by Sarah | Feb 26, 2019 | All About Denver, All About Erik, All About Family, All About Kennedy, All About Me, All About Molly, All of Us, Blogging Life, Redefining Perfect, Top Ten Tuesday
Continuing our countdown of my dream family vacations, we hit #6 on the list…
Colorado
I know, I know…that’s a WHOLE STATE. It’s just…some states deserve to have the WHOLE STATE on a list like this, you know?
Unfortunately, in this case, my kids have totally beat me to the punch SO HARD on this. They went, they saw, they conquered, and declared it their favorite state…which only furthered my desire to go.
I have an entire book series set here. I’ve been in love with Colorado (as a place to visit, I’m too much done with snow to want to live there) ever since I watched Dr. Quinn and saw the Red Rocks featured on an episode. I’ve always felt called to go see it some day…and I’m not jealous at all that my kids beat me to it.
I’ve heard really amazing things about all of the sights and the activities that can be done there. My friend and former coworker went a couple of years ago and still talks about it. My kids still talk about it.
I just want to see it ALL…including the area where I set my little town at (there’s a real town there that I could visit) to see what I’ve always envisioned it looking like come to life.
Have you ever been to Colorado? What was your favorite part? Do you live there? What do you recommend as a MUST SEE?
by Sarah | Feb 20, 2019 | All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, Book Reviews, I'm A Reader, Redefining Perfect, Wordy Wednesday
I thought about doing one book per recommendation post – but then changed my mind.
I’m going to recommend One, one, and one every month. The genres may change, but it lends some variety.
This week we’re going to look at Audiobook, One Memoir, and One Historical Fiction.
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[easyazon_link identifier=”0449807894″ locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]World War Z[/easyazon_link]
Before 2017 I had never read an audiobook. It wasn’t any judgment on those that do, or any thoughts of them being lesser…it was just a belief that it wasn’t for me. I had always been a strong reader, so I thought nothing of reading an audiobook.
In 2017 I really challenged myself to try all sorts of new genres and audiobooks was one of them.
I think I picked both the very BEST and very WORST book to read first via audiobook….because NOTHING has been able to compare since.
World War Z is a full cast recording of this popular novel…and as the novel is truly titled “An Oral History of the Zombie War”, it really, truly, does read better in an oral format.
The cast is littered with names so familiar to this geek. Names like Mark Hammill, Nathan Fillion, Jeri Ryan, Simon Pegg, David Ogden Stiers, Alan Alda, Denise Crosby, Bruce Boxleitner, Rob Reiner, and Rene Aberjunois.
It’s a geek-gasm in every way.
No, seriously. If you’re on the fence about audiobooks, this is an AMAZING one to start with. Don’t let the word “Zombie” scare you off if you don’t like horror…because this book is NOT that. The zombies really hardly factor in to the actual story – which is more about the politics and human condition. It’s got so much depth, and the actors are top notch, even if you are only hearing their voices.
I swear, listening to this is like what our grandparents probably felt like when they were listening to the radio for entertainment. It’s got everything.
[easyazon_link identifier=”0596806310″ locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]Just a Geek[/easyazon_link]
Honestly, I listened to this as an audiobook, too…but I don’t want to put this under audiobooks because I truly believe it works well in written form as well…it’s just a really good memoir if you’re a geek.
I mean, I’m such a geek.
And, really…it was Wil Wheaton that started me on my geekdom path…because the ONLY reason I started watching Star Trek: The Next Generation was because I happened to spot him when I was channel surfing and stopped…then dug out the TV guide to find out what was on, and then find out when I could watch it again.
But I digress here…the book. The memoir.
Whether you loved or hated him on TNG, you can bet that Wil had a rough go of being pegged in that role. His rebellion against it and his ensuing search for himself only to find himself right where he never knew he belonged is such an interesting read.
It was both enlightening and rough to read about…and I really liked seeing more about the geek that led me to my own geekdom.
It’s a good read all around, and an interesting look into the life of a child star that didn’t go off the deep end forever.
[easyazon_link identifier=”0062685341″ locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]Caroline[/easyazon_link]
Oh me oh my, I was SUCH a big fan of the Little House books growing up. I read them 18 times between the ages of 4 (yes, 4) until I was 18. I lived and breathed Laura Ingalls. I knew the books backward and forward.
So when I saw this book, I knew I had to get it.
Set during the book Little House on the Prairie when the Ingalls leave the Big Woods to head to Kansas…this book is told with a bit of a nod to the original (fictional) books written by Laura, and with a fair amount of research to add facts that a book from a child’s perspective cannot express.
That being said there were moments where I had to remind myself this book is from Caroline’s perspective and I’m an adult now because there is intimacy and affection between Caroline and Charles…formerly known as Ma and Pa…which left me feeling awkward at first…but they are written so beautifully, I can’t even express.
