Yes, the title does say May 2017 and I do realize that it is now mid-August, but I wrote this in May and never got around to posting it! I thought about just deleting the whole thing, but I really do love some of the things I included and wanted to make sure I shared them.

What I’m loving

Math Facts Pro

If you are looking for a great way for your kids to practice their math facts, I totally recommend Math Facts Pro. Every other program we tried, and we tried a few, all stressed my kids out with the way the timer worked. It ended up making them do worse instead of better. The way Math Facts Pro does their timing is out-of-the-way enough that it doesn’t stress my kids out at all. I have seen huge fluency improvement since we started using this program regularly. For $5 a year for up to 5 kids is definitely worth the price to me. There is also a 30-day free trial just to make sure it is a good fit for your family.

Warby Parker Glasses

I have been wanting to order glasses for Warby Parker for a while but kept putting it off. I finally got around to ordering a pair, and I am in love with my new glasses! Not only did I love them, but they were also less than half the cost that I normally pay for glasses. Their glasses start at $95; I paid extra for thinner lenses and my total was $125. They also distribute a pair to someone in need for every pair purchased, which is a selling point for me as well. They offer a free home try-on program, so you can even make sure you like the frames before you order.

Voxer

My love for Voxer is very real. It is a free messaging app for your phone that allows you to use it like a walkie-talkie or voice messaging system. It has honestly changed my life. It allows me to have ongoing conversations with friends without time constraints or interruptions of a phone call. I can tell you from experience it is possible to leave someone a 15-minute message — this seems ridiculous, and yet it is so fun! It also makes it possible to discuss deep things or complex subject matter in a well-thought-out way.

What I’m reading

‘A Bollywood Affair’ by Sonali Dev

I really loved “A Bollywood Affair.” It was just a fun read and it had great character development. I started it and finished it on the same day so that says a lot about how much it sucked me in! I kept telling myself I would just read one more chapter, but before I knew it, it was 3 a.m. and it was over. It is PG-13 so if that is not your thing you might want to skip this one.

From Amazon: “Mili Rathod hasn’t seen her husband in twenty years—not since she was promised to him at the age of four. Yet marriage has allowed Mili a freedom rarely given to girls in her village. Her grandmother has even allowed her to leave India and study in America for eight months, all to make her the perfect modern wife. Which is exactly what Mili longs to be—if her husband would just come and claim her.

“Bollywood’s favorite director, Samir Rathod, has come to Michigan to secure a divorce for his older brother. Persuading a naïve village girl to sign the papers should be easy for someone with Samir’s tabloid-famous charm. But Mili is neither a fool nor a gold-digger. Open-hearted yet complex, she’s trying to reconcile her independence with cherished traditions. And before he can stop himself, Samir is immersed in Mili’s life.”

‘Eleanor & Park’ by Rainbow Rowell

I read “Eleanor & Park” after hearing about it from multiple people. I liked it but the story of Eleanor’s life at home was not my typical light, happy reading. For this reason alone, I wasn’t in love with it. If you don’t mind a little sadder of a story, then you may still really enjoy this one.

From Amazon: “Set over the course of one school year in 1986, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits-smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love and just how hard it pulled you under.”

‘Attachments’ by Rainbow Rowell

“Attachments” is another book that was recommended, and I definitely enjoyed this one more than Eleanor & Park.

From Amazon: “Beth Fremont and Jennifer Scribner-Snyder know that somebody is monitoring their work e-mail. (Everybody in the newsroom knows. It’s company policy.) But they can’t quite bring themselves to take it seriously. They go on sending each other endless and endlessly hilarious e-mails, discussing every aspect of their personal lives.

“Meanwhile, Lincoln O’Neill can’t believe this is his job now- reading other people’s emails.
When Lincoln comes across Beth’s and Jennifer’s messages, he knows he should turn them in. But he can’t help being entertained and captivated by their stories.

“By the time Lincoln realizes he’s falling for Beth, it’s way too late to introduce himself.”