Happy 2019, and Welcome Back to Being Mrs. Gentry

I've given a lot of thought about what to do with this space. My last post was during the summer of 2017. We had moved to a new home that spring, and now we've been here almost two years. I'd ask where the time went, but I know exactly where it was spent. Raising children, sending a baby to kindergarten, playing in the summer sun, settling an entire family into a new space, walking through trials, working on special projects outside of the home, and seeking God as He walks with me through all of it.

That is, the time was used up by living.

I have missed this space. In years prior, it has been a place to allow my more creative side to wander. Today it is looking like more of a dumping ground for my personal goals, status of those goals, and project plan of attack. Superficially, these are not overly spiritual goals, but for the believer in Christ Jesus, it is nigh impossible to separate any goal from walking with God. So it is with these, and I will elaborate more in posts to follow.

2019 Goals

Read 52 books, many of which are works that I've "been meaning to read."

Lean into Pure Barre and hit 750 club in the first quarter of the year. I have around 50 classes to go.

I'm rediscovering an old friend by picking up a tennis racket for the first time in 15 years.

Open our home to others and show hospitality as often as we possibly can, as an act of worship.

Support the teachers and administration educating my children by advocating for Texas public schools.

I'm super pumped to be writing here again, and--putting it our here right now--my goal is to post twice weekly.

Have an amazing week!

Summer Update

While taking a quick mom break to mindlessly surf the net tonight, I thought, "Why not update the ol' blog?"

What a fast summer it has been!

The kids spent the month of June with back to back activities, from visiting west Texas to VBS and day camp, straight into July swim lessons. Mr. G and I both went to camp at the beach with the students at our church in late June. Last week was the first week we've had to take a big breath. I asked the kids what they'd like to do (thinking they'd want the zoo splash pad or whatnot) and they both agree: STAY HOME. No need to twist my arm!


Soon after, we did a long weekend in Houston where we hit the beach one morning in Galveston, took in an Astros game, and toured the Johnson Space Center. Like so many other Southern Baptists, our VBS theme was Galactic Starveyors this year, and both of my children have been more fascinated with space than ever since early June. They were pumped.

We've finally started gathering school supplies and ordering standard dress in the next size up. (I'm doubling down on glue sticks this year since apparently kindergarteners ate them for breakfast last year. Maybe first graders will take it easier on them?)


So we've rested and hung around town this week and last. Done our favorite story time at the museum, lunches and playdates, swam, and then earlier this week, Sister hit the jackpot at the American Girl store, while Brother took his hard-earned Read to Succeed ticket to Six Flags. It was his very first trip!

We're coasting by the rest of the summer. A 12 year anniversary celebrated, and a birthday upcoming. Slowly, but surely, I've unpacked the last of the lingering boxes from our move. (Yep, four months ago.) The ones I'm avoiding should probably just be thrown away, but where's the fun in that, when you could move them from room to room procrastinating? I finally decided on and ordered a new table for our breakfast area. Next up comes a dining table. The shutters are in, and now I'm zeroing in on drapes. There is no shortage of things to do! Add laundry to that list.

Here's hoping more posts are forthcoming. I enjoy the small outlet, even if I'm writing to myself.

Changing Times at Casa de Gentry

Hi! There's been a lot of radio silence around here since we started kindergarten back in the fall. I didn't anticipate how much of our family's time would be taken up with school, but there it is.

But really, there's about six months of blank space here that can be filled with one big statement: WE'RE MOVING.

Yep, on February 24th we closed on this house we've lived in for almost ten years. I can hardly think about it for fear that I'll have a big, ugly cry, but indeed, we are moving. And it's to a new build, which has also taken up a ton of our time, thoughts, and energy. As sad as we are about leaving our original home, we are pumped about our new digs! We took our time to find the exact place we wanted to live yet still stay in the general vicinity, and the Lord guided our steps. We were looking for a new home for ministry, and that is exactly what He has prepared for us.


sneak peek of my new kitchen
By next Friday, we'll be completely moved out and in a holding pattern for a few short days until we close on our new home. Once we move in and have internet set up, I hope to start writing here again!

home tour from several years ago:
living room
kitchen
breakfast nook
brother's room
sister's room

Book Review: A Heart Most Certain by Melissa Jagears

Through the Bethany House Blogger Review program, a few weeks ago I downloaded an e-version of Melissa Jaegers novel A Heart Most Certain, which was released today! This is the first book in Ms. Jagears new Teaville Moral Society series, and the first I've read by her. Prior to this series, it appears that she authored a series on mail-order brides. Frontier fiction isn't exactly my fave genre, but I'm glad I gave this one a chance.

