Amy Scott's Thoughts

What I’ve Been Reading – August 2024 August 31, 2024

Filed under: Amy's Bookshelf — Amy Scott @ 9:45 am

Bookish Thoughts for August

My book list this month is super long! There are a few reasons for this, so let me explain. (1) I was home alone while my family was at summer camp and I had extra time to read. (2) My boys came home from summer camp with colds and we had four days of cancelled plans to spend at home. (3) Our beach vacation was very chill with plenty of time to read. (4) Many of the books listed are under 300 pages, which means I can read them in just a few hours. All of these factors combined into a very bookish month! I’m not complaining! (Okay, it would have been nice to not have summer colds, but… other than that, I’m not complaining.)

Highlights from this very bookish month would be binge reading Katie Bailey and Marie Soleil. I really enjoyed The Midnight Princess by Kiera Dominguez which was a reverse Princess Diaries – the prince gets the makeover and learns how to be royal. It’s been ages since I read a regency romance so I enjoyed the change of genre with Sarah Adams and Kasey Stockton’s novels. Courtney Walsh is a favorite of mine and her new release, The Summer of Yes, was the perfect beach read while on vacation.

Another highlight of the month has been my new study Bible (pictured below). I loved using the NLT Filament Bible journals to study the gospels these last few months. I wanted the Filament app content for the whole Bible so I bought a new Bible to accomplish that. I’ve used it to read the Book of Acts and I’m now into Romans. I love way the Filament app enhances my Bible study, especially the videos from The Bible Project. Plus, this Bible is super pretty. I love my new beautiful and nerdy Bible!

Top Picks for August

The Book List for August
1 Star = I did not like it. 2 stars = It was okay. 3 stars = I liked it. 4 stars = I really liked it. 5 stars = It was amazing.

Non-Fiction:

NLT Filament Bible Journal: The Gospel of John – 5 stars
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World by John Mark Comer – 5 stars
Boy Mom: What Your Son Needs Most from You by Monica Swanson – 4 stars

Fiction:

The Midnight Princess by Kiera Dominguez – 4 stars
Stay Close by Kiera Dominguez – 3 stars
So That Happened by Katie Bailey – 3 stars
I Think He Knows by Katie Bailey – 3 stars
Resorting to Romance by Savannah Scott – 3 stars
Mistress Pat by L.M. Montgomery – 4 stars
To Con a Gentleman by Sarah Adams – 4 stars
To Catch a Suitor by Sarah Adams – 3 stars
But He’s My Roommate by Annah Conwell – 3 stars
Speak Your Truth by Marie Soleil – 3 stars
Feel the Rhythm by Marie Soleil – 3 stars
Let Love In by Marie Soleil – 3 stars
Take a Chance by Marie Soleil – 3 stars
Cookies & Kisses by Marie Soleil – 3 stars
Love is a Roller Coaster by Marie Soleil – 3 stars
Exceptional Emma by Marie Soleil – 4 stars
The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh – 4 stars
Love in the Bargain by Kasey Stockton – 3 stars
Love for the Spinster by Kasey Stockton – 3 stars
Love at the House Party by Kasey Stockton – 4 stars
Love in the Wager by Kasey Stockton – 4 stars
Love in the Ballroom by Kasey Stockton – 4 stars
A Groom of One’s Own by Emma St. Clair – 3 stars
Runaway Bride & Prejudice by Emma St. Clair – 3 stars

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A Week at the Beach August 28, 2024

Filed under: Family Time,Simply Me,Travels — Amy Scott @ 2:15 pm

We just got back from our final hurrah of the summer – a week at the Oregon Coast! We stayed in Oceanside for the first time. It’s near a favorite of ours, the Tillamook Creamery (we visited three times on this trip). While the creamery was familiar, this section of beach was new to us. We loved discovering a new stretch of the Oregon Coast. Highlights from the trip include visiting the Yaquina Head and Bay Lighthouse in Newport, exploring tidepools, collecting rocks and shells, daily beach walks, a tour at the Cape Meares Lighthouse, and a walk to the Octopus Tree. We enjoyed our favorite coast restaurants – Mo’s and Pig ‘N Pancake. We visited Terra Del Mar and Pacific City for the first time. We visited Jacobsen Salt Co. and learned how they harvest salt from Netarts Bay. Jeremy and the boys tried their hands at crabbing and clamming. There was also lots of restful downtime around the beach house. We played board games, the boys got video game time, and I read many books! We appreciated the extra time spent with my parents and sister. All around it was a great trip and an excellent way to wrap up our summer vacation!

