Mackenzie Carose

Life In Stories

By Mackenzie 4 Comments

I loved doing a post like this previously, so I am doing it again 🙂

Made some gluten-free oat cookies courtesy of Deliciously Ella and her wonderful cookbooks.

Instead of doing a full-on expensive family vacation, we decided this summer that we would just visit different beaches and have lunch and do a spot of sight-seeing. Staycation, maybe? Not sure the correct terminology, but that is what we have been doing and it is our “family day”. Here is a photo from our day in San Clemente.

This made me snort-laugh. #sorrynotsorry

Seriously, if I had a uniform, this would be it. White t-shirt, jeans, and converse.

I love this green tea and what I love most about it is it is good and flavorful whether you drink it hot right out of the kettle, or have it as an iced beverage. So delicious!

What have you guys been up to lately? Let me know in the comments 🙂

As The Page Turns: July Edition

By Mackenzie 20 Comments

It has been awhile since I have done some book reviews and although I have read quite a bit over these past few months, these are the books I am choosing to share since the last link-up  🙂

The Stone Circle by Elly Griffiths

Brilliant book. I discovered Elly Griffiths a few months ago and I enjoy her writing style. If you are a fan of British mysteries like yours truly, you will definitely enjoy this book!

Becoming by Michelle Obama

I am sure everyone who is anyone, has already read this book! But the waiting list at my county’s library was crazy long, and I literally had hundreds of people ahead of me in the virtual queue, waiting for this book. Suffice to say, I loved it!!! I loved all the behind the scenes stuff about the Obama presidency, but I just loved the way Michelle crafted the retelling of her life. This book cannot get enough stars from me!

The Trial of Lizzie Borden by Cara Robertson

Ugh… Look, I wanted to like this book, I really did. I mean, who hasn’t heard of Lizzie Borden, the woman who at the end of the 19th century, was accused of hacking her parents to death with an axe and the ribald rhyme that has followed ever since?

But good grief, this book was tedious reading at best. I am not sure how you can make this true crime and its trial sounds positively dry and boring, but this author managed to do so (a gift, maybe?). The background information and crime scene photos bring to life what happened, but you really have to push through this book to finish it. I mean, literally push yourself. I don’t know how many times I put this book down to go do something, anything, other that actually read it. #sorrynotsorry

Little Dreamers: Visionary Women Around The World by Vashti Harrison

I read this book with my girls, and then I also read it on my own, and my eldest daughter read it on her own as well. Great book for teaching young readers that women did some awesome $&!^ back in the day, and that women can do ANYTHING!!!

The Courage to Rise by Liz Arch

This book is not for everyone and I state that emphatically. But if you have been through any sort of trauma in your life, this book might be a good read for you. It helped me immensely and it could help you as well.

A Thousand Mornings by Mary Oliver

Usually am not a poetry person but her prose was amazing. All the heart-eye emojis for this one!

That’s all from me! If you like pretty photos of books, come say hi on Instagram!

What good books have you read lately?  🙂

I Stopped Waiting

By Mackenzie 4 Comments

So, I had a baby about 18 months ago and since then, I have tried to eat healthfully and get back to some sort of exercise regimen but wasn’t seeing results because let’s face it: my attempts were half-hearted at best. And truth be told, taking care of small children is in and of itself exhausting. Sometimes you just want to sit on the couch and eat some chips and salsa in peace.

The months have gone by and I just kept wondering when was it going to be my time? When was the time going to be available for me to get my act together? When? When? When?

When would be the perfect time to take care of me?

I’ll let marcandangel put it succinctly:

If you wait until you are 100% ready, you will be waiting the rest of your life…We waste our time waiting for the ideal path to appear . But it never does. Because we forget that paths are made by walking, not waiting.

Boom.

I was reading a book recently that really helped me which is by a yoga teacher and it talked about trauma and healing. It helped me for a whole host of reasons that I may or may not go into one day, but the fact of the matter is, she made me realize that I matter.

Let me repeat that.

I MATTER.

Sounds simple and maybe for some people they are like, well duh, of course you matter. But here’s the thing: we are all carrying some form of emotional baggage or doubts, or bad habits, that are messing with our mindset and preventing us from evolving or changing or just doing the damn thing.

I matter.

And I am no longer waiting.

A path isn’t going to just appear before me full of healing and hand weights, along with exercise equipment with packs of hummus and carrots for the journey.

I have to walk the path. And in order to forge that path, I need to actually get on it.

I am no longer waiting.

My heath is important and I need to make it a priority. I have people around me that care if I am here or not and I want to physically be there for them.

And I need to do this for me. To be the strongest and healthiest person that I can be. I matter and I need to make sure that I am making choices that support just that.

In the last week or two since I’ve had my small but mighty epiphany, I have exercised. Consistently. I get the whole endorphin thing. Whoa…

I have also made small changes in my eating habits. Nothing drastic, but enough that I am feeling better and not so bloated.

I still have a ways to go, but this is a journey, not as destination. I am in this for the long haul.

I matter. And so do you.