{spoiler alert: I think this is the best Christian novel I've reviewed from Bethany House so far.}

Quick synopsis: Lydia King is a poor, young, single lady living in Teaville, a bustling city in 1905 southeast Kansas. She's active in her church because it's the Christian thing to do, and she's waiting for the town's most eligible bachelor to propose and save her from a life of poverty caused by her father's gambling and her mother's health care costs.

In an effort to impress her intended's mother, she attempts to garner a donation from Teaville's notorious miser and lumber mill owner, Nicholas Lowe, to provide sewing machines to make blankets for the poor. His answer to her is no, again and again. As she tenaciously (and desperately) pursues his donation, she finds that Nicholas is quite generous toward others, but in his own way. Spending more and more time together as they help others, they find their hearts and their faith challenged in the darkest ways.

My thoughts: When I completed this book, I felt like I'd been discipled. The key principles of the life of a Christ-follower are to know, follow, and share Jesus, and she stepped us exactly through those principles as she transformed Lydia from a pew-sitter to a follower and sharer of Jesus. Lydia goes through an incredible heart change, and it's because she is being discipled and challenged by her new friend. All of this is wrapped into a beautiful love story, with appropriate Pride & Prejudice references woven in. Bonus!

It does't hurt that Nicholas is the Darcy-type. Brooding, a little mysterious, take charge, and brave, exactly as a romantic hero should be.

This is a great read, but for far more than the romance it contains. You will be challenged to live out your faith in Christ, just as Lydia and Nicholas are challenged.

Pick this one up! You'll find it here, and a novella prequel to the series right here.

Book Review: An Elegant Facade by Kristi Ann Hunter

Through the Bethany House Blogger Review program, I recently received a copy of Kristi Ann Hunter's newest novel, An Elegant Facade. It's the second in her Hawthorne House series, and the first I've read by her. I feel like I have a lot in common with Ms. Hunter, as she is a mom, has a computer science background, loves reading, and I've enjoyed following her on Instagram since I started reading this book.

Quick synopsis: Lady Georgina Hawthorne is primed and ready for her debut London season. She has planned, schemed, primped, and strategized how she will snag an illustrious eligible nobleman for a husband during her first season as well as become the most notable lady on the scene. She has good reason to do so--she is desperate. Not even her family knows her terrible secret. Along comes Mr. Colin McCrae, who is untitled, yet wealthy, annoying, yet handsome, and possibly a danger to her plans when he happens upon her shame. As Georgina and Colin continue to be thrust into one another's paths, the fireworks are bound to begin.

My thoughts: This was a fabulous Regency romance! Lady Georgina is a character that I wanted to dislike, and I was amazed at how the author guided us through an entire range of emotions for her, to the point of empathy and redemption. Additionally, without giving the big secret away, it had never occurred to me that people of this age would have struggled mightily with things we now consider common. That, in and of itself, made me think about many other things that are a bother now but would have been a huge struggle before these modern times. So basically, I love that this book gave me some perspective.

I truly liked Colin McCrae from the beginning. Scrappy, self-made, and clever, he was almost sure to match Georgina wit for wit without backing down.

As this is from the inspirational fiction genre, Lady Georgina has an encounter with God that will shape the course of her life. There are some great truths for the reader as this is woven into the story.

Like many of the books I've read since I've started reviewing from Bethany House, this left me wanting to know more about these characters, and luckily enough, this is the second in a series of books about the Hawthorne family. If you're looking for something new to read, I'd begin with Ms. Hunter's novella A Lady of Esteem which is free on Kindle, then progress to her first full-length novel A Noble Masquerade. After you've read these, you'll be cheering to know that Lord Trent's story will be released sometime in 2017. I'll be ready.

You can read more of my book reviews right here!

Summer Vacation: Somewhere Down in Texas

I find myself at the precipice of a whole new world opening up to me. My children are old enough for all of us to enjoy a vacation, with enough forethought. There is no baby, so no diapers to pack and no special diet to accommodate. We just need lots of wipes (I will now always carry wipes in my bag, as long as I live because they are brilliant) and perhaps some extra clothes. The world is my oyster!

