by Laura Beth

Awesome Authors #7: Veronica Roth

I first discovered Veronica Roth in 2011, when I heard the buzz about her debut novel, Divergent.

In my Book Review at the end of 2014, I liked Divergent, loved Insurgent, but Allegiant was disappointing, to say the least. It took me several months, from July through December, to finish the trilogy.

Veronica Roth was born on August 19, 1988. She was born in New York City, but raised in Barrington, Illinois, which is 32 miles northwest of Chicago. She has an older brother and sister. Her parents divorced around 1993, but her mother eventually remarried.

She graduated from Barrington High School. She initially studied at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. After one year, she transferred to Northwestern University to study creative writing. She graduated from Northwestern in 2010. She married Nelson Fitch, a photographer, in 2011.

Roth wrote Divergent while on winter break during her senior year at Northwestern.

She has received several awards. She received the Goodreads 2011 Choice Award. In 2012, she was recognized as the Best of 2012 in the category of Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction, as well as Best Goodreads Author.

The publishing rights for Divergent were sold before her college graduation. The film rights were sold before the novel’s printing in April 2011.

By fall 2013, Divergent and Insurgent had sold more than five million copies.

The film adaptation of Divergent was released in March 2014. The film adaptation of Insurgent was released on March 20, 2015.

Initially, the third book, Allegiant, was scheduled to be split into two films. The Divergent Series: Allegiant was released on March 18, 2016. The former Part 2, re-titled as The Divergent Series: Ascendant, was released on March 24, 2017.

The Divergent trilogy:

Divergent (2011)
Insurgent (2012)
Allegiant (2013)

Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org

The cover art for these books is gorgeous. It’s one of the things that attracted me to the trilogy. As I mentioned in my 2014 book review, I loved the first two books, particularly Insurgent. However, Allegiant was a huge turn-off for me. In my opinion, Roth could have made both Divergent and Insurgent a little bit longer, and wrapped up the series with those two books.

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The World of Divergent: The Path to Allegiant (2013)

Image Credit: Amazon

Roth also published a companion book / guide to the Divergent trilogy, around the time that Allegiant was published. To be honest, I haven’t read this, and I’m not sure if I ever will.

—

Four: A Divergent Story Collection (2014)

Image Credit: Wikipedia

In addition to the Divergent trilogy, Roth wrote four short stories from the point of view of Tobias Eaton.

The Transfer
The Initiate
The Son
The Traitor

The stories have been sold separately, but also packaged together.

—

We Can Be Mended (2017)

Image Credit: Goodreads

An epilogue to Divergent, titled We Can Be Mended, was announced in December 2016. I’m willing to give it a shot, although I immensely disliked Allegiant as a whole. Maybe Roth can redeem herself with this one.

—

Carve The Mark (2017)

Image Credit: Goodreads

Roth’s latest young adult book, titled Carve The Mark, was published on January 17, 2017. I actually didn’t realize she had written a new book until researching her for this specific post, so I plan to add this book to my TBR. It looks like a completely new, completely different story, and I’m excited to try it out. To the library!

I’ve really enjoyed following Roth’s journey into writing, so far.

As critical as I’ve been about Allegiant and the film adaptations, I plan to add Carve The Mark and We Can Be Mended to my TBR. We shall see!

What about you?

Have you read any of Veronica Roth’s works?

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

09.20.17

by Laura Beth

Writing Prompt #76: “52 Weeks of Gratitude Challenge” (Week 38)

First found on Life Lessons Around The Dinner Table.

Week #38: Music You Love.

In addition to the songs I mentioned in my recent Getting Personal post, here’s a few more insights into my musical tastes.

