Hello! How was your week? We are definitely in “back to school” mode. There’s no tired like “teacher tired” at the beginning of the school year! I sat down on the couch Wednesday afternoon and accidentally fell asleep! It’s been quite the week with early wake calls and a new routine.
I’m excited to link up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Favorite Kid Quote:
Both of my favorite kid quotes came via my mom. She was watching my kids and took Hayden up to school to see the cross country tryout results. Hadley apparently told Hayden to act like he didn’t make the team when they walked back to her car. He did make the team, so we have another fall season full of races.
My mom gave each of the grand kids a card saying she’d treat them to ice cream during her visit. When my nephew Wyatt finished his cup of ice cream, he apparently got up to get back in line. They asked where he was going, and he said, “I have a coupon for a free cone!” haha
Favorite Pic(s):
My favorite photos of the week come from one of my favorite places…our visit to Del Mar, California. We had a great few days there, and I hope to recap the trip next week.
We had a fun afternoon at the race track.
Favorite Clothing Item(s):
Two of my favorite clothing items I took on vacation were new woven sandals and this pretty blue and white plaid dress.
When the dress arrived, it was in a bag that made me think it was a beach cover up! When I pulled it out of the bag, it felt and looked like a dress. I looked back at how it was styled in the Amazon photo, and the girl was wearing it as a dress, with wedges and a purse. I styled it similarly, and I wore it to the track. I’m so pleased with this purchase. It’s great quality, and so cute. I love the split neck hem, the button detail, and seersucker fabric.
I wore the sandals with shorts and with a different dress on a another night. They are so cute and comfy. I’ve worn them the past two days to school. These are definitely a win!
Lastly, Hadley had a “vision” for her first day of school outfit. She found this black t-shirt at Target, but couldn’t find shorts she liked. Then, she looked on Amazon and found these dark pink lines ones (women’s sizes). She’s very picky about shorts and often just wears athletic running shorts, so I was thrilled that these were school appropriate and can be dressed up or down.
As I was typing this post, I realized some of the colors are now on sale. So, we bought two more pairs since the price dropped to from $21 to $12.
My favorite moment of the week was getting back to school. I’m so pleased with how the kids have transitioned to middle school which includes a whole new morning routine as well as getting the lay of the middle school land.
Favorite Food:
Our Back to School Brinner was so delish. I made my favorite breakfast casserole as well as some muffins. Yogurt and fruit rounded out the meal. I love breakfast for dinner.
Other Faves:
Trav’s brother is a sports photographer, and he took Hayden’s baseball team’s photos a couple of weeks ago as well as individual photos.
The team photos are amazing…
…and Hayden is killing me looking like a 16 year old!
Speaking of looking 16, Hadley had competition team head shots this week, and she looked so much older to me too!
We wrapped up the summer enjoying ice cream with friends after the last basketball game of summer league. (Hayden’s team came in 2nd place in the tournament!)
Favorite Mom Meme :
I miss the Olympics already, and I certainly feel like I could win gold in this regard:
I hope you have a great weekend! We have baseball on tap this weekend and hopefully some down time to catch up from the week! See you back here next week.
Happy Wednesday! Well, the 2021-22 school year is officially underway. We all had a great first day of school yesterday. While I always am sad to see summer wrap up, it’s always good for us to get back into a routine. Also, I was kind of ready to get the kids off to school just because this is a new phase for us with a new routine and a few nerves! I knew we’d all feel better after getting the first day under our belts.
Today, I’m sharing all the back to school things: our traditional brinner, first day of school photos, and a back to school interview with the kids.
Back to School Brinner:
Since Kindergarten, I’ve always set up the Back to School Breakfast for the kids.
With the transition to middle school, I thought I’d change things up a bit and have a Back to School Brinner. We had the brinner on Tuesday night to kick off the first day of school on Wednesday. Who doesn’t love breakfast for dinner?
I used all my usual supplies that I keep organized in a bin.
Per tradition, I ordered a book for each of them and then picked up a mini bundt cake for dessert. (Red velvet for Hadley and lemon for Hayden.)