As is the case, at the beginning of the month we found ourselves getting lost in the Hill Country, spending a few nights in Canyon Lake near New Braunfels for a little summer vacation, Texas-style. Anyone who complains about the landscapes in Texas either has a terrible memory, or they have never experienced the Hill Country for themselves. It's lush and rolling hills provide the perfect backdrop to have a little fun with our family.

Because we were traveling with kids, we opted to stay at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Hill Country, which has a great splash pad, both an indoor and outdoor pool, movie showings in the evening, and our fave, the glow-in-the-dark hayride. We stayed in one of their Hill Country cabins, and it was definitely the best "camping" experience I've ever had. If Mr. G could promise every camping trip would have those accommodations, I would be the first in the car. Full kitchen, great deck, bunk beds for the kids, and TV. I would do it again.

My parents and brother went with us, so my mom watched my children at the splash pad so I could go have fun. :) We floated the Guadalupe River that day. Because of the crazy flooding we've had this year, the Guadalupe had many restrictions on it. At least once I thought I would smash straight into a cypress tree. Next time we'll opt to float the Comal River if the conditions are similar, since it's a little less intense. That evening we dined at The Gristmill in Gruene, which is a must-do if you've never been. The food is SO GOOD, and there is a LOT of it.

The last day we headed to Schlitterbahn, which has been on my bucket list for years. We attempted to go once on vacation when my brother and I were young, but it was a rain out. It made it all the better that my second attempt was with the rest of my family.

On our way home, we rounded out the trip with BBQ from Black's in Lockhart, a tiny little town known as the BBQ Capitol of Texas because of its two renowned BBQ joints. Always worth the detour.

It was a great time to be away for a little bit and spend time with my whole family in a very laid back place. My brother has some big life transitions going on right now, and we made a point to celebrate that while we were there as well.

Our Week

We had our first solid week of regularly scheduled Fort Worth summer fun over the last week. I try to keep any normal week at home structured the same, so the kids know what days we will grocery shop, what day of the week we'll go somewhere fun for lunch, and what days we play at home. That's the same for summer and school year. Sometimes I spontaneously throw that schedule out the window, but it works well for us as it manages everyone's expectations.

This past week, we adhered to that schedule, with Wednesday being a day that we headed out to the Amon Carter Museum of American Art for their fabulous story time. I talked about it here, but never circled back around to re-visit it. This summer the theme was "Artful Alphabet," and they have worked through books for each letter of the alphabet. Each story time, there are 3-4 spots set up around the museum with a reader who is located by an art piece that goes along with the book they're reading. It's a brilliant way to introduce the children to art.

Each week, they offer the story time, along with a craft and a snack. It's incredibly well done, and the staff and volunteers are wonderful. Highly recommend.

We ran into a fun friend and her grandson and story timed with them, before heading to lunch with another friend from church. It was a great day.

Taken on the front lawn of the Amon Carter, with Will Rogers in the background
Thursday, we were looking at a list of things we'd planned to do throughout the summer that we've called the "summer fun list." We realized that of all things, we'd yet to do the Zoo splash pad. So we jumped up and got dressed for some water fun. It's alway so fun to mark a milestone of the kids' growth, and that day was certainly one of them. Activities that last year seemed to require tons of talks about bravery were easy. Even my stress level was down. Maybe it's because we found a better spot to set up our stuff, but likely it's because my kids are a year older, a year more awesome. We had a blast.

Our weeks of summer are numbered. But for this week, we're still crossing things off our "summer fun list!"

Book Review: A Beauty Refined by Tracie Peterson

Through the Bethany House Blogger Review program, a few weeks ago I downloaded an e-version of Tracie Peterson's new novel, A Beauty Refined. It's the second novel in her Sapphire Brides series, and the first I have read by her. Ms. Peterson is a prolific inspirational novel writer, with many series in her collection.

Quick synopsis: Set in 1890s, Phoebe von Bergen is a lovely, young German woman traveling alongside her father as he searches for sapphires for a sapphire-obsessed Duchess. We join them on their journey in Helena, Montana, where an unexpected informant shocks Phoebe with truth about her family that will turn her life completely upside down and inside out. Along the way, she falls in love with a handsome man who is a lapidary* dealing with his own past relationship issues, where lies and untruth have committed him to living a life of nothing less than pure honesty. While Phoebe falls in love, she faces great danger as she attempts to confront the dishonesty surrounding her own family.

