RECENT READS: JUNE 2025

📚 June Reading Wrap-Up

It was an amazing reading month for me! Lots of solid, five star reads, a couple favorites (some which will end up on my favorites of the year), and nothing terrible at all! It'll be hard to top this month, that's for sure. Let's get into it.

📊 Reading Stats

Books Read: 9

Genres: Fiction (8), Nonfiction (1)

Formats: Print (9)

Sources: Library (9)

Average Rating: 3.9★

Average Time to Finish: 4 days

🏅 Favorite Book of the Month

The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff

✨"You have shown me that love is worth the losing of it."

📖 Mini Reviews

📚 Title: Is She Really Going Out With Him?

Author: Sophie Cousens

Genre: Fiction ● Romance

Format & Source: Print ● Library

Rating: ★★★★★

The absolute sweetest enemies-to-lovers workplace romance about two rival journalists with a little matchmaking twist.

Anna is a divorced mom of two who agrees to write a dating column wherein her children choose her dates, and they can't be found online. She is writing alongside Will, her office enemy, who is writing from a different angle, meeting all of his dates online.

It's easy to see where this is going, but the journey there is a lot of fun and super endearing. The story manages to be lighthearted and humorous, while also going a little deeper than your typical romance. Anna begins the story in a bit of a flailing, struggling manner, having just gone through a divorce. She's lost her footing and lacks any sort of confidence. Along the way, she starts to find herself. Her awkward dates are really funny, and the characters are wonderful. They're the kind of characters you miss when the story ends.

All in all, this was a heartwarming story of love and rediscovery. I loved it and look forward to reading much more from this author.

⚡ Quick Take: Heartwarming second-chance romance with a newsroom twist and lovable, layered characters.

📚 Title: The Mother Next Door

Author: Andrea Dunlop and Mike Weber

Genre: Nonfiction ● True Crime

Format & Source: Print ● Library

Rating: ★★★☆☆

All in all, this was an interesting read. It was meticulously researched and featured three different cases of Munchausen by Proxy which has always been a topic of fascination for me.

I enjoyed it, but felt it was lacking just a bit. It didn't move as quickly as I expected in some places, and because it featured multiple cases, I didn't get as much detail as I would have liked. It was interesting though, and I enjoyed it.

⚡ Quick Take: Fascinating subject, solid research — just wished for more depth and momentum.

📚 Title: The Bright Years

Author: Sarah Damoff

Genre: Fiction ● Literary Fiction

Format & Source: Print ● Library

Rating: ★★★★★

This book SHATTERED ME! 5/5 for the feels alone, and 5/5 for the incredible, beautiful, exquisite writing.

The Bright Years follows a family - the Brights - over decades of their lives, from beginning to end. Though it’s a fairly short book, it encompasses SO MUCH. Addiction. Abandonment. Love. Family, and what we make of it. Gosh, I feel like I’ve been put through the wringer but I’d do it all again. I was devastated to see this book end but it will now permanently hold a place on my “favorite books of all time” list.

An astonishing debut. I can’t wait to see what else this author has in store in the future. If I could read this book again for the first time, I most definitely would. I’d recommend this one to everyone I know.

⚡ Quick Take: A breathtaking and emotional family epic filled with pain, beauty, and unforgettable writing.

📚 Title: Dead Med

Author: Freida McFadden

Genre: Fiction ● Thriller 

Format & Source: Print ● Library

Rating: ★★★☆☆

I'm a big Freida fan but this was not her best work (though I understand it's one of her earlier books). This story follows a group of med students and a slew of mysterious deaths. It kept me interested enough and had a decent mystery aspect.

In all though, it was a little too long and convoluted, plus a little strange. I didn't feel as though things were wrapped up satisfactorily, but I did enjoy seeing the story from multiple points of view. I'd say read this one if you're a Freida fan, but otherwise, maybe give it a pass. I'm glad I read it but she's gotten much better as an author since this one was written.

⚡ Quick Take: Early Freida: twisty and mysterious, but ultimately uneven and overly complex.

📚 Title: First-Time Caller

Author: B.K. Borison

Genre: Fiction ● Romance

Format & Source: Print ● Library

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Follows a radio show host who runs a romance hotline but no longer believes in love, and a single mother who goes viral after her daughter calls into the show about her.

