A Cuppa Cosy Reads – February 2025

Wow…I mean when I said that I hoped January would set the bar for 2025 I think I might have jinxed myself. I went from reading 10 books in a month to barely making it through 5 books. To be fair, I had an incredibly busy February- that I couldn’t predict would have gone the way it did. Life really life-d this month, but I’m hopeful that it’s a one off and moving forward things will mellow and average out a bit more. As I said I read 5 books and gave an average 3.5 for the rating. Not terrible, but definitely not where we started. 

Let’s get into it, shall we?

The Striker by Ana Huang 2 Stars – This was just not for me- I think I enjoyed the concept more than the execution. It went on a bit too long, felt a bit recycled, and was boring for 2/3rds of the book. Once things happened, they seemed to happen all at once and were resolved a bit too quickly. 

Lore Olympus Volume Six by Rachel Smythe 3 Stars – This too was…fine. It continues the story on, but I think I’m going to pass on finishing the series. Not that I don’t enjoy the reading of them, but I think we need a bit more pushing the story along. It’s very stop and start and doesn’t feel as continuous as it should. 

Magnolia Parks The Long Way Home by Jessa Hastings 4.5 Stars My first win of the month came with the third book, and I should have known Magnolia would be that win for me! I LOVED this third book. We actually see some character growth and development, along with the conflict that we love to see. Where the first book of Magnolia’s story was toxic and you loved it for that feeling, this was matured, and you loved it for that. 

Daisy Haites and the Great Undoing by Jessa Hastings 4.5 Stars I loved this book. It was exactly what it needed to be, and I feel like, similarly to the Magnolia Parks I read this month, the character growth was top notch. While some of it feels very…” falling back into old habits”, I feel there was enough groundwork laid for Daisy that we could still see the growth there. As always though, the core of the book is toxicity and I eat it up. 

That’s S’more Like It by Justine F. Orun No Rating I think my online review for this (on the apps) says it all: “I read it and that’s all I can really contribute.”. I don’t really know what to say about this one except that I took smut to a new level, and I don’t need to continue haha. 

And that’s it! A much smaller month, but that’s ok- we’ll come back strong 🙂

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A Cuppa Cosy Travels – Corpus Christi, TX

I don’t know if I should really write this post or not- we really went down to Corpus Christi to see my Sister-In-Law who lives there with her family. It was a lot of family time and not as much seeing all the things (which is what we wanted and what we loved). It was also a time for us to see a couple of friends from prior duty locations, we had one living in the area and the other (my best friend from NY) who was in town visiting her own family. It meant a great reuniting for the kids and adults alike. So, I’ll share the couple things we did and the history we learned, but it won’t’ be as long as my normal travel posts are (and maybe that’s a good thing!). 

The main tourist attraction we visited in Corpus Christi was the USS Lexington. Where do I begin?

The USS Lexington is a carrier ship that was commissioned in 1943. She was the oldest working carrier when she was decommissioned in 1991. Originally named USS Cabot she was renamed upon being commissioned when the original carrier carrying the name USS Lexington was sunk. The USS Lexington joined the ships at Pearl Harbor as part of the Central Pacific Force. During World War II the Lexington served 21 months in combat, serving in every major operation in the Pacific Theater. Manned by 3,000 members during World War II (1550 Men and Women regularly), they destroyed 372 airborne enemy aircraft, 475 grounded aircraft, destroyed 300,000 tons of enemy cargo, and damaged 600,000 tons more AND downed 15 planes. During World War II she earned the nickname “The Blue Ghost” as she continued to return to the fight after being reported sunk. After World War II the Lexington was decommissioned, then reactivated to San Diego to assist with the tensions with Cuba, Laos, and Formosa. She then sailed to Pensacola and was designated a Naby Training Carrier. The USS Lexington is now permanently housed at Corpus Christi and is open for tours and various events. 

Some fun facts for you about the carrier. The USS Lexington was the first aircraft carrier to allow women to serve onboard. The Lexington served as a filming location for Midway in 1975, AND for the 2001 movie Pearl Harbor where she was altered to play a Japanese Carrier and the USS Hornet (which they do have a display for). Ghost Hunters filmed an episode aboard the Lexington, as did Ghost Lab. 

It was a really fun way to spend a morning- we were able to climb into several spots, see a lot of the ship (I was surprised at how much access we had), and the collection of planes and helicopters was really cool. All in all, I would recommend at least visiting one or two of the Naval Ship Museums. They are really cool and give a good insight into what life would be like on the ship. 

The other thing we did while in Corpus Christi was head down to the beach for a long walk along the water. The beaches in Corpus are really nice and easily accessible and you are able to see a high amount of wildlife. While in Corpus we were able to see the normal hermit crabs and jellyfish (keep a wide birth- even on shore), but we also got to see dolphins (a mom teaching her baby!), and sea turtles. 

That was really it for tourist-y things we did! The majority of our time was spent soaking up some much needed family time. 

