Welcome to November! This is our craziest month as a family. Both the girls’ birthdays are in November as well as other family members and friends, Thanksgiving hits and then holiday shopping starts and work tends to be busy too. I’m not one to celebrate busy, so I’m taking a deep breath in as I type.
I really wanted to share some things that were making me happy in October. I skipped September because really? I was into chocolate ice cream and cookies and that’s not helping anyone.
AdvoCare
Whether you saw my results post last week or not, it bears repeating. AdvoCare totally dug me out of my funk and I feel GREAT. In fact, I’ve lost a few more pounds since posting and I’m still feeling terrific.
I can’t get enough of the Fruit Punch Spark energy drink in the mornings. I get just as excited about that as I did my coffee. Seriously.
Pure Protein Bars
One way that I’ve been able to handle the high protein/low carb diet is protein bars in the afternoon. I’ve tried several of them and BY FAR the best one is Pure Protein in chocolate peanut butter. It’s like eating a Snickers. Like, without the caramel and nuts and yummy goodness but, you know, close when you’re eating low carb. Buy them by the box at Walmart.
30 Day Shred
30 Day Shred is an oldie but I keep returning to it over and over. It’s a solid work-out and I completed the 30 days in October. You can’t beat just 20 minutes of working out in your living room with just a set of hand weights.
BIC Velocity Pen
If you’re a pen freak, you probably already know about this pen but seriously? The BIC Velocity is the smoothest pen EVER. Love.
New Girl
I decided to check out New Girl on Netflix and I’m a fan–not like, I can’t live without this fan, but fill in the Friday night nothing to do fan. It has quite a bit of adult humor and the morals/lifestyles are atrocious, but it’s funny. Scott and I watch it together and I spend most of it punching his shoulder across the bed laughing. I finally get the Zooey love.
David Walker Band
I mentioned this band in my Allume recap but since I’ve been home, I’ve been listening to David Walker’s music and oh my word, they are GOOD. If you want some good worship music you can leave on repeat, go check it out on Spotify. Fragrance and Only You are my favorites.
What I’m Reading
Based on our reader survey, I think I’m going to bow out from Twitterature each month but I think this is a good spot for it to land.
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh turned out to be one of my favorite novel EVER.
I did a full post of Jesus > Religion but it only scratched the surface of the book. It’s really fantastic. I really, really hope you check it out if you’re a Jesus follower.
A Million Little Ways by Emily Freeman was like a long poem—beautiful writing. The Type A side of me wanted it to be more practical but it’s really more about a perspective shift. From the site it says, “Do you desperately fear you have nothing to offer the world but secretly hope you’re wrong?” This book is definitely an encouragement when you feel you have nothing to offer. We ALL do.
Me Before You was a fantastic novel with great characters and interesting storyline but darn it, why couldn’t it have a better ending??
I also read Tina Fey’s Bossypants which I found hilarious but not necessarily up my alley.
Anything by Jennie Allen was good but not great. I wish I would have read this after hearing her live.
Jodi Picoult’s Keeping Faith made me frustrated and mad–I threw it on the floor when I was done.
BONUS!
I have a copy of A Million Little Ways to give away! Just leave me a comment—tell me something from the list you’d like to check out or something you were into in October! I’ll draw a name next Monday!
Linked to October 2013 What I’m Into