Reading Roundup: Books I Have Read Recently

I am always looking for a good read and take other people's recommendations very much in to account when I make my decisions about what to read next.  Most of my reading lately has been of the self help variety...some I have found on my own and others via recommendations of those who have read the book themselves.  So, in no particular order, we have a list of books I have read recently and a short synopsis of my thoughts on each one.

1.  You Are A Badass:  How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living An Awesome Life by Jen Sincero:  One of the funniest, most straightforward self help books I have ever read, and I have read a lot.  Powerful, motivating, inspiring.

2.  Secrets for Success and Inner Peace by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer:  How have I lived my life so far without Dr. Dyer being a part of it?  To say I am a fan would be an understatement.  My favorite secrets: Give up your personal history and embrace the silence. 

3.  Higher Power: Seeking God in 12 Step Recovery by Douglas D. Himes:  One of the biggest struggles for me in life has always been the concept of  a Higher Power.  To be honest, I am still working on defining my higher power and how it works in my life.  This book helped me in the process of doing just that.  One of my favorite quotes in the book: "It is the essence of God's grace that God cares much more about the person we can become than the person we have been." 

4.  Me Time: Finding the Balance Between Taking Care of Others and Taking Care of Yourself by Jennifer Beall:  Let's be honest...this book was written for me.  Not really...but it should have been.  I took so many notes while reading this book, I should have just copied the whole book word for word.  My favorite quote from this book: "If you try to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one, particularly yourself."  If you are struggling with finding the time to take care of yourself, I highly recommend reading this book.  It is eyeopening!

5.  Awakening to the Wisdom Of Your Soul by P. Lynn Ahearn:  Loved this book.  So many quotes from this book that I highlighted I can't possibly list them all.  Here are a couple:  "There will be a time when you think everything is finished...and that will be the beginning."  "When God is about to do something great, he starts with a difficulty.  When he is about to do something magnificent, he starts with an impossibility."  This book was about listening to your inner voice and trusting your gut.  Highly recommended.

Back To School

The kids go back to school the week after next.  I could go on and on about how quick the summer has gone, what I am doing to prepare for the beginning of the school year or that I can't believe how fast the kids are growing up.  Instead though, my thoughts are focused on one thing and one thing only and that is this:  With respect to one of my kids...this year has got to be better than last.  Because really?  Last year was some version of hell. 

So I am hoping, and praying, and pleading, and whatever else I can do to make it so.  And asking the universe to give me whatever I need to support her and make it not so awful...for her and by extension me.

Secrets of Manifesting

I have been listening to Wayne Dyer's lecture series called the Secrets of Manifesting.  My thoughts on the lecture are probably more suited to my private blog at this point but one of the things that he said regarding food was very interesting.  After trying my coffee this morning with skim milk and honey it seemed fitting, as well as shocking.  Here it is:

In 1900 the average amount of sugar consumed by a person in a day was 18 grams.  Today it is over 300 grams.

Whoa.

Recipe

I have been testing out different recipes lately.  I am sick of cooking the same old things and it just so happens I actually enjoy cooking more when I am trying something new.  Lately, the focus has been on breakfast.  With the start of school just around the corner, I have been looking for quick and easy recipes that can be ready to go in the morning, and possibly even taken to go.  Getting my older two to eat breakfast is something akin to pulling teeth.  They don't enjoy cereal (unless I buy the kind that basically equates to giving them a bowl full of sugar which I refuse to do) an they don't want to take the time to make anything else.  In the case of my oldest, I can understand that.  She has to be up at 5:45 to catch the bus as it is.  I have a collection of recipes that I plan to try on the kids over the next week so we will have a few (I hope) keepers for the start of the school year. 

The first one I have tried is definitely not up there on the healthy side but it does have apples!  Oh, and it was delicious. I substituted gluten free oats so Julia could enjoy this as well (Oats do not actually contain gluten but have a very high chance of cross contamination due to the fields they are grown in.  The oats I buy are grown in fields that do not grow wheat or other gluten containing grains). 

 

Apple Oats Crock

Place 2 sliced apples, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, pinch salt in the bottom of the crock pot.
Pour in 2 cups of oatmeal, 2 cups of milk and 2 cups water.
Do NOT stir.
Cook overnight for 8 - 9 hours on low.

I have missed...

...blogging in a more public setting.  I will continue to maintain a private blog, where I will highlight the more personal details of my journey but this is where I will be posting about my everyday life...my happenings in the hood...motherhood.