I write a lot. Here on the blog, stuff for the magazine, journaling, and other more casual things, but this weekly check-in and my monthly publisher's note for the magazine are always the most difficult to put into words. I always struggle to find the right balance of realness, especially during those periods when life isn't all sunshine and rainbows.

In all honesty, things aren't all that bad, but sunshine and rainbows it is not. I'm struggling, mostly with one specific aspect of work, and even though everywhere is back open and things are returning to normal, I feel like my life is kind of stalled. Or maybe stuck in limbo. I don't know. I feel like I'm waiting for something to happen, but I don't know what it is so I can't work toward it. Which leaves me feeling frustrated with no clear reason why.

This was not supposed to be a deep and serious post, but that's what's been on my mind for several days now, and it didn't feel like a journal entry, nor was it appropriate for my next publisher's note. It felt like something meant to share on a broader platform.

Let's get back on track, yeah? Last week felt like I was swimming in molasses. I was making all the right moves but not really getting anywhere. I don't know if all my contacts have taken the vacations they didn't get last year or if they are too busy to respond, but I think I got one response in all of last week. One. And I'm kind of at a loss about my next steps from there.

A tropical storm moved through over the weekend, so we spent a majority of the time indoors. On Saturday, we didn't even change out of our pjs. Father's Day was a non-event for us since Chris had to work. The most exciting thing about our weekend was the 4:00 a.m. tornado warning that scared us awake Sunday morning. It was close to us but we didn't see any damage.

We've got a few things planned for Alexis this week - a fancy tea party on Wednesday and an interactive, educational animal event on Friday. We'll fit a library trip in there somewhere, too. I don't have a solid plan for work yet; at this point I'm just kinda making it up as I go along and crossing my fingers for results.

Speaking of work, I should probably get started for the day. Hey, thanks for sticking with me through this long, rambling post. I hope you all have a great week!

Wow. It's been awhile since I've done one of these, and I must admit that I've been horrible about taking daily outfit pictures, but in my defense it has been a busy last several weeks. These outfits are from the last three weeks, when I actually took a few minutes to snap a photo in front of the mirror in my office. They're a pretty good representation of my typical summer style, especially when I'm not going anywhere. Let's get started, shall we?

I wore this dress over the weekend. We went to lunch and a couple of stores, but didn't do much else. I started the day with my fave yellow wedges to match the yellow in the center of the flowers, but after lunch I changed into my black sneakers. The dress is a cotton-polyester blend, so it's got a little bit of stretch but not much. The straps are adjustable and it has pockets. The bust is gathered, which helps give my smaller chest a little more definition. It comes in several colors/patterns.

I admitted to you guys earlier this week that I'm in a bit of a reading slump right now. I found this really great series that sucked me right in, and I'm not quite ready to pull myself out of that magic yet. The fact that the series is incomplete isn't helping matters, but knowing that it'll probably be a year or two before the story reaches its conclusion puts it into perspective. So for the time being, I'm rereading a few favorites to reset my reading frame of mind so I'm not making unfair comparisons with anything new I try.

That said, I haven't exactly stopped adding books to my To Be Read list. Half the fun of reading, for me, is discovering new stories and new authors, and I am well aware that my TBR list is so far out of control that I will likely never read everything that's on it. But I won't stop adding to it and sharing my finds with you.

So, take a look at these 20 books I've added to my summer reading list. It's a lot of fantasy because that's kinda where my head is stuck right now, so if that's not your thing, I apologize.

The Mixtape - Single mother Emery is a struggling bartender with no support system. Oliver is spiraling after the death of his twin brother and bandmate. When Oliver stumbles into the bar Emery works at, she helps him escape the crowd. Together, they find solace, but can their love withstand the world?

The Tempted Series - I downloaded this in a boxset since it's a completed series. Flint and her dad move a lot. Now, they've settled in Whispering Bluff, Tennessee, where she hopes to put the carnival life behind her and finish high school. There's just one problem. She's pretty sure her high school is infested with vampires.