I kept it simple for mine and Trav’s place setting just using the napkins I already had and writing our names on a name tag.
I baked the same muffins from a mix that I typically make, put out yogurt and fruit and baked one of my favorite breakfast casseroles.
Hadley helped me roll out the parchment paper that I use to wrap presents, and it can also double as a runner for the kitchen table. I meant to write a few quotes, sayings, and other school related ideas, but I forgot!
We all love breakfast for dinner, and I don’t make it enough! It’s so easy, and we had the leftover casserole for dinner last night!
First Day of School Photos:
Middle school starts way later than elementary school in our district, so it’s going to take us a few days to get the hang of “how late can we actually sleep in?” On the first day, we definitely didn’t want to run late, so the kids were up and at ’em and ready to start the day.
They had breakfast, got dressed, did their hair, (and Hayden officially has the hang of putting in his contacts on his own…just in time!), and then obliged me with a few photos.
I can’t get over how much older they look!
They both were really excited and didn’t seem nervous at all. (Also, I almost mentioned that they were unknowingly #twinning with their outfits, but I knew Hayden would change if I did mention it!)
After the photos, they grabbed their backpacks and masks, and they were ready to start the day!
I thought about them all day long. Hadley sent me an email when she was in math class. I love my emails from Hadley! For them, I was the most nervous for lunch. I remember that feeling of looking around the cafeteria and wanting to find someone you know to sit with at lunch. Obviously, they know many kids from elementary school, but a lot of their friends are on the other 6th grade team. They reported back that they have to sit with their class at lunch (for Covid tracing), and that it worked out okay.
Back to School Interview:
Hayden’s Thoughts:
This year, I’m excited about: having in person school.
By the end of the year, I want to: earn straight A’s.
My favorite subject is: social studies.
I love learning about: history.
I’m great at: reading.
My favorite school cafeteria food is: nachos.
If I was the principal for the day, I would: let kids do whatever they want.
When I grow up, I want to be: undecided.
The best thing about school is: lunch.
My first day of school was: good.
Bonus: One thing I’m looking forward to in middle school is: sports.
Hadley’s Thoughts:
This year, I’m excited about: changing classes during the day.
By the end of the year, I want to: have good grades and know my way around the school.
My favorite subject is: Language Arts.
I love learning about: foods from different cultures.
I’m great at: being organized.
My favorite school cafeteria food is: spaghettiand nachos.
If I was the principal for the day, I would: let the students be in charge.
When I grow up, I want to be: an elementary teacher.
The best thing about school is: meeting new friends.
My first day of school was: awesome.
Bonus: One thing I’m looking forward to in middle school is: having more freedom than I did in elementary school
I’m so pleased that they had a great first day, and I hope it continues for the entire year. I know middle school can provide some tough years, and I’m thankful they have each other…even if they don’t realize how lucky they are!
See you back here tomorrow for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Hello! I can’t believe how quickly this summer has gone! We got out on May 18th which is actually about a week early for us, so while the summer did feel a bit longer, it still flew by!
Before I get started with today’s post, the Blogiversary winner of the Target or Trader Joe’s gift card is Abbey (@aengles)! I’ve messaged you on Insta, so let me know which gift card you’d like! Thanks to everyone who commented on that post; as always, I appreciate the love!
Before we really get into back to school mode, I’m taking a look back at our Summer Fun List for 2021!
This was the list of ideas the kids gave me once school was out:
Sports Camps:
Hayden attended basketball, baseball, golf camps this summer and loved them all.
Hadley did swim team and loved it! I was proud of her for always giving her best. After not swimming last summer and moving up in age groups, she had to swim 50s which was a big adjustment.
MLB Baseball Game:
Hayden and Travis made it to a Cincinnati Reds game on Memorial Day with a group of friends!
Pool:
Both kids loved the pool. This was definitely a summer of independence and as long as one mom was there, we felt good about taking turns keeping an eye on their pool friend group and giving the kids some responsibility.
I enjoyed the pool too! I can already feel my tan fading #sigh
Baseball:
On repeat. There was no shortage of baseball this summer, and, in fact, Hayden is still playing. His team is comprised of a great group of boys. We’ve had fun watching them play together, and they’ve had a really great summer season.
