Snapshot from Along the Broken Road: November 2014

1) A photo of me:

Had my stylist temporarily straighten my hair, just for fun, when I had my cut-and-highlight appointment.

2) Candle scents* this month:
Mountain Lodge. Apple Butter. Orchard Pear. Warm Apple Crisp. Treehouse Memories. Ghostly Treats. Apple Pumpkin. Applewood Orchard. Macintosh and Spice. Apple Spice. November Rain. Cinnamon Caramel Swirl (Bath and Body Works). Pumpkin Buttercream.

3) What I am reading this month (you can find me on Goodreads!):
Beyond This Moment (Tamera Alexander) - A little slow-moving to start, as well as being a somewhat predictable romance, but I have to be honest, I loved the two main characters. A book of this nature is like comfort food: you know what to expect, but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable. I liked getting to know both Molly and James, and the deeper I got into the book, the faster I wanted to turn the pages. Something else I enjoyed about this book is the reminder of a simple but important life lesson: We all do things we wish we could have a do-over for, but some of the decisions we make simply cannot be undone, and the only thing we can do is make better choices moving forward. Shame and guilt can lead us to wish to hide our poor choices, and it can be easy to forget that even the decision to hide the truth of our previous choices can lead to hurt we never expected or intended. The truth, though sometimes difficult to own, is often easier than trying to hide it and then answer for it later, which is almost always inevitable. I'm going to miss James and Molly, now that I've reached the end of this book.
The Sun Also Rises (Ernest Hemingway) - Part of my personal project to re-read some of the books I was "force fed" in school to see if I like them better as an adult, choosing them of my own free will. Working my way through this one still.

4) Calendar image for the month:

Peaceful. So peaceful.

5) New recipes tried this month:
White Chicken Chili - A definite keeper, just needs a couple of minor tweaks.
Reese's Pieces Blondies - Made at T's request. Easy to make. I was a little concerned, because I don't care for peanut butter cookies, but the peanut butter was subtle everywhere but the Reese's Pieces.

6) Restaurants where I ate:
Oceans and Ales (in Williamsburg, VA) with my sister-in-law, when I tagged along while she picked up a few items on Black Friday. Bob Evans for a husband-requested breakfast date.

7) Five things I am loving this month:
1. Finalizing my idea list for this year's Christmas gifts.
2. A couple of spins around Food and Wine Fest with Daniel.
3. The weather is finally starting to show signs of cooling off.
4. Flights that get in early when we have a tight connection to make.
5. Watching my husband hold his great-nephews.

8) Three goals I had this month and three goals for next month:
1. Tend the flower gardens. (I opted against this one when I remembered that newly planted flowers require some coddling while they adapt and being gone for almost a week when there's no rain in the forecast would have been a bad combination.)
2. One magazine for each day in November. Which means I better get going, as I'll be traveling for Thanksgiving. (I got through half of this ambitious goal.)
3. Start walking in the evenings, now that the weather has finally relented. (Loving this! We walk 5-6 times a week and it's one of my favorite parts of the day.)

1. I want to have Christmas in the mail by December 15.
2. It's been a long time since I visited the Disney hotels, to see them decorated for Christmas. Too long.
3. Tackling my To Do List of odds and ends projects while I am off work from noon December 24 through Sunday, January 4.

9) The best part of this month and the worst part of this month:
The best: Being with T. Whether it's walking after work, snuggling up on the couch in the evening, traveling to spend Thanksgiving with his sister and her family. I just genuinely like being around him.
The worst: Tie between the night I must have been sitting on a mosquito, based on the location of the DOZEN bug bites I received, and the tiny breakouts I kept getting right along the edge of my lower lip (ouch) (also, what the heck??).

10) A photo I took this month:
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*All scents are Yankee Candle, unless otherwise noted.