Curse Painter - This one is inspired by Robin Hood. Briar can cast any curse with a paintbrush, but she doesn't want to hurt people anymore so she's fled the family business and started a new life peddling non-lethal jinxes and petty revenge. Her powers catch the eye of an outlaw named Archer. When he hires her to save a friend who's been kidnapped, Briar thinks it's her chance to make amends for her past crimes but the family business isn't ready to let her go quite so easily.

The Mad King - One thing you should know about me is that I love a good Alice in Wonderland retelling, so I have high hopes for this one, plus the cover is so good. Alice and Hatter had a legendary love until a curse ripped them apart forever. But a pair of powerful fairy godmothers and one god are determined to make things right. The only problem? One of them has just died and the other is running out of time.

The Tower Card Murder - Dee has psychic abilities, but the only one she's not afraid of is her ability to read tarot cards. Until she learns she must reconnect with her soulmates from a past life - 7,000 years ago.

Wicked Gods - I have a weakness for academy romances. They're like my guilty pleasure, even though they're almost always unrealistic. Rosie lives in a world that's divided between the Norms and Idols. She's a Norm, and she's been offered a place at the Gifted Academy where she needs to go unnoticed to survive. Except she's caught the attention of the most powerful Idols at the school.

Circus of the Dead Chronicles Book 1 - This is a follow-up spin-off book from the Circus of the Dead series I read earlier this year. It focuses on Juliette, the best friend of the protagonist from the series. She gets a scholarship to a school on an island on Lake Superior and thinks it's her opportunity to get away from all things supernatural. But the island is crawling with monsters and a warlock wants her help hunting them down.

Children of Light - Liana is the daughter of a god and has spent her entire life running, afraid of her powers. Then she finds Donavan, the last of the Ursang, sworn to protect the children of the gods, and Cain, the first nephilim. Can they help her rewrite the Tablets of Destiny, survive the King of the Universe, and master her powers?

Gravebriar - Castor is accused of poisoning one of her coven mates, and she can't prove her innocence without exposing her biggest secret. While all other Gravebriar witches are green witches and healers, her magic lies in poisons. Only one person believes her - Forge, the boy sent to kill her. He takes her to a circus, where they agree to join for two nights in exchange for the cure to save her coven mate.

Bacchanal - Eliza can communicate with animals. The Bacchanal Carnival is her ticket out of the swamp trap of Baton Rouge, but the Bacchanal is no ordinary carnival. It is home to an ancient demon that feeds on innocent souls, but she's met her match in Eliza.

Flicker and Flame - Kenna has no idea she has magic until one night at a club, four strangers awaken it. Now, she needs their help learning how to use it and figuring out who she really is.

The Scarlet Thread - Kaidance can see others' deaths. When she foresaw her little brother's but failed to stop it, her parents had her sent to juvie. Now, she doesn't let people touch her, but a random visitor tricks her into spilling her secrets and warns her there are others looking for her. After barely escaping, she finds herself in a mansion learning how to control her abilities.

The Three Mrs. Wrights - Lark, Jessica, and Holly are total strangers that have one thing in common - Trip, Jonathan, and Jack. The names of their one and only may be different, but they are one and the same man.

A Thousand Boy Kisses - Rune and Poppy were childhood sweethearts separated when Rune moved back to Norway. Poppy swore she'd wait for him but suddenly cut him off without explanation, breaking Rune's heart. Now, he's back in Georgia searching for the truth.

The Firefly Witch - This book combines two of my favorite genres: fantasy and historical fiction. Circe escapes her Puritan family to join a group living in secret to practice the ancient ways of the Celts. She lives in peace with them until one day a mysterious man with a map shows up. Together, they will fight the witch hunters determined to kill her new family and destroy her way of life.

Ms. Never - Farya's depression has the power to destroy time and space. In fact, she did. She meets Bryan at a record swap, a divorced telecom CEO who buys human souls in exchange for a luxury afterlife using shady terms of service in mobile-phone contracts. The two fall in love and find themselves backed into a corner by their secrets, where they must come clean and take drastic steps to save not only themselves but also reality.

