Book Review: August & September

Posted on by JC Rizk

Happy reading months: August and September were full of terrific books, including some four 4-star reads! With my mama vacation during September, I was able to sit and read during my meals, including this ‘grown up’ mac and cheese, pictured below, with avocado, arugula, asparagus, smoked salmon and beets, pictured with an equally delectable book — yum! Here are the books I am reviewing from these past two months:

  • Normal People by Sally Rooney {3 stars}
  • Something Missing by Matthew Dicks {2 stars}
  • Girls Like Us by Cristina Alger {4 stars}
  • My Cousin Rachel by Daphne DuMaurier {3 stars}
  • The Shortest Way Home by Miriam Parker {4 stars}
  • Still Life by Louise Penny {4 stars}
  • The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict {4 stars}
  • Educated by Tara Westover {4 stars}

Let’s start with the lower star books to save the best for last — Something Missing was a neat concept of a man who is a career thief and most of the book follows how he scopes out his “clients” and believes he has relationships with these individuals as he steals from them regularly. I rated this as a 2-star book because although the concept was interesting, I found it relatively mundane to read until the very end, where the climax and resolution happened very quickly and left me unimpressed. I will chalk it up to not being the right book for me!

Normal People was an interesting path along the relationship of two young people and their families, but I have to say that it made me sad. Not a bad thing, because I think that was the author’s intention — to show how some familial relationships and experiences can shape our actions. In books like this, I become frustrated as I want the characters to work on their issues, rather than accepting that this is the way they are, but that frustrates me in everyday life as well, so again, pretty sure it was the intention. Sally Rooney portrayed this well, but I wasn’t in the mood for it — will definitely try another book by her in the future!

My Cousin Rachel was lovely, because Daphne DuMaurier is brilliant and left me impressed and yet uncertain of everything at the end of this novel. I wasn’t as enraptured as I was when reading Rebecca in the past, so I found I couldn’t give more stars, even though it was an entertaining novel.

Moving on to some of the 4-star book reviews! I am so grateful to have so many these past couple months. I enjoyed The Only Woman in the Room, as I found this historical fiction captivating. The history behind it, I was completely unaware of, which I think is what I really enjoy about historical fiction. On a different spectrum, the fiction The Shortest Way Home was a sweet, fast read, and a refreshing story about a young woman finding her own way despite societal expectations. Educated was horrifying memoir that made me want to stop reading continually, but the author’s determination and perseverance in her life encouraged me to continue reading, and wow, what a journey. Reading about her life is definitely hard at times, but it’s also awe-inspiring to hear how she overcame her experiences. Sidenote: this was an audio book, and I really enjoyed the voice over; she did an amazing job!

Now to discuss my favorites for the past two months; both by new authors for me and obviously authors that I plan to read more of soon! Girls Like Us was an interesting mystery about an FBI agent who delves into the life of her father, as well as his unexpected death. Still Life by Louise Penny was amazing and I especially love the main character, Inspector Armand Gamache; I read a lot of mysteries and love series that keep me guessing, but I’ve never come across an inspector quite like Gamache. He is thoughtful, full of perspective and understanding, and just a really refreshing take on this type of role. I cannot wait to read more Louise Penny books! I already have one on hold for me at the local library — I can’t wait!

Exciting news is that with these last books, I met my Goodreads reading challenge: I wanted to read 25 books this year and I already have, with three months to spare! Interested to see how many more amazing reads I can find before 2020 and I plan to keep you in the loop, so stay tuned!

A month later…

Posted on by JC Rizk

Well, clearly still working on that balance component, but not apologizing, because that’s life! Today, while listening to the radio — which I do every morning — the DJs were discussing new year resolutions and asking how people were doing with theirs, since it’s about halfway through the year. This year, I didn’t make an actual resolution list, but every year my list is pretty consistent, generally relating to finding a better balance and feeling healthier: cook/eat healthier food, exercise more frequently, practice yoga, practice meditation, read more often, and recently, to be more present with the babes.

