Everyday Life and Menu Plan (10.9.16)

Well, the plague has hit our house and our meals from Friday/Saturday are gettin' pushed back. There was some heating leftovers and takeout going on, since my husband got sick and then my son got sick over the weekend. 

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't hit the female contingent in our household.

Luckily, my kids were both healthy for their yearly fun run at school and all the planning that went into it paid off. The kids had a blast and we surpassed our fundraising goal for the year!

I was bummed to miss the Snohomish River Run while taking care of all the sickies in our house, but I don't think I was quite prepared for a 10K yet. I've worked up to one 4 mile run a week, and don't want a setback. I was able to get out for a rainy run on Saturday, my favorite!

And the sick folk were feeling well enough to get out of the house for some lunch and a spin around the bookstore today. I was waiting for the library hold for Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier to come in, but we went ahead and bought it. Smile and Sisters were great fun, so I'm excited to read it, too!

Since I feel like I've been Negative Nelly here on the weekly posts, and the world is a wee bit negative lately (yes, I am burying my head and writing during tonight's debate because I CAN'T EVEN), here are some distractions that have made me smile!

DUG IN REAL LIFE OMG.

These AMAZING GIFS from The Creative Project are so soooooothing.

The other week I finally got around to determining my Patronus, a Tortioseshell Cat! And I'm a proudly sorted Ravenclaw. I highly recommend sorting yourself as an excellent distraction from real life and watching this video of Eddie Redmayne doing the same, especially if you have a thing for adorably freckled and light-eyed men of English/Irish descent (See also Ewan McGregor, Robert Redford, my husband).

Okay, I'm feeling better already! Here's to the fresh start of a new week!

• Monday - Spicy Avocado Enchiladas (recipe from The Novice Chef pushed back from last week)
• Tuesday - Pizza
• Wednesday - Green Curry Turkey Meatballs with Stir Fry Veggies and Brown Rice (from Mel's Kitchen Cafe)
• Thursday - Crockpot Pulled Pork Sandwiches (from Natasha's Kitchen)
• Friday - Tortilla Pie (a favorite from Dinner: a Love Story)
• Saturday - Seven Flavor Beef (reaaaally looking forward to this favorite Saturday date night meal after having to postpone it this week!)
• Saturday - Gnocchi, Sausage and Spinach Soup (a staple from Cinnamon, Spice, and Everything Nice)

As always, I'm linking up with Org Junkie - be sure to check out all the great weekly menus! 

Books I Read In September

Commonwealth by Ann Patchett
Definitely my favorite of the month, and you can read my review here!

Rich and Pretty by Rumaan Alam
This book gave me FEELINGS, and not the good kind. The main characters seemed like caricatures and not real women. I also felt as if it was kind of sexist. The two friends take different paths in life: the cookie cutter 'housewife' and 'career woman' roles. These roles are filled in an annoyingly stereotypical way. Sarah wants marriage and a family - she is shallow and boring. Lauren is career driven - she emotionally detached and sexually liberated. There is much navel gazing, and then... the end. I know that men are quite capable of writing women characters (Memoirs of a Geisha is what immediately leaps to mind), but I truly felt like the author had zero grasp on the female psyche and his style (So. Many. Sentence. Fragments.) was not my favorite. I will admit that it was a somewhat hypnotic read, and that carried me through to finish the book.

The Wonder by Emma Donoghue
Two ARCs in one month! Here's my review on the latest novel from the author of Room.

Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben
So this was a recommendation from my mom, who is a pretty big fan of thrillers. Whereas, I need a good convincing to pick one up. Most of the time our recs are hits (she told me about Me Before You, I got her reading The Hunger Games), but this was a miss for me. I liked it fine. It was a pretty compelling mystery, but I need more emotional pull and character development from my books. I think I would enjoy seeing the movie version of Fool Me Once - I appreciate a good action/whodunnit flick. This narrative is the kind of stuff I imagine goes on in those serial cop shows like Law and Order (no, I've never watched one), complete with slightly ridiculous dialogue. Sorry mom! Our batting average is still good, though.

Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West
There are a few stories from This American Life that will always stay with me, and Lindy's was one of them. Last month, as I was looking through past months of Book of the Month Club selections to add to my order, I read the description for Shrill and made the connection that this was her book. It was equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking, as I thought it would be - full of great insights:

"Women matter. Women are half of us. When you raise every woman to believe that we are insignificant, that we are broken, that we are sick, that the only cure is starvation and restraint and smallness; when you pit women against one another, keep us shackled by shame and hunger, obsessing over our flaws rather than our power and potential; when you leverage all of that to sap our money and our time - that moves the rudder of the world. It steers humanity toward conservatism and walls and the narrow interests of men, and it keeps us adrift in waters where women's safety and humanity are secondary to men's pleasure and convenience."

Her story of navigating the pitfalls of life as a woman (and the ubiquitous misogynistic, racist internet trolls) gives me hope that we are on the path to improvement, rather than ruin.

Everyday Life and Menu Plan (10.2.16)

This week has been pretty boring, which I am always grateful for, especially compared with last week. The routine of school, volunteering and soccer is nice to settle into.

No one has been sick, either, so I hope we ride that train for awhile.

I enjoyed seeing so many familiar faces at the Oiselle warehouse sale, and stocked up on running gear I am super excited to break in this fall.

Oh, and our actual anniversary was midweek, and we celebrated by eating Portillos after soccer practice. Is that a tradition for 14 years? Apparently animals are!? I think we have enough of those. They are especially nice for lazy Sunday snuggles.

This week:

• Monday - Pizza
• Tuesday - Black Bean Soup (a Panera copycat from The Cooking Actress)
• Wednesday - Thai Sticky Chicken Fingers (yummy recipe from Iowa Girl Eats)
• Thursday - Pesto Baked Rigatoni (from Pinch of Yum)
• Friday - Spicy Avocado Enchiladas (a favorite from The Novice Chef, and easy since I froze half the last time we made them!)
• Saturday - Seven Flavor Beef (recipe from a local gem, Wild Ginger, via Food Network)
• Sunday - Apple, White Cheddar and Spinach Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette (from Averie Cooks)

As always, I'm linking up with Org Junkie - be sure to check out all the great weekly menus! 

The Stack - September Book Haul (and Book Of The Month Discount Code)

The stack this month is not just my library haul, but my Book of the Month haul as well!

After doing a one month trial (where I got the fantastic Dark Matter by Blake Crouch), I got some credit for add on books, so I HAD to do another month. One of the cool things about Book of the Month is that you can add on any previous months books that are in stock for $9.99. My September choice was an easy one: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles - who also wrote the lovely Rules of Civility.  I immediately added Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West to my order, as I realized it was her story on This American Life that gave me an emotional gut-punch last year. It is a MUST LISTEN. She happens to be local to Seattle and is doing a joint appearance with Luvvie Ajayi next month at the Seattle Library! I think I must go - and add Luvvie's book, I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual, to next month's stack, obviously. 
I also added Enchanted Islands by Allison Amend to my order because I couldn't resist the cover! I think it is perfectly acceptable to judge a book by it's cover, but the content definitely sounded intriguing, too. Plus I'm pretty thankful for this book, because it pulled together the perfect Instagram shot to win me an additional three month subscription! 

Looks like I'll be adding BOTM orders to my monthly haul for awhile, even though I am usually averse to buying books. Plus, every month they pick a backlist title for 'Other Favorites' that you can choose to add to your order. This month it's Ready Player One and I may just buy this special edition because it's just that good, if you haven't read it - you should. I am super excited for the October titles to be revealed on Saturday - if it sounds exciting to you, too, go forth and use this link and code FRIEND50 for 50% off a three month subscription!

Now for the rather large library haul:

Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye had been in my digital queue for awhile, after I had heard good things on the What Should I Read Next podcast, but I'm always happy when a hard copy arrives at the library - exact same sentiment for The One-in-a-Million Boy by Monica Wood. Rich and Pretty by Rumaan Alam was another pick from the BOTM judge that chose Dark Matter, so I thought I'd give it a go. (Spoiler: I did not like it...) The A to Z of You and Me by James Hannah was a Choice Reads find, described as a story that would resonate with those that loved The Storied Life of AJ Fikry. SOLD. It's Okay to Laugh: (Crying Is Cool Too) by Nora McInerny is a book club read that I'm a bit behind on. The New Rules of Lifting for Women is going well and part of my done being injured routine! Lastly, I got the latest Liane Moriarty - Truly Madly Guilty and I'm afraid to start it because I've heard it's not her best. Would love to hear any feedback!

