Hold On, But Don't Hold Still

 'Hold On, But Don't Hold Still' is an inspiring memoir by Kristina Kuzmic. Kristina shares her story of a life that didn't turn out quite like she planned, but through endurance and hope, turned out to be quite beautiful and fulfilling. When she winds up being a single mom with two small kids, almost destitute, and buried under severe depression, she has a hard time believing that life could ever get any better. She starts to believe that her children would be better off she just ended her life, but through an amazing therapist and lots of hard work, she comes to understand the truth behind that awful lie. 

I discovered Kristina on Facebook. Her witty and heartfelt videos were a source of joy and entertainment for me. I loved how real and raw she was, and that she was willing to discuss the hard truths of being a mom. I have felt the things that she has felt and she gave me hope on some of my hardest parenting days. When she announced that she was publishing a book I knew it was one I definitely need to read, and it did not disappoint. I am a huge fan of hers and promise you that this book is worth the read. 

#IMomSoHard

Have you seen the hilarious videos of the team #IMomSoHard on Facebook? They crack me up and really hit home on what the parenting thing really looks like. They use humor to discuss some of the more messier parts of parenting and womanhood. I especially liked their bathing suit video - I don't even know how many times I have watched that one - it makes me laugh so hard I end up in tears. The women of the videos, Jen Smedley and Kristin Hensley, wrote a book that carries on with their wisdom and humor of their videos. You also get to learn more about their childhood in the Midwest, their college years, and how they met and married their spouses. The book is all about "keeping it real" with no sugar coating. I honestly just love these women and wish that I could be best friends with them! It is my goal one day to go to one of their shows on their comedy tours, but for now I will just keep laughing and enjoying their videos. If you don't follow these ladies on #IMomSoHard then do it, do it right now!

Girl, Wash Your Face

My sister gave me the book 'Girl, Wash Your Face' by Rachel Hollis for my birthday. I have had a lot of friends talking about this book and had heard a lot of mixed reviews, so I was excited to discover it for myself. I honestly loved it. There were some chapters that I identified with more then others, but I thought she did a fantastic job speaking to the inner heart of women everywhere. There was a handful of times where I can distinctly remember having my own "Ah-ha!" moments. There are stories of hers that will stick with me for a very long time. I will keep those to myself however so as not to take away anyone else's moments of self discovery. I thoroughly enjoyed her sense of humor, candid honesty, and intelligent advise. This is a great, quick, feel good book and I would definitely recommend it.

Gasp!

Pride and Prejudice

There is a book that I have returned to many times when I need some really well spoken English in my life. That book is 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen. I love the taste of the words in my mouth. Austen's writing is almost poetic in a way. And if her humorous style of writing about serious political issues wasn't captivating enough, she also creates the most lovable characters imaginable. From Mrs. Bennett to Miss Bingley, Elizabeth to Darcy, every character's personality pops on the page. This is such an amazing classic and everyone should read this at least once in their lifetime.

And of course, I am a huge fan of the movies as well. Here is a trailer from one of my favorite versions of 'Pride and Prejudice'.

Librarian Life

This is my life at the library some days.

The Power of Books

Funny