This short-sleeved henley is such a great basic. I also have the olive green, heather, and a blue/white stripe. Unfortunately, it's pretty closed to being sold out online, but I was in my local store this morning looking for my mom a pair of jeans and they had quite a few. You've seen quite a lot of these boyfriend jeans, and for good reason. They are by far my most comfortable pair of jeans, and I'm really enjoying my break from skinny jeans. My boots are old but surprisingly still available in all sizes online. These were one of my most favorite purchases last year. They're a nice casual boot option that almost feels like sneakers, and they're comfortable to walk in all day.





I feel like I may need to get some more boyfriend jeans so that it doesn't look like I only own one pair of jeans this winter... but seriously, this pair is so good. And they go with pretty much every top in my closet. This sweater is one of my favorites. It's a few years old, and honestly I can't find anything that really comes close to it in terms of color pattern, but I'm linking to some that have a similar vibe below.



Sorry for the slightly blurry pic. I didn't realize it was out of focus until today. Guess I moved before the shutter finished doing its thing. Anyway, this tunic length long-sleeve tee is amazing. It's thick, soft, and stretchy. And it's actually the length that's advertised, so I can wear it with leggings if I get brave enough (and it doesn't shrink). It comes in more than 20 color combos.

I've been between books for a few days, which is rare for me. I've got more than 100 book samples on my Kindle right now, but I can't seem to settle on anything, despite reading the first few chapters of at least a dozen books (probably more). So while I'm still waffling around on what to read next, I thought I would share ten books I've added to my TBR list recently. I feel like there's a pretty solid offering with some fantasy, romance, historical fiction, and mystery. There's even a holiday-themed on in there. As with everything on my TBR list, there's no real timeline of when I'll get around to reading any of these, but that's not really the point with this post. So let's dive in.

10 Books on My TBR List Right Now

The Spoken Mage - This is book one of the Voices of Power series. I've had this five-book series on my radar for awhile, but I've been hesitant to start it for some reason. It's about a girl who unexpectedly discovers she has never before seen mage powers and is sent to an academy to learn how to use them.

Love in Exile - A young Muslim woman convinces her parents to allow her to pursue her education. While away at school, she falls in love with a Christian man, and not surprisingly neither of their families approves of the relationship.

The Wicked Deep - Every summer, three witches who were sentenced to death steal the bodies of weak-hearted girls to seek their revenge by luring boys to their deaths. The locals have accepted their town's fate until one summer when new boy comes to town and gets involved with a local girl.

Golden Poppies - Jordan Wallace, a teacher in segregated Chicago, is the son of a former slave. When his mother is on her deathbed, his mother's friend and wife of the former plantation owner travels to see her along with her daughter, Sadie. But the families' reunion is rife with personal and political challenges.

Once Night Falls - A historical novel about the extraordinary acts of ordinary people living in Nazi-occupied Germany.

Spellbreaker - This is by the author of one of my favorite magical series, The Paper Magician, so I had to add it to my list. Elsie has natural magic but because she's unlicensed, her gift is a crime. When an elite magic user catches her breaking an enchantment, Elsie strikes a bargain with him to stay out of jail. As she learns more about her powers and new partner, Elsie finds herself unraveling a deadly mystery.

Murder by Midnight - While visiting Druiminn Castle in Scotland, Alice Beckman finds herself on the heels of a murderer after the host is killed and another guest is revealed as an unscrupulous jewel thief. A mysterious local legend could hold the key to unraveling everything.

Someday in Paris - Zara and Leon meet during a power outage in a French museum, never seeing the other's faces. Nine years later, they meet again at a charity ball but don't recognize each other. Over two decades, Zara and Leon fall in love over and over, but will they ever find a way to be together?

Sorry I Missed You - Mackenzie, Sunna, and Maude are roommates with only one thing in common - they've each been ghosted by an important person in their lives: sister, best friend, fiancé. When a barely legible letter arrives hinting at answers, each girl assumes it's meant for her. The trio decides to stake out the coffee shop named in the letter and form a kinship, but as they learn more about each other more questions arise.

The Seventh Bride - Rhea, the daughter of a miller, is forced to agree to marry the sinister Lord Crevan. He demands Rhea visit his remote manner before the wedding, where she discovers that Crevan has not only been married six times before but all of his past wives are imprisoned in his enchanted castle. Determined not to be next, Rhea agrees to a complete a series of magical tasks to gain her freedom.

I can't believe Thanksgiving, and my birthday, are here already. November has gotten away from me, and definitely not in a fun way, at least where work is concerned.

Last week, like the rest of the month, was frustrating from a work perspective. Ever since COVID first started really impacting our area, I've been dreading the end of the year. November and December are always slower, but add in all the uncertainty and its been glacial. And with the way the holiday falls this year (late) I've lost about half a week.

Alexis is out of school all this week, which will make the few days I do work more difficult. Five year olds are very hands on.

We don't have big Thanksgiving plans. It's our first without my grandfather, so that's pretty significant. He passed in February but it's really started to sink in now that we're getting into the main family holidays. We'll eat lunch with close family, and then come home to celebrate my birthday.

Speaking of my birthday, my mom and I changed our yearly tradition. Neither of us is comfortable going to a movie theater yet. But I had planned on getting helix piercings and convinced her to get hers done as well. We got them done over the weekend, along with a nice breakfast and a little shopping. It almost felt normal, except for the masks.

25 gifts for Working Moms all under $100

I am a sucker for a good pasta bake, especially if I don't have to cook the pasta first. This dump and bake meatball pasta dish was a big hit at dinner, and bonus for all you lactose-intolerant folks - it can be made without cheese if needed.

In less than an hour, you can have a warm, gooey, comfort meal on the table for your family, and I guarantee this will be kid-approved. Let's get to the recipe!

Ingredients

• 12 oz. Rotini Pasta
• 24 oz. Marinara/Traditional Spaghetti Sauce
• 16 oz. Fully-Cooked Beef Meatballs
• 3 Cups Water
• 2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a 9x13 baking dish, mix together dry pasta, sauce, meatballs, and water. Meatballs should be completely thawed.
3. Bake for 35 minutes without the cheese. 
4. Remove from oven. Top with cheese and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until cheese has started bubbling.

Aveno Skin Relief Fragrance Free Bodywash - This is my number one go-to body wash. It helps keep my skin moisturized without irritating it. It should be noted that I do not use a loofah or sponge, as those tend to be too rough for me. I prefer to just use my hands. I also like the Stress Relief bodywash, but the fragrance is a little strong so you may want to be cautious of that.

We'll start with the Monday after Halloween. It was actually pretty chilly that day. Other than school drop-off and pick-up and coordinating the delivery of my November magazines, I didn't leave my office. My to-do list was a mile long. I mean, I probably ran up to the gas station for a Mountain Dew at some point.