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A Cuppa Cosy Travels – San Antonio, TX

In December we did a holiday trip where we traveled to San Antonio, Corpus Christi, and Houston TX. Since we are currently living in the western part (very western part) of Texas, we figured we could head into the state to see some sights. We don’t plan on being back in the state, so we wanted to see some highlights (for us at least). 

***I also want to note that we did a much slower trip this time, we didn’t cram a bunch in, and we didn’t see as much as we could have. However, this trip was exactly what we needed it to be.***

So, we started our trip in San Antonio, TX. San Antonio is a city that has so much history but feels incredibly modern. The main historical attraction (aside from the Missions), is The Alamo, which is located right tin the center of the city. You’ve got an incredibly preserved Mission, with hotels, restaurants, and stadiums right around it. I will say, this makes it harder to connect to the history and life at the time, especially for the kids. We enjoyed our time there and learned a lot, but it is something to note. 

We started our time in San Antonio with the Alamo. If you don’t know the history of The Alamo, I’ll try and give a rough rundown, but you will definitely know the words “Remember the Alamo”. The Alamo was initially a religious outpost (a Mission) for the Spanish Empire. During this time, it was the Mission San Antonio de Valero dating back to 1724. In 1793 the Catholics relinquished the Mission to become a Pueblo. During this time there were larger regional threats and battles being fought. This led to the Pueblo becoming a defensive fortress in 1803 occupied by the Spanish Army. In the background of these local transitions, Mexico was trying to become independent, Texas was finding its’ own identity, and there was broader conflict with French Louisiana and America. All of this creates a violent, turbulent backdrop for the San Antonio (and broader) region. 

Now on to the actual Battle of the Alamo in 1836. The Battle of the Alamo was a part of the Texas Revolution where Texas became free of Mexico, transformed into Texas (at the time a Self-Governing Republic). Prior to the battle Texas was under Mexican control and while Mexico struggled, all seemed well until 1833. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna was elected President, and he was a…turbulent leader to say the least. He abolished the constitution (which gave way to a Civil War), changed immigrant laws, and the autonomy that Texas had to rule their own. 

Now, San Antonio was important as it was located on the main roads leading into Texas for supply lines and communications. Who holds this spot, holds all the keys in essence. 

The first battle of the Texas Revolution was actually the Battle of Gonzalez, which takes place in October 1835, when the Mexican Army was sent to recover a cannon. They were not successful in this task; in fact, the Mexican Army was very much outnumbered and retreated after being fired upon by the Texas Army. At this time, the Alamo and San Antonio is being held by the Mexican Army and they are taking refuge there (without said cannon). 

The Texan Army decided to follow the Mexican Army on their retreat and met up with an army of Texan Volunteers (this is where James Bowie, David Crockett and co come into play) to lay siege to San Antonio. There were several skirmishes of the October and November month, all with a Texas Army victory. The Mexican Army was finally defeated, and the Texas Army took control of The Alamo. They immediately began to fortify the mission and the city. 

Now the retreating Mexican Army soldiers met up with Santa Anna’s Army in February and they laid siege to the Alamo. Initially they tried to parlay, but after no progress, a full siege was laid and Santa Anna declared that “no quarter would be given” (so if they fell, they would all fall). While the Texas Army at The Alamo were incredibly outnumbered, they did not give up. They wrote letters and managed to bring in more men to fight for The Alamo. During the siege on March 2, 1836, Texas declared its independence from Mexico.

The actual Battle of the Alamo occurred shortly after that declaration on March 6 (the 13th day of the siege). The battle only lasted 90 minutes and there were no survivors. After the battle all of the bodies were burned. 

The Texas Revolution ended April 22, 1836, after the Battle of San Jacinto and the famous “Remember the Alamo” battle cry. 

So much for a brief overview of history, right?!

When visiting The Alamo, you have several options. You can go into it and just tour the grounds and mission. However, I would actually recommend doing the audio tour (bring plug in earbuds to avoid holding the thing up to your ear constantly). It gives a little more insight and history as you are walking through and allows you to get the information. There aren’t really any of the “this location” history signs in the grounds, so if you want to get the information, the audio tour is the way to go. We spent a little over half the day wandering through the grounds and museum (make sure when purchasing tickets, it includes the artifact museum). 

While The Alamo was one of the main reasons we went to San Antonio, we did do a couple other things that I can share about. 

First up (because I don’t have much to say on it), we hit up the Legoland Discovery Center. This is located in a massive mall that houses Legoland Center, a Sea Aquarium, and a ropes course. An easy relaxing day that would be great for the kids in your family. While we only did the Legoland Discovery Center, we did go take a look at the other options, and they were great as well. We spent half the day (no joke) at the Legoland Discovery Center. They have two rides, though one was down while we were there, a massive city center Lego build, a climbing/play place, a full creative space with different build and experiment options, and of course a Lego store. We all had so much fun exploring, building, and playing (and shopping).  It was a great option for the kids to get a little break on the trip. 

