Thursday, May 12, 2016

20 BOOKS you NEED to read NOW!

20 Books You NEED to Read This Spring

By: Kelley Amstutz
05/12/2016

 

Henry Ward Beecher:


I am a BOOK LOVER. 

It's not a secret. I just found a gift card for Barnes and Nobles...no idea WHEN I received this GC, but I went to load it to my account and lone behold...I still had some $$ left...like just waiting there for me...seriously (I said to myself) WHAT!!! So, this called for SHOPPING (duh!) and that lead to books...books...and more books.  I love real deal, hard bound books, but with this FREE MONEY...I got a variety (say what?) and now I have books stacked on my nook app....like there weren't before my free money shopping spree, right!  And there are now books stacked (like STACKED) on my nightstand, which has lead to HUBBY asking me when I am finding the TIME to read all these GEMS.  This leads to the depression part of LIFE....NOT ENOUGH TIME TO READ... (WAH)

Oh well... I can't stop the #obsession.  The struggle... oh yea...ITS REAL!!!

So, of course, I had to put together my LIST of MUST READS...twenty six (26) - yes I said it...of these BOOKS that you MUST...absolutely NEED to read....N O W !!!


What are you waiting for? 

Ready...

SET....

G O ...







A House for Happy Mothers: A Novel, by Amulya Malladi


Two women. Two continents. One goal: to save their families. A House for Happy Mothers tells the touching story of Priya and Asha, two very different women brought together through India's rising surrogacy industry. While Silicon Valley resident Priya has everything she can imagine, she is unable to have children, leaving her to turn to someone who can. Across the world in a small southern Indian village lives wife and mother Asha, who checks herself into the Happy Mothers House, a baby farm where she is housed while carrying a child for a couple oversees. Together, the two women restore faith in each others lives by bringing a new life into the world.

Why I'm looking forward to it: It's a feel good story that warms the heart and makes you proud to be a woman.



The House of Bradbury, by Nicole Meier


Mia's life is not going quite as she'd hoped: her debut novel is being panned by the critics, her relationship with her Hollywood producer fiancé Carson has just gone down the drain, and she's now living in the carriage house of her judgmental sister. However, when Mia learns that the legendary writer Ray Bradbury's house has been put up for sale in Los Angeles, she feels compelled to buy it, convinced it will give her inspiration again. And it just might, but not in the way that she anticipated.

Why I'm looking forward to it: Who hasn't wanted to live in a famous author's house and felt lost after a major life change?


A Criminal Magic, by Lee Kelly


In an alternate Washington D.C. during the 1920s, magic is real and it has just been outlawed. The prohibition leads to a dangerous and booming magical underworld, one that young sorcerer Joan Kendrick becomes a part of when she accepts a job offer from the Shaw Gang, D.C.'s number one crime syndicate. When she meets fellow sorcerer and undercover prohibition trainee, sparks begin to fly, and not just in the figurative sense.

Why I'm looking forward to it: It reignites our inner Harry Potter obsessions with magic and mystery while providing a dangerous, romantic twist!
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All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation, by Rebecca Traister


Journalist Rebecca Traister provides a historical and cultural account of unmarried women in America who have helped to shape the nation. Extensive research covering class, race, sexual orientation, and more, presents compelling anecdotes about the single American woman—old and new—and how sometimes being a lady and on your own can bring about massive social change.

Why I'm looking forward to it: It's basically a well-informed book version of the message in the Beyoncé video and we are here for that!


The Full Catastrophe, by Karen Elizabeth Lee


Lee's memoir chronicles her recovery and salvation after her husband Duncan (whom she planned to divorce after 14 years of emotional abuse) dies of cancer. Left to face her own demons without Duncan's ranting to keep her company, Lee turns to Jungian psychology in order to make sense of her life. What she finds are the strength and tools that may help her finally resurrect it.

Why I'm looking forward to it: This feels like the perfect mix of a psychological study paired with inspirational self-help.


The Ex: A Novel, by Alafair Burke


Jack Harris' life was shattered after the sudden death of his wife Molly. Three years later, after putting the pieces back together, he meets a beautiful stranger who shatters his world once again—only this time he is being framed for a triple homicide. Olivia Randall, Jack's former fiancé, happens to be one of New York City's elite criminal defense lawyers, and comes to Jack's rescue after hearing about his arrest. But the man she once thought she knew may not be as innocent as she thinks. Alafair Burke's complex characters and mysterious plot line in The Ex will keep you at the edge of your seat and wanting to know more after each page.

