The One & Only - A Book Review

I've read a TON, and I mean a TON of negative reviews about the book on Goodreads and a few other blogs, but I actually really enjoyed this book. Maybe it's just because I love football (although nowhere near as as much as the awesome main character, Shea) or maybe because Shea and I are in the same career area, but I had the hardest time putting this book down.

A quick synopsis from Emily Griffin's website:

Thirty-three-year-old Shea Rigsby has spent her entire life in Walker, Texas—a small college town that lives and dies by football, a passion she unabashedly shares. Raised alongside her best friend, Lucy, the daughter of Walker’s legendary head coach, Clive Carr, Shea was too devoted to her hometown team to leave. Instead she stayed in Walker for college, even taking a job in the university athletic department after graduation, where she has remained for more than a decade.
 
But when an unexpected tragedy strikes the tight-knit Walker community, Shea’s comfortable world is upended, and she begins to wonder if the life she’s chosen is really enough for her. As she finally gives up her safety net to set out on an unexpected path, Shea discovers unsettling truths about the people and things she has always trusted most—and is forced to confront her deepest desires, fears, and secrets.
 
Thoughtful, funny, and brilliantly observed, The One and Only is a luminous novel about finding your passion, following your heart, and, most of all, believing in something bigger than yourself . . . the one and only thing that truly makes life worth living.

Let me go ahead and warn you that there is a fairly inappropriate relationship in this book. One that apparently a lot of other readers couldn't get past, but I just kind of accepted it as a "you can't help who you love" kind of situation and found myself cheering for the relationship to work out!

I do have a few negative comments about the book, It kind of just...ended. A few of the big questions that arose, one being a big "omg, is something going to happen to the coach or Walker because of this investigation?!" weren't answered. And also, I was super disappointed that there wasn't a big love scene between Shea and who she ends up dating. I kept thinking "it's going to happen!!" and then it wouldn't. Don't leave me hanging Emily Griffin!

All in all, I'd give this book 3.5 stars - definitely worth checking out (especially if you're a football fanatic).

netflix addictions

While I was out on maternity leave and recovering from surgery, I watched a lot of Netflix because the TV was always on while I fed Brody, wrapped presents, pumped, or really did anything. Because of this, I became addicted to three new shows: Once Upon a Time, Walking Dead, and Sons of Anarchy.

Once Upon a Time was a show I really didn't think I would like. In the beginning, a lot storybook characters are real and trapped in a small town in Maine and don't know who they really are. While the costumes & special effects are a little cheesy, the character development and the plot are both amazing! Not to mention I fell in love with the cuteness of Snow White & Prince Charming's relationship (which is made even cuter by the fact that they're married in real life). I also fell in love with Captain Hook, it must be the whole Pirate thing.

aren't they precious?
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I mean....
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Now how did I go from a show about princesses, dwarfs, and magic to The Walking Dead? My sister, my friend Jackie & my coworker Vicki have constantly told me how amazing the show is and I was all "zombies? no thanks". I was so wrong. I literally watched all four seasons on Netflix in a week then caught up on season 5 in two days. The writing is truly amazing and while it can get a little gory, the whole "these dead people are coming back to life and eating people" thing isn't really the main focus, it's how these characters interact and survive.

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But my most delicious new addiction? Sons of Anarchy. It makes me want to get rid of my Lilly Pulitzer and Jack Rogers in favor of rhinestone-d crosses, leather, and boots. It also makes me salivate over these two men (Opie & Jax), even though usually my tastes are more centered around southern gentlemen kind of guys in collared shirts, boat shoes, and tasteful athletic gear not scruffy bikers in baggy jeans, tank tops and leather vests that chain smoke.

Opie (yes, that is indeed the QB from Remember the Titans, but bearded and tattooed) and Jax, yum.

The show actually just had its final season, but I have been tearing up Netflix watching it after Josh goes to bed and I'm still up with Brody or while I am folding clothes & Sawyer's getting a bath (not to mention while I am eating lunch at work) and I am currently on season 4. The show is just the right amount of "these are bad guys, but they're also good guys" with some majorly hot scenes and some great comedic breaks too.  And again, just look at Charlie Hunnam (who was originally chosen to play Christian Grey in 50 Shades but had to back out bc of scheduling issues).

seriously.
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What's your favorite Netflix movie/show?

adjusting

Coming back to work after a baby is usually pretty difficult. This time was no exception, not because I was worried about Brody because I know he is safe and sound with our friend Dawn who is keeping him, but because I left for maternity leave during a major time of transition for my College with our long-time dean retiring and a new interim dean stepping in to cover for him.

Dawn sent me this pic Tuesday and I just about died. I just want to *boop* his little nose.

I came back to work and the office atmosphere had shifted, we are in this weird limbo of wanting to get things done but also wanting to wait until a new dean comes in to run the show. I also had close to 1.8 million emails to tackle (even though I tried to stay on top of the important ones while I was gone). Thankfully, a lot of the faculty haven't come back from winter break yet, so at least my inbox hasn't been constantly pinging with new emails requesting website changes they've been saving until I got back.

On top of that, getting used to having two kids has been quite the adjustment. Sawyer seems to only need something when I am either feeding Brody or pumping (or as Josh calls it "tapping the kegs"). He has handled being a big brother fairly well, helping me when I need him to grab something for me or trying to calm Brody if they're in the backseat together while I am driving, but he has also been clingier.

Side note, something is wrong with my taste buds. I was so excited to eat my favorite Mexican food I couldn't eat the whole time I was pregnant because of my horrible reflux,  but then when I got a bite it tasted horrible. I don't mean like "oh, this isn't too bad but I am disappointed because I have been looking forward to it so much", I mean like I had to give it to Josh because I couldn't stomach more than 2 bites. I also can't drink the coffee at work anymore. I used to have at least one and a half cups a day, but all of a sudden it tastes HORRIBLE (and no, this isn't just an excuse to increase my Starbucks pit stops in the mornings).  They haven't changed the kind of coffee or how they brew it, so apparently my taste buds are just out of whack.  Any other moms have this issue? With Sawyer I lost my taste for sweet tea which is HUGE considering it was the only thing I used to drink (besides Pepsi).

Another side note, I got those bangs I was talking about getting 3 months ago! I really like them, even though they add a few extra minutes to getting ready in the am and they make a pony tail look so much more polished (in my opinion).