Secondly, we both walked along the riverwalk and went on a riverboat tour. When it comes to San Antonio, the River Walk is probably just as known as The Alamo. Both are top attractions; both are steeped in history. The first battle of the Texas Revolution was fought over the San Antonio River at the Mission Concepcion (2 miles South of Downtown San Antonio). Originally recorded in 1535 by Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca. Originally named Yanaguana, it was renamed San Antonio de Padua by the first governor of Spanish Texas in honor of Saint Anthony’s Day. The river itself is home to 5 18th century Spanish Missions. The riverwalk now is known as one of the most popular tourists stops in San Antonio- featuring not only the walkway but lined with shops and restaurants. I highly recommend spending a half day just walking the river- preferably in the morning or midday for a bite to eat. Would not recommend heading there in the evening to late night hours as it is PACKED at dinnertime. 

By walking along the River Walk you are able to see bits of San Antonio history- such as Rosita’s Bridge, La Villita (which is a small artists village), and use it as a jumping off point for other downtown attractions (like the churches and government buildings that are stunning). 

Finally, we did visit several of the 18th Century Missions that are still standing and open for visiting. We didn’t get to go inside any of them as we left San Antonio on Christmas Eve and President Biden declared it a federal holiday (so everything was closed), but we did get to walk the grounds of several of them. We did consider stopping on our way back through, but it didn’t work out with our timeline. The Missions were initially created to recruit and convert the local Indigenous groups.

 

We walked the grounds of San Juan and Mission Espada, while mission San Jose is the larger one that was closed due to the holiday. Mission Espada (my personal favorite) was founded in 1690 as San Francisco de los Tejas in Weches, TX and it was the first mission in Texas. It was moved and renamed in 1731 becoming the mission we see today. Mission San Juan was originally founded in 1716 near Cushing, TX as Mission San Jose de los Nazonis and then relocated in 1731 and renamed as Mission San Juan Capistrano. It represents the most dramatic of the change as the mission that the Indigenous people undertook in their becoming citizens of Spain. At this mission in particular, you are able to walk a loop that takes you to the original stretch of the San Antonio River as well as see the historic farm fields (still in use) and the irrigation ditches. Mission San Jose is the largest of all the missions and the one that is restored, fully open and features guided Ranger walks and souvenirs. Mission San Jose was founded in 1720 and moved twice before the location we see it at today. 

Beyond that, I have two food recommendations and that is breakfast at Voodoo Doughnuts and dinner at Iron Cactus. We loved both of these spots and would have gone back multiple times. 

That wraps up our time in San Antonio! A short stop to hit the highlights and give some fun memories for the kids. Our next stop was Corpus Christi, but that was to visit family and we didn’t do many tourist-y things. I might write about it, but it’ll be a shorter post than this one. 

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Reading Wrap Up – January 2025

If January is any indication of my 2025 year in reading (and in reading ONLY), it’s going to be a damn good year. And I Mean that in every bone of my body. Not only did I love everything I read, but I read a lot. To go along with that, I feel invigorated to share about it all- to talk through all the books and my thoughts in a way that I don’t think I did in 2024. I read a total of 10 books and gave out an average rating of 3.7. Not too shabby to start off the year!

Let’s get into them- if you want a quick just book by book, check out my IG or TikTok (acuppacosy). 

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson 4.5 Brandon Sanderson is always going to be a win for me. I feel like I’m starting to get back into high fantasy, and what better place to start than one of my favorite authors? The world building, character development, and storytelling is masterful, and it was such an enjoyable read. 

Magnolia Parks by Jessa Hastings 4 Let me tell you- watching toxicity/reality tv is kind of a guilty pleasure of mine and this book was exactly that. Somehow you feel all of the feelings WITH and AT the characters in this book. The friend group and relationships in this book are all so toxic and you as the reader know they are, the characters know they are, but it’s all done a bit tongue and cheek that makes it bearable and have you fully invested in every moment. 

The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden 3 I think I’ve resigned myself to what I’ve known all along- I’m not really a Freida person. I’m not knocking anyone who is- I think she’s a solid writer and her books are super easy to read, I just am not feeling them to be honest. I don’t really have much more to say on this one- it was fine. 

Blood of Hercules by Jasmine Mas 3.75 I was a little worried about this one- it’s a “dark romance”, HOWEVER, it didn’t feel like it was all that dark. At least not to me. The setting itself is dark (and maybe that is the dark portion), so any potentially questionable acts were tame in comparison to what they experienced in the “college”. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this until the very end, where I questioned everything, I read and then needed the next book immediately. 

The Dixon Rule by Elle Kennedy 3.5 Elle Kennedy is quickly becoming my favorite “go-to” author for a sports romance. I know I’ll enjoy anything she puts out and it’ll be a nice chance to step back without feeling full on cheesy hallmark romance. She manages to bring in real world issues and events and things that happen every day, but in a way that feels real? I’m not sure how to say it- she brings in the real in a way that feels natural, not forced and not just a plot device. 

