Well, I can’t believe it, but today is our last day of school before fall break! I feel like the first couple of weeks of school moved slowly, but September sure felt like it flew by.
As always, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea and for this week’s Friday Favorites.
I have quite a few favorites, so here we go:
Friday, two students gave me friendship bracelets they made me. One of them is a combo of their names, and the other stands for “we need to talk” because that’s what they always say when they come and ask me a question. It was such a sweet gesture!
My brother’s family got a new pup a few weeks ago. Growing up, our family dog was a Doberman, and my brother wanted one for his family. Tucker is a handful, but he’s a cutie…especially when he’s sleeping 😉
Hayden had a meet in Louisville last Saturday, and he had another PR. The high school races are so different than the middle school ones. I’m lucky to see him once in the hundreds of runners and the races are longer which means I feel like I’m waiting forever to see him!
My dad was in town last week and got to see Hayden’s race.
Hadley had a tournament in Louisville on Saturday as well.
So, after Hayden’s race, we made our way to the tournament. The Major got to see that activity as well.
Right after the tournament ended, we hurried home. I had to wake up at 5:00 that morning, so I was ready to get home and take a quick nap before all of the Homecoming activities started.
Hadley had a couple of friends come over to get ready around 3:30. Once they were ready, I dropped them off at dinner with their group before meeting for pictures before the dance.
Hadley’s date brought her flowers, and they were so pretty.
Hadley and her friends all looked beautiful.
We continue to have good luck with finding dresses online. This was the first dress we ordered, and Hadley loved it.
Look at this crew…they all went to elementary school together, and have been friends for ten years!
Yes, Hayden is friends with the same crew…but didn’t have Homecoming on his freshman year Bingo card 😉 Once he found out it cost money for the ticket, he was out! haha (I did tell him I’d give him money for the ticket, but no dice on that offer.)
Can you believe this entire crew got a dinner reservation at the same restaurant? We reminded them to tip (at least!) 20%. 😉
They all went to the dance for a bit and then Hadley hung out with some friends after the dance. Overall, I think they had a great time.
Favorite Meal:
I’ve probably shared this recipe before, but I made One Pot Chicken Alfredo again this week, and it was a hit. One of my pet peeves is boiling water and having to wait on it to put my pasta in. I love a one pot recipe where the noodles cook in the same dish as the rest of the ingredients!
Favorite Mom Meme:
The number of times I ask kids to pick up their shoes…
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday
Look at this toothless pic from 2015. My kids loved playing soccer when they were little. They were on team Force and had both scored three goals each! Confession: I’m glad the soccer years are over. I know we do club seasons in other sports, but soccer seems intense! Both kids have friends who play competitively, and it seems like a huge commitment.
What are your weekend plans? Well, it’s the start of fall break for us, and we are ready for it! I hope to still have a few posts next week, so I will see you then.
How is it already the end of September? I feel like once we get through August and we are in a back to school routine, the school year really starts to fly by!
I’m linking up with Holly and Patty for this month’s Monthly Musings.
This month’s topic is…Back to School Routines, Recipes and Fall Fashion.
1. What are your best tips for getting into a fall/back to school routine?
Well, I don’t know that I’m the best one to answer this question….we kind of just “rip the Band Aid off” and go for it.
That being said, I do try to buy school supplies in late July and do other school errands a couple of weeks before we go back to school, so we aren’t scrambling once summer is over.
2. Please share your favorite fall recipes.
One of my favorite fall recipes is Pumpkin Penne Sausage Pasta, which I’ve been making for years. I found the recipe on the side of a box of Kroger pasta.
I’m no fashionista, but I always answer this question with the fact that I love adding cardigans to dresses in the fall. I have my favorite cardigan in three colors!
4. Favorite part of back to school this year?
This year, my favorite part has been seeing my kids and my kids’ friends in the hallway. It’s still a surprise for me to turn the corner and see a familiar face. The highlight of my day is when the kids (and their friends) come to my classroom when school is out.