Why I'm looking forward to it: If you're a fan of Gone Girl, you'll love The Ex. It's got a little love, a little scandal and a little mystery. The perfect read for a night in.
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Glass Shatters, by Michelle Meyers


Charles Lang wakes up in a house he does not recognize, without any memory of who he is or where he came. As he explores the mysterious, abandoned home he begins to discover bits and pieces about his life such as his status as a brilliant scientist and his wife and daughter, both of whom went missing years ago. Haunted by memories that may or may not be his, Charles soon realizes that his only hope of finding his family is to go deeper into the recovery of his jagged past.

Why I'm looking forward to it: A mystery, an unpredictable narrator, and a strange setting all add up to create the perfect formula for a suspenseful thrill ride.


The Hole in the Middle, by Kate Hilton


Outwitting co-workers, hosting dinner parties with double-digit guest-lists, and sticking to her guns in PTA President persuasions – all in a days work for Sophie Whelan. What can't this woman do? With Sophie's 40th birthday dangerously approaching, she can't help but feel that her existence is bursting at the seams. Nonetheless, a opportunity from her past resurfaces, forcing Sophie to choose if her life's current chaos is a blessing in disguise, or the biggest mistake she's ever made.

Why I'm looking forward to it: It's heartfelt, hilarious, and it's an international best-selling debut! Count us in.


Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body, by Roxane Gay


Author of Bad Feminist, Roxane Gay leaves us feeling full with her latest memoir Hunger, her story of weight, self-image, food, and the balance between feeding yourself emotionally, physically, and psychologically. Gay tells her story of how she turned to food to hide from life's burdens, and ultimately became a different person. She writes from an honest place that makes it easy for any woman to relate to her struggles.

Why I'm looking forward to it: We love books that display vulnerability as a strength and not a weakness, and Gay's memoir is a great example to learn from.

 Reading Below

Innocents and Others, by Dana Spiotta


Among the smog of 1980s Los Angeles, best friends Carrie and Meadow are both successful filmmakers, having grown up in the city of angels all their lives. But the common interest tends to end there, as the two disagree on everything else from life and love to the films that they create. Told in a masterfully non-linear format that intersperses chapters with documents such as interviews and film theory paragraphs, Spiotta paints a painfully real picture of two women trying to come to terms with themselves and each other.

Why I'm looking forward to it: It speaks to our nostalgia for L.A. in the 1980s while the content and experimental writing promise to make it a new staple in contemporary fiction.

 What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours, by Helen Oyeyemi


What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours is a series of intertwined stories that revolve around the idea of keys, both literal and metaphorical. These special keys open a heart, a house, and a diary, and lead you into labyrinths to the other side of the story. Oyeyemi's creativity and mystical style keep you hooked and entertained from one story to the next.

Why I'm looking forward to it: It bounds multiple stories and unlocks hidden niches of your imagination that you didn't even know existed.







 :

I strongly recommend my eBook, The Social Media Manager Kit by Kel (w/ bonus) in order to get you started. It will include templates for emailing potential clients or those you landed a completed job with, it will allow you to focus and challenge you to keep moving forward. 

This life, working at home, being financial free and with my family, is something that I used to dream about

Today...
  • I am living it. 
  • I am loving it. 
  • I am making it my life! 

Need More Help?  

Check out my eBook, Make your Dream a Reality in 30 Days or Less! - a jump start guide with templates to get you ready, set and ROCKING this Social Media Manager gig!







Friday, April 22, 2016

One FISH...Two FISH... Three FISH... FOUR....

Friday, April 22, 2016
by: Kelley Amstutz



Yesterday was a busy, crazy, fanatically magical day for one birthday girl as she made her way to FIVE


 

 
She went to Pre-K, where she helped her teachers make a birthday crown!  






 
I picked her up and whiskered her back home for lunch- nutella in the shape of a HEART...of course! 
 
While she was at school, this Mom snuck in to grab a HUGE Minnie Mouse balloon to SURPRISE her when we made our way back home after school...and it WORKED

She was so gosh, darn excited for the balloon...that honestly, we have had before for one of the other four birthdays she has had that has been MINNIE...just saying!

OK- so we ate lunch...then Daddy got up and we headed to the PET STORE.  All she knew was that we had an important errand to run and she would leave HAPPY.

Hey...it worked!

But, said Pet Store did NOT have what we needed- unfortunately

So off to Wally-world we go...because they have EVERYTHING..don't ya know

  • Tank- Check.
  • Fish- Check.
  • Fish- Check.
  • Fish- Check.
  • Fish- Check.
  • Fish Food- Check. 
  • One Sponge Bob Pineapple Under the Sea... CHECK! 
  • Purple Rocks- Check.

