Reading? What's Reading?

Before Social Media {and specifically blogging} I used to devour books. Technically I'm still 'reading' other blogs and I will always love writing as my main creative outlet, but I do really miss getting lost in a new book each week. This past month reading was a goal priority, and still I only halfway accomplished while trying to cram in all things baby related.

The good news is I made it to the library and rechecked my overdue books. The bad news is I realize I've been trying to read the same book for nine months according to Instagram:

A photo posted by Janna renee (@jrbogert) on Aug 27, 2014 at 2:08pm PDT

I really, really want to get into this book because Will raved about  it after he read it, but I haven't been able to get past the beginning yet. I love running, so I want to delve into the crazy running feats this Mexican tribe has accomplished in Born To Run {like running for days on end, all the races they conquer, running from enemies, etc}, and I've heard that it's 'riveting', so I just hope I get to the riveting part before they won't let me check it out again.

Other than that, I've been loving my Kindle App because I can read in the dark. For the past few months I've found myself wide awake early in the morning, so I click into the app and read until I get sleepy again. I've made it through the following this way and am now reading Home To Stay. It takes me a pretty long time to get through each book this way and every now and then the plot keeps me up, but  I do enjoy the solitary time I have reading without distractions.

Meant To Be If you like travel, Europe, Shakespeare, and/or a young love story, then this is right up your alley. It follows a young girl on a school trip to London, and as the story unfolds she learns to let go in general and in love.

This Is What Happy Looks Like might be my favorite lately. It's another young adult fiction where  a teenage movie star accidentally sends an email to a small town girl, they make a connection turning into pen pals, and he moves an entire movie set to her town to meet her face to face. It's summer love at it's finest with a few surprise twists, including a mother in hiding and a political father that's never been in the picture, and a fun read.

Home To Stay This one is a little 'Safe Haven' esque with a woman moving to a small island to hide from her past, but the story focuses on the island and it's inhabitants, as they work together to build up the tourism, plan a wedding, and seem like real people until a new love story unfolds. It's gotten pretty steamy lately, which I wasn't expecting, but I'm looking forward to how it all turns out. I know something big is coming...dundunDUN.

It's probably strange that I like Young Adult Fiction so much, but YA is like the PG-13 of books, and there's a reason that Will tells me that movies are PG-13 when he's trying to get me to watch them. Whether it's a book or movie, I just don't enjoy horror, gore, overly sexualized characters, or shock value just for the sake of shock value. That being said, any good recommendations that fall into the PG-13 category? Have you guys read any of these?

Look At Me Now, Look At Me Now

Oh hi...is it really Friday?

We went out on a school night {Wednesday}, so it's like Thursday never happened. Who needs'em anyways. For the record, Thursday hangovers are no fun. Especially when you deal with Holiday shoppers aaaaalll day. I've never understood how people wait until the last minute for presents. I'm a basket case all the way until they are all in the mail, so I would make myself sick waiting till Christmas Eve. Let me make this a bit easier for you, if you are one of those people.

Last minute gift ideas:

+ Visit my Pinterest Board full of Gifts.

+ Send your loved ones a copy of The Dating Game!

I'm sure they will find our engagement extremely enthralling, and whether they are dating or reminiscing, it's a good read. I just got my own copies in the mail, so now I'm just waiting on that moolah. Look at me now, look at me now, Oh, I'm gettin' paper.

Will is now taking full credit, saying that I wouldn't have been able to write the story if he hadn't have proposed. He says he will sign copies for a small fee. Oh lawd...

Other than that, I think we may start continue packing this weekend, because we know we won't have the energy over the holidays, and the first week in January I'll be in Florida. I DON'T want to wait until last minute {even though the procrastination angel on my left side is telling me too}, so it's now or never. Anyone wanna come help? 

Don't all jump at once ;)

Inspire Me: Healthy

Today, I have two things to share.

#1 Go pick up this book:

Source: barnesandnoble.com via Janna on Pinterest

 Do you find yourself lured by McDonald's arches?

Do the large portions beg you to finish them?

Does the thought of a chocolate layer cake send you into ecstasy?

Well, then you NEED to read this book. For me, it was my battle with wanting what I told myself I couldn't have and then overindulging on the "good food" to make myself feel better about it. Yes, homemade trail mix is a great healthy snack...that is until you eat the whole bag in one sitting!

Basically, this book breaks down how the food industry figured out how to control our minds with food and have capitalized on that while we internally struggle against them to no avail.

I'm sure this sounds like a conspiracy theory, but all I know is that I now have control over what and where I eat! 

#2 Eating healthy is NOT expensive.

Source: sodahead.com via Janna on Pinterest

So eating bad is cheaper? 

Is it cheaper when you add up how much you spend on eating out? Is it cheaper when you have to pay for gym memberships to work it off? Is it cheaper when you lose money missing work for sickness? Is it cheaper when you have to pay for meds when you are sick? Is it cheaper when it causes long term or fatal illnesses? Shall I go on....

Source: google.com via Janna on Pinterest

Is that scary to you? Cuz it freaks me out!