All Through the Night - When Cadence is turned away as a nurse because of her age, she begins singing to the soldiers at the hospital. Only one doctor, Joshua Ivy, stands in her way. Everything changes when they discover a secret society that could change the war and their lives forever.

The Venice Sketchbook - Caroline's great-aunt Lettie leaves her a sketchbook, three keys, and a final whisper: Venice. She wants Caroline to scatter her ashes in the city she loved and unlock the mysteries stored away for more than 60 years. Key by key, Caroline learns the truth of Lettie's former life in war-torn Italy.

Elvish - When Venick is caught in the elflands, he knows the penalty is death, so in desperation he lies about who he is. Ellina doesn't trust him, but decides to give him the chance to learn elvish - a language it is impossible to lie with. If he reveals his truths, she will set him free. That, of course, doesn't happen. Venick uncovers a dark secret and must decide if risking his life to protect a race that hates him is worth it to save the elf he's not allowed to love.

The Titanic Sisters - Delia and Nora couldn't be more different, but when they get the chance to travel to New York via the Titanic, the sisters accept the offer and travel together. Delia is to be a maid in a modest household, while Nora is to become a governess for a well-to-do family. But, as we all know, the Titanic doesn't complete the journey. After the fateful journey, Delia impulsively decides to take Nora's place as governess, sparking an adventure that takes her from Fifth Avenue to the oilfields of Texas. She grows close to her charge and the girl's father, but her deception does not come without repercussions.

Happy Tuesday, friends! If you've been around the blog for awhile, then you know that my beauty routine is pretty simple. The last year and COVID helped to simplify it even more as I spent weeks at a time not leaving my house other than for the backyard. That simplification has also helped allow me to be more picky in the products I use. Most notably, I've started reaching for more natural products lately in an effort to be kinder to my skin and hair. So today I'd like to share 11 of my favorite things right now, in no particular order.

St. Ives Green Tea + Bamboo Blackhead Clearing Scrub - I usually use the apricot scrub but couldn't find it in any of my local stores so decided to try this one instead since I trust St. Ives. The difference is that the scrub is gentler while still being effective. It smells nice, too.

Saie Beauty Rounds (similar) - I got a pack of three of these in my FabFitFun spring box and absolutely LOVE them. They're much softer than any wash cloths I own and easy to clean. I just use antibacterial soap, the same soap I use to clean my makeup brushes actually. I use them mostly for cleansing and applying my rose water toner. Speaking of...

Rose Water Toner - This is one of the newer tools in my arsenal. I've always avoided toner because it's generally too harsh for my overly sensitive skin and ends up doing more harm than good. But I decided to give this a try, and it's wonderful. I've seen a marked improvement in my skin tone and it doesn't irritate my skin.

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Brightening Eye Perfector - Combine spring allergies with the fact I haven't been sleeping well the last few weeks, and I have absolutely needed some help in the eye area. This is my go-to because it blends with my other Neutrogena make-up products. My only complaint is that even the lightest shade is a tad too dark, so I can't use this without a little foundation to blend it. But otherwise, it's a great way to make my eyes look less tired.

Mellow Blush/Bronzer - I've talked about this blush/bronzer before, but it deserves another post. This is the perfect natural color for my skin tone. Even when I accidentally apply too much, it doesn't look clown-ish.

Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo - This is my go-to clarifying shampoo. You can get a giant bottle for around $2. The smell isn't medicinal, which is nice, and it leaves my hair feeling nice and clean without overdrying.

OGX Tea Tree + Mint Shampoo & Conditioner - The last few months of school, we struggled with lice. I never actually got it, but Alexis kept coming home with it. So we swapped out her shampoo and conditioner for this because it's supposed to help prevent it. She likes that it smells like peppermint. I like that it's not harsh.

Shampoo Brush - This is by far one of the best things I have ever bought for myself. I use it when I clarify my hair. It's like giving my scalp a massage.

