Nadine

Happy Friday!!!! Does it even matter that it is Friday anymore? To me I suppose it does, that means I have two days where I don’t have to juggle work into my day. But I usually end up doing some work in the mornings before Zoe wakes up on the weekends to make up for the interruptions I get during the week.

The weather here has been amazing this week. Mostly sunny and in the 60s. We have spent a lot of time outside, with Zoe riding her new bike around our driveway while I walk circles. I have gotten over an hour of “exercise” time in everyday doing that on top my normal workout.

Yesterday was a hard day. I have had zero alone time for over a month now. I cant even shower alone anymore, because I made the mistake of having Zoe jump in with me one evening and now she wants to every single time. Any other moms feeling like they might break soon??? I get about 45 minutes of a workout in by myself at 5am, but then I have to start working before Zoe wakes up to get an hour or two of uninterrupted work in. I definitely don’t count that as alone time.

Favorite Part of My Day: Burning this Tobacco Flower candle every morning while I have my coffee in my office before Zoe wakes up. It came in on Monday, and I have burned it every morning. First of all, can we talk about how gorgeous it is??? The smell is amazing!!! I burn it for an hour or two every morning…and when I come in my office late in the day…I can still smell it. LOVE!!!!!

Favorite Purchase: I dont know what it is about the tile floors in this house, but I cannot keep them clean. I have decided that I am going to have to go back to an old fashioned mop and bucket. After doing extensive research on several different ones, I chose the O-Cedar Spin Mop. It has a ton of good reviews, and it seems relatively easy to find replacement heads for it that wont break the bank. I will report back after a month or so of using it to let you know!

Speaking of cleaning, what I can recommend after about 6 months of using, is the Shark Navigator vacuum!!! I was looking into Dyson, but several people said they aren’t what they used to be. I like my shark hand held that I had for years, so I figured why not. This vacuum just feels like it is built sturdy. You can definitely tell as it maneuvers around that it was made with a lot of thought behind it. I love that the center detaches and you can easily carry it around to do the stairs, curtains, hard to reach areas, your car, etc. Plus it’s pretty.

Favorite Recipe: I found this recipe for Disney’s Dole Whip and I cant wait to try it!!! This will be perfect for a nice spring/summer treat on the weekend!

Favorite Workout: Rebecca has us doing 50 reps each in this leg workout. Basically they feel like they are going to fall off, but in a good way.

And then if you want your shoulders to hurt for two days….try this one. I didn’t feel my abs as much as my arms!! I also played Just Dance several times after doing this workout, so that might be the real issue.

Favorite Funnies:

One of my absolute favorites meals, is the baked pork chop recipe I shared years ago. It cooks in a delicious sauce that I LOVE to dip roasted potatoes in. Nothing makes me happier!!!

Since I still tend to eat lower carb in the evenings, and Chris is still completely Keto…I needed to find a replacement recipe. Enter these perfect oven pork chops! They cook up amazingly well, and you don’t need to light up the grill. These are also Zoe approved. In fact, she constantly requests them now!

What You Need

pork chops (I usually have a package of 4)

Olive Oil or Avocado Oil

2 TBSP Swerve Brown Sugar (you could use regular if you aren’t keto)

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

What You Do

• Preheat oven to 375
• Mix together all the seasonings and brown sugar in a small bowl
• Place pork chops on a baking sheet, and rub them down with the oil on both sides.
• Rub the seasoning on both sides of the pork chops
• Bake for 25-30 minutes

A picture of Zoe’s plate. Pork chops and applesauce. Who remembers what show that is from???? Am I dating myself, or what??

Dani did a post last week with her top 10 songs, and I thought that was a brilliant idea! Like her, I have about 10 songs that would make this list no matter what, and a few that would be based on what mood I was in. Doing this in alphabetical order, just like Dani because you can’t possibly ask me to put them in order. Also, since today is the 15th…I am choosing 15. Do you know how hard it is to narrow these down????

All I Have to Give by Backstreet Boys

I mean come on you guys. You know that an NSYNC or Backstreet Boys song had to make it. If I have to pick only one, this is my absolute favorite.

