August: Loves of the Month

READING:
A Painted House by John Grisham and I am currently reading Little Bee by Chris Cleave.

WATCHING:
Movies: Mud and 42 both really great movies.
TV: Hell on Wheels (even though I hate that it is on Saturday nights now) and the final season of Breaking Bad. AMC definitely has some of the best shows on television!

MUNCHING:
Nature Valley Oatmeal Squares.  Since I am back to work, I needed a new snack to hold be over between breakfast and lunch time.  I usually have the Nature Valley Crunchy granola bars but I decided to try something a little different this time.  These are yummy!

LISTENING:
Katy Perry's Roar
Robin Thicke's Blurred Lines
Calvin Harris's I Need Your Love

FAVORITE THING(S) ABOUT AUGUST:
1. My parents visiting.
2. Justice Family Reunion. Post about this weekend is in the making but I have been so busy I haven't finished it yet. Here is a few pictures from the weekend.

3. Going back to work.  Even though it is the most stressful time of the year, seeing how excited my kids are to have me as their teacher is priceless:)

5 on Friday

ONE
This is the last weekend of summer vacation.  I can't believe it is over but I am looking forward to going back to work on Monday.  Thankfully students don't return to school for another week so I can ease back into a normal schedule.  Last summer was amazing with my trip to Europe and buying a house but this summer was also one to remember.
Minnesota Trip
Bachelorette Party in California
Birthday Weekend
Michigan Trip
Surprise Bridal Shower from my co-workers

Good-bye summer but it only means we are even closer to our wedding!!

TWO
It has been great spending time with my parents this past week.  They have been in South Carolina for almost 9 months and I haven't seen them since last November.  I am excited that they are going to be around until the wedding and look forward to spending even more time with them.  They are even going to help me take care of the dogs next week since Jason will be out of town and I have to go back to work.

Enjoying First Friday with the parents

THREE
Headed to Iowa this weekend for a Justice Family Reunion.  Looking forward to seeing everyone and introducing Jason.  Jason has not meet many of my family members so it will be nice for them to meet him before the wedding.  It will be a weekend full of good food, good company, card games, golfing, and possibly a little Iowa State Fair appearance.

Hoping to re-create this picture over the weekend of my cousins and I

FOUR

I sent my wedding invites last week and have already received some RSVP cards! So excited and can't wait until October 19th!!

Mailing my invites

FIVE

I am really going to miss spending time with my babies pup dogs.  I will miss our naps together and sunbathing in our backyard.  LOVE THEM!

DIY Project: Burlap Wreath

I have been wanting to make an everyday wreath for a long time.  When I received a Hobby Lobby gift card I thought it would be a perfect time to make one.  I follow a few blogs and saw a wreath I liked on this one. All of the supplies you need are at your local Hobby Lobby and probably at other craft stores.  Even better was the fact that the burlap was 50% off!  All together it cost me less than $20 to make.  I also purchased a "B" to paint and add to the wreath once I become Mrs. Betts!

There is no pattern to making this.  Just start weaving the burlap and pulling it loose to make the loops.  It took me a while to get started but once I did it went pretty fast.  I didn't use any glue or pins.  I tucked the ends into the wreath to hid them and the flower had a wire stem that I just wrapped around one side.  I am pretty happy with the finished product!

July: Loves of the Month

READING: I haven't really read anything blog worthy.  Just reading some easy John Grisham and James Patterson books we have on our bookshelf.

WATCHING:
MOVIES: We recently watched Hitchcock which is about the story of how Alfred Hitchcock's most famous movie "Psycho" was made.  It was a pretty good movie.  We also watched Evil Dead which was definitely not my pick.  I hate scary movies but Jason loves them.  He enjoyed it but I was in and out for most of the movie.

TV:  Just A LOT of reruns of The Hills, 90210, and The Big Bang Theory. 

MUNCHING:
I am OBSESSED with my homemade banana ice cream.  I found the recipe on Pinterest here but made a couple changes.

4 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
2 tbsp of honey
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup milk (the orginial recipie calls for almond milk but whatever milk you use should work}
1 tsp vanilla extract

Place banana slices in the freezer for at least 3 hours.  The original recipe says to place them in a single layer on a tray lined with parchment paper but I just put them in a zip lock bag so I can use for future use. In a food processor pulse frozen banana slices, milk, vanilla and 2 tbsp syrup, scraping down the sides as necessary, until the mixture is the texture of soft-serve ice cream. Spoon into bowls and top with whatever toppings you like.  I use dark chocolate chips and chopped pecans.   I freeze what is ever left.  It stays good except that is is no longer soft-serve ice cream.   