Phone Cord Hair Ties - I watched a video not too long ago that said these are only good to wear like a bracelet because they hurt, and I'm here to tell you that is FALSE. These have become the only hair ties I use on my hair. They don't get tangled in my curls so I don't have to worry about breakage.

Puff Cuff - This is another recent find. I use it to help keep my hair from being crushed while I sleep or to keep it off my neck when I take a bath. I will admit that I ordered the wrong size, so it doesn't work exactly like I need, but it's still a very useful tool for curly/wavy hair.

Nivea Nourishing Care Body Wash - This is like showering with lotion. That's all you need to know.

We survived our first week of camp. It was a little more hectic than I was expecting, if I'm being honest, mostly because it segmented our days into shorter blocks and I'm not used to that. But it was a good week. Alexis loved camp and my dining room table is currently covered in all the projects she brought home that I now need to figure out what to do with (didn't think that part all the way through when I signed her up for three, lol).

That's pretty much the only thing of note to tell you guys from last week. This week will be pretty standard. I go back to the dentist where hopefully we'll be able to finally get this crown properly fitted. This has been a journey, y'all, and I'm ready for it to be over.

In other news, I've been in a bit of a reading slump the last couple of weeks. I've fallen in love with a new series that's incomplete and it's skewing my ability to give other books in the same genre a fair chance. So I've been rereading some of my favorites and continuing other series I'm in the middle of, which means my book roundup for June will probably be pretty short. So I'm trying to plan a couple other book-related posts to make up for it like the Best Books I've Read So Far This Year post I mentioned last week and probably another TBR post since we know I'm always adding things to my list.

Other than that, it's just a normal work week. It's going to be a hot one, too. I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

 
This is one of those recipes that's name sounds super complicated, but let me assure you that it most certainly is not. In fact, all you need to remember is the magic number: two.

I have a tried-and-true Italian Chicken & Veggies recipe that I use for the oven, but if you'll remember, my oven has been out of commission for awhile, and unfortunately that particular recipe does not work in the crock pot. So when I stumbled on this recipe, I knew I had to give it a try.

If you're new to the blog, there's one thing you should know about my recipes. They are nearly always tweaked to make things easier on the cook. So my version of the Crockpot Italian Chicken & Veggies has a few changes that save you time without sacrificing the taste.

And let me tell you, this recipe is a definite crowd pleaser.

1. Spray the inside of your crockpot with nonstick cooking spray and add 1 cup of water.

2. Coat your chicken breasts with the olive oil, then salt & pepper to taste. Add them into the pot.

3. Add your potatoes and carrots, drained, into the pot, and sprinkle on your Italian Seasoning.

4. Cook on high 4-6 hours.

5. This step is optional, but I shredded our chicken up so that everything was kind of mixed together like a casserole. Plus, it's easier for Alexis to eat that way.

Find the recipe I copied here.

Summer break is finally here! Things are looking a lot closer to normal this year with camps back in session and in-person programming returning to local libraries. I think I speak for all moms (and dads) everywhere when I say how excited I am to be able to get my kid out of the house some this summer.

As pretty much everyone learned last year, the summer months are not easy for work-at-home parents. It takes a lot of planning and scheduling to have productive days, and after three years of working around a young child during the summer months, I have a few suggestions for mostly hassle-free activities that will keep them from being bored without disrupting your entire work week.

At the start of every week, I always take a few minutes to plan out my daily schedules for the week ahead. It's maybe the most important 10-15 minutes of my Monday, if I'm being honest, and even more so during the summer months.

Last summer was really tough on my work schedule thanks to the pandemic. Alexis was home all day every day because all of our usual summer activities had been canceled. Then, I had major surgery, which restricted my movements even more (literally).

This summer will be closer to normal, thankfully. We've signed Alexis up for three week-long art camps to help foster her budding love for creating. We've started going back to the library, which is a mommy-daughter activity we've really missed over the last year. We have plans to visit our local water park, as well as the lake and hopefully the beach, and we've got a small blow-up pool and sprinkler/splash pad set up in the backyard. We'll also hopefully get some play dates in with some of her school friends.