Cute romance with really likeable characters and an interesting premise. A little bit slow and longer than necessary, but really touching, funny, and sweet. I loved the unique family that Lucie had created, and the strong friendships and different kinds of love throughout the story. All in all, a good romance with some good depth to it.

There was a lot of buzz around this book, and while I enjoyed it, it didn’t fully live up to the hype for me.

⚡ Quick Take: A sweet and charming small-town romance that doesn’t quite match the buzz.

📚 Title: Run on Red

Author: Noelle W. Ihli

Genre: Fiction ● Thriller

Format & Source: Print ● Library

Rating: ★★★★☆

This story follows two girls who discover they are being followed on a rural road with no cell signal and no one around for miles. 

This was a really fun read that basically felt like I was reading a horror movie. It was fast paced and exciting, and I flew through it in a day. Characters were a bit one dimensional and underdeveloped, but again, it was essentially a horror movie in book format. Great for what it was and kept me on the edge of my seat, but nothing super special or memorable.

⚡ Quick Take: A fast-paced horror-thriller that reads like a movie—fun, tense, but light on character depth.

📚 Title: The Hollow

Author: Kiersten Modglin

Genre: Fiction ● Mystery

Format & Source: Print ● Library

Rating: ★★★★★

After experiencing a personal tragedy, Carmen McKenna finds Hunter’s Hollow—a campground in North Carolina—to be her new home and worst nightmare. Eleven years later, she returns to face the past and unravel the mystery of a murder that still haunts the place.

Really great book! This was my first time reading Kiersten Modglin, and it exceeded my expectations. Based on what I've heard about her, I thought this would be a thriller / suspense novel, but it wasn't quite that. There was definitely a mystery element that kept me guessing, but more than that, it was a character driven, coming of age story. It goes back and forth between past and present, and because of that, we really get the history and backstory of the characters. Though the book was somewhat short, the characters managed to be incredibly three dimensional and well developed. I enjoyed the setting and dark feeling throughout the novel as well. I can't wait to read more of Modglin's books now, and highly recommend this one.

⚡ Quick Take: A moody, emotional, character-driven mystery with a great setting and strong writing.

📚 Title: Barbarian’s Mate

Author: Ruby Dixon

Genre: Fiction ● Sci-Fi ● Romance

Format & Source: Print ● Library

Rating: ★★★☆☆

This is book 6 of the Ice Planet Barbarians series, which follows a group of girls who crash on a frozen alien planet and slowly fall in love with big blue aliens.

I enjoyed this one, as I have the rest of the series. But what I've started to learn about this series is that basically, if you've read one, you've read them all. They're all the same basic storyline with just the main couple in each book changing. For the most part, the characters are all the same, especially the women who are essentially caricatures. They all talk the same and think the same with just a few different features or traits. That said, it's hard to keep track of who is who from book to book. I enjoy seeing previous characters but I can never really remember each individual's story.

Despite all of this, I always know I'm going to have fun reading one of these books. They're formulaic, yes, but the world building is great, and it's easy to get lost in the story. This particular entry in the series featured Josie and Haeden and had an enemies to lovers storyline. The tension was fun, if a little over dramatic, and since it took most of the story for them to finally warm up to each other, it wasn't quite as "dirty" as some of the other books, which was just fine with me!

All in all, this was another fun Ice Planet book, and I will continue to slowly work my way through the series. I tend to need a break in between books since they're all so similar, and find them to be good palate cleansers when I need something light to read.

⚡ Quick Take: Formulaic but fun and comforting alien romance with familiar tropes and worldbuilding.

📚 Title: Heartwood

Author: Amity Gaige

Genre: Fiction ● Literary Fiction 

Format & Source: Print ● Library

Rating: ★★★★★

Heartwood is the story of a woman who has gone missing on the Appalachian Trail and the search and rescue team who are looking for her.

This book was SO good!

I'm always intrigued by missing persons stories. I've also always been interested in the Appalachian Trail, ever since seeing a presentation from a thru hiker and his dog MANY years ago. Both of those things combined meant that I would pretty much love this book, and I did.

I will say that though this one SOUNDS like it will be a thriller or adventure story, it ultimately is not. It's more literary, more slow paced. It's the story of three women - the hiker who goes missing, the game warden in charge of the search, and an elderly woman living states away with an interesting tie to the mystery. It delves into their backgrounds, their motivations, their families... lots of depth for all three characters. The story shifts between these three points of views, interviews, and even tip line messages. These shifts and varying points of view made for an interesting read since you're coming at this disappearance from quite a few angles. It was interesting trying to piece it all together and see where things overlapped and intersected.

