Ali Edwards's Blog, page 122

AE Creative Team | November 2019 Stories By The Month™ Digital Kit

As we approach the end of November, we wanted to share with you the heartfelt and creative projects made by our Creative Team using the November 2019 Stories By the Month™ Digital Kit.

Amy Gretchen 

Ingunn Markiewicz

Laura Wonsik

Jen Schow

Jenny Theriault

Lisa Varshine

Kelly Ishmael

Jen Whittmore 

Morgan Beal

Jess Forster

Stories of special memories. Stories of family. Stories of thankfulness. This digital kit is perfect for documenting your November stories. And as always, a huge thanks to our awesome team for sharing their creative inspiration with all of us!

Project Life® 2019 | October

It's been a busy project month around here and I finally made time to get my 
October Project Life® stories told. 

When I sat down to look back through my photos from October I made the decision to focus on the ones I shared on Instagram. Each of those photos included a little story that was shared when I shared the photo. I copied and pasted the text of each of those stories from Instagram onto a 3x3 inch square (using Photoshop) and printed them out on photo paper. 

It's a great reminder that Instagram can be used as a holding place for your stories as you are living them. 

You'll also notice I did super light embellishing this month. I simply added chipboard asterisks, rubber pennants, and chipboard words (all were past Add Ons to my kit subscriptions) to the outside of the page protectors after I got all the words and the photos into the pockets. 

Here's a look at how I brought it all together: 

For October I included two inserts: (1) a 9x12 that holds 3x3 inch squares - I cut off the outside column of squares to fit the number of photos + words I included. 

I printed out a full page 9x12 photo and included text on top in Photoshop before printing. This was a chance to write a little overview of the month before adding the individual stories that went along with each photo. I went for "bigger picture" feelings for that piece of the story. 

The second insert I added was a 6x8 page protector. That holds a photo I took of myself on our front porch at the very beginning of the month. On top of the page protector I added a "gratitude" plastic word and an "everyday" rubber piece (from a past Week In The Life™ kit). 

The back of the 6x8 page protector includes a longer story I posted on Instagram. Again I copied and pasted the story onto the photo before printing. 

As always, I encourage you to remember that this project (as with so many others) is the sum of all the stories. Some months will be more crafty, some more photo heavy, others more story heavy. The beauty is found in all those stories coming together to tell the bigger story of your year. 

Here's a look at how this came together at my table: 

SUPPLIES
9x12 Album 9x12 Page Protectors 6x8 Page Protector October Stories By The Month™ Kit (digital version here) Gratitude Story Kit™ Past Kit Subscription Add Ons  Avery Index Tabs Epson PictureMate PM400 Printer (for 3x3 photos) Epson XP15000 (for enlargements)

You can check out my archive of Project Life® posts here. 

December Daily® 2018 | Completed Album Overview

I took some time last week to go back through my 2018 December Daily® album and filmed a walk-through for you to see the entire album in one place. 

Individual posts + videos on all these pages can be found in my December Daily® archives here.

Love this project. Love this community. Love looking back at past projects. 

Here you go: 

I'm definitely looking forward to telling stories with you in December this year. You can see my starting place for 2019 here.

Brand new to December Daily®? Check out my Storytelling With December Daily® workshop. 

Day In The Life™ 2019 | November Project Process

Last Saturday I documented my last Day In The Life™ for 2019. 

I really liked the format this year (two documenting days, one album) and we will be following a similar formula again next year. 

If you are looking to simplify your memory keeping this is a great project to participate in a couple times a year. 

Check out my process video at the end of this post for a full look at how this came together. 

STEP ONE

Document the day. I used my iPhone and Instagram to hold the stories of my day. I knew that I was going to be using this 3x8 album and that I'd have room for around 12 photo/stories based on the plastic dividers that were included with the album bundle. I also knew that my photos would end up being 3x8 so I intentionally took vertical photos that could be cropped to this size. 

I didn't have a specific lens for my documenting this time (sometimes I use a specific word to guide my documenting). This time I basically aimed for one photo per hour to tell the story of the things that were happening over the course of the day. 

One of the things I go out of my way to do with this project is include myself in the photos. I do this by using the timer function on my phone or by asking others in my family to take photos that include me. The way I approach memory keeping is that the stories I tell are from my perspective and I am the main character. My family, friends, etc., are supporting characters in this wonderful, messy story of my life. 

