Sewin, Trippin, Readin

I'm back from spring break and a jubilant Easter! My husband got work off and we just traveled and visited family and lived out of a suitcase all week. Now I have laundry and folding and other endless drabs to get done. (I'm such an optimist today!)

Before we left, like literally RIGHT BEFORE, I was completely packed and ready, and suddenly on a whim decided that I was going to get some sewing done that I've put off for like- EVER. Some things that I thought would make traveling more simple. Let me show you what I quickly, carelessly and slightly chaotically threw together. Though everything turned out better than I had planned on such short notice, and I need to make patterns for it all, this is what I was excited most about:

A travel essential oil case that holds TWENTY mini bottles. It's about the size of a checkbook and fits inside my purse and now I don't have to worry now, or chance losing, my expensive large sized oil bottles! I'm thinking about making one specifically for the car, because then I might be able to get down a pattern and post it on the blog as well so you can make your own!

 Look closely at the sewing job and take in the fact that I am not even close to a professional sewer...

Now snicker to yourself and keep a move on :)

We whipped up some seatbelt pillows for the long drive ahead, that ended up being quite convenient actually! I've seen a couple pinned on Pinterest but didn't end up going to any sources figuring it looked easy enough. I'll have to compare and see if they made it easier than I did.

And then a center color station for the kiddos crammed in the back seat. (You can see it to the left in the photo next to my daughter pulling her fishy face). 

I just did pockets for color/books and crayons. (this now entertains them for mini drives to the bank or to church or running errands, I would recommend it!)

The best part though was that the kids were SO STOKED and felt kinda pampered with such travel luxuries! I thought to myself that a passenger seatbelt pillow and color station wouldn't be such a bad idea eh?

 Maybe next trip!

Okay, now for the important stuff! I read a book on our trip that I desperately want you to read people.  Here's my slightly embarrassing review from my goodREADS account:

Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh Edenbrooke. I can't believe I'm saying this, but it was one of my favorite reads of ALL TIME. I was at a family event when my cousins and mom brought up the topic of this book. They were drooling over themselves and I hadn't even heard of it. With high expectations, this book still came out as a 10 star for me. Yup, 10. My stomach clenched so forcefully all the butterflies in the world to that one location of my abdomen. And all without the prerequisite sex scenes. It's a glorious LOVE story, not a lust story.

But even better than that for me (tho some Regency readers may disagree) is that Donaldson eliminated the sometimes entangled 1800's language and kept it simple and unconfusing. For some reason her approach of a more direct wording rather than extra fluff, made it quicker for my beating heart to come to a quick stop (unlike other Regency reads).

PLEASE. READ.

View all my reviews

Sit yourself down and read this novel. 

Darcy who? 

That is all I have to say.