All in all, this was an easy 5 stars for me. The writing was surprisingly beautiful, the story was well researched, and the characters were all very three dimensional. I liked Bev, the game warden, in particular. I'm looking forward to checking out more of this author's work.

⚡ Quick Take: A haunting literary mystery with multiple POVs, deep character work, and exquisite writing.

🧨 Most Disappointing

Dead Med by Freida McFadden

⚠️ Interesting premise but too convoluted and didn’t quite stick the landing.

⏱️ Quickest Read

Run on Red by Noelle W. Ihli

🚗 Read in one day—like a horror movie in book form!

🎯 Yearly Reading Goal

Goal: 100 books

So far: 36 / 100

🔜 Upcoming TBR

• The Arrangement by Kiersten Modglin
• Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy
• The Amendment Kiersten Modglin

Thanks for reading — see you next time with more recent reads!

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BOOK REVIEW: WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING BY DELIA OWENS

Where the Crawdads Sing

by Delia Owens

💬 Favorite Quote:
"Autumn leaves don't fall, they fly. They take their time and wander on this their only chance to soar."

Genre: Fiction ●  Mystery ● Literary

Format & Source: Print ● Library

Publication Year: 2018

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Dates Read: April 24, 2025 – May 1, 2025

Days to Read: 7

📝 My Review

I finally got around to reading this one — and while I enjoyed it overall, the hype may have oversold it a bit for me.

Kya, abandoned at a young age, lives alone in the marsh. Rumors have always floated around town about her and her wild upbringing (or lack thereof). For the most part, people leave her alone — until the body of a popular local boy, Chase, is found nearby. Suspicion quickly falls on Kya, and the mystery unfolds from there.

There’s no denying the writing is beautiful: vivid descriptions, an atmospheric setting, and a main character who’s both vulnerable and resilient. I especially liked how the story spans nearly all of Kya's life. The character development and mystery were definite highlights.

That said, the pacing was a challenge. I found it slow in many places, especially in the beginning, which dragged more than I expected. At times, it felt bogged down by lengthy descriptions that didn’t always feel necessary. I kept waiting for it to pick up — and it never quite did.

Am I glad I read it? Yes. But for me, it didn’t live up to the five-star expectations. Still, a worthwhile read for the right reader.

⚡ Quick Take: Gorgeous writing and strong characters, but the slow pacing held me back from loving it fully.

🎯 Themes

• 🌿 Nature & solitude
• 💔 Abandonment
• 🔍 Small-town mystery

👍 Recommend If You Like:

• Slow-burn literary fiction
• Atmospheric writing with rich natural settings
• Character-driven stories with a central mystery

Thanks for reading! 📚

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I'M AN INTROVERT: HERE ARE FIVE THINGS I WANT YOU TO KNOW

This one is for all my extroverted friends out there! If you’re a fellow introvert, you will probably be nodding your head “yes” at all of these, but if you’re not? Well, these are all the things I’ve wanted you to know about me and “my kind.” As introverts, we are very often misunderstood. People think we’re rude, shy, and antisocial. I know I come across that way, but it’s not true at all. Here’s the truth and the five biggest things I want you to know about me, us, and my life as an introvert.

1. I AM Listening, Even if I’m Not Talking (I’m Probably Not Talking)

You might think I’m not paying attention to what you’re saying, but I’m probably paying better attention than anyone else is. If I’m in a group of people, I will likely only contribute to the conversation if I’m comfortable with ALL of those people, or if it’s something that I really feel needs to be said. Otherwise, I’m just listening, observing, and taking it all in.

An old boss once said to me that she liked having me in meetings because she knew that any time I did speak up (though it was rare), it was only when I had something important to say. In other words, I’m not going to uselessly babble. I am listening though, pinky promise!

“You see things. You keep quiet about them. And you understand.” – Stephen Chbosky

2. It’s Not You, It’s Me (on Saying “No”)

Look, I hate having to say “no” and decline invitations, but sometimes I just really, really have to. If we had plans and I broke them, or if you invited me somewhere but I never gave you a direct answer, it’s NOTHING against you. It’s not you at all. It’s ALL me. I get very easily overwhelmed. I really need peace, quiet, and alone time. I don’t function well when I’m overly busy, and sometimes I just need to be home.