We actually spent a lot of time in the backyard last week. Thankfully, I can set up my laptop on the backporch and work while she plays in the water. It has the added benefit of keeping her from being glued to her tablet or the TV...or complaining/whining to me every 10-15 minutes about not knowing what to play while I try to work.

Things pick up work-wise for me this week as I really get into putting together our most popular issue of the year. We weren't able to do our birthday issue last year because of the pandemic, so I'm optimistic that this year's will be a welcome sign that life is returning to normal.

Speaking of returning to normal, I'm working on revamping my summer activity guide for this year so be looking for that. I'm also working on a post about my favorite reads so far this year and my current favorite beauty products. Is there anything you'd like to see on the blog this summer? Let me know here.

Okay, well, I've got to get Alexis to her first day of camp. Wish me luck. She's excited and I'm nervous.

Happy Monday! I hope you have a great week!

Before last summer, graphic tees were never really on my radar. I mean, sure, I knew what they were, but I didn't really buy them, and the ones I did own I only ever wore with shorts or jeans. Despite Pinterest, I had no idea how to style them in a creative way. So I just stuck with striped tees because there are infinite formulas for how to wear those.

Now, however, graphic tees are a staple of my wardrobe. I wear them two-to-three times a week because they are just so easy to craft an outfit around, even if it's just a basic jeans/shorts/skirt combo, like the three outfits below:

  

My favorite thing about graphic tees is how they make showing your personality so easy. But the question remains -- how do you pair a graphic t-shirt with other patterns without creating an outfit that's so busy it hurts the eyes?

First of all, a lot of it is in the eye of the beholder. But, a good rule of thumb for me is to keep the pattern of whatever bottoms I'm wearing smaller than the print of my t-shirt. You'll notice in all my examples below that the graphic print on my shirt is always large and draws your eye first. The rest is just secondary details to support the main attraction.

Color choice is super important for this kind of mash-up, too. Look for one color that occurs in both your graphic tee and the pattern of your bottom layer.

Here are some examples of how I pair my graphic tees with patterned bottoms, mostly skirts because they're my favorite. I'm not linking to anything because most of these are old, but keep scrolling for where I find most of my graphic tees.

I hope these outfits gave you some ideas of how to spice up your graphic tee outfit game, or maybe inspired you to add some to your wardrobe. My favorite places to buy graphic tees are Old Navy and Target. I especially like the gender neutral collection at Old Navy; it has so many good pop culture tees. I do most of my Target shopping in person. I also have a few from Amazon, but as we all know shopping there can be tricky so proceed with caution.

May was a seriously busy month for reading, although most of it was admittedly devoted to one series/saga. The first two books in the list were both started the last week of April but were finished the first week(end) of May. We'll also be chatting about two books I've been waiting what feels like forever to come out, and of course there's a Finch Merlin book in here. I'll finish that series eventually.

I also want to take a moment to talk about Once Upon a River. I have been attempting to finish this book all month long. I've made it about 60 percent of the way through it and honestly don't know that I'm going to read the final part. So far I've found it to be very convoluted with little dialogue and several anecdotes that don't seem to have anything at all to do with the plot line. I've had the book so long that I've had to re-check it out twice. I'd say I've given it more than a fair shot, but at this point I feel like I'm forcing myself to pick it up.

Alright, let's get to it. Hopefully these will give you some ideas for your summer reading.

Author: Kristy Cambron

It seems I've gotten on a WWII book kick lately, and like the one I read in April, this one is set in France, as well. I loved the way this story was told - from the viewpoints of two women who did not know each other but whose work for the French Resistance during the Nazi occupation was entwined. Each chapter was told in two parts, the past and present (although only a handful of years separated those time frames). This book was based on several real characters but with the intention of shedding light on the brave Parisienne women who stood up the Germans right under the enemy's nose.

