Welcome to November! This is our craziest month as a family. Both the girls’ birthdays are in November as well as other family members and friends, Thanksgiving hits and then holiday shopping starts and work tends to be busy too. I’m not one to celebrate busy, so I’m taking a deep breath in as I type.
I really wanted to share some things that were making me happy in October. I skipped September because really? I was into chocolate ice cream and cookies and that’s not helping anyone.
AdvoCare
Whether you saw my results post last week or not, it bears repeating. AdvoCare totally dug me out of my funk and I feel GREAT. In fact, I’ve lost a few more pounds since posting and I’m still feeling terrific.
I can’t get enough of the Fruit Punch Spark energy drink in the mornings. I get just as excited about that as I did my coffee. Seriously.
Pure Protein Bars
One way that I’ve been able to handle the high protein/low carb diet is protein bars in the afternoon. I’ve tried several of them and BY FAR the best one is Pure Protein in chocolate peanut butter. It’s like eating a Snickers. Like, without the caramel and nuts and yummy goodness but, you know, close when you’re eating low carb. Buy them by the box at Walmart.
30 Day Shred
30 Day Shred is an oldie but I keep returning to it over and over. It’s a solid work-out and I completed the 30 days in October. You can’t beat just 20 minutes of working out in your living room with just a set of hand weights.
BIC Velocity Pen
If you’re a pen freak, you probably already know about this pen but seriously? The BIC Velocity is the smoothest pen EVER. Love.
New Girl
I decided to check out New Girl on Netflix and I’m a fan–not like, I can’t live without this fan, but fill in the Friday night nothing to do fan. It has quite a bit of adult humor and the morals/lifestyles are atrocious, but it’s funny. Scott and I watch it together and I spend most of it punching his shoulder across the bed laughing. I finally get the Zooey love.
David Walker Band
I mentioned this band in my Allume recap but since I’ve been home, I’ve been listening to David Walker’s music and oh my word, they are GOOD. If you want some good worship music you can leave on repeat, go check it out on Spotify. Fragrance and Only You are my favorites.
What I’m Reading
Based on our reader survey, I think I’m going to bow out from Twitterature each month but I think this is a good spot for it to land.
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh turned out to be one of my favorite novel EVER.
I did a full post of Jesus > Religion but it only scratched the surface of the book. It’s really fantastic. I really, really hope you check it out if you’re a Jesus follower.
A Million Little Ways by Emily Freeman was like a long poem—beautiful writing. The Type A side of me wanted it to be more practical but it’s really more about a perspective shift. From the site it says, “Do you desperately fear you have nothing to offer the world but secretly hope you’re wrong?” This book is definitely an encouragement when you feel you have nothing to offer. We ALL do.
Me Before You was a fantastic novel with great characters and interesting storyline but darn it, why couldn’t it have a better ending??
I also read Tina Fey’s Bossypants which I found hilarious but not necessarily up my alley.
Anything by Jennie Allen was good but not great. I wish I would have read this after hearing her live.
Jodi Picoult’s Keeping Faith made me frustrated and mad–I threw it on the floor when I was done.
BONUS!
I have a copy of A Million Little Ways to give away! Just leave me a comment—tell me something from the list you’d like to check out or something you were into in October! I’ll draw a name next Monday!
Linked to October 2013 What I’m Into
Oh Jillian and the shred. I have a love/hate relationship with that! I want to check out the Jesus > Religion book. I’ve heard many good things from many different sources about that one. 🙂
If I had a hard copy, I’d let you borrow it!
I keep hearing about these pens! Maybe they’ll be stocking stuffers this Christmas! Thank you for sharing so many good thoughts!
My sister told me about them. They’re so good!
Your reading list made me want to read The Language of Flowers. I actually had it as a library ebook on my Kindle but I returned it because I got too busy. I will try to get it again soon!
Kelly, very happy to see you commented 🙂 Yeah, definitely get it again. So, so good.
I am a pen freak and I DIDN’T know about these pens… yay! I love a good new office product find. (I am such a nerd.) I need to go listen to David Walker Band now, too. Lots of good stuff here — thanks!
Sarah @ Beauty School Dropout recently posted…Menu plan, November 3-9
I’m listening to David Walker as I type this and my pen is just inches away. Let me know what you think!
Amy, I feel healthier just reading about your first few things! I read your AdvoCare post just now and you look amazing! Kudos on finding a program that works for you. I loved Language of Flowers! I’m anxiously awaiting whatever Diffenbaugh writes next. I’m reading A Million Little Ways right now and loving it. Think it might be the inspiration I’ve needed. And I KNOW about the ending of Me Before You. I bawled through the last half of that book.
Leigh Kramer recently posted…Ally McBeal, River, and the Nostalgia of Friendship
You know, I couldn’t even cry because I was so frustrated it didn’t end differently!
I’m going to check out the BIC Velocity Pens and Jillian’s 30 Day Shred. I just purchased a weight bench and set of dumb bells last month
Yay! Let me know what you think!
I think I am going to have to read Me Before You as much as it’s been talked about among my blog circles! I haven’t read Keeping Faith, but mad and frustrated is my general response to Jodi Picoult books. Ha. I keep reading them anyway, because apparently I’m sadistic like that.
I seriously cannot read another Jodi Picoult. I was so mad it had such an unclear ending!
I loved The Language of Flowers…so glad you liked that one! 30 Day Shred never fails to injure me…not sure what I do wrong every time I try it. I’m totally going to have to try those pens….I love pens. Any pens!
Stacey recently posted…What I’m Into: October 2013
The pens are awesome! I think Staples had them on sale last school season and I’ve been stretching them out very carefully 🙂
I bought the Jesus>Religion book, but haven’t had a minute to open it yet! I’d LOVE to get back into 30 day shred.. especially after this halloween candy situation! And I might just have to check out “The New Girl” i keep hearing good things..
Definitely read that book and check out The New Girl–you’ll know within an episode or two if it’s something you like. I think you have to enjoy the right type of humor to get it.
I have been eating Nutz Over Chocolate Luna bars, I will have to check out the Pure Protein bars. I have been so busy since spring with Jake’s baseball that I took the month of October to refinish furniture. The weather was great several weekends so I was able to strip down and paint an old desk, 3 dressers and a bookcase.
I don’t know what it is but I can’t get into Luna bars. I like them ok in a pinch but not enough to buy them consistently. The furniture sounds awesome! Would love to see pictures!