a lifestyle blog for book lovers

What I’m Into (June 2014 edition)

I like big books

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

wisteria

We’ve covered a lot of ground in June. We celebrated our fourteenth (!!) anniversary and a seventh birthday, got (kind of) settled into our new house, and attended two dozen (or more?) Little League games.

Will was out of town early this month (at the same time as our regular babysitter, alas), and I am hoping now that he’s home and most of the boxes are unpacked we can get back to normal crazy instead of totally bonkers.

Let’s start with books, if only because I’ve been reading to stay sane.

what I'm reading in June

What I’m reading

I’ve been making steady progress on my summer reading. From my own summer reading list, I’ve completed Dear Mr. Knightley, Everyone is Beautiful, Delicious!, and I’m currently reading I Wear the Black Hat.

From my summer syllabus, I’ve completed Booked: Literature in the Soul of Me, and am currently reading Alone Together and Maphead.

I’ve also read a few books that never made it on to the list, including Landline, Lizzy and Jane, and the Veronica Mars novel The Thousand Dollar Tan Line. (More on the Veronica Mars book coming soon. It’s $2.99 for Kindle right now—grab it while it’s on sale! I hope you grabbed it when I shared the $3 deal on facebook last night, because it’s back up to $8 now. Bummer. )

limonada de coco

Kitchen concoctions

I finally replaced my kaput blender with this model I stumbled upon at Costco. It had terrific reviews, with many reviewers even deeming it an acceptable Vitamix substitute, so I was a little surprised at how much it struggled to chop ice for these limonadas de coco (which were still delicious, despite my blender woes).

I’m thinking about swapping it in for an actual Vitamix, because I’m not into struggling with my kitchen equipment (plus, a 7-year warranty). I’d love to hear recommendations and your spendy blender pros and cons in comments.

Worth watching

I’m caught up on Emma Approved. And we had a major rite of passage at my house yesterday: we watched Star Wars with the kids for the first time. (And when I say “with the kids” I mean “except for the one who ran away terrified.”)

Besides that, I haven’t seen a movie or binge-watched a series in months. I’m overdue for a movie night: what are some good ones I should add to my list?

On the blog

The most controversial post I’ve written all year. It’s about cardigans, of course.

My adolescent marriage.

Slate, you are drunk. Adults should be reading YA.

The budget summer reading guide.

I’m not waiting for the next house.

40 favorite audiobooks for kids.

Can we talk about dancing?

Best of the web

17 bookstores that will literally change your life.

Why introverts make great leaders.

What’s lost as handwriting fades.

The helpful guide to a clutter-free kitchen counter.

The secret to lasting relationships.

I like big books

Pinning

I like big books.

Mix and match outfits from Target.

They should really warn you about adulthood.

Everything you need to know about a person.

Love this dress.

Love this one even more.

Card catalogs in a home office.

A favorite summer dessert.

Follow me on Pinterest here.

What were you into in June?

This post contains my affiliate links. Thanks for supporting MMD!

47 comments

Leave A Comment
  1. Kristin says:

    Check out reconditioned vitamix blenders on their website. They are cheaper and have the same warranty. It comes with a new carafe and I could not tell that it was not brand new. I’ve had it for a few years now and couldn’t live without it. I never could have afforded it otherwise. Hope that helps!

  2. Loved the link to the bookstores! I have been to the one in Fayetteville, and it is pretty great. Whenever we travel, I HAVE to visit the local bookstores – it’s like an addiction, I can’t stay away! For movies, my recent favorite is The Secret Life of Walter Mitty – quirky story line, gorgeous setting, and a soundtrack that is now playing on repeat while I blog.