Snow Cones:
The kids hit up the pool snow cone dates a few times this summer! There’s nothing better on a hot summer day than a snow cone!
Camp:
Hadley loved her camp session. She had fun with friends old and new. Camp kept her busy. She was so tired when she got home!
Summer Dance Classes:
Hadley took a pre-pointe class as well as a tricks and turns class. The sessions are just six weeks long, and Hadley likes to take the summer sessions because it’s a chance to take some classes she doesn’t take during the year.
Baking/Lemonade Pie:
Honestly, we didn’t bake much this summer, but Hadley made Lemonade Pie a couple times. It’s definitely a refreshing treat!
Vacation/Beach:
We loved our five days in Isle of Palms, SC. It’s definitely one of our favorite places to visit!
Water Balloons:
We were able to squeeze in a water balloon fight with the kids and a few of their friends last week.
They had a great time. Of course, it was boys vs. girls!
S’mores:
Believe it or not, we never got to making s’mores this summer. I have all the ingredients in the cabinet, but we just never got a fire pit going. We typically do that more in the cooler weather anyway. I’m sure we’ll make up for lost time this fall.
Go to the Lake:
Well, Hadley got to go to the lake! She had lots of fun tubing and cliff jumping with her friends. I love the lake as well and wish we could have made that happen this summer. It’s just hard to do with baseball most every weekend.
Other:
This summer, we also:
Tried the new milkshake place in town.
We went bowling for Trav’s birthday.
We had 4th of July fun and enjoyed the fireworks.
The kids went to the Cinci Zoo with friends.
We were able to see family, and the kids played with their cousins a few times.
The kids logged lots of miles on their bikes and tons of time playing with friends.
The kids and their friends hosted a lemonade stand or two!
When I asked the kids what was the best thing you did this summer, they said:
Hayden:
golf camp
Hadley:
movie night at the pool
For me, the best part about summer has been my kids having so much time to play with friends and neighbors. We’ve definitely been busy, but the kids have had tons of fun with their friends. There have been lots of pick up basketball games, a countless number of miles biking around the neighborhood, and tons of fun at the pool. There will still be time to play, but now it will be after school. I’ll sure miss the sounds of laughter, the giggles and conversations, as well as the ball bouncing as the sun sets. Now, these kids will have a curfew 😉
How about this throwback from 2015? Tomorrow, these two will be starting middle school. Babies don’t keep. That’s for sure.
I’m changing up the tradition and doing a back to school brinner tonight rather than a back to school breakfast tomorrow morning.
I can’t believe I start my 20th year in education tomorrow. Time certainly is flying by!
Hello! How was your weekend? I definitely had a great one. I joined Travis for a work trip in California, and we had a great time. We were in one of our favorite places, Del Mar. We spent time at the beach, ate amazing food, and had a couple of fun events for his work with a nice dinner on Friday night and enjoyed the track on Saturday.
I’m going to keep today’s post pretty short and sweet because I can barely keep my eyes open as I type this, and also need to prep for back to school this week.
I’m co-hosting the monthly Not Just a Mom linkup with these lovely ladies:
This month’s topic is: Daily Must Haves…
Daily Must Haves:
Coffee. Coffee is definitely a daily must have for me. I can’t start my day without one cup…or three!
Quiet time. I cherish my quiet time in the morning where I read my favorite blogs, scroll Instagram, answer emails and more.
A plan. 🤣I need to know what to expect for the day. From school, to kids’ activities to errands and dinner, I feel better knowing how the day will unfold.
Exercise. Exercise is definitely a daily must have for me as well. Sometimes it’s just going for a walk, but I try to work out at least four days a week. To be honest, exercise has fallen to the wayside the past few weeks, and with school starting back, it may continue to do so. I am going to try to work out at least twice this week, three times next week, and continue to build it back into my daily routine. I can definitely tell a difference in my mood when I don’t work out.
Family dinner. Even though it doesn’t happen every night, I prefer that it does. Sometimes, that means we eat really early or a little later, but if I can figure it out to have dinner ready for all of us before or after practices, I really try to do so.