STEP TWO

Print my photos: 

Next up I cropped my photos in Photoshop to 3x8 and printed them using my Epson XP15000 printer (I put two on a 8.5x11 canvas in Photoshop before printing to save paper). 

I added one photo that includes the Day In The Life™ word art for this documenting day. 

Download the Saturday, November 16th word art here.

STEP THREE

Bring it all together: 

At first I envisioned that I was going to use the page protectors that came with the album. I changed my mind and decided to use the transparent dividers (these come with the album too) as the base for both my words and the photos and I adhered both directly to the transparent dividers and removed the page protectors from the album. 

For my journaling I knew I wanted to stamp the date using the number stamp in the kit and at first thought I would just handwrite my words onto the 3x8 journal cards from the kit. As I was working I decided to simply copy and paste my text from Instagram (I shared all my words + photos there on the day of documenting) onto 3x4 canvases in Photoshop. This allowed me to play with colors from the kit as backgrounds and the size of my text - when my stories were shorter I simply enlarged the type size to fill the space. 

I printed those 3x4's on photo paper and adhered them to the 3x8 journal cards and added either washi tape or a small strip of pattern paper to the bottom of the 3x8 card. 

The font used is for my journaling is called Mom's Typewriter. 

For my last page in the album I printed my photo to the size of the page dividers (approximately 3.75 inches x 8.25 inches) and punched holes using a 6-hole punch. I added a piece of pattern paper from my stash to the back of the photo to finish off the album. 

Here's a look at all the spreads for this day: 

As you'll see below I added a chipboard piece either from the Day In The Life™ kit or from my stash to each of the 3 inch x 4 inch photos. 

Here's a walk through of my process for creating this project: 

SUPPLIES

Day In The Life™ 2019 Kit (includes the stamp set - thought this was sold out but looks like we have some available) // Digital version also available here.
Day In The Life™ 2019 Album Bundle (includes the album, transparent dividers, and page protectors)
Time Roller Stamp
Staz On Ink
Circle Stamp Block
Chipboard from other kits + products
Washi Tape
Pattern 3x4 cards from past kits
Epson Expression Photo XP 15000 Printer
6 Hole Punch
Gratitude Story Kit™ Chipboard

For The Love Of Learning | Cool Watercolor Workshop For Kids (And Those Who Love Them)

One of the people I enjoy following on Instagram is Emily of Jones Design Company. 

Anna + Audrey + I recently spent an afternoon going through some of the lessons from her Watercolor For Kids online workshop and we loved it. I have been wanting to learn some watercolor basics and the girls were super interested and following along with Emily's lessons was so easy and fun and perfect for an ongoing creative activity that we could do together. 

The workshop includes easy to follow video lessons that walk you through supplies and techniques for learning the basics of watercolor. 

When I come across things I try out and love I like to share them and this workshop is one of those things. This workshop would make a great gift and/or activity to do with your kids, grandkids, or others over the holiday break.  

Now through December 1st you can sign up for 25% off and receive a fun bonus holiday lesson using the code: ALI25. 

The girls and I will totally do the bonus lesson this month (and I will likely include that story in my December Daily®). You can also purchase a gift certificate if you'd like to gift this online workshop. 

In addition to the kids workshop, Emily also has a workshop called Simplified Watercolor (this might be something super fun to add to your December Daily® album). Included in that workshop is a bonus lesson for holiday tags. Look at these tags (love them and I totally want to make some like this): 

I love giving gifts that educate and inspire. I also love gifting experiences and this definitely fits with that intention.

Please note that I did sign up to be a part of the affiliate program for these classes and I will receive payment for promoting these workshops when you purchase. This isn't something I do often at all and I don't do it unless it's something I have tried out personally and genuinely recommend. I feel like this is a wonderful way to connect with kids and to connect with yourself. 

AE Creative Team | December 2019 Stories By The Month™ Physical Kit

We are delighted to bring you another round of creative inspiration from our awesome Creative Team! Today we are sharing the projects they created using the 

December 2019 Stories By The Month™ Physical Kit.

Amy Gretchen 

Laura Wonsik

Lisa Varshine

Kelly Ishmael

Jen Whittemore

Morgan Beal

Ingunn Markiewicz

Jen Schow

Jenny Theriault

Jess Forster

As always we are so grateful to our Creative Team for sharing their projects and the stories of their lives!

