Wow…that went fast!

My kids are back in school and our lazy days are winding down. Even though summer has technically ended for them, it hasn’t for me. I hold on tightly to the last few moments before labor day. I don’t think my mind will ever adjust to summer being over in mid-August with the new backpacks and school year.

So…in this lull before sports and homework really kick in and starts our busy school-year schedule, I have a few things left to check off my summer list.

4. Running through the sprinkler

Fresh-cut grass is one of my favorite smells. Growing up, summer was spending most of the day in a bathing suit either at the pool or running through the sprinkler in our backyard. My kids were a little iffy on the whole idea at first. Didn’t stop me from showing them how it’s done and now they are on board.

3. Grilling as much as possible

I love our system for grilling. I’ll marinate meat in the morning, prep the sides in the afternoon, and then have everything ready for the hubs to cook for dinner while I do the dishes. By the time we eat, my kitchen is clean. Hard not to love grilling. I will confess, I love to bake and cook heavy foods like pastas and casseroles. I am looking forward to all my hearty, cold weather favorites. But I always miss the grill (and Johnsonville brats, yum).

2. Bike rides

I’ve really stepped up my bike riding game this summer. I bought a lock and am in an easy enough distance to bike to the pool, the gym, the library, the Starbucks, and most of my friends’ houses. It’s been my go-to transportation and I love it. Especially fun to bike with my oldest and head to the playgrounds together.

1. Spending every second outdoors

I live in the Midwest. We get winter. Winter is very real and very long. I have come to appreciate every season (because honestly, what’s the alternative). But I’ve also come to realize that I need to soak up all the outside time I can (even in winter, when possible).

Not wearing a coat to walk the dog, eating every meal I can outside, lying on a blanket in the sun while I read, these are the things I miss the most.

 

 

 

 

Another conference is in the books! Once again I left inspired and encouraged to keep developing my craft and keep writing.

This year I ran into several familiar faces.

Brandi Willis Schreiber has a short story coming out in the Second Chances anthology. Can’t wait to read it!

Sariah Wilson is always lovely and I’m determined to write for her Kindle World. I’m a huge fan and if you love sweet romance you have to check out her series.
No pictures of this but I got to meet the Kindle Press team, Marietta Franken and Monique Smith, and former Kindle Press editor Megan Mulder. Love to see how passionate they are about the program!

And I stopped by the parks. Love this quote! Good reminder!

Already counting down to next year.

I didn’t read enough last year.

I love romance novels (duh) and usually devour them pretty quickly. But I got a little swept up in my own projects last year and didn’t make time to read. Maybe that doesn’t sound like a negative. For me, it was.

Romance books inspire, encourage, humor, and engage me in a way no other source of entertainment can. I love this industry and this genre, it has given me far more then I’ll ever be able to repay.

I decided to challenge myself to read 50 books this year. It’s a very do-able (ha) goal. If you check out my Goodreads page (check it out here), you’ll see that I read a wide range from within the genre.

My favorites so far, however, have all been from the same publishing line: Harlequin Heartwarming.

Fellow Chicago-ans, you have to check out Amy Vastine’s Chicago Sisters series. Starting with The Better Man, these books pack so much heart and hope into their pages. I couldn’t stop reading. I read these three on my Kindle on vacation and was in serious withdrawal by the third day of my trip.

I’m going to cheat and count that whole series as one…

Not that it should matter. There aren’t any rules here, it’s my blog.

Under an Adirondack Sky by Karen Rock really touched me. I loved the city slickers in the country angle and was surprised by the heroine’s family (in a great way).

And another sister book, I loved To Catch a Wife by Lee Mckenzie. The bond between the heroine and her family and best friend felt so real. I was absorbed into the story and the small town setting.

Do yourself a favor and check out these books.