February Monthly Recap

February Recap

February was a short month in days and flew by in a flurry. We spent the first few days of the month soaking up the Arizona sunshine, and it was a much needed family vacation.

A few days after we returned to Iowa, Lexi got tubes in both ears. She was a rockstar! I'm hopeful that this will keep her feeling better.

Adam and I got all dressed up for the ISU Cardinal and Gold Gala. We attended ISU Men's Basketball games as a family. Lexi loves looking for Cy and using spirit fingers for the free throws.

And while Adam was snowmobiling in Wisconsin, Lexi and I had a girls weekend (scroll to the end of this post for a few photos). 

Recent Blog Posts

Read

I am using Goodreads to track my reading, rate books and write short reviews. Last year, I read 61 books and surpassed my reading challenge goal. This year, my goal is to read 52 books. I am a part of 3 book clubs and 1 library reading challenge. 

Books Completed in February: 6 books

 Mango, Mambo, and Murder - Raquel V. Reyes

• A cozy murder mystery with a Latina main character. I loved the diverse cast of characters and the Spanish culture and language in this book.

The Last Song - Nicholas Sparks

• I read this book back in 2010, and I have seen the movie. It was an enjoyable reread as I had actually forgotten some of the details in the story. I actually related with the father more this time around.The Last Song - Nicholas Sparks

So You Want to Start a Podcast - Kristen Meinzer

• Easy to read, step by step breakdown of how to start your own podcast. Kristin writes in a way that makes each step seem very doable.

NPR's Podcast Start Up Guide - Glen Weldon

• This is an in-depth podcast guide from planning, creaating to launching and growing. I have been interested in starting a podcast for years, but I recognize that right now may not be the right time to add an additional hobby.

Mythos - Stephen Fry

• I listened to the audiobook (which I highly recommend because the narrator's voice is so soothing and he has an accent). I was fascinated with Greek mythology when I was younger, and this book is a full retelling of the Greek gods. 

The End of Average - Todd Rose

• HLT Book Club

YTD Total: 12 of 52 Books

Watch

• DIY Peloton Bike Hack
  
  • I have been researching spin bikes and would like to purchase one at some point. I don't think I'm ready to commit to the Peloton, but I would like to buy a slightly cheaper bike to see if I really enjoy spinning at home. 
• The Winter Olympics
  • My favorite competition to watch is Figure Skating and Ice Dancing. Other notable mentions include: Ski Jumping (the one where they look like flying squirrels), Women's Snowboard Halfpipe, and the Monobob in Bobsleigh.

Listen

I listen to a lot of podcasts, audiobooks, and music. Here are the highlights from the past month.

• Sounds Like A Cult Podcast
  • A podcast that analyzes a different modern-day group like SoulCycle, Trader Joe's, and LulaRoe to answer the question: "This group sounds like a cult, but is it really?"

Learn

I love learning new things, and I'm making space to continue learning.

• My new favorite Super Bowl activity is trying to complete a puzzle during the game.
  • This was so much fun to try to accomplish during the game. We had to go into overtime with the live coverage of the Winter Olympics, but we finished it! Then I had the urge to put together my own puzzle over the next week.
• Lexi loves wearing dresses at the moment.
  • We had a blast with our time together. We had a picnic dinner in the livingroom. On Saturday, we went to Target (to find a few more dresses she can wear daily) and Culver's. And we made sure to see friends.
• Being kind to myself and kind to others does wonders. 
  • I have been prioritizing time in the morning to workout and read my bible. This second trimester has been very good to me, and I feel pretty good. I also took coffees to Lexi's teachers and the directors, and it was one of my favorite things I did this month.