Daisy Haites by Jessa Hastings 3.75 Take it from me- this should be read either in tandem or directly after Magnolia Parks. You are in the same time period as Magnolia Parks, but from a different viewpoint and different friend group that loosely associates with Magnolia Parks’ group. There is crossover and I really enjoyed this alternate viewpoint. I actually prefer Daisy to Magnolia, BUT I wish I had read this sooner after Magnolia- it might have gotten a higher rating then. 

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros 4.5 I’ve somehow said a million words about this book AND STILL cannot manage to form coherent words. While I do have a complaint where the pacing of this book feels a bit off, I LOVED being back in this world. And we are in the world- we’ve gone further out and have learned so much in this book. And that ending?! Ready for the next one, please and thank you. 

The Favorites by Layne Fargo 4.5 Ok, I need to read this and that’s saying something given the content. I’m infamous for not liking figure skating books because, to be honest, they are unrealistic for the most part (looking at you Icebreaker). This one though? This was everything. It took my right back to my own skating days and all of the politics, melodrama, and…just life that is the figure skating world. I loved it. 

Heartless by Elsie Silver 3 I’ve been working my way through the Chestnut Springs books by Elsie Silver and overall enjoying them. My biggest complaint with this one is there is something that is used as a plot device that I despise. It brought the entire rating down for me (I had truly enjoyed it in so many ways up till that point). 

Hopeless by Elsie Silver 3.5 This book- so much good in this book. Similar to Elle Kennedy, Elsie Silver can wield real world issues in a way that feel real to both the story and the characters. She worked through PTSD, Alcoholism, abuse and so much more in this romance. 

And that’s it! February has gotten off to a bit of a slower start, and I don’t think it will be as large of a stack based on my calendar, but I’m hoping for the best and some more good reads!

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On this International Holocaust Remembrance Day

I said I wanted to share more of my heart on here, I wanted to share more real-world stuff, more of my “unfiltered”/” real world” thoughts, but man it’s scary! Especially on a day like today, in a world like we are in…but here goes.

Today (well the day that I am writing this- not sure if it’ll be posted same day or if I’ll sit on it for a couple days) is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. It is the day that the U.N. decided should be used to remember the Holocaust as it is the day that Auschwitz was liberated by the Allies. 80 years ago, today. In fact, the picture in the featured image (also below) is the sign at Auschwitz. The sign that has become synonymous with The Holocaust- which the saying and sign ARE, BUT this Auschwitz sign was actually at the “nicer” side of Auschwitz. Not the side that the Jewish people lived and starved and were murdered in gas chambers.

I feel like it’s important to note that this is NOT the day that the Jewish people mourn and remember- the Jewish people have a dedicated holiday called Yom HaShoah, which is in time with the Warsaw Ghetto uprising (you know- the notable important time when the Jews fought back). ***Don’t worry I’m trying to edit out some of my anger in this post***

Today I feel conflicted. It’s so important to remember (you know- we all say Never Forget like the good little citizens as the rise of Jew Hatred surges to unimaginable numbers), but this year I am filled with anger, with sadness, with heartbreak, with hope (because the Jewish people will survive), with frustration. 

We have people in power politicizing gestures (which- let’s face it, that was what it was regardless of how it was then politicized and the reaction from the person who did it was disgusting at best, horrifying and terrifying at worst- and that margin is microscopic), while Jews are being attacked physically and emotionally/mentally every day. There are BABIES BEING HELD BY A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION, but go off on a hand gesture (which again was what we all thought it was) fam. 

We say, “Never Forget” and then turn a cheek at chants, flyers, disruptions on college campuses intended to terrify, to harm, to disrupt. We say, “Never Forget” and then twist our bodies into pretzels to justify an actual TERRORIST ORGANIZATION kidnapping CIVILIANS and BODIES and holding them hostage for over a year, chanting horrible words, parading their crimes as others cheer. We say “Never Forget” as a holocaust survivor just passed away in December, having survived both Holocaust, but losing two of his GRANDCHILDREN on October 7th. 

***And let me be clear because there will be those who NEED this disclaimer because they don’t know me, they don’t know my heart, my feelings, my beliefs and they will take this post and turn it into something entirely different. I should not have to say this but here I am- you can be pro the Palestinians living in peace in their own home AND be pro Israelis living in peace in their own homes. You can recognize the actual history of the land and the people and not try to rewrite it to continue twisting your pretzel. You can be with the families of those murdered in cold blood on October 7th and the day, months following, be with the families of these hostages, these CIVILIANS, who were brutally taken, be with all of the people who are now living with very real trauma. You can do all of that and still believe that both sides deserve and need peace. It’s not one side only. Not if you have your humanity intact.***

Words have power if we give them power, right? And how do we give words power? With action. Never Forget means to never forget- it means both holding the memories of survivors, sharing their stories, facing the atrocity head on, AND stopping the rampant Jew Hatred, both overt and subtle, in its’ tracks. 