Working all day with the public can really drain my energy, and the only way for me to re-gain that energy is by being alone. None of this means I don’t like you, or I don’t value our friendship, because I most definitely do. I just struggle to make myself go places sometimes, especially if it’s been a long day or a long week.

Even if I don’t see you that often, it is very meaningful for me to enforce our friendship in other ways, like by chatting via text. Yes, I am serious, and this is how I let people know I am thinking of them even when I’m not seeing them! I love you, so please don’t take offense if I simply say “no” sometimes.

“Alone had always felt like an actual place to me, as if it weren’t a state of being, but rather a room where I could retreat to be who I really was.” – Cheryl Strayed

3. I Still Want to Be Included and Be Your Friend

Even if I’ve said “no” for the 15th time, I still want to be included. I understand it may be frustrating to keep issuing invitations only to be told “no,” but eventually I will probably say “yes.” I still want the opportunity to decide for myself whether I can go or not.

I tend to be a little self-conscious, so I hate feeling left out… it’s just really hard for me to muster up the energy and courage sometimes to put myself out there and socialize. I only have so much energy in a day, and I have to choose wisely on where and how I deplete it.

If you’re my friend, it’s because I really, really like you, and I want to be close to you! There are a handful of friends I really value, and I’m all set on needing any more. Please know that it was probably hard for me to befriend you at all, and if you’re in my circle, it’s because I adore you.

“The secret to life is to put yourself in the right lighting. For some it’s a Broadway spotlight, for others, a lamplit desk.” – Susan Cain

4. I Didn’t Mean to Say That (on Being Awkward)

So I finally said “yes” and decided to be social. I’m at your house, or we’re at a restaurant, or HECK, maybe you’re my coworker and we’re just chatting in the break room, and then lo and behold, I say something weird.

I drop a joke that you don’t find funny, or I’m talking too fast, or I said something stupid that just makes no effing sense. Hey, sorry, I know that was awkward and I’ll probably go home and cringe about it all freaking night.

Listen, I have anxiety and I do SO bad in social situations. Small talk and conversation do not come naturally to me (but writing does!). Please forgive my stilted and awkward conversation… it’s just a challenge for me.

“Quiet people have the loudest minds.” – Stephen Hawking

5. I Am (Probably) Overwhelmed Right Now

As an introvert, I get way too overstimulated way too easily. I was just telling Jerry last weekend that I try my hardest to be patient with my kids, but that sometimes, I lose my temper because they are just so dang chaotic. So loud, so noisy, so energetic! I feel like the Grinch and all the “noise, noise, noise!”

I also told him that when I retreat to our room for naps on the weekends, it’s not even usually about sleep. I just need to go lie down in a dark, quiet room for awhile to try and re-charge.

I need to take a step away from all the noise and chaos that being around others induces (especially the kids). When I’m in a noisy, overstimulating environment, I can literally feel the tension building and growing inside of me until I either snap or simply have to walk away.

If I’m at a party or a large gathering of ANY kind, I am likely overwhelmed. If I leave early? This is why. If I opt not to go at all? This is why. It becomes physically and mentally uncomfortable for me to be in social situations, unexpected situations, or chaotic and noisy situations. It drains me completely.

“Introverts, the world needs you and it needs the things you carry. So I wish you the best of all possible journeys and the courage to speak softly.” – Susan Cain

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FIVE ON FRIDAY (75)

I haven’t done a Five on Friday since MARCH, apparently?! Who am I? Yikes.

Well, I’m finally back, and I guess we’ll just jump right in!

ONE.

Holden turned THREE yesterday! I’m always in shock at how old my boys are getting when another birthday rolls around. During the day, my parents took the boys to the zoo, and sang happy birthday with a twinkie for a cake (LOL), and after work, Jerry and I got them pizza and took them for ice cream at the new Byrne Dairy. We got him an electric ride on Front Loader that he proceeded to crash into everything last night in the house. It will obviously become an outdoor toy as of today. Ha!

TWO.

Speaking of Holden, he also had preschool orientation this week! He’s going to the same preschool Caleb went to, so we’re very comfortable with it and looking forward to it. He will be in the pre-3 class, which is only 2 mornings a week. Like Caleb was, Holden has been in speech therapy, and still is very delayed in that area, so he tends to get frustrated easily. I worry about how that may manifest itself at school, but his speech therapy will be increasing from 1 to 3 times a week, so that should help! Other school news is that Caleb starts 1st grade next week and is not excited. Sigh.

