Linking up with the lovely Leigh Kramer to share What I’m Into.
November’s been a lovely month, at home and on the blog. On the home front, my house has been filled with games and artwork and cozy evenings and crazy kids.
I felt like the blog was full of books, books, books this month. My absolute favorite nerdy thing we did in November was the What’s on Your Bookshelf link-up. I so enjoyed browsing everyone’s shelves.
(Pssst–in November, thanks to a serendipitous Thanksgiving IKEA trip, I got a new bookshelf, and am currently working on filling it up. Pictures soon. Maybe.)
What I’m reading
I was really looking forward to both these books: Jo Baker’s Longbourn, and Ann Patchett’s latest, This is the Story of a Happy Marriage. One was excellent; one was underwhelming. Details coming soon.
This book deserves special mention: back in September, I told you how I read (or rather, listened to half the audiobook of) The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty, author of the worthwhile What Alice Forgot. When my road trip ended I was only halfway through the book, and I told you in the newsletter that I abandoned it there because I just didn’t care what happened next.
Well. I never canceled my library request, and last week The Husband’s Secret was waiting for me. I decided to find my place and sneak a peek … and discovered I had abandoned the book two pages before the major plot twist. Two pages! My greatest fear of abandoning a book came true.
And you know what? It was worth finishing. I’m not sure yet what impact this may have on my future finish vs. abandon equation.
Worth watching
Um, nothing. We canceled Netflix so we could actually get some work (or some reading) done after the kids go to bed. I’m share that will change when the holidays kick into high gear and I end up stress-watching a new series.
In my kitchen
When I told you I don’t do moderation well, I wasn’t kidding. Last week felt like a non-stop binge (Pizza! Wine! Tacos!) and this week will look a lot different.
But I did do lots of paleo cooking for my Whole 30, and made lots of homemade soup. We made the first of many batches of spiced nuts, which are delicious and make the house smell divine. (This is my favorite recipe, but I also add cloves and coriander because I’m obsessed.)
Pinning
These bookshelves are seriously gorgeous.
These small kitchen hacks make me (almost) glad mine is tiny.
Love these library card notebooks.
Paleo, AIP-friendly maple shortbread. YES.
We might try this candy cane epsom salt sensory tray.
If you’re going to read the series, you might as well take the ring to Mordor.
My kids would be so impressed if I could actually make these origami Christmas trees.
We need to try this smart and seasonal refashioning project.
I’m thinking about this one. My husband is skeptical.
Sweater over a dress? I’m trying this.
Best of the web
What do you feel like reading? An awesome infographic via Retreat by Random House.
7 things the ballet can teach us about work.
I write a women’s blog. I have male readers. I appreciated this open letter to those men.
This post from FIMBY on imagination, creativity, and (still) playing dress-up felt like a pat on the back.
17 productive ways to spend 5 minutes instead of checking your email (again).
American Girl: a lament.
A textual analysis of The Hunger Games. (Or, why it’s so much better than Twilight.)
Going by the traditional Hollywood roles, Peeta is a Movie Girlfriend.
11 indispensable lessons every woman can learn from Anne of Green Gables
(I shared many of these links over on the MMD facebook page already. You can follow along by liking the page here.)
What about you? What are you into this month?
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I recently found a new-to-me service called thredUP. It’s basically an online consignment shop, and you can see what my first order looked like here. Today only (for Cyber Monday) new customers can use this link to take $15 off your first order from thredUP.com now through Wednesday.
Let me know if you find anything great! I love browsing for kids’ clothes, but I haven’t been brave enough to try anything for me yet. 
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30 comments
You had me at Library Card Notebooks. 🙂 Ooooh! What a great reading recommendation poster! Will have to remember that the next time I’m searching for a new book! 🙂 Can’t wait for your reviews on those two books – I’m intrigued! I have your favorite soup recipe on tap to try this week – looks delish!
I’ll be grabbing a cup of tea later and browsing the links that you posted – I always look forward to those! Hoping you have a great December and a lovely Christmas!
I’ve never been one for organizing books by color, but that looks pretty amazing. I’m tagging your post- can’t wait to check out all of the fun links.
Thanks for the shout out to my Spiced Nuts recipe — and for all the other fun stuff in this list! I’m off to read “17 Product Ways to Spend 5 Minutes.”
Happy holidays!
Those bookcases have me drooling!
Have you read The Book Thief? Hadn’t heard of it until I saw the movie trailer.
Nope, haven’t read it–but I did notice it’s really cheap for Kindle right now. I’ve heard it’s one of those love it or hate it kind of books….
I just finished it! I loved it but it was a slower moving book. But that’s kinda a good thing, meant I could put it down occasionally! Loved the Peeta article.
Great post. Had to laugh at the “nothing worth watching” though, considering that half the geek world was beside themselves waiting for the Dr. Who 50th Anniversary special to air on the 23rd! 🙂
Ha! What I should have said is there’s too much worth watching, and I’m afraid of getting sucked in to a series right now! I have a feeling I’d like Dr. Who….