So, this year, on this International Holocaust Remembrance Day, I want to not only see all the shared posts about “Never Forget”, but I also want to see a post about present day Jew Hatred that needs to stop. I want to challenge you to go beyond the minimum, to truly embrace “Never Forget”. Because we are forgetting. 

Almost 2/3rds of American Millennials (millennials- my generation) and Gen Z do not know that 6 million Jews were killed in the Holocaust. 48% could not name a single concentration camp. 23% believe that the Holocaust is just a myth, didn’t happen or was exaggerated. These are HISTORY facts that folks don’t know about or don’t believe happen. Millennials and Gen Z are those who are leading the way (in a grassroots sense) for the next stage of our future. We have people on video calls saying we no longer need to carry guilt for the Holocaust. We need to move on. If we “move on”, if we do not learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it. And let me say this- we are repeating it. We are repeating it. 

So, I ask that you not simply say the words “Never Forget”, but that you give those words power again. That you speak about what you see. That you stand up. 

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Reading in 2024 and 2025

I’m going to do a bit of a combo post- mostly because we are well past the whole “best books” season and I’m ready to focus on what is to come rather than what has already happened. So, 2024 was an OK reading year by rating. However, I found myself having more fun while reading, e.g. I despised something but I had a lot of fun reading it, or something was average but I was reading it with a friend so that made it better. 

In 2024 I read a total of 70 books and gave out an average rating of 3.3 (is that accurate? Maybe- this was calculated by Goodreads so it’s not precise). My goal for 2025 is to read 75 books (though I’d like to get closer to 100), but I also want to focus on quality of book- reading what I enjoy or enjoying the experience rather than just the number. 

Let’s talk about some of the standouts as I peruse my little Goodreads graphic for 2024…

First up, a genre…

I read a lot of hockey romance this past year. We could talk about that all day long, but I’d rather not lol. I found new favorite authors in Elle Kennedy (she’s an auto buy), and Stephanie Archer. I did have some misses, notably Pucked and Pucking Around. We will just conveniently ignore those. Hockey romance led me to dabble in other sports romances- baseball, racing, and rodeo-ing were also in the mix and it’s safe to say I enjoyed them as well (for the most part). For 2025 I do plan on continuing to dabble in this hyper specific genre (as in sports romance), but I want to be a bit pickier about it. 

Continuing along the genre trend and romance trend…

I read, as many people also probably shared for 2024, a lot of Fantasy Romance. A Lot. It still stands to be my favorite sub-genre of both the fantasy and romance genre’s. Sarah J Maas, Rebecca Yarros, Scarlett St. Claire, Penn Cole (a new favorite there), Abigail Owen, and Kaylie Smith all toped my list in 2024. Most of these authors have books coming in 2025 that I have pre ordered and will be reading once released. There were not too many misses in this category that can’t be explained by age or trope. 

Finally, just a couple honorable mentions for books I enjoyed that don’t fit into either category above, I enjoyed The Family Experiment by John Marrs (the third or fourth in an interconnected series), The Last One by Will Dean, and The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst (this is an all-time favorite and could fit into the fantasy romance but it’s much more cozy fantasy than anything else). 

Looking back, I do see some true standouts of 2024, books that will easily make a favorite of all time or re-read section and I also seem some real…not great books. In 2024 I joined a book club, which is continuing through part of 2025 and that has really been incredible. I’ve found such a wonderful group of women to come together and chat books (both the one read that month and beyond) and life once a month. It’s been such a blessing of our time here. I’m looking forward to continuing it on and then hoping to find another once we move. 

One other goal I have for 2025 is to actually stick to and complete a reading journal for the year. I’ve worked hard on creating one for 2025 and I want to desperately stick to it. I think it will really help when it comes down to doing lengthier reviews and posts (as I do plan on getting back to those here on the blog this year). I was heavily inspired by several users on TikTok and have created some really beautiful spreads and ideas for my reading. 

(Oh, and to harken back to my LAST post- I’ve backed up my computer through 2019…so that’s something at least)

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Where do I even begin?

I don’t want to come on here and go- oh look I’m back (again)! Because I feel like that’s fake…that’s wrong…I’ve done that so many times before. The truth is, when life picks up this tends to be the first thing that falls off. It’s not intentional, just a fact of life at this point unfortunately. 

And then I always find myself wanting to find a balance- I want to share all the things, but I don’t want to talk about things or have them go the wrong way. Which is funny because in “the real world” I tend to have some pretty vocal opinions and thoughts. But the internet is such a fickle place- you can’t read intention, you can’t read facial expressions, you can’t read my tone, you just read my words and interpret them through your own lens of life. 

And then the new year came. And with this new year we will be moving, and life will be in a bit of an upheaval for a time. And I also haven’t been feeling very “new year hoorah” this new year. Maybe it’s because much of 2024 and 2025 are transient (and I don’t mean that in the strictest sense, more so in the sense that a lot of it is up in the air and we’re just rolling with life). 

And then I read all of that back and I just think…why? What’s the point of that? It all sounds so melodramatic and unnecessary. The life of an overthinker, over analyzer. 

