Top 10 Books That Have Stayed With Me

My co-worker challenged me on Facebook to list the 10 books that have stayed with me. I thought it would be fun to add a little reason why I picked each book on my blog. 

In no particular order (and yes, I'm allowed to count series as "one" book):

1. The Divine Comedy 
I read this book in high school for AP English. Man, Dante was gutsy for his time! I named my beloved cat after him. The Inferno is terrifying in it's own way. My copy of the book has so many notes and annotations in it; I can literally find something new in the book each time I read it. 
2. Harry Potter 
I just love all the Harry Potter books. In my defense, Harry Potter was released when I was in middle school (which was about the age that Harry was) so I "grew up" with the books. I really cared for all the main characters and I love re-reading this series. I can't wait to read it to my own children! 
3. Unbroken 
This is the most incredible non-fiction novel I've ever read. Angelina Jolie produced the movie version of this book and it will be released in December-I'll be first in line to see it! It follows the life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner who was taken prisoner by Japanese forces during World War 2. I read this on the beach at Cayman Island 2011. It's a page turner; I just can't even begin to imagine all of this being true-but it is! 
4. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
My grandmother Faye gave this to me to read when I was in elementary school. It reminds me of my childhood and the hope and courage that exists in all children. I get so nostalgic when I watch the BBC version of this series! This is another book/series that I can't wait to read to my own kids. 
5. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
This is another non-fiction work. I was in a book club several years ago and this was the pick for one of the months. I hadn't heard of the title before and didn't think I was too interested in the subject matter (the immortal cell line that came from her cervical cancer cells) but this was another book that I couldn't put down. This is such an amazing contribution that this woman made to medicine...and she didn't even know it! It does make me very leery of ever letting doctors take blood or samples from me or my children. 
6. The Giver
I honestly can't remember when I read this novel for the first time; I know it wasn't in middle or high school. I'm pretty sure it was in college. Some critics don't like it but there's just something about it that speaks to me. I haven't seen the movie but can't wait to!
7. To Kill a Mockingbird 
Can you believe I read this book for the first time last year??? Not sure why we didn't have to read it for AP English. What an amazing story of humor in tough times and racial equality. I've begged Justin that if we have more kids and one turns out to be another boy that we name him Atticus. He is one of my favorite fictional characters of all time!
8. Lord of the Rings 
Love the books; love the movies. I love the fantasy genre in case you can't tell. I love the journey this series takes me on. I read The Hobbit in middle school and then started the rest of the series in high school.
9. Atonement 
This book is all about how a simple lie can ruin lives. It is a story of love and war set during World War 2. I read it after I saw the movie in 2007. I thought the movie was great and the book was even better. Usually I read the book first and then see the movie; this time it was vice versa.
10. Beach Music 
The author Pat Conroy is such an amazing storyteller. This book had me so emotionally invested in the characters and the events. I've read through it twice but it is one that I will probably read once ever 5 or so years. In a way this book reminds me of Atonement-the characters in both novels seem to searching for atonement. 

And that's it! Honestly, this list was tough to come up with because there are just too many books that I love. I'm sure it will change every decade or so as well! A side note-I am currently reading Pet Sematary by Stephen King. What a GREAT READ so far! I have been a fan of the movie since I was in middle school but the book takes it to a whole other level. This one has the potential to be added to the list. I have another 6 books on my nightstand right now; I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. I'm also supposed to be reading scripts to pick my competition play and I was picked to review a book for Birchbox's Book Club. Too many books!!! 

So, what is on your top 10 list? Are there any on my list that are your favorite or that you really enjoy? 

Walmart Beauty Box

I received my fall Walmart Beauty Box in the mail today. I still can't believe Walmart of all places has a subscription beauty box!