LISTENING
I Want Crazy by Hunter Hayes.  I especially loved it when he sang with Danielle Brandbery on the season finale of The Voice.

All the ladies who came to celebrate

FAVORITE THING ABOUT JULY
I had some great memories of July.  
1. It was my birthday 
2. Jason and I had a great trip to Michigan
3. My co-workers gave me a surprise bridal shower

5 on Friday

ONE
3 months until our wedding!! I can't believe it! It seems like just yesterday we got engaged and now it is almost here.  I have been finishing up our invitations so they should be in the mail soon.  I have also been finalizing the "day of schedule".  The control freak in me needs a plan and I want to make sure I know when all the vendors (and me) will be coming.

TWO
I love my pup dogs! I especially like taking them on long hikes/walks with Jason on beautiful days.  We love going to Smithville Lake (it is where we got engaged) and walking the trail to Sailboat Cove.  It is 2.6 miles each way so it is pretty good exercise as well.  Last Saturday we took the dogs there and actually let them go for a swim in the lake.  They LOVE to swim, especially Charlie.  His little webbed feet make him a pretty good swimmer.  This weekend is suppose to be pretty nice again so we will probably take the dogs somewhere.

THREE
Running! I HATE to run.  People have told me that once you begin you will start to love it.  This is SO untrue! I have been trying to get into a running habit for about 3 months now and hate every minute of it.  I first started on the treadmill which is nice because it is flat and I can set my own speed.   I have now moved outside but am only running 1 mile at a time.  Jason has even started joining me.  We have been getting up before he goes to work.  Even though I still HATE to run, I have been getting a little better each time.  When I first started I could only run about 5 minutes before I would stop, now I am running 1 mile non-stop. Maybe next week I will start running more than 1 mile.  We will see....

Create Maps or search from 80 million at MapMyRun

FOUR
I am loving this weather right now!  Last summer was crazy hot and uncomfortable.  This summer we have had some hot days but also some cooler days to help mix it up.  The forecast for this weekend looks FABULOUS!!

FIVE
I have AMAZING friends/co-workers.  Last night I thought I was headed to my book club but to my surprise it was actually a bridal shower for me! I had no idea and was completely shocked.  I am happy I actually showered and did my hair before going.  I didn't even have make-up on!  I don't have any pictures to post now because I wasn't really prepared but my friend will be emailing the pictures she took to me.  I will write a post about the shower when I get the pictures.

Brady Bands

For as long as I can remember I have always had trouble finding hats or headbands that will fit my head. Most women's hats and headbands are WAY to small. Headbands cut off circulation or slip off my head two seconds after putting it on. I have always been jealous of those girls who wear a headband while working out to keep all those stray hairs from falling out.  I have bought an endless amount of headbands hoping that this time they will work and being disappointed every time.  Recently I was checking my Instagram and saw a picture of a friend with her new 'non-slip" headband from Brady Bands.  My first thought was that they would never work on my head.  I decided to check out the website and as I read about them I thought that these might be different.  They tell you how to measure your head to decide which size to get (small, medium, or large).  You can also get them custom fitted too!  What sold me on them was that they donate at least 10% of each sale to help find a cure for childhood cancer.  The company is named after the founder's son, Brady, who passed away in 2012 from brain cancer.

So my Brady Band arrived yesterday in the mail and I decided to try it out on my morning run.  Guess what...it never moved!!! These headbands are AMAZING!!!  I will definitely me purchasing some more and might even consider a custom fitted one too.  I will probably purchase a non-slip wide band next.  If you wear headbands, your kids wear them, or are looking for a cute gift, check out their website.  I HIGHLY recommend them.  Check out their website by clicking Brady Bands or check them out on Instagram.

This is AFTER my run.

Summer Book List

One of my favorite summer activities is reading, I decided to make a list of some of my favorite books I have read this year as well as some oldies but goodies.

1. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
This is one of my favorite books I read this year! It is a little on the dark side but such a page turner.  The short summary is that on Nick and Amy's 5th wedding anniversary, Amy disappears.  Nick stands by his innocence even as all the evidence points to him.  Is he really the killer?  Prepare for a big gasp at about 50% of the way through the book.  I loved this book so much I decided to read the author's other two books, Sharp Objects and Dark Places.  These are very dark books that are not for the faint of heart but so worth it.  Warning:  Dark Places gave me nightmares.

2. Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
This was another book club book that I was not sure if I would enjoy.  The main characters are in their 40's. I wasn't sure if I would be able to relate to their childhood memories growing up in the 70's.  I might not have had the same childhood memories but the underlining story about the importance of family and friendship is what made this book a good read. I also read the sequel Fly Away

3. Sookie Stackhouse Series by Charlaine Harris
If you have ever watched or heard about the HBO series "True Blood", these books are what the series are based on.  There are 13 books in all.  The last book in the series, "Dead Ever After", just came out in May. I haven't read it yet but it is definitely on my "to read" list for the summer.  I started reading this series 4 summers ago and I couldn't put them down. These books are the "Twlight" books for adults with vampires, werewolves, fairies, and a whole bunch of other creatures. Money Saving Tip: These books have been out for awhile so check them out from your local library for FREE!

4. Stephanie Plum by Janet Evanovich
If you are looking for a fun, easy read to take to the pool, these are the books for you. They follow the life of a newbie bounty hunter, Stephanie Plum, who is often gets herself into some crazy situations.  These books will make you laugh but also have some interesting crimes to solve along the way as well. Money Saving Tip: If you have a Kindle or the Kindle app on your IPad, check your local library to see if they have e-books that you can check out.  I downloaded most of the earlier books in this series from my local library for FREE!

5. Orphan Train: a novel by Christina Baker Kline
This is the book my book club is currently reading.  Can't wait to talk about it in a few weeks! Great story that talks about the orphan trains back in the 1930's that took orphan children to the Midwest to be adopted by farmers.  I never knew this existed until I read this book. A must read!!!

6. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
This is an unbelievable story of a man who was an Olympic mile runner turned WWII bomber pilot who survives a plane crash, life raft, and Japanese POW camps.  This is a long book but so worth it.

7. The Paris wife by Paula McLain
I was a little disappointed when my book club chose this book.  It didn't seem like anything I would want to read but I was SO wrong.  This historical fiction novel tells the story of Ernest Hemingway before he was famous and his first love Hadley. Great story about life and marriage during the 1920's.

8. Ice cream girls by Dorthy Koomson
I think I found this book on Pinterest of all places.  It sounded interesting so I decided to give it a try.  Two girls in high school get caught up in an inappropriate relationship with an older man.  When he ends up dead, the two girls go on trial for his murder.  One of the girls, Poppy, goes to jail for years while the other, Serena, goes on with her life.  When Poppy gets released from prison she is determined to set the record straight on what actually happen.  The chapters jump around from present day Poppy or Serena to high school Poppy or Serena.  The book keeps you guessing on if the right person went to jail or not. Beware that it is a little graphic at times.  This is currently a TV show in England that I would love to watch.

9. Heads in beds by Jacob Tomsky
I was not always a teacher but first started my career in hotels.  If you have ever worked in a hotel this is a MUST READ! Even if you have not, this book is still a fun read that anyone could enjoy.  It is the true story of the author's experience of working in hotels around the country.  It tells of all the crazy things that happen to him while working in hospitality and even gives tips on how to get things for free when staying somewhere. Everything he recommends does work.  In my 3 short years working in hotels, I could have written this book.  I so related to some of his guest stories and was smiling the whole time I read this book.  I LOVED this book.

10. Sarah's key by  Tatian de Rosney
I read this awhile ago for our book club.  If you haven't read this, please do! Great historical fiction story about the Holocaust.  The chapters switch back and forth between present day and the past.  This story is very emotional that might make you cry.  There is a movie out but I have not seen it yet.  Don't know if I want to ruin this amazing story.

11. Life of Pi by Yann Martel
I really enjoyed this book but it was a little difficult to get through.  It was slow at times but definitely picked up in the second half.  I wasn't sure about this book being made into a movies and still haven't even seen it but Jason did say that they did a good job with the movie.  It is a great book about religion and our belief in the good/bad of mankind.  It is a fictional story that I was still thinking about long after I finished it.

12. Different Seasons by Stephen King
I have never read any Stephen King books but Jason recommended this book because it is 4 short stories (between 100-200 pages each) and 3 of them have been made into movies.  The first story is "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" which is what my favorite movie, Shawshank Redemption, is based off of.  I have never read a story where the movie follows so closely.
The second story is "Apt Pupil", which the movie of the same name is based off of.  If you have ever seen the movie you know how disturbing the story line is.  The book is even more disturbing so beware.
The third story is "The Body", which is what the movie, Stand By Me, is based off of.  Great movie and book about friendship.
The last story, "The Breathing Method", has not been made into a movie. It is a little on the strange side so I understand why. "Different Seasons" was published a while ago so is probably at your local library.  Since it is 4 stories in one, you don't have to read the whole book at one time.

This is just a few of the many books I have read but some of my favorites.  In the summer, I read A LOT but I am always reading even during the school year.  I read almost every night before I go to bed (even if it is only 5 minutes).  It takes me longer to get through a book during the school year but it is definitely something I don't want to give up even when my life becomes busier.

Happy Reading!