Oh, and I’m doing all of this while trying to backup all my tens of thousands of photos on my computer so I can add more thousands of photos so I can clear up space and catch up on life on here… The little photo app keeps popping up errors of duplicates and I keep pressing ok and trying to type while the boys run amok on the last two days of Holiday Break…I mean if this doesn’t describe my life at the present- well the massive run on sentence of this paragraph sure will. 

So, what am I actually saying? What is actually going through my head? That’s a good question. 

I want to come back- slowly, tentatively, intentionally. I want to start sharing more of my “real world” thoughts and opinions. I want to share more of what I am doing (as it’s been a lot). I want to share more of what I’m seeing, what my thoughts are on that, where I fall in the status quo. 

Ultimately, I want to start laying the online groundwork of what I’ve been doing in the “real world”. I don’t really know why, but I feel like I can do MORE a lot of times and I want to do MORE and so I’m going to try. I want to share fluff, talk nonsense, talk pop culture, but I also want to talk about real issues, about ****hides**** political issues ****she said it****, about issues military families can face, about issues that occur in other countries. I want to talk books, I want to talk travel, I want to talk LIFE. 

I want to talk about my favorite reads of the month or year, about putting together a galantines basket, hosting a book club, hosting an event, and also about what I experience volunteering with the USO, what I see for struggles in our community, about how oppression occurs throughout the world (and isn’t limited to the groups we loudly talk about), about how hypocritical politics has become. All the facets of LIFE. 

So, here I am going to go- dipping my toe in. Please bear with me as I figure out blogging and posting again. And- as always, if you want to see day to day or real time or other fun things, you can follow me on IG, TikTok (for now), Facebook, Goodreads (I’m on some other book apps if you’d like to follow me there I can share those too), and I’m sure I’ll join whatever will replace TikTok if the inevitable does in fact happen. 

Oh look- my photos from 2016 have exported to my portable hard drive (yes that’s how long it’s been). Off I go back to the photo world. 

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Rosh Hashanah 5785

Let’s be honest, I didn’t know if I was going to write this post. Honest. I didn’t know how to share the happiness, the joy, the celebration that is a new year while there is so much hatred, so much loss, so much heartbreak and anger. But, as I was sitting here getting ready for Chag (it’s currently 9:35 on October 2), I was just so overwhelmed, so moved and I wanted to get some of my words out. 

This year has undoubtedly been one of the hardest. Not to be Jewish- being Jewish is the easiest thing in the world, like breathing, but to exist in a world that wants to see Jews no longer. I know that sounds harsh, but that is the blunt honest reality we are living in. I have never in my life seen such vitriol, such pretzel twisting to make the Jewish people (and their state) the oppressors, such rewriting of history. It has been shocking. 

5784 was a tough one, probably one of the toughest we’ve experienced in a long time (and that is saying something), but it wasn’t all bad. 

Such unity, such embrace, such joy in simply existing, in being alive, in our blessings and protections from above in our faith and community. If it has been heartbreaking and horrifying to see outside the world, it has been heartwarming and comforting to see within our community. 

As we wander into these high holidays (some of the most important in our calendar) I know that we will be both celebrating, holding space for those no longer here, and also waiting with a small amount of bated breath- what next. But above all, we will be praying. Praying for ourselves, our families, our friends, our community, the hostages, the displaced, and our community as a whole. 

For me personally, 5784 was a tough one, but I am looking forward to 5785; to this fresh start, new beginning, and a lightness that I just feel is coming our way. I feel like it is going to be a bit of a transitional year on a personal level. I am doing a lot of looking, not necessarily just inward, but also at our larger community (and not even just the Jewish community). I am trying to once again find my place in it, find where I can do the best, and really strive to make an impact. 

There is a lot our world needs right now, but I believe at the core, we need to hold kindness in our hearts and in our words. I think we need to hold cooler heads, more abilities to listen and engage, and that these will allow for real meaningful change to happen. It’s a big ask, it’s a dreamer’s words, and sometimes it really seems impossible. To that, I think the best place to start is with kindness. Kindness opens doors, allows for cooler heads, and shows us a path forward. So, with that, my word this year is going to be Chesed (which is much much more than just kindness, but it embodies the feeling that I want to bring to this year).  

I hope this year brings peace, kindness, warmth, and joy to all of our lives. 

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The Wild Wild West – 2024

We went West- to the Wild Wild West. It was exactly as expected- gunfights in the street, saloons and drinks galore, and an experience to be had! Over Labor Day Weekend we went to Tombstone, AZ and spent the weekend reveling in the 1800’s. We saw 6 gunfights, ate at 2 saloons, and wandered back in time for 48 hours. 

***Quick note- if you do visit Arizona, please remember that they do not do Daylight Savings Time, so your hours will shift no matter where you travel from. We completely forgot about this! ***

We started our weekend in Bisbee- at the Copper Queen Mine. We initially tried to get lunch at Bisbee Breakfast Café (which looks absolutely delicious), but they were packed, and the wait was a little too long for us to make our tour time. It was a definite bummer as all the food options look delicious. It did give us a chance to wander up and down the main street of what was once upon a time Lowell, AZ. A street very much stopped in history- old cars, antique stores, and beyond. 