In the box: 

*Loreal YouthCode Pore Vanisher (sample)

*Nicki Minaj "Pink Friday" perfume (sample)

*Dove Advanced Hair Series Oxygen Moisture shampoo & conditioner (samples)

*CoverGirl "Glowing Nights" glosstinis nail polish in "Laser Light" (sample)

*Dove Dry Oil for hair (sample)

*Loreal Glossy Balm in "Pink Me Up" (full size)

*Secret Clinical Strength deodorant (full size)

*A coupon for $2 off Neutrogena Long Wear makeup 

The price for the box is $5 and the deodorant and glossy balm definitely make it worth it to me. They claim to send you products based on the time of year (it is a quarterly box) but nothing in the box seemed to be fall related or fall colors. It came in the mail as a complete surprise-they didn't send an email or any correspondence about it after I signed up for it. Thats ok; like I said, for $5 every 3 months it's worth it.  

Simply September

I woke up yesterday morning and turned to Justin and said, "It's time to start decorating for Halloween!!!" I've been so excited to try out some decorating ideas I saw on Pinterest (I will share those on my next blog post).

Then, I started feeling a little anxious. Once Halloween hits, then we have Thanksgiving and Christmas and all the obligations that come with the months of November and December. Poor September. It's a month that we take for granted. It's after August with all the end of summer, back to school festivities, and before all the holiday months. I thought to myself, what is there to get excited about for September? It's not quite fall but not summer anymore. I decided that I need to jazz up my September but don't want to commit to any major projects or spend a bunch of money. Here are some simple ideas I came up with to make my September a little more special. 

*Start each morning with a fun "goal" or positive thought. 

I like to believe in the power of positive thinking, and I tell my students about making your dreams a reality all the time. Each morning think about one thing that you are grateful for or one fun thing you would like to incorporate into your day. Why should November have all the fun when it comes to being grateful? I'm going to make it a commitment every morning to think about what I'm grateful for. Today it's Grandparents Day and I thought to myself, how incredibly grateful I am to my wonderful grandparents. They are like parents to me. I also said a little prayer for my Grandmother Nancy up in Heaven. Already my day has been off to a great start! I also like the idea of themed goals. Maybe one morning the theme could be "feel like a rock star" and wear all black with some funky eye makeup. Maybe one morning it's "Feel like a goddess" and you could wear a pretty outfit to work. Or quite simply, "Survive the day" and wear some comfy clothes. I think it makes your mornings a little more exciting :). 

*For exercise, take a walk. 

This is the time of year to start a workout routine before you are bombarded with social commitments and lots of holiday food. Don't have time or money to go to the gym? Go take a walk! The weather is starting to cool off  and you can connect with your neighborhood. Have kids? Take them with you! Some of my favorite memories have involved taking Julian on a walk with him riding in his red wagon. It's such a great way to bond with your family and burn some calories at the same time.  

*Pick one part of your beauty routine that you'd like to change or spend some TLC on.

I've decided it's time to change my hair routine. Last weekend Birchbox had a great Labor Day weekend coupon. I took advantage of it and purchased the following products all for $45 (included was free shipping and the two products in the front row. I also used $10 worth of credit I had earned for reviewing boxes). I'm going to start shampooing my hair less and using dry shampoo more. 

The reason for this? In Women's Health I read ways that celebrities keep their hair looking so gorgeous, and here are the two ideas I'm going to try out this month: 

Want to join Birchbox? Don't forget my referral code: https://www.birchbox.com/invite/crystalking

*Try out some new fashion that won't break the bank! 

I'm never sure what to wear in September. Here in Texas it's still too hot to wear fall clothes and if you are like me then you are already sick of your summer clothes. One simple fix is to buy a few scarves and wear them with your summer tops. I just love anything with sparkles and I can't wait to mix in some sparkly scarves with my wardrobe. Confession: I don't like fall fashion or clothes. I don't like how constricting they are. I'm a sandals/dresses/tank tops and shorts kinda gal.  

Here's another fashion idea-jazz up your nails! People will be so busy looking at your fabulous nails that they won't even notice what you are wearing. I saw these examples in Women's Health and I can't WAIT to try them out, especially the color combos: 

So, how about you? What are some things you would like to try this September?

