2013 in Books

**I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! I had a lovely low-key day at my parent's house with my bro and sis-in-law from Texas (and lots of food). They came in on Christmas Eve night, so we didn't do much on Christmas Eve, but I did get to spend part of the evening with my friend and her family before heading to the airport, which was great! My other brother and his wife are coming in tomorrow for the weekend. We will do Christmas #2 when they arrive! **

As for the topic of this post....I read a LOT of books this year. I have no idea how it happened...I attribute a lot of it to ticket sales at my school where I read for basically 4 straight hours twice a week, and my summer schedule where I could read at work, laying out at the pool, on vacation, while traveling, and when I was just hanging out at home (I had a lot of time). I would guess I read 30 books this summer. I also didn't read any particularly difficult books, which helps my reading speed! This is the first year that I kept tabs on how much I read, so I have no idea if this is more/less than usual. I am guessing more, but I will keep records now each year to see. It is nice to remind myself that I have read certain books!

I am starting a book club with some friends this year, so I am looking forward to their recommendations, but take a look and read some of these titles that I recommend (**) if you need ideas! This list is pretty much in reverse order of when I read them (most recent reads are first).

1. The Wedding Girl by Madeleine Wickham
2. **Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch
3. **One Second After by William Forstchen
4. **Room by Emma Donoghue
5. **The Gatecrasher by Madeleine Wickham
6. **Divergent by Veronica Roth
7. Allegiant by Veronica Roth
8. Insurgent  by Veronica Roth
9. **Kate by Katie Nicholl
10. About a Boy by