From there, we just grabbed a snack and headed to Copper Queen Mine for a tour. Copper was initially discovered in Bisbee in the 1820’s by a Lt. Dunn, however production at the mines didn’t begin until 1880. Copper Queen Consolidated Mining Company was a subsidiary of Phelps Dodge Corporation and became the dominant force in the mining of the area. Mining operations continued until 1975 when the mines closed, leading the mayor of Bisbee (Chuck Eads) to develop the idea of the mine tours. The Mine Tour opened to the public in February 1976.

On the tour, you get a vest, hard hat, and light before heading on the train down into the mine. You are walked through the history of mining in the region, the day to day of a miner, the different tools they would use, and finally you are able to see what they are actually looking for (i.e., what Copper looks like in rocks). It was really fun and educational for the boys. We walked away learning something new (this was our second mine tour). 

From there we headed to Tombstone, checking in to our AirBNB, and then headed to Allen St (which is like Main St of Tombstone) with the intention of getting dinner. Now, our AirBNB hosts gave us a heads up, but everything short of food closes at around 5PM. So, if you’re needing anything, wanting to check out any venues, or want to do a little shopping, you’ll need to do it before 5. Not a bad thing, just a warning. I think the only place that stays open “late” is Bird Cage Theatre as they do Ghost Tours a bit later on. 

We stopped for dinner at our first Saloon, Big Nose Kate’s Saloon. This is the exact vibe you’re going for in Tombstone. Everyone is in full costume, they’ve got a performer on stage, an old Wild West vibe to the décor and the ambiance and the food was good! A little history of the saloon and people (because everywhere has history)- Big Nose Kate was potentially the first prostitute in Tombstone AND Doc Holliday’s girlfriend. Prostitution was very much a thing (I think we all know that?!) and it happened to be one of the best ways for “single” women to make a living as “suitable” positions did not pay enough. Now, this saloon was once the location of the Grand Hotel. The Grand Hotel was THE place to be and has a long-storied history. While it was the Grand Hotel, there was an individual called “The Swamper”. Officially he was the janitor and handyman of the hotel, but he also had a penchant for siler and tunneled from his basement room to the entrance of a mine shaft to collect silver. 

After dinner we wandered up and down the street to get our bearings, then headed back to our cabin for the night. 

The next morning, we were up early and ready for a day in the Wild Wild West- and boy it was. After grabbing a quick breakfast at “O.K. Café” which was delicious, and then we headed back to Allen St. Our first stop of the day was getting tickets for the show at the O.K. Corral. You have to purchase tickets day of for one of the three showtimes, you cannot purchase in advance. The first showing was at 11, so after we got tickets at 9 AM, we decided to head over to the Saloon Theatre for their gunfight show. They reenact Billy the Kid’s first shoot out, a shoot-out with Frank Leslie, and then an Earp shoot out. This is an inside show, with very real guns, and they do give hearing protection. We enjoyed this one- it made those western shows feel a bit real-er to everyone. 

From there we went over to the O.K. Corral to watch the “Shootout at the O.K. Corral”- which, the shootout actually occurred behind the corral in an empty lot, but what is history after all. So, this shootout (if you didn’t know the history) is between the Earps/Doc Holliday and the McLaury’s/Clanton’s. The Cowboys (Mclaury’s and Clanton’s) were creating all sorts of trouble- drinking a lot, gambling a lot, shooting off guns where they shouldn’t have been, and the newly deputized Earp Family were not interested in that continuing. There were threats, rivalries, stealing of wives, and it all led to a (very short) shootout between the two rivals. In 30 seconds, 30 shots flew and three died. Tom McLaury, Frank McLaury, and Billy Clanton are all buried in Boothill Cemetery (more on that later). 

Fun fact- the gunfight occurred outside the office of THE photographer of Tombstone (C.S. Fly), however there were no photos as he was busy when the unplanned shootout occurred. 

This was a really fun one to attend- the actors were great, they play off the audience well, and once it is over you can wander through the entire property, which allows you to go through a couple different buildings to picture life in that time. Your ticket also includes a chance to watch the Historama (which we did- I would say if you’re interested then attend, but it isn’t necessary) and tickets to the Epitaph- which was the newspaper of Tombstone (we did this as well- it’s very small and it will take about 10 minutes to see everything within). 

Now we attended during Labor Day Weekend, which meant that they were going all out and there were two performing troupes that were performing gun fights in the streets throughout the weekend, as well as the casket/hanging booth. We watched several gunfights from Arizona Gunfighters, and all four of us were “hung” in the streets of Tombstone. It was an experience, that is for sure. 