Contemporary Christian Music

Avalon — “Testify to Love”
Casting Crowns — “If We Are the Body”
Casting Crowns — “Thrive”
Chris Tomlin — “How Great Is Our God”
Citizen Way — “Evidence”
Hillsong United — “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)”
Jeremy Camp — “Walk By Faith”
MercyMe — “I Can Only Imagine”
Relient K — “The Best Thing”
Steven Curtis Chapman — “Dive”
Steven Curtis Chapman — “I Do Believe”
Switchfoot — “Dare You to Move”

Country Music

Blake Shelton — “All About Tonight”
Blake Shelton — “Austin”
Blake Shelton — “Neon Light”
Brad Paisley — “Old Alabama”
Brad Paisley — “Perfect Storm”
Carrie Underwood — “Some Hearts”
Carrie Underwood — “Blown Away”
Carrie Underwood — “Heartbeat”
Charlie Daniels Band — “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”
Chris Young — “Voices”
Chris Young — “I’m Comin’ Over”
Darius Rucker — “True Believers”
Florida Georgia Line — “Dirt”
Florida Georgia Line ft. Luke Bryan — “This Is How We Roll”
Florida Georgia Line — “H.O.L.Y.”
Garth Brooks — “Friends in Low Places”
Lady Antebellum — “American Honey”
LeAnn Rimes — “One Way Ticket (Because I Can)”
LeAnn Rimes — “How Do I Live”
Lonestar — “Amazed”
Lonestar — “I’m Already There”
Martina McBride — “Concrete Angel”
Rascal Flatts — “Life is a Highway” (cover)
Rascal Flatts — “Why Wait”
Scotty McCreery — “The Trouble with Girls”
Scotty McCreery — “Feelin’ It”
Scotty McCreery — “Five More Minutes”
Shania Twain — “Up!”
Shania Twain — “I’m Gonna Getcha Good”
The Band Perry — “DONE.”
The Band Perry — “If I Die Young”

Glee

I loved Glee from Day 1!
I have almost every CD that’s been released.
If I need a pick-me-up, one of these CDs usually does the trick.
There are waaaaay too many songs that I love from this show to list! I should make a separate post.

Soundtracks

A Chorus Line (1985)
Back to the Future (1985)
Batman (1989)
Chicago (2002)
Dirty Dancing (1987)
Enchanted (2007)
Flashdance (1983)
Footloose (1984)
Footloose (2011)
Forrest Gump (1994)
Ghost (1990)
Grease (1978)
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 1 & 2 (2014, 2017)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)
Interstellar (2014)
Jurassic Park (1993)
Mamma Mia! (2008)
Night at the Museum (2006)
Purple Rain (1984)
Saturday Night Fever (1977)
Shaft (1971)
Space Jam (1996)
The Bodyguard (1992)
The Guardian (2006)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
Top Gun (1986)
Tron: Legacy (2010)
Wicked (2003)

Here are links to other blog posts I’ve written about music:

What about you? What are your tastes in music?

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

09.17.17

by Laura Beth

Tag #29: “20 Questions Book Tag”

Image Credit: A Book Lovers Playlist

The lovely ladies at Thrice Read did another awesome book tag! It was created by someone on Goodreads.

Here’s the link to Thrice Read’s original post:

20 Questions Book Tag

How many books is too many books in a book series?
Ooooh, good question. I love Harry Potter, so I’ve always thought that seven is enough.

How do you feel about cliffhangers?
Cliffhangers are decent, but a writer shouldn’t rely on them all the time.

Hard copy or paperback?
I hate it when the paperback spines crack, so I like hard copy.

Favorite book?
My all-time favorite is The Great Gatsby.

Least favorite book?
The Scarlet Letter.

Love triangles, yes or no?
Yes. It makes a book interesting.

The most recent book you just couldn’t finish?
Nothing comes to mind at the moment.

A book you’re currently reading?
The Girl on the Train.

Last book you recommended to someone?
I recommended The Unknown and the Impossible: How a research facility in Virginia mastered the air and conquered space.

Oldest book you’ve read? (Publication date)
Little Women.

Newest book you’ve read? (Publication date)
The Whistler.

Favorite author?
John Grisham, Nicholas Sparks, Jeanette Walls, John Green, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Buying books or borrowing books?
Can I say both? I’m trying to use my local library to borrow more, rather than buy.

A book you dislike that everyone else seems to love?
I can’t put my finger on a single book.

Bookmarks or dog-ears?
Bookmarks, all the way.

A book you can always re-read?
Any of the American Girl books. Childhood nostalgia for the win!

Can you read while hearing music?
Not really.