Oh please… I’d love you on the journey. I love it so much I made a Fez for crying out loud. A FEZ!
I had a feeling I’d like Doctor Who too… the whole mysterious blue box thing… the humour and the look of it intrigued me. I dove right in at last years Christmas special and forced my entire family to watch. Now I’m watching from the start. I loved the 50th! I’m simultaneously there and in season 3. I still sometimes being a sensitive soul watch most of some shows from behind my hands though. 😉
Love those trees! We are into the barren months up here in the north. Lots of gray and brown. But eventually it will snow and the Christmas decorations make the next month festive.
While it looks visually cool to organize books by color, how would you ever find a book that way? Would you be able to remember a book jacket’s color when you wanted to look at it? I’m mostly organized by subject matter, with a few “books by friends” shelves. It doesn’t look as cool but I still think of books primarily as useful objects. I know decorators don’t like that 🙂
Exactly. The shelves are gorgeous, but how would I ever find what I’m looking for? Yet so many serious book lovers do it, so I’m thinking they must muddle through somehow.
I do actually tend to remember what color a book is, but still, I’m with Laura–books are useful objects that happen to also be decorative, not the other way around!
I love it when you do these posts. Makes me feel like I should do a better job keeping track of the things I read/like/pin online and share them once a month!
I read the article about the American Girl dolls, and it just made me so sad. I can totally relate with the writer of the article. I LOVED Molly when I was little–started reading all the AG books when I was about six. I’ve read some of them so many times that I have parts memorized. I used to read all the Happy Birthday books around my birthday and all the Christmas ones around Christmas. I checked out the craft and cookbooks from the library, I dressed up like Molly for Halloween (twice), and when I was seven I even got glasses (actually needed them) and was thrilled because then I looked even MORE like Molly. It wasn’t about trying to make the doll more like me. It was about me entering their worlds. They were like friends that took me on a journey back in time, and the books jump-started my love for historical fiction. (Moved on from those to the Dear America series.)
Just wish American Girl was the same treasure now that it was fifteen years ago!
I *just* read a review of Ann Patchett’s “This is the Story of a Happy Marriage.” It was featured alongside Lauren Slater’s “Playing House: Notes of a Reluctant Mother”. I’ll be anxious to hear your review, as it def sounds worth reading to me. 🙂
I haven’t heard of that Lauren Slater book. Now I’m wondering about that one since it’s keeping such good company. 🙂
Ah, the potential of an empty bookshelf! Have fun 🙂
Also, If you like thredup, try liketwice.com for women’s clothes. I like both and I’ve bought and sold with both, but liketwice has a few features I love that thredup doesn’t–they do front/back/side views of all garments, they list all measurements (great if I’m unfamiliar with the fit of a brand or for knowing if something’s been shrunk), they list fabric content for everything, and they have free returns. Also, they have 40% off everything today!
I just started Longbourn last night so I will be curious to hear your thoughts. I am pro-sweater over a dress. I’ve tried various combinations over the years, if only because I want my dresses to work for all seasons. Give it a whirl!
I must be the only person in the universe that didn’t care for The Hunger Games. Read the first two, and just couldn’t make myself read the third. Saw the first movie, and I’m sure I’ll see the second eventually. They’re just too dark and violent and sad–but most everyone I know loves them!
This is SO interesting! I love that reading chart: will peruse it carefully to get some good ideas.
I’m so interested to see which book you actually liked. I noticed Leigh read Longbourn as well…
Have you read the new Joanna Trollope Sense & Sensibility yet? I just got it from the library. I def don’t love it, but it’s kinda interesting.
Love the book suggestion graphic! I don’t tend to abandon books either, but am discovering I have no problem abandoning JK Rowling’s A Casual Vacancy.
OK, I’m 114 on The Husband’s Secret waiting list – I probably won’t remember that I should keep trying. Here is a book I might have abandoned if it hadn’t been a birthday gift – “The Signature of All Things” by Elizabeth Gilbert (of Eat Pray Love fame…which I did abandon). It has some interesting moments, but has no real plot development, and basically just ends near the end of the main character’s life.
The wait list was much shorter for the audiobook, which was why I started in that format.
I heard that Elizabeth Gilbert book got off to a strong start and fizzled. I’ve never read anything by her–should I?
Like I said, I wasn’t terribly impressed, but I also didn’t feel like I wasted my time. I can let you borrow it and you can decide for yourself.
I remember both those Hunger Games posts. This is why I love the Hunger Games!
I love that bookshelf. And my heart breaks a little every time I think about American Girl/what Pleasant Company has become.
Hi Anne! Yes, this was a month full of books. And the best part of it for me was sharing what was on my bookshelves and on my friends and family’s bookshelves. Thank you again for hosting the link up. I am reading The Happy Marriage book. I am only in the first chapter. I so hope it isn’t the underwhelming one. I too loved the post by Brian Gardner about men reading women’s blogs. It’s exactly how I feel. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas, Amy
Oh my goodness, old sweater into mittens! I love it. And thanks for the idea of wearing a sweater over a dress. I haven’t tried it yet, but now I want to.