THREE.

For book club this month, we went to my friend Christine’s house. Angela and I wanted to celebrate her birthday, so we got Olive Garden to go, and just hung out and ate in the backyard. Caleb came with so he could play with her little guy. Always nice to catch up with them, even though we don’t even pretend to pick out books or read them anymore. HA! I have 2 other book clubs that actually read the books though, so I’m glad this one is low pressure (or no pressure, actually!), or else I couldn’t keep up!

FOUR.

As you can see, I am slowly starting to get back into the swing of blogging, and I am also getting back into the swing of my Pink Zebra business too. Healing from surgery has been going well over the last week and I am starting to feel pretty good. I tend to get overwhelmed when I am in full on work / blog / PZ mode, because it’s basically 3 jobs, but I need to try and find a balance because obviously all are important. Not to mention… kids, family, friends, and house work, like never ending laundry.

FIVE.

We’ve had some fall like temps this week and boy does that make me happy! I am so ready for fall. By this time (early September, that is), I am usually all decorated for Halloween and have already scheduled all sorts of farm and fall activities, but I’m just not as into it this year as usual, mostly because life has just been so chaotic what with my surgery. We’ll still do a lot of the activities with the kids, and I always want to hit up some haunted attractions, but I think our fall will be tamer than usual. It’s been a nutty year (and summer in particular for me), so… the holidays are going to look different. My whole life basically looks different now, and I am still learning to adjust.

It’s been a busy week! Tomorrow morning is piano lessons for Caleb. Tomorrow night, we’re having a much awaited game night with my two besties and the husbands. I cannot WAIT! We used to live for a good game night back in the day when we were still in high school and college. We haven’t done one in forever though because… kids, work, responsibilities. You know. We recently decided we’d like to try and do one every month or so if we can, and tomorrow is the first one! Then of course, we have a long weekend because of Labor Day, so no complaints there. Hoping to clean and organize around the house, and make some good progress on my book club book. Also want to take the kids outside so Holden can ride around on his new toy, and I’d like to go for some walks to get some exercise. My breathing is starting to feel back to normal after I had some issues from surgery, and since the weather seems to be getting cooler, I want to get in as many walks as I can.

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FIVE ON FRIDAY (72)

Happy Friday! How was your week? Mine was okay but felt especially long, since last week was a short work week due to Thanksgiving. Anyway, onto Five on Friday!

ONE.

This morning, I was getting my Diet Coke at McDonalds on my way to work. For the first time in my life, the person ahead of me in the drive through line paid for my order. I was so shocked and touched! Later, my coworker Ann told me it was HER! She saw me and knew I was getting my Diet Coke. How hilarious! She said she only had quarters, so she asked if I was just getting a drink. LOL!

TWO.

It’s been a big week on the “job” front in our family. My dad officially retired, and worked his last day on Monday! He’s worked for decades as an ophthalmic photographer. It’s so different seeing him at home every morning now when I drop the kids off on my way to work! It’s nice though that he gets to be home, especially in the midst of this pandemic. I wonder if the kids are driving him nuts yet?!

Also, Jerry unofficially started working in grounds this week. He started cross training awhile ago, then they posted the job opening a couple weeks back and he put in his application. Now he’s just waiting for the interview, so while he’s not official yet… let’s just say he’s in, and his shift has changed and all that! Very proud of him! He’s been on the cleaning staff for just over 7 years now.

THREE.

On December 1st, Caleb woke up and KNEW it was the first and that it was time to start his Christmas chocolate advent calendar. He’s had one every year since he was a baby, but this is the first year I remember him being super excited and completely understanding it, and then waking up on the first all ready to go!

Holden also has one, but does not grasp the concept. On December 2nd, we discovered that Caleb’s chocolate for day two was mysteriously missing, so I gave him Holden’s. The next morning, while I was getting ready for work, Caleb tattled and told me that he caught Holden red-handed, opening up the advent calendar and eating extra chocolates. Right on cue, Holden walked by and slipped a chocolate into his mouth. I can’t help but laugh, honestly. He has no idea.

FOUR.

Speaking of laughing, I have to share this conversation on here that I also shared on Facebook this week.