Blackout by Tritonal

I am not sure what it was about this song, but it soothed Zoe when she was an infant, and I bounced her up and down and sang this to her in the middle of the night. The lyrics were fitting…

Yeah, it was you and me
You and me
Against the world
It was
You and me
You and me
Against the worldDon’t you worry, baby, there’s a fire for us
No, we’re not going down in a blackout
And if the stars above me
Crumble into dust
No, we’re not going down in a blackout

The other song that calmed her down, besides Uptown Funk was I Could Be Stronger But Only For You by Gareth Emery. She liked EDM, what can I say?! I had a hard time picking between the two to make the list!

Far Behind by Candlebox

Freaking LOVE this song. Roll down the windows, turn the radio up and just drive.

Freak of the Week by Marvelous 3

I cannot tell you how many times I have seen Marvelous 3 in concert. Straight up transports me back to high school and college. Butch Walker for life!!!! I love all their songs, I love Butch Walker when he went off on his own. This song can instantly transport me to a better mood. I really love My Way too, and I have to say it was constantly on repeat in my car for a really long time after it came out.

Glycerine by Bush

I don’t think I know a single person that was born in the early 80’s and doesn’t like Bush?? This song came out when I was in middle school, and I just love it.

Hang by Matchbox 20

I love any song by Matchbox 20, but for whatever reason, this one is my favorite. They were the first band I ever saw in concert and I would go to see them again in a heartbeat. They’re supposed to come to Birmingham in August…assuming we can go in public by then. I am too old for a school night outdoor concert in the dead of summer, but I am heavily contemplating still going.

I Miss You by Blink 182

I had a really hard time picking between I Miss You and Damnit. I just knew Blink had to make the list! I love this one a little more, but Damnit is the song I think about when I think of Blink 182. It played on repeat in my Jeep for years!

Love Like Crazy by Lee Brice

This song is how you should live your life, plain and simple.

No Scrubs by TLC

Can you think of a better girl song than this? I don’t care who you are, when this song comes on, you are singing it with all your heart.

Pursuit of Happiness by Kid Cudi

Who isn’t on the pursuit to happiness?

Sail by Awolnation

This song reminds me of the beach. Maybe because we played it a lot one of the trips we were down there. I can easily transport myself back there when the first beat drops.

Simple Man by Shinedown

I absolutely love the Shinedown version of this song. Another song to live your life by.

U Got It Bad by Usher

Freaking LOVE Usher. Ursher. I had a hard time picking which one I wanted on the list. So many good ones. Without You is one that really stands out to me too. I have run into Usher many times when I lived in Atlanta, it was pretty cool. U Got It Bad was in The Sweetest Thing movie. That movie just reminds me of college and always brings a smile to my face.

Zoe Jane by Staind

Pretty sure you know why this one is on the list! If you remember the story of how Zoe’s name came to be.

Zombies by The Cranberries

Chris and I have spent hours and hours of our lives listening to this song, and any song ever performed on The Voice, America’s Got Talent, etc version of this song.

It’s book day! Linking up with Steph and Jana. These are all books from my kindle (except one audiobook), and some are actually Netgalley! I am trying to clear my shelf! You know, so I can go request 30 more that take me a years to read through.

Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

I have read a lot of books surrounded by music lately. This book will punch you in all the feels!!! The relationship between Sydney and Ridge is so complicated, beautiful, heartbreaking. It is such a roller coaster! I don’t really want to say too much more and give things away. This is Colleen Hoover, she really knows how to tell a story. If you like her writing, you will enjoy this book.

Bottom Line: Read it!

Hot as Puck by Lili Valente

Yowza. This is a true romance right here. Old friends, turned into friends with benefits. But we all know how that turns out, right? I loved the characters in this book. I really loved that Justin is a knitter! You would never except something so nerdy from a professional hockey player, but he definitely has a cute, crafty, dorky side. This book pulled me in right from the start, and had me entertained the whole way through. I am not going to say anything about the very ending, but it was a bit much. I mean it ended like I thought it would, but the last chapter I was sort of like really???

Bottom Line: This was a great story, and if you are into romance I would recommend it. I will say, it has a lot of intimate time…so if that isn’t your thing…I would probably stay away.

The New Guy by Kathryn Freeman

If typical romance books aren’t your thing because you don’t love a good love scene, then this book might be for you. Any romantic moments are fade to black in this book.

I think we all want the next Hating Game, and this book isn’t it. It was a cute story though, I really did like Sam and Ryan. I felt like the author repeated a little too much the reasons why they were both scared to be in a relationship. We get it, lets move on. What did work for me, was the app development company/IT guy. I also really liked that Sam was the strong female CEO, Ryan the “underling.”

