5 on Friday : Summer Reading

It is no secret that I love to read. There is nothing better than getting lost in a good book. Although when they are so good and you can't put them down , it might be a problem ! Or when you have to ignore your kids just to get to the end of a chapter or stay up way to late lol. I thought I would share a few recent recommendations that I loved and a few on my book shelf waiting to be read.
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1. The Lying Game

Did anyone read The Woman in Cabin 10? I read it maybe last summer. It was so good so when I saw the Lying game was also by the same author I knew I wanted to read it as well. It did not disappoint. It kept you guessing and in suspense til the very end.   It is a chilling novel of friendship, secrets, and the dangerous games teenaged girls play. I read this on our quick trip to Charleston.  I had it finished in 2 days. Ya'll I could not put it down.

2. The Death of Mrs. Westaway

Another Ruth Ware book that I have seen several other bloggers raving about. If it is as good as the last two I have read , I can't wait.

3. Sharp Objects







If you were a fan of Gone Girl then you will love Gillian Flynn's latest book. Apparently it is also an HBO Limited Series starring Amy Adams.  Reporter Camille Preaker faces a troubling assignment: she must return to her tiny hometown to cover the murders of two preteen girls in this book that I couldn't put down.  For years, Camille has hardly spoken to her neurotic, hypochondriac mother or to the half-sister she barely knows: a beautiful thirteen-year-old with an eerie grip on the town. I was happy the kids spent the week at soccer camp in the evening so I could finally have a chance to finish  the book.

4. Something in the Water

Does anyone follow Reese Witherspoon's Book club on Instagram? I love everything about Reese and she has recommended lots of great books. This one follows a shocking discovery on a honeymoon paradise that changes the lives of a picture-perfect couple. I have been on a psychological thriller kick this summer and if you are a fan of Ruth Ware or Paula Hawkins you will want to add Something in the Water to your reading list like me!


5. Then She Was Gone

Another book on my list to read about  the perfect daughter. She was fifteen, the youngest of three. She was beloved by her parents, friends, and teachers. She and her boyfriend made a teenaged golden couple. She was days away from an idyllic post-exams summer vacation, with her whole life ahead of her. And then she was gone. Sounds like another book I won't be able to put down until the last page!


Honorable Mention: on my "want to read list"
*  The Wife Between Us
*The Female Persuasion
*When Life Gives You Lulelemons






What is everyone else reading this summer ? What can I add to my list?



Prizer Point

A couple weeks ago Nick and I were both off for a week. Since we went to NYC in December, are planning to go back again this December ,  and have possibly 2 other small trips in the works ( anniversary getaway and glamping in Asheville, NC. Seriously how amazing does this place look??) we decided to skip the beach (well Nick and I snuck away for 2 days to Charleston and the Isle of Palms at the beginning of June. ). We still wanted to get away with the kids for a few days but didn’t want to spend a ton of money and drive to far . Our kids can’t sit in the car 10 minutes without bickering so the idea of going more than 5 hours wasn’t what we wanted. I started searching Lakes and campgrounds with cabin rentals in Kentucky. I came across Prizer Point located on Lake Barkley. I immediately knew the kids would love it. We rented one of their deluxe lake front cabins with a bathroom (very important!!). Our cabin had a porch swing  with an open floor plan that sleeps 5. There is a full size bed and a full size bed under the bunk. Our kiddos loved the bunk beds! There was a partial kitchen and we weren't really prepared for everything we needed. I should have researched a little bit more. They had a microwave, sink, mini - fridge, coffee maker (bring your own coffee though), and cups. That was it. We should have brought all our cooking supplies we would normally use when tent camping. Everything else like towels and washcloths were provided. There were also lots of other cabin options to rent or you could also reserve a campground spot to tent camp or bring your camper.