    • Anne says:

      YES to visiting the local bookstores! Thanks for the tip on Walter Mitty. Adding it to the list! (And definitely checking out the soundtrack; since that doesn’t require two hours of screen time I can get to it sooner. 🙂 )

  3. Kerry says:

    Guacamole, scent mixing candles that really smell like the beach (help please!), out with brown paint finding the perfect gray for my walls (daydream but a good one) reading about the battle of Gettysburg from the research list in the back of a James McPherson book, spending play dates with lifelong friends, throwing playhouse balls in the pool, trying to make the powder they use at color runs and giant beach balls and giant tarps for backyard slip and slides.

    • Anne says:

      Are you mixing candles yourself? I would love to know how to do this!

      Also, you should come borrow my paint samples. I just rolled four different colors on my family room walls trying to find the right shade—the light didn’t affect the colors like I expected them to so I kept trying again. (The final winner: Ben Moore’s Stonington Gray.)

      I loved the picture you shared on facebook. Looked like you guys were having so much fun. 🙂

    • Anne says:

      Do you have one? I’ve heard great things secondhand, but I don’t know anyone who actually has one and would love to hear some firsthand feedback!

      • Lisa says:

        I love ours. The salesman at bed bath & beyond convinced me to try the ninja and said if I wasn’t happy, I could return it. It handles ice perfectly and makes amazing smoothies (which we make every day). I think I spent only $140 on it which is a considerable savings from a vitamix.

        • Anne says:

          Yep, that’s a big difference. What do you use yours for?

          (Also, I adore stores that tell you to just try it and bring it back if you don’t love it. That gives me so much more confidence in plunking down the cash, especially for a big-ticket item. A $140 blender counts. 🙂 )

  4. I have an old Vitamix and it is a pain for smoothies (which is mostly what we used it for). I picked up a cheap Hamilton Beach single serving blender and it’s perfect. I still do haul the Vitamix out for big jobs.

  5. Jen says:

    I read a book yesterday that is right up your alley. Creative You by Goldstein and Kroeger. It’s about how your MB personality type affects your creativity and how to take advantage of your strengths, etc. It was really fascinating and had a lot to think about. I can’t remember how I heard about this book, so if it was from you, then thanks for the recommendation, lol! Also, I just wanted to say I read a few books from the summer reading guide and loved them both, the Rosie Project and Someday, Someday, Maybe.

    • Anne says:

      Creative You does sound right up my alley! I just requested it from my library. Thanks for the rec. You didn’t hear about it from me, but I’m glad you shared it. 🙂

      And I’m so glad you enjoyed those books!

  6. Lindsey says:

    I’ll always recommend the movie Standing Up when I get the chance. It’s on Netflix right now if you have it, or you can rent it on Amazon. I’m a sucker for anything coming-of-age. And bonus, it’s an adaptation of the book The Goats. You’ll love it!

  7. Ana says:

    Aww, sorry one of yours was traumatized by Star Wars! I’ve never sat down and watched any of the movies straight through–all my men (big, medium and small) are glued to the screen while it’s on, but I watch with one eye, while reading a book. DH took me to one of the new movies in hs–so I guess I have seen one straight through–although I don’t really care to think about how long ago that was. The boys are getting their SW fix now with SW legos and backyard light saber battle re-enactments.

  8. Kelty says:

    Finished the VM novel last night (thank you for the $3 tip!!!) I enjoyed it but I had a hard time actually reading it as Veronica Mars and not some random detective lady. It was like we were too much in her head and that kind of ruined some of VM’s sassy mystique. Not that her feelings weren’t authentic, it just felt weird and different from TV Veronica. Still, fun for a fan of the show. I’d read another, so I guess I’m a groupie. 😉

  9. Anne says:

    I’ve been into space exploration recently thanks to my young son’s interest in the topic. I found a random documentary on Netflix to check out, and it ended up being really good. It’s called When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions. I loved it. He loved it. I’m fascinated.

  10. Heather says:

    I just read on another blog about her comparison between a Vitamix and a Blendtec http://wellnessmama.com/18039/blendtec-review/. I know that the Blendtec wasn’t on your radar, but it kind of made me wish I had one instead of the Vitamix. I have heard that the Ninja is also good, but I haven’t seen a review of that compared to a Vitamix.