My thoughts: This is one of those fascinating to read stories, where a mystery begins almost immediately and is resolved somewhat quickly, revealing one of the main conflicts of the novel. Add a "love at first sight" relationship (or at the very least a "very interested at first sight" relationship), and I was hooked. Phoebe von Bergen is a true treasure, and I could not help but cheer at how very explicitly Ms. Peterson shared the Gospel. In the book, we see Phoebe begin to walk with God. Love!

This was an interesting story wrapped in a setting and topic that was completely unfamiliar to me. I knew nothing of the mining or refining of sapphires before reading it. This is one of the things we love about books--going somewhere we've never gone before, yes?

I enjoyed this one. If you're looking for a light read and enjoy American West historical fiction (that's what I'd classify this as), check it out.

*New vocabulary word for me. A lapidary is a person who cuts, polishes, and engraves gem stones.

Back the Blue

I can't move forward here without addressing the insane violence from last week in Dallas. I'm from a law enforcement family, and I must take a moment to shake my online head at the terrible events of Thursday. More than that--I'm incensed that someone would target an entire group of people for the actions of a few.

It's infuriating.

Even as officers are belittled for the enforcement of the law (complaining about receiving a well-deserved speeding ticket comes to mind here), day-in and day-out they show up to insert themselves into the places none of us want to go. Can you imagine the awful things they have seen? Responding first to the scenes of gruesome accidents, placing themselves between an active shooter and those who protest against their very selves, and yes, even writing you a ticket because you can't be bothered to obey a posted speed limit sign that is there for the safety, protection, and order of traffic.

They are entrusted to uphold the law, and it's a sad state of affairs, but they are also entrusted to protect citizens from one another. What a mess that is.

And yet, brave men and women still answer the call to protect and serve us. May God bless them and their families for it.

I'm mad that anyone messed with them. I'm overwhelmed with grief for the family of DART Officer Brent Thompson, a well-liked guy from my hometown with an awesome family, as well as the the other four families impacted by this national tragedy.

So how do I respond, as I think of this through a motherhood lens? My children are not old enough to understand the violence that has occurred, but they are old enough to understand respect. How do I raise children who honor our law enforcement officers? I was taught from my childhood that a man with a badge was to be revered for his and his family's sacrifice. The word "cop" was not acceptable to my parents. They viewed it as derogatory, and nothing less than "officer" would do. I know that may seem silly to some, but words are impactful. This was their simple way of imparting respect, even in the tender years I didn't grasp all that was required of the profession.

We will make an effort to get to know the policemen and women who are responsible for our part of the city, even after the initial swell of support has calmed down. They'll not be nameless and faceless to our family.

We will #BackTheBlue in however we can, whenever we can, and teach our children, as well.

Weekending: Independence Day Edition

After such a busy beginning to our summer, we're looking forward to spending some time at home over the next few weeks before school starts. As such, we spent some much needed time at home this past weekend.

While we were visiting the Hill Country last weekend, we stopped at a brand new HEB, and it had me longing to grocery shopping there, so Friday the kids and I took off for a quick trip to the next town's HEB. Plain and simple, we need an HEB in Fort Worth, specifically the west side. I spent the rest of the day digging us out from under our trip the previous week. That evening, we grabbed dinner out, snow cones on the way home, and The Good Dinosaur from Red Box. We were neither hot, nor cold on the movie.

instant winner at the Buddy Bucks machine, right there
Saturday was a slow day, and that was perfect! I was able to finish a new book by a new Bethany House author that kept me up late into the night. I'm working on a couple of book reviews that I've really enjoyed lately.

We headed to church on Sunday morning, and it was just good to be there. Our pastor preached an atypical July 4th sermon on how we live in a post-Christian America and what our responsibilities are as Believers in a society that has turned its back on God's plan for how we should live. Sobering to say the least.

On July 4th, we slept in as late as our children would let us (7:30 am), then swung through Krispy Kreme for red, white, and blue donuts. They are my fave sprinkle donuts--a good crunch to the sprinkles.

For the very first time, we made one of those famous flag cakes that people have been making since probably 1776, or maybe not because they had more reverence for the flag than modern society. I don't know. Either way, my kids thought this was the most original and brilliant idea I've ever come up with. So thanks, internet.

That evening we headed to Granbury to view the fireworks over the lake. They tend to tout that their fireworks show is the best in Texas, and I have to say they do an awesome job. We spread a blanket, drank Sonic drinks, and celebrated!