What we loved most about the resort was all the activities that were included in our stay. They had 2 pools, fishing, pedal cart track, playground, giant chess set, basketball and soccer field, jumping pillow, paddle boards, paddle boats, kayaks, biking and hiking trails.  If you wanted to spend extra money you could rent a boat or golf cart. It also cost extra for the inflatable water park at the Lagoon. There was also a marina store and restaurant. We took advantage of the paddle boarding and fishing. Mere loved paddle boarding and was a natural. Nick and Max had the most fun fishing. FYI there are tons of dragon flies buzzing around near the water and cabins. I was not a fan of those little things at all!

All in all it was a great little getaway. It was a 5 hour road trip. We only stayed 2 days and honestly it wasn't long enough. We could have used one more day. But is any trip long enough? Not in my opinion. I get the vacation blues towards the end of a trip. They hit me hard ya'll. The good part was at the end of this little road trip I had 5 more days off work to enjoy with the kids. I had lots of things planned for us. Truth be told, I am not a good stay-cationer! I need to go go go. The only time I can let my self truly relax is on vacation AWAY from home. After a vacation the most I need is 2 days to regroup to "real life". But I guess that's the price you pay for lots of little trips throughout the year. I think next year may look a little different!! I am already planned our trips for then! Ha.

Squirt Gun Art

I was on the hunt for fun things the kids and I could do while I was on vacation after spending several days at Lake Barkley with out spending a ton of money. I had put squirt gun art down on our summer bucket list and figured it was a good time to check it off. The kids were super excited to do it as well!



The supplies: 
- paint
- canvases
- cheap squirt guns 



The easiest way to fill the squirt guns was to first add the water and then the paint. We filled the water to about half the gun. Once you add the paint just shake it up. No rhyme or reason when filling. You just need to test it out to find the right consistency. We set up the canvases out in the  yard around a tree. The kids quickly got down to business and made some cute art work. We left it outside for several hours to let dry. They turned out really cute. Max mixed his paint up on his canvas so the colors swirled together instead of the squirts or paint I was going for. Hey but that’s art. Everyone is unique. I loved hanging them up in the hall with their other art work. It makes me happy passing them daily.

How to do Charleston in less than 48 hours!

It is no secret that Charleston is one of our favorite places. There is something about the Lowcountry that got in our soul almost 7 years ago with our first trip and hasn't let go. We love the South and the slow pace , good Southern food, the smell of the bluff mud, and all the history the Holy City has to offer. Nick and I were needing a quick getaway to reconnect and enjoy some "us" time without kids. He surprised me with hotel reservations and a flight for Mother's Day.


I am sharing our daily itinerary from our trip with ya'll today. It's a great way to see Charleston in 48 hours or less. I am including where we stayed, ate, drank and enjoyed along the way.

Day1:

Flight: There is a direct Allegiant flight from Cincinnati Airport to the Charleston Airport. It is an easy and quick flight and under 2 hours. It beats the almost 9-10 hour drive we normally take. We took Allegient when we went to NYC at Christmas time and had 0 issues. Our flight left at 2:30 and we landed in Charleston by 4:30.

Can ya'll believe I packed all I needed for this trip in this Vera Bradley tote! It fit perfectly under the seat and saved us money from not using a carry on. I used the largest of these packing cubes I found on Amazon. I was able to pack 4 dresses, 2 swimsuits, swim cover up, ball cap, makeup, pj's, a pair of shorts and 1 tshirt, and a few other things!

Stay: Nick booked our stay on booking.com for the Sea Side Inn on the Isle of Palms. The Isle of Palms is less than 30 minutes depending on traffic from downtown Charleston. The Sea Side Inn is a beachfront hotel that combines fun and relaxation! It takes you back to a time when sun and sand is all you need for a beach getaway.Lots of amenities offered like high speed wifi, complimentary circa 1950s beach cruisers, complimentary light breakfast featuring giant homestyle cinnamon rolls and grits station, vintage games, and complimentary beach towels. I absolutely loved the Sea Side Inn. We woke up each morning and were able to grab chairs and look out at the ocean and enjoy our breakfast and coffee and then take a walk out on the beach. It was perfect in every way. I can't wait to go back. We have also stayed here and loved it. Perfect for a small family.

