Review: Bible Origami

What I've Been Reading - December 2016

Welcome to What I've Been Reading, where I share my (quick and personal) thoughts on what I've been reading this past month. For specifics (plot summary, etc.) about each book, click on the provided links.

The Sheriffs of Savage Wells (A Proper Romance)by Sarah M. Eden (3 stars)

2017 Reading Goals (a.k.a. 2017 MMD Reading Challenge)

Up until this past year, I had never set reading goals. I'd like to say 2016's goal was set with a lot of thought, but it wasn't. I was browsing on goodreads.com one day early in January and was prompted by the site to set a reading goal for the year. I figured, why not? I began by checking how many books I had read in 2015 and then set my goal for one more in 2016. My goal was 61 books! Well, I surpassed my goal. I read 73 books in 2016! I am not sure how I read so many books. (Well, actually, that is a lie. I know how I fit so much reading into my life. If there is interest in how I do so, I may write a post about it in the future.) Anyway, after such a successful reading year, I thought I would set reading goals again this year, but this year I knew I wanted to put more thought into my goals. I thought I would try something a little different than simply aiming for a specific number of books to read. Aiming for a specific number wasn't really motivating for me. In fact, not once this past year did I think about my specific number. I simply read books and then recorded them on goodreads.com. So, what are my goals for this year?

Favorite Books of 2016

I am excited to share my favorite books of 2016 with you. These are the books I loved. These are the books I couldn't put down. These are the books I am still thinking about today. Let's get to them, in no particular order. (I should note, these are my favorite books I read this year. They were not necessarily published this year.)

Rebeccaby Daphne du Maurier 

A Stitch Fix Review - December 2016 - Fix #14

It's that time again! Time to take a peek at my latest arrival from Stitch Fix.

What I've Been Reading - November 2016

Welcome to What I've Been Reading, where I share my (quick and personal) thoughts on what I've been reading this past month. For specifics (plot summary, etc.) about each book, click on the provided links.

Self-Motivated Kids: Creating an Environment Where Children Listen and Cooperate by Damara Simmons (5 stars)

Review: Growing Up with Conference: Practical Ways to Make General Conference Fun Year-round

Review: Self-Motivated Kids: Creating an Environment Where Children Listen and Cooperate

A Stitch Fix Review - November 2016 - Fix #13

First of all, welcome to my new blog! I'm so glad you are here! I have big things in store for this new little blog of mine. (Among many other things, an amazing graphic designer, a.k.a, my sister, is working on a new design for it right now.) I can't wait for you to see it all. In the meantime, stay awhile and enjoy!

My Family's Favorite Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients
2 cups butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
1 large can pureed pumpkin
2 eggs
4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 pkg chocolate chips
1 can cream cheese frosting
1/4 cup brown sugar

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and white sugar until light and fluffy. Add pureed pumpkin and eggs and beat until smooth.
3. In a separate large bowl, combine all purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and baking soda.
4. Add combined dry ingredients to wet ingredients until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Drip dough by spoonfuls onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
6. Bake for 16 minutes or until set. Cool for 1 minute on baking sheet and then move to a cooling rack.
7. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese frosting and brown sugar. Spread over cooled cookies.

Notes
*Recipe can easily be cut in half. Substitute a small can of pureed pumpkin.
*Unfrosted cookies freeze well.

What I've Been Reading - October 2016

Welcome to What I've Been Reading, where I share my (quick and personal) thoughts on what I've been reading this past month. For specifics (plot summary, etc.) about each book, click on the provided links.

A Great Reckoning (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache #12) by Louise Penny (4 stars)

A Great Reckoning is the most recent installment in Louise Penny's Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series, (a wonderfully and thoughtfully written literary murder mystery series, that is so much more about the characters and their human hearts and minds, than it is about the murders,) being just released on August 30. Having preordered it, it was delivered to my front door on August 30, yet I found myself not picking it up right away. I wasn't ready to be done with the series! (That is, until the next installment is released!) Finally, this month, I couldn't hold out any longer. It didn't disappoint and I found myself in tears by the end of this book. I have fallen in love with Armand Gamache and the many quirky characters in this series and hope (can't wait!) to return to Three Pines very, very soon. P.S. Read the Afterword! (*Brief language)

A Stitch Fix Review - October 2016 - Fix #12

I hope you all are doing well this fantastic, Fall season. Do you love Fall as much as I do? I sure love Fall! It is by far my favorite season. I love the changing colors of the landscape. I love the cooler weather. I love the shorter days. I love the sense of routine returning after a relaxing summer. I love the food. Most of all, though, I love the clothes. Fall is definitely my favorite season when it comes to fashion. That is probably why I got so excited opening my latest Fix, Fix #12! Not because my recent Fixes haven't been great, because they have been, but because I love Fall fashion! I was just so excited to see what Fall clothes I was lucky enough to try on and, hopefully, add to my wardrobe, which I must say has grown leaps and bounds for the better since joining Stitch Fix! Have you joined yet? I highly recommend it!