We made our way home with  
four fish of various sizes and colors


Tank was urgently set up because we did have this NOW five year old who was 
JUMPING out of her SKIN with EXCITEMENT that SHE HAS FISH!

This excitement was proceeded with naming off four RANDOM names.

I mean...seriously... 
  1. Mac
  2. Joey
  3. Cocoa- Short for COCONUT
  4. Diamond

And, I state again...SERIOUSLY...  

Before we all knew it, it was time to set these fish to sea. 

I mean, we should have known that this was GOING TO BE A DISASTER when the moment Daddy put the fish in...the red finned shark fish BAILED out of the tank and was flopping around on the dresser. 

WHAT? 

Luckily I had seen this even unfold...or fishy would of been out of luck!

https://youtu.be/6_8FCob7lkI

 It was a few moments of learning how to feed...more happiness sprinkles spread around us all...and then she had to stay and watch...and watch these crazy fish that were swimming around the tank like their tales were on fire. #truestory



Now, I need to write a disclaimer...this story will take a turn for the worse...so viewer discretion is advised.


We went off to dinner, birthday girls pick..gone maybe about an hour or so...
we returned with a five year old who was SO excited to show her Nana and Papa her new FOUR fish. 

Awesome. Sweet. We all couldn't wait...




UNTIL:

There are three fish in the tank and one is DOA and ONE IS SWIMMING UPSIDE DOWN (of course...this is the RED FINNED SHARK...that said FIVE Year OLD LOVES!) - EEK


And then...there was 1 and a HALF...

By nine o'clock we were down to one fish in the tank. 

One fish, swimming strong. 

I had to collect the three others...and yes- the missing one was found in the filter tray- GROSS!  But, since they were "UNDER WARRANTY" I had to collect their bodies in a sandwich bag. 

 
Ms. Five year old was OK with having ONE FISH LEFT....because she was SO excited to feed it...and due to the fact that she was going back to the store to get more brand spanking new, shiny fishies. 

Unfortunately... the solo swimmer did NOT make it... as he was found being sucked into the filter by morning

  • The good news is that Ms. Five was OK
  • She had come to terms with her MALFUNCTIONED fish. 
  • She had MOVED on... to a BIG, FAT GOLDFISH... or so she jumped up and down after finding her last dead fish friend. 

So...Daddy got up (btw he works a weird 2nd shift...so his a.m. is the afternoon) and off the two of them went...sandwich bag full of four DEAD fish in hand...to pick out FOUR new friends.



Shortly after...our five year old is once again jumping up and down...
 JUMPING out of her SKIN with EXCITEMENT that SHE HAS GOLDFISH!  


We went through the same process...the tank alive with four GOLDFISH... 

  1. one FAT Goldfish who had donned the name BIG MAC....
  2. one black Goldfish named Blankie...
  3. one white and gold...
  4. one all silver...

their names have left my brain- as well as hers and I am certain that they will be donning new names by morning! 



The great news is....it is nearly 9:00 p.m. and we still have FOUR FISH! 




Hall-e-frick-lujah! 

#todaywasagoodday #oratleastbetterthanyesterday










I strongly recommend my eBook, The Social Media Manager Kit by Kel (w/ bonus) in order to get you started. It will include templates for emailing potential clients or those you landed a completed job with, it will allow you to focus and challenge you to keep moving forward. 

This life, working at home, being financial free and with my family, is something that I used to dream about

Today...
  • I am living it. 
  • I am loving it. 
  • I am making it my life! 

Need More Help?  

Check out my eBook, Make your Dream a Reality in 30 Days or Less! - a jump start guide with templates to get you ready, set and ROCKING this Social Media Manager gig!





 https://youtu.be/6_8FCob7lkI

Thursday, April 21, 2016

[Personal Post] : Reflections in the PAST.... five years ago today...

 
(Be back to DAILY DEALS on eBooks on Monday!)

 

April 21, 2016
by: Kelley Amstutz





 
It was early in the morning. Kamee had woke up, her mee-moow (pacifier) had fallen behind and under her crib...of course! 

Here I am, 38 weeks preggers, bending down, still in pain from a version procedure preformed a few days prior to turn my unborn baby girl around because she decided to be breech...and the procedure was un-necessary because my girl is STUBBORN! So, here I am at a lovely 3:30 a.m. in the dark, searching for this darn mee-moow for this 2 year old baby girl who was NOT HAPPY without it! I finally got it, grabbed onto the crib rail to get UP and WHOOSH!  It was time...

I went into the bathroom and started getting myself ready, made my phone calls to have Dad come grab the kiddo and a little before 5 a.m. we were well on our way to the hospital to meet our newest addition...and I am NOT going to lie...I knew what was coming!