One POV or multiple POVs? (POVs = Points of view)
I’ll stick with one POV. I hated the way Veronica Roth attempted to write Allegiant, and that’s left a sour taste in my mouth ever since.

Do you read a book in one sitting or over multiple days?
It would be so nice to read a book in one sitting. But, since my reading time is mostly limited to vacations, or before going to sleep, it usually takes me several days to finish a book.

Who do you tag? (You can invite them to the group to do the tag)
Anyone!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

09.15.17

by Laura Beth

Getting Personal #84: Favorite Songs & Artists, 1950s-Present Day

Image Credit: Pinterest

I was recently inspired to write this post, thanks to my friend Drew. He posted a Facebook status about his dislike for a particular song that’s been popular for several decades, and that sparked a conversation about the 1980s, and our favorite songs from that decade.

In addition, I saw this video from MetroLyrics on Facebook, and I loved how the creator(s) showcase(s) so many songs!

Every Song of the Summer Since 1958

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Now, I want to go decade by decade, and list a handful of my favorite songs and artists from each one!

Come along and enjoy!

1950s

“Rock Around The Clock” (Bill Haley & His Comets, 1952)

Automatic favorite!

“Sh-Boom” (The Chords, 1954)

My parents had a generic “Best of the 1950s” CD that I frequently borrowed after I received my first portable CD player – This was one of the songs listed!

“Earth Angel” (The Penguins, 1954)

I think this song was also on that CD!

“Heartbreak Hotel” (Elvis Presley, 1956)

It was hard to not list a ton of Elvis songs!

“Bye Bye Love” (The Everly Brothers, 1957)

This was another song that I grew up listening to!

“At the Hop” (Danny & The Juniors, 1958)

This song makes me think of sock hops, dancing, and excellent music!

“Beyond The Sea” (Bobby Darin, 1959)

This song has been in so many movies!
It reminds me of fancy clubs and restaurants – The old days.

—

1960s

“Unchained Melody” (The Righteous Brothers, 1965)

My parents played this on our stereo at home a lot. I remember my mom singing along.
Plus, Ghost (1990) is one of my favorite movies!

“Good Vibrations” (The Beach Boys, 1966)

The Beach Boys is one of my parents’ favorite bands!
If you haven’t seen Love & Mercy (2014), I highly recommend it – It’s an excellent movie. I gained a greater appreciation for Brian Wilson, and the band.

“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, 1967)

I grew up hearing this song, but I remember it most from Remember The Titans (2000).

“What A Wonderful World” (Louis Armstrong, 1967)

This song immediately lifts my spirits!

“Carolina In My Mind” (James Taylor, 1968)

My parents are also big James Taylor fans – They’ve seen him live several times.
However, this song is special – My dad played this song when he proposed to my mom. Then, in 2015, we surprised Mom by dancing to this song during our father-daughter dance at my wedding.

—

1970s

“Fire And Rain” (James Taylor, 1970)

I think this was the first James Taylor song I remember hearing!

“Baba O’Riley” (The Who, 1971)

I’ve always loved this song – The synthesizer always gives me goosebumps.
It’s also the theme song to CSI: NY, one of my favorite shows.

“Saturday in the Park” (Chicago, 1972)

This song always makes me dance and sing along.
I also had the opportunity to see Chicago live, in Portsmouth, in the early 2000s – I think I was either 13 or 14. I went with my parents, and their friends Phil and Diane. What an awesome memory!

“Hooked on a Feeling” (Blue Swede cover, 1974)

I heard this song here and there growing up, but absolutely fell in love with it when it was featured in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014).
Al and I entered our wedding reception to this!

“Don’t Let The Sun Go Down on Me” (Elton John, 1974)

I started listening to Elton John more in high school, while driving the 15 miles back and forth to school.

“Isn’t She Lovely” (Stevie Wonder, 1976)

My mom has loved Stevie Wonder for years. I think this one is my favorite.

“Don’t Stop” (Fleetwood Mac, 1977)

Fleetwood Mac was another favorite in my parents’ house. This one tops my list.
I also love the cover that the cast of Glee did in 2010.