We wandered down to the Tombstone Courthouse for a quick walk through. The courthouse was original built in 1882 and was once the offices of the sheriff, recorder, treasurer, courtrooms, jailhouse, and board of supervisors. It was a very active busy building! Now, as you walk through the rooms, you are treated to a history lesson of just about anything you could think of relating to the Wild Wild West- from cattle ranching to gun fights, to Mexican/American skirmishes and more. While this maybe doesn’t have the same amount of sensationalist history as some other locations, it’s still a really neat spot to stop at.  

We did two more things in Tombstone, the first was to visit the history Old Bird Cage Theatre. This was the most famous spot of its time- known as the “wildest, wickedest night spot” in the west.  The name pays homage to the Bird Cage crib compartments that overhang the gambling and dancing areas. These compartments were where the prostitutes would try to solicit the men below (think she’s a bird in a gilded cage)- and they are still in the theatre. In fact, this is the ONLY building in Tombstone that is as it was. This includes bullet holes, gambling tables (the one where the longest poker game in history occurred), the original curtain and painted stage, as well as the piano. When it was open, it was open, never shutting its’ doors, seeing 16 gunfights for a total of 140 bullet holes within the building. It is full of history, and it is basically locked in time. It closed in 1889, and then was boarded up for almost 50 years. Then in 1934 it became A Historic Landmark of the American West and was opened to the public to visit. 

This is a MUST SEE in my opinion, not only because of the history, but also because it is the ONLY historic landmark in its original state. It is a self-guided visit, though you are able to do a family tour, and if haunting/ghost things are your thing, you are able to do a ghost tour (as this is one of the most haunted buildings in the country). 

The final stop we made on our way out of town (ironically enough) was Boothill Graveyard. Originally “The Tombstone Cemetery”, this burial plot dates back to 1878 and was used until 1884. It holds the graves of the cowboys from the shootout (McLaury’s and Clanton’s), the men that were hung after the Bisbee Massacre as well as the man lynched from the same event, two marshals, and Lester Moore (of the no les, no more rhyme if you know it). There are many many more (a total of 265 graves), all for a variety of reasons. When you enter, they will give you a pamphlet that breaks down every grave as well as a reason for death if known. 

And that really tops off our time in Tombstone! We had a really fun time, and the kids were obsessed (and they have shockingly good reflexes). 

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August 2024 Reading Wrap Up

I feel like posting a reading wrap up is a sure sign that we are back! Back in action! August was quite the reading month- I introduced a new series on my social media (IG, Facebook, Tik Tok all- @acuppacosy) where I pair a couple of books with a cocktail of a sort and then you get my thoughts on the cocktail, the books and if it worked out. I’ve filmed two episodes so far (posted one, another is coming very soon!) and I truly am enjoying it. I’ve also posted a “silent review” video to pair with this post. So, shameless plug if you’re not following me on social media, you’re possibly missing out haha! 

 Ok. Let’s get into books and thoughts and reviews, shall we? A little stat breakdown for you- I read a total of 7 books (and DNF’d 1), with an average rating of 3.12. My favorite was The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst, and my least favorite was Quicksilver by Callie Hart. See all my thoughts below! 

Tomorrow & Tomorrow & Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin 4 Stars I really enjoyed this story- it is simply a coming-of-age story, with a minor climatic event, but ultimately it is a story of friendship. It ambles around a little bit, but in a way that works, and the writing is wonderful. 

 Quicksilver by Callie Hart 1 Star This was not my jam…at all. I found the trope redundant; I wasn’t a fan of the characters. Not sure what else, but it just did not work for me.  

Born of Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout 4 Stars I really enjoyed this concluding novel to the series- and make no mistake, this is the superior series in the world that Jennifer Armentrout has created.  

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst 5 Stars This was easily one of my favorite books of the month, maybe even of the year. This was just a wholesome cozy fantasy romance. Very low stakes, I would almost just consider this a cozy romance, but there are some fantasy elements within. 

 Kill for Me, Kill for You by Steve Cavanaugh 3.5/4 Stars I’m not sure where this falls on the rating scale. I enjoyed this book, and the twist was spot on (both of them), but I also didn’t feel super strongly about “loving” it. It is a solid thriller.  

Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay 2 Stars Boy was this a disappointment. I liked the script, that was where Tremblay really shined, but when we went into the narrative of the book it lost me. I can understand the reasoning and where the jarring can work for the story, but instead for me it just pulled me out in a different way.  

***Quick interjection- when it comes to romance, I don’t typically have a lot to say, so you might see the next two reviews (and future romance ones) being a bit shorter. And yes, I’m reading romance, I started sometime in the New Year, and it has stuck haha.  

Drive Me Crazy by Carley Robyn 3 Stars This was a solid romance- a racing romance that I quite enjoyed. The spice level wasn’t the highest I’ve ever read, but it was a cute one that I enjoyed.  

The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson 3 Stars This was another solid romance- I might have preferred this one above Drive Me Crazy. A bit more spice and the third act was a bit more…a fight (?) rather than a miscommunication.   

That wraps up August! I will say- I am excited to get into the ‘Ber months, the more atmospheric reads, the darker novels. Happy Reading!

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