For The Love Of Books | My Collection Of Kids Picture Books

It should be no surprise by this point that I am an avid reader and lover of books. 

I also happen to have a growing collection of children's picture books that I display on a shelf outside my office. Every time I walk down the hallway into my office I walk by these books, sometimes stopping to open a page and see what pops up - I never know when I might see or read something that sparks a story within myself that I'm able to then bring into my own work. I consider these to be "my" books but kids do check them out from time to time. 

One of my favorite ways to collect these kinds of books is when I travel. I picked up a couple of them when I visited Magnolia and others are from smaller, independent bookstores I enjoy visiting when I travel. 

What I look for in picture books: 

educational (facts + information)inspirational (cool illustrations) encouraging adventure (bring on the travel)

I wanted to share these with you now because books like this make awesome gifts. Below you'll find an exterior photo along with one interior photo that gives you an idea of what the inside looks like. 

Enjoy! 

This is How We Do It by Matt Lamothe | An illustrated version of Day In The Life focusing on seven different kids/places in the world? Yes, please. This is a fantastic book showing how different a day can look for kids around the world via the lens of things like how they get to school/transportation, what they eat, how they play, etc. 

This Is New York by Miroslav Lasek | Just love. I basically want the whole collection of these books. 

This Is Paris by Miroslav Sasek | One of my dreams is to take the kids to Paris so you'll see a few books about Paris in my collection. 

A Walk In Paris by Salvatore Rubbino | I love variety in illustrations and the "sightseeing" nature of this one. 

Everything & Everywhere by Marc Martin | This is one of my most recent additions and it quickly became a favorite for the illustrations which are just so cool. I love learning about other cultures and what makes places unique. When I first got this one I had the best time going through the entire thing page by page.  

You Belong Here by M.H. Clark, Illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault | This is one that I picked up at Magnolia when I was visiting last spring. I love the sentiment of inclusion and the beautiful illustrations. This one is more of a story than most of the other fact-based ones I gravitate towards. 

The 50 States by Gabrielle Balkan, Illustrated by Sol Linero | This is a long time favorite that I've sent to family members for the holidays before (and bought a copy for the McKercher's when we first met). Give me all the facts paired with cool illustrations. 

We Are The Change | This book includes words from Eleanor Roosevelt, Maya Angelou, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr alongside illustrations from a wide variety of present day illustrators (including one of my favorites Lisa Congdon which is likely one of the reasons I heard about this in the first place). 

Birds And Their Feathers by Britta Teckentrup | This is the other book I picked up earlier this year from Magnolia and I vividly remember picking it up and thinking about how cool it is that we can be inspired by so many different things in this world. In my workshops I like to talk about becoming a translator of ideas and I regularly challenge myself to find inspiration in new places - reading books gives me new ideas for ways of seeing the world. 

Just seeing that this author/illustartor has another one about eggs. Into my Amazon cart it goes. 

National Parks Of The USA by Kate Siber, Illustrated by Chris Turnham | This is another recent addition to my collection and I LOVE IT SO MUCH. I totally want to visit all the National Parks and I'm all in regarding the amazing illustrations and details in this one. 

Okay my friends! That's a look at my current collection. 

Do you have a favorite picture book that you love? Share it in the comments. Picture books aren't just for kids!

Gratitude Story Kit™ + December Stories By The Month™

In the
Story Classroom this month we are focusing on stories related to the theme of Gratitude.  

Here are a few thoughts about this particular theme: 

"Practicing gratitude means paying attention to what we are thankful for to the degree of feeling more kind and compassionate toward the world at large.” (From Psychology Today) This month we are focusing on the theme of gratitude and looking for stories that document our thankfulness from yesterday and today.

Initial story ideas for the Gratitude theme include:

Make a list of ten things you are thankful for in your life right now.


Tell a story of a time you were grateful for something not working out how you originally intended.

Can you think of one thing you are most grateful for in your life? Tell me that story.STORY KIT™

Here's a look at
the
Story Kit™ contents for Gratitude:

Here's a video overview of the 
Story Kit™ and Add-On options this month:

STORY STAMP™

The Gratitude 
Stamp Set:

Here's a video overview of the Story Stamp:

DIGITAL STORY KIT™ (Included with the STORY CLASS)

Your digital kit and the classroom and any Add-Ons purchased will be available to you on the 15th once your card has been charged for the month. 