Reading. Whether it’s the blogs I read daily or a book, I love to read. Sometimes I read while waiting to pick up one of the kids from practice, sometimes it’s just a few pages at night before bed, or other times, like on vacation, I get to read for hours and hours!
So…those are some of my daily must haves! What are some of yours?
Next month’s topic is: morning routine.
I wanted to say thanks to everyone who commented on my Blogiversary post last week! I really appreciate it, and will hopefully announce the winner in tomorrow’s post. Speaking of which, I have a few posts planned this week, and I’m going to try to get them done, but since I start back to school today and the kids start on Wednesday, I will just have to see where the week takes me!
I hope you have a great one. Don’t forget to check out the others’ posts from the link up.
Hello! Today is a special day here on Show Me and Sweet Tea! It’s my two year blogiversary! Sometimes, it feels like I’ve been blogging for years and other times it feels like I’ve only just begun…
I’d been wanting to start a blog for a few years, and on August 4, 2019, I finally published my first post.
Now, 400+ posts later, I’m so glad that I did. This has been a fun creative outlet for me, and I’ve “met” so many great people along the way! I’m very thankful for my loyal readers!
I thought I’d take a look back on a few of my favorite posts that I wrote throughout the year.
In no particular order, here they are:
1. Lexington Top 5:
I shared some of my favorite things about Lexington from restaurants to activities and more!
My kids wrapped up their 5th grade year finally in the classroom. I took a look back on their amazing elementary experience. Middle school starts next week!
We spent a few days in South Carolina this summer which is one of our favorite places to visit. I recapped that trip which includes all that we did along with some of my favorite photos of the summer.
Of course, I’ve enjoyed writing all of my posts (or why would I write them? ;), but these were just a few meaningful ones that stuck out to me over the past year.
To Show My Appreciation:
I’m going to send one of my readers a $30 gift card to one of my favorite places: Target or Trader Joe’s (Your choice!). To enter, leave a comment on today’s post with what you love the most about summer along with your Instagram handle. Also,make sure you are following me in on Instagram (@showmeandsweettea), so I can message you if you win.
I know it’s not much, but I do want to show my appreciation! You have until Sunday at 11:59 PM to post your comment and Instagram handle! (If you don’t have Insta, you can leave your email address in the comments, so I can contact you if you win!)
One last thing before I go…another thing I love is blogging link ups! I will be taking the rest of the week off, so just a reminder that we have our Not Just a Mom link up on Monday, and the topic is: daily must haves! We’d love for you to join us!
Hello! How’s it going? We are holding on tight to summer over here! Yesterday, the kids helped me set up my classroom for year number 20! I can’t even believe that I am 2/3 of the way finished with my teaching career. Time sure does fly by! Then, we spent the afternoon at the pool followed by lots of neighborhood kids playing outside and an impromptu decision to pick up some carry out pizzas for dinner. We had a perfect summer Monday, that’s for sure.
Today, I’m linking up with Tanya for this month’s Prime Purchases.
Here’s what I bought this month:
First up is the mini massage gun for Travis. Travis is a runner, and he always takes the time to stretch and cool down. The massage gun was the perfect birthday gift for him!
I wanted to add in a Vitamin C serum to my routine to help brighten up my skin. I’ve been using this serum once a day, and it’s been a good addition to my skin care routine.
I recently shared that I bought a messenger bag, and I turned to Amazon to find the perfect strap for summer. I thought this black, pink, and rose gold one was fun. There are lots of cute color and pattern options.
As expected, this month’s purchases included some things for back to school as well as a few things for myself 😉 (+ a gift for Trav!)
Tanya’s next link up is September 7th.
Well, my kids are off to get their middle school schedules and meet their teachers today. I don’t know what’s harder to believe…the fact that summer is almost over or that I’m about to have two kids in middle school!
Hello! How was your weekend? Ours was pretty good! The weather finally cooled off and we even had a little rain yesterday. We were busy with baseball games for Hayden, dance workshops for Hadley and did a little back to school shopping as well.