5. Do you celebrate Homecoming where you are?
We do celebrate Homecoming, and our school dance was last weekend. Hadley went and had a great time with her friends.
6. Apple pie or apple cider?
Both!
It’s pretty rare that I have apple pie though…
I did grab these apple blossoms and Trader Joe’s, and they are great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!
I always get hot apple cider when we visit our favorite pumpkin patch!
7. Do the leaves change colors where you live? If so, when?
They do…and it depends on the temps, but I feel like the leaves peak around the middle of October, and then we have leaves on the ground by Halloween. Our front yard trees are stunning, but they don’t last long enough!
8. Favorite fall sweet treat? Do you have an recipes to share?
Apple cider donuts are my guilty pleasure in the fall! Hadley does’t like apple cider donuts…which is about the only time I wonder “how can she be my daughter?” haha
I made this cake for the first time last year, and I made it again last weekend.
10. Movies that give you the back to school feels?
I’m not sure why, but Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Back to the Future were the first two to pop in my mind. I guess because Ferris skips school and Marty is in high school.
I loved writing this post as fall is certainly my favorite time of the year. I can’t wait for October!
This week started off slowly, but is certainly picking up the pace.
It’s been quite a while since I’ve shared a day in the life post, so that’s what I’m doing today!
I’ve captured last Monday…September 16th.
I forgot to screen shot my phone when my alarm went off, but I got up at 5:50. This is a new time for me this year. I used to get up at 6, but 5:50 has given me a few extra minutes in the morning with a new time frame of the kids getting up a bit earlier than they did in their middle school years.
The day before, I had put out my fall decorations, so I was happy to turn on my pumpkin and light a fall scented candle.
While my coffee brewed, I found my best friends in the fridge. I applied my eye mask, grabbed my coffee and went to the living room.
‘Tis the season for this mug:
I always watch the local news…while I drink my coffee, read blogs, and scroll Instagram.
I usually play my daily Bejeweled Blitz during this time too.
I try to get moving by 6:50, but I was lazy and lounged until this time:
…before trying to wake my sleepy heads. They set alarms, but definitely know how to hit the snooze button.
Then it was time to wash my face and do my morning skincare routine.
Of course I made the bed.
Then, I applied my under eye concealer…I like to let it set, while I drag the kids out of bed and make my way to the kitchen.
I pulled out my slow cooker as a reminder to start dinner when I got home from school.
Then, I packed my lunch. Mondays are often lots of prepackaged items…
The kids were eating breakfast, so I went ahead and got ready. I did my makeup and my hair…
…and I was ready for the day.
I filled up my travel coffee mug, grabbed my school stuff, hugged everyone goodbye, and headed out to leave.
On my way out, I realized there was a load of laundry that needed to be moved to the dryer, so I did that.
On my drive to school, Trav called to get organized for the day. Hadley and I used to have the same Apple account/ID?, so when Trav calls, it says, “dad.” haha
I got to school, and got my board ready. I always update the date, write the agenda, learning targets and learning intentions. Ugh…don’t get me started on the things I have to write on my board that the kids don’t care about 😉
This year, I purchased a digital set of Google slides from Teachers Pay Teachers, to use for my agenda. Some slides have timers and “welcome” messages.
It’s really helped keep me organized, and the students know what we are doing when they walk in the room.
On this day, we were going to the library, so I didn’t have much to prepare.
Here’s an example of what a typical class period looks like:
First hour, my English 1 students went to the library. We have an amazing librarian who is really involved and plans fun activities. She talked with the students for a few minutes, but then they played “break out games” in groups to open boxes using clues about the library. It was a fun way for them to get acclimated with the library, learn new info, and work with others.
2nd hour is one of my intervention hours. A teacher sent me a few students who needed additional support answering comprehension questions for the Cyclops part of the Odyssey.
After 2nd hour, I have tardy cart duty with another teacher. If a student is late to 3rd hour, we scan their ID and give them a tardy pass to class. I only have to do this for five minutes or so.