Collecting cheese samples at the Tillamook Creamery

Exploring the Cobble Beach tide pools by the Yaquina Head Lighthouse

Birding at Sitka Sedge State Natural Area

The ice cream line at the Tillamook Creamery was too long our last night, so we all got pints at Safeway. A tasty way to wrap up our trip.

Last beach sunset (with Jeremy photobombing)

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Kids Camp & Mom Camp August 14, 2024

Filed under: Amy's Bookshelf,Bible,Children's Ministry,Getting Creative,Parenthood,Tasty Treats,Travels — Amy Scott @ 2:08 pm

Last week was a milestone! Both boys are now old enough to go to summer camp as campers! Two summers ago, Owen went as a first-time camper while Graham and I stayed home. Because Graham missed Owen and Jeremy so much (my company wasn’t enough), he and I went last year and stayed with Jeremy in his cabin (Jeremy is the co-director of kids camp). But this year! This year they could all go and I opted (with the blessing of my husband) to stay home.

I’ve dreamt of a having a solitude retreat for many years. I’ve read from multiple authors who suggest solitude retreats at hotels or conference centers, but I don’t have the time or budget for that in this season of life. Staying home while my family went to camp gave me the solitude retreat I’ve been envious of without paying to go away. Also, as a homeschool mom, I’m in the background (or forefront) of most of my kids’ activities. I figured by staying home, I could give them some growing independence and a chance to make memories without me. It’s difficult to say that since I love making fun memories with my kids, but I can also release them to have good experiences without me. I’m looking at it as preparation for launching adults someday. Baby steps toward the main goal!

Summer camp is always a whirlwind of activity! The kids enjoyed snack shack, swimming at the lake, boating, paddling boarding, climbing the rock wall, smores, chapel, and time with cousins and church friends. Summer camp is such an awesome experience not only to have fun, but to connect with God and deepen friendships. I went to this same camp as an elementary student. I love that the boys are making summer camp memories in the same spot I did.

I enjoyed my own version of summer camp – Mom Camp! I definitely had a plan for each day I was home. I’m so happy with what I was able to accomplish! Some of my home projects included mopping, washing all the bedding, and washing the sofa covers (all tasks that are easier alone). I did a mini-spa night with Crest White Strips and a hair mask. I watched Unsung Hero, both the movie and the extras. I worked on a diamond art coaster craft. I’ve never done this craft before and since I’m leading a workshop on it this fall, it was good practice. I was able to make photobook of our Yellowstone road trip on Shutterfly. I did some baking. I took extra long walks. I enjoyed so many good books and did a prayer exercise that really set the tone for my alone time. Right before the start of a new school year, it felt like the perfect time to invest in my physical, mental, and spiritual health. I’m already brainstorming and daydreaming about what next year could hold.

Making summer camp memories with the cousins!

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Family & Friends August 4, 2024

Filed under: Family Time,Tasty Treats,Travels — Amy Scott @ 1:49 pm

I just read a book where the characters would toast at dinner, “To friends who feel like family!” It got me thinking over the last week and how special it is to have friends who feel like family, but also to have family who feel like friends. These relationships make life extra sweet!

We’ve continued our super social summer with more dinners and playdates. There has been something fun almost every single day. The highlights since my last post were camping with the Scott family for the weekend at Iron Creek Campground in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest and visiting with friends who now live across the country! We’ve been making lasting memories with treasured people.