The whole story is written with a stunning, lyrical prose that draws you in and paints a picture of beauty, hardship, and family in a way that only enhances the original book in ways you’d not expect.
I truly hope Miller writes more, because I really loved reading this story through the eyes of our beloved Ma Ingalls.
*~*~*
Those are my recommendations for this month! Hope you enjoyed.
What are some of your favorite books? I love adding to my TBR.
by Sarah | Feb 19, 2019 | All About Denver, All About Erik, All About Family, All About Kennedy, All About Me, All About Molly, All of Us, Blogging Life, Redefining Perfect, Top Ten Tuesday
Continuing our countdown of my dream family vacations, we hit #7 on the list…
Yellowstone National Park
I got spared my kids beating me to this by the skin of my teeth. When they went most of the park was closed, so they stayed in one state (which is next on my list, the punks)…
I’ve always wanted to see Yellowstone. Not just Old Faithful (though that’s on the list)…but the beauty all round, from the mountains to the hot springs to the amazing wildlife. I could just go with my camera and get lost for hours on end.
I really think the kids would love the variety of things to see, and there’d never be a dull day. So much wonder and beauty wrapped up in this huge park.
I’d love to go with the kids…but it would be a great vacation for just the husband and I, too.
Overall, you can’t go wrong with the beauty of nature.
Have you ever been to Yellowstone? What was your favorite part?
by Sarah | Feb 18, 2019 | All About Erik, All About Family, All About Marriage, All About Me, All of Us, Redefining Perfect
Made lovingly.
Crafted thoughtfully.
Colors and design chosen to suit how we planned to decorate.
Hummingbirds embroidered to honor my wedding, and my grandfather.
The state stitched in.
Given as a wedding gift with the words…
“Do not hang or display this. I made it to be used.”
Over sixteen years later we have done as it was wished by my mother when she gave this to us for our wedding.
It has been used well.
Sat on, snuggled under, covered the back of the couch, used to cover the floor for sleepover movie nights, to build forts during sleepovers, laid on the end of our bed, slept on…
Used and loved.
It shows the wear of the years.
The handling.
The care.
Fabric has torn.
Batting lost.
Holes.
Tears.
Patches where no fabric remains.
A hummingbird flapping loose as if to fly away.
Today we removed it from where it’s sat most recently, on my husband’s recliner.
So that we might continue to hold onto this piece that has been part of the fabric of our lives for 16+ years.
Before it falls to shambles.
Because though we have done as asked, and used it well…I want to honor the gift for what it was and is…and the memories it symbolizes.
I’m sure it will still see use, but it will be with care to keep it alive for as long as we can.
by Sarah | Feb 14, 2019 | All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, Oola, Personal, Redefining Perfect
I am the queen of holding grudges.
No, really. It’s kind of sad, actually.
I still hold a grudge toward a former best friend from middle school that pretty much destroyed every hope I had of having friends by spreading a ridiculous rumor to make herself more popular. It worked, and I definitely still get a visceral reaction to the memory of her. I know this because the other day we had a patient with the same name (clearly wasn’t her because she’s from Buffalo, I haven’t lived there in almost 30 years now).
There are a couple other grudges that I’ve held onto for a long time…but I won’t go into details.
We’ll just say…
QUEEN OF GRUDGES.
My faith, unlike some others, doesn’t have a specific “rule” about forgiveness. It’s not a commandment or anything.
However, if you look at the Wiccan Rede (An’ it harm none, do what thou will), or the Rule of Three (Whatever energy you put out comes back to you; threefold)…those grudges can affect both principles. Holding grudges might not harm them, but it harms me. It’s only causing myself pain. Holding grudges, gives that negativity, that harshness, its own room, its own space to grow and build and turn back onto myself.
I think my biggest issue is that most of my grudges aren’t so much out of anger, but out of deep-seated pains.
If I take a hard look at what I’m holding onto and letting block me from others…
It’s because of the pain I was caused. How deeply I was hurt.
Instead of healing that pain, I’m holding onto the grudges, letting myself separate from the pain by declaring anger and using that grudge like a shield.
It’s not the way I want to live my life any longer. I want to find the joy. I want to live an Oola life. And while cutting out toxicity is necessary to attain some level of Oola…
Sometimes I think I’m doing that wrong.
I’m letting go with pain, sorrow, loss, and sometimes anger.
I’m not forgiving the actions or the people as I release them.
I’m hacking with an ax instead of releasing them with the lightness of a balloon.
I don’t want to make room for pain any longer.
I want to make room for joy.
I need to find the space to forgive.
I need to gather all of my grudges and fill them with helium…
And release them with love.
Continuing our countdown of my dream family vacations, we hit #6 on the list…