3rd hour is my planning period, and I maximized my time.
I went to make copies after tardy cart duty. Most of what we do is online, but I still have to make a few copies throughout the week.
Then, I went back to my room to get organized. I started a binder with everything we are doing in Unit 1, so I had some pages to add to that.
Then, I sat down and scanned the sections of The Odyssey that we were reading last week. I like to have the student book out when I’m teaching as it’s lighter and easier to carry when I’m walking around the room. Since we got new curriculum this year, I’m having to prepare day to day.
I jot down questions and answers in the student book that I keep, so I’m not dependent on the teacher edition when I teach.
Then, I take some time to get my Canvas page organized. This does take a few minutes, but I know the pay off is great if I stay organized, and it helps the students.
Then, I had time to grade a few assignments. Friendly reminder that I haven’t had to grade papers in close to five years….so this has been my biggest adjustment going back to the classroom. I will say that the online grading is pretty seamless, and then Canvas syncs with our grading system every night to update grades.
I also had a few more minutes to plan reading strategies for my students as we read The Odyssey. Since this is our first year, I’ve given them a reading/literacy strategy to do before, during or after reading our assigned text for the day.
This way, they stay engaged in the reading and will know these strategies as we use them throughout the year.
Then, it was time for Advisory. I share an Advisory with a math teacher. Advisory is only 25 minutes, so I head to his room to help out. Just this week, our principal moved Advisory to the beginning of the day to hold students more accountable with attendance, so that’s been a bit of an adjustment.
4th hour is my other MTSS hour. I helped a student with a Newsela assignment.
Then, I had lunch and a 30 minute meeting.
My last two classes of the day are my Advanced English 1 and Co-teach English 1. Those classes went to the library as well.
When the librarian told me when she was available, I jumped at the Monday availability because it was nice to start the week that way with something different for my students to do.
After school, my kids came to my room, and we left pretty much immediately because we had a busy evening.
As soon as a I got home, I saw that Amazon had delivered my new garden flag. It was the perfect addition to the front yard, so I put it out immediately.
Then, I went inside and made Hadley a quesadilla before I had to take her to her scrimmage.
I put meatballs in the slow cooker for dinner later. When I know we won’t eat until late, I prefer to put food in the slow cooker later rather than have it sit all day. I made Shay’s meatballs and rice.
Then, I changed my clothes. I always change out of school clothes as soon as possible! I have this over-sized t-shirt in a couple of colors, and I love it.
I picked up two of Hadley’s friends, and dropped them off at the school where they had three scrimmage games.
I came home for about thirty minutes and had a snack and did my Bible study.
My favorite snack lately is a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios. It just hits the spot!
Then, I went to Hadley’s games. They played at 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30, but of course the games were running late…
…so a soft pretzel became my dinner!
Once we got home around 9, I helped Hayden study for his Biology test the next day. My kids hate it, but I tell them note cards are the way to go. Yes, it’s true…kids don’t know how to study. I tried to stay awake while talking about homeostasis!
I watched a few minutes of baseball…
…before mustering the energy to take a shower…and then it was time for my PM skincare routine. One of my friends sells Mary Kay, and for my birthday this year, she gave me this Retinol. I use it Monday, Wednesday and Fridays, and I love it.
After my skincare, I brushed my teeth and got ready for bed. The kids came in to tell me goodnight as I was reading my Kindle.
Then, it was lights out at 10:20. I was tired!
So, that’s a peek a relatively normal day for me. If Hadley doesn’t have a game, she still has practice, as does Hayden…but at least I get home a little earlier on those evenings.
I hope your week is off to a great start! I had every intention of sharing a post yesterday, but our weekend was non-stop, and I just ran out of time!
I will share more later in the week, but my dad was visiting, the kids had activities, and Hadley went to the Homecoming dance on Saturday.
Anyway, it’s been a while since I’ve shared a Trader Joe’s post, and after a stop there last week, I’m sharing a few items I picked up.
