Gretch Runs

This was another amazing month of reading for me! I think I've been hibernating a bit in the winter (more on that in my goals post coming soon), and have been plowing through books like never before. It's been fun to escape in other worlds right now! I had some great reads this month, kicked off reading some of the 2022 Goodread Book award winners, and had one big disappointment. Let's get into them! The Office BFFs by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey Note- this won Goodread's Best Humor book of 2022. Receptionist Pam Beesly and accountant Angela Martin had very little in common when they toiled together at Scranton’s Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. But, in reality, the two bonded in their very first days on set and, over the nine seasons of the series’ run, built a friendship that transcended the show and continues to this day. Sharing everything from what it was like in the early days as the show struggled to gain traction, to walking their first red carpet—plus exclusiv...

I'm finally back with another travel recap! Our trip to Europe continued from Belgium as we drove across the border to Luxembourg. When we were originally planning our trip, we were debating going to Netherlands instead, but after not seeing much information or hearing a lot about Luxembourg we thought it would be fun to explore a more unknown area. I'm so glad that we went that route, because the country is absolutely incredible. We did such a variety of things in our short few days there, and I really want to go back!  Here are some highlights of what we did. Hotel - Hôtel-Restaurant de l'Ecluse I absolutely loved this hotel! We wanted a spot that was close to the city, but also had beautiful views of the Moselle River and was close to vineyards and hiking, and this hit all of those areas. The restaurant at the hotel was great, and we spent most nights with a glass of wine on the terrace writing in our travel journals. I would definitely recommend this hotel if you're...

One of my goals in 2022 was to take advantage of all the free stuff  in my area- from parks to botanical gardens and museums- there are so many options! I found a list of free botanical gardens and made it my goal to see them all last year, and it was such a highlight to visit so many beautiful places. They're all unique, so I think there's something for everyone. I'll share some thoughts on each park and give some (hopefully) helpful info on each. Happy visiting! Sarah P Duke Gardens This is the only garden that I visited before making this a goal, and with good reason! This garden is amazing , and changes every time I visit. It's definitely an all-season park! It's located on Duke's campus, so I like to pair a visit to the park with a walk around campus, or a stop in one of the amazing restaurants or breweries in Durham. Parking  - There is a paid lot at the entrance ($2/hour). I would recommend downloading the parking app so that you don't have to wait in...

Wow- I got a LOT of reading done this month! This year in general I've read a lot more than any other, but this month was probably my highest month ever. Most of them were super quick and cute holiday or romance reads- I was just in the mood for easy reads- and for the most part I liked them all! Here's what I read in December- By the Book by Jasmine Guillory Isabelle is completely lost. When she first began her career in publishing right out of college, she did not expect to be twenty-five, living at home, still an editorial assistant, and the only Black employee at her publishing house. Overworked and underpaid, constantly torn between speaking up or stifling herself, Izzy thinks there must be more to this publishing life. So when she overhears her boss complaining about a beastly high-profile author who has failed to deliver his long-awaited manuscript, Isabelle sees an opportunity to finally get the promotion she deserves. All she has to do is go to the author’s Santa Barba...

Happy 2023! December was such a fun and full month- I ended up having plans almost every day but had some nice relaxing days at the end (who am I kidding- I can never relax so we ended up doing a guest room makeover, hung new ceiling fans, and installed LED lights. Here's what the guest room looks like now!). Spending time with friends and family and enjoying the beautiful winter weather in North Carolina was my entire month highlight, but my favorite was probably a cookie decorating party that I hosted! It was such a fun night and I hope it will become a tradition.  I also managed to hit all of my monthly goals for December- including finding a pool which was a big win for me! This is why I love the accountability of making goals- I would not have done it but since I shared it here I had to. Now let's talk about how my annual goals went- Spend More Time Outside  1000 Hours Outside  - Got it!! January - 54 total hours February - 52 total hours March - 97 total hours April...