Camping is always an adventure! Without fail, an air mattress always seems to die while we are out in the woods. Jeremy and I’s mattress needed to be refilled a couple times a night so we didn’t sleep on the hard ground. The lack of sleep out camping is probably my least favorite part, but there are lots of favorites to make up for the sacrifice. I’m a huge fan of camping food and reading by the campfire. The smell of campfire smoke that lingers long after the fire has been put out is definitely a favorite. I love watching the cousins run amuck in the moods or sitting around the campfire telling spooky stories which result in giggles more than chills. There were multiple card games and hikes and plenty of time to catch up.

The day after our camping trip, we hosted my forever friend, Maggie, and her family. We played games, ate pizza, and chatted around the table. The kids played hard and Owen fell in love with their puppies. Maggie moved to the other side of the country at the start of 2024. Visits like this will be few and far between with the miles that now separate us. It makes these times extra meaningful. I wish I could slow them down and live in them just a little longer. After having them over a visit, we spent Friday visiting them at the beach (their current home base). We enjoyed a morning of mini-golf, a trip to the bakery, a BBQ lunch, and an afternoon at the beach. My friendship with Maggie has spanned decades and it’s such a joy to watch our families be friends too.

We’ve made some good summer memories! These are the days I’ll think back to and smile. The smell of sunscreen, chlorine from the pool, campfire smoke, a dusty trail, the ocean breeze… all linked to happy times. It’s been a summer of popsicles, ice cream sandwiches, and chocolate chip cookies. Not to mention lots of wet and dirty laundry! These are all signs of a summer well-lived. I am beyond grateful!

Our home sweet home for three days at Iron Creek Campground

The Fishing Crew – photo credit goes to my sis-in-law since I was back at the campfire reading!

“Spooky” stories with silly names have become a favorite for these kids.

The kids insisted on swimming even though it was freezing!

I have zero mini-golf skills, but it was still fun!

Again, the kids didn’t seem to mind the cold water!

Forever friends – no matter where we live!

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What I’ve Been Reading – July 2024 July 31, 2024

Filed under: Amy's Bookshelf — Amy Scott @ 2:30 pm

Bookish Thoughts for July

There was plenty of light and fluffy summer reading this month, but… I took a detour and spent time with some wonderful parenting books. Being in children’s ministry (and being a homeschool mom), I’m always looking for books to recommend. From Monica Swanson to Sally Clarkson to Cindy Rollins, I learned so much this month. All of these women have raised grown children and have written down their experiences and wisdom. I am so thankful for their voices! Also, Monica and Sally have invited their children to share (and for Monica, her husband as well) their family story has well. I love when families collaborate on books. Not only to do see one side of their family, but we get to see the layers of family experience. It’s a powerful testimony!

Fiction highlights of the month were the Sweet as Sugar Maple series by Kate Watson and The Falling for Summer series (by various authors) with all it’s beachy vibes. I re-read the Caraval series and the Once Upon a Broken Heart series by Stephanie Garber. These have all been fun summer reads. I’ve enjoyed meeting new characters along with revisiting familiar faces. I love new books, but I will always be a re-reader as well! Summer reading in July has definitely been a good mix.

First time taking my Kindle camping. I was a little nervous about taking tech into the woods, but it was great!

Nothing quite like reading by a campfire!

Top Picks for July

The Book List for July
1 Star = I did not like it. 2 stars = It was okay. 3 stars = I liked it. 4 stars = I really liked it. 5 stars = It was amazing.

Non-Fiction:

Different: The Story of an Outside-the-Box Kid and the Mom Who Loved Him by Sally Clarkson and Nathan Clarkson – 4 stars
Mere Motherhood: Morning Times, Nursery Rhymes, & My Journey Toward Sanctification by Cindy Rollins – 4 stars
Raising Amazing: Bringing Up Kids Who Love God, Like Their Family, and Do the Dishes without Being Asked by Monica Swanson – 5 stars
Becoming Homeschoolers: Give Your Kids a Great Education, a Strong Family, and a Life They’ll Thank You for Later by Monica Swanson – 4 stars
NLT Filament Bible Journal: Luke – 5 stars

Fiction:

Strawberry Fields for Never by Kate Watson – 4 stars
Baby Llama Drama by Kate Watson – 4 stars
It’s Always Sonny by Kate Watson – 3 stars
Love and Treasure by Carina Taylor – 3 stars
Caraval by Stephanie Garber – 4 stars
Legendary by Stephanie Garber – 3 stars
Finale by Stephanie Garber – 3 stars
Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber – 3 stars
The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber – 4 stars
A Curse for True Love by Stephanie Garber – 3 stars
Summer Tease by Martha Keyes – 3 stars
Beauty and the Beach by Gracie Ruth Mitchell – 3 stars
One Happy Summer by Becky Monson – 3 stars
The Roommate Situation by Katie Bailey – 3 stars
The Neighbor War by Katie Bailey – 3 stars

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A Super Social Summer July 22, 2024

Filed under: Family Time,Getting Creative,Tasty Treats,Travels — Amy Scott @ 1:35 pm

If I could use one word to describe our summer, it would be social! Especially this last month! Our calendar has been a blend of hosting play dates and dinners and then traveling for play dates and dinners with friends and family. In June, Owen shared his wish to see more friends and then in July, we had so many friends over to our house that Owen requested we start going over to other people’s houses! I laughed because it felt like I just couldn’t win! But in the end, we’ve created a good mix of here and there and everywhere. Gotta keep things interesting!

One of my favorite days this month was a Friday that we packed up for a day of exploring in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. We scoped out a campground we plan to visit this summer and then went hiking nearby. We enjoyed all the waterfalls on the Covell Creek Trail. We made a quick stop at Layser Cave before moving on to Takhlakh Lake with a lovely view of Mt. Adams. It was a great day of adventuring together in nature!

Another fun activity was a small Christmas in July moment I had with the boys this last week. We had leftover miniature gingerbread house kits from IKEA. They’ve been sitting in my pantry since December. The boys loved decorating while I supervised (sipping on hot chocolate and listening to Christmas music). It was so festive and the gingerbread cookies smelled heavenly! Owen decorated houses while Graham made sprinkle explosions on a couple cookies. It was hilarious to see the difference in these two cookie decorators!

We love playing board games as a family and with company. We relearned a game from our collection this month. BANG! is a western game with a sheriff, deputy, renegade, and outlaws – each with an agenda to kill the sheriff or keep him alive. It’s been a hit! We also got a new game thanks to Prime Days, Machi Koro 2. We taught the boys this weekend and it’s a current obsession. We even taught it to friends last night. I love that our new board game cabinet in the dining room is getting used like I envisioned!

There is no doubt about it – summer is an intense burst of activity! The window of good weather and flexible scheduling only lasts so long. It’s been great to see so many people and do so many fun things together. But… I’ve also started to daydream about autumn and a little more structure to our schedule. I can’t help myself! I’m an introvert who can only keep the summer pace up for so long. Good thing it’s only a season and I hope to be as present as possible while it’s here!

When a kid gets carsick, stop and let them throw rocks in a creek.

Takhlakh Lake with Mt. Adams in the background

Jeremy treated the boys to a movie while I was at Book Club!

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Summer Celebrations! July 10, 2024

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Family Time,Tasty Treats — Amy Scott @ 1:47 pm

Summer is in full swing and there has been so much to celebrate! Graham and I visited our sweet GG to celebrate her 91st birthday at the end of June. Unfornately, Owen stayed home with Jeremy due to a case of the summer sniffles. We celebrated the 4th of July with Jeremy’s family, my dad’s birthday with my family, and Jeremy & I’s 18th wedding anniversary.

In the midst of all the partying, we’ve hosted multiple barbeques and playdates. The weather has been hot (5 days of 90+ degrees) and we love sharing our pool with friends and family. We’ve been bouncing from fun thing to fun thing. This is the sweet spot of summer! These are the days of playing hard and crashing into bed at night exhausted. It’s a good type of tired!

Other recent highlights include kicking off our Scuba Sundays at church. We do our VBA (Vacation Bible Adventure) on Sundays for 5 weeks and the kids look forward to this special program every year. We also went to the movies as a family to see Inside Out 2. We were the only family in the theater which is always a treat.

