Am I right? It's sunny and 43 right now--I could use a few more degrees than that, but this weekend will be in the mid-50s, which is the normal for this time of year. Anyway, I'm loving it. We're getting all of our "fall" stuff done--raking the yard, stacking our delivery of firewood, making soup at least once a week. :) Anyway, here's what else we're enjoying around here!
1) Movies
First of all, if you're a movie lover, you need to know two things. (1) The Popcast has an annual episode previewing fall movies. This year's is episode 318 and it's great--it definitely gave me a list of things I want to see over the next few months! And (2) If you're near an Emagine theater (and I'm sure other theaters have similar deals), do yourself a favor and sign up for their free loyalty program. Dan signed up for it a few months ago and I always forget we have it until the woman ringing me up asks if I have a membership to scan. Oh, yup. I do. So last month I decided to go to a movie on a Tuesday morning (because I'm still getting used to all of this time I have on my hands with three kids in school) and she rang up my ticket ($5--I realized they must have a deal on certain days or at certain times) and then asked, "Would you like your free popcorn?" Um, yes please. So apparently if you have a loyalty card, Tuesdays are their special days--$5 tickets and a free small popcorn. Jackpot!
So on this random Tuesday, I went to see Downton Abbey. And I loved it. :) Dan and I watched the show when it was on, and the movie picks right up like there hasn't been a break at all. I quickly remembered why I loved all of these characters. It was just so lovely. So if you were a fan of the show, go see it!
2) Superstore
Dan and I realized over the summer that we have a teenager who doesn't go to bed as early as his siblings and he was encroaching on our evening TV time. :) So we invited him to join in our TV time, which was super awesome and weird and all sorts of "How are you old enough to be laughing at that joke?" We started with Brooklyn 99, which Dan and I were a couple of seasons into when Jack joined us. When that was done we weighed our options for the next show and landed on Superstore. None of us had ever seen an episode but I'd heard great things. Well, we aren't at all disappointed. This show makes us laugh so hard! And it's still on TV currently, so we'll be watching it for a while. :)
3) Pat Barrett
Pat Barrett has an amazing self-titled album that came out last year, and he has followed it with this year's beautiful Canvas and Clay. His songwriting is pretty incredible and I am so in love with so much of these albums. If you don't buy the whole thing, at least get "This is the Day" and "Canvas and Clay." So good.
4) Thai Express
Upon searching for the logo, I realized that Thai Express is a national chain. Our Maple Grove location is relatively new to us, and we've been so pleasantly surprised. Dan and I went one Wednesday for lunch and noticed that they have daily deals for almost half price. And we quickly realized that our favorite day is Saturday (curry). A close second is Tuesday (pad Thai). I don't know if we've actually had anything else--those are both so good! And everything is made to order, so it's super fresh. So if you have a Thai Express near you, please check it out. And if you're local, PLEASE check out the Maple Grove location! It's never very busy when we go and that makes me very nervous that it's not long for this world!
5) Books
Fiction:
Tell the Wolves I'm Home was a recommendation from my mom, and I loved it. It follows 14-year-old June in the 1980s, after the death of her uncle to AIDS. She ends up developing a very sweet relationship with her uncle's boyfriend, whom the family has previously blamed for their uncle's death.
I'm pretty sure The Mother-in-Law was a Popcast green light. It details the relationship between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, moving between the present time, where the mother-in-law has just died, and various points in the past. Super intriguing read.
The River was definitely a Popcast green light, and I've been waiting my turn on the library waiting list for a while. :) It was absolutely worth the wait--Heller is an amazing writer and the story is extremely compelling. It follows college friends on a canoeing trip, where lots of things pop up to complicate their plans.
Nonfiction:
I adored Anne Bogel's I'd Rather Be Reading, and I'm very much looking forward to her Don't Overthink It. But I'd never picked up Reading People, and I'm so glad I finally did. The book outlines a variety of personality-type systems (Myers Briggs, Enneagram, Love Languages, etc) and it's so fascinating to realize all the ways we are so unique from one another.
I don't know where I heard about Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, but it was so fantastic! It's the account of a therapist and the journey of four of her clients, as well as HER own relationship with her therapist. It's so beautifully written--you grow to love Gottlieb and her clients so much. And it will make you grateful for any therapist you've ever had. :)
Holy Envy was the big nonfiction winner for me this quarter. I've never read anything by Barbara Brown Taylor, but every time I hear Jen Hatmaker as her question ("What is saving your life right now?") at the end of her podcast, I think, "I should read something by her." So I did! And I picked a good one to start with. Taylor is an Episcopal priest and professor, and this book recounts her time teaching a world religions class at Piedmont College. The subtitle, "Finding God in the Faith of Others," really does sum up what this book does. She speaks of the major religions she teaches and how they impacted her life as a Christian. It's fascinating and intriguing and I didn't want it to be done. Can't wait to read more by her.
There you have it! Hope your fall is treating you well and that winter holds off a little while longer! ;)
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