Books I Read This Week 2017 – 14


A lot of books this week but several of them were very short.

I first picked up The Dry because the library had it and it looked interesting. But the narrator’s accent was so thick that I kept not following the story so I finally gave up listening to it and decided to just read it. It was an interesting story and I am glad I read it. But I didn’t love it.

I chose Always  because I’d read a different book by Jio a few months ago and it was easy and light and I was in the mood for that. This story was also easy and light and I am not sorry I read it but I doubt I’ll remember it for a long time.

I then listened to We Should All Be Feminists which I loved so very much and immediately moved on to her most recent: Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions which was also awesome. I loved them both!

After those, I read Milk and Honey which was also wonderful. Different. Poignant. Thought provoking, Honest. Lovely.

I would have never ever picked up My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry if it weren’t for a friend who told me her daughter really liked it. I’d read his previous book and didn’t love it (even though many others did.) So I was kind of done with the author. But I am so so so glad I picked this up. I loved every single minute of it and then I cried and cried and cried. It was absolutely beautiful. My favorite read of the week. 

I then picked up The Reader because it was about to expire and my friend Amy had said she enjoyed it. And I did too. It wasn’t the best YA read I ever read but it was interesting and thought provoking.

It was time for another nonfiction so I picked up The Five Dysfunctions of a Team which was recommended by one of the Directors I work with. It was a quick and fantastic read. I will have to revisit this one a few times.

And finally I had read the Wolf in a White Van a few months ago and decided to tackle Universal Harvester. I’ll be honest, I didn’t follow this story super-well but I still liked the style of writing this author has and how wildly different it is from everything I read. This was book #73 for 2017.

I have a few more books checked out from the library that I am dying to read so here’s to more reading this week! 

Books I Read this Week 2017 is a year-long project for 2017. You can read more about my projects for 2017 here.

April 6, 2017 | Books Read in 2017 | 2 comments

Nourish Me – 14

Mind:

  • I read: I’ve been really behind in internet reading. I have like 40 tabs open but I keep reading books instead. 
  • I learned: i read a few non fiction books this week and learned what to do to manage teams well, does that count?
  • I watched: same as the reading. I am focusing on books which means the TV didn’t even get turned on this weekend. but I watched this which made me cry.

Body:

  • Exercise: No exercise this week either. One of my knees did stop hurting so now I am wondering if I should pick something else.
  • Food: Ate some really heathy stuff and some really unhealthy stuff. 
  • Skin: doing ok here.
  • Floss: ok here, too.
  • And More: nothing else here. i’d like to spend some time thinking about this, though. I think I need some nice tops. I’ve always wanted to have someone help me find a dressing style. i wish i could have that.

Soul:

  • I rested: it was a very quiet weekend. but i think i need to find a new rhythm. maybe not so much reading. 
  • I connected: with more parents from the kids’ school.
  • I journaled: too little. i hope and plan to do some this week.
  • I made art: i started a little bit more art. really simple things but still.

I’ve been thinking a lot about what nourishment means to me. And how maybe I’ve been going about it a bit wrong. I need to do some more thinking here. 

Nourish Me Week 2017 is a year-long project for 2017. You can read more about my projects for 2017?here.

April 5, 2017 | Nourish Me | Leave a comment

April 2017 – Fabric Sentiments – 3

You can read about the start of this project here.

This one says: trust the timing of your life.

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Fabric Sentiments is a Monthly Project for March 2017. You can read more about my projects for 2017 here.

April 5, 2017 | Fabric Sentiments | Leave a comment

2017 Stories – 14 – Nathaniel’s New Adventure

At the beginning of this school year, Nathaniel decided he wanted to apply to the same school David started this year. He kept seeing how engaged David was and how much he was thriving and he wanted it for himself. I too wanted that for him. I also would love to have both my kids at the same school again (assuming it’s a proper fit for each, of course.)

So Nathaniel applied, we wrote a bunch of essays, he went to a Shadow day which he loved and to an Activity day, which he also loved. And then we waited. 

And waited.

For him to get in, someone had to leave the school because third grade is not a year where they expand the class. I tried to explain this to him but he was still so excited, and he was counting down all the days. 

When I finally got the call that he was the only boy they accepted to the third grade class, I cried and cried and then got home and gave Nathaniel the very best news and hugged him so tight.

And then two days later, he finally got his envelope in the mail. This particular school puts wonderful confetti into their acceptance envelopes (which Nathaniel knew from David’s one last year.) so he opened his very carefully and saved every single confetti. 

