Today’s workout focused on upper body strength training and included three sets of two different exercises per muscle group. I probably could’ve increased the weight a bit during some of the exercises but I wasn’t feeling overly ambitious. I think I’m ready for round four of Tina’s Best Body Boot Camp to begin on Monday for a little extra motivation!
Breakfast
Breakfast this morning started with a bowl of Quaker Cinnamon Life cereal.
The cereal was a buy one, get one free deal at Publix this week and a total impulse buy. Cinnamon Life reminds me of snacking at my friend Michaela’s house when I was younger. Her family always had Cinnamon Life in their pantry and digging into the cereal this morning made me miss her! Isn’t it weird how food can trigger such strong memories? At least I’ll be seeing Michaela a couple of time this year for her bachelorette party and wedding!
I also had a small apple on the side and ate a cup of key lime Greek yogurt for a protein punch.
January Book Club
It’s time to pick the January book for the PBF Book Club!
The PBF Book Club is an online book club that is open to anyone! We simply vote for a book to read from the three books listed below (taken from your suggestions on the PBF Facebook page) and on Monday, February 4, I will post my review along with discussion questions for book club participants to answer in the comments section of the post.
If you are a blogger and post a review of the selected book on your blog, you can email me a link to your review post (pbfingers@gmail.com) before February 4 and I will include a link to your post in the roundup of blogger book review links.
Please vote for the book you would like to read below. I will announce the winning book Monday afternoon.
- The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.
- The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker
On an ordinary Saturday in a California suburb, Julia awakes to discover that something has happened to the rotation of the earth. The days and nights are growing longer and longer; gravity is affected; the birds, the tides, human behavior, and cosmic rhythms are thrown into disarray. In a world that seems filled with danger and loss, Julia also must face surprising developments in herself, and in her personal world—divisions widening between her parents, strange behavior by her friends, the pain and vulnerability of first love, a growing sense of isolation, and a surprising, rebellious new strength.
- The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton
During a summer party at the family farm in the English countryside, sixteen-year-old Laurel Nicolson has escaped to her childhood tree house and is happily dreaming of the future. She spies a stranger coming up the long road to the farm and watches as her mother speaks to him. Before the afternoon is over, Laurel will witness a shocking crime. A crime that challenges everything she knows about her family and especially her mother, Dorothy—her vivacious, loving, nearly perfect mother.
Now, fifty years later, Laurel is a successful and well-regarded actress living in London. The family is gathering at Greenacres farm for Dorothy’s ninetieth birthday. Realizing that this may be her last chance, Laurel searches for answers to the questions that still haunt her from that long-ago day, answers that can only be found in Dorothy’s past.
[polldaddy poll=6810149]
![\"Quantcast\"/](\"//pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-1e3-7hOJ_U8Bg.gif\")
The Fault in Our Stars is simply amazing! I hope all of you choose it!
that one got my vote! 😀
I agree, The Fault in Our Stars was such a brilliant book! It was both witty and heartbreaking. Even if it doesn’t get picked, I highly recommend reading it. :]
Yes it made me absolutely bawl! But it is so beautifully written- I literally couldn’t put it down once I started and just had to finish it right then and there.
Interesting choices! I’m so out of the loop when it comes to current fiction these days… But thankfully your book club is changing that! Last month was my first month doing your book club, and I can say I’m already officially hooked 🙂
i’m so glad you decided to participate, melissa!!
The fault in our stars was so good I couldn’t put it down. I hope you pick it and if not I hope you read it anyway. One word of advice, grab the tissues. xo-N
I’ve read THe Fault in Our Stars and loved it!
I have a copy of The Secret Keeper waiting for me to read! I have heard great things about it!!
I love Life cereal! I rarely buy it, but somehow it ends up in my cart every once in awhile as it just reminds me of being a kid.
I totally agree with you about how certain foods can remind us of things… I can never eat golden grahams without thinking about working as a lifeguard over the summer and having those as my snacks!
Have you read Kate Mortons previous novels? They are very good, I recommend them all, she is one of my favourite authors. Have a great weekend Julie! xx
ooooh I’d like to read The Secret Keeper. What a great idea!
HAPPY Saturday!
I vote for The Fault in our Stars, I just finished it and it’s incredible. You will love it!
Also, Cinammon Life reminds me of my childhood as well. It was my favorite cereal growing up. We weren’t allowed to have sugar cereals, it was one of the few sweetened cereals we could have. I loved it. I really want a box now!!
Kate Morton is amazing. I have read two of hers and can’t put them down!
Best.Cereal. Ever. I’m pretty sure I used to demolish half a box in one sitting. Yikes.
I love Life cereal, though I have not had it in awhile :(. It definitely reminds me of my childhood, as well. Sadly, I am pretty sure I have actually never tried the cinnamon variety, though. I just might have to do that! 😉
I love cinnamon, Ill have to try this cereal 🙂
Im feeling some some strength training tomorrow. Just finished an amazing 10 1/2 mile run with BTC and it was awesome. Cold, but awesome!