I can’t believe July is already over! I’m sharing my sentence a day recapping the month. We started at the beach and ended the month thinking about getting back to school.
7.1.21
On July 1st, we were still on vacation in Isle of Palms, SC; we had a great vacay!
7.2.21
The 2nd was our last day at the beach; we ate at Hyman’s, in Charleston, for dinner followed by the Magnolia Cemetery ghost tour.
7.3.21
On the 3rd, we spent the day in the car leaving SC behind and heading home to KY.
7.4.21
On the 4th of July, Trav took the kids to the pool, we grilled out for dinner and then watched fireworks at our favorite spot.
7.5.21
Then, we celebrated Trav’s birthday a couple of days early with lunch out followed by a couple of games of bowling.
7.6.21
I had summer school followed by lunch with friends, and then we had Trav’s birthday cake a day early.
7.7.21
The 7th was Trav’s birthday, but he worked and took Hayden to baseball while I took Hadley to the last swim meet of the season.
7.8.21
On the 8th, we hung out at home most of the day, ran a few errands to get Hadley ready for camp, and I had my monthly facial!
7.9.21
On this day, we had more errands at the mall, picked up some library books, and got a car wash.
Can’t go to the mall without going to Auntie Anne’s (Photo by Hadley)
Bonus sentence: I went to dinner with my friend Sarah!
7.10.21
The 10th was a rainy day of baseball, a basketball game, and cousin fun in the evening.
7.11.21
On Sunday, we dropped Hadley off at camp, and my new bracelets arrived.
@soulshine.kc on Instagram
7.12.21
Hayden was excited for golf camp to start.
7.13.21
While Hayden was at golf, I did a little back to school shopping for me and picked out my teacher planner for the upcoming school year at Michaels.
7.14.21
I treated myself to a new purse; I’d been wanting a messenger bag for quite some time.
Travis and I had dinner out while Hayden ate with his teammates after baseball practice.
7.15.21
I had summer school while Hayden had his last day of golf camp followed by school with me for a bit while our new basement floors were installed.
7.16.21
On the 16th, my errands included picking out a basement rug, followed by state tournament baseball for Hayden.
7.17.21
Yay! On the 17th, I picked up Hadley from camp and went to Hayden’s baseball games.
7.18.21
We had baseball games in the morning followed by dinner on the back patio in glorious 75 degree weather.
7.19.21
On Monday the 19th, we spent the whole day at the pool, and then met family for dinner.
7.20.21
I went to school, took Homer to vet for his allergy shot and started reading Malibu Rising.
7.21.21
After summer school, I enjoyed lunch with some friends, and then went back to school shoe shopping for the kids.
7.22.21
On the 22nd, I spent lots of time at home getting things done, and then both kids had an ortho appointment. (After a year, Hayden got his appliance out and his bottom braces.)
7.23.21
This day was my last day of the summer “with nothing,” so we hit up the pool for most of the day, and then I started watching Bethenny Frankel’s Big Shot (and loved it!)
7.24.21
I had typical Saturday errands, went to Trader Joe’s for a few odds and ends and flowers followed by baseball games for Hayden.
7.25.21
While the rest of us were at Hayden’s ball games, Hadley was living her best life at the lake.
7.26.21
Middle school 6th grade orientation started, and I had dinner with my teacher friends from my former school to meet up with one of our friends who has been teaching in Egypt the past two years.
7.27.21
I helped with freshman orientation while the kids were at 6th grade orientation, and we later met Trav’s brother and his kids out for dinner.
7.28.21
The kids hung at the pool with friends while I had a hair appointment (that was very much needed!)
7.29.21
On the 29th, we met up with some neighborhood friends for a water balloon fight; the kids had so much fun.
7.30.21
On Friday, I was home most of the day, the kids went to pool with Trav and their cousins in the afternoon, and Hadley had a dance workshop in the evening while Hayden had a basketball game.
7.31.21
We finished up the month with Hayden having two baseball games, Hadley had a three hour dance workshop, I got a pedicure and then took Hadley back to school clothes shopping.
