Roadtrip + Late Nights || February Recap

I suppose I should be honest—always a good place to start, eh?

I hadn't thought a thing about this post. Then, tonight, I was thinking that I probably needed to write up a post for next week...and realized it was the last day of the month. xP

So here I am, writing a post instead of binging a TV show editing my forsaken novel. Feel special, dears. *wink*

|| All the House-Sitting

I had several house-sitting and pet-sitting stints this month, each time just for a day/night/day. Twice for a couple who live in the neighborhood and whom I've stayed for in the past. The only problem with that is, considering the number of times the dog(s) thinks he needs to go out, I end up getting 3-4 hours of sleep per night while there. :P

And once with my favorite "foster pup", who I got to pick up from the groomers and haul home one evening. She's such a doll. I mean, honestly, who can resist that face...  <3

Backpack, cinch bag, crossover, rain jacket, not-pictured stack of library books... I'm probably the only person who takes three bags + an extra jacket + snacks to be gone from home less than two days. xD

|| Spontaneous Roadtrip

My family took a bit of a spontaneous road trip earlier this week. Although we stayed in-state, we went a few hours away to visit some friends that we met for the first time on a missions trip last summer. From hiking and "playing tourists" to wander Main Street to blaring country music on the front porch until late—the two days spent with them was such fun. :D

|| Random

• The bro came over one night while I was house-sitting. We watched a movie, played cards, and drank wayyy too much coffee. As was evident by the wacko things coming out of our mouths...

*arguing about who's going to deal for a card game*
Me: I am, because you did last time. Deal with it.
Bro: *burst out laughing*
Me:...what?
Bro: get it? Deal with it?!

• A random selfie of me because I'd dressed cute for church and ended up running around in the rain to get in and out of the car, pump gas, grab lunch, and walk the dogs 284573 times. Approximately.

• I stayed up insanely late the majority of nights this month. Aside from while away from home, 1:00 and 2:00 am weren't uncommon, and after midnight became completely normal of me. I'm almost always up past 11:30 pm anyway, but it got a bit overboard here of late. Will I do better in March? Heh, probably not... I seem to be cursed with a brain that works best—especially creatively—at those hours.

• A random picture of my child that y'all obviously needed. That annoyed lil' side glance though...

|| Best Read

Hmmm... Beloved by Kaitlyn Krispense or Dark Horse by Dandi Daley Mackall. Beloved was an alpha-read of a friend's upcoming release and a fabulous standalone that deals with themes near to my heart. Dark Horse was the fourth and final book in the Starlight Animal Rescue series and, in my opinion, the best and strongest book of the series.

|| Worst Read

I didn't really read any "bad" books this month. I buzzed through one of the Boxcar Children books that I'd picked up for a buck at an used bookstore, just to count it toward my reading goal. So I guess that claims the title of "least favorite" of the month.

Total Reads: 8

|| Update 

Um, wow. Not sure how else to say this other than—I've felt more like a writer this month than I have in...well, a long time. I'm not even exaggerating. I've had such freedom to write here of late. Whatever comes to mind, whatever is spinning through my brain. So what if it's not what I'm "supposed to be" writing or not "good enough" for publication? It's still words, bleeding out onto the page. It's still characters and worlds and jumbled sentences that somehow correlate.

And there, in the messy chaos of a writer's authenticity... isn't that where all good stories start?

|| Snippet

“Why don’t you come to the tent revival tonight?”  

He shrugged, eyeing her. “Not really my thing.”  

“Nonsense. Starts at five. I’m gonna be miffed if you don't come.”  

“Why should I?”  

“Do I have to tell you everything?” Her brow wrinkled and she leaned closer, the flicker of a dare in her eyes. “Do something spontaneous for once, Ross. Do it just because.” 

Ross smiled to himself as she walked away. Maybe he would go. Maybe he didn’t need a reason. Maybe he’d go just because.  

Just because she’d asked.

|| Favorite Posts

Dancing in the Rain >> Where is Love

Paige's Pages >> Girl, Read Your Bible

Rebellious Writing >> Always Reading

More Precious Than Gold >> For Our Good and His Glory

Inside Out Designs >> Writers' Minds vs. Normal Minds

Ordinary Girl Extraordinary Father >> When Letting Go Hurts

Beautifully Broken >> Love is Scary

|| My Posts

Day One ~ Day Two ~ Day Three ~ Day Four ~ Day Five ~ Day Six

|| February Goals

• Read 8 books.       Scored.

• Edit 15 chapters.       Ehhh, no.

• Finish a short story.      Nope.

• Co-host a blog party with this gal.      #nailedit

|| March Goals 

• Read 8 books.

• Finish a short story. (or two?? I'm pathetically optimistic.)

• Blog weekly.

• Review 3 books.

how was your february? any thoughts or opinions on how I've been tweaking the recaps?