FFF: What's Got My Summer Going

I'm looking forward to a good old fashioned Independence Day holiday close to home. Stay safe and have fun with your family!

{This post contains affiliate links.}
::ONE:: Cozi Family Organizer

Back in the fall, Mr. G and I were looking for a joint calendar that we could put all our appointments in, along with a working to do list, and grocery list. This app is exactly what we needed. So far, I haven't upgraded to Cozi Gold, but even that cost is less than the amount of money I usually spent on a paper calendar each year. I didn't even realize how awesome the shared grocery list would be. No more forgetting the list at home, and Mr. G is always great about adding the little things to the list that I would try to remember off the top of my head, then of course, forget to purchase.

::TWO:: Eagle Creek Black Pack-It Folders

I attempted to pack small for camp (details on that here), which led me to these Eagle Creek Pack-It folders. I grabbed one in the medium size, as it's the perfect footprint for my rollaboard suitcase. If you take the time to fold your clothes correctly using the included guide, you will be amazed at how wrinkle-free your clothes remain, as well as how many outfits you can stuff in there! I'm now considering grabbing the smaller size for smaller sized trips--it's that good. Found here.

::THREE:: Elta MD Tinted Moisturizing Facial Sunscreen

found here
I blogged about this tinted moisturizing sunscreen a few weeks ago, but I've really put it through its paces since then, with a day on the Guadalupe River and another full day at a water park. My goal was to come home as pale as I left, and this stuff worked wonders. It is my new favorite and worth every dollar.

::FOUR:: Pure Barre

After being out of pocket for around 3 weeks, I'm attempting to do my own personal 20 in 30 (20 classes in 30 days) this month, starting TODAY. I always see results when I get back to business with Pure Barre, and this is a great month to make it happen since I have a birthday coming up in August. If I think about it again today, I might even take my measurements. I ♥ Pure Barre and can't say enough good things about it! I've been taking for over three years now, have been an instructor for a little over one year, and it is the longest I've ever loved a workout. Take 10 classes, and you will not believe how quickly your body changes.

::FIVE:: Lululemon Running Skirts

found here
Whether it's the Pleat to Street (on sale here) or the Pace Rival (not on sale, but here) these are a great way to beat the heat and look cute doing it. I wrote a post a long time ago (found here) where I detailed my angst over the running skirt as part of my mom-athleisure wardrobe, and obviously, the running skirt won.

We Now Return To Our Regular Programming

The past three weeks have been fast and furious around here. I left on the 11th for Beach Week with the student ministry at our church. The kids spent time with their grandparents, and I served on the kitchen staff for the week. One, our food is much better than typical camp food service because it's not food service, and two, I ♥ the team of adults I served with, so I signed up to go again this summer. For the adults that go, it is truly a mission trip because we work hard.

Beach Week is hosted by Student Life, and the site we attended was in Orange Beach, Alabama. Our interim student minister challenged our students to invite their unchurched friends, and they really stepped up to it! We took quite a few that were not only new to our church, but new to church in general. It was a privilege to be part of reaching them for Christ and get to know some of them. The speaker was Ed Newton, pastor of Community Bible Church in San Antonio. He had a really interesting backstory, but the best part was how he laid out Gospel living in a plain and real way to the students.

Last year, we needed more help in the kitchen, so I had about twenty minutes of beach time the entire week. This time, we had more help and thus had a little more free time. I got to stick my toes in the sand for at least a little bit each day. All in all, it was a great week of serving God, with a little beach bonus thrown in!

I was only gone a week, but my family has had some other goings on since then that I'll detail soon, but right now, we're looking forward to settling in for a few weeks of our normal summer schedule: story times, splash park, and probably more pj days than are truly proper.

Book Review: From This Moment by Elizabeth Camden

Through the Bethany House Blogger Review program, last week I received a copy of Elizabeth Camden's new novel From This Moment. This is the first book of Ms. Camden's I've had the pleasure of reading, and as of writing this, I have already read a second!

A quick synopsis: Magazine publisher extraordinaire, the debonaire Romulus White has no intentions of settling down before the age of 40, leaving broken hearts all over Boston. Stella West is an London-based artist Romulus has been begging for 3 years to come work for his magazine. As luck would have it, he discovers she has mysteriously moved to Boston, and he determines to persuade her to work for him. Stella's move to Boston is more costly than Romulus could ever imagine. While she frantically works to find closure in the questionable death of her sister, Romulus must do battle to protect his precious magazine.