This tiny shirt didn’t come home with us 🤣
Overall, we had a good month. (A few days warranted more than one sentence 😉 July is a difficult one for me. June is all fun and games, and July brings a sense of urgency to savor the summer moments while starting to think about school.
I hope to be back tomorrow with my Prime Purchases for the month and a special post on Wednesday.
Hello! Can you believe July is almost over? We are in back to school mode around here. The kids have been attending 6th grade (middle school!) orientation all week, and I’ve been helping with 9th grade orientation. Less than two weeks, and we’ll all be back in the classroom.
That being said, I’m definitely in a reading groove this summer, and today I’m sharing the books I read in July.
This month, I read 5 books…and have started one more. My mom sent this to me, and it’s so true:
Of the five books I read in July, a couple were just ok, but one book was my favorite of the summer (and wasn’t even on my Summer Reading list!)
This month I read…
For my Good Reads Reading Challenge, I’m up to 26 of 40 books read this year!
Jessica tells of growing up in 1980s Texas where she was sexually abused by the daughter of a family friend, and of unsuccessfully auditioning for the Mickey Mouse Club at age 13 with Justin Timberlake and Ryan Gosling before going on to sign a record deal with Columbia and marrying 98 Degrees member Nick Lachey.
Along the way, she details the struggles in her life, such as the pressure to support her family as a teenager, divorcing Lachey, enduring what she describes as an emotionally abusive relationship with musician John Mayer, being body-shamed in an overly appearance-centered industry, and going through bouts of heavy drinking. But Simpson ends on a positive note, discussing her billion-dollar apparel line and marriage with professional football star Eric Johnson, with whom she has three children.
Quick Thoughts:
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked up this book at the library. I was actually in the library and saw it on the shelf. I took it with me on vacation, and it was a great beach read. I really enjoyed the book. Of course, I love reading and getting details on the lives of others, and it was interesting to read about Jessica’s childhood, her relationship with Nick Lachey, and her career.
Honestly, I’d forgotten how successful her Jessica Simpson line is, and she hadn’t started it yet when going through her divorce with Nick. I loved her mic drop moment when she told her dad she was tired of the back and forth about money during the divorce with Nick and to just pay him whatever he was asking. (When they married, he was the more successful one, but her career had picked up and was more successful at the time). She told her dad, “I will make the money back…and I did by billions.” Boom.
Anyway, I really did enjoy the book, and Jessica was so forthcoming with many details and she really has accomplished so much!
Rating:
Four…maybe five stars…depending on if she’s a person of interest to you.
#A beautiful and distinguished family. A private island. A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy. A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive. A revolution. An accident. A secret. Lies upon lies. True love. The truth.
We Were Liarsis a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from New York Times bestselling author, National Book Award finalist, and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart.
Read it.
And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.
Quick Thoughts:
I didn’t know this was a young adult book when I picked it up. The chapters were short making it an easy read for young adults. I didn’t really enjoy the first half but then I did get into the story line for the second half of the book. That being said, the overall story was pretty heavy especially once I realized what happened. I really enjoyed the “bonus” content. The author shares notes from her, notes from the characters, her writing process, her book proposal, why she called it “the liars” and more. I always love insight from an author!
Rating:
Apparently it was a Good Reads Choice 2014 Winner.
3 🌟 for the first half, 4🌟 second half and how the story wrapped up, 5🌟 for the bonus content 😂
They are the families considered worthy of a listing in the exclusive Green Book—a discriminative diary created by the niece of Edith Roosevelt’s social secretary. Their aristocratic bloodlines are woven into the very fabric of Washington—generation after generation. Their old money and manner lurk through the cobblestone streets of Georgetown, Kalorama, and Capitol Hill. They only socialize within their inner circle, turning a blind eye to those who come and go on the political merry-go-round. These parents and their children live in gilded existences of power and privilege.
But what they have failed to understand is that the world is changing. And when the family of one of their own is held hostage and brutally murdered, everything about their legacy is called into question in this unputdownable novel that “combines social satire with moral outrage to offer a masterfully crafted, absorbing read that can simply entertain on one level and provoke reasoned discourse on another” (Booklist, starred review).