“Old Time Rock n Roll” (Bob Seger, 1978)

I heard this song a lot growing up, but associate it now with Tom Cruise in Risky Business (1983).

—

1980s

“Come On Eileen” (Dexys Midnight Runners, 1982)

This song is awesome! It automatically makes me dance and sing!

“Eye of the Tiger” (Survivor, 1982)

This was the theme song of my high school football team. Go Tigers!

“Uptown Girl” (Billy Joel, 1983)

I remember borrowing Billy Joel’s Greatest Hits Vols. 1 & 2 on CD from the local library, and then putting all of them on my iPod.
We’re hoping to see him live at Madison Square Garden next summer!

“Footloose” (Kenny Loggins, 1984)

Although I grew up listening (and dancing) to this song, I actually never saw the original movie until 2010!
I also enjoyed the movie re-boot – Footloose (2011) – Al was such a good sport and offered to take me to see it!

“Ghostbusters” (Ray Parker, Jr., 1984)

Automatic favorite. I also associate this song with Halloween. I love the Ghostbusters costume I bought several years ago!
Although I didn’t see the full movie until 2010, I’ve visited the firehouse in New York several times!

“You’re The Inspiration” (Chicago, 1984)

This was one of the first songs I loaded on my first iPod!

“The Power of Love” (Huey Lewis and the News, 1985)

Back to the Future (1985). Need I say more?

“(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” (Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes, 1987)

Dirty Dancing (1987).
I’ve been to Mountain Lake three times, where they filmed part of the movie!

“Smooth Criminal” (Michael Jackson, 1987)

It was SO HARD to not pick a ton of Michael Jackson’s songs. I love this one.
This is another one that Glee covered that I adore!

“I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” (Whitney Houston, 1987)

Same story with Whitney – So hard to not pick multiple songs.
Like the title, it makes me want to dance the whole time!

“Never Gonna Give You Up” (Rick Astley, 1987)

Yes, it’s cheesy and campy, but I will never stop loving it.

—

1990s

“Baby Got Back” (Sir Mix A Lot, 1992)

Whenever I hear this song, I’m immediately transported back to elementary school, and the Plaza Skating Center in Portsmouth. So many skating parties!

“All I Want For Christmas Is You” (Mariah Carey, 1994)

Yes, it’s cheesy, but this is one of my all-time favorite Christmas songs. The local radio stations start way too early, but hearing this song always gets me in the mood for the holidays, and Christmas spirit.

“Wannabe” (Spice Girls, 1996)

I was introduced to the Spice Girls by my friends Karen and Michaela Leigh, who are sisters. We played this song a ton at their house in Norfolk. Karen also had the dolls!

“Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” (Shania Twain, 1997)

I don’t remember the first time I heard this song, but I instantly liked it! The music video is totally awesome, too.

“Tearin’ Up My Heart” (*NSYNC, 1997)

I think I fell in love with *NSYNC with this song. I’m definitely a ’90s child!

“…Baby One More Time” (Britney Spears, 1999)

I remember outright begging my parents for this CD. I was so excited when I got it, I nearly cried!

“Larger than Life” (Backstreet Boys, 1999)

I definitely sang into my hairbrush, in front of my mirrored closet doors, to this song. Over and over and over!
I shameless danced when this song came on the radio in the car a few months ago. Al was driving, and he saw me freak out a little.

—

2000s

“Stronger” (Britney Spears, 2000)

I loved this song early on, but it took on a new meaning for me in college.

“Bye Bye Bye” (*NSYNC, 2000)

This song was on repeat for a while! I remember trying to learn the dance moves!

“Come Away with Me” (Norah Jones, 2002)

I associate coffee shops and dark jazz clubs with this song. It’s one of those that relaxes me and makes me feel good.

“Invisible” (Clay Aiken, 2003)

When Clay Aiken was runner-up on the second season of American Idol, I knew I wanted any and every CD that he released.
I remember many trips to Florida where this song, and the rest of Measure of a Man, was on repeat on my blue portable CD player.

“The Way” (Clay Aiken, 2003)

The first time I heard this song, I nearly cried. It’s so sweet and sentimental.
I remember watching the music video over and over on YouTube. And, occasionally, I play it again.