My thoughts: This is part mystery, part love story. I found the characters well developed and well described. The language was enough to picture Romulus and Stella in my head and practically feel the dust from the streets of 1897 Boston under construction as they built the first subway in the US. They are colorful and full of energy. Stella and Romulus's foibles perfectly balance one another. On another level, I loved that Ms. Camden tackled the burgeoning electrical engineering industry during this time in American history.

As usual, I found myself wanting to know what happens next. While that is not likely to happen as this does not appear to be a series, there is a prequel to the story! In the novella, Summer of Dreams, we discover the love story of Evelyn and Clyde, who play a central part in From This Moment as Romulus's cousin and best friend.

If you love historical fiction, this is a great one, with quite a bit of historical fact thrown in! I learned a bit of Boston history, along with a bit about the growth of our nation's infrastructure, presented in a way that enhanced the story rather than appearing as a history lesson.

The book was fascinating, and I highly recommend!

FFF: We ♥ Summer

I'm back with another edition of Friday Fave Five, linking up again like I did last week!

{This post contains affiliate links.}
::ONE:: Elizabeth Camden Books

found here
This week I read this one full length novel, plus one novella that is a prequel, but I cannot get enough! If I can get myself together, a full review for this one will be up next week, which will be a record for me. Easy read, compelling story. If you're going on a road trip this weekend, download this book. The prequel is free (found here), if you want to kick the tires a bit.

Full disclosure: I received a copy of From This Moment from the publisher to review, but I currently have at least one other novella and novel of Camden's downloaded on my own.

::TWO:: Amon Carter Museum's Summer Storytime

We visited the kick-off of this summer story time series last week and had a great time. It's an incredible program, really, that they let children get up close and personal to the artwork while providing a top notch story time. I'll be back next week with more details around this, because I think it's my favorite little kid thing here right now in Fort Worth.

::THREE:: GAP denim surf shorts

found here
Already a pattern has emerged in my summer style choices. If I'm not in a swingy dress (a la last week's FFF found here), I'm constantly reaching for these shorts. They're easy wash and wear like athletic shorts, but more chic. They go with everything and have awesome pockets.

::FOUR:: Elta MD Tinted Moisturizing Facial Sunscreen

found here
After years of little attention to my skin, this year I'm slightly obsessing. One of my Pure Barre clients is a dermatologist, and one lovely Saturday morning at the barre, we got on the topic of sunscreens for face because everything I use stings like fire. She says we should all be using products with good old fashioned zinc oxide and brought me this to try the following week. I give it two very pale thumbs up.

::FIVE:: Aggie Baseball v. TCU

The last matchup between A&M and TCU was epic. I'm hoping this one will be much less dramatic. We cheer for the hometown team (TCU--we live in Fort Worth) unless they're playing our Aggies, then we're out! We'll be yelling super loud for the Ags to BTHOTCU and wearing every bit of maroon we can find.

A photo posted by Aggie Athletics (@12thman) on Jun 5, 2016 at 9:09pm PDT

Book Review: The Reluctant Duchess by Roseanna M. White

Through the Bethany House Blogger Review program, I recently received a copy of Roseanna M. White's latest work, The Reluctant Duchess, for review. This is the second of three books in her Lady of the Manor series. I loved the first book, The Lost Heiress (review here), so when the opportunity to review this one hit my inbox, I jumped on it! I couldn't wait to know what happens next.

A quick synopsis: We pick up some time after The Lost Heiress where recently the charming Brice Meyerston has inherited the Duchy of Nottingham. On a trip to Scotland, he finds Lady Rowena in a desperate situation. The handsome, wealthy, society sought-after Duke offers his hand in marriage to her in what seems like a lark, but really, he feels that God has moved him to do so out of compassion to Lady Rowena. He is certain that she is meant to be his wife.

The new Duke and Duchess of Nottingham now find themselves in the middle of danger from all sides, as they attempt to first, become at least acquainted with one another, and second, hopefully fall in love and find happiness in their marriage. Conflicts in the previous book pick up right where they left off.