My August Favorites

Happy Labor Day weekend and first day of September! This has been a crazy week. I had back to school and all the stress and excitement associated with that, then on Friday my wonderful in-laws took ALL the kids to spend the weekend with them. Justin and I have 3 days to ourselves! Our 3 year anniversary was August 20th so we've been celebrating the past few days. Friday night we hopped around town, slept in on Saturday and lounged around most of the day, and then met two other couples for dinner. This morning Justin went for to his fantasy football draft so I am in the house ALL BY MYSELF. It is such a rare occurrence that I'm not quite sure what to do with myself. Read? Clean? Watch TV? Work? Workout? So much to do, so little time.

The end of summer is upon us so I thought I'd share some of my favorite things from Summer 2014.

Makeup and Beauty
I splurged and purchased the "Modern Mermaid" box from Birchbox. I had a promo for 20% off and they were offering free shipping so I was able to get this and a mystery sample pack of products for  $35. I gave the nail polish and lip balm as gifts and kept the rest for myself. I absolutely love the blue eyeliner and the sea salt spray for adding texture to your hair. I've had several compliments on the blue liner already. I keep the perfume in my purse and use it throughout the day at school-its a nice scent and one I wouldn't have picked out myself. I don't have much use for the waterproof "mascara" so I'll hold onto that for next summer.

If you haven't signed up for Birchbox and decide to check it out, don't forget my referral code https://www.birchbox.com/invite/crystalking

Sports

I know I mentioned the World Cup in a previous post, but how can I not mention it again? It was so fun to watch the USMNT's run at glory. I spent a whole month living and breathing FIFA soccer. I loved going to bars around the area to watch the games. I can't believe I have to wait another 4 years for the next World Cup. 

Music
For my birthday Justin bought me tickets to ACL this October. I'm so excited!!! I've been listening to all the artists that will be headlining and I stumbled across Phantogram. I had heard one of their songs on 91.7 KXT and wasn't too crazy about it but I gave them another chance and much to my surprise I am REALLY digging their music! I love Metric and Phantogram reminds me of them in a way.  Check out my favorite song by them:
Phantogram Black Out Days
I also heard the next band on Sirius Alt Nation and I've been listening to their songs on repeat:
Fenech-Soler Last Forever

Books
I didn't get to read as many books this summer as I would have liked, but my fall list is pretty extensive. It has a bunch of scripts on it (I'm a theatre teacher) as well as Stephen King. I've never read any of his books and looking forward to it! There is one book that I really enjoyed that I didn't think I would like so much-"If I Stay" by Gayle Forman. Every other page seemed to have me in tears. The main character is in a horrible car crash with her mom, dad, and bother, and she has to decide if she wants to stay here on earth or move on. When I was reading the reviews I unfortunately found out the ending, but I still enjoyed the book.

What are your favorite things from Summer 2014? Any special memories?

Summer Reading

This summer I had wild dreams of reading a whole bunch of books on my reading list. Sadly, I only got around to two of them. Usually my summer nights are spent catching up on TV shows and movies, and during the school year I get back to reading before bed. I'm not going to "review" the books I read (I'll leave that to the experts); however, I'd like to share my thoughts and what I took away from each book. 

The fiction book that I read was "The Invention of Wings" by Sue Monk Kidd. I've adored all the other books I've read by her and I knew I was going to enjoy this one. I was not disappointed! 

The Booklist summary of the book is: Inspired by the true story of early-nineteenth-century abolitionist and suffragist Sarah Grimké, Kidd paints a moving portrait of two women inextricably linked by the horrors of slavery. Sarah, daughter of a wealthy South Carolina plantation owner, exhibits an independent spirit and strong belief in the equality of all. Thwarted from her dreams of becoming a lawyer, she struggles throughout life to find an outlet for her convictions. Handful, a slave in the Grimké household, displays a sharp intellect and brave, rebellious disposition. She maintains a compliant exterior, while planning for a brighter future. Told in first person, the chapters alternate between the two main characters’ perspectives, as we follow their unlikely friendship (characterized by both respect and resentment) from childhood to middle age. While their pain and struggle cannot be equated, both women strive to be set free—Sarah from the bonds of patriarchy and Southern bigotry, and Handful from the inhuman bonds of slavery. 

There were a few passages in particular that really moved me. The first passage is when Sarah Grimke decides to take a break from caring over her dying father and go swimming in the ocean. 