Here's a look at what's included in the Digital Story Kit™ for Gratitude: 

And a couple peeks at the layouts I created with the kits this month in addition to the one featured at the top of this post (
full details, including process videos and how-to handout, are included with subscription):

Again, thanks so much for subscribing and/or considering my
Story Subscription program! If you have any questions about this program please let me know below in the comments. 

STORIES BY THE MONTH™

Stories By The Month™ kits include 4x6 chipboard, 3x4 and 4x6 cards, a 3x4 stamp, a sticker sheet, and an embellishment (wood veneer, cork, etc). Stories By The Month™ Kits are all based on the designs we offered digitally each month throughout 2018. 

Here is a full look at the kit for December: 

And a video overview: 

This subscription is a great option for those who are looking to tell more calendar/everyday life sorts of stories. 

ADD ON OPTIONS 

Add On options are available to all Story Kit™, Story Stamp™, and Stories By The Month™ subscribers 
(this excludes Digital Story Kit/Story Class subscribers since you don't have any part of your subscription shipped already). Please note that the Crafters Ink pad option will only be available to Story Stamp™ subscribers. 

Current and new subscribers can select + purchase Add-On's via your new drop-down menu access under your user name in the top right corner of the site. If you subscribe to more than one you will have a Box for each subscription and the ability to purchase Add-On's for each one. Depending on product availability subscribers may be able to purchase the Add-On's after the Add-On period has ended and regular shop shipping rates will apply because they will ship separately from the kit.

Check out
this post for more information about this new subscription, including differences between the subscription options offered. 

For The Love Of Books | What I Read In October 2019

My stack just keeps getting bigger and bigger every month. Man, I love books and there's so many I can't wait to dive into in the coming months. 

Here's what I read in October: 

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman | 4 stars. Been working my way through this one for awhile and finally finished it this morning. I’m still confused with the quote on the cover using the word “funny” as it never struck me as particularly funny. There were lots of vivid reminders to be kind to everyone you meet because you never know what kind of story they have lived or are living and I appreciated it for that. Definitely feel a soft spot for the main character which is why I kept reading. The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall (for Book Club) | 4 stars. I really, really enjoyed this book. The writing was beautiful and the ways the characters wrestled with their faith felt very real. Totally agree with other reviews that this could have been a longer book with more details about the later years of their friendship/relationship. A Single Light by Tosca Lee | 3 stars. This was the follow up to The Line Between. I liked being able to continue the story and keep seeing what happened with the characters, but I just didn't enjoy this one as much as I did the first one.  The Inflammation Spectrum by Will Cole | This one I read as part of my continuing education on inflammation and issues surrounding diet and autoimmune disease.  Girl Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis | I've been reading this one on and off as part of a stack of non-fiction that I dive into from time to time. I've been taking pieces that speak to me and leaving the rest behind. 

For November's Book Of The Month™ I chose The Great Pretender. 

COMPLETE LIST OF WHAT I'VE READ IN 2019

JANUARY

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides (BOTM / Amazon) | Totally enjoyed this super-fast-to-read thriller. A great way to start out the new year.
There There by Tommy Orange  (local book club book for January) | This was a brutal book but an important read in terms of exposing ourselves to different voices - in this case Native Americans. There were lots of places I wished I would have underlined and I might just go back in and read it again for those words. It was a little confusing to follow the characters as it went back and forth - I definitely found myself flipping back to previous chapters to make sure I remembered whose perspective I was reading. Read it.
Verity by Colleen Hoover | Super satisfying thriller. Started it one evening and finished the next morning. Just read it.
The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith | Finally had a chance to start this series (written by JK Rowling under a pen name) and I totally enjoyed it. Detective mystery that kept me interested.

