thirteen books: book one

If you read my goals back in December you may have laughed or wondered why I have a goal to read 13 books this year. If you're one of my family members you already know why this is actually something I'll have to work at achieving. For the rest of you, here the story. Plain and simple, I an not a reader, never have been. I can count how many books (just twelve) that I've read on my own purely for enjoyment. In high school I only read one entire book, Brave New World. In college I read just one book as well, Eat, Pray, Love. Spring break of 2009, my senior year of college, I started the Twilight series and surprised myself with how soon I finished it.

That spring break Sam was deployed, I was freaking out about passing all my classes so I could graduate and found that I could take a mini break from reality and escape into a made up world. Enter my newly acquired love for reading. Problem was, I didn't know what I liked. So after those four books I didn't pick up another until last year. I read more books in 2012 than I've read in my whole life. I'm beginning to learn where my interests lie and thanks to my e-reader and iPhone I'm actually able to get through book at a reasonable pace despite my job and wife/mom duties.

My sister sent me this book for Christmas. How she always knows the things I'll like I'm not sure, but this book was fabulous! Very Brave New World/1984/Hunger Games-ish. Plus it's a series, which I love. If you like futuristic, Utopian style books, or any of the three I mentioned above, you'll enjoy this read.

I'm currently reading a six volume mini series  for book number two that I'll blog about when I finish.

a mile a day challenge.

I started running in October of 2011. I wanted to pull a Charlotte from Sex and the City and run through my whole pregnancy but being that I'm not naturally a runner that did not happen. I fully intended on taking running back up after Soren was born, even bought a sweet double jogger to cruise around the neighborhood with. Who knew I'd birth a baby who strongly despises the car seat and stroller? I see a possible motion sickness issue in my future. Any who I came across this challenge back in November. I thought to myself, how realistic, how challenging, how fun! Too bad I can't take part. Well in Elise's reflections on the challenge she said, "If you would like to start now, I say GO FOR IT. Set a time period and just. start. moving." So I did! And that brings me to now, a mile a day until PCS day. For you non military folk that's just a fancy acronym for when we move. I'm attempting to run 15 miles spread out over 15 days. Not so much a physical challenge, which I was pleased to learn, but a mental one.

So I invite you to join in on the challenge! Set a small goal for yourself like did and make it happen.

side note: I ran two miles on day one to make up for starting a day late.