Five on Friday

ONE

 Bookshop.org

I like supporting local bookstores, but sometimes they don't have what I need when I need it, and I end up turning to Amazon. Well, I just found out about bookshop.org where you can order books online AND support an indie bookstore. You select a bookstore, and a % of the proceeds goes to that indie store!

TWO

Grace & Lace shirts!

I hate shopping for winter clothes, but I got some cute tops finally!

I absolutely love Grace & Lace and am excited for some new stuff!

*Didn't plan on posting these pics online so my apologies for RBF*

THREE

I got a haircut!

I cut off about 8 inches of my hair!!!

It was SO long and unhealthy, and it feels amazing!

FOUR

Trent's braces

This little snaggletooth is about to get braces!

When we went to the dentist last week {cavities for Drew and Trent, sigh},

we took pictures for an orthodontist consultation.

After getting details from the orthodontist, Brent talked to Trent about timing - 

we didn't want to rush him if he wanted to wait a little while,

but he commented that so many of his friends/classmates have them

that he'd rather get them now and be done before high school.

Holy cow... how is he old enough for braces?!?!

FIVE

Someone got promoted

We turned Paige around to forward-facing!

My plan was to turn her around at 4, 

but I was trying to bribe her to be happy on the way to school.

It isn't working, ha, but she sure looks cute!

Blog Friends Book Club

So. Get ready for a new level of nerdiness from your girl...

I've started a virtual book club with some friends I met through blogging.

Pausing for you to get your laughs out... Okay!

I had this idea because for a few months Natasha, Emily, and I have had a virtual zoom happy hour. Natasha came up with the idea early in quarantine - so many people were doing zoom happy hours with work, family, friends, etc. so why not us? Brent doesn't really understand the lure of blogging {or really any social media}, so he thought I was a little nuts for wanting to virtually hangout with people I had never met, but it made perfect sense to me and sounded super fun! I genuinely consider both Emily and Natasha to be my friends and have had a blast on our monthly HHs.

THEN...I started thinking about the fact that Natasha, Emily, and Erika {who I HAVE met in person-and so has Natasha-which Brent also found super strange, ha} are where I immediately go for a book recommendation. And an idea was born...

When I approached the ladies, they all very enthusiastically said yes! Erika and Emily didn't know each other before connecting, but I think given Natasha and I were both vouching for each of them, they didn't mind. ;) Natasha chose our book, and we picked a date, and we were in business!

In perfect form, I got a surprise happy treat in the mail from my friend, Kathryn, the day of our first meeting, so of course, I had to wear my new shirt to our first virtual book club!

Now I've been in a book club for 8 years, and I don't think I've ever attended a meeting where everyone read the book. I also think my in-person book club usually spends maybe 30 minutes talking about the book. NOT the case with The Blog Friends Book Club {to be dubbed BFBC going forward}. Not only did all of us read the book, we had very enthusiastic discussion about the book for the majority of our 2.5 hour zoom. Natasha certainly picked a winner for our first meeting - we discussed women's reproductive rights {including but not limited to abortion and contraception}, adoption, post-partum depression/anxiety, motherhood, parenting roles, and so many other things. 

IT.WAS.AMAZING.

If any of those topics sound interesting to you {without being too triggering}, this was an excellent book! I will, of course, share more of my thoughts on my monthly book review!

We have decided to meet monthly, which is so exciting because my in-person BC sometimes has months between meetings, and we will rotate each month who picks the book. For November, it's ME!!! I feel a lot of pressure after the home run Natasha picked.

And it didn't happen if I didn't take a picture.

This was when my computer was acting up so my camera wouldn't work, ugh.

I had an amazing time and can't wait to talk next month!