Well, well, well. It seems that I have neglected this little blog baby. And oops, summer has done its thing and it's a week until fall begins. (Okay, fine. Summer is still very much doing its thing, as today's 80s forced me to turn the AC on again after a nice long break from it).
Alas, we are still in the midst of a global pandemic. I had to laugh reading my last Top 5 post from spring. I wrote, of the concept of "alone time" in a house where no one really goes anywhere, "I do start to hyperventilate when I think about the fact that the kids will likely not be going back to school until next fall." Hahaha! Well, guess what?! It's next fall now and they're still home! (Insert alternating laughing and crying emojis here). They're doing distance learning until the end of September and then *possibly* moving into a hybrid model where they'll be in school twice a week and home three days a week. But all of that is dependent on our county's numbers, so really nothing is guaranteed. And I'm fine. Really. I am.
It's hard to believe it's mid-September and that we've been in this weird pandemic/quarantine mode for six months. And 2020 has only continued to get weirder and harder. And, guess what? With a presidential election in seven short weeks, I bet it's only going to get even crazier.
So what we all need is a Top 5 list, right? Haha, wrong. That's not going to help anyone, but I'm giving it to you anyway! ;)
1) Podcasts
I've got two newish podcasts that I'm enjoying and hope you will too.
The first is the Evolving Faith podcast, put out by Sarah Bessey and Jeff Chu. These two, along with Rachel Held Evans, put together the Evolving Faith conference a handful of years ago. The podcast so far (and by so far I mean the five or so episodes that I've listened to) are recordings from last year's gathering. These talks are so rich and beautiful, and there's plenty of commentary from Sarah and Jeff which is also lovely.
The second podcast is List It with Jesse Carey. Carey is part of the Relevant podcast (also awesome) and he started this just recently. Full disclosure, I've only listened to one episode (his interview with Annie F. Downs), but the concept is super fun. Basically, each guest has a category of something to put in a list (for instance, he and Annie rated Food Network shows and HGTV shows). Then they compare their lists. I was wary of how entertaining it would be, but I loved it.
2) Olive and June
You guys, I drank the Olive and June koolaid. Kendra Adachi and Erin Moon made me do it. Both have been raving about the new fall collection (pictured). I didn't want to commit to all six colors and I already have a top coat that I love, so I got two--the fifth and sixth in this photo. I currently have one color on my toenails and one on my fingernails. And I love them! I'll definitely be getting more.
3) TV
Anyone else watching lots of TV? We certainly did more at the beginning of the pandemic, and these days we're usually watching a Twins game, but these three are still some current faves.
Community is the show that we're currently watching with Jack when the other two go to bed. I watched it sporadically when it was actually on TV, but we're really enjoying it now. Lots of laughs. :)
We love finding things that we all (at least somewhat) enjoy and that isn't inappropriate for Will or Leah. (Okay, this one has a few "bad words," which Will was quick to point out). But for the most part, we found Down to Earth delightful. Of course, I live with Zac Efron's number one fan (Leah, not Dan), so that helped, but it really was quite enjoyable.
Home Town is one of the only things I enjoy on HGTV. Ben and Erin are so sweet and are basically the Chip and Joanna Gaines of Laurel, Mississippi.
4) Food!
Need a couple awesome, new recipes? Look no further. These are fairly recent additions to our rotation and they are both HUGE hits in our house.
The first is the Lazy Genius
Change Your Life Shawarma. I mentioned it in my May post about feeding your family during a pandemic, but it's worth another shout out and reminder that you need to make it. It is so versatile (roast it or grill it; serve it on rice or in a pita) and so delicious.
And this Pinch of Yum
Thai Noodle Salad. Fair warning, it's not necessarily a quick meal. Lots of chopping, making the dressing, marinating and cooking the chicken, etc. But it's worth it. So fresh and tasty.
5) Books, obvs
First off, I mentioned in the Spring Top 5 that I was looking forward to the release of these three books. Well, they are now on my shelves and have been read and I loved them all! I obviously will always read anything Jen Hatmaker rights. And Knox and Kendra were thoroughly enjoyable reads as well. Highly recommend all three.
I started hearing about Jayber Crow in the last year or so. Sarah Bessey adores it and Kendra Adachi read it and loved it. So I dove in and loved it so much. Kendra described it as "it's like a hug and sunshine and rain and a sigh." So perfect.
Nothing to See Here was as unusual and hilarious as the cover would suggest. It's about kids who spontaneously combust and it was surprisingly enjoyable!
To Night Owl from Dogfish is a children's fiction book written as letters and emails between two eventual friends. Super cute read.
The Book of Longings is the fictional story of Jesus' wife. Hahaha--don't let that very weird sentence stop you from reading it, because I actually really liked it. It's fascinating and beautifully written.
The Dearly Beloved was a vacation read for me last month and I adored it. So well-written and a moving story. It's about two couples, the husbands of which are ministers who start a job at a new church together, and the wives of which couldn't be more different from each other.
Ask Again, Yes is a profound story following two families from the 1970s until the present. An unfortunate incident, years of family drama, and unexpected reconciliation. Looking forward to discussing this one with my book club friends next week. :)
And in the "haven't read it yet but know I'll love it" category, Myquillyn Smith's Welcome Home. This was released today and was literally delivered when I started writing this blog post an hour ago. I'm so excited for this book! Myquillyn has also written The Nesting Place and Cozy Minimalist Home, both of which really shaped how I view my home. The pre-order bonuses for this one included her "Welcome Home Prep School" classes, which I watched last weekend. She's so relatable and adorable. Can't wait to dig into this one!
Okay, friends. Until we meet again. But first I'd love to hear what you're loving! Books! TV shows! Recipes! Podcasts! Hit me up. :)
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