This isn’t a full haul, but I’m sharing a few faves, some of which are staples, and others are more seasonal.
Well, the first time I stopped in Trader Joe’s a couple of weeks ago, they were sold out of one of my favorite fall items…apple cider donuts! When I went last week, they had some! I don’t often eat breakfast, but these have been a nice indulgence.
I did pick up some pumpkins this weekend. The front porch is almost finished.
I love French toast and Brioche bread, and these slices are a winner!
I always buy egg bites when I go to Trader Joe’s, but this is a new flavor. The cheddar cheese and turkey sausage egg white bites were perfect for my lunch last week.
Hadley loves macarons, and I’ve seen these many times at Trader Joe’s. I picked up a box for us to try, and they are delish.
Tis the season for pumpkin cream cheese. This cream cheese on a bagel is a great snack or breakfast idea.
We all love cheesecake, and I’ve bought this one before, so it was Sunday night dessert last week.
These waffle fries caught my eye since they are seasoned. I added them as a side last week for dinner, and I liked them but the kid didn’t. I think the issue was that they weren’t very crispy which was probably my fault (or the air fryer’s fault!)
I only bought one box of the pumpkin bread mix, and I should have purchased more! I always make the muffins, and Hayden took care of most of those on Sunday! Nothing says “fall” to me more than pumpkin bread and muffins.
I buy white cheddar mac and cheese almost every time I go to Trader Joe’s as it’s Hadley’s fave. In the fall and winter, I sometimes use this mac and cheese as a side dish for dinner. It’s a great comfort food.
Speaking of comfort food, another fall item I love is this tomato soup. Sometimes for dinner in the fall and winter, we have this with grilled cheese for dinner.
This “apple”wine cocktail was an impulse buy. I like the rose’ ones, so I thought I would try the apple since it’s seasonal. They are actually pretty good if you like apple flavor, but they are kind of sweet.
So, those are a few of the items I picked up recently from my favorite store! What have you gotten at Trader Joe’s lately?
How was your week? We had a great week, but I’m getting annoyed with the weather. I can honestly handle 80 degrees, but I’m over the 90 degree temps!
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
‘Tis the season at Trader Joe’s. I made a stop at Trader Joe’s on Saturday and picked up some of my regular items as well as some fall favorites.
I did resist the temptation to buy some front porch pumpkins, but I hope to do that this weekend.
Not a favorite…on my walk back to my car, this startled me….
…like I had bags in both my hands, and I jumped back startled! A couple others walking near me asked if I was ok…and then saw the hand. haha
This is a blurry photo, but it’s a screen shot of a video. On Saturday, Travis was working, so Hayden convinced Hadley to follow him on her bike for his ten mile run. She was biking and had her blue tooth speaker on her handle bar, so they got to listen to some tunes. The video was shared on his running club’s Instagram page, so that was a nice shout out after running 41 miles last week. It was sweet that Hadley obliged Hayden’s request…especially since she had to get up early to do so.
Saturday night, the kids went to the UK game. Travis had to work late, and I had things to do at home. So, they went with friends, and Hadley shared this pic with me.
They had fun with their friends (and cousins), but were bummed about the 13-14 loss to Georgia. I guess I’m getting a glimpse of the next few years as at close to midnight I was waiting for them to get home.
On Sunday, I had time to decorate fall. I was so happy to turn on my pumpkins and light my fall candles!
Also, y’all …no lie. I didn’t buy a single new fall decoration…except…
… a new garden flag. The fall garden flag that I’ve had for years, was showing its age. So, I ordered this cute one from Amazon. It’s less than $10, and seems to have all of the initial options. I was so pleasantly surprised with the quality too!
The spider webs were just an added touch from nature!
Since I pretty much decorated the same as last year, I’m not sure if I will do a “fall home tour” post this year. Here’s last year’s post in case you are interested!
Of course, we had some volleyball this week. Hadley had one away game and one home game, and they won both! Her away game was at a brand new school about thirty minutes away, and the gym was amazing.