                     

           

Beach: After we checked into our room we headed to the beach. Isle of Palms has a gorgeous stretch of beach. We got to take a leisurely walk and actually talk, lay on our towels and read, and close our eyes are rest. It was simply glorious!!

Dinner at Coconut Joe's: We literally walked next door for dinner. We had a 30 minute wait so we headed up to the rooftop bar for a few drinks. Dinner in the South calls for grits at each meal. It's the only time I indulge in the yummy goodness . But we followed it by another walk on the beach!!



DAY 2

Shopping: On day 2 we woke up around 6:30. While we wanted this to be a relaxing trip we also knew we had to prioritize our time and take advantage of every minute! It was a beautiful morning so after we grabbed breakfast and coffee from our hotel (which was complimentary each morning) we took a walk on the beach. After we got showered and ready for the day we called Uber and headed in to downtown Charleston.

Charleston City Market: We had the Uber drop us off at the Market. If you are looking for a souvenir (I always grab an ornament), sweetgrass basket (also something we buy each time. Although since we flew we decided we didn't have enough room in our bags and didn't get one. Kind of sad!),  and more than 300 vibrant entrepreneurs all in one spot. Charleston's market is one of the oldest open air markets in the country.

King Street: Nothing defines Southern charm like King Street and it boasts some of the city's trendiest restaurants and sophisticated cocktail scenes along with hotels, art galleries, flourishing businesses, and a lively nightlife - not to mention some seriously exceptional shopping. You can find all your favorite stores like Gap, Madewell, Loft, Louis Vuitton, Sephora, and Vineyard Vines. But the best shops are the boutiques throughout King. A few faves are Becket Boutique, Moon and Lola,  Skinny Dip Charleton, and Finicky Folly.

Eat: All that shopping and walking can work up an appetite..... well more like window shopping. Ya'll it is hard shopping with your husband! lol.

The Rise Coffee Bar

I needed a quick caffeine pick me up. This coffee bar attached to a hotel and is adorable. It's small , but the drinks are yummy.

Poogan's Porch

I made reservations for lunch here the week before. They use peanut oil (so make note if you have a peanut allergy) and with Meredith always being with us in the past we could not eat here. Poogan's Porch is tucked away on charming Queen Street and they offer a fresh approach to Lowcountry cuisine. I had a pimento cheese BLT and it was divine! Nick had the breakfast and it looked amazing too.

Red's Ice House

Ya'll be ready for a wait!! This place was hopping! I am gonna go out on a limb and say it had something to do with the never ending crab legs!! Red's sits on Shem Creek with amazing views. We had a 2 hour wait but Nick really wanted crab legs and I told him we could wait it out. Instead of waiting for a table we scoped out the bar area and waited for about an hour for someone to get up. It was the quickest way to get some food! I am glad we waited too!

Carriage Ride: This is our favorite way to explore and hear all the history from your tour guide. We have literally done each year for the last 7. We learn something new each time. You can find a carriage tour outside of the market. You can't miss them. We actually found tickets on groupon while eating lunch.

Rainbow Row and the Waterfront Park: The beautiful colorful homes are located on Rainbow Row. You will find the big Pineapple Fountain at Waterfront Park. We cannot go to Charleston without snapping a pic in front of the fountain. It's also a great place to sit and relax and watch all the boats out in the harbor.

We ended day 2 with how we started it with a walk on the beach!

Day 3

In an effort to soak up as much as the Lowcountry as we could before hopping on a plane and heading back to reality we set our alarms for 6 am so we could spend an hour walking the beach. We were definitely sad to be leaving our most favorite place but we were looking forward to seeing the kiddos too. This trip did our soul well. It was just what we needed to reconnect and spend some time together as just Tracey and Nick instead of MOM, DAD, and all the other hats we wear through out a normal day! 

Also can we talk about my dress from the Loft. It is literally as comfy as throwing on your old pair of favorite sweats! The best part it is now 40% off at the Loft! So run, don't walk and grab yourself one!