I love you my sweet boy. Here’s to the beginning of a new and wonderful adventure.

Stories from 2017 is a year-long project for 2017. You can read more about my projects for 2017 here.

April 4, 2017 | Stories from Twenty Seventeen | Leave a comment

April 2017 – Fabric Sentiments – 2

You can read about the start of this project here.

This one says: if your compassion does not include yourself, it’s incomplete.

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Fabric Sentiments is a Monthly Project for March 2017. You can read more about my projects for 2017 here.

April 4, 2017 | Fabric Sentiments | Leave a comment

Living Intentionally 2017 – 14

Weekly Intention: This week promises to be much quieter than last week with very little back and forth hopefully. Even though next week is vacation for me, I will be quite busy so my intention for this week is to rest. I would like to intentionally work hard tomorrow so I can be ready for my work challenge on Tuesday and then try to rest as much as possible the rest of the week. Take it as easy as I can.

Things I want to get Done: 

  • One is to read all the packets and prepare for committee.
  • Two is to figure out our summer trip a bit more and find a different hotel.
  • Three is to finish all my little todos that are taking space on my mind.
  • Four is to spend some time thinking about what it means to shine.
  • Five is to pack and prepare for our trip next week.
  • Six is to check in with myself. To listen more than I talk.

This month’s intention is:  Shine Quietly: It’s crucial to take time to reflect. Take this month to reflect on how things are going. Is there anything you need to adjust/change/drop or pick up. It’s ok to shift things. It’s also important to acknowledge what’s working. Take the time to shine some light inward and see what’s going on. I love this. perfect timing. It’s time to redefine my approach to things.

Ways to Shine this week:

  • One: Bold: It will be bold if I can pull off resting as much as I’d like.
  • Two: Open: Open to receiving and listening on Tuesday.
  • Three: Heal/Nourish: I would like to spend some time thinking about what needs healing.

I am looking forward to: Thursday. To the quieter part of my week.

This week’s challenges: tomorrow for reading all the packets and tuesday for the all day work meeting.

Top Goals:

  • Work: packets. doing a good job tuesday.
  • Personal: resting. eating well.
  • Family: doing some research for the work I want to do with them.

I will focus on my core desires (bold, mindful, nourish, love) by: reaching within this week. paying attention to my thoughts and feelings and assumptions and expectations.

This week, I will say yes to: me.

This week, I will say no to: doing more than needed. feeling pressure. feeling less than.

I am worried that: i will do a bad job with the packets. i won’t stop feeling exhausted. my results will be negative. i will fail the people i love. i won’t feel better. i will make bad choices.

This week, I want to remember:  that it’s one day at a time. everyday i get to make new choices.

April 3, 2017 | Living Intentionally | Leave a comment

April 2017 – Fabric Sentiments – 1

For April, I decided I wanted to have some fun with fabric and ribbons. So I cut up little cards and just had fun. I also added sentiments that are meaningful to me. They are imperfect but have so much texture. These are cards I wish you could touch.

This one says: nothing holds you back more than your own insecurities.

karenika.com

Fabric Sentiments is a Monthly Project for March 2017. You can read more about my projects for 2017 here.

April 3, 2017 | Fabric Sentiments | Leave a comment

Weekly Reflection 2017 – 13

Three ways I shone this week: Ever since I watched Ali’s video for One Little Word for April, I’ve been thinking about what it means to shine. How do I define it? When do I know I’m shining? How do I know I am shining? What do I look like when I shine? How does it feel to shine? I plan to spend a lot of April visiting these prompts. For now, I’ll say that:

  • I was there to support the little boy during this week which was a tough one for him.
  • I spent time socializing with friends on Friday, relatively new friends!
  • I got to have 1-1 time with each kid this weekend!

Things I wanted to get Done: 

  • I did get some sleep, but honestly still not enough. Though this week is looking a bit more optimistic.
  • I did book us a hotel and have an idea for sub-trip.
  • I paid for the schools. I also filed our taxes! woohoo!
  • Finished Q2 sheets!
  • Ordered some of what David needs for his upcoming trip.
  • Didn’t do so well with the smiling. Well didn’t do terribly but let’s say so-so.

I celebrate: being done with our taxes.

I am grateful for: i know i wrote about my husband last week but i am grateful for him all over again this week and it’s because he not only accepts but cherishes me for who i am. he doesn’t question the choices i make the shortcomings i have, etc. he just celebrates who i am. thank you my wonderful husband.

I nourished myself by: more fresh food. a lot of sitting in the backyard.

