what's going in y'all's lives?

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It's Monday! Lazy Reading

I haven't put out an It's Monday post in quite a while now! Honestly I've barely been reading recently.  I was doing a lot of reading while nursing but of late I've been watching Netflix instead. I'm throughly ashamed of myself! I really need to get back in a groove as I still have over twenty books left on my Classics Club list and only until January to read them. I know it won't be the end of the world if I finish them after my deadline but I'd really like to.
So here's what's been up in my reading world in the last few weeks.

Finished in the last few weeks

• The Gospel Comes with a House Key by Rosaria Butterfield
• The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (audiobook) 
• The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros (book club pick)

Currently Reading 

• Kim by Rudyard Kipling (audiobook)
• Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky 
• Don Quixote by Miguel Cervantes
• Moby Dick by Herman Melville
• God Is by Mark Jones 

I need to finish some of these before I start anything new I think. I do have a Classics Club spin coming up I'll be participating in that I'll start something new for but that should be it for right now.

And to wrap up here's a few pictures of my little time stealer.

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It's Monday! Reading with a Baby

This is my first post baby It's Monday post! I'm slowly but surely trying to get into a routine and I'm hoping blogging is going to find a small part in it. As I've mentioned in a previous post I'm still managing to get some reading in here and there. I did Bout of Books last week and by "did" I mean I tried to make double the effort to read but I didn't complete any of my goals (close though!) and I didn't participate in any of the online activity. It's the thought that counts though right?
I'm pretty much solely doing ebooks or audiobooks at this point as I can balance those and the demands of a newborn fairly well.
And speaking of a newborn... here's a couple photos cause I can't resist!

And in less adorable news, here's  what's going on in my reading world right now.

Currently Reading 

• War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy- Almost done!!!! 
• The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James
• The Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison 
• God Is by Mark Jones

Recently Finished (since the last "It's Monday" post)

• The Mill on the Floss by George Elliot
• The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens
• The Mortification of Sin by John Owen 
• The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope
• Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare 
• The White Company by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer (my first of her books and certainly not my last!)

Coming Soon (just a rough idea) 

• Moby Dick by Herman Melville 
• Love's Labour's Lost by William Shakespeare 
• Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling (book club pick) 

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Our Hobbit

Brian and I are so excited to announce that our little Hobbit has been born! It took days of labors, a lot of tears and even more prayers but she's here! It's been crazy adapting and I'm sure it will just get crazier. Thankfully Brian is there to keep me (mostly) sane. I've had little time to do anything besides feed her and change her diapers so it's taken me awhile to sit down with my computer and get this announcement out. Hopefully I can keep up more with blogging in the future but for now I think it's going to be kind of sparse. There are some book reviews I'll need to put out but it may be awhile. I've been keeping up with my reading almost better than before though since while I'm breastfeeding her there's not much else to do besides read. Hopefully that keeps up as I still need to get my Classics Club list finished up before next January.
And of course here's a few photos!

Brian reading to her as you can never start to early.

I still managed to make it to a book sale because not even having a baby is an excuse to miss a book sale!

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Life, Cleaning, Cooking and Reading (or the lack thereof)

It's been almost a month since I posted on the blog and I figure I'd better get at least one more blog post in before I pop this baby out so here's a little update on my life.

Most of my time right now is occupied in setting up the nursery and cleaning the house in preparation for our little Hobbit's arrival. The nursery is basically done.... just one more thing to hang up. I can't wait to share pictures! It's so perfectly Tolkien themed... I love it! I have freezer meals stashed away ready to go for those days when I have no time for anything but keeping the baby alive (I hear there will be a plethora of those). Everything is really pretty much ready to go yet I still feel so unprepared. The reality that it could be any day or a couple more weeks is nerve-wracking! So much about pregnancy and childbirth seems so up in the air it's hard to plan. We do the best we can though I suppose.
My reading life is suffering greatly as well. I'm trying to finish up The Pickwick Papers as I need to get going on The Way We Live Now for the Classics Club spin. I'm supposed to have it finished by the end of April for the challenge and I know I'll be quite busy in April so I'd like to at least get started on it. I'm still plugging away slowly but surely at War and Peace and I'm actually enjoying it more than I would have thought. I'm listening to the audiobook of The Mill on the Floss, which is quite long, but since I listen to it when doing dishes, cooking and cleaning I'm actually going through it fairly fast. Then of course I'm still inching my way through Mortification of Sin and God Is. Those non-fiction books always take longer. I am enjoying everything I'm reading but all of it is pretty heavy reading (The Pickwick Papers is a little lighter than the rest) so it's slower. I might need to give myself a break with something lighter here in not too long. Of course with having a baby soon I'm wondering how that is going to affect my reading life. One of my friends who just had a baby recently said that she's able to read while she nurses/pumps so I'm hopeful I'll still have some time. I know my priority will be my baby though and I'm grateful for that. The books will always be there but she won't be a baby for forever. I need to treasure every moment and I can't wait to!
So what's going on in y'all's lives?

