200 miles!

This girl hit 200 miles this morning! They haven't all been running- that includes a daily 1 mile-ish walk with the pups but I am still proud.  

Still a little farther behind than I want to be but with renewed hope I can finish on time by the end of August!

Pretty excited about my new tank too- I ordered a tank with my race bib image on it off Etsy. =)

Happy Friday friends! 

Isn't it nice...

When you have a day where you just feel happy.  Where you don't have to work at it. Your heart just feels full, thankful and happy. ☺

Last night I got to see my best friend for the first time, in person, since the whole COVID lockdown quarantine thing began!  Over 4 months is way too long!  We walked and talked miles around the park and cemetery before settling at the empty picnic pavilion until it began to get dark.

My very belated birthday gift 💖

This morning's run felt so great! Don't mind my face-it's just that it was ALL UPHILL to get home this morning! 😣  It was so beautiful out though- not too hot and the most glorious breeze.  

Chipping away at that 500K- hoping to maybe get another mile or two in tonight to start making up for all the slacking I've done lately! I want to finish on time! 193.16 mi COMPLETED   117.59 mi TO GO GOAL: Hit 200 before the end of the month!   

Garmin has been down for a week now! Super annoying...

My air fryer came on Saturday and we have been loving it! We have used it everyday so far.

So far we have made...

Dino chicken nuggets

French Fries

 Cod with asparagus and corn salad (so good) 

Chicken and Eggplant Parm

 Still on my list for this week (tomorrow) Stromboli. And maybe a Bloomin' Onion! ;-)

We got our first harvest from our garden!

13 years ago! Man oh man...

July books!

Here is the first half of my July reads-

1-The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradel

"A heartfelt and inspiring family drama about three exceptionally strong midwestern women who are brought together by creating beer."

I read about half of this on the 4th of July- it took me a little bit to get into it but once I did I couldn't put it down.  Once Diana (grand daughter of Edith) entered the story with her narrative I was really hooked, although I also enjoyed Edith and Helen's storylines. Two sisters estranged for the greater part of their adult lives. The story is told from both their perspectives, as well as Diana's. 

The ending for me was perfection. 

2- Lovely War by Julie Berry

There is nothing lovely about war.  This book again made me wonder how human beings can treat each other in such a fashion. And yet two such lovely stories are spun. 4 characters whose lives intersect in the Great War.  Their story told by Greek gods as part of a trial. I couldn't figure out the point of that whole bit until the tail end. But I was fully invested and wish I could hear more about Collette, Aubrey, Hazel and James.  Their tale is one that will stick with me. 

"Let them start their dreadful wars, let destruction rain down, and let plague sweep through, but I will still be here, doing my work, holding humankind together with love like this."

3- Tweet Cute by Emma Lord

I had this book from the library for a while.  It's from Modern Mrs Darcy's Summer Reading Guide. I had been reading some heavier things I just felt like I needed a little break.  This book was prefect. Sweet and cute. 

“You can't just casually tell someone you carry caramel sauce around and walk away like that's a normal thing”

4-The Last Flight by Julie Clark

I picked this book up when the girls and I went to the Golden Bee Bookshop.  I had just seen a friend recommend it on facebook or something.  So it seemed like a good pick. Boy was it ever. I was glad I saved it for vacation so I could read it basically non-stop.

The story two women who swap tickets at the airport. One trying to escape an abusive marriage, the other you're not quite sure what but is running from something. One of the plans crashes...

“If we don't tell our own stories, we'll never take control of the narrative.”

5- Two Good Dogs by Susan Wilson

I loved this book so much more than I expected I am not sure why I was so hesitant to read it.  I love that the dog (a pitbull named CHANCE) was one of the main points of view. I was immediately drawn into the story and characters.   My heart was so sad for Cody and her struggles. She is keeping a BIG secret, along with having to move to a new town and school, along with the usual teenage angst.

I did feel like towards the end the story peaked and ended a bit abruptly.  Also a bit was pretty opened ended but maybe there will be another installment. 

5 books for the first half of the month. I'd be hard pressed to pick a favorite. I loved them all for different reasons.  Sometimes I feel like my favorite is whatever I happened to read last.

How about you? What have you been reading lately?

I finally made it to Chittenango! 😂

Vacation Highlights...

We spent last week at an airbnb up in Long Lake.  It was glorious! My Mom and Dad came up Thursday to finish out the week with us.  Mikayla's boyfriend also joined us for the week.

We visited Buttermilk Falls twice, once on Sunday and then again on Friday with my Mom and Dad.

Went out for ice cream...

Lots of reading... 

I read three complete books and half of two others... one because I realized I had already read it- 5 years ago! 😂 And the last one is still in progress.

Lots of fishing was done...both from the dock on "our" pond and also from the boat on Forked Lake.

Ryan caught this guy in the pond- by far the biggest fish they pulled out of there.  He was pretty proud.

Tried a couple new brews...

One day we drove over to Lake Eaton for a swim...

These ducks came for a visit-

It was a wonderful, restful, joyfilled week.  I am so thankful for this time with family.