Stephanie Howell

A. Ham – Taking Harper to the Room Where it Happens.

January 17, 2018

Soooo if you follow me on IG or if you are part of my blog FB page the chances are that you already know this story BUT I want to record it here so I can remember it forever.

Miss Harper is a HUGE musical theatre fan. She has been singing since she could talk and she hasn’t stopped since. The moment she heard the Hamilton soundrack she absolutely fell in love. I have never seen her so obsessed/passionate about something. Before long she had EVERY.SINGLE.lyric/note/beat/breath memorized. She has watched every clip on YouTube and she follows Hamilton on IG as well all of the original cast. Sidenote- LIN PLEASE GET IG!

We knew that it wasn’t likely that we’d ever get to see the show. Well, at least anytime soon. We had heard a rumor that they recorded the original cast to do an eventual movie adaptation so we were holding out for that. And even though Hamilton was coming to DC, it is right after we move to Alaska. I would enter the lottery every day on the Hamilton app and just pray that I could somehow give her her dream one day.

Fast forward to a few months ago. A dear friend of mine told me that she had a connection to the show and that she could get me super reasonably priced GOOD seats. I chose a three day window (January 9,10,11) and gave her all of my billing info, etc. From that point there was nothing to do but wait.

I didn’t hear anything and I honestly figured that I wasn’t chosen. On January 8 my fairy godmother contacted me and told me that we were chosen BUT we didn’t know WHICH SHOW we were chosen for.

Now, luckily NYC is an easy train ride away but I’d be lying if I said the anxiety didn’t almost do me in. I was like a headless chicken with floppy limbs, running in a circle. For 2 whole days.

It could have been:

January 9 7 pm

January 10 2 pm

January 10 8 pm

January 11 7 pm

I was obsessively charting train times and researching hotels and trying to plan childcare and meal plan and get everything ready and it was NUTS. Meanwhile I had to act completely nonchalant and normal around Harper which was not easy for me. AT ALL. So many secret excited tears! So many hushed conversations with Jimmy!

January 8 passed and then January 9 and then it was the morning of January 10. Jimmy and I honestly figured that for whatever reason the tickets hadn’t worked out and my friend hadn’t heard anything and she was just as panicked as I was. HA!

Wednesday morning I was at Target with Cora when I received a text from my friend. It said: “Good morning. Feel like running on up to Manhattan this evening? 8pm show. Hamilton. I hear it’s pretty good.”

HOLY SH*!

Yep. That was my response. I basically started crying in the middle of Target because I was so excited to be able to make Harper’s number one wish come true. I drove home and started packing like a crazy person. I booked Amtrak tickets and a hotel and found someone who could take Cora. I had 2 hours until I had to leave. It was total chaos. HA!

I jumped in the car and went to school to get Harper. I had a big maniacal grin on my face and I was waving like a deranged person because I didn’t want her to think anything was wrong. A military kid thinks certain things automatically when someone gets her from school.

Sidenote: MY FREAKING PHONE DIED (thanks apple, yes i’ll take your $20 battery but i sure wish i would have known about it before this little trip!) before I told her but another teacher recorded me surprising her. Still waiting for him to email it to me!

Her response was incredible. Automatic tears and so many hugs.

Here she is in the car right after I told her:

I mean, is that not the SWEETEST thing you’ve ever seen? She kept saying THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!!

We booked it to the train station and got on the 2:00 train to Penn Station.

On the train she was just so freaking happy. She listened to Hamilton all the way:

Once we got there we grabbed an Uber and checked into the hotel. I chose Hampton Inn Times Square North. The location is outstanding and the military family rate can’t be beat. $90 a night! We didn’t have a ton of time so we walked through Times Square and grabbed a slice of pizza.

Then we ran to Duane Reade to get a Sharpie for post-show autographs and went to Richard Rodgers Theatre to pick up our tickets at the box office.

Then we went to stand in the line to get in. Everyone was so excited and happy in the line and I ended up chatting with the lady behind us in line. She’s from Houston (where I was raised) and has FIVE DAUGHTERS. How crazy is that? Such a small world.

At this point Harper just kept saying “This feels like a dream. Mommy, does this feel like a dream to you?”

Once we got inside we LOST OUR MINDS at how good our seats were.

Then the show started an I cannot even tell you how amazing the entire experience was. My girl sat next to me silently mouthing every single word. I’m not exaggerating. She kept grabbing my arm and each time I looked at her I could see tears in her eyes and goosebumps on her arms. It was such a moving experience. And the show? MAGIC. As I knew it would be. Just something I will never ever forget. We definitely went through all of the tissues in my purse.

