Holy hiatus! I've never been away from the blog this long. I can't tell you how many times over the past several months I've stared at the blinking cursor in the post editor, trying to compose something, anything, to show that I'm still alive. I've even Googled 'coming back from a blog break.' It's not that I don't have anything to say, I'm just not sure the things on my mind are interesting enough to keep the blog going. How can I find my voice again after being gone so long? Who's still around to read? Should that even matter?

So, what have I been up to? Not much really, just being with my family. There have been a lot of meals at the dinner table, movie nights at home, beach days, pool days, good books, homework, client work and hockey. So. Much. Hockey! And then there was Dennis. I didn't want to talk much about him here because I felt I should protect his privacy a little and they were his stories to tell, not mine. But, long story short, he came from Sweden last August to live with us and now we have another member in our family. He went home a few weeks ago. Tyler misses him terribly. Dennis is Tyler's best friend, big brother and hero rolled into one.

Maybe Dennis leaving is part of why I felt the need to get back online. I must admit, it was really nice to have someone to talk to every day who was on the other side of the kitchen table as opposed to the other side of the monitor. As much as I enjoyed all the family time I've started to get the same feeling that led me to start blogging in the first place. I got so caught up in 'being present' for everyone else that I forgot myself and the things that make me happy. Writing makes me happy. Social media makes me happy. When I'm happy it's hard to feel lonely or bored. And let's face it, being an at home mom can often be both lonely and boring.

So here I am attempting to get back on the horse. Come with me for the ride?

2013 Reading List

Welcome to my reading list for 2013! I'm terrible at remembering to do reviews in part because I read really fast. I set a goal for myself to read 40 books this year and I'm on track to possibly go even higher. I'd love to know if you've read any of these titles and how you liked the book.

In mostly chronological order:

January
At Home With the Templetons - Monica McInerney
The Shoemaker's Wife - Adriana Trigiani
The Last Time I Saw You - Elizabeth Berg

February
Divergent - Veronica Roth
The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott - Kelly O'Connor McNees
Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor
The Forgotten Garden - Kate Morton

March
A Grown Up Kind of Pretty - Joshilyn Jackson
Days of Blood and Starlight - Laini Taylor 
When in Doubt Add Butter - Beth Harbison

April
Patty Jane's House of Curl - Lorna Landvik
Nearlyweds - Beth Kendrick
Sarah's Key - Tatiana de Rosnay
The View From Mount Joy - Lorna Landvik

May
The Panther - Nelson DeMille
The Lion - Nelson DeMille
Tall Pine Polka - Lorna Landvik

June 
Notorious Nineteen - Janet Evanovich 

July 
Tapestry of Fortunes - Elizabeth Berg
Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn
Sisterland - Curtis Sittenfeld
Dead Ever After - Charlaine Harris 
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - Ransom Riggs

August
The Weird Sisters - Eleanor Brown
The Engagements - Courtney J Sullivan

September
Reached - Ally Condie
The Fault in Our Stars - John Green
The Tao of Martha - Jen Lancaster 
Where We Belong - Emily Giffin 

October 
Life After Life - Jill McCorkle
Let's Pretend This Never Happened - Jenny Lawson

November 
Wedding Night - Sophie Kinsella 
One Mississippi - Mark Childress