#BookWorm: The Couple Next Door

Hello fellow readers,

I found yet another recommended mystery/thriller book that was worth the read, thanks to Amazon! It is called The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena. Published last May, but still a more recent read. This book starts off with Anne and Marco who are at a party at their next door neighbor's house. Since their baby sitter cancelled, they decided to leave baby Cora at home sleeping in her crib, and just keep checking on her every 30 minutes or so to make sure she is okay. They are just next door, what could happen? When they come home for the night, the baby is missing from her crib. But Marco had just checked 30 minutes ago? How could someone come into their house, take their baby, and get away in that amount of time?

This book was the start of my "this is slightly disturbing" trend of books that I finished recently. Surprisingly, this was not one that I guessed the ending. And every time I thought I had it figured out, it threw me for a loop. Especially the very end. Oy. If you like reading mystery/thrillers, this is a good one that isn't too long. I would give it 8/10. Not AMAZING, but worth reading.

Many books are starting to have similar themes, but to me they still all seem worth reading. There are quite a few that I have reserved at the library this month and have started knocking out in a week or less, they are just that good. To get a little break from the crazy books, I picked up the last book in Jenny Han's Lara Jean series:Always and Forever, Lara Jean. It will definitely be a lighter read after the few I've been reading lately!

Thanks for reading with me,

- Olivia :)

{Real Talk}: Don’t Doubt Yourself

Lately I’ve been surrounded by self doubt. This isn’t anything new, I’ve always been a self doubting person on the inside, but typically I am pretty good at trying to be positive. Normally, I put on that positive smile that my patients know me by and keep chugging along. But let me be honest with you, 2018 has not been our year. Lots of losses of young patients. Lots of trials within our families. Lots of challenges with finances. On top of all that we’re getting older and man do I feel it! I’ve literally fallen three times in the last three months, not because of anything, I’m just clumsy. At work I’d be considered a high fall risk! Metabolisms are slowing down, and I can no longer go drink a milkshake and eat a large fries and not feel or see the consequences. And the people who are years ahead of me in age are like “you have no idea”.  LOL I get it, I’m not that old. 

For real though take a second to when you first started to notice, dang I feel older. You look at the people who are seniors in high school and you’re like, wait didn’t I have you in first grade teacher aide like a year ago? It blows my mind. You know what though, this is the time to be proud. When you finish that extra mile quicker than normal, or proud when you accomplish a career goal, or even proud to just be still above water. Today I finished a 5K quicker than I ever could have imagined three months ago when I started running more again. And you know what, I WAS DANG PROUD. 

So this is for whoever needs to hear it: Be proud of your accomplishments. Don’t look at other people to seek gratification for yourself. Look at yourself and be proud in this moment. Don’t doubt yourself. Because you are awesome. You are beautiful. You are worth it. Even when times are looking rough, don’t you ever give up. 

- Olivia :)

DIY: Soft Pretzel Bites

Hey y'all,

O.M.G. you HAVE to take some time this weekend and make these DIY Soft Pretzels. If you don't like soft pretzels, we can't be friends. (just kidding but you really should love them). These were SO much simpler than I had anticipated and 100% worth the 30 minutes it takes to make them. I am still trying to perfect a cheese dip for them, so I will let everyone know once this comes to existence. These would go PERFECT with cheese fondue, if I only had a fondue pot!! (and a place to put it, our kitchen is EXTRA full these days). Read how to make them below:

Prep time: 15-20 minutes

Bake time: 8-10 minutes

What you'll need:

Randoms:

Kitchen aid mixer or mixer with dough hook attachment

Mixing bowl (standard kitchen aid bowl is what I used)

Dough hook

Standard mixing paddle

Baking sheet

Parchment paper

Medium sized pot

2 small microwave safe bowls

Brush to put on egg wash

Ingredients:

For the dough:

3/4 cup warm water

1 tsp dry active yeast

2 cup and 2 Tbps flour

2 Tbsp melted butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp cornstarch

For the boiling:

8 cups of water

1/2 cup baking soda

For the wash:

1 egg beaten in 1 Tbsp cold water

Sea salt or pretzel salt

How to make it:

1) Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.

2) Combine warm water and dry active yeast in large mixing bowl for 2-3 minutes or until yeast fully dissolves into water.

3) Add in melted butter, brown sugar, and salt.

4) Slowly add in the flour with the paddle attachment running slowly

5) Switch to dough hook and sprinkle in cornstarch. Let hook work with the dough for 4 minutes or until it is smooth. Afterwads, place plastic wrap over bowl for 5 minutes.

6) While dough hook is working and dough is rising, bring 8 cups of water to boil in medium pot. Once boiling add in the 1/2 cup of baking soda.

7) Place parchment paper over the baking sheet to prepare it for when pretzels are ready to be prepped.

8) Beat egg and water for egg wash. Set aside.

9) Separate the dough into sections. Roll out each section into 18 inch strips. Cut into 1-2inch pieces.

10) Drop pieces into boiling water for 30 seconds. They will float towards the top when they are "done".

11) Use slotted spoon to take out pieces and place onto baking sheet. Brush with egg wash.

*TIP: if wanting cinnamon sugar soft pretzels, instead of egg wash use 2 Tbsp. melted butter, brush on and sprinkle 2 tsp cinnamon and 2 Tbsp granulated white sugar combination onto pretzels. CAUTION: these tend to bake quicker than the other pretzels to keep a close eye out*

12) Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

That is it! Honestly this was so much simpler than the directions looked and SO DELICIOUS! Even Madi ate some! I honestly always thought pretzels were fried dough, and they could be at the mall stands, but these are not! Not terribly unhealthy right? But literally hard to tell the difference. If anyone has a great cheddar cheese dip recipe, hook me up!!

Hope you enjoy this as much as we did,

- Olivia :)