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It's Monday! Of Checklists and a Tolkien Party

As my due date approaches I've been making checklists and trying to actually complete them. I did get the Christmas tree down finally last week. I've been buying more books at used book sales and Goodwill so adding to my workload. I'm just clever that way. I have a pretty good stash of freezer meals already though!
We had our first baby shower recently, that some dear friends put on for us and specifically made Tolkien themed. It was AMAZING!!! We had hobbit themed snacks and decorations. There was even a "No admittance except on party business" sign on their door! It was a Tolkien nerd's dream! And while not everyone gave us Tolkien themed gifts several did and we came away with some Tolkien art, a little hobbit dress and a quilted wall hanging of Bag End! Here are a few pictures of the marvelous event!

I'm afraid no other baby shower will ever match up! It was a dream come true!

Anyways on to reading! I've finished up a couple books recently and I'm working on some more. I'm feeling behind already but I'm trying not to let it stress me out and just enjoy the reading I do get done.

Finished Recently

• Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey
• Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon 
• The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by LaLeche League
• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (re-read)

Currently Reading

• The Mill on the Floss by George Elliot (audiobook)
• War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (eBook)
• The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens 
• The Mortification of Sin by John Owen (eBook)
• God Is by Mark Jones

Coming Soon

• Nothing planned right now. 

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It's Monday! How to Brew a Baby

I know I haven't been posting very much recently and I'm ashamed to say it isn't because I'm too busy reading to blog. I'm just busy in general but I could be posting if I really wanted to. I have been reading though! Recently however most of my reading has involved something to do with childbirth as I get ready for our little hobbit to make her appearance. Brian and I have been doing the Bradley method childbirth classes together, which have been great but have also been keeping us pretty busy. I am loving learning more about childbirth and the little miracle growing in my womb.
I've been trying to stay healthy as best as I can but for some reason I'm always craving unhealthy things like tacos and donuts! I blame the baby!
Anyways, here's what's been up in my reading world right now.

Finished Recently

• The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White
• Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs (audiobook)

Currently Reading

• The Mill on the Floss by George Elliot (audiobook)
• Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon
• The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by La Leche League 
• War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy 
• The Mortification of Sin by John Owen
• The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens
• Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey 
• God Is by Mark Jones

Coming Soon

• Nothing for a while probably... I'm reading too many books already! 

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New Year's Thoughts

I've had a busy beginning to my year so I'm just now putting down a few New Year's thoughts.

First off... I had a marvelous first Christmas being married to Brian. We celebrated on Christmas Eve with his side of the family then Christmas morning we were able to spend together before headed out to my side of the family in the evening to celebrate with them. Being able to spend the morning together was really special. We made breakfast together and then opened presents and stockings. Then we enjoyed a movie together. I'm sure next Christmas will look different with a baby but I'm excited for the change, though of course a little terrified.

Which brings me to the new year. We only have three months before we'll be welcoming our little girl  into our lives. It's feeling more and more real every day as I feel her moving inside me. Our nursery is pretty much set up and ready to go. Most of my thoughts are on what's to come with her as I think of freezer meals, packing bags for the hospital and all of that jazz. It's hard to focus on much else and when I do I get behind on everything I need to do to prepare! It's craziness!

I'm still finding time to read here and there, which is essential as I press towards my goal to complete my Classics Club challenge this year. I have 38 books left on my list... three of which I'm currently reading. I'll probably skip a couple on there though to be honest.... I made a list of 103 with the idea that I would only read 100. I just make my own rules up like that. I know it's going to be hard to find time to read with a baby but I'm going to try to make it happen and if it doesn't I'll have to accept that.    I also want to be able to get other books in my reading schedule besides the classics of course or else I'm sure I'll get burned out quickly. Probably a little non-fiction and some fun lighter fiction will be mixed in there too. My Goodreads goal I put for this year was 50 books. I think that's doable. I hope!

