a good read

Just a quick note to recommend a great book I recently read.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn was a page turner! I devoured the story in a matter of days, sneaking in a page here and chapter there, returning to the book every spare moment I had.  While this isn't the type of novel I typically read - it's a bit dark and twisted - I enjoyed it immensely.  If you're a fan of Dateline and 48 Hours Mystery television programs, I think you'll love this one.  I won't say much more about the book and I'd caution you not to read too much more before starting the book. There's a lot of buzz surrounding this one and I'd hate for it to be ruined for you. 

If you read it, let me know what you think!

*As always, these opinions are my own and I was not compensated in anyway for this post.

getting my ducks in a row

Do you ever feel like you're hanging on by a thread? That you've got too many balls in the air and at any time they might all come tumbling down on your head? That's the way I've been feeling lately.

We've had a string of illnesses run through the house (everything from the stomach flu to pink eye to a summer cold - fun!), we're in the process of having the exterior of the house painted and had some pressure washing mishaps which led to water inside the house (which was a hoot to clean up), and in the midst of all this and the Florida summer heat, our A/C went out last week. (Did I ever share the story of how our air went out last summer when I was 41 weeks pregnant? That one was a doozie.)  It's just been a bit hectic around these parts and I feel like I've been perpetually behind.

Yesterday I tried to whip the house and myself into order, as best I could. Laundry was washed, kitchen was scrubbed, meals were planned, groceries were purchased, clothes were ironed and most importantly, there was a nap. These days, there are few pleasures greater than a mid-day nap.

At the end of the day, things just felt... better. Like I was ready to take on the world again. Never underestimate the restorative powers of a nap.

Here's the menu I planned. Maybe sharing it here will help me stick to it, even if the week gets away from me again and Chick-fil-a beckons?

These are all tried and true recipes for me so I usually just throw them together but some recipe inspiration was found from the following sources: blackened salmon recipe here, crock pot beef tacos here and BBQ chicken pizza here. 

We had the salmon for dinner last night and it couldn't be easier. Very tasty. If you like salmon, give it a try.

I scored an adorable Jenny Lind high chair on Craigslist  for a steal this weekend. (Is anyone else leery of buying things on Craigslist? I have to confess, despite a very pleasant email exchange with the seller, I nearly bailed when she wanted to meet at her storage unit to complete the transaction. I had about 12 different Dexter/serial-killer scenarios playing out in my head. Just a little dramatic, right?) 

I love the red but I want to use the high chair for B's smash cake at her birthday party so I think I'll be repainting it to match her birthday party decorations. I also need to find hardware to attach the tray to the chair, as the original hardware is missing. I have zero skills when it comes to DIY projects so wish me luck. I'll need it.

My other fun find this weekend was this necklace from Anthropologie. I'm terrible when it comes to accessorizing but I've been trying to do better. I'm wearing it today with a basic black dress and I think it livens up the outfit a bit.

Finally, here's a picture of my sweet little munchkin. Love her to the moon and back!

Here's to turning over a new leaf for a better week... if I can just keep my ducks in a row! Happy Monday!