Lots of Reading!

I have been able to read a lot more now that I have an iPhone because I'm able to read while nursing Ethan.  Plus I've gotten into a lot of good books lately which have made it easy to power through them.  Here are the books I've read since April (#59):

I really like Sandra Gulland books.  I read her Josephine Bonaparte trilogy also which was really good.

Everyone has been talking about this book.  I found it really poorly written and could barely finish it.

I've really enjoyed Emily Giffin's books.  I thought this one was as good as Something Borrowed Something Blue.

Gone Girl is one of the best books I've read lately.  I highly recommend it!

Another Giffin book.  It was entertaining but not as good as Baby Proof.

I haven't been taking as much time as I should in reading my Environmental Management magazines but I have finished another one (#66)

I am now tasked with making a new dish (#89) for our family (Emile does 99% of the cooking) -- Mexican bean casserole.  It's really good and easy.  The best part -- the girls like to eat it!

I'm very excited that we finally converted our unfinished storage room on the 2nd floor into a playroom for the kids (#84).  It's not that big (12x8') but big enough for them to have a place to do art activities, puzzles, and play with their dollhouses!  I love it!

Emile and I have been able to go out twice in the last few months (not nearly enough) without the kids (#43).  Both times it was to dinner and a movie (The Dictator and The Dark Knight Rises).  For our recent date night, we tried a new sushi restaurant, Mizu (#90), which was excellent and close to our house - reminded me of the sushi places we went to in SoCal.

I also went to Natty Greenes for the first time with my book club friends (#90, #42).  A good American style restaurant.  I also had another night out with friends at Chili's one night this summer. (#42)

Since Ethan was born (and since getting pregnant), I've only recently got to have a new wine (I nurse so I was waiting till he started sleeping longer at night) - Blufled Riesling.  Pretty tasty.  I also had a new wine at Natty Greenes but I don't recall the name of it. (#99)

We've had a fairly wet summer and so recently, the girls and I got to play in the rain.  They loved it!  They put on their rain jackets, rain boots and brought their little umbrellas.  Before long though they gave up the umbrellas and rain boots to just run around and get soaked! (#50)

I finished my first knitting project.  I made Natalie a baby doll blanket which she loved; Natalie picked out the yarn.  I've started one for Claire also. (#85)

I love going to get massages.  Whenever I find a good Groupon for it, I make time.  I discovered the the Eco Friendly Beauty Bar which turned out to be one of my favorite spas so far (Skin Sense is the best) but I also went to Massage Envy for a last minute massage once (and again swear I'll not go back).  Ready for my next massage! (#27)

I'm not sure I've been tracking the birthday cards I've sent out but I know we sent three this summer to my Dad, sister and mother-in-law. (#95)

I've looked up the locations of all the countries I've received postcards from and their associated capitals.  I love my Postcrossing hobby!  Here's the list of countries and capitals I now know (#63) - 56 of them (many I knew before getting the postcards).

Country/Capital

Australia -Canberra
Austria - Vienna
Belarus - Minsk
Belgium - Brussels
Bosnia-Herzegovina - Sarajevo
Brazil - Brasilia
Canada - Ottawa
Chile - Santiago
China - Beijing
Costa Rica - San Jose
Croatia - Zagreb
Czech Republic - Prague
Denmark - Copenhagen
Estonia - Tallinn
Fiji - Suva
Finland - Helsinki
France - Paris
Germany - Berlin
Greece - Athens
India - New Delhi
Indonesia - Jakarta
Ireland - Dublin
Israel - Jerusalem
Italy - Rome
Japan - Tokyo
Latvia - Riga
Lithuania - Vilnius
Luxembourg - Luxembourg City
Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur
Malta - Valletta
Mauritius - Port Louis
Mexico - Mexico City
Moldova - Chisinau
Netherlands - Amsterdam
New Zealand - Wellington
Norway - Oslo
Philippines - Manila
Poland - Warsaw
Portugal - Lisbon
Romania - Bucharest
Russia - Moscow
Serbia - Belgrade
Slovakia - Bratislava
Slovenia - Ljubljana
South Africa - Cape Town
South Korea - Seoul
Spain - Madrid
Sweden - Stockholm
Switzerland - Bern
Taiwan - Taipei
Thailand - Bangkok
Turkey - Ankara
Ukraine - Kiev
United Arab Emirates - Abu Dhabi
United Kingdom - London

6 Month Update

I'm keeping track of the items I complete but just not updating this frequently enough.  Here is the latest update since October:

20.  Emile and I had a date night in February before our son was born in which we went to our first Hurricanes came.  It was a lot of fun.  I really enjoyed the game and hope to go to more next year.

22.  Emile and I took the girls to the NC Museum in Art in February to see the Rembrandt exhibit.  The girls didn't get that much out of it given their age but it was nice for us to get to an art museum again.  But I definitely miss the Met.

27.  I got a prenatal massage right before Ethan was born.  It was wonderful.  Looking forward to my next one; hopefully in May.

42.  I had three girls night out adventures.  One night I went to the Red Room with the girls from my book club for dinner.  Always a great time with those gals.  I also went to Tribeca Tavern and also Mellow Mushroom with some friends from my baby board chat line that I'm friends with.  Also a great time.

43.  As I mentioned above, Emile and I went to dinner and to the Hurricanes game back in February.  We also went to Goodnights Comedy Club and Irregardless Cafe one night.  I wish we got out more though.  We're working on it!

55.  I have finally updated the girls baby books so they are current.  Just in time to have our third child!

59.  I tend to read very involved historical fiction or biography books so it takes me awhile to get through a book.  I've been adding in other good reads that are not quiet so dense.  Here are the recent ones I've finished.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.  It was very well written but pretty sad. 

Something Borrowed and also Something Blue by Emily Giffin.  Her books are always entertaining!

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarity.  This book made me appreciate my husband and want to make sure we didn't let life get away from us.

The Help by Kathyrn Stockett.  Great read!

Elizabeth and Mary: Cousins, Rivals, Queens by Jane Dunn

66.  I have finally read 3 of my Environmental Management magazines which is helpful for my job.  Just wish I could keep up with them.

86.  I'm excited that I have learned how to knit.  I've started making Natalie a blanket for her dolls and hope to have it finished soon!

87.  I finished another photo album of our international travels -- Emile's and my trip to Canada

88.  I've made two new deserts -- a Ginger Pumpkin Cheesecake and an Apple pie.  I was pretty happy with both of them but the apple was by far the best.

90.  I've tried the Red Room (http://redroomraleigh.com/) which is tapas food and Irregardless Cafe (http://www.irregardless.com/) which is more traditional food.  Both were pretty good.  I'd go back to both.

94.  I love movies!  I was surprised how many Academy Award winning movies I've already seen.  I had to go back quiet a few years to find one I hadn't seen.  I ended up with The Last Emperor and Platoon.  One more to go.

Catch up time

Although I don't post often, I have been mentally keeping track of my 101 goals that I've finished or worked towards.  Here's my latest:

7.  Emile, the girls and I took our first family vacation to Carolina Beach on the coast of North Carolina.  While there, we also spent a morning seeing Wilmington.  Two new locations in North Carolina!

14.  Earlier this summer, we took the girls blueberry picking.  It was actually our first time also.  They loved it.  They both did great picking only the blue fruit.

15.  While in Carolina Beach, we flew a kite with the girls for the first time.  Claire loved it.  Natalie was more interested in going back to playing in the sand and waves at the beach.

27.  I just got another massage today at the Falls Day Spa near my house.  First time going there.  It was wonderful!

29.  I did wear a bikini again to the beach one time this year early in the summer before getting pregnant again.  Thankfully, my stretch marks from Claire had actually already disappeared but wearing a bikini still felt challenging since I'm not as fit as I used to be ... but still not bad!

32.  I have been trying to eat more fruits and vegetables as snacks and although I'm not planning on cutting out carbs, I'm defintitely doing better.

34.  My splurge on myself was a new Coach hobo bag.  I got it at a outlet store in South Carolina and I love it!

40.  Emile and I did get a chance to go somewhere for our 10 year Gordo Day (our nickname for our dating anniversary).  We went to Paris for a few days before one of Emile's work conferences.  It was wonderful and our first trip together somewhere without the girls that was just for the two of us. 

41.  We did finally meet two new families in our neighborhood.  We co-hosted a barbeque in which two new families game.  One I've run interacted with since then but the other we haven't seen around yet.

42.  I may have had another girls night out since the last update but I know there was at least one when a friend was leaving town.  A bunch of us got together for a dinner at her house.

43.  As with #42, there may have been another but Emile and I did recently go out two dinner and a movie here in Raleigh and then also to a movie when we were visiting family in Minnesota.  We also went out to dinner and a movie a few months ago (we go to a lot of restaurants and movies!).

45.  Natalie is now taking ballet and loves it.  Claire will more than likely be taking it in a year as she's already into dancing a lot.

46.  The girls went to the ocean for the first time during out trip to Carolina Beach in July.  They loved it!

47.  I just finished Claire's 1 year photo album last weekend.  Just in time for her to turn two in 2.5 months.

49.  While at Carolina Beach, we took the girls to the NC Aquarium in Fort Fisher.

59.  I've recently finished reading Something Borrowed and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.

68.  I have successful putting money away in savings for retirement for over a year now.

69.  After speaking with our financial planner, our approach to the girls school has changed.  The money will come out of a different source so setting it aside right now is not necessary.

78.  I have finished decorating the girls bathroom and the breakfast room.  I don't have photos yet of the breakfast room but here is the bathroom.

59. A New Book and Wine among other things

I finished another book recently (#59) - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson.  I'm impressed with my friends who are able to read a book a week.  With the two girls and work keeping me busy, I'm lucky if I get one book read a month!  This one took me a little while to get into but I ended up really enjoying it.  The last 200 pages went very quickly.  Now I'm reading Cleopatra's Daughter.  In addition, Emile got me a Kindle for my birthday so my next book will be a e-book!

I finally got a chance to get a massage this past weekend (#27).  I had bought an hour and half massage at Massage Envy through Living Social months ago.  Now that Claire takes a bottle easily from others, I finally felt I could step away for my massage.  I used to love getting massages but this time, I actually got restless and was ready for it to be over with.  I think an hour and half massage is 30 minutes too long.  Next time, I'll stick with an hour.  But don't get me wrong, it was still fabulous and great to get some me time.

I tried another new wine this month -- Barefoot Riesling (#99).  It was very crispy and fruity.  Definitely one I would get again.