Overall I'm thrilled for the new year and the changes it's going to bring. I'm just praying I can meet them with patience and grace. Do you have any New Year's resolutions?

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It's Monday! It's a Girl!

Last week Brian and I found out our baby is a little girl! It's all starting to feel more real and we are so excited. I'm halfway through the pregnancy and anticipating the end already.
Between the pregnancy and work I've somehow managed to make time for reading. Yay! Hopefully this keeps up.

Currently Reading

• War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
• The Four Feathers by A.E.W. Mason 
• A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
• The Mortification of Sin by John Owen
• Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey 

Coming Soon

• The Bronte Plot by Katherine Reay (book club pick) 
• Adam Bede by George Elliot (Classics Club spin pick) 

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It's Monday! Sixteen Weeks

I'm now sixteen weeks pregnant! Part of me can't believe I'm that far along already and part of me is ready to fast forward a bit... not too much just a bit. Let's not get too crazy. Here's a couple sixteen week bump pictures I took recently because I was getting complaints of lack of bump pictures. There just hadn't been a super evident bump yet. I could tell but it was hard to tell in pictures. Now though it's starting to pop out more.

Anyways.... reading. I've been a bit better about reading recently but still have a lot to do. My goal is to focus on completing my classics club goal and not worry about any other reading challenges... not worry too much that is.... I still worry a little. ;) To really kick that goal off I started reading War and Peace (my greatest reading fear) on the Serial Reader app (thanks Julie for recommending it). I'm finding reading War and Peace much more tangible right now thanks to the app and actually enjoyable. I still have many other books to go on my classics club list but getting War and Peace out of the way will be a blessing.
My book club chose to read Call the Midwife for the next month which was my excuse to finally get it read! I was so excited about that and I can't wait to read the other two books in the series.

Currently Reading

• War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
• The Once and Future King by T.H. White
• God Is by Mark Jones
• Let Me Be a Woman by Elisabeth Elliot
• The Mortification of Sin by John Owen
• A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens (re-read) (audiobook)
• Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey 

Finished Recently

• Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth 

I'm not wanting to start anything more (unless I have to like for book club or something) until I finish The Once and Future King and at least one of my nonfiction books. I don't know why I insist on reading so much nonfiction a the same time! 

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It's Monday! What's Happened?

Life has been busy I'll admit but that's no excuse for my slacking reading. I haven't had an It's Monday post in a while either. So actually I do have a little to update... still my reading progress is sad. I was thinking recently about how my Classics Club challenge finishes up in 2019 on my 25th birthday and I'm only a little over halfway through it. I started out strong the first couple years and I've really slacked off since then only getting a few in every year. I'm not sure what's going to happen there but I'd really like to finish it in the time I designated but most importantly I just want to finish it to say I did it. There are lots of books I'm excited about reading still left on the list. Forget my other reading challenges... I've even more woefully behind one them than my Classics Club challenge. Oh well.
Truth is, with getting married, managing a household and now a baby on the way my life is legitimately more busy than it used to be. I have a nursing license that will need to be renewed soon, a social life I pretend to keep up and did I mention that I'm pregnant.... that's exhausting by itself. Oftentimes I just want to lay down and shut my eyes... not lay down and read a book.
Ah excuses. I have lots of them. My goal right now is to take care of my legitimate excuses first and then brush aside my not so legitimate excuses and take the time to read some more.
With that in mind... here's what's been going on in my reading life of late.

Currently Reading

• The Once and Future King by T.H. White
• Let Me Be a Woman by Elisabeth Elliot
• Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey
• The Mortification of Sin by John Owen
• A Tale of Two Cities by Charle Dickens (audiobook) (re-read)
• God Is by Mark Jones

Finished in the past couple months

• Lila by Marilynne Robinson 
• The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
• Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay- See my review HERE.  

I don't want to start anything new until I shave a couple books off of my currently reading list.... I have a terrible habit of reading far too many books at the same time. To be fair though Let Me Be a Woman I'm reading with my mentor so the progress is slower and God Is is a devotional that Brian and I are doing together so naturally it will be slower.
So here's hoping my reading picks up like I dream it will!

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It's a Hobbit!

Brian and I are so excited to announce we are expecting our own little hobbit in April 2018! We are feeling overwhelming blessed and thankful. We can't wait to go through this new adventure together and we covet your prayers as we do. 

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