Last month, I remember hoping our March was going to be more low key. That never quite works out, does it? Oh well. We are headed for spring break today and it will DEFINITELY be more low key and relaxing. And well-deserved, too. Here is our life lately March 2024 and what we have been up to.
Books I’ve Read
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A Murder to Remember by Brynn Kelly–
- Amelia Bennett sneaks away from a dull tour of an English country manor, and runs into the dashing owner. After sharing many drinks, they wake in his bed the next morning convinced they witnessed a murder. Problem is, the body has vanished and no one believes them. This was as lighthearted as you can get with a murder mystery. It kept me entertained during a few runs. 4/5
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Broken Ice by Matt Goldman-
- Nils Shapiro has been hired to find missing teenager Linnea Engstrom, from a small northern hockey town in Minnestota. Linnea’s friend Haley Housch is also missing – and soon found dead. As bodies start piling up, the clues lead Nils and Ellegaard north to Warroad, a small, quiet town with many secrets to hide. This one had quite a few turns in the plot, but really kept me guessing. 4.5/5
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The Shallows by Matt Goldman
- Todd Rabinowitz is found tied to the dock with a fishing stinger through his jaw. His widow calls Nils to investigate her husband’s savage murder. Someone doesn’t want him to solve the murder, and won’t stop until they silence Nils as well. I loved the plot and all the little details in it. This might be my favorite Nils Shapiro book! 5/5
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Dead West by Matt Goldman–
- Nils Shapiro needs to find out if Beverly Mayer’s grandson is foolishly throwing away his trust fund in Hollywood after his finance dies. However, Nils quickly suspects that Ebben Mayer’s fiancée was murdered, and that Ebben himself may have been the target. It’s always interesting how Nils is able to solve the crime and catch the culprit. I also love that his personal life seems more settled in this book. 4.5/5
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The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry –
- Fourteen-year-old Hazel and five-year-old Flora are evacuated to a rural village during WWII. Hazel entertains Flora with a game about a magical land. One day Flora suddenly vanishes while playing near the river. Hazel blames herself. Twenty years later, Hazel is in London, when she finds an illustrated book about their secret land. Could her sister is still alive after all these years? Hazel is determined to find out. This was a lovely story, although somewhat twisted. I don’t know if the villain was truly believable. 4.5/5
Products I’ve Tried
- Purifect Skincare-This month I tried the 4 step Purifect routine. It includes the deep hydration bundle, dark circles eye cream, and tea tree facial oil serum. First I apply hyaluronic acid serum to help plump my skin. Then I apply vitamin C eye cream to help reduce my dark circles and uneven tone. For the third step I use instant hydration cream. Finally I put on healing tea tree facial oil to help lock in all the moisture. I never used to apply this last step, but it really makes a difference to help control oil production and keep my skin moisturized! My skin has been a bit dry lately since I’ve incorporated trentinoin into my nighttime routine. The Purifect products help lock in that moisture really well!
- ZenB pasta– I was selected to be a part of a ZenB pasta instagram campaign. But I wanted to share it here as well. I’ve tried other protein pastas that are chickpea based. My family wasn’t a fan of the texture or taste. ZenB pasta is much closer to the texture of a wheat pasta and the taste was good, too! I’m far more impressed with this brand compared to other similar ones. We will definitely continue purchasing this pasta.
- Weiman stainless steel cleaner– I received this to try out and shared on tiktok, but wanted to share it here as well. You don’t need much and it helps to keep fingerprints off stainless steel. I like my stainless steel appliances, but the fingerprints drive me crazy! This has a nice scent and when used with the cloth, works so well.
Recipes I’ve Made
- Ham Casserole- Claire was a HUGE fan of this one. I thought it was really good, but wish it wasn’t quite so liquidy. I would reduce the amount of milk in the sauce if I made it again. We loved the crunch on top with the crackers. I actually made this in 2 8×8 pans and froze one. It makes a lot!
- Beef and Guinness Stew- This was my first time cooking with parsnips! Matt loved this stew. The meat was so tender.
- Crispy Gnocchi with Ricotta– This was pretty good, but it didn’t WOW me. I liked the ricotta and texture of the gnocchi though.
- Crumbl Reese’s PB cookies– I made the frosting a bit differently since I didn’t have peanut butter chips, but it was so good! We loved these! If you make your cookies smaller like I do, get extra peanut butter cups to chop for the top. We didn’t have quite enough.
- Sourdough discard pizza– Matt loved this, I thought it had a bit too much sourdough flavor. I would have baked it longer before adding the toppings, too.
Currently
- Loving– All of us loved seeing lots of family this month. We were able to see both sets of grandparents and my sister and brother-in-law and their adorable kids twice! It was wonderful.
- Hoping- I’ve been slowly applying to area districts for a speech therapist position for next year. I’m hoping I get some interest and find a position that works well for our family.
- Playing- We’ve been playing a lot of Uno, Trekking the National Parks, and Fill or Bust lately. The kids have been really interested in playing games.
- Needing– I think everyone in the family is needing some sunshine. It’s been fairly grey here lately and we are looking forward to warmth and relaxation!
- Feeling- I’m not going to lie, it’s been more stressful that usual here so I’m feeling fairly overwhelmed. It can be frustrating to continually get the kids to pick up after themselves, not fight like cats and dogs, and manage work and applying for new positions. Fingers crossed it all works out soon.
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Family update
- Matt- Combined with our spring break, Matt will be with us 3 weeks straight! This past month we got to see our nephew for his baptism. It was wonderful seeing family and being able to be a part of such a special occasion.
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- Me- Obviously I hogged as much time holding our nephew as possible. He’s such a cutie! I received my Professional Educator license for Illinois as well and started to go to job fairs and open interviews in the area, too.
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- Claire- Claire is enjoying some free time now that swimming is done and soccer hasn’t started. We worked hard to deep clean/organize her room. Now we are trying to get her to stay on top of it all. Send prayers! She also celebrated taking her first communion this month.
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- Avie- Avie lost her 3rd tooth this month and was very excited about it. She also got to hold her baby cousin a few times. She played really nicely with her cousins and loved every minute!
March Goals Recap
- Plan out a summer schedule– Mostly done- there are just 1-2 more things I would like to add in.
- Set tentative plan for summer vacation- Done
- Register for a 5K in March or April- I just couldn’t find a good weekend for this. Honestly, I’ve been feeling pretty worn down lately so I think it was better to wait until after the half marathon I’m doing in April to sign up for a 5K.
- Schedule a haircut– I am waiting to hear back from my hairstylist for her availability.
April Goals
- Weed garden– There are a few weeds I’d like to take care of before we get mulch.
- Make truffles- We got a truffle kit a while ago and I’d love to take an evening with Matt (and maybe the kids) and make them.
- Make dermatologist appointment for Avie– She’s been struggling with some eczema on her hands and my prescription cream and other tricks we’ve tried isn’t cutting it. Time to get her to a dermatologist.
- Get the cat and dog seen by vet– It’s time for their yearly checkup.