“Dancing Through Life” (Wicked soundtrack, 2003)

I love almost all of the songs on the Wicked soundtrack, but this one is my favorite. When I had the opportunity to see the show in Norfolk in 2009, I bought a red tank top with this printed on it, and I loved it. I’m sad that I grew out of it!

“Walk Away” (Kelly Clarkson, 2004)

I was a late-bloomer with Kelly Clarkson. But, I’ve loved this song from the beginning. It’s edgy, and I almost used the lyrics to tell off my ex-boyfriend when I broke up with him in 2010.

“I Gotta Feeling” (The Black Eyed Peas, 2009)

This is a quintessential dance / party song.

—

2010s (So far)

“Rolling in the Deep” (Adele, 2010)

When Al and I saw I Am Number Four (2011) in theaters, I heard this song for the first time. I immediately wanted more! Adele is now one of my all-time favorite artists!

“Mine” (Taylor Swift, 2010)

I felt an instant connection with this song. It felt like it was telling the story of Al and I.
I got up the courage to sing this song to Al at our rehearsal dinner. I practiced in the car, alone, every chance I got. My bridal party helped me make posters that read “You are the best thing that’s ever been mine,” and they held them up as I sang. My knees were shaking the entire time, and I know Al was embarrassed, but it was completely worth it.

“What Doesn’t Kill You (Stronger)” (Kelly Clarkson, 2011)

This was my anthem for a few years!
Kelly has such a powerful voice – I love it!

“Domino” (Jessie J, 2011)

I always feel sexy when I sing along to this song.

“Call Me Maybe” (Carly Rae Jepsen, 2012)

I love Carly Rae. This is one of those songs that instantly makes me dance and sing.
Also, I love the video that the cast of The Big Bang Theory did with this song!

“Who I Am with You” (Chris Young, 2013)

Like “Mine,” I felt an instant connection to this song. I first heard it on the radio in 2013, as I was driving back to my apartment one night. I pulled over in my neighborhood to listen to it, and immediately re-played it when I got home. It’s been one of my all-time favorite songs since then. We danced to this song for our first dance at our wedding.

“Word Crimes” (“Weird Al” Yankovic, 2014)

Al introduced me to “Weird Al” – I love his parodies!
This is one of my all-time favorites. If you’re a grammar nerd, like me, I think you’ll appreciate this one.

“Shake It Off” (Taylor Swift, 2014)

I love Taylor Swift. This song makes me dance, even if I’m sitting down. It’s so upbeat and catchy!

“Shatter Me” (Lindsey Stirling featuring Lzzy Hale, 2014)

I can’t remember when I first fell in love with Lindsey Stirling, but she’s amazing! We had the opportunity to see her live at The NorVA in 2015!

“Lips Are Movin” (Meghan Trainor, 2014)

Whenever I need a pick-me-up, I usually search for Meghan Trainor on YouTube – It never fails!
I adore her style, and her musical inspirations!

“Heartbeat Song” (Kelly Clarkson, 2015)

I cried when I first heard this song, and cried harder when I watched the music video. It’s an amazing song about love!

“One More Light” (Linkin Park, 2017)

The recent deaths of Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington, both from suicide, makes this song even more poignant.

I hope you enjoyed this post! I had a lot of fun researching. I definitely listened to all of them, too!

What about you? What are your favorite artists / musicians? Do you have any favorite songs? I’d love to see your comments.

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

09.11.17

by Laura Beth

Adventure Time: Roanoke, VA Edition (“Mimosas in the Mountains” – Savy’s Bachelorette Weekend!)

This was one of our gifts! Savy got them on Etsy!

I was waiting for this past weekend for what felt like FOREVER!

This weekend was definitely full of many “firsts” for me:

First time visiting the Roanoke area in several years.
First time ever staying in an Airbnb.
First time going on a significant hike.
First time ever getting an Uber.
First time, since college, going out and dancing.

There were six of us sharing the Airbnb – Savy, Crystal, Vong, Anna, Brittany, and myself. We all got along great, and had a fabulous weekend!