New digital books in the queue/ARCs:
It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover (I have never read this author and suddenly I'm seeing this book and many of her backlist titles EVERYWHERE.)

Still in the queue:
Small Great Thingsby Jodi Picoult (a NetGally ARC)
The Raven King by Maggie Steifvater 
Shelter: A Novel by Jung Yun
The Gilded Years by Karin Tanabe
Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben (reading now!)
Moonburner by Claire Luana 
You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott
Your Heart Is a Muscle the Size of a Fist by Sunil Yapa

As always, I'm interested in any thoughts/if you've read the books on this list or others I should know about!

Everyday Life and Menu Plan (9.25.16)

Urghhh. It has been one of THOSE weeks around here. Super crabby kids getting back into the swing of the school year, lots of after school commitments and my husband having to work late recently all conspired against me. At least we had dinner at our favorite restaurant on Saturday for an early 14 year anniversary celebration.

I was rather looking forward to this drink, and one of the reasons we decided to go a little early was because was Daniel's was having a September whiskey celebration and this Original Sazerac didn't disappoint. Luckily I was able to enjoy it, along with our appetizer when...for the first time ever... We got a call from our babysitter (just as we put in our steak orders) to tell us that our youngest had vomited! Did I also mention that this was a new sitter? Yeah. I was more mortified for that girl than I was truly worried about my kid. Kids puke. It happens. But when they are totally fine when you take off and leave them with the sitter? Not usually. GAH. So we ate rather rapidly and it wasn't exactly the relaxing meal I had hoped for. Alas, we'll probably schedule another dinner out soon and one to Daniels in a few short months. And we're still working on rescheduling that day date hike from last week the OTHER kid decided to postpone with a fever. GEEZE. Kids, man. When it rains it pours. Good thing they're pretty cute.

Our little trooper at one of TWO soccer games we had this week, with all of her entertainments. Looking forward to a hopefully incident free week...

• Monday - Pizza
• Tuesday - Butternut Squash and Quinoa Bake with Brussels Sprouts
• Wednesday - Satay Chicken and Roasted Broccoli (easy recipe from about.com)
• Thursday - Portillos Hot Dogs!
• Friday - Fish Tacos with Cilantro Lime Crema (awesome Cooking Light Recipe)
• Saturday - Saturday Night Pasta (our Arrabbiata recipe)
• Sunday - Turkey Chili Taco Soup (trying this one from Skinnytaste)

As always, I'm linking up with Org Junkie and Mommy Run Fast- be sure to check out all the great weekly menus! 

Running, and Not Running, Lately

It has been quite awhile since I've talked running! I had every intention of keeping up on race reports and such, even when I changed the focus of this space to reading. Although, I think I needed to do more ACTUAL RUNNING to write about it! Or did I...? After running, the next favorite subject for runners is injury talk, right? Well, maybe food, but I already talk enough about that. So, about my injury (which I lamented over in my RnR Recap), I feel like I've finally turned a corner and am able to talk about the horror of only running roughly 75 miles since that race. Yep. Looking at my monthly totals on Daily Mile is a shocker.

Going from averaging close to 80-100 miles per month to less than that in THREE months is sort of a bummer (as are the 5 pounds I gained this summer when I normally LOSE weight). But, I stuck to my guns and took those initial two weeks at the beginning of the summer off. I still did a little elliptical, bootcamp classes where I walked the running parts and even a few at home step aerobics videos. I tried a super slow three mile run after the two weeks and it felt GREAT. But then I could feel my foot cramp up more than usual at the end of that day, so I made an appointment with a local sports podiatrist and began rolling with a frozen water bottle, using a topical lidocaine cream a few times a day, and the dreaded night splint while taking another two week break.

I asked my doc, why not the Strassburg sock and he said - well, I know this actually works. Harumph. Yep, I've been cozying up like this every night. I think it pairs nicely with the mouth guard I already wear nightly, like the old lady I am. Things started looking up pretty quickly, but my formerly trusty Ravenna kicks were still bothering me. And, of course, the podiatrist has a prescription for custom orthotics ready to go when I give him the word. But, I go back and forth on that: will it just alleviate the pain, and be a crutch to any overall problem? Not event factoring in the not-covered-by-insurance COST. I think this is a dilemma many runners with plantar fasciitis face. To go with the orthotics or not? To stretch and support, or to strengthen? In the end, I think I started with the former and am now moving on to the latter. I iced, compressed, wore supportive footwear, rolled and stretched like a maniac for about two months. Now, instead of orthotics, I tried a few shoes suggested by the podiatrist. And OF COURSE the ones that feel great are Transcends which retail at $170. Sigh. Thankfully I can get them at the Brooks outlet for just under $100.