Favorite Recipe:
On Wednesday night, I tried a new recipe. It was sooo easy, and it was delicious as well. Chicken Broccoli Cheese Casserole will definitely be added into the dinner rotation.
Favorite Mom Meme:
Where is the lie?
Weekly Recap:
The week got away from me, but I did have a couple of posts this week:
What are your weekend plans? Tonight and tomorrow will be very busy for us as it’s Homecoming weekend. On top of that, Hayden has a race tomorrow and Hadley has a volleyball tournament. I guess Sunday will be our day of rest.
I hope you’ve been having a great week. Well, I looked back, and it’s been a year since I’ve shared a Three Things post which is hard to believe.
So, today I’m sharing a little of what’s happening with all of us.
Hayden’s continuing to make the adjustment with high school cross country. In middle school, the races were 1.3 or 1.8 miles. In high school, every race is a 5k. He’s been running varsity, scoring points for his team, and improving his times with each race. He’s continued to take his training seriously, averaging about 40 miles of running a week!
He’s always been a KC Chiefs and Royals fan, but even more so recently. Being the mom of a teen boy isn’t always the easiest, but I’ve really enjoyed watching the games with him. It’s a nice connection that we have, and I will take whatever time he will give me. 😉
Just call him “Smoothie King!” He’s really mastered making this daily treat while making a minimal mess! I’m glad he’s making a nutritional snack, but if only he would clean out the blender!
As I’ve shared a few times, Hadley made the high school freshmen team, and has been having lots of fun. She’s enjoyed playing Libero, and is continuing to work on this defensive specialist position. High school athletics are no joke, and volleyball is about six days a week! She’s been playing non-stop since mid-July, but she’s been having a lot of fun, and so far the team is playing pretty well. While I know it’s been a lot to adjust with that schedule and school work, she’s figuring it out and taking it day by day.
Hadley has decided to take her lunch this year….I’m sure because at first she was intimidated by the high school cafeteria with 600 kids at lunch. She packs her own lunch in the morning, and adds things to the grocery list that she needs me to buy. She usually takes salad or Ramen, but I haven’t had to make her lunch once which I appreciate. Our school actually has free lunch for all students…so sometimes I wish she would hit up the lunch line! haha
She is super excited for Homecoming this year, and can’t wait to have fun with her friends at the dance.
Me: My 23rd year is off to a great start. The first couple of weeks were a huge adjustment, but I really like my classes. I actually have realized how much I missed having my “own” students. I still have two classes of intervention, so I really like the balance of having three full classes, a planning period, and two hours helping students who need academic support.
Trav: Travis has been very busy with the September horse sales. He’s been working non-stop for almost three weeks, but the sale is wrapping up soon. He organized a fundraiser for the cross country team, and I think he’s liked helping the team in his own way.
Homer: Poor Homer…he has bad allergies in the summer, and we hadn’t gotten him an allergy shot recently. We came home one day to see that he licked and scratched a huge hot spot on his hip. Trav took him to the vet, and he got his shot and antibiotics…but I was surprised that they didn’t give him a cone to wear. It’s almost healed up, and he’s done a pretty good job not messing with it.
So that’s what’s been going on with us. Such a glamorous life, right? We’re in the thick of it with activities and “all the things,” but we’re enjoying it.
How was your weekend? While we had a bit more downtime than usual, I still feel like the weekend flew by!
It’s hard to believe that only two weeks stand between us and fall break!
Anyway, it’s been a long time since I’ve shared a Monday Meals post, but that’s what I’m doing today!
Today, I’m sharing one of my favorite recipes along with a few variations.
This post is all about Chicken Pot Pie.
I don’t think I ever had CPP until my sister-in-law brought us one she made (and a frozen one) right after I had the kids.
So, confession…I remember thinking that although I appreciated the meal, I wasn’t sure if I would like it. Well, what’s not to like? haha! It’s now one of our favorite meals.