FEBRUARY

I’m Still Here: Black Dignity In A World Made For Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown | 5 stars. There is nothing else to say besides this: this is an important book that should be read by everyone. Stories matter, especially of those who have been and continue to be marginalized in our society.
The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai | 5 stars. I loved this book. I loved the weaving of the two different time periods (1980's during the AIDS crisis in Chicago + 2015) and I loved how the author posed questions about love, friendship, memories, stories (and who gets to tell them), imperfect people (everyone), and the passage of time. It was heartbreaking and rich and beautifully written.
The Winter Sister by Megan Collins (BOTM) | 3 stars. A fast ready but one that was really just "okay" for me. The characters, the story, the whole thing - it was just not quite there. I've read so many better thrillers over the last few years. 
A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum (BOTM) | 5 stars. Loved it. Go read it. Three generations of Palestinian-American women's stories of daily life, courage, family, expectations, faith, etc. Really enjoyed the storytelling and how it all unfolded. So many times as I turned the page I kept thinking to myself how the stories of these women continue today here in the US and around the world. So, so different than my life experience. This is why I read.
The Perfect Nanny by Leila Slimani | 3.5 stars // Picked it up because it was included in the New York Time's 10 best books of 2018 (others I've read from that list included "There, There" and "The Great Believers" which were both really good). This book was a super quick read - read it over the course of one day - and it was interesting but not awesome. Some pieces felt disjointed - I kept waiting for the author to go deeper into the story.
Maid by Stephanie Land | 3.5 stars. As an advocate for telling your story, I generally appreciate memoirs like this that detail how lives are lived because I believe there are always things to be learned from people's experiences. While reading her story I had a wide variety of thoughts running through my head regarding poverty, single-parenthood (a piece I have lived + was thankful every single day that I had a job to support myself and my children), the way the "system" works, as well as thoughts about people I have interacted with throughout my life. From that standpoint, I'm glad I read it (and it was a super quick read).

MARCH

Before She Knew Him by Peter Swanson (BOTM) | 3 stars. I found this to be a satisfying thriller. It's totally possible that I wasn't paying close enough attention while I was reading it (meaning I wasn't trying to figure out what was going to happen) but I definitely enjoyed it. Aaron read this on our vacation and also enjoyed it. Definitely good for a beach read. 
Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens | 4 stars. Beautiful writing that I definitely think will stay with me for awhile. My local book club read this last month and I missed the meeting because I wanted to read it myself before having a conversation and the early part of my month was just too full to make time. 
Daisy Jones + The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid | 4 stars. I initially resisted this title as I was thinking I wasn’t interested in a story about rock & roll but people kept talking about it and then my book club picked it and down the path I went. I am so glad I went down that path! I definitely had a hard time remembering that it was fiction. I kept wanting to look up the band online to listen to their music and see their faces and read what had been written about them. That’s basically how well written and clever this book is. Beyond that, I loved the entire format for how she told the story and I loved the themes of love and loss and addiction and honesty and passion. So good. Highly recommended.
Next Year In Havana by Chanel Cleeton | 4 stars. Read this on vacation and loved the imagery. I'll definitely consider reading the new book she's coming out with that tells the story of Beatriz Perez:  When We Left Cuba . 
The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith | 3 stars. This is the second book in the Cormoran Strike series and I didn't like it as much as the first one but it's a solid mystery with characters returning and their stories continuing. I like reading these ones on my Kindle on vacation. I'll definitely keep reading the series. 

APRIL

Miracle Creek by Angie Kim (BOTM) | 3 stars. I really struggled with this book and I think it's probably just a personal problem with some of the subject matter surrounding autism. It's hard for me to articulate but I generally don't select books talking about Mom's + kids on the spectrum because it's already part of my daily life (and has been ever since my son was 2.5 years old). With this book I just kept having mixed feelings - about the characters, about the plot, about people trying to "fix" autistic people, etc. I'd be interested in hearing what other parents with kids on the spectrum felt about this one.
All The You Leave Behind by Erin Lee Carr (BOTM) | 4 stars. I really, really liked this one. It shouldn’t be a surprise that I appreciate real life stories, but this one has really struck me for a particular reason: we live in an era where content/source material for our personal stories are able to be gathered via email and text and social media messages. Voices live on in their own words - similar to written letters of the past but also different (more immediate I guess). In this book I love reading David Carr’s words of encouragement to his daughter as she navigates early adulthood and addiction - he had a way with words that has me underlining and nodding and reflecting on my own life and relationships. So good.
Lost And Wanted by Nell Fredenberger (BOTM) | 3.5 stars. I read this one while traveling and actually enjoyed the science mixed in with the story. I feel like I learned a little something about physics that is totally foreign to me and I liked the weaving through the story. I wanted to know how it was going to resolve itself and there were definitely parts that will stick with me. 
Wolfpack by Abby Wambach | 5 stars. This is a super quick read based on a commencement address and I loved it. Can't wait to share it with my girls. 