Reflecting on my worries: taxes are all done. one more paper to send but really done. thursday was totally ok. i made it through. i made it to book club. amazingly my right knee has actually stopped hurting! I am possibly dropping the ball on many things. so far, nothing bad has happened at work. nathaniel got better, then got sick, then seems to be getting better again.

I let go of: apologizing for what I don’t want to do and offering options i don’t actually want.

Core Desire Check-in (bold, mindful, nourish, love):

  • bold: i said yes to doing something hard at my son’s school next year.
  • mindful: i’ve been mindful of my mood lately. of feeling my feelings.
  • nourish: mixed bag still. eating a lot of salad and some protein but also still eating plenty of not so great things. 
  • love: i love all the bits of my life so much. i am so grateful for the small things like sunshine in my backyard and the big things like my healthy family and lovely job.

What made me laugh this week: More laughing with Tamara and Allie this week.
What I tolerated this week: it was another week of multiple trips to work. 

My mood this week was: rushed mostly but a calm weekend.
I forgive myself for: being who i am. i am often so hard on myself but that doesn’t really help me change.
What I love right now: i am loving audiobooks so much!

Here’s to a wonderful week fourteen. Hello April.

April 2, 2017 | Weekly Reflection 2017 | Leave a comment

March 2017 – Everyday Magic – All

You can read about the start of this project here.

Here are all the photos from March.

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And here we are. Onwards to April. Seriously? April?

Everyday Magic is a Monthly Project for March 2017. You can read more about my projects for 2017 here.

March 31, 2017 | Everyday Magic | Leave a comment

Books I Read This Week 2017 – 13

I started my week with Celine which I’d been really looking forward to as I’ve liked both of the two other Peter Heller books I’ve read mostly because his writing isn’t what I usually pick up and this was no exception. I loved the story. I loved Celine. I enjoyed this book.

I then decided to finish the three middle grade books we needed to read for the Lit Club I teach. I finished  The Menagerie well after Nathaniel read all three books in the series. This is a cute, lovely book. I was disappointed in Number the Stars because it stayed so much on the surface of what I thought was a tough tough story. And Fuzzy Mud was okay. Not amazing but not terrible either. Interesing premise. 

After those, I read Stretch which I was worried wouldn’t be great, but it was. I enjoyed every moment of it. Instead od moving to fiction I felt like reading Harriet Lerner’s Fear and Other Uninvited Guests which was absolutely fantastic. I can’t wait to read more of her.

And I finished my week with Innocents and Others. This book was on my to-read list last year but I never got around to it. It has mixed reviews and I kept wanting to stop when I started but I pushed myself to make it through and in the end I really liked how the stories came together. I enjoyed this one more than I thought.

I’m hoping for some more fiction this week. An especially good one if I get lucky.

Books I Read this Week 2017 is a year-long project for 2017. You can read more about my projects for 2017 here.

March 30, 2017 | Books Read in 2017 | Leave a comment

March 2017 – Everyday Magic – 23

You can read about the start of this project here.

This one says: if you can’t beat fear, just do it scared.

karenika.com

Everyday Magic is a Monthly Project for March 2017. You can read more about my projects for 2017 here.

March 30, 2017 | Everyday Magic | Leave a comment

Nourish Me – 13

Here’s to drinking more water.

Mind:

  • I read: A lot of books this week but not much of anything else.
  • I learned: I am still woefully behind here, too. I had intentions but I used up the time with booking our trip. I will see if I can dedicate some during-the-week time here.
  • I watched: a little tv this week. i don’t really seem to miss tv all that much. no ted talks either, though.

Body:

  • Exercise: No exercise last week, I wanted to see if my knees were sicker than I thought. But they are not. So I am back to doing it this week.
  • Food: Still mixed bag this week. Ate some really heathy stuff and some really unhealthy stuff. 
  • Skin: still moisturizing and taking care of my skin. my heels are so soft and lovely thanks to the awesome cream i use.
  • Floss: still flossing. love love love my floss.
  • And More: got my hair done. 

Soul:

  • I rested: I am resting. I spent much of the past weekend resting. I am working on it.
  • I connected: with a lot of parents from David’s class. And Nathaniel’s new class.
  • I journaled: a little this week! i miss journaling but I also don’t. not sure what that means.
  • I made art: i finished all my april art and really enjoyed making it.

I think I need to rest more. I am going to see if the intention around slowing down does the trick to help me rest more this week. Here’s to hoping.

 

Nourish Me Week 2017 is a year-long project for 2017. You can read more about my projects for 2017?here.

March 29, 2017 | Nourish Me | Leave a comment

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