People ask me how I refrain from eating out all the time, and THAT is exactly why. I can whip up a WEEK of healthy food, and spend a few dollars a day on food that KEEPS ME FIT.

Not only that, but I rarely get sick, I sleep better, I have more energy, and I'm always happy...

That makes the choice very easy.

Source: google.com via Janna on Pinterest

I wonder how many of you are going to be surprised by this...I hope that many of you are, so that you can be inspired to make those changes that we have all been talking about.
Go get the book or just download it through Google.
You won't regret it!

As for my own "progress", I was hoping to lose another pound or two for next week, but so far I am only maintaining :( I'm totally okay with how I look now, but the pressure is on for finals!
Here's hopin'...

How To Reach Marital Bliss: Part 1

I realized that if I started my review of "The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands" with my post about make up sex, I would be getting ahead of myself and the significance of the book.  I want to make sure that you get as much out of this review as I can provide, so I must prime you for maximum absorption.  I'm not even going to pretend that some of the information isn't hard to swallow for our generations, some of you may even think I'm crazy, but if you truly want to have a "marriage" and not just a roommate, then their is no arguing the logic in this book.

To make it more palatable, I will try to break it up and put my own spin on it.  Not that the book was anything but fabulous, I just realize that it's pretty heavy and to be honest, mind-blowing.  Yes, I said MIND-BLOWING.  Did I know this when I picked up the book? No. Did I really expect to take Dr. Laura seriously? Absolutely not.  Did I think that this book would improve my marriage? Nope.  Is Dr. Laura now my new idol? Hell yes.  Will this book also improve your marriage? Without a doubt in my mind.

Shall we start with the title? I must admit, I interpreted the title as a sarcastic nod towards "empowering women" and freeing them from the chains of home life.  Boy, was I wrong.  Imagine my surprise when I realized that the title meant EXACTLY what was stated.  But wait- I thought that the feminist movement taught us that we were to be treated equally and weren't supposed to be S.A.H.M's waiting on our husband hand and foot...You're telling me that even though we had a "movement" we STILL aren't happy? Hmmm.....

Perhaps a "joke" from the book, titled "The Perfect Husband", will help us with perspective:

A new Perfect Husband Shopping Center opened where a woman could go to choose from among many men to find the perfect husband. It was laid out on five floors, with the men increasing in positive attributes as you ascended the floors. The only rule was that once you open the door to any floor, you must choose a man from that floor, and if you go up a floor, you can't go back down except to leave the store.

So, a couple of girlfriends go to the store to find a man to marry. The first-floor sign reads: "These men have high-paying jobs and love kids." The women read the sign and say, "Well, that's wonderful, but..." and wonder what's on the next floor.

The second-floor sign reads: "These men have high-paying jobs, love kids, and are extremely good looking."

"Hmmmm," say the girls. "Wonder what's further up?"

The third-floor sign reads: "These men have high-paying jobs, love kids, are extremely good looking, and will help with the housework."

"Wow!!!" say the women. "Very tempting.... but there's more further up!!!"

The fourth-floor sign reads: "These men have high-paying jobs, love kids, are extremely good looking, will help with the housework, and are great in bed."

"Oh mercy me. But just think!!! What must be awaiting us further up?!" say the women. So up to the fifth floor they go.

The fifth-floor sign reads: "This floor is just to prove that women are impossible to please."

Quit laughing- you know it's true....

Fiiiine.  There's no harm in having your chuckle, as I did, and then I HAD to read it to Will.  Go ahead show your significant other.  They will be impressed. Promise.  They will also be impressed that you are interested in their care and feeding.  They have been fed the same feminist crap that we have, so the fact that there is a book solely to teach us to take care of them is unfathomable to them.

So... to recap part one:

This book really IS to teach us "The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands"

The feminist movement simply confused our already conflicted ideas of marriage.

Men are just as lost in marriage as we are, because marriage ain't what it used to be.

We are impossible to please.

Optional Homework:

If you are single- 

Rejoice that you are learning this BEFORE you have settled for a guy that doesn't deserve the fruits of this book.

If you are a girlfriend or fiance`- 

Ponder your relationship and what makes you believe in it.  Are you willing to take care of this man (and in return will he take care of you) for the rest of your lives?

If you are married- 

You obviously committed to your husband (and he to you), so you need to remember the reasons that you both chose to do this.  Whether you are in a good place in your marriage or not- it is important to never forget the foundation for the relationship.

Bonus: 

Sit down with your significant other while on a date, over dinner or even curled up before bed and list out the things that made you fall in love with each other.  You could even make it a game by putting a time limit or certain quota...you know how men like a challenge ;)

Bonus Bonus:

Find a copy of the book and follow along!  You can find it online, obviously, but I checked my copy out from the library until I found a copy at a thrift store.  There is also another along the same lines, but I haven't found one to purchase yet.

I can't explain how excited I am to continue sharing this with you...I feel like I am doing a service to society by reiterating Dr. Laura's ideas.  I hope you enjoy this half as much as I'm going to!  Maybe we could even do a Link Up of the "Love Lists" if enough of you are interested...Could be my first one <3