Last Sunday, went I’d just gotten home from Tennessee with Hadley, I didn’t have a lot of time to make a big grocery list and place an order. So, for only the second time, I used my Kroger delivery. I placed an order for ingredients for a quick and easy dinner: chicken pot pie, salad, and fruit for our Sunday dinner. I threw in a few other odds and ends too, but ordered just enough to get us through Sunday, and then I picked up my bigger Kroger order on Monday after school.
Side note – I think this is how I will mostly use my delivery membership. It was nice placing a smaller order and having those things delivered. I kind of have my “system” down for the larger orders.
Anyway, I didn’t take a picture, but here’s the CPP recipe I’ve been using since 2009 thanks to my sister-in-law:
2 large cans of chicken
1 can of mixed vegetables – drain
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/4 c. milk
salt and pepper
2 pie crusts for top and bottom
Everything (except the crust) goes in a big bowl to mix. Then, one pie crust goes on the bottom of pie dish, pour in filling, put second crust on top and pinch the sides around.
I bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes. I bake it closer to 60 minutes for crispy crust.
Truly, this is one of my family’s favorite meals.
Here are a few other CPP inspired recipes:
This new fave recipe that reminds me of chicken pot pie…Cheesy Chicken Crescent Rolls is a new family favorite.
I’ve made this Chicken Pot Pie Casserole recipe a couple of times.
Pillsbury has this recipe for Chicken Pot Pie Crescent Cups. I haven’t made it, but I have it saved on Pinterest.
This Chicken Pot Pie soup recipe looks delish. Maybe I can make it soon!
Are you superstitious? I am…about the number 13! That being said…fun fact: this is my 1,113th post that I’ve shared.
How was your week? We’ve had a really good full week, but I’m definitely ready for the weekend.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week.
Taking it back to last weekend, I went with Hadley to Sevierville, TN for the team’s volleyball tournament.
Usually, the varsity team goes to Chicago in October, but this year, the boosters and coaches decided to pay for all three teams to go to this tournament. The girls left from school on Friday morning, rode a charter bus, received goody bags, and had all their meals paid for….and…bonus – they stayed at The Wilderness at the Smokies Lodge which has an indoor water park.
It was so fun to watch all three teams all weekend. The freshmen team played in the JV tournament, and had three games Friday night. We didn’t get back to the hotel until around 10:30. They won all three games.
Since the girls won all their games, they didn’t have to be up super early as their first game wasn’t until 11:00. They won their first game that morning which was the last pool play game. They grabbed some lunch, and played a couple of hours later. Since they were 4-0, they made it to the gold (best) bracket of the JV tournament. Unfortunately, they lost the first tournament game in three sets…and the last set’s score was 14-16! It was a nail biter.
They played their hearts out and ended up 6th/22 teams in the gold bracket.
We made our way back to the hotel, and the girls had time at the water park, hanging out in their rooms, and playing games in the arcade. They had a team dinner and ran around a bit more until time for bed.
The moms almost didn’t know what to do with ourselves since we didn’t have to be in charge of our daughters. haha
Another mom and I rode one of the water slides, and then we all met another friend at the roof top bar for a drink.
We had dinner and then went back to the room for a bit. That night, we hung out by the fire and enjoyed a glass of wine.
The next morning, we left and the girls traveled home on the coach bus. I got home and had a couple of hours to get chores and errands finished before picking Hadley up.
They had such a great time, and I was glad to be able to see her games and have some downtime.
Once we got started with the week, we got the proofs for their school pictures.
I swear, it costs an arm and a leg to purchase photos. I prefer the download option because then I can order picture sizes that I want. Anyway, I think they turned out great.
One day at school, two students came up to me with these cute signs. Now, of course, they were buttering me up to let them switch seats and sit by one another. haha!
I still appreciated the effort!!
I haven’t been to Trader Joe’s in a couple of weeks, but last time I was there, I picked up these “Apple Blossoms.” I finally had one this week with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top…they are so delish!