Quick Thoughts:
I’m not sure how I feel about this one. Similarly to We Were Liars, it took me some time to get into the plot, but the ending came together nicely. I did like the little excerpts of historical context sprinkled between chapters. The book shines light on politics, the upper class, and high society life. I’m glad I finished the book, but it’s not one that I feel like will stick with me.
Lily Bishop wakes up one morning to find a good-bye note and divorce papers from her husband on the kitchen counter. Having moved to Alabama for his job only weeks before, Lily is devastated, but a flyer at the grocery store for a hair stylist position in a local retirement community provides a refuge while she contemplates her next steps.
Rose Carrigan built the small retirement village of Safe Harbor years ago—just before her husband ran off with his assistant. Now she runs a tight ship, making sure the residents follow her strict rules. Rose keeps everyone at arm’s length, including her own family. But when Lily shows up asking for a job and a place to live, Rose’s cold exterior begins to thaw.
Lily and Rose form an unlikely friendship, and Lily’s salon soon becomes the place where residents share town gossip, as well as a few secrets. Lily soon finds herself drawn to Rose’s nephew, Rawlins—a single dad and shrimper who’s had some practice at starting over—and one of the residents may be carrying a torch for Rose as well.
Neither Lily nor Rose is where she expected to be, but the summer makes them both wonder if there’s more to life and love than what they’ve experienced so far.
Quick Thoughts:
The Summer House was a cute summer read. It reminded me of Virgin River with the small town setting, Lily coming to the small town for a fresh start. Lily’s love interest Rawlins, had a very Mel and Jack vibe of Virgin River. I loved the Village Vine newsletter updates sprinkled throughout the book.
Malibu: August, 1983. It’s the day of Nina Riva’s annual end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be around the famous Rivas: Nina, the talented surfer and supermodel; brothers Jay and Hud, one a championship surfer, the other a renowned photographer; and their adored baby sister, Kit. Together, the siblings are a source of fascination in Malibu and the world over—especially as the offspring of the legendary singer, Mick Riva.
The only person not looking forward to the party of the year is Nina herself, who never wanted to be the center of attention, and who has also just been very publicly abandoned by her pro tennis player husband. Oh, and maybe Hud—because it is long past time to confess something to the brother from whom he’s been inseparable since birth.
Jay, on the other hand, is counting the minutes until nightfall, when the girl he can’t stop thinking about promised she’ll be there.
And Kit has a couple secrets of her own—including a guest she invited without consulting anyone.
By midnight the party will be completely out of control. By morning, the Riva mansion will have gone up in flames. But before that first spark in the early hours before dawn, the alcohol will flow, the music will play, and the loves and secrets that shaped this family’s generations will all come bubbling to the surface.
Malibu Risingis a story about one unforgettable night in the life of a family: the night they each have to choose what they will keep from the people who made them… and what they will leave behind.
Quick Thoughts:
Malibu Rising is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. It’s definitely the best book I’ve read this summer (and it wasn’t even on my summer reading list!) This book caught my attention from the first page and held my interest until the very last page. The plot seamlessly moved between the past and the present which provided so much insight into each character and made this book an easy page turner. I love the relationship between the siblings. You could feel Nina’s sense of responsibility and sigh of relief when she was able to provide for her siblings and that they “made it.”
One of my favorite quotes (in part) from the book: “It hurt to leave…but most good things come with a pinch or an ache.” This rang true in a variety of ways throughout the book. Malibu Rising is definitely a book I will always remember.
Rating:
Hands down, 5 stars. This is definitely the best book I’ve read all summer…maybe all year.
Summer Reading Update:
These are the books on my summer reading list:
Here’s to Us:read!
Big Summer: started but couldn’t really get into it.
The Summer House:read!
Girls of Summer:read!
That Summer: just picked up from the library!
Golden Girl: on the library wait list
I’m definitely going to miss having as much time to read once I get back to school. I still have a couple more weeks of summer, so I’m trying to get my reading time in while I can.
I just started Pack Up the Moon by Kristan Higgins. I’d been on the library wait list, so I’m reading it now since it’s my turn!