Friday

Anna and I both were able to take the day off from work. Since I offered to make breakfast for everyone on Saturday morning, I went to Aldi and got all the fixings for French toast and bacon, plus OJ, milk, and coffee. I took my time, since I was picking up Anna at her house in Virginia Beach at 11:00 a.m. My parents offered to let me borrow one of their coolers, plus ice packs and frozen water bottles, so I stopped by their house for about 45 minutes and caught up with my mom.

I got to Virginia Beach early enough to figure out where Anna lived, then topped off my gas tank at BJ’s in Norfolk. I got back to Anna’s around 10:45. We got her stuff in the car, and then headed out!

Traffic was blissfully light – It was just a long-haul drive. We stopped for lunch at a McDonald’s just outside of Richmond. This restaurant had the traditional line, but also two new ordering kiosks. That was certainly interesting.

We got back on the road, and made it all the way to the Waynesboro area before I stopped at a Wendy’s for the bathroom, and the biggest root beer they offered. We still had about two hours left at that point!

All told, it took about five hours to reach the Airbnb in Roanoke, and we got there around 4:45 p.m. Anna and I explored the house, claimed our bedrooms, and then unloaded the car. We hung out for a while. Savy, Crystal, and Vong rode together, and arrived around 6:15 p.m.

I didn’t take a lot of photos of the Airbnb, but it was a really nice house. In addition to the six beds (Three on the second floor, and the other three in the finished basement), there was a spacious living room, sweet kitchen, and an awesome deck right off the first floor!

Once Savy, Crystal, and Vong arrived and got settled, we headed out to find dinner. The good news was we were just a few minutes from downtown Roanoke, and we had a TON of food options. Savy recommended eating as much starch and protein as we could, in preparation for the hike.

We ended up at a really cool place called Bushi. They offer sushi burritos and poke bowls. They’ve only been open for three months, but it was a nice set-up. The vegetables were incredibly fresh (The head chef / manager was slicing avocados while we were there), and the staff made everything in front of you, to your liking. I got the “Don’t Tuna Around” sushi burrito – I loved it! The only wrinkle was it fell apart really quickly, and it was pretty messy, but it didn’t matter. I ate every bite.

After dinner, we drove to the local Kroger. Vong got all the stuff for sandwiches for the hike, plus fresh apples, trail mix, a case of water, and a few other things. Savy wanted to pay for some of it, and we said absolutely not! Between Crystal, Vong, and I, we made it work.

For the rest of Friday night, we just enjoyed the amazing cool air on the deck with the patio furniture, sharing stories, popcorn, Cheez-Its, and iced animal crackers. I stayed up until 11:00 p.m. or so, but I knew I needed to get up around 5:30 a.m. to start breakfast!

Saturday

I’m glad I got up around 5:30 a.m., because I needed the prep time for breakfast! I made the French toast first, and then started on the bacon. I saved the scrambled eggs for last. I used 11 eggs total!

Vong was the first one up, and we waited for everyone else to get up to eat. It took some brain power to figure out the Ninja coffee maker, but it worked like a charm.

We ate together at the dining room table and drank mimosa with our mugs, along with coffee. After breakfast, everyone scattered to take showers and get dressed. We also slathered ourselves in sunscreen and heavy-duty bug spray.

Scrambled eggs, bacon, and French toast with syrup.

I drove Vong and Brittany in my car, and then Savy took Crystal and Anna in hers. It was about a 20-minute drive to McAfee Knob. It’s part of the Appalachian Trail!

The parking lot was already pretty full when we arrived, which was around 9:15 a.m. We set off to start at 9:20 a.m. There were several people coming DOWN the trail as we started!

This hike was HARD. I’m talking steep elevation, billions of rocks and boulders, thinning air, and navigating tree roots. But, it was completely worth it. I was definitely the slowest of the group, but we took several breaks for water and KIND bars to keep our energy up.

There were gigantic boulders throughout the hike!

This was one of the places where we stopped for a break. The clearing was full of thousands of plants and wildflowers!

This was a series of photos from the top. It was absolutely breathtaking. I almost cried! It felt like a huge accomplishment. It took us 3 1/2 hours to get to the top, but it was absolutely worth it. We spent about 45 minutes at the top, where we ate lunch, people-watched, dog-watched (So many dogs!), and taking photos. According to my FitBit, it was 11,000 steps!!