What I've Been Reading - September 2016

Welcome to What I've Been Reading, where I share my (quick and personal) thoughts on what I've been reading this past month. For specifics (plot summary, etc.) about each book, click on the provided links.

Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories by R.J. Palacio (3 stars)

If you read and enjoyed Wonder, you will enjoy Auggie & Me, which shares the perspectives of three Wonder characters not shared before. I most enjoyed reading Julian's perspective. If you haven't yet read Wonder, do!

A Stitch Fix Review - September 2016 - Fix #11

Fix #11 is here and it is a good one! I enjoyed this Fix a lot. I think you will too!

What I've Been Reading - August 2016

Welcome to What I've Been Reading, where I share my (quick and personal) thoughts on what I've been reading this past month. For specifics (plot summary, etc.) about each book, click on the provided links.

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty (4 stars)

What an emotional roller coaster! This book is about a woman who wakes up, after a nasty fall, with no memory of the past ten years. Her life is nothing like she imagined it would be. I really enjoyed this book, my first by Moriarty. It was thought provoking and one I would definitely recommend. (*Brief language)

A Stitch Fix Review - August 2016 - Fix #10

Fix #10 is here! How is that possible?! I feel as though I just signed up with Stitch Fix, yet here I am, reviewing my 10th Fix. It's been a fun ride these past ten months. I've had some misses in those ten months, but more than not I've had hits, and those hits have ended up being some of my favorite pieces of clothing. I can't wait to show you what I received in this Fix!

What I've Been Reading - July 2016

Welcome to What I've Been Reading, where I share my (quick and personal) thoughts on what I've been reading this past month. For specifics (plot summary, etc.) about each book, click on the provided links.

The Walk (The Walk #1) by Richard Paul Evans (3 stars)

I read a couple other books by Evans quite a few years ago and had decided then that he wasn't the author for me. I thought I would give him another chance and try one of his books again. Well, my opinion hasn't changed. He simply isn't for me. The Walk is the fictional story of a man who walks from Washington state to Florida, after losing his wife. I don't think I will be reading book #2.

A Stitch Fix Review - July 2016 - Fix #9

It's July 1st, which means it's time for another Stitch Fix review! Are you excited? I am! Sadly, this review will be a little lacking when compared to my other reviews. My July Fix came at a time when the very last thing I wanted to do was get dolled up and try on clothes for my camera. Hello terrible summer cold. So, there are no pictures this time besides of the clothes themselves. I'm so sorry, but I promise to do better next time around, as long as I don't come down with another summer cold!

What I've Been Reading - June 2016

Welcome to What I've Been Reading, where I share my (quick and personal) thoughts on what I've been reading this past month. For specifics (plot summary, etc.) about each book, click on the provided links.

Bury Your Dead (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache #6) by Louise Penny (4 stars)

This is probably my favorite book of this literary mystery series so far. The structure of this book is a little different from its predecessors, giving it just what it needed to keep the series fresh. Inspector Gamache is beginning to earn a place in my literary heart. (*Some language)

A Stitch Fix Review - June 2016 - Fix #8

I am still in love with Stitch Fix. My experience with Stitch Fix hasn't been perfect, but I still love them. (Stitch Fix - Can you please read my mind and send me five perfect pieces every month? Haha!) Truly, I do love them! They have made shopping for clothes so much fun!

What I've Been Reading - May 2016

Welcome to What I've Been Reading, where I share my (quick and personal) thoughts on what I've been reading this past month. For specifics (plot summary, etc.) about each book, click on the provided links.

The Cruelest Month (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache #3) by Louise Penny (3 stars)

I was really looking forward to this book after enjoying the second book in this series so much, but this book didn't quite live up to its predecessor for me, much like the first book in this series. The story line just didn't quite capture my attention, making the book easy to put down and not so easy to pick back up again. The language also got on my nerves in this book. It isn't full of language, just like the other two books, thankfully, but the language that is in it bothered me. Hoping the plot is better in the fourth book and the language is a little less salty. I still recommend these if you like more literary-minded mysteries.  (*Some language)

A Stitch Fix Review - May 2016 - Fix #7

I'm excited to share Fix #7 with you today. It's a fun one! If you were here last month, you may remember that I wasn't too happy with my last Fix. To be honest, I wasn't too happy with my last three Fixes. After signing up with Stitch Fix and receiving three amazing Fixes, to get three misses was disappointing. Well, I emailed customer service and their response was impressive. They apologized for the misses, offered to waive my next styling fee and asked a lot of detailed questions about my personal style in hopes of getting my Fixes back on track. I was so grateful. I really do love Stitch Fix and want to continue doing business with them, but I can't afford to do so if I keep sending back everything they send, losing my styling fee every month. I took them up on their offer, answered all of their detailed questions and scheduled my next Fix, Fix #7. I am so glad I did. Fix #7 is good!

