Random Friday

     We are back in Georgia with our parents again (Tim for the weekends, me and Owen until we close on the house). Owen is completely done with the hotel and after having several really bad nights with him the weekend before last, we decided that it was best for Owen to be in a house where he can sleep in his own room. And since we've been here, he has slept a good 12 hours at night. It's amazing! And apparently the lack of room at the hotel had been cramping Owen's style because he has really started to test out his walking skills while we've been here. He is getting so good at it! Here are some other things that have been going on in our lives.

1. Home Sweet Home! Finally! Well, after waiting for what seems like months, but has actually been just a few days over a month, we are set to close on our house on Monday. I am so excited about getting into our new house that I can hardly contain myself. I cannot wait to sleep in my own bed and have Owen back in his own room. I can't wait to have a kitchen again and to be able to play outside with Owen and have mail delivered to our own house. And while I know unpacking with a toddler is going to be a chore, I'm just so grateful that we will have our own space again.

2. Back in the kitchen. Since returning to Georgia, I have had the opportunity to cook in my mom's kitchen several nights. It is so nice to be able to make a healthy dinner. And cooking has always been really relaxing for me. So the other day, while Owen unloaded my mother's entire Tupperware cabinet, Mom chatted with me while I made Skinny Taste's Creole Shrimp. I have also gotten to make chicken enchiladas and meatloaf and a chicken dish called Durkey Chicken.

3. What I'm reading. I have recently gotten back into reading a series that I really enjoy. The In Death series is written by best-selling author J.D Robb (Nora Roberts) and is a futuristic crime fiction series about a NYPSD homicide cop named Eve Dallas. Although the books are about murder, there is a ton of humor and romance to break up the suspense. The book I'm reading now is the 30-somethingth book in the series and there is one more after this one that has been published recently. If you're interested in trying out the series, you should start with the first book, "Naked in Death."

   I have also recently purchased the second book in a series that I started reading shortly after Owen was born. The series is a lot like The Hunger Games. It is about a dystopian society where everyone is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. The first book was called "Divergent" and the second in the trilogy, "Insurgent," was released a couple days ago. I haven't started reading it yet, but I'm excited to see what happens because the first book ended in a cliffhanger.

4. Mother's Day. is coming up! I have already made something for my mother-in-law. I will post a picture of what I did after the fact since she reads the blog. I found the idea on Pinterest and I'm really happy with how it turned out. Now I just need to find something to get my mom. She interested in those monthly subscription boxes, but I'm having a hard time finding one that I think she would like. Do any of you subscribe to them? Any suggestions?