Bottom Line: This was a cute read. It passed the time just fine.

**I received a copy of The New Guy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

What You Wish For by Katherine Center

If Katherine Center writes a book, I am there for it. And you guys, this is a good one!!!! I don’t even know where to start. First of all, the main male lead in this book was apparently in Happiness for Beginners, which I haven’t had a chance to read yet. So you definitely don’t have to read it to read this book at all.

Without giving anything away, this book touches on different illnesses, both physical and mental. It deals with a very heavy, prevalent subject matter, and you get a love story. But not the light, steamy kind I usually read.

This book made me laugh, and cry, and the whole message of the book is something the world needs right now more than ever!!!! To find joy in life, no matter what sorrows you have been through. To come together as a community. The school and community that surrounds Sam and Duncan sounds incredible and I want to be there right now!

Bottom Line: I highly recommend you read this book!! Especially right now!

**I received a copy of What You Wish For from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane

I absolutely loved this book! I will say, in the beginning, it drags a little bit because Laurie is so devastated and blindsided by what happens with Dan. But it was very realistic and not rushed at all. So I appreciated that. And it was totally worth reading through to get to the rest, because the rest was gold! Of course, you can guess how the very end is going to turn out. But watching Jamie and Laurie grow as characters and getting to see their families and backgrounds and everything, I just loved it. I loved how British this book is too. And how it hit right on the nail how society wants to paint what happiness is supposed to look like for women.

This is more a story of growth and love, this isn’t a true romance. There aren’t any “romantic scenes” in the book, so if that isn’t your thing and you want a love story…this might be the book for you!

Bottom Line: Read it!!! This will most likely make my top 10 list for the year. I couldn’t put it down.

** I received a copy of If I Never Met You from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

The Allure of Julian LeFray by R.S. Grey

I haven’t met a R.S. Grey book I haven’t loved. I know what to expect from her; likable characters, witty banter, LOL dialogue, great chemistry. This book is no different. I loved the fashion blogger aspect of the book. I really liked both Julian and Jo, and their dynamic was on point. I liked Jo’s determination and strong work ethic. Also, this book had my name in it and my grandmother’s (Josephine), so that was fun!

Bottom Line: Read it!

Maid For Love by Marie Force

I have had this one sitting on my ipad forever. I have heard good things about this author, but I am not sure how I feel yet. I enjoyed the book, and finished it in just a few sittings. But with that said, I felt like the love was rushed and I didn’t feel it blossom enough. Also, I really liked Mac, but Maddie was a little flat for me. And she was a bit immature. I understand having trust issues with people, but there comes a point you have to let some of that go. Also, who lets someone into their baby’s life so quick?? That part really bothered me.

Bottom Line: This passed the time just fine. I enjoyed the story, but there was a lot I would have changed about it too. If you are into romance, I give it a solid 3.

Things looked a little different this weekend for Easter. Normally we spend most of the day at Chris’s parents house. We knew we had bad weather coming on Sunday, so Saturday morning…we decided to have our Easter Egg Hunt. I put the eggs outside around our house, the weather was absolutely gorgeous! Zoe had so much fun running around collecting them all.

We also made homemade sugar cookies and decorated them. It is a two day process, as the dough has to sit overnight in the fridge. Best cookies ever. They were always my favorite growing up. My mom always made them every holiday with us. I like to carry on that tradition.

We took advantage of the rest of the day and took two big walks around our neighborhood, and played a lot in the yard.

Sunday morning we got a quick ride in on Zoe’s new bike before the storms rolled in. The Easter Bunny was extra generous this year…

We had a big Easter lunch with ham, zucchini au grauten, green beans, pineapple casserole (lightened up) and sweet potatoes. It was delicious!

The rest of the day was spent watching James Spann’s weather updates on TV and playing 100 games of Lucky Duck and Candy Land.

Luckily, we just got a lot of rain at our house with tons of thunder, lightening and some really high winds. We have tree branches down all over our yard, I heard them hitting the house last night!!! I am thankful we didn’t have to run to the basement at all, others nearby weren’t so lucky. I saw this on a friend’s Facebook page, and it couldn’t be more true…

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter at home. I know it looked different this year, but I also hope that it was a time to reflect on the things that are really important.