What are your weekend plans? For once, we don’t have much on tap! I hope to put out my fall decorations. If I don’t get to it this weekend, then I don’t know when I will.
What’s in our pantry in August (I don’t have a pantry, so I skipped that one)
This month’s topic is let’s look at…our quick weeknight dinners.
Anything in a slow cooker helps the weeknight dinners go quicker.
My “go to” slow cooker recipes still come from Shay’s cookbook Simmers.
The Chicken Tortilla Souprecipe is a fave. We also love her Sloppy Joe’srecipe..
Just this week, I made “Million Dollar Spaghetti,” and while it takes a few steps, it’s worth it because it’s delicious and it makes a ton. I love (and appreciate!) leftovers.
A few weeks ago, I tried this new recipe and it was a family favorite.
Well, for the first time since I’ve started sharing books (that’s quite a while!), I didn’t have time to share what I read in August.
That’s because…
…and apparently, besides May and December, it’s one of the busiest months with back to school.
So, while this post is a bit late, it’s also kind of pitiful because I only read one book (that I finished last week).
Here’s…
Here is my one book for this month:
{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}
Swan Song:
Summary:
After thirty-five years serving as the Chief of Police on the island of Nantucket, Ed Kapenash’s heart can no longer take the stress. But his plans to retire are thwarted when, with only three days left to serve, he receives a phone call. A 22-million-dollar summer home, recently purchased by the flashy new couple in town, the Richardsons, has burned to the ground. The Richardsons are far from hurt—in fact, they’re out on the water, throwing a lavish party on their yacht—but when news of the fire reaches them, they discover that their personal assistant has vanished. The Chief is well-acquainted with the Richardsons, and his daughter is best friends with the now-missing girl, leaving him no choice but to postpone his retirement and take on the double case.
On a small island like Nantucket, the Richardsons shook things up from the second they stepped on to the scene, throwing luxurious parties and doing whatever they could to gain admittance to the coveted lunches at the Field & Oar Club (with increasing desperation). They instantly captured the attention of local real estate agent Fast Eddie, and the town gossip Blond Sharon, both dealing with their own personal dramas. Blond Sharon is going through a divorce, and in order to avoid becoming a cliché, she’s enrolled in a creative writing class, putting her natural affinity for scandal towards a more noble purpose. To solve the case of the fire and track down his daughter’s best friend, the Chief will have to string together the pieces of the lives of all of these characters and more, rallying his strength for his final act of service to the tight-knit community he knows and loves.
Quick Thoughts:
This book is Hilderbrand’s last, so I liked that the title (I assume?) had double meaning. It’s her “swan song” as a writer as well as the title of the book.
Fun fact about me…I always like reading the dedications and acknowledgements. I loved that Elin thanked her ex-husband, and highlighted their time together, their family, and how they’ve stayed in each other’s lives.
As for the book…I just thought it was ok. I appreciated the Nantucket setting, the variety of characters and the bit of action, but I had a hard time finishing it.
I’m glad I read it though, and I’m sad to think that it’s her last book.
Rating:
3.5 stars
Summer Reading Update:
It was a great summer of reading…until August…when I greatly lacked the time and energy to read.
When I put these books on my summer reading list, I didn’t think I’d get to read them all, but I’m happy to have read many of them.
Here’s how my summer turned out.
Read: Swan Song, The Darlings, The Summer Pact, The Summer of Songbirds, This Summer Will Be Different, and A Hundred Summers
Didn’t get to read:On Fire Island (I actually had this one on my Kindle at the start of summer, but never got to read it. Now, it has a long wait to read it from the library). A Happier Life (I had this book, but just returned it since I didn’t have time to read it. I’ve found I prefer my Kindle, so now I’m on the waitlist for the Kindle version), and The Comeback Summer (maybe I will read this one on fall break?)
I’d like to hope September will be better, but it’s the 10th day of the month, and I’ve only just started reading a book.
showmeandsweettea.com 