"She smiled when I emerged from the changing room. She had no cap, and I'd unpinned my hair, which was flaming out in the wind. She said I looked like a mermaid. I took hold of one of the ropes and followed it into the waves, hand over fist, until I came to where the rest of the ladies stood. The water slapped our thighs, tossing us to and fro, a tiny game of Snap the Whip, and then without knowing what I was about to do, I turned loose and strode away from them. I pushed into the seething water, and when I was some distance, I dropped onto my back and floated. It was a shock to feel the water hold me. To lie in the sea while upstairs my father lay dying."

For whatever reason, this passage had me in tears after I read it. Sarah is experiencing a very freeing moment for herself, and I felt like I was rooting her on. Throughout this book Sarah has to "take care" of her parents even though they haven't emotionally taken care of her. I was proud of her for taking a moment for herself, however fleeting it was. 

The next passage that spoke to me was "How does one know the voice is God's? I believed the voice bidding me to go north belonged to him, though perhaps what I really heard that day was my own impulse to freedom. Perhaps it was my own voice. Does it matter?"

And finally, " "...Why would God plant such deep yearnings in us...if they only come to nothing?" It was more of a sigh than a question. I was thinking of Charlotte and her longing to be free, but as the words left my mouth, I knew I was thinking of myself, too. I hadn't really expected Lucretia to respond, but after a moment, she spoke. "God fills us with all sorts of yearnings that go against the grain of the world-but the fact those yearnings often come to nothing, well, I doubt that's God's doing." She cut her eyes at me and smiled. "I think we know that's men's doing." " 

Beautiful. It makes me think of children and how we stifle their creativity. We tell them they can't do certain things or pursue certain dreams because we as adults don't think it's what they should do. I had a long talk with my husband about this topic. We have three children who will one day want to pursue something that maybe we won't necessarily "like." I might not agree with their decision but I will give 100% of my self to them to make sure they are the best at whatever it is they want to do. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. It was very moving and I was emotionally invested in the main characters. If you have read it let me know what you think! 

The second book that I read this summer was the non-fiction "The Energy Bus" by Jon Gordon. Now I will admit, I did not choose to read this book "for fun." I read it for work. 

The Amazon summary of the book: The Energy Bus, an international bestseller, takes readers on an enlightening and inspiring ride that reveals ten secrets for approaching life and work with the kind of positive, forward thinking that leads to true accomplishment—at work and at home.

Everyone faces challenges. And every person, organization, company, and team has to overcome negativity and adversity to define themselves and create their success. No one goes through life untested and the answer to these tests is positive energy—the kind of positive energy that consists of the vision, trust, optimism, enthusiasm, purpose, and spirit that defines great leaders and their dreams.

I understand why they had us read this book before the start to the new school year. It's got a great moral to the story-be more positive in your outlook in life. The ten steps he outlined to living a more positive life are as follows: 

1) You're the driver of your bus
2) Desire, vision, and focus move your bus in the right direction
3) Fuel your ride with positive energy (negative energy is friction)
4) Invite people on your bus and share your vision for the road ahead
5) Don't waste your energy on those who don't get on your bus
6) Post a sign that says no energy vampires allowed on your bus (get rid of the malcontents)
7) Enthusiasm attracts more passengers and energizes them for the ride
8) Love your passengers by giving them your time, listening, recognition, service - work to bring out the best in them
9) Drive with purpose
10) Have fun and enjoy the ride

There was one quote in particular that really spoke to me: "Too blessed to be stressed." It made me really take a look at my own life and realize how good I have it. This quote will be my motto for this next school year. 

The one thing I didn't like about this book was the story of George. George is a fictional character who needs to turn his life around because he is too negative. It was a little too cheesy and unbelievable for me. I would have enjoyed it more if Jon Gordon had used a real life example of somebody who went through the ten steps. We will be meeting the author next week and I will be curious to see if anybody asks about that part of the book. 

If you need a little "pick me up" for your work or personal life, check out "The Energy Bus." It's a quick read and really does make you realize that no matter how bad things seem to be, they could always be worse. 

