Bon's Book Club: Wonder

I love to read but every now and then, I go through periods where I forget how much I enjoy it and I'll go months at a time without picking up my Kindle. Then I'll find a book I want to read and get hooked all over again reading book after book until I don't know what to read next.

I've been on top of my reading game in the last few months and in an effort to keep this up, I'm excited to participate in Bon's Book Club. I'm always looking for book suggestions and I love the discussion aspect. 

January's book was Wonder by R.J Palacio and while this isn't normally something I would pick out on my own, I really enjoyed it! Before I get to my thoughts, here's a short description from the author's website:

August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?

What I really enjoyed about this book was seeing how Auggie's confidence and bravery changed so dramatically. When his mother first brings him to visit the school and on his first day, he does his best to look down, to hide himself and avoid getting strange looks and reactions as much as he possibly can. As the story develops, you can't help but notice how little by little, he is more comfortable and confident and by the end of the book - well, he is basically a different kid than he was his first day.

I loved how Palacio changed the point of view so often! I got so much more out of the story by getting to see the perspective of these other characters, especially Auggie's sister, Via. She always was and still is Auggie's "protector" but by reading her point of view, you get a glimpse into her own challenges and struggles.

I think we can all use a reminder to be more compassionate and kind and I love that so many characters in this book are a great example of that. If you have younger children, I highly recommend this book for them. It's an easy read, the chapters are short and the lesson is one we can all benefit from.

It's Okay Thursday

I'm linking up for It's Okay Thursday because let's be honest, I am in a major blogging funk and don't really know what to write about right now.

Let's get started, shall we?

It's okay that Blake has been acting out lately. On the way to my parents' Saturday, Jonathan and I ended up chasing him around a rest stop...and getting help from everyone at the rest stop to catch him. Good times...he will snap out of it, I hope.

It's okay that the heels I bought to wear to a wedding this weekend are extremely uncomfortable. I've even tried wearing them to work a few days this week to break them in and I still don't see how I am going to survive in them on Saturday. Will alcohol help or make this worse? Only time will tell...

It's okay that my BFF Taryn and I bought each other matching rings for Christmas and just exchanged them last night. Just 2 months later...no biggie. It's also okay that we staged a whole proposal-type situation and asked someone to take photos.

Yep, this happened.

It's okay to be a little obsessed with Mindy Kaling after reading Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns). I absolutely loved reading her thoughts on marriage.

It's okay that I stay in bed until the very last minute and throw my hair in a bun because Jonathan and I can't get out of bed when we stay together during the week. It's becoming a well-known fact that if my hair is in a bun, it's because I stayed at his house. It's okay because it is so worth getting the extra few minutes together in the morning.

 

It's okay to take the day off from my full makeup routine sometimes.

 

It's all okay! What's okay with you today? Link up!

 

Random Thoughts #3...anything but work.

Happy Wednesday! I'm sitting in my office with the lights off due to the massive headache I've been suffering from since I crawled into bed last night. Unfortunately, work is the last thing on my mind. I'm too busy daydreaming and wishing I hadn't gotten out of bed this morning.

As usual, there are lots of random things running through my head. Here goes.

-I'm so excited for tonight. My BFF and new roomie, Laura and I are having a girls night at home. We're baking for Valentine's Day and making homemade valentines. Life has been hectic for both of us since she moved in earlier this month, so I'm really looking forward to quality girl time tonight.

-I've been trying to figure out what to give Jonathan for Valentine's Day without making it a big deal. I don't think guys really expect anything, but I still wanted to put something together for him. I'm baking tonight, so he'll be getting lots of treats from me tomorrow. I'm also going to put together a little gift basket for him including a bottle of wine, some of his favorite candy and snacks, and a six pack of beer. I feel like that is a thougthful, simple gift that isn't over-the-top cheesy or anything.

-Speaking of Valentine's Day, tomorrow we plan on spending a relaxing night at his house. Nothing too crazy...we're going to cook dinner together and relax. You can bet there will be wine and lots of making out. I'm gonna go ahead and say it'll be an absolutely perfect way to celebrate.

-Do you all ever get in a blogging rut? I kind of feel like I'm in one right now. Blogging topics have always come pretty easily to me, but lately I haven't felt super inspired to write on anything aside from updates on my life and relationship. I'm wondering if I need to take things in a different direction, or if I should wait it out and hope this is just a temporary thing. I love to write and can't imagine not having this outlet, I just need to find some direction again, I guess.

-Reading list. I go through phases where I read several books in a row, then I go months without picking up my Kindle. I'm trying to get back into the habit of reading a little bit every day. It's something I enjoy, so I need to make it a priority to do this more regularly. First up:

I've also heard great things about Divergent and Insurgent by Veronica Roth, so those are definitely on my list. I'm planning on reading The Help again, because it is that good.

Well, that's all for today.

Tell me...

What are your Valentine's Day plans? What types of gifts do you typically buy for your man?

Also, any book recommendations...send them my way!

What I'm Reading Right Now: The Happiness Project

I don't often post book reviews on here; actually, I never do. I love to read, I've just never really been good about summarizing a book and my thoughts on it on this here blog. I do, however, have to tell you about The Happiness Project.

When I told my brother I was currently reading The Happiness Project, he asked me "Why are you reading it when you are the one who wrote it?" He was clearly teasing me about my obsession with positivity and happiness.

Seriously though, the moment I saw this book under my recommendations on Amazon, I knew I would enjoy it. The book chronicles author Gretchen Rubin's year-long journey to greater happiness. It's not that the author was particularly unhappy, but she realized she should be happier. Each month, she sets specific goals focusing on each area of her life and spends that month taking specific steps to achieve the them.

While following along on her Happiness Project, I've really enjoyed the scientific research she cites throughout the book, along with the several quotes on happiness I've never heard before. I've found myself highlighting and bookmarking pages on my Kindle like it's nobody's business. Some of my favorite passages:

 

 

There are so many times I'm reading along and find myself nodding along as the author talks about the challenges she encountered, her thoughts on happiness and things she learned throughout her journey. It seems kind of silly, but I feel like I get criticized quite often for having a positive attitude. It's almost as if people are dismissive, or don't take me seriously sometimes. It was empowering to read about how the author also encountered these people who criticized or challenged her project. And the passage about how it's more selfless to act happy, but people tend to take that person for granted...that one really stood out to me. I've been able to relate to all of this and really love everything about this book.

 

If you love this kind of stuff as much as I do, I suggest you give it a read!