What I’m loving

No tie shoelaces

My son’s soccer coach recommended no tie laces for his cleats and they have been so great for us this season. His coach loves that they never come untied during games or practice. I even put a pair in my running shoes and have liked them a lot myself.

Amwell online doctor visits

I got a flyer about Amwell ages ago from our health insurance company, and only recently tried it out. I had a bad UTI over the weekend and I didn’t want to pay the $75 co-pay to go to urgent care. I ended up looking up Amwell and within a few minutes, the doctor had called in a prescription all without me having to leave my couch. Their flat fee said $69, but with my insurance, it ended up being $10. It isn’t a replacement for my regular doctor, but it was so great for the weekend and not having to take 4 kids with me to an appointment.

Spontaneous day trips

We surprised our kids with a day at the beach last week and it was such a fun and relaxing day of just enjoying being together. I loved waking the kids up at 5:45 am, to tell them we were leaving for the beach. My daughter asked me if I was serious no less than 12 times.

I packed breakfast, lunch, and drinks. Even with some fun food purchases (boardwalk fries and cotton candy) and a dinner out it really wasn’t an expensive day. We could have taken all our food and had the only cost be a tank of gas. I absolutely love a surprise day trip and the memories they create.

Frozen Sandwiches

Summer around here means park days, swimming, and hanging out with friends. I very rarely plan ahead during the summer, so having sandwiches already made and in the freezer means I can grab lunch and leave the house whenever I feel like it. We usually do peanut butter and jelly or honey, but I have done bologna and it has worked too. I also throw a box or two of yogurt tubes in the freezer for our lunches on the go.

What I’m reading

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

I didn’t love Crazy Rich Asians, although tons of people do. I took me a long time to get into the book, and even then I didn’t feel very invested in many of the characters. It is super popular and is also coming out as a movie soon, so I think I must be in the minority with my opinion.

From Amazon: When New Yorker Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, she envisions a humble family home and quality time with the man she hopes to marry. But Nick has failed to give his girlfriend a few key details. One, that his childhood home looks like a palace; two, that he grew up riding in more private planes than cars; and three, that he just happens to be the country’s most eligible bachelor.

On Nick’s arm, Rachel may as well have a target on her back the second she steps off the plane, and soon, her relaxed vacation turns into an obstacle course of old money, new money, nosy relatives, and scheming social climbers.

Honeysuckle Dreams by Denise Hunter

I really like pretty much anything by Denise Hunter. Honeysuckle Dreams is exactly the light, fun type of reading I tend to prefer in fiction.

From Amazon: After Brady Collins’ ex-wife dies, he receives devastating news—his nine-month-old son Sam isn’t his son at all. And Sam’s wealthy maternal grandparents want custody of the child. Brady knows he’s in for the fight of his life. But regardless of what any blood test says, Sam is his son, and Brady will go to any lengths to keep him.

Brady’s attorney tips him off that one major life change would virtually assure him of winning guardianship of baby Sam at the final hearing: an impending marriage. And his friend Hope is willing to step in as the loving and devoted fiance.

Finish by Jon Acuff

I have heard a lot of positive reviews about Finish, but I kept thinking it was more of a business book. Once I started reading it, I realized that it is really for everyone. It is all about finishing goals of any kind. I really liked the book and Jon’s writing style.

On the Fence by Kasie West

On the Fence is a YA novel and I really enjoyed it. I liked that the characters had a little more depth than some other YA novels, and I was really drawn into their lives.

From Amazon: She’s a tomboy. He’s the boy next door.

With three older brothers, Charlotte Reynolds, aka Charlie, has always been more comfortable calling the shots on a basketball court than flirting with the opposite sex. So when her police officer dad demands she get a summer job to pay for the latest in a long line of speeding tickets, she’s more than a little surprised to find herself working at a chichi boutique and going out with a boy who has never seen her tear it up in a pickup game. Charlie seeks late-night refuge in her backyard, talking out her problems with her neighbor and honorary fourth brother, Braden, sitting back-to-back against the fence that separates them. Braden may know her better than anyone. But there’s a secret Charlie’s keeping that even he hasn’t figured out—she’s fallen for him.

Say You’re Sorry by Melinda Leigh

Sometimes mysteries have a tendency to stress me out while I’m reading them, but I enjoyed Say You’re Sorry the whole way through. I was also guessing who did it until the very end.

From Amazon: After the devastating loss of her husband in Iraq, Morgan Dane returns to Scarlet Falls, seeking the comfort of her hometown. Now, surrounded by family, she’s finally found peace and a promising career opportunity—until her babysitter is killed and her neighbor asks her to defend his son, Nick, who stands accused of the murder.

Tessa was the ultimate girl next door, and the community was outraged by her death. But Morgan has known Nick for years and can’t believe he’s guilty, despite the damning evidence stacked against him. She asks her friend Lance Kruger, an ex-cop turned private eye, for help. Taking on the town, the police, and a zealous DA, Morgan and Lance plunge into the investigation, determined to find the real killer. But as they uncover secrets that rock the community, they become targets for the madman hiding in plain sight.