The next two books I have on my reading list are "Looking For Alaska" by John Green (fiction) and "The Highly Sensitive Person" by Elaine Aron (non-fiction). 

How about you-what did you read this summer or have next on your reading list? 

Power Up Challenge

If you are my friend on Instagram or Twitter you've been bombarded the past 24 hours of pictures from me. I signed up and received my first Birchbox a few days ago and included was a packet full of 12 mini "challenges." In my previous post I discussed tasks and wanting to check items off a list, so needless to say I was only too happy to participate. Even more motivating was the opportunity to win a contest, but the only catch was I had to do it in a 48 hour time span because the contest ends tonight at midnight. Here were the challenges and what I did for each task. If you want to read more specifics about each challenge, visit https://www.birchbox.com/magazine/article/power-up-challenge

If you want to see the pictures that I posted, check out my Twitter page: https://twitter.com/crystalmdking

Challenge 1: Write it down
A few of my close friends use the app MyFitnessPal. I joined about a month ago and have been logging my workouts and calorie intake. It really does make a difference when you can see what you are consuming and burning off.

Challenge 2: Part your hair differently 
For as long as I can remember I've parted my hair on the same side. I parted it a different way and this sounds silly but it kinda threw me off for a little bit! It's funny how the smallest changes can make a big difference.

Challenge 3: Eat veggies for breakfast
I bought some tasty spinach and quinoa cakes at Costco and paired them with some veggie bacon. Delicious meal! You could even put some eggs over medium on top. I need to get better about putting spinach in my morning smoothies.

Challenge 4: Get out of your color comfort zone 
I wore purple lipstick to the courthouse this morning. Definitely out of my comfort zone, but it was fun to try out.

Challenge 5: Sit smarter 
My trainer has been working on some back exercises with me. A lot of people slouch because they don't have the back muscle support! I've become cognizant of sitting up now every time I am seated.

Challenge 6: Skip the mirror 
I don't spend too much time looking in the mirror to begin with so this really isn't a "challenge." Only if you are putting on makeup, I guess! I skipped putting on my makeup in the mirror this morning and just went for the purple lips. I'm sure that was all I needed anyways!

Challenge 7: Up your sleep quality 
This is an area where I know I need a lot more work on. Go to bed 5 minutes earlier than the night before, and turn off that technology! I've been getting really bad about playing around on my iPad instead of reading a good book this summer. I'm looking forward to continuing with this challenge.

Challenge 8: Log 10 minutes of outdoor time (daily) 
Not really a good time of year to be doing this but I did it anyway. Julian loves being outdoors so this is a good way to bond with him as well. There are days during the school year when the only time I am outside is walking to or from my car. Fall is my favorite time of year for weather so I can't wait to do more outdoor activities.

Challenge 9: Go on a blue streak 
I wore some blue eyeliner! And actually liked it! That was seriously my first time to do that. It makes my green hazels eyes pop out more than just my black eyeliner.

Challenge 10: Sneak cardio into your day 
I've been going to the gym pretty much every day this summer so it wasn't too difficult to "sneak" some cardio in. Really, going to the gym is the only alone time I get to have in a day so I try to make the most out of my time.

Challenge 11: Take a cold shower 
Yuck, not a fan of this one. It's supposed to energize you and all that, but I prefer my showers to be scalding. Even after going to the gym I prefer a nice hot shower. This was my least favorite challenge and not one that I'll do again.

Challenge 12: Perfect your push up
I've been working on push ups and planks at the gym. Add in the stability ball...not fun but funny to watch, but I've been getting better each time working with the trainer!

If you try any of these challenges out yourself (or all of them!) let me know. It's fun and takes no time at all.