That cereal looks tasty…may have to try it
The Fault in our Stars is simply a beautiful book. You will enjoy it, I love books that make me laugh, cry and love in equal measure!
I’ve REALLY been wanting to read the Fault in Our Stars so I hope it gets chosen 🙂
I look forward to participating this month for the first time. Love that you do this, Julie! I’ll read any of the three, but The Secret Keeper got my vote.
All seemed interesting to me! Can’t wait to read 🙂
I really enjoy reading your blog, Julie! I absolutely loved The Fault in Our Stars and recommend it to everyone who will listen to me! haha. The Secret Keeper sounds like a great pick too though.
Now I’m drooling just thinking about your Cinnamon Life cereal… I’m so jealous!! 😉
I just finished The Fault in Our Stars – it was incredible! John Green really has a knack for creating memorable characters! I tore through the novel in just a weekend!
I’ve been wanting to read the Secret Keeper! The beginning of the description reminds me of Atonement, and I love anything set in England!
I agree with you, some foods have such strong memories associated with them…songs do also for me.
I am really excited that I have discovered your blog through Pinterest. I too love reading books and I think your Book Club would be a really fun thing to participate in. I look forward to reading more of your posts as well as seeing what book you decide on. I loved your 90’s music playlist post. So many of the songs you mentioned were some of my favorites too.
I haven’t read The Fault in Our Stars (yet) but I’ve heard so many good things about it!
The Fault in Our Stars was one of the best books I have read in a looooong time!
I’ve heard so many wonderful things about The Fault in Our Stars! I think that is the next book on my list. 🙂
I voted for the Secret Keeper because I’ve already read The Age of Miracles (which was sooooo good so I won’t be too sad if that one wins!).
Hi Julie! This question isn’t really related to the post- but just wondering- do you eat before your morning workouts?
Love the virtual book club! I’m excited to find out what gets selected.
I just finished off a box of cinnamon Life!!! some things never change, i guess 🙂 miss you!
I read half of What Alice Forgot yesterday, hoping to finish it off today so I can post my review tomorrow and link up! Can’t wait for the next book!
Eating BlueBell Ice Cream ALWAYS makes me think of being at my Grandmother’s house when I was younger. Funny how food can do that!
by the way, thank you for the Divergent rec! I’m almost finished with the 2nd book!
I just looked all three books up on Amazon–“The Fault in Our Stars” has 5-stars in reviews! Wow, I’ve never seen that (esp. with almost 2,000 reviews).
I bought the BOGO Life cereal, too! You gotta eat that stuff quick–its good but the soggy factor is out of control.
I will chime in with so many others and and sing the praise of John Green’s The Fault In Our Stars. It was my favorite book of the year, and I usually like more actiony YA books (Divergent, Hunger Games, etc.) Not only did it make me crush hard for the way John Green writes, but it also made me want to memorize poems and tell my parents that I love them more and appreciate life for what it is right now. BUT, I finished it, a sobbing mess in a way that only Steel Magnolias can render me, and I had two speeches to give at work the next day (in Japanese, which I spoke little of). So, be careful when you finish it.
My vote is for The Secret Keeper. Thanks!
Julie, I am trying to do better about blogging. Few questions: 1. is there an app you use on your phone when you take pictures and then upload to your blog? What is the quickest way to do this? 2. What is the best way to gain readers?
Thanks, Julie. I love reading pbfingers 🙂
LOVED fault in our stars. finished in a matter of days.
i hope it gets picked! 🙂
Have you tried PB2 powder?
I LOVE cinnamon LIFE! 🙂
The fault in our stars is incredible…..I just read it a couple of days back!funny you should mention it 🙂
I LOVE The Fault in Our Stars. I’ve probably read it five times and cry through it each time but it’s such a beautiful story!
finished the secret keeper last night!! i haven;t been able to invest in joining of late (sticking to the books i can get free), so pick that one so i can play! i’d also love to introduce new folks to Kate Morton, though this isn’t my number one Morton pic (The Forgotten Garden is….though i as also my first and more of a true “literary mysetery” since books were pretty key….there IS a book in the current mystery and it does have meaning, but it isn’t as entwined)
I love anything by Kate Morton – I hope I will have the time to read this one with the group! I read “The Age of Miracles” recently and really enjoyed it. I found it to be a more realistic dystopian novel. It was an adult novel, but it followed a young adult, so I think it’s a nice change from some of the more in-your-face dystopian YA literature, but still remains true to those themes.
Have you announced the winner yet? I keep checking back, but haven’t seen it 🙂
Yesterday I read The faults in our stars and let me just tell you, I love it! Such a beautiful story in a complex and kind of really hard scenery. I hope that it goes up for next month book club