My thoughts: Right off the bat, I'd like to mention that I've read this book cover to cover at least 3 times since it arrived in April. It has some really great swoon-worthy moments. You know--those particular passages that you want to read over and over again. Am I the only one that does things like that?! While it reads somewhat like a fairy tale, there is a redemption theme for all of the characters. My only disappointment is a piece of the ending. We are left scratching our heads at a big, unanswered question--a blank space in a very important conflict in the story. My guess is that it will be wrapped up in a nice bow in the final book, but there was no storyline prep done here for the final outcome.

I can't wait to check out the last in the series!

Weekending

Our first June weekend came and went without a lot going on. The rest of June is busy, so that's perfectly fine by me.

The kids have been in swimming lessons for the past two weeks, which just piled on to the already busy end-of-school. They were tired. It was overcast all day long, and I think all of our moods matched it, so we ordered in pizza and read another chapter of Charlotte's Web, our current bedtime story. I haven't read it or watched the movie in a long, long time, so I was slightly horrified when the goose's thoughts turned to fattening Wilbur up for the Zuckerman's Christmas dinner. This led to a nice little discussion about what's going on when we eat ham for Sunday lunch at Grannie's house. Good times.

Saturday was a routine day of regular life: housework and parenting. We met our supper club friends in Burleson that evening for tacos and snow cones. I've posted several times about this group, but we had a good laugh off of how well rested and fresh we looked in this post. We only occasionally get sitters to meet up, so we have to be creative about where we eat. There are 18 of us including children--hence the tacos and snow cones.

This Sunday was a unique day for us because it was our first day serving in the children's department at our church! Mr. G is teaching 6th grade guys Sunday school, and I'm just doing whatever I'm told. I had a lunch meeting for adults going to student camp as sponsors, followed by another meeting later that afternoon for the strategic advisory group I've been serving with. I've loved being part of it as I get to bring some of my work experience out of retirement to serve God! Requirements documents, anyone?

So that was a long day for me. While I was there, Mr. G held down the fort at home. When I got home, we played in the sprinklers.

Now we're back here to Monday. Time to get started on laundry and finish the sprint up to VBS this week!

FFF: Friday Fave Five

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This the first time in a lonnnnnng time I've done a link up! It sounded fun to bring back the FFF, so here are my Friday Fave Fives for this week.

::ONE:: Braids by drybar

drybar opened in Fort Worth a few weeks ago. It's super close to TCU, and right across the street from University Park Village, the best shopping center in town. (Think Kendra Scott, Anthropologie, Apple Store. You know--THAT kind of shopping.) Last week, they stopped by Pure Barre to do braids to help celebrate PB's 3rd birthday in Cowtown. (More of my PB obsession here, here, and here.) I found out that you can stop in for a braid at drybar for only $10, or add one to your blowout service. They do little girls' braids for even cheaper, I think. Since I cannot braid little girl hair for the life of me, this is an excellent development.

My drybar braid. I loved it and wore it for 2 days.
I was not driving when I snapped this pic, Mom.
::TWO:: drybar Detox Dry Shampoo

I should be embarrassed by how many days this has allowed me to go without washing my hair. Spreading the drybar love during the braid bar, they left a sample at Pure Barre for post-workout hair. This might be the best dry shampoo I've tried. Found here.

::THREE:: Old Navy Swing Dresses

If you see me this summer, I'll probably be wearing this dress somewhere. In multiple colors, but in particular navy and white is on sale now. Inexpensive and breezy. Found here.

::FOUR:: MPix economy photo books

Back in the dinosaur ages, we would print out a whole roll of film and have all those pictures to flip through. After our trip to Disney, I wanted easy access to all our pictures, but obviously I'm not going to frame all of them. I looked through multiple photo book vendors and thought MPix software was the easiest to work with and least system intensive (think amount of time it takes your webpages to load). I also wanted plain pages with no clipart or journaling, so this fit the bill. Our Disney book turned out great, and now I'm trying to decide if I want to make books of our last several years of pics.

I chose the charcoal art cloth cover--a nice darker gray that won't show dirt from the little hands that love reliving our trip. I sprung for the gold imprint on the front bottom corner. Found here.

::FIVE:: Fightin' Texas Aggie Baseball

If you need me, I'll be watching the NCAA baseball tournament this weekend.

Here's your @ncaacws College Station Regional field #12thMan

A photo posted by Aggie Athletics (@12thman) on May 30, 2016 at 8:04pm PDT

Book Review: Playing the Part by Jen Turano

Through the Bethany House blogger review program, I received a copy of Jen Turano's latest book, Playing the Part, in exchange for a review. This is the third book in her A Class of Their Own series, which I have now read in its entirety! I reviewed the first book here.