When the show was over we saw that it was 11 and that it might be best to just head back to the hotel vs. waiting outside of the stage door for autographs.

But when we walked out of the theatre we realized that we’d somehow beat almost everyone out of the show and that there wasn’t really anyone standing at the stage door. So of course we bellied up to the crowd divider. Literally straight across from the exit.

At this point my phone was dead AGAIN- can you tell this was a last minute trip and that I didn’t have much time to prepare? And I thought that I’d just have to not have photos but these sweet girls behind me (again from TX!!) had Harper get in their cast selfies and then they texted me the pics. How awesome is that?

This is Jevon McFerrin. He’s a standby for A.Ham and he was INCREDIBLE. Random factoid: His dad is Bobby McFerrin of Don’t Worry Be Happy fame. Kid was so charismatic and kind and genuine. He stopped and talked to Harper about her first Broadway show…and well I think her face says it all. I’ve never seen her smile like that.

This is James Monroe Iglehart. He played Lafayette/Jefferson. I can’t even tell y’all how amazing he was. He totally added his own flair and he was an absolute joy to watch. He’s best known for his Tony winning turn as the genie in Aladdin!

We realized as we fell asleep that the next morning was Alexander Hamilton’s birthday. Is that not the most serendipitous thing you’ve ever heard? I had no idea when I chose those three dates randomly!

I can’t put into words or even begin to describe how special it was to be able to orchestrate this moment for Harper . It was the most moving experience and neither one of us will ever forget it.

I feel like parenting (especially tweens/teens) can be so scary and confusing and messy and all over the place. I have no idea what I’m doing half the time and I just hope I’m doing more good than harm. To be able to experience this with her and connect with her in this way as possibly the best thing I’ll ever be able to do for her.

xoxo

Stephanie

The Best Books I Read in 2017

January 3, 2018

*This post contains affiliate links at no cost to you.I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. Thank you so much for helping to support my little family!

I read 111 books in 2017.

111.

I can’t even tell you how much joy that number brings me. It was the best year of reading that I can ever remember. It brought me so much happiness and made me such a better person.

I’ve covered the HOW DO YOU FIND THE TIME TO READ SO MUCH? question many, many times. But it boils down to this. I read really fast, I sometimes neglect other things (TV series, a clean house) to read, I stay up too late, and I have a book with me everywhere I go. It’s like breathing to me. So that’s the short answer.

So narrowing that number down to my favorite few is really, really hard. So hard that I’ve been working on this post longer than I want to admit.

Before I share this list I want to tell you a few things.

*These books are in no particular order.

*I’m not limiting myself to a “top 10” or “top 5”. I just chose all of the books that I loved and I’m still thinking about.

*They cover all topics and don’t all fit in the same mold. I am NOT a snobby reader and I don’t discriminate. I believe that a good “chick lit” type read can be just as satisfying as a New York Times Book Review top 10 read.

*All of these books were not written or published in 2017. But I read all of them in 2017.

*We don’t all have the same tastes and that’s what makes the world AWESOME. Just because I loved these books doesn’t mean you will like them at all. You don’t have to tell me if you hated a book I loved. I mean you can but it’s not necessary.

I would not have found any of these books without:

Goodreads
The public library
Book of the Month Club

You will see that many books on this list were purchased. I knew I’d want to own them based on what I’d heard and I was right!!

Here is how I made this list. I looked through my Goodreads Read in 2017 list. I found all of the five star reads and then looked through them for the ones that still evoke an emotional response in me. The ones I still think about (every day for many of them). These are the books on the list below.

1. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman Audible

Award: Best Audiobook of 2017

I listened to this one on Audible and I still think about it so very often. I just kind of fell in lovewith Eleanor and rooted for her so hard.

Original Review: I want to shout it from the rooftops… I LOVED LOVED LOVED THIS BOOK. Adored it, swooned over it, devoured it. Well, as fast as you can devour an Audible book. Another EXCELLENT narrator and I feel that the audio version enhanced the already amazing words so much. Fans of Ove and The Rosie Effect will love this book. At times absolutely HEARTBREAKING, it was the most endearing and uplifting book I’ve read in a long, long time. Absolute perfection. I want to find Eleanor and hold her hand. 5 stars.

2. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas Audible

Award: Most Important Read of 2017

I still, to this day, think this is such an important read. I think that all teenagers should have to read it. Hell, I thinkall adults should have to read it.

Original Review: The title is an acronym for THUG. This book broke my heart. And made me SO MAD. I listened to it on Audible and I fully believe it gave me an even deeper experience than reading it would have. There is so much buzz about this book right now and it deserves every single bit. Race relations, police brutality, gangs, racism…it’s all covered in this book. But the overarching theme? L O V E. If you walk away from this book thinking otherwise, then read it again. Or LISTEN to it. Read it with an open heart and put your defense down. It’s not easy to listen to. I cried in many places. But it’s so so so very important to read. I won’t ever forget a single word. 5 stars.

3. The One in a Million Boy by Monica Wood Purchased

Award: Most Heartwarming Book of 2017

This book just made me feel all of the feels. I fell in love from the very beginning.

Original Review: Oh my heart did I love this one. I loved every single thing about it. It was absolutely heartwarming. I love it like I loved Ove, Arthur Pepper, and Lillian Boxfish. It was just magical and charming.

4. This Is How It Always Is

by Laurie Frankel Purchased

Award: Best Portrayal of Family Life of 2017

Family is everything. And navigating being a parent, especially in a large family, can be so damn complicated. I feel like this one really got it right from my perspective.

Original Review: Oh did I love this gem of a book. On the surface it’s about Rosie and Penn’s son announcing he thinks he’s a girl. But it’s about so much more than that. The overall theme is LOVE. Real, true, abiding, unshakeable love. Parental love that simply cannot be put into words…although Laurie Frankel still managed to do so somehow.

I especially loved the SPOT ON descriptions of a family with five children…I have five too and oh boy did Frankel nail it.

My favorite passage from the book- one that brings tears to my eyes just typing it- is this:

These kids, her multitudes, they could grow up. They could move away. They could- they would- become new, become changed,become actual adult people in progress,people she wouldn’t recognize,people she could not imagine. People remade. They would undergo miracles. They would transform. They would make magic. But they were her story, hers and Penn’s, so however wide they wandered, they would always be right here.

MAGIC. Five stars.

5. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch Library

Award: Book I Read the Fastest in 2017.

I was…AM…so obsessed with this book and I haven’t stopped thinking about it. Jimmy and I talk about it all the time.

Original Review: I read this book in a matter of hours. I cannot even tell you how much I enjoyed it. I am not one to enjoy books about physics… Let’s be honest, I don’t even understand physics. However… This book transcends any genre. It is absolutely thrilling, heart pounding, and all encompassing. Such a fun ride!

6. The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne BOTM Selection

Award: Longest Book I Read in 2017

Oh this book, this book. It grabbed me from the first page and I held on for dear life until the end. It broke my heart. And warmed it. Side note: This also won BOTM’s book of the year. You can snag your own commemorative rose gold copy HERE.

Original Review: Brb to write a review if I can stop crying long enough to do so.. HAHA! Guess I never got back to write the review but I think those words say it all.

7. Be Frank with Me

by Julia Claiborne Johnson Library

Award: Quirkiest Book of 2017

I just thought this book worked perfectly. I loved the characters and how imperfect they were, I loved the setting, I loved the dialogue.

Original Review: Oh this book…this book. The perfect mix of wit, heartbreak, quirk, and magic. It won me over from page one. This gave me the same feels that The Rosie Project and Eleanor Oliphant gave me. It’s the story of one amazing kid and the people who love him. It warmed my heart big time.

“‘Frank will be okay, Alice,’ Mr. Vargas said. ‘He’s an odd duck, but brilliant children often are. It may take him a while, but someday he’ll figure out how to live in the world of ordinary mortals.’”5 stars

8. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid BOTM Selection

Award: Most Nostalgic Book of 2017.

This one took my by surprise. I’m a BIG Taylor Jenkins Reid fan and this book was such a departure for her. In a really great way. I loved the era this one was set in, my favorite decade.

Original Review: Yeah I loved this book. To be fair I LOVE TJR and I’m also obsessed with old Hollywood so this is totally my kind of book. There was also a wonderful dose of social justice. I ADORED it.

9. A Million Junes by Emily Henry BOTM Selection

Award: Most Magical Book of 2017

I think about this one quite often . It was kind of in the same vein as Night Circus. Just magical.

Original Review: Haunting, beautiful, magical, and thoroughly enchanting. The last couple of chapters got a little too weird and convoluted for me, but the tear-inducing ending more than made up for it. Swoonworthy.

10. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi Library

Award: Most Sweeping Story of 2017

I still can’t get over how much time is covered in this novel and how all of the characters weave together perfectly. FYI- it takes a while to get a hang of all of the characters but fight through the confusion!

Original Review: This book is OUTSTANDING. Absolutely outstanding. This novel takes place on two continents over 300 years and it was astoundingly moving and beautiful. And horribly sad as well. It stunned me and I won’t forget it.

11. Bear Town by Fredrick Backman Purchased

Award: Biggest Surprise of 2017

I love Fredrick Backman. LOVE him. I thought this book was just going to be about hockey. Oh how wrong I was!

Original Reviw: Before I start this review, I need to disclose that I love Fredrick Backman. A Man Called Ove is one of my all time favorites. That said, his writing style takes a little getting used to. He is Swedish and I’m not sure if that has something to do with the different cadence and at times dry and abrupt structure of his sentences. But listen to me here- STICK WITH IT.

Ostensibly this book is about hockey. Which I know zero about. Zero. In reality it is about so much more. Love, fear, loyalty, loss, desire, family, good, and evil. It is about whether “boys will be boys” is an excuse and if “locker room banter” is acceptable. It’s about standing up for what you believe in…and so much more. Some of it is quite dark and some of it probably needs a trigger warning.

Listen to me here…Backman’s books are a slow burn. He wants you to KNOW his characters inside and out before you get to the action. He wants you to work for it and think about it. Always read carefully because there are gems scattered along the way. 5 stars.

12. Castle of Water by Dane Huckelbridge Purchased

Award: Book That Made Me Cry the Hardest in 2017

Guys. I’m still thinking about this book like every day. I will say that as time goes on I’m still TOTALLY annoyed by the end. Why did Huckelbridge wrap it up so fast? It’s almost like the first half and last half are two totally different animals. So odd. But the beginning and middle is such a beautifully crafted love story.

Original Review: Y’ALL. Y’all. Y’all. Y’alllllll. Maybe I should start by telling you that when I finished this book I was crying so hard that Jimmy almost had to pull the car over. I’m not kidding. It broke me. BROKE ME. This book is so dang good. And so much to take, I thought my heart might burst. My only issue is that Huckelbridge wrapped the end up wayyyy too fast. I wish he would have slowed down a little bit because it was a little jarring. But I loved it so much. I loved the characters, I loved the story, I loved the setting.

I DID IT I DID IT!

I thought I was never EVER going to finish this post. HOORAY!

So…what were your favorites of the year? Do we have any in common?

xoxo

Stephanie

Thirty-One Outlet Sale

December 21, 2017

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Starting this past Monday, and continuing each week, new deals are being added to my shop at outlet prices- up to 70% off!

You can shop all of the sale items >>>HERE<<< but I wanted to share some things I use personally and also give you some suggestions for how to use the bags.

If you are a buy ahead person then this sale is great for gifting. ESPECIALLY for teachers. I love doing a themed gift in a 31 bag.

1. Tall Organizing Tote– ~~$35~~ $15 – I use ours for the library BUT these are great for teachers. They are perfect to hold files and grading pens on the outside (there’s a pen holder on the other side). Also great for scrapbookers, knitters,etc.

2. Creative Caddy ~~$25~~ $12.50 – These are excellent for shower gifts. I used mine as a portable changing station when Cora was little and I was so bummed that they weren’t in the new catalog. Fill one with diapers and wipes and give it to that new mom in your life!

3. Paris Purse ~~$78~~ $15.60- FIFTEEN BUCKS Y’ALL. This handbag is so pretty in person. That color!!!

4. Large Utility Tote ~~$35~~ $17.50- $21- I use these for everything. Grocery store runs, post office runs, toy storage, books, decor, you name it.

5. Double Duty Caddy ~~$25~~ $15 – This is one of my favorite gifts. “Mommy’s Time Out”. Just add a bottle of wine, snacks, and a book and voila! You win friend of the year. Also a great new mom gift (for diapers) or good for teachers too (to hold classroom supplies).

6. Thermal Tote ~~$18~~ $10.80- this one is great for its’ intended purpose ( a lunch bag) but I also love it for storing wet suits after we go to the pool. Holds all of my girls’ suits and doesn’t leak!