Hello! Long time, no talk! How’s it going? My blogging break has been much needed, but I sure have missed posting!
Today, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for Friday Favorites.
Here’s what we’ve been up to the past couple of weeks along with some of our favorites.
These bracelets are one of my favorite things to wear lately.
My friend, Amy, sent these to me. She hand makes these custom bracelets. She has so many cute and fun options. Check her out on Instagram (@soulshine.kc)! I know you’ll love anything she makes!
Hadley went to sleep away camp and had the best time! She was so sad last summer when camp was canceled, so she was so excited to go back this year! We were one of the first in line for drop off, and she had a great time with friends, old and new. Camp was definitely a favorite for Hadley this summer.
I loved seeing the photos on Facebook. I missed her, so it was nice to get daily updates and see her smiling face!
Hadley at camp was one of Hayden’s favorite parts of summer (haha!). He also went to golf camp for the first time, and he loved it!
One things that wasn’t a favorite…poison oak! It’s never good when your kid wakes you up at 3 am to tell you he’s itching all over! We aren’t sure where he picked it up, but it sure did spread quickly. Thankfully, we got into the doctor the next day and the steroid meds helped immensely.
We’ve also continued to have lots of baseball this summer. It’s always a favorite watching Hayden and his team play. They have lots of fun together.
Another favorite…we FINALLY got our new basement floors. I shared that our master bath shower leaked down to the basement bathroom and living space in early May, so the floors had to be ripped up. What we had put down when we updated the basement a few years ago was no longer being made, so we found something pretty similar and are really pleased.
The original floors after Travis ripped up the damaged flooring vs the new finished product:
Then, I found this pretty rug at Home Goods to replace our previous area rug. It’s super soft and I love the gray tones.
Another favorite is my new messenger bag. I’ve been wanting one for quite some time. I stopped in a favorite boutique that I hadn’t been to since before the pandemic, and saw this gold toned bag. It was my summer gift to myself for teaching summer school 😉 They had some fun straps and I liked the one it came with, but I got this one (in pic below) from Amazon!
Another favorite is dinner al fresco! The kids were having too much fun playing with friends, so Travis and I ended up having dinner on our back patio by ourselves on Sunday night. Steak and asparagus by Travis…and microwave Bob Evans mashed potatoes by me!
Once July hits, I start thinking about school. I always feel better after I get my room unpacked (which will maybe happen next week?…they are still cleaning my area of the school), buy my desk calendar and lesson plan book.
I decided to try the Happy Planner teacher planner. If you know any teacher, you know we are picky about our planners. I’ve used a variety through the years, and I just thought I’d give this one a try. I was close to ordering one online and then realized Michael’s has some and they were 30 (or 40?)% off…+ my teacher’s discount at Michael’s! I love a good deal.
We are soaking up these last days of summer. We’ve had a couple pool days this week after a three week hiatus. June is our big pool month, then we had vacay, camps, and lots of rainy days that took the pool off our fun list for a bit. The kids have had lots of fun with their friends this summer at the pool. It’s definitely a favorite part of our summer.
Favorite Mom Meme:
Me…all summer long trying to keep up with my kids…vs. my parents in the 80’s (Although, the Major was pretty strict about knowing our whereabouts!)
BonusFave: Flashback Friday
One of my favorite vacation photos popped up in my Facebook memories recently. Siesta Key in 2017…sunset and the kids playing in the ocean.
I still hope to post intermittently over the next few weeks while continuing a little break.
I will share my Sentence a Day for July and what I’ve been reading this month as well once we get to the end of July.
I hope everyone has been enjoying their summer! See you back here soon.
Just a quick note that I’m taking a brief blogging break (Say that three times fast!) during the rest of July.
Once July hits, I feel this way as a teacher:
…and honestly, I kind of feel that way as a parent, wife, friend, and more! It’s just a very busy summer and a very busy season of life, and I’d like to enjoy the last weeks of summer, soaking in the time with the kids while prepping for the upcoming school year.
I’m taking the rest of the week off, and hope to join a link up or two in the upcoming weeks before sharing:
showmeandsweettea.com 