MAY 

The Valedictorian Of Being Dead by Heather B. Armstrong | 5 stars. I'm going with 5 stars on this one because I think it's such an important read about depression + hope + life. It's Heather's own experience - not a prescription - showing a path she took to get out of a significant depressive episode. It's also a lot about understanding and kindness and asking for help and showing up for people. Really important read.
Boss Up: This Ain't Your Mama's Business Book by Lindsay Teague Moreno | I got to read an advance copy of this one (it's available for preorder now) and it's a fantastic, straight-talking roadmap for getting started and for continuing to evolve and thrive as a woman entrepreneur. Lindsay takes the lessons she’s learned through her own experience and shares them in an honest, humorous, and inspiring way. Boss Up will make you want to dive right in and take the next steps forward no matter where you are in the process.
Clean Mama's Guide To A Healthy Home by Becky Rapinchuk | As part of my personal wellness journey (more to come in a later post with an update about this) I'm working on reducing toxins in my house and this book and her site have been so, so helpful to me. It's easy to read and it was super inspiring me - I literally went around my house and got rid of just about everything I could that was a toxic cleaning product/personal care item. 

JUNE

The Sound Of Gravel by Ruth Wariner | This is a tough book, along the same lines as Educated and The Glass Castle. I actually thought I had read this one already but I think I was confusing it with The Glass Castle. Definitely worth reading if you are a fan of memoir. 
Things You Save In A Fire by Katherine Center | I got this book as advance reader copy from Katherine (you can get this one via Book Of The Month before it releases to the public here ). I loved this story of forgiveness and empathy and compassion and love and strength through struggle. Totally enjoyable. 
In A Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware | Read this one super quick on the beach. I didn't find it to be scary at all but that might have been because I was reading it on the beach during the day. It was a like not love for me. 
Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah | I've read The Nightingale and The Great Alone (one of my favorite books in the last few years) so I decided to pick up one of Kristen Hannah's earlier books. I liked it - a good friendship filled beach read that definitely had me crying at the end. If you have to pick one of her books I highly recommend The Great Alone or The Nightingale. 

JULY

Evicted: Poverty + Profit In The American City by Matthew Desmond | 5 stars : I started this one at the end of June and finished it fairly quickly - it's definitely an important book about poverty and housing. I love books like this where the author embeds themselves to tell the story. 
Lock Every Door by Riley Sager | 3 Stars : As a fan of thrillers I found this one to be just okay. I felt like it lacked depth overall and was just kind of boring - could totally be me. Ha.
Three Women by Lisa Taddeo | 5 Stars : Super fascinating, very graphic look at the sexual/desire lives of three women + the stories they tell themselves + the stories that are told about them. Non-fiction that reads like fiction (pretty amazing storytelling using this voice/lens) - amazing achievement in terms of the research and then storytelling that went into writing this book.
The Gifted School by Bruce Holsinger | 3 Stars : I definitely wanted to know what was going to happen and how the story was going to be resolved and I stayed up too late to finish it up, but it I didn't love it. The way the characters behaved was a little like nails on a chalkboard for me (probably the point) and the issues raised are definitely timely for my friend group. I could see my book club enjoying this one for the discussion.
Recursion by Blake Crouch | 5 stars : Somehow I missed that this was a recent BOTM book - I totally loved his book Dark Matter - so I ordered this on my Kindle after seeing Stephanie's husband reading it. I totally loved and devoured this mind-bending, sci-fi novel. This was one of those books that I just wanted to stop everything and read.  
She Explores: Stories Of Life Changing Adventures on the Road and in the Wild by Gale Straub | This is kind of a coffee table book (the cover looks awesome for sure) but the stories were really motivating to where I'm at in life right now. Loved it and gave me a bunch of new people to follow on social media who love the outdoors. 
Wabi Sabi Welcome: Learning to Embrace the Imperfect and Entertain with Thoughtfulness and Ease by Juile Pointer Adams | Another coffee table style book but one I also read cover to cover and really loved because it was talking about a bunch of things I've been working on related to being more casual with get togethers. Really felt like it filled me up. 
Turn Of The Key by Ruth Ware | This one came in the mail on the the 30th and I finished it on the 31st just in time to add it to my list (I get my Book Of The Month picks in advance as part of them Ambassador Program). Super satisfying thriller. 