7. Zipper Pouch ~~$15~~ $6-$9- Good for teacher gifts, roll one up and add some cute dollar spot pencils!

8/9. Fresh Market Thermal ~~$50~~ $30 and Toteally Thermal ~~$48~~ $24 – (the three bags to the left in the photo). The Fresh Market is my favorite 31 bag. It holds SO MUCH at the grocery store and keeps everything cold for a really long time. Great for a young person moving into their first apartment!

10. Perfect Cents Wallet ~~$28~~ $14 (top wallet in photo) – This is a nice medium-sized, lightweight fabric wallet. Good for a tween or teen too!

11. All-In Organizer ~~$20~~ $6 – I have two of these. One is a toddler bag for Cora OR a planner to go bag, depending on my mood. The other holds brushes/headbands in the girls bathroom. This would make a GREAT gift for a child. It’s the perfect kid sized bag.

12. Picnic Thermal ~~$35~~ $21- This is my favorite to-go family thermal. I pack all of our snacks and drinks in here when we go to the park. Would make a cute themed gift with wine inside.

13. Cinch Sac $20 $10 – What are these not great for? We use ours for sleepovers, trick and treating, gymnastics, dirty clothes.

14. ZOUT ~~$35~~ $14-$17.50 – The number one teacher, nurse, and mom bag. This is an excellent gift for anyone.

15. Stand Tall Insert ~~$50~~ $20 Large Utility Totes lie flat. If you’d like them to be more structured, then you need one of these!

Plus SO MUCH MORE that I can’t list because this post would be ridiculously long. See all the details >>>HERE<<<!

Questions? Ask away! Remember, deals will be added WEEKLY!

xoxo

My Weekly Game Plan // Week Four

December 18, 2017

Okay guys. I said at the beginning of this thing that I was going to be completely honest. So I might as well tell you that last week was a complete and total sh*& show. I’m not exaggerating.

Exercise wasn’t the best. I didn’t do BBG at all. Not even once. I did make it to classes twice and did a bit on the bike one day. So I’m not too terribly upset about it.

But. Foood. Oh my word.

I did not make ANYTHING off of my meal plan from last week. I just made it up as I went along and we got takeout and snacked nonstop.

It started bad on Monday and picked up steam and was a DISASTER by last night. Snickerdoodles, Chex Mix, candy, risotto, chips, pasta, nuggets, wine, YOU NAME it. I had zero self control. And I felt like crap all week long. Tired, headaches, grumpy, upset tummy. Back to feeling the exact way that I felt before I said something needed to change.

Wasn’t my plan to eat the damn cookie? Not EAT ALL OF THE DAMN COOKIES. Ugh. Good news is it was just one week. Before I started this it was every day of every week of every month of every year of my life. So I can totally start fresh this week. This isn’t a restriction or denial. This is having balance the rest of my life.

So today I start anew.

But man I’ve got to get out of this rut. Every minute of my hour long Spin class last week was a STRUGGLE. I was having negative self-talk and I was yawning and looking at the clock and telling myself I couldn’t do it. So frustrating.

Are any of you struggling right now? How do you deal with it and get past it?

Monday

Workout- Body Sculpt at the YMCA

Dinner- Boeuf Borgignon + Haricots Verts (from Dinner in an Instant Cookbook )

Tuesday

Workout- BBG

Dinner- One Pan Tuscan Pork Chops + Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

Wednesday

Workout- BBG

Dinner- Teriyaki Chicken Bowls + Cauliflower Rice (from Skinnytaste Fast+Slow Cookbook)

Thursday

Workout- Spin Class at YMCA

Dinner- Clean out the frig before we go out of town. I will probably do a big stir fry with the chicken and veggies we have left over.

Friday

Workout- BBG

Great Wolf Lodge

Saturday

Great Wolf Lodge

Sunday

Great Wolf Lodge

Dinner- Mexican Food- this was my life long family tradition on Christmas Eve and I’ve passed it on to my family.

Things to share from last week:

Frozen Brown Rice from Trader Joe’s is one of my most favorite things. I go buy and buy like three boxes every week.

This Taco Soup was incredibly delicious. I added green bell pepper.

These Brown Rice Crisps from Aldi are SO FREAKING GOOD.

Though I need to adjust the seasoning next time, this Roasted Chicken with Veggies recipe was pretty good and super easy.

I’m obsessed with Everything But the Bagel Seasoning from Trader Joe’s. I put it on everything.

Okay that’s it for this week. I’m praying that I have a better attitude this week and that I’m kinder to myself this week.

Please check in and fill me in on what’s going on with you!

xoxo

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