July continues to be a super social month with lots of playdates and dinners with friends still to come. Our outdoorsy plans include taking a hike to some local waterfalls and camping with Jeremy’s family at the end of the month. We haven’t been camping in 2 years so the boys are very excited for the camping experience as well as time with the cousins. These boys love their cousin crew! Extra time with friends and family is one of the many joys of summer. We are thankful for our community and the extraordinary people we get to life with!

Badminton is a family favorite right now

Fireworks that look like swords were a hit

Seeing stars at the end of a very happy 4th of July

The kids love all the decoration at Scuba this year. This turtle is their new best friend.

Enjoying ICEEs and AC while being the only ones in the movie theater.

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What I’ve Been Reading – June 2024 June 30, 2024

Filed under: Amy's Bookshelf — Amy Scott @ 4:00 pm

Bookish Thoughts for June

I have Kindle Unlimited again!!! You know what that means? A summer filled with rom-coms! I’ve been patiently waiting for months, letting a hoard of new releases stack up so I could binge read all my favorite rom-com authors this summer. It’s been so much fun! Especially since many of them are beach and summer themed! It’s the perfect time of year to be well-stocked with easy, peasy summer reads.

Highlights from this month include Neighbors Like That by Carina Taylor and The Quit List by Katie Bailey. I own a couple of Miralee Ferrell’s “Love Finds You In” books and was surprised to discover she had works on Kindle Unlimited. I completed her wild west series and then read her contemporary Amish series. It’s been a while since I’ve read a book set in Amish country! Both of her series’ were a break from my usual. It’s always fun to diversify!

When it comes non-fiction, I’m still loving my NLT Filament Bible Journals. I finished Mark this month and I’m on to Luke now. I hope to get a Filament Bible in future so I’ll have access to the whole Bible using the Filament app. The extra content is so useful for studying the Bible deeper. It’s been a great tool for me the last couple of the months. I’ve been spending my time with Sally Clarkson and her family this month. I finished Giving Your Words: The Lifegiving Power of a Verbal Home for Family Faith Formation by Sally & Clay Clarkson. I’m currently reading Different: The Story of an Outside-the-Box Kid and the Mom Who Loved Him by Sally & Nathan Clarkson. Their family is such an inspiration to me!

Top Picks for June

The Book List for June
1 Star = I did not like it. 2 stars = It was okay. 3 stars = I liked it. 4 stars = I really liked it. 5 stars = It was amazing.

Non-Fiction:

Giving Your Words: The Lifegiving Power of a Verbal Home for Family Faith Formation by Sally & Clay Clarkson – 4 stars
NLT Filament Bible Journal: Mark – 5 stars

Fiction:

His Mistletoe Miracle by Jenny B. Jones – 4 stars
Royally Rearranged by Emma St. Clair – 3 stars
Royal Gone Rogue by Emma St. Clair – 4 stars
Betting on the Brainiac by Melanie Jacobson – 3 stars
The Perfect Putt by Annah Conwell – 3 stars
Betrothal or Breakaway by Leah Brunner – 3 stars
Enemies in Paradise by Brittany Larsen – 3 stars
Summer Ever After by Kortney Keisel – 3 stars
Catch a Wave by Savannah Scott – 3 stars
The Quit List by Katie Bailey – 4 stars
That Time I Kissed My Beachfront Boss by Julie Christianson – 3 stars
Runaway Romance by Miralee Ferrell – 3 stars
Follow Your Heart by Miralee Ferrell – 3 stars
Plus One at an Amish Wedding by Miralee Ferrell – 3 stars
Love Finds You in Tombstone, Arizona by Miralee Ferrell – 3 stars
Beachy Keen by Kasey Stockton – 3 stars
Plotting Summer by Jess Heileman – 3 stars
Neighbors Like That by Carina Taylor – 4 stars
Friends Like These by Carina Taylor – 3 stars
Vacations Like This by Carina Taylor – 3 stars

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June Highlights! June 25, 2024

Filed under: Family Time,Homeschool Adventures,Travels — Amy Scott @ 2:10 pm

June has been such a good mix of adventure and rest. We’ve been able to do some summer school, hang out with friends, see family, go on adventures, and just enjoy time around our house. Good times all around. This June feels a little quieter than summers past and honestly, that’s fine. It’s been a good balance. Here are some of the June highlights since my last post.

