A Friday list...

Hey there, internet! Long time, no see.

1. July was travel month 2.0. Jeremy and I spent another fantastic week at Sooner Youth Camp while the kids lived the small-town country life at Nana and Grandpapa's house. Then, the kids and I drove up to Missouri to visit my family for the week, while Jeremy headed back to Houston to work for a few days before going to Chicago for Ultimate Frisbee Masters Nationals. The kids and I had a blast in Independence, and managed the 14 hour road trip from Independence to Houston without any major incidents (pro tip: when driving with small children make a pit stop IMMEDIATELY before getting on the Indian Nation Turnpike because that is one lonely stretch of road).

2. Re-entry into "normal" life has gone about as expected, with the most major hiccup coming yesterday when I tripped while running and tore up both of my hands and one knee pretty bad. It's times like this when I notice just how much I wash my hands and pick up my kids. (ouch, ouch, ouch). Also cooking...dishes...showering...

3. We're beginning the potty training adventure with child number two this week. We bought brand new undies and candy for bribes so we're ready to go! I'm just praying it goes more quickly than with child number one.

5. I've read a few super fun books the past few weeks: Alif the Unseen, by G. Willow Wilson; To All the Boys I've Loved Before and P.S., I Still Love You, by Jenny Han; and Crazy Rich Asians, by Kevin Kwan.

Alif the Unseen is fantasy with a modern setting (kind of like Harry Potter). It's computer hackers meets Middle Eastern folklore and mysticism. I loved the unfamiliar-to-me Middle Eastern setting, and the author did a fantastic job of bringing it to life. Really, I loved everything about this book: from the well-written and nuanced characters to the spot-on dialogue. I couldn't put it down.

The Jenny Han books are the first two in a contemporary YA trilogy about a teenage girl who gets over intense crushes by writing "goodbye" letters to the crushes but not sending them. Except one day the letters get mailed and things get a little awkward and a little exciting too. The books are also about family, friendship, and being brave. Han writes great teenagers that are endearingly annoying and clueless, and love triangles that actually feel realistic. Bonus: the first book has been adapted to a movie by Netflix! I can't wait.

And finally, I've been hearing good things about Crazy Rich Asians for a while, and since the movie comes out in a couple of weeks I thought it was time to jump on board -- I'm so glad I did! It was engaging, fascinating, breezy, and a perfect summer read. The setting and over-the-top (but still realistic) characters steal the show, so it definitely has the potential to be a great movie.

Happy Friday!