The series revolves around the lives of three women who have been roommates in 1880s New York City. This volume picks up on the final lady to be covered, actress Lucetta Plum. Lucetta has an interesting past which led her to the stage. Apparently, being a "lady of the boards" in this time period (boards = stage) gives her a reputation that is in direct opposition to her actual character for her friends that know her well. She has faith and attempts to live a life of righteousness.

Throughout the book, she is running from a crazed stalker-fan who is intent on making her his mistress. Her benefactress Abigail Hart (who throughout the series has been bound and determined to play matchmaker for each of the ladies) intervenes to move Lucetta to safety in a rather gothic and creepy location, all the while crafting a new plan to hook Lucetta up with her grandson. Her young, wealth, and handsome grandson has some secrets of his own which kept me reading late into the night. I had to know what the deal was!

As the story unfolds, we find mysteries in each character's past that link them all together in some form or fashion. Lucetta herself is portrayed as a strong and steadfast person, and I couldn't help but root for her.

This was an easy, entertaining read, and so perfect as the summer begins. If you're looking for some clean poolside stories, make sure to grab this series! You can find them here on Amazon.

Preschooler No More

Like everyone else on this side of the world, last week was super hectic as we wrapped up school for the year. Who would have thought that preschoolers would have such busy ends of the year? But they do. Especially when you have one graduating pre-K.

Do I really have a child old enough for kindergarten?

Yes, yes I do.

His graduation fell on my husband's birthday, which is part of the reason we celebrated it through the weekend. For us, "graduating" preschool seemed like a bigger milestone than finishing kindergarten will be, but who knows, we may do it all over again next year! I bought a cookie cake with "Kindergarten, Here He Comes!" on it, and we went out for supper at Joe T's with grandparents.

It seems only months since I made the decision to stay home with this guy, and now he's leaving me for big kid school. I'm excited for all of us, but especially for him. We've already seen how it has enlarged our community, and it's not even the first day yet! He is a learner, and he's going to love school.

If you're going to be a new kindergarten mom like me, I ran across this post from Dallas Moms Blog. I love how she mentions making new friends for all. I think school has a way of carving a tight knit community out of a big city.

Kindergarten, here we come!

Memorial Day Weekending

Thursday was Mr. G's birthday, so we extended the celebration into the weekend. Friday night started with a little road trip to Stephenville for supper at the original Hard 8 BBQ. The way to Mr. G's heart is definitely Texas BBQ.

It truly was the perfect Texas evening. The weather was in its late May sweet spot (not too hot, definitely not cold). A gentleman was covering all sorts of great old country on the patio, and the food was excellent. I think it checked all of the favorite things on the birthday boy's list. The only thing missing was golf, maybe?

Saturday was a day spent enjoying Fort Worth. It rained like crazy overnight, but cleared up to a beautiful day. We only got out for a little bit, preferring to stay at home and Lego build and bike ride. Saturday for lunch we checked out a pizza place that has opened up on Camp Bowie called Olivella's. The pizza is Neapolitan style, which is great, but the patio is AMAZING. It's climate controlled and has a retractable roof, along with just straight up being pretty. Its location makes it a hidden gem. If you live in Cowtown, definitely go try it. We also visited the new REI. Yep, we have an REI now! If we could only get a Nordstrom...

Sunday afternoon was church, then the guys went to Colonial while the girls went shopping. Little sister was not pleased to be stuck with me, until we ran into a random dance party in Dillards. Nothing cheers her up like a good beat, and apparently, a photo booth!

Monday we spent the day mostly at home. I picked up filets from Roy Pope's earlier in the weekend, and we grilled corn and roasted broccoli to go alongside it. This roasted broccoli I found on Pinterest is one of my favorite veggie recipes. I've parked in on my "Food Wins" Pinterest page here, which has every successful Pinterest recipe I've tried.

I even set a patriotic table to observe Memorial Day. I found some super cute "charming check" placemats by the Pioneer Woman at Walmart (found here) and couldn't help myself. Asking "why" the table was red, white, and blue opened up a good discussion with our oldest on freedoms and the sacrifice others have made protecting those freedoms. We are grateful for our men and women who serve and have served our country.

It was a great weekend of downtime, good food, and reflection before heading into the summer!