Stephanie Howell

What I’m Reading // January 2016

January 19, 2016

What I'm #reading // Via Stephaniehowell.com

It’s been a while hasn’t it? I have so much to share. Even when I wasn’t blogging I was sharing my thoughts on Goodreads and my reading Instagram account.

I want this blog series to be a place where we can all talk about what we are reading, loving, hating, what we are wanting to read and what we wish we hadn’t.

Please comment and share your thoughts!

Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person
by Shonda Rhimes // This one’s tricky. I really liked it a lot. The “girl power”/”girl boss” element is excellent. Shonda is fierce and strong and doesn’t take crap from anyone. I love that. I found so many parts of the book inspiring. I nodded my head and laughed out loud. I really identified with her chapter on mommy wars and her thoughts on women not being able to accept compliments. I read many parts out loud to Jimmy and her words facilitated many conversations between us. But I also felt like the book could have been so much more. Shonda never let us know too much and she never got truly deeply personal. I know….that’s a lot to ask. But I found the book to be more inspiring platitudes and I wanted it to be more of a personal memoir. With all that said…I definitely recommend it. 3.5 stars.

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Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff // I am going to be the odd woman out here. And I’m okay with it. This was President Obama’s favorite book of 2015. I saw countless friends rave about it and read glowing reviews. But I HATED IT. Hated hated hated hated it. Ugh. I hated the characters. They were horrible and selfish people. And although I can honestly say that Groff is a talented author (obviously) I was turned off by her style. I honestly can’t even put it into words. I just had a very visceral reaction to this book – and not in a good way. 1 star.

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We Never Asked for Wings by Vanessa Diffenbaugh // I loved The Language of Flowers so I reserved this one at the library as soon as it came out. I loved it. Diffenbaugh wrote each character beautifully and I fell in love with each of them for different reasons. The book really moved me-and I still think about it now and then. 4.5 stars.

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Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter // SO MESSED UP. And creepy and dark and nauseating in certain parts. If any of those things are too much for you..don’t read it. But I thought it was so good. It kept me glued to my earphones – I listened to it on Audible. Really- consider yourself warned. SO MESSED UP. But riveting. 4 stars.

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Anything at all by Colleen Hoover // I am not a romance girl usually. Not that I have anything against reading- I don’t discriminate when it comes to books…I love ALL books. But Colleen Hoover made me a romance girl. She’s funny and witty and her stories are HOT and realistic. Not cheesy. I love her. I listen to her books on Audible as well.

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The Hummingbird by Stephen Kiernan // This book was really interesting to me. At first I kind of skimmed all of the historical parts of the book but then I realized that they were crucial to the plot line so I had to go back and start over. As an army wife…the PTSD parts were painful to read. But so well written. One small negative – I got kind of annoyed with the way the main characters talked to each other. I deeply enjoyed the hospice parts of the book. It was a beautifully written and tender tale. Just lovely. 3.5 stars.

For more of my recently read book reviews, check HERE.

UpNext

+ Anything and everything by Karin Slaughter

+ The Improbability of Love by Hannah Rothschild

+ Circling the Sun by Paula McLain

+ Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

+ Carrie by Stephen King

+ Along the Infinite Sea by Beatriz Williams

Whew! That’s just the tip of the iceberg, too. So many books so little time!

So what about you? Tell me about what’s on your list.

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Well Hello There!

January 17, 2016

E (5 of 4)

Well hello there 2016! And hello to all of you!

2015 was the year of many things.

Travel

Reading

Eating

Cora.

Yeah. That was the big one. And because of that…2016 was NOT the year of creating. Or blogging. But oh…it was a beautiful, surprising, amazing year.

One of my number one goals for 2016 is to blog again. I want to blog about reading, making, planning, shopping, drinking, eating, traveling, mothering. I want to start a YouTube channel. And this is the year it’s going to happen.

Step one of that resolution is finally moving to a self-hosted WordPress blog. I’ve wanted to do this for years and years.

There is MUCH work to be done. Migrating my old blog. Culling and cataloging what I want to keep. Customizing my design. Tweaking things.

But I’m not in a rush. This platform is so much more intuitive and easy. I am tired of Typepad. It wasn’t easy and it is part of the reason I stopped blogging.

So here we are. And here YOU are. Thank you so much for sticking with me.

Won’t you say hi if you are out there? Tell me who you are, when and how you started reading, and what keeps you coming back.

Love to all of you!

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FIVE!!!

November 24, 2015

I can’t even believe I’m typing this, but Cate and Lucy are five today!

It’s no coincidence that these two are my “turkey” babies, my babies born Thanksgiving week. I am so so grateful for the joy and pure love that they have brought into our lives.