Caleb: Oh! My goodness, Mommy!
Me: what?
Caleb: It snowed!
Me: Oh, yes it did.
Caleb: When I woke up, this happened. On December two, it snowed. It’s so bright. I need to take a picture to remember this happened.

(December TWO! That is what he said. I laugh every time I think of it!)

FIVE.

We had our first real snow of the season this week. UGH! During the summer, I start to miss the winter, but then it snows and I’m rushing to work with my wet feet, trying to brush my car with my freezing, numb hands, and I’m like… why the hell did I miss this?! I hate summer and heat, and while snow is pretty to look at while you’re inside, it ain’t fun to be out in. Just give me fall all year. Please.

I hope you are all staying healthy and well. Enjoy your weekend, and do something fun and festive if you can! We’re going to put together our first gingerbread house with the kids this weekend (Jerry picked up a kit at Aldi). We’ve never done one before, but since most of the fun things we like to do with the kids for Christmas (like dinner with Santa) won’t be happening, it’s time to start some at-home traditions.

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MONTH IN REVIEW: NOVEMBER 2020

🦃 November in Review

November was a pretty good month! I had some time off work, and of course Thanksgiving! I’ll just get right into it.

📚 Books Read

Another bad reading month where I only finished one book, but at least it was a good one! This was another book for my virtual mystery book club that I run at work.

• Somewhere in the Dark by R.J. Jacobs

🌟 Favorite Book of the Month: Somewhere in the Dark

📺 What I Watched

🎬 Movies

• Unhinged: Jerry and I watched this one and it was a very good thriller!
• Cranberry Christmas
• Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Sweater
• Chateau Christmas
• On the 12th Date of Christmas
• Christmas in Vienna
• The Angel Tree
• Heart of the Holidays
• Five Star Christmas

📺 Shows

• The Great Food Truck Race: Holiday Hustle (from 2019… I saved it on my DVR from last year when I never got around to watching it. Oops!)
• Holiday Wars
• 20/20: If Something Happens To Me (episode about Susan Powell)
• Destination Fear: I had never seen this show before, but I had to DVR an episode because it was filmed at Rolling Hills Asylum which is local-ish to us (about 45 minutes). It’s a very well known abandoned asylum turned “haunted” destination, and I’ve been wanting to visit for awhile. Anyway, as most of these haunting shows are, this was very, very cheesy.

🍽️ Eats & Treats

• Jerry made conchas for the first time — a favorite from his childhood. He also made another Mexican sweet dish with fried tortillas for Thanksgiving!
• I made my yearly pecan pie for Thanksgiving, and picked up pie-shaped cookies from a local baker for the kids.
• Good snacks were had by all at my Double Blend Bash too!

💖 What I Loved

• Caleb’s kindergarten photo came back and it is the CUTEST!
• I managed to get a ton of our Christmas shopping done — just a few more things to get!
• I had a lot of time off — Veterans Day, a few for the Blend Bash, and time off for Thanksgiving.

🧠 What I Learned

• My new migraine medication (Topamax) worked well — only 4 mild migraines this month compared to the 8 or 9 I’d been having!
• Had my nutrition seminar over Zoom with my new nutritionist, Molly — already like her much better than the old one.
• Salt rooms are an interesting experience, but I probably won’t do it again. Water floats next, maybe?

📌 Happenings & Tidbits

• I hosted my second Pink Zebra Blend Bash — a Double Bash, so very hectic, but successful and fun.
• Others who bought kits came over separately to blend. It was great to catch up with my besties.
• I did a live interview with one of my Pink Zebra team leaders. Kind of nerve wracking, but fun — and I was #5 in team sales for November!
• My dad retired! Yay!
• Jerry unofficially started in the grounds department at work!
• Car drama: I got a flat two days before my inspection. But we were able to get inspections, brakes, and tires done thanks to a health insurance reimbursement check — what a relief!

🎄 Coming Up in December

• Christmas Eve, brunch, and dinner with my parents and brother’s family. No extended family this year, but that’s okay with my anxiety.
• I want to make graham cracker gingerbread houses with the kids — a new tradition since many usual ones were canceled.
• Lots of Christmas movies and reading planned!
• Quite a few days off for the holidays for both Jerry and me — yay!

And there you have it… November in review! I’m hoping for a festive December, even though most of our traditions will be on hold for the year, like dinner with Santa. We’ll make the most of it!

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