When 2019 started, I was practicing yoga in Utah {which was amazing}, meditating regularly, was cooking more regularly/healthier meals, and was definitely focused on Bird and Lulu. I definitely hit some patches since then where I wasn’t as steadfast with meeting these goals, but I am in the process of revamping my intentions for the remainder of the year. Last post, I just started a new morning routine, which helped me feel more focused and calm at the start of the day — critical for me. Last week was more of a struggle since I was on vacation, visiting my family in New England, which was amazing, but I paused on my morning routine. Plus, I ate like I was a teenager — overeating, snacking on potato chips and waaaaay too much chocolate — my body is currently punishing me by producing a major zit; I guess if I am going to act like a teenager, I get to look like one too. Haha — just being real over here!

Picture on the right: Senior Chief Petty Officer Shannon Kent

However, the weeks before vacation, I continued the morning routine and also ran a 10k — in memory of my friend who was killed back in January. What an honor it was to run and the medal has her name on it; never have I felt more proud to receive a race medal. It currently hangs front and center on my display. She was a badass, thoughtful, and hilarious mama, neighbor, and friend — always pushing her limits and motivating others to do the same. Before I became pregnant with Lulu, we talked about completing a sprint triathlon {I may have mentioned the sprint option because I’m sure she would have completed a full triathlon without fail}; my goal is to get in shape to complete one in her honor by the end of 2020.

This morning I woke up early and finished a short one mile jog in the neighborhood to get myself back on track. I was greeted with this beautiful sunrise and an almost full moon {was two days ago} peeking out from behind the clouds. I was still lethargic when I arrived back at the house, but I didn’t meditate or practice yoga, which I desperately needed. Tomorrow is a new day and I will do better!

As for my other yearly intentions, I’ve certainly kept up reading, feel better about the focus I have when with the babies, and go through spurts with cooking healthier for the family. I am getting back on track with the latter and am seriously considering starting the Whole 30 again. Hubby and I did it several years ago and absolutely loved it! Tonight, I cooked up a beautiful salmon salad inspired by a Pinterest post: shout out to Cafe Delights‘ blog and marinade!

I really enjoyed that the marinade for the salmon was the dressing as well {you split it in half for the two purposes, you don’t use the marinade as the dressing} because it made my life simpler! Such a quick and easy meal and so healthy. For future posts, you can look forward to my book reviews from May, June, and July next week, then a post about our home organization in the next two weeks! It feels like it’s been forever, but we are so close now!

Stay tuned and let me know: how are you doing on your resolutions and/or intentions for 2019?!

Travel: Red Rocks

Posted on by JC Rizk

Colorado. Our visit there was short, but it was beautiful and absolutely peaceful. I realized this was my first major trip since Lulu was born last year and my first flight away from both him and Bird. As a mama, this was a bit nerve-racking, but I was able to be present in my journey with the hubby and our friends and enjoy the experience.

To travel is to live.

– Hans Christian Anderson

Let me start off by saying that I was able to finish an entire book on the flight to Denver, which was quite the accomplishment. That level of self-care really gave a terrific start to the weekend. Hubby and I landed in Denver on a Thursday evening and went for dinner at the Brutal Poodle, which is a ‘hard rock inspired tavern that pays homage to man’s best friend’. The food and drinks at this bar were unbelievable and we taste-tested appetizers, split two entrees, and sampled the cocktails, plus dessert. The dessert we had was Eskimo Bros Nitro Ice Cream — the bananas foster flavor — and it was the most amazing ice cream eaten to date! Hubby and I researched and it’s only available in Denver currently, so if you’re ever in the area, look them up to try it, too!

Red Rocks Amphitheater (from a distance)

The rest of our friends arrived late night, so we had a lackadaisical morning on Friday. We stayed at this amazing VRBO cabin in Morrison, Colorado, which was located on a ranch, only about twenty minutes from Red Rocks Amphitheater. Around mid morning, we all geared up and went for a small hike at Mount Falcon, which we quickly realized was adjacent to Red Rocks itself! This is a view from our trail; we hiked part of the Mount Falcon Castle Trail Loop and enjoyed the fresh air, the beautiful wilderness and the exercise!

That night, we enjoyed a gorgeous meal at the Buckhorn Exchange, which is the oldest restaurant in Denver, established in 1893! This is a steak house, with plenty to look at {taxidermy}, gads of history, and a plethora of exotic meats. Come hungry, because the portion sizes definitely do not disappoint! I enjoyed the quail, and no one left hungry; this was a neat place to come for the experience and the food.