We enjoyed taking Jeremy and my dad out to dinner for Father’s Day. We went to a local Chinese restaurant our family loves. It was a fun family outing and a tasty meal! The boys and I met up with my forever friend, Christa, for an adventure at the Bill Frank Jr. Nisqually Wildlife Refuge. This is an excellent location for birding and a fun walk to the Puget Sound. It was a cool, calm day and perfect for an outdoor outing. The fun with friends continued for me with a co-op planning meeting and book club this week. I love getting together with my mom friend community!

Friday, we visited the Oregon Zoo as a family. The black bears, polar bears, and tigers were active! The zoo is always a favorite summer activity. We stopped at IKEA on the way home and got a new cabinet for our dining room. I’ve been dreaming of storing board games near our dining room table to make game play easier. Grabbing a game will be simple and having board games on display in our living space shares one of our family values – playing together! I love how it turned out! Also, super thankful for Jeremy and the boys, who built it while I was at book club. It was a wonderful surprise to come home to!

My parents bought us a flat of local strawberries, so we’ve been baking treats and eating strawberries with almost every meal. YUM! We’ve had a streak of warmer weather and the backyard pool has been greatly appreciated for cooling down. The boys enjoyed a playdate with friends yesterday. They ran around in the woods behind our house for hours making up an imaginary kingdom. These summery moments are some of my favorites. Yummy treats, fun outings, time with family and friends… We are grateful and loving these summer days!

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually Wildlife Refuge

It’s always a good day when you need a cart at IKEA!

Our new board game cabinet! I plan to put a plant behind the “Gather Around” sign to finish the look.

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Summer Mode Activated June 14, 2024

Filed under: Family Time — Amy Scott @ 1:01 pm

Summer mode has been officially activated! It has been a fun transition to our summer schedule! We are enjoying the slower pace and lots of family time. We’re also in a stretch of nice weather in the PNW, so it really feels like summer. Here’s a brief catch up since I last posted!

During the last week of May, the boys plowed through their year end testing like champs. I was nervous about how long it would take to get through two students this year when I’ve been use to only one. It went smoothly and I was so grateful. Standardized testing is never fun, but it wasn’t as big of a deal as I thought it might be. We wrapped up May with a visit to our dear, sweet GG. The boys packed all their puzzle cubes and Graham bought a water bottle to show off his bottle flipping skills. If you can’t find Graham in the house these days, you can find him on the back deck bottle flipping. We also got to share with GG all the fun we had on our Yellowstone road trip. It was great to catch up with her!

June brought at shift to our lighter school schedule. We are loving the change of pace. We’ve visited the library to pick up our paperwork and free books for the summer reading program. There has been lots of family time as we’ve celebrated a cousin’s birthday, Grandma’s birthday, and Father’s Day. So many reasons to celebrate! The kids attempted to get into our pool last weekend. Owen lasted longer than Graham. The pool is still a bit too chilly for a long swim. Owen enjoyed swimming laps on the top of the pool with his new snorkel. The top layer of water is the warmest and the snorkel is a new novelty. He was in awe of not needing to come up for air!

It’s the start of Father’s Day weekend, but we’ve done a majority of the celebrating already. We had a family meal last weekend to celebrate both Grandma’s birthday and Father’s Day with Grandpa. We had an early Father’s Day outing to Top Golf yesterday to celebrate with our favorite golfer – Jeremy! The boys love going to Top Golf. It was supposed to be Jeremy’s birthday outing in March, but life got in the way. I’m glad we could make it for Father’s Day. Now the rest of weekend looks like time around the house and dinner with friends. Jeremy hasn’t decided what his Father’s Day meal of choice will be on Sunday, so we have a little bit of celebrating still yet to come.

The first half of the month has been adjusting to our new summer schedule and lots of family time. The second half of our month has playdates with friends and more summer activities. It’s such a fun time of year. We are loving summer mode!