Obligatory group photo, or it didn’t happen! L to R: Brittany, Laura Beth, Savy, Anna, Vong, and Crystal.

Most everyone had their photo taken like this. I was a little nervous, but it was awesome!

In total, it was basically a six-hour hike, round trip. I counted 22,000 steps total!

After the hike, we headed back to the Airbnb. I’m so glad Savy took me through a series of stretches, because otherwise, I definitely would not be walking so easily today! Everything from the waist down hurts, but it’s an awesome feeling.

We took showers and vegged out for several hours on Saturday. Savy and Vong made a freaking fantastic spaghetti dinner, with three pounds of meat in the sauce, plus garlic bread, and salad. I don’t know what Vong did, but she added orange juice to the leftover honey mustard for salad dressing, and it was amazing!!

After dinner, most of us took power naps, since we were going out dancing later. We had a blast!

This was the selfie that I sent to Al before going out!

Sunday

We were able to extend the Airbnb check-out time to 12:00 p.m., which was great, since many slept in, Brittany made an amazing bread pudding for breakfast, and we had to clean up!

Brittany’s bread pudding consisted of day-old croissants, ham, cheese, eggs, green peppers, onions, and probably a few other ingredients. It was SO GOOD!

After checking out, we headed toward Charlottesville to visit the Michael Shaps Wineworks. It was on the way home, and highly recommended.

We visited the Tasting Room, and dined on amazing Brie cheese and toasted bread. Michael Shaps offers various French and Virginia wines, and it’s a family-owned business. It was really cool learning about the history of the winery, and how they grow their grapes in France, as well as Virginia. Anna got a bottle, and I bought Savy a bottle of her favorite red for the wedding!

After the tasting, we headed toward home. It was a long drive, but it was a great end to a fabulous weekend. Anna was so sweet and paid for my gas on the way home, and I dropped her off around 6:30 p.m. My car got basically 40 miles to the gallon between Friday and Sunday!!

I got home just after 7:00 p.m. Al helped me unload the car. We started a load of laundry, and then we compared notes about our weekends. Al celebrated Nick’s bachelor weekend in Virginia Beach and Richmond. Everyone was thoroughly entertained, to say the least. By 8:30 p.m., we headed to bed!

Savy – I had an AMAZING weekend. Thank you so much for including me in the festivities! I had so much fun.

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

09.08.17

by Laura Beth

Adventure Time: Newport News, VA Edition (Virginia Living Museum & Nature Connects: Art with LEGO Bricks)

Image Credit: QuotesGram

With every “dating anniversary,” Al and I try to do something fun and different.

This year, since our anniversary fell on Labor Day, we decided to head up to Newport News!

For lunch, we ate at Harpoon Larry’s Fish House & Oyster Bar. I had eaten there a few times with my work department, but it was Al’s first time. I figured, since Al loves seafood, it would be a good place. It was delicious! I had their Mediterranean-style pasta with shrimp and scallops, and Al had their fried shrimp. We also split their crab dip. Yummy!!

After lunch, we headed to our destination: The Virginia Living Museum.

We were mainly going for their Nature Connects: Art with LEGO Bricks exhibit, but neither of us had been to the museum since we were in elementary school. We had so much fun!

In addition to traveling exhibits and displays, the museum has permanent indoor galleries, the Boardwalk Trail, Dinosaur Discovery Trail, Living Green/Gardens, and more. They also have the Abbitt Observatory and Abbitt Planetarium. The museum’s main goal to educate visitors about Virginia life and conservation. It celebrated it’s 50th anniversary in 2015!

Can you tell that I like turtles?

Can you tell that I really like turtles?

The Aviary was so cool!

I love all the animals!

The beautiful scenery makes me feel like I’m in the woods or at the lake, far away from sirens and cars!

The flowers are gorgeous!

Now, on to the LEGO sculptures!!

This bonsai tree was the only indoor sculpture. What a great way to start!

Beautiful deer family.

Amazing spider!

Grandfather and Grandchild working in the garden, with red wheelbarrow.