Ms. Pickles (left) and Tito (right)

The next morning, we slept in — that’s right, folks, I slept in until 8:30 am and it was glorious! We lounged about the cabin, dipped into the hot tub, sat in front of the fire, and Hubby and I took a walk around the VRBO property. The binder the owners left advised that there were horses on the ranch and you could meet them up close and personal; these sweet horses, Ms. Pickles and Tito, were kind to let us bother their grazing.

Hubby, our friends, and me at Red Rocks Amphitheater

Before we knew it, we were off to the big event: a concert at Red Rocks! We enjoyed all the music, although Hubby was especially excited to see Stick Figure and Pepper. Stick Figure was the headliner, and I especially love that they bring their dog, Cocoa with them and she joins the band on stage! She’s an Australian Shepherd, and beautiful; she reminded me of our Aussie, Kayah, because she kept laying down with her toy directly behind the lead singer, and he would nudge into her when he backed up from the mic. Kayah loves to do that as well and often trips us as she keeps tabs on the family. The venue itself was stunning; it is neat to see from the outside, but when you’re within the massive rocks, it feels like you’re in your own fortress. Well, you, and about 9,000 of your closest friends. The concert went into the early morning, where we crashed for several hours before heading back to the airport.

Although our stay was brief, the scenery, food, and activities were exciting, and delicious; definitely a place to check out further in the future! Also, my friend was right — this short trip with just Hubby and I was a nice reprieve, although I am grateful to be back home with the babies now. Feeling lucky and appreciative for the travel opportunities, as well as the amazing family and friends who support us and watch our babies {thank you, Abuela}!

See you next week for a book review post!

Here, in the now

Posted on by JC Rizk

“The distance is nothing when one has a motive.”

Jane Austen – Pride and Prejudice

Last week, I watched the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice {the only acceptable one to watch} as I was organizing. True, character Elizabeth Bennet is talking about actual distance in the quote above, but for me, I was energized by the thought of an organized house and I have exciting news! We finished organizing our clothes, kids’ toys, and books! Books are always emotional for me, but I am improving; I tend to borrow from the library and friends now, so I try to only purchase books that are my absolute favorites that I will reread.

Book for May, last book read, and current book!

Watching Pride and Prejudice this week inspired me in more ways than one; next month — my birth month — I am going to reread this classic! I still have my copy from when I was in high school. I fell in love with the story and with Jane Austen then: what humor and modern thinking for a woman in that time period. I also still have notes written in the margin I wrote back at the age of fifteen! I cannot wait to see what I wrote then and if any of my thoughts changed over the years. Happy birthday to me!

I meant to post this last week, but as you can see, I am back in the clutter of our home and life gets really distracting because there are what seem like a thousand items on my “to-do” list regarding organizing and simplifying our home. I am so excited to get my list done: once this happens, I will be able to relax and make more time for what I enjoy. Now, you may be thinking, ‘once you finish these projects, there will be more‘ and you are correct. However, if we can really live more simply, there will be less chaos in the house, and I will be able to focus, at that point, on just important daily events: time with family and friends, time to write, and time for self-care {reading, personal writing, trying new recipes for the family, exercise, meditation, etc.}.

This past weekend, I took a break from organizing since Hubby and I were in Colorado for several days {first trip away from the babies since Lulu was born!} to hike and see a concert at Red Rocks {absolutely amazing — more on this trip next post}. Now that we returned, I am continuing by posting more extraneous items for sale and rearranging our family room. It is amazingly fun to see my vision for the house come to life.

Hubby and I decided to do a week of salad dinners, since our weekend away was filled with fun, generous, and very filling eats. The salad pictured here is inspired by @nocrumbsleft and was absolutely delectable! Also, extremely easy, which I appreciate, since I put this together after we the kids went to bed. Continuously grateful for simple, healthy, and delicious meals.

Speaking of self care… in addition to trying something new for dinner this week, I finished The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman on the plane ride out to Colorado — can you say remarkable?! Loved it and will definitely review it in my book post at the end of the month. Cannot wait to talk about it! I just started The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley last night, but am already pretty enthralled with the characters, and only a handful of chapters into it so far. Will keep you up-to-date and maybe will even have time to finish before the month is over — is that too optimistic? We shall see!

What about you? What motivates you right now? I would love to hear from you!