Author: Denny S. Bryce

This was also based on a true story, set in 1920s Chicago when gangsters ran the streets and the illegal drinking. It's the story of Honoree Dalcour, a young black woman who's determined to dance her way out of poverty. She thinks she's on her way when she lands a coveted dancing job at the Dreamland Cafe, but like so many other things in her life there's someone else pulling the strings behind the scenes. In 2015, film student Sawyer Hayes has found what he believes to be a lost film by black filmaker Oscar Micheaux and he's hoping Honoree can help him fill in some of the gaps in the story, but what he finds when he meets her is not what he expected.

Author: Kitty Cox

This is the first book in the series Shades of Trouble series, which unfortunately isn't finished. Kitty Cox co-authored the Gamer Girls series, which was one of my favorite series from last year. This book reads very similarly to those ones in terms of the character development and underlying moral themes. This series is about a juvenile diversion center in rural Texas that, of course, the community is strongly against. Like Gamer Girls, this book forced me to feel and think about some things differently. By the last chapter, I was crying. I can't wait for the second book to be released next month.

Author: J. Kearston

The Rise of the Sphinx series has been on my radar for awhile. Ever since her husband died unexpectedly, Raina and her daughter, Skye, have been on their own. Raina is fiercely protective of her daughter and works herself to exhaustion in order to provide for her. When a mysterious man attempts to abduct Skye from school, something in Raina awakens and she somehow kills the man. When she's referred to a therapist for Skye, things get even stranger, and three rare shifters - the last of their kind - swoop in to save the day. Raina and Skye learn that they are a breed of shifter thought to be extinct, the powerful Sphinx.

Author: Emilia Finn

I definitely put everything else I was reading on hold for this one. Ever since they introduced Abby and Troy in the Checkmate series, I've wanted to know more about the Rosa family, and this did not disappoint. Mitch is one of Abby's four older brothers. He's an EMT who will stop at nothing to save lives, even if it means endangering his own in the process. When Abby hires the new girl in town to work in her flower shop, Mitch goes on the offensive in a misguided attempt to protect his baby sister from being taken advantage of, but he doesn't anticipate Nadia getting under his skin.

Author: Stefanie Holmes

I love this series and have been (im)patiently waiting for this one to come out, although I have to admit that I absolutely missed the release date and was late to the party. As excited as I was to finally read the conclusion to the Dracula problem, I have to say that I was a little disappointed in the way it all went down. Not to say that it wasn't out of character for Mina at all. I just expected a little more...something. This series isn't actually over, but I don't know what's next for all my favorite mystery-solving literary characters.

Author: Ariel Lawhon

When I started this book, I had no idea it was based on a true story. Judge Joe Crater is neck deep in political corruption. Joe's rise to the bench left him indebted both to the leaders at Tammany Hall and notorious gangster, Owney Madden. He's unfaithful to his wife, is blackmailing the maid, and has no idea his mistress is feeding information back to Owney. Then he mysteriously disappears never to be seen again. This all happened in real life. Joe Crater's body was never found and no one was ever arrested for his disappearance. This book is a look at what could have happened.

The Coven Saga -- or at least all the ones that are out.

Author: Chandelle LaVaun

This series has taken over my life. I have fallen in love with these characters, the intertwined storylines., and the overall theme. I'm hooked totally and completely. I have linked to the boxset you should start with, Elemental Magic. You can find the reading order on the author's bio page. The Chosen Witch is a prequel that you can only get by subscribing to Chandelle's emails. I did not read it first, and I'm not mad about it. The Cursed Witch is the first book of the third season, Fae Magic, which is incomplete. There is no way I can summarize this without spoiling something for you, but I 100 percent recommend these for anyone who likes books about magic.

Author: Bella Forrest

Finch and his merry band of misfits are one step closer to Atlantis. All they have to do is find and unlock the magic gateway, but as with all things concerning Erebus, this mission is dangerous and deadly. Meanwhile, Finch and Ryann are still their awkward selves. Will they finally take the plunge?