Books 18 and 19

Book 18 was our book club pick:

I didn't love it, but I'm going to finish the trilogy. This book very much establishes character and world, and I've heard the final two books are incredible. There were about six very different plotlines that very minimally overlapped, but I'm curious to see where they go.

Book 19 was another book we are reading as a campus:

This book talks a lot about the overparenting and social media use of Gen Z. I think Haidt overstates his case in multiple places, but I don't disagree with some of his findings. It makes me very grateful that Brad and I let our kids climb trees and use adult tools. 
 

And Now He's Off!

Tuesday, I moved Evan into his dorm room at NC State for their wrestling camp. He is there with a good chunk of his team, and he says he is learning a ton!

They have dual meets every day, and the first day her went 2-0:

Yesterday he went 4-2:

He said one of his losses was to a guy who placed at state and he can see why! 

With both kids away this week, Brad and I are actually enjoying our little preview of empty nest. We certainly miss them and love getting their updates, but we also are loving the time together and the ability to be a bit more spontaneous. 
 

She's Off!

Issa is officially living her best Italian life! She was supposed to fly out Saturday, but her flight was cancelled. They were rebooked Sunday on better flights, and she was off:

On the long flight, she had the whole exit row to herself, and when she landed, she immediately fell in love with the countryside--especially the trees. She is learning the two and the culture, and she is able to eat so easily and so well.

I am so proud of how she is launching herself into new experiences, and I can't  wait to keep hearing about her adventures.
 

A Quick Trip North

We made a very quick trip to Wisconsin last week. The primary purpose of our visit was to see Papa Don and Grandma Nancy:


It was the first time we had seen them since they moved up there, and we are so grateful for the time together. We also fell in love with their little corner of Wisconsin.

One of the things on Brad's bucket list was to visit the House on the Rock, which features prominently in one of his favorite books. We had no idea it was fifteen minutes from their house! We stayed at the House on the Rock Resort, which was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and his team. It has been beautifully maintained, and we loved sitting on our balconies and watching the deer in the evening.

The House itself was built by one of the most eccentric men in history, and pictures will never do it justice. It was the perfect way to celebrate 23 years, though:

The house itself was build room by room, the last one being this infinity room that looks out over the valley:

The wobble was too much for me at the end, but it was beautiful.

The rest of the complex is his series of collections. Issa loved capturing us in the cool mirrors:

He is most known for his music boxes, which are actually whole orchestras that he has automated:

And this carousel is the largest in the world and the feature of the book:

Everything was quirky and you never knew what the next room would hold, but we loved it:

The next day we explored Cave of the Mounds, which was breathtaking:

It's hard to believe it was accidentally discovered when they were blasting for gravel:

It also features a restored prairie we loved exploring:

And no trip to Wisconsin is complete without a stop at the cheese factory:

Our final day took us to the Henry Villa Zoo in Madison, where we got to see a sloth up close:

And become friends with a rhino who has a log wubby he carries with him:

It was a fast and full four days, but I'm so very, very grateful for some family time, laughter, and rest in the middle of this wild summer.

 

Book 17

I ended up reading another professional development book recommended by our new provost:

 It was fascinating to read about the key characteristics of each generation and how they impact each other. Working on a college campus, I can see some of those interactions so clearly now, and it was helpful to think about how the world is changing as Gen Z becomes adults. I highly recommend for anyone in leadership in any organization.

Books 15 and 16

I recently finished two more books!

The first was our latest book club selection; I loved it and actually made it to book club:

Somehow this author never hit my radar, but I love him. It's a fantasy world that speaks directly to our current one, and I appreciated the discussion about religion versus faith.

The second book was a major goal of mine:

I really wanted to read a popular book in Italian. I picked this one up at the co-op in Sansepolcro, and it was just a fun read. The title translates to I Hate You But I Love You More, and it was just a fun rom com read. I'm sure proud I could do it--and enjoy it!
 

Happy Birthday to Me!

I turned 45 on Monday, and while this is one of the busiest work weeks of the summer for me, my family has made sure we have taken time to celebrate.

Sunday night, Brad made me an angel food cake. Gram used to make me one every year, and I don't think I've had a homemade one since she passed. I was missing it, and Brad killed it. Like. I cried it was so good.

Monday night, Mom joined us for dinner at Nomad. It really is one of our favorite places, and it was lovely to just relax after a very long day on campus.

Last night, we went to McKay's, which is our new favorite book store/media store/game store. It's all used, and it is huge but incredibly well-organized. We have been talking about getting a record player for a while, and last night we did it:

We picked up a stack of vinyl, including most of Taylor Swift's albums, Billy Joel, Bon Jovi, and Harry Chapin. It was so fun to listen to them last night, and even Evan said he is enjoying having music downstairs again.

Saturday we are spending the day doing nothing as the final celebration, which I am so very, very excited about!