A little bit of this and that…

Posted on by JC Rizk

As promised, I am back to writing posts on a regular basis! I am feeling a bit scattered at the moment and I think this post reflects that, but I am all about being honest with my current status in real life, so here goes!

Flowers from a neighbor, iced mocha, and a quiet nap time to read outside — perfection!

I am excited to say that I finally finished The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel. I am sad to say this took me about two months for a book that is less than two hundred pages, but I struggled to focus on the material, because it seemed overwhelming at times. Over this past weekend, we began to see the start of amazing spring weather and I am glad I was able to take some time and literally smell the flowers. I sat outside on our bench during the kids’ nap time and knocked out a good portion of the book as well as soaking in the fresh air and sunshine. Currently, I am struggling to stay focused when I am indoors because our organization is in full swing and the chaos makes me feel chaotic. Does anyone else ever feel like that?

Our bedroom is full of clothes we are sorting, as well as baby items to sell — utter chaos! When watching the Netflix special Tidying Up with Marie Kondo everyone had their clothes organized within a week – a week?! Confused about how that gets done so quickly, but grateful that we are able to take our time. I am trying to get one area done at a time, as suggested in the reading and Netflix special, but I am waiting for Hubby to finish sorting his clothes, so I can fold everything and figure out where it all belongs. Until then, I am trying to make some time for self care, since I slipped up with that big time since we came back home. Too many projects for me to think about; a lot of things I can start, but not quite finish — chaos continues!

As mentioned back when we were in Utah, one goal for this year is to really push myself to make time for the things I enjoy and that help me relax: reading, yoga, running, cooking, writing, etc. So far that usually entails mama and baby play dates with the neighbors and their kids, which I absolutely love and it’s been divine to come back to my mama tribe! Now to make some individual time for the things I enjoy. I started this past week with doing some minimal meal planning, including the frittata pictured above. This is actually a Whole 30 recipe, which we are not doing at the moment, but I like to mix the recipes into our every day meal planning, because they are delicious. This one is extremely simple, too, which I always love!

Remember how I said it’s been a bit chaotic around here? Well, Bird’s birthday was about three weeks ago and I only just made her cupcakes this week! Even typing that makes me laugh — at least she is only two and does not know that this treat arrived late — she was just grateful for a cupcake. I love this recipe that I grabbed off Pinterest; Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes with Lemon Cream cheese icing. YUM! We made these last year for Bird’s birthday too and since then they became my favorite cupcake to make and devour. Thank you to Baker by Nature for this recipe!

Lots more to talk about, which means many more posts coming your way — next one should be about our skiing in Utah. I will do a book review post at the end of the month — good news! I’m starting a new fiction book today, so I should be able to read through that much quicker than my last and will hopefully have more than three books to write about for the past two months! I also just started ordering some clothes from StitchFix {since my wardrobe is pretty much non-existent after the Marie Kondo organization}. Working on finding clothes that I absolutely love and that bring me joy, so I will be posting about this experience soon too!

Until then, let me know, what would you like to hear about? Family? Organization? Books? Travel? Food? Something else? Would love your input!

Simplicity

Posted on by JC Rizk
simple breakfast

Life truly is all about the simple things. This weekend marked a brilliant snow storm, which closed down the local area. Therefore, there was little to do but enjoy Mother Nature’s attempt to slow us down and appreciate life! I started off my Saturday with one of my favorite breakfast meals, consisting of really simple ingredients:

  • Bread (or in this case, English Muffin)
  • Avocado
  • Medium-boiled egg
  • Olive oil
  • Lemon juice
  • Chia seeds

This meal is filling and utterly delicious, plus it includes protein, fiber, fatty-acids with all these ingredients! The eggs are also from one of our local favorites, Enticement Farms, and I love how fresh local eggs taste!

Do you remember, when you are young, how you dream about a time where you are older and surrounded by great friends? Well, that is our reality! We have amazing neighbors who are kind, thoughtful, generous, and hilarious. How amazing to have neighbors who are also friends. We celebrated the snow day, and the fact that we did not have to go anywhere, by spending the afternoon together. First, we went to lunch at our local bar, which we can walk to, followed by sledding and snowboarding down a neighbor’s long driveway. This is why I say that age is just a number! You are as young as you live!

My final thought of this blog is, no matter where you live, or how young you are, take a minute to sit back and enjoy the simple pleasures that nature provides daily. I know I will!