  11. limonadas de coco …I just tried those last week (and apparently need to start investing heavily in coconut milk – YUM). I look forward to coming back and checking out your many links!

  12. Leelee says:

    I love reading YA and I think that I always will. Besides, technically all the Harry Potter books are YA and nothing is going to get me to stop rereading them.

  13. Carla says:

    So much going on this month! I just finished a Master’s degree last December and am finally in the mood to read for fun again! I am so tempted to go into a book store and drop some major money on pretty new books, but I think my shopping trip will be the kind with a card with just a barcode and pending late fees. 🙂
    Such a pleasure to read your blog this month!

  14. Jennifer H says:

    Samuel and I have been binge-watching Doctor Who on Netflix for the last couple of months. We are trying to finish the 7 (newer) seasons before season 8 starts on BBC in August. He is REALLY into this series, and I like it, too. But it would definitely not be for all your kids, especially the one who ran away from Star Wars 😉 I am on the hunt for a good movie to rent from Redbox (It is so hard for me to justify paying for theater tickets when other movie goers think a movie theater is their own personal home theater and act accordingly).

    • Anne says:

      Forget the paying for movie tickets—I just want to skip the drive time, wear my pajama pants, and eat a big bowl of ice cream that didn’t cost $16 while watching it. 🙂 (Seriously. We had a family member in the business for a over a decade who always got us free tickets, and we still never went to movies!)

      The only Redbox movie I can personally vouch for is About Time, if it’s even still there! It’s been out a while. We loved it. I want to see The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and (I think) Saving Mr. Banks, but that’s all I have for now. Let me know if you see anything good!

  15. Ann says:

    Ooo, a Vitamix has been on my kitchen lust list for some time, but I’m holding off until we move into a larger place — I’m really tight on space in my current digs. Like you, I just haven’t been able to find a blender that can handle ice. Which I need. For my margarita addiction. And maybe the odd smoothie for my kids:)

    Also, thanks to the clutter-free kitchen link, I’m moving my kettle into cabinet rather than keeping it on the counter. Why didn’t I think of that earlier???

  16. Vanessa says:

    Thanks for the read about handwriting. Fascinating.

    We recently purchased a Cuisinart Blender/Food Processor that we’re really pleased with. The Amazon reviews are mixed, but I totally vouch for ours. It’s been a good buy (and a lot less pricey than a Vitamix).

  17. Elizabeth says:

    Big fan of the Vitamix. Got it last year and loved it from the start. It’s used at least three times a week or more at our place. And if you’re making smoothies for lots of people, you’ll definitely want to go with this one. It’s a powerful beast!

  18. My mom bought me a Vitamix for my birthday/our anniversary last year. It has been SO NICE to have a blender that actually chops ice and blends and stuff. I make smoothies all the time now, and freeze them into popsicles for the kids. My last blender said “smootie” instead of smoothie and came from the Dollar General, if that tells you anything about the money I usually spend on myself. The Vitamix has been a major treat.

    What I’ve been into: THE BEACH, specially Tybee Island and Savannah. We totally fell in love while we were there. Homemade popsicles, water play, reading tons of novels, maxi dresses, making old family favorite recipes.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

We appreciate a good conversation in the comments section. Whether we’re talking about books or life, differing opinions can enrich a discussion when they’re offered for the purpose of greater connection and deeper understanding, which we whole-heartedly support. However, my team and I will delete comments that are hurtful or intended to shame members of this community, particularly if they are left by first-time commenters. We have zero tolerance for hate speech or bigotry of any kind. Remember that there are real people on the other side of the screen. We’re grateful our community of readers is characterized by kindness, curiosity, and thoughtfulness. Thank you for helping us keep it that way.

Find your next read with:

100 Book recommendations
for every mood

Plus weekly emails with book lists, reading life tips, and links to delight avid readers.