If you check out Birchbox and think it's something you would like to try, I would appreciate it if you use my referral code. But don't worry, I'm not going to beg you for referrals ;-) https://www.birchbox.com/invite/crystalking

Let's get physical

In May I turned the big 3-0. "Uh oh, 3-0" is what my mom taught Julian to say to me. If you know me well, you know how much I dread birthdays. I get really morbid and depressed and start thinking about my time on earth. I'm not kidding; before kids I would usually take my birthdays off and lounge in bed and listen to emo-ish music and get very existential. I had been dreading this birthday for some time. Your 20's are all about having the most fun in your life and making the most mistakes with the least amount of consequences. Your 30's are your "growing up" time. People expect you to have it all figured out, and if you don't then what's wrong with you? Your success to other people goes from how much "fun"  you are having in your 20's to how much you "have" in your 30's. When people say you have your whole life to figure things out, you are forgetting about the now. How do you even know if you have a "whole life" to figure things out (see, a little piece into my birthday mind haha)?

When the big day finally came Justin asked me that question I knew I was going to have to answer. He said, "Most people work their whole lives to accomplish what you have accomplished the last 5 years of your life. What do you want to accomplish now that you are 30?" Hmmmm. I have the husband, the career, the degree, the house, the car, the kids, etc. etc., what now? I'm a goal person. Always needing to move to the next goal; check it off my list. What is it that I want from life right now? What is it that I need to check off my list?

The answer was right there and had been there for the past few months but I was too "afraid" to vocalize it before then. I don't like it when I have to admit there is something that I need to do better about (or apologize about). It drives me crazy when people vocalize complaints but never do anything about it. If you don't like the relationship or job, change them. If you don't like something about yourself, change it! If not there is so much wasted potential. Nobody likes complainers; they like success stories. There is always something we can change about ourselves or become better at.

My answer is, I want to get healthy and physically fit. I'm somewhere in the middle of the road when it comes to how healthy I am. I'm a pesceterian (the only meat I eat is fish) and enjoy eating healthy foods. When it comes to being physically fit, though, that's definitely the area where I'm lacking. I'm not overweight but having 3 kids in two years does crazy things to your body. Up until that point it had been all about the kids and their well being. But that left me feeling like I wasn't spending enough time for myself. And then the mommy guilt starts kicking in and I'm left feeling like I can't win.

I told Justin my answer and he was immediately supportive. That's one of the things I love most about him-any goal or task I want to achieve, he is my number one cheerleader. He doesn't push; he motivates me and holds me accountable for my dreams. He encourages me to do whatever it is that will make me happy. He told me he wanted to help me achieve this new goal and asked what he could do to help. What a great guy. I told him I probably needed to spend some time going back to the gym and he said "whatever I can do to help, I will do."

So right before summer break hit I started going back to the gym. Every. Single. Day. Doing the same thing in the short amount of time I had. Hop on the treadmill, burn 800-900 calories in 50 minutes, and call it a day. 5 days a week. And...not seeing results! The math just wasn't adding up. How can you burn that many calories and not lose weight? I hadn't changed my diet either so that wasn't the problem. I'd talked to a few of my fitness savvy friends and they mentioned where they thought I was going wrong. I'm stubborn though and thought I'd stick it out and I'd eventually see results. I did that for about 4 weeks and then one afternoon I was on the treadmill killing myself and I thought, this is crazy! What am I doing? I'm not a fitness expert, I need somebody who is telling me what to do. So I hopped off the trainer and went and got a personal trainer.

I've been seeing a personal trainer for about 3 weeks now and I just love it. What a great investment-I'm investing in my own health! My personal trainer is great. He's not a "mean" trainer; he's very motivational. If there is something I don't think I can do, then he does it with me. If I start to doubt myself or my ability to do something, he tells me I'm being too hard on myself and that I'm more powerful than I give myself credit for. And he's right. In the 3 weeks I've been seeing him I've been noticing some incredible differences. I just feel better about myself. And ultimately that feeling is priceless, right? Some people have asked, "Well, how much does that cost? Where do you find the time to do that?" I want to respond with, "How do you not take the time to do that? How do you not cut back on eating out or going shopping in order to get physically healthy?" Instead, I just smile and tell them it's totally worth it. Because it is.

Is there something on your own list that you'd like to accomplish right now? If you need an accountability partner, I'll be there for you. Take the time now to accomplish the things on your list, whether it's a honey-do list or a bucket list. It feels so good to check those items off the list instead of feeling guilty about what you would still like to accomplish. You don't have as much time as you think you have!