MamaManagement

It can be hard to put into words the feelings you have about something you've enjoyed-- especially when that something isn't a thing that one typically waxes poetic about. Like, if you're trying to describe the love you have for your child, or the beauty of a flower, you may search for just the right words to capture its elemental heart, but everyone already gets the gist of what you're describing-- particularly if they've experienced it themselves. But when you're trying to capture the essence of how a simple television show made you feel, it's...well...a bit weird. But I'm going to do it anyway. Because this show that I've been obsessed with since the first of July, this BBC marvel, this so-much-more-than-a-bake-off, this tiny-teeny baking show just made me feel so good. Watching it, I felt somehow...lighter and brighter; warm and cozy, yet uplifted. It made me smile, a lot. It made my heart feel good. It was so basic, yet so lovel...

I haven't posted anything about books since my July post on A Man Called Ove.  (Read it. So good.) So, I thought I'd share my thoughts on the books I read this summer. This isn't necessarily an exhaustive list of all I read, but it gives you a good flavor...and maybe a few ideas on what, and what not, to grab on your next library (or Amazon) visit. Okay. Let's do this. The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware I found this book both entertaining and disappointing. The book rides the wave of mystery-thrillers with unreliable narrators that's so popular right now. (Confession: I'm kind of annoyed by unreliable narrators-- especially those with a drinking problem.) Anyway, the mystery was fun and kept me guessing throughout, but there was a big lag in the middle. A great editor could have helped speed the pace of this book and make for a more edge-of-my-seat read the whole way through. Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer If you like Young Adult D...

A pic from shortly after the 30 Day Challenge So, September 9th was my 8-month anniversary with Danette May. (Yes, I realize that's sounds a bit like we're dating in high school, but I assure you, this is so much more serious that all that.) In case you haven't read my other posts on this: Eight months ago I pretty much dropped everything and decided to focus on my health (right on the heals of dropping everything for a month to focus on the holidays and everyone else...which wasn't super successful in the "make me happy" department). I began changing lots of things, but the biggest change I made at the time was joining Danette May's 30 Day New You Challenge. And in the eight months since then, so much more than weight loss has happened. (Click here: https://mamamanagement.blogspot.com/2017/02/30-days-to-new-me-danette-mays-30-day.html  to read more about my 30 Day New You Challenge experience.) The photo above was taken shortly after I complete...

When I planned my and my husband's wedding, I remember being a bit baffled by the fact that here I was working on this wonderful thing-- this thing that I wanted so very, very much-- yet I was massively stressed out. I was overwhelmed by all the work...and all the change. We got engaged, we sold my house, we moved in together, I quit my job, I started a new one, we planned a wedding, we got married, we went to Hawaii... It was a lot. But it was all good. I felt like I should have been Mary-Poppins-kind-of-happy. Instead I was more roller-coaster-ride-of-emotions. High highs. Low lows. Lots of stomach dropping into my shoes.  You know what I mean. Now, it is once again a time of change. Again, it is all good. It is mostly stuff that I want. But it is-- like getting married, like having a baby-- change to a new way of life. And again, I feel discombobulated. My kids went back to school this week. For the first time, they are both full day, five days a week, and...