What I've Been Reading - April 2016

Welcome to What I've Been Reading, where I share my (quick and personal) thoughts on what I've been reading this past month. For specifics (plot summary, etc.) about each book, click on the provided links.

All Roads Lead to Austen: A Yearlong Journey with Jane by Amy Elizabeth Smith (3 stars)

I liked this book. I really did. It just was a little too slow-paced for me. And the author rambled a bit too much for my liking, her thoughts not always feeling too well-organized. I did love the idea behind the book though. And I gained some fun facts from it. Though the few stars, I definitely think it is worth reading if you are an Austen fan. Or even if you are just a fan of books! It's definitely a book-lovers book.

A Stitch Fix Review - April 2016 - Fix #6

Fix #6 came over the weekend! It's funny. Six Fixes in and my heart still races when this box shows up on my front porch. And it continues to race until I open it up. What is it about this box?

What I've Been Reading - March 2016

Welcome to What I've Been Reading, where I share my (quick and personal) thoughts on what I've been reading this past month. For specifics (plot summary, etc.) about each book, click on the provided links.

The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown (5 stars)

I devoured this biography. It is filled with so much heart. I couldn't help but root for "the boys in the boat", especially Joe Rantz, whom is at the center of this book and truly gives the book its heart. I learned a lot while reading, as well, from rowing to Washington State history to the 1936 Olympics. This is not a book I would have picked up on my own. It was recommended to me, but I am so glad it was. It was definitely worth my time. I think it is worth your time as well. It won't disappoint.

A Stitch Fix Review - March 2016 - Fix #5

Fix # 5 is here and it is a good one! Compared to Fix #4, this Fix felt so much more like me. I'm so grateful. I'd be lying if I didn't say I was a little nervous for Fix #5 after Fix #4.

Well, I'm ready to jump right in! How about you?!

What I've Been Reading - February 2016

Welcome to What I've Been Reading, where I share my (quick and personal) thoughts on what I've been reading this past month. For specifics (plot summary, etc.) about each book, click on the provided links.

Simply Anna by Jennifer Moore (4 stars)

I enjoyed this story more than I thought I would. I am always a sucker for a good Regency romance, but this was set in Jamaica, rather than England, and included renegades and pirates, making it quite a bit different than the typical Regency romance I dearly love. Who knew the addition of ruthless renegades and swashbuckling pirates would be up my alley, but it was! If you are looking for a quick, simple, clean, fun read, this is for you! (Side-note - This comes third in one of Jennifer Moores series, preceded first by Becoming Lady Lockwood and then by Lady Emma's Campaign. However, this story can definitely stand alone.)

A Stitch Fix Review - February 2016 - Fix #4

Fix #4 is here! Can you believe it? I can't! I don't know why that fact is so hard for me to believe, but it truly feels like I just signed up for Stitch Fix! Next month will bring Fix #5! Crazy, but I love it! I am in love with Stitch Fix!

What I've Been Reading - January 2016

Welcome to What I've Been Reading, where I share my (quick and personal) thoughts on what I've been reading this past month. For specifics (plot summary, etc.) about each book, click on the provided links.

The Headmistress of Rosemere (Whispers on the Moors, #2) by Sarah E. Ladd (4 stars)

I only recently discovered Sarah E. Ladd and her Whispers on the Moors series. She is recommended for Jane Austen fans. Though she is no Jane Austen, (really, who is?,) she does write enjoyable, clean, regency period stories. This novel is the second in the series, however, it is only minutely connected to the first. I usually recommend reading a series in order, but you wouldn't be misstepping to read this series out of order. Overall, The Headmistress of Rosemere was just as enjoyable as the first novel in the series.

A Stitch Fix Review - January 2016 - Fix #3

It feels like I was just anxiously awaiting my first Fix! Now, here I am, reviewing my third Fix! I can't believe it. Three Fixes! Crazy! I am still loving Stitch Fix. It has been such a happy addition to my life. Besides making my heart happy, it has also made my closet happy. I don't shop all that often for myself. Mostly, because I hate shopping! Mark's side of the closet is seriously fuller than mine. I'm not sure many girls can say that. Maybe, with the help of Stitch Fix, I can remedy that problem.

(If you don't know what Stitch Fix is, check out my post here.)

Now, I know I said this last time, but this Fix not only lived up to the first two, it possibly even surpassed them! It was a good Fix! In all honesty, though, when I first opened this month's box, I thought it might be my worst Fix. Truly. You'll see why soon. Okay! Enough talk. Let's see what I got!