I am weaning myself off the night splint (yay!) and the lidocaine cream and working on foot strength by walking barefoot more, scrunching up towels with my toes and picking up small objects - please feel free to invite me over to pick up your child's Legos with my toes after I've cleaned ours! 

In addition to my feet, I figured now is as good a time as any to trying some sort of overall strength plan. I do the weight machines at the gym pretty regularly and get some good strength training in bootcamp. Plus, with my broad shoulders, I've always done pretty well with upper body work, so it was never a focus for me. But, I think getting to know the weight room and really see measurable results will be a good challenge. I'm hopeful that being able to lift more weight over time will be as rewarding as running faster over time. After doing a bit of research, the plan in The New Rules of Lifting for Women seemed to be the easiest to follow and a good place for a noob to start. The first stage workouts are pretty easy to follow so far, although it was a little intimidating waiting for the huge dude with a weight belt finish up on the squat bar. Yes, the workouts are supposed to take about 20 minutes, but they are not factoring in waiting around for people to let you get a set in! Ah well, a small complaint compared to a foot I couldn't run on.

Slowly, but surely, I'm inching my way back and am mostly pain free. I'm in that place where I'm wondering if it actually hurts or if I am being paranoid. I'm being careful, though, still only running three to four miles at a time, no more than three days a week (up from two last week). Hopefully I'll be doing some long and slow rainy runs this fall - my favorite. 

Ah, look how happy fall running makes me! This was from the first Snohomish River Run and I hope to be in good enough health to amble the 10K next month. (Remember, 15% off this year's race with code: READANDRUN16) Regaining speed is not at ALL on my radar, I just want to be able to get outside and RUN. Have you dealt with the dreaded plantar fasciitis?? Like I said, it's on it's way out - but I want to keep it away and am always interested in any tips and tricks!

The Wonder by Emma Donoghue (A NetGalley Review)

The Wonder by Emma Donogue
Publisher: Little Brown, September 20, 2016
Description from the publisher:
In Emma Donoghue's latest masterpiece, an English nurse brought to a small Irish village to observe what appears to be a miracle-a girl said to have survived without food for months-soon finds herself fighting to save the child's life.
Tourists flock to the cabin of eleven-year-old Anna O'Donnell, who believes herself to be living off manna from heaven, and a journalist is sent to cover the sensation. Lib Wright, a veteran of Florence Nightingale's Crimean campaign, is hired to keep watch over the girl.
Written with all the propulsive tension that made Room a huge bestseller, THE WONDER works beautifully on many levels--a tale of two strangers who transform each other's lives, a powerful psychological thriller, and a story of love pitted against evil.

This was one of those novels that started out a little slow for me, but then completely bowled me over by the end. I felt that the first half of the book was somewhat tedious and frustrating. It starts with Lib, the nurse sent to ascertain the validity of this miracle, trying to catch someone lying about Anna's ability to live without food. She doesn't, and we get little bits of her back story as well as the O'Donnell's as she goes to and fro her shift watching over the girl and taking aimless walks about the countryside to vent her irritation. The hamster wheel of rather repetitive scenes was frustrating, but I suppose that is EXACTLY how Lib felt. I then was 100% on this journey with her. Because by the time the house of cards finally starts to fall in this crazy situation, I was riveted, stunned, and feeling desperate. She is caught in a terrible position between the family, the church, the reporter and the doctors, while trying to do the best for this young girl. Without giving spoilers, all I can say is that it becomes a horrifyingly fascinating tangle of loyalty and morality with some jaw dropping secrets that come to light in the final, white-knuckle, moments. 

It's honestly very, very reminiscent of the novel she is best known for: Room. Whereas Room sets into a fever pitch pretty early in the novel, The Wonder has a slow build. But the indelible aspects are so similar: What would you do? How would you feel? What would you do for the love of a child? The depth of subject matter to pore over with a book club would be VAST. I also found the historical fiction angle, regarding the cases of 'Fasting Girls' beginning in the sixteenth century, fascinating. It is definitely worth checking out and it certainly made me curious to check out her other historical fiction novel Frog Music.