So, we get to the hospital and to be honest...a whirlwind of events happened that I can not even remember fully. Everything was FAST!  I was geared up for the c-section that I HAD to have due to my girl still sitting head up...but there was urgency that was felt but not really seen. I mean were talking minutes went by...not hours... and then I am being wheeled into surgery, shaking like a leaf. My Doc held me while I got the epi- thank goodness because I was SO nervous, and she talked me through the whole thing to the point that it did not end up being as bad and it might have, had I been alone. (Hubby was not allowed in until LATER.) 


Then I was alone. There were noises. There were things going on in the distance. I was just thinking about my Husband and praying he would come in soon because I was scared. 

Next thing I know, he's standing beside me, our baby arrived, I saw her, then Hubby and her left and I was once again alone...for what felt like forever.  The thing is...we might not have met her at all...the version might have caused the cord to wrap around her neck, which caused some distress in her...thank goodness they were in a rush and all was well.



This is the story of my girls beginning. She has always been a fighter. A crier. I whiner if I may. She was beautiful from the first sight of her. (Not that my first was not, because she was equally as gorgeous...)  

Our family FELT complete.

This was five year ago! HARD to believe. I mean, so MUCH has happened since that day. We found ourselves with a baby girl who DID NOT SLEEP until she was four! (OK maybe 3 1/2...) 

Kit Kat, I tell you all the time that without you, our family wouldn't be the same. You bring laughter, silliness, giggles to brighten all of our days. You have a kind heart, a big smile, and a perfect imagination. You talk loud, you whine like no other, you don't listen, and you are ornery in your own right, but I wouldn't change you ... OK, well maybe the listening thing...but we will get there! ;)

You drink in this world, you take in everything that is around you, you rub off your sweetness on all and give to anyone without reason. I know the world holds greatness for you, I see it already.  


Today I watched you play like it was the last day on earth. You grabbed your barbies and put them in the grass and made their world come alive, all while you are sick. You are loved. I could not even begin to tell you how much. You are loved and loved again. 

We wish you a HAPPY BIRTHDAY...this one is FIVE and I know you CAN NOT WAIT to CHEW GUM!  We have a TON for you!!! This is a BIG year for you...starting school and learning and finding new friends that will be with you on this adventure called life for years to come. 

              


It is bittersweet.  I am beyond excited to see you grow, to watch you become YOU...but I am sadden that MY BABY....my last BABY is FIVE.  You are OFFICIALLY NOT a BABY any longer. (tear) 



Grow your wings little one...learn to fly beyond our nest. Never forget your giggles, or your smile as you give this life your best. 

Happy Birthday Baby.... WE LOVE YOU so MUCH! 

  
Love,
Mom, Dad, KJ, Otis, Pumpkin, Porkchop & 11 chickens! ;)
2016



Monday, March 14, 2016

Chocolate covered...yum....




Another day, another dollar.  

Isn't that what they say?  

When you work from home, I think that still sticks.  I mean, while I am juggling my work duties and making sure I am fitting in my full eight plus hours, I also have dishes, laundry, dusting, vacuuming, and dinner on my mind.

Work is good though.  

I mean, I am grateful to have the opportunity to work for a legit company based in Minnesota, with a work load that keeps me busy, but sometimes a girl just needs a break!



This was true on Friday.  After pushing my ten hour day (pouting the whole way through) and having it then turn into a twelve hour day- and that is straight hours, I was ready to slam the laptop shut and walk away, far away!

I signed off and stopped reading all emails coming in from my phone and literally disconnected




Much needed, considering that the Monday before, I had pondered taking Friday off all together.  I would not have been able to, as I was holding down the "fort", but it just proves that I was more than ready for the break.



Then, I ask, why do weekends go so fast?  

I had things to get ready for my Mom's birthday (Happy Birthday Mom - I love you!) and then a celebration and a kid who was feeling under the weather and bam it's Monday again... Oh vey!

I made it through my Monday, which was super hectic, signing off at a decent time, with only nine hours in!

I went to bed feeling tired and woke to a Chocolate covered Boston Creme doughnut greeting me on the kitchen counter.

Whoa!

Yes, I ate it all!  

Every last delicious part of that yummy doughnut and I feel glorious about it.  

Working fifty PLUS hours a week is a killer while raising two kids solo, as my Hubby leaves this gig to me at night.  Rough...right!

So, I had my chocolate covered yummy yum yum and went on with my day of work.  Yes, it's busy but that doughnut made my day just a little better.

Thank you Hubby for my yum yum yummy, it was much needed and I love you!




Doughnut or Do-NOT?  You be the judge!

~Kel

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