AUGUST 

The Reckless Oath We Made by Bryn Greenwood | 5 stars : I have all kinds of feelings about this book and it’s hard for me to get all those thoughts/feelings in order. At its core, this is a love story. One of the main characters is autistic (Gentry). It’s raw and real and touching and hard and hopeful and human and deals with all kinds of family/relationship issues, especially loyalty and honor and love. It’s told from different characters perspectives (loved that) and Gentry’s version of the story is written using Middle English because that’s his passion. It takes a bit of getting used to the language in his chapters but I thought it was a completely awesome way to fully embody the character. As the Mom of a 17 year old who was diagnosed with autism at age 3, I had a definite soft spot for Gentry. I so appreciated that he was simply who he was and that he had people in his life who accepted and encouraged him for who he was and supported him in his passions (which complicates pieces of the story as it develops). Life is complicated and beautiful and I definitely felt those feelings as I read this one.
Thirst: 2600 Miles To Home by Heather "Anish" Anderson | 4 stars : Since I can’t hike right now (ankle sprain) I decided to order some books about hiking/hiking memoirs and this was the first I read. I read it in a few hours and enjoyed it - I can’t imagine hiking 40+ miles daily for two months - definitely inspiring in the “get out there and make it happen” realm.
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead | 5 stars : An excellent, devastating book from the author of The Underground Railroad (which I have here but still haven't read). 
The Sunday Lunch Club by Juliet Ashton | 4 stars : There is something about this book that I found really, really delightful. It might be because it was different than what I've been reading (my last book was "The Nickel Boys" so there's that), or maybe it was just the right book for me at the right time. Whatever it was, I totally enjoyed it and I loved how she used the lens of the Sunday lunches to tell the story.
The Shallows: What The Internet Is Doing To Our Brains by Nicholas Carr | 5 stars : This is an older book but still super valuable about how the internet is actually changing the ways our brain works. Fascinated by so much of it - especially the chapter about memory. Felt super important and still mostly relevant. Following it up with  Digital Minimalism:  Choosing A Focused Life In A Noisy World.

SEPTEMBER

Digital Minimalism: Choosing A Focused Life In A Noisy World by Cal Newport | 5 stars. I followed up The Shallows: What The Internet Is Doing To Our Brains with this book and it was a really good companion with practical tips for living within the age of technology (not just leaving it all together). I underlined a lot and am planning on adopting some of his ideas in areas where I can in my own digital life. This is one I will definitely keep and refer back to regularly as I continue to figure out how to live intentionally and with meaning in the digital age.
The Line Between by Lee Tosca | 4 stars. I saw Stephanie Howell recommend this one recently so I ordered it, cleared my day, and ended up reading the entire thing in an afternoon/evening. Totally captivated by the dystopian story - great distraction read for sure and I will definitely grab the next one in the series. I've got the follow up book that was just recently released here + ready to start soon ( A Single Light ). 

You can see my 2018 Reading Recap post here and what I read in 2017 here. 

Simon's Eagle Scout Project Is Underway + He Needs Your Help

Greetings, Exalted Ones. 

Allow me to introduce myself: I’m Simon Edwards, Life Scout of Boy Scout Troop 175.

For my Eagle Scout Project I’m planning to organize and donate legos to Cesar Chavez Elementary School in Eugene, Oregon so that each classroom can have its own box. Legos have been in my life since I was 4 and I have loved the opportunity to be creative with them. And as a former Chavez Elementary School student, I feel this project will be the perfect way to repay them for teaching and supporting me. 

Here’s where I need your help: In addition to my personal collection of legos that I will be donating, I need to collect additional legos to go into the boxes for Chavez. 

I’m asking my community to donate legos you don’t need anymore or make a financial donation that will go towards purchasing additional legos for this project. 

Please consider contributing to my project! 

Here are ways you can help: 

Send used or new legos (any kind is fine - I will be cleaning, sorting, and organizing them into boxes for the classrooms) to P.O. Box 247, 1056 Green Acres Rd, Eugene, OR, 97408
Send a check made out to "Troop 175" for the purchase of additional legos to P.O. Box 247, 1056 Green Acres Rd, Eugene, OR, 97408
Make a financial donation for the purchase of legos online via my Go Fund Me campaign

Deadline for donations: December 7th, 2019.

Thank you so much for considering supporting my Eagle Scout Project.