They are simply amazing.

They are funny and have us in giggles almost every day. They are full of whimsy…on any given day you might see them in cat ears or an Olaf costume. And Elsa and Anna…always Elsa and Anna.

They can speak Italian, though they won’t do it at home. They are excellent helpers and listeners, and super snuggly.

They are my heart.

They are pure, unadulterated joy. They are uncomplicated, no-strings-attached love. They are light and magic and laughter. They are hand holders, hug givers, and proof of God’s love.

Happy 5th Birthday, Cate and Lucy!

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Photos by Katie Currid

Déjà Vu

October 23, 2015

Hi everyone!! I’ve had this post on my mind (just like the post where I tell you about Cora’s birth story) for the past three weeks. And I figured it was time I took the time to type it out.

I’ve been a mom for almost ten years. And it’s funny. I think I had mommy amnesia for every stage.

Me before Cora:

Oh- I’ll be able to get through Cora’s birth without an epidural! (turned out being right on this one but it was a close call) It doesn’t hurt that much anyway (WRONG).

It’s not THAT difficult to have a newborn. It will be a piece of cake this time! (WRONG).

Oh, breastfeeding will be a SNAP with just one. I don’t need support. Or a pump. Or bottles or anything just in case. This will be a cinch! (WRONG!)

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

Wroooooooong.

Man, look at that sweet face. I love her SO much.

But let me tell you something. It doesn’t matter that this is my fifth time. This new mom stuff is HARD AS HELL.

Picture me with my head on my best friend’s shoulder (she’s an amazing pediatric nurse) crying my heart out because Cora LOST WEIGHT after me nursing her every hour for five days while I pumped on the other side and then fed her that.

I cried and cried and cried.

I felt like a failure. And it broke my heart. And it doesn’t matter that this isn’t my first rodeo and that I KNEW we would survive. It didn’t matter that I damn well know that I’m not a failure as a mom. And that my worth as a woman and a mother doesn’t depend on how successful I am at breastfeeding.

It hurt.

If you are reading this and you are struggling with sleepless nights and weigh ins and pressure from others, I want you to know this.

YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB. YOU WILL GET THROUGH THIS. DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP AND CRY IF YOU NEED TO AND ADMIT YOU ARE OVERWHELMED.

It is scary. And exhausting. And I feel lost every day.

And then it came back to me. Mommy déjà vu.

I have felt this way

every.

single.

time.

Every time I feel like I’m walking with a blindfold on.
Every time I am too hard on myself and every time I care too much what everyone else is doing and the path that everyone else is walking.

There’s a big difference between having a child now and what it was like when I had Harper.

There’s more information out there. Everyone is sharing their opinion and those opinions are right there all the time, thanks to social media. I feel like there is a lot more pressure now.

On the flip side- I am so much more relaxed as an “older mom”. I am able to just hold Cora and love her and enjoy it.

That doesn’t mean I’m not struggling and that it’s not hard for me.

If you are reading this and YOU are struggling…know that it doesn’t matter what anyone else is doing or saying or sharing their opinion about.

You do what works for YOU and YOUR family. That’s what being a good mother is all about. Being a good mother is not about being perfect or being successful at everything you try. Failure happens. Learn from it and be gentle with yourself.

I’m telling myself these words every day.

Being a good mother and a good woman does not hinge on

bottle or breast

home or work

epidural or no epidural

baby wearing or stroller

co-sleeping or bassinet

organic or not

It just doesn’t.

If you are reading this and you are in the thick of it…

I see you. You are a wonderful mom and this will pass.

And then you will be the one saying what a breeze it was (WRONG). And you will look at your beautiful, strong, smart, kind children and know all of this self-doubt and sleeplessness and uncertainty…

well it was all worth it.

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Meet Cora Jane ♡

October 2, 2015

Introducing Cora Jane Howell

Cora Jane Howell

Born September 30 at 12:25 pm

7 lbs 6 oz

Most hair we’ve ever seen on a baby girl- and we know baby girls with hair!

Sweet Cora came into this world quickly and loudly. 2 hours from the moment I walked in the hospital doors!

The moment they said the words “It’s a girl!” I just knew. I knew I was meant to do this. To raise strong, brave, compassionate, fierce little women. She is my joy and my heart and she was a missing puzzle piece that I didn’t even know I was missing.

We are complete.

Cora means “maiden” but for us it’s more of a nod to the Italian word ancora. Ancora means: again, more, another still. Encore. Cora is our little Italian encore. 5 little women.

And Jane means God’s gracious gift.

That she is.

We are in love.

Thanks for sharing in our joy and happiness. Thanks for loving our family. We are so grateful for each of you and your support and encouragement over the years.

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