Better photo of the red wheelbarrow.

Cardinals and squirrel in birdbath.

Bumblebee visiting a pansy.

Galapagos tortoise!

I think this one was my favorite!

This is a depiction of a rare pink dragonfly.

Stunning peacock. Did you know – The male bird is called the peacock, but the female bird is called the peahen?

Which sculpture is your favorite?

We loved visiting the museum! We can’t wait to come back when we have kids!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

09.07.17

by Laura Beth

Tag #28: “Wonder Woman Book Tag”

Image Credit: Delphine’s Babble on Some Good Reads

As soon as I saw this tag from Delphine’s Babble on Some Good Reads two weeks ago, I knew I needed to do it!

Also, check out Delphine’s amaze-balls blog, while you’re at it. She’s fabulous!

Here’s the link to Delphine’s original post:

Wonder Woman Book Tag

Wonder Woman: Your Favorite Badass Female Book Character

Image Credit: Scholastic Media Room

Katniss Everdeen was the first badass character that came to mind! I love The Hunger Games trilogy – It’s a set that will sit on my bookshelf until the end of time.

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Fantasy Island: A Book Setting You Want to Escape To

The Vacationers

I loved the richness of Spain in The Vacationers. This is a perfect escape book!

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London: A Hyped Book That Let You Down

Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org

I liked Divergent, and I loved Insurgent, but Allegiant was incredibly disappointing. It was one book that I almost didn’t finish. It also kind of ruined the entire series for me. The movies were even worse!

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Steve Trevor: A Book That Has a Beautiful Cover And a Great Story (i.e., Great Personality)

Image Credit: Pinterest

As a child, I enjoyed books about horses. Black Beauty was no exception.

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Lasso of Truth: A Book You Hated

Image Credit: Barnes & Noble

I absolutely LOATHED this book. I had to read it for one of my summer assignments in high school, and I struggled to get through it. As an adult, I now understand why it’s important to read it, but back then, I cried because it was so awful and so frustrating, and I did not understand why I needed to read it!

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Wonder Woman’s Shield: A Book So Sad You Need a Shield

The Battle of Jericho - Simon & Schuster

Image Credit: Simon & Schuster

This was the first book from Sharon M. Draper that I read. I wasn’t expecting to cry and feel multiple emotions, but I did. Despite feeling incredibly sad, I wanted to read more. This book is part of The Jericho Trilogy, and she’s written another impressive trilogy, along with many other books. If you haven’t read any of her books, you should. She gives a powerful perspective on the lives of African-American teenagers, as well as tough topics, including abuse, poverty, teen pregnancy, hazing, and others.

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No Man’s Land: A Book that You Want to Send Through No Man’s Land (i.e., shoot it to death)

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man - Goodreads

Image Credit: Goodreads

As a senior in high school, the last thing I wanted to do was attempt to decipher the stream of consciousness of the narrator in this blasted book. I remember reading, and then re-reading, pages over and over and over. It didn’t make me cry, but most of my class bemoaned Mr. Degnan for picking this book!

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Ares: A Villain That is Scary, But You Can’t Seem to Hate

Image Credit: Amazon

Carrie was one of the few Stephen King books that didn’t truly scare me. I guess it was because I’d heard so much about the book and the movies before reading it? I’m not sure. Regardless, Margaret White is a scary character, but I don’t hate her.

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Ar. Poison: A Villain That Has No Reason To Exist

Honestly, I’m at a loss for this question. Readers – Do you have any ideas for this one?

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The Amazons: A Book that You Wish Had More/Better LGBT + Representation

Same as above. I’m not sure how to answer this one, either. Readers – What say you?

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Justice League: What Superhero Book Friends Do You Tag?

I’m not tagging anyone in particular, but I hope some of you will consider doing this one!

This tag was really HARD. Thanks for the challenge, Delphine!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

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Yearly Archives: 2017

Awesome Authors #7: Veronica Roth

Adventure Time: Roanoke, VA Edition (“Mimosas in the Mountains” – Savy’s Bachelorette Weekend!)

Adventure Time: Newport News, VA Edition (Virginia Living Museum & Nature Connects: Art with LEGO Bricks)