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What I’m into (April 2014 edition)

baby birds in their nest

Linking up with Leigh Kramer to share what I’ve been into lately.

robins egg

what April looks like in my backyard (April 8)

I left a chilly Louisville on April 9 for FFW and returned on the 13th to a city in bloom. Spring has sprung and I couldn’t be happier about it.

April has been crazy (at least by my standards): I’ve been to Michigan and Chicago and Cincinnati and home, learning all about reading and writing and education.

Now I’m back home (it’s Derby week!) and we’re getting ready to actually, factually move. And I’m in over my head. Wish me luck?

baby birds in their nest

what April looks like in my backyard (April 24)

What I’m reading

Between traveling (airplane reads!) and prepping the summer reading guide, I’ve been reading even more than usual.

Remember the books I can’t wait to read in 2014? I got to read three of them in April. Girl at the End of the World exceeded my (high) expectations and I finished it in two days. I told you about Delancey yesterday. The Nesting Place is unlike any decorating book I’ve ever read. I devoured it in two days and now it will live on my coffee table forevermore.

I took my first stab at Julian Fellowes (of Downton Abbey fame) with Snobs, and sprung for a food blogging ebook even though I’m not a food blogger. (Worth it.)

Currently on my nightstand: The Amazing Adventures of a Nobody, Scaling Up Excellence, The Remedy, The Art of Fielding, Something Other than God (another book I couldn’t wait to read in 2014).

Worth watching

Harriet Smith of Emma Approved

Usually I tell you what I’m watching right here but with everything going on in April I’ve been watching … nothing. Except Emma Approved. And only because those episodes are 5 minutes long.

But apparently Pemberley Digital knows I’m moving because even Emma Approved is on hiatus effective last Friday. Hurray back—I want to know what happens next!

Pinning

Happiness is having your own library card. Happiness is.

20 words to use instead of awesome.

I want to steal this color palette. Or this one.

Words to live by.

Yes please.

The only thing you can buy that makes you richer.

Cheerful chairs.

Adding this to my queue.

Follow me on Pinterest here.

Best of the web

29 funny charts that detail painfully accurate “facts” about daily life. (I couldn’t stop thinking about this when we were at IKEA on Saturday!)

15 revealing signs you genuinely love what you do. So good, and reminds me of this.

“It’s almost like we’re not built to read novels anymore.”

Everything with writing and relationships is risky. Let’s take the right risks.”

Rules of Civility: the book that wrecked my blog.

A millennial’s version of the American Dream.

Eleanor & Park is coming to the big screen (and why it matters).

Date syrup sounds gross, but I’d make this homemade nutella anyway.

On the blog

The secret to faking a clean house.

So much to listen to.

So many easy/good/tasty ideas.

Shauna Niequist tells you what to read next.

Going viral on Pinterest.

27 ebooks you can borrow for free.

Friends that claw their way in.

When you can’t get the words out (at least not quickly).

What were you into in April?

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37 comments

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  1. LOVE Emma Approved! I first heard about it from your posts, and it has been a wonderful part of my week ever since! Girl at the End of the World and The Nesting Place have been on my wish list for a while – I should spring for them asap!

    Hoping you have a fabulous May!

  2. Hannah Beth Reid says:

    I am half way through “Snobs” and put it down, not wanting to finish it. Will you be doing a full review or at least a Twitterature review? I would be very interested to hear your thoughts!

    • Anne says:

      I’ll make sure to put it in twitterature. It took me a good long while to get oriented and care about the characters. I am glad I stuck it through. Would be interested to hear your thoughts, midstream and/or when (if?) you finish.

      • Hannah Beth Reid says:

        It is good to hear you are glad you stuck through reading it and perhaps I will pick it back up on your recommendation. I also had trouble getting oriented (good word for that feeling) and keeping characters and their situations/personalities straight. I couldn’t even figure out if it was a man or woman narrating (but maybe I just wasn’t paying enough attention). And adultery is one of my “triggers” and I felt like it might be headed that way.

        • Anne says:

          Hmm. Your feeling is right so think about that before you continue! I don’t want to say too much about the resolution, etc. so I’ll stop there.

          And it’s not just you: I couldn’t figure out if it was a man or a woman narrating either! It took me a good long while to work it out.

          • Hannah Beth Reid says:

            Yeah, it has been a few weeks and I’m not thinking I’ll be going back to this one…

  3. Leigh Kramer says:

    I can’t wait to visit you in your new home! Wait. That’s not very helpful, is it? Hope everything falls in to place as you get ready. I’m curious to hear what you make of The Art of Fielding. I was intrigued by Nester’s book but after hearing it will live on your coffee table, I’m definitely going to have to get myself a copy.

    • Anne says:

      Have you read The Art of Fielding? Curious to hear your thoughts because I haven’t started it yet. And YES to The Nester–especially if you’re moving!

  4. Megan says:

    Another Pemberley Digital fan on the link up! Yay. The chemistry between Emma and Alex is just getting better! I can’t wait to see it post-hiatus! If you want another series to watch during the hiatus, try Autobiography of Jane Eyre on youtube. It’s very similar to Emma Approved and Lizzie Bennet Diaries, but a little more hands-on.

  5. Anne says:

    Oh, the kids must’ve loved the eggs and baby birds. What a beautiful blue those eggs were. Best wishes for your move! We are hunting, too. You’ll have to tell us all about what you would and wouldn’t do, etc. If any of those moving pins were helpful…

    This month, I am dabbling on the blog (so much to learn), checking Twitter more than FB because I gave the latter up for Lent, and revisiting that Kenny Loggins family album. I am also loving Kindle books on the iPhone with having a new baby, nursing, etc. It’s so great to just swipe!

  6. Em Miller says:

    Good luck with the move! I loved Girl at the End of the World and an going to have to put The Nesting Place on my to-read list now.

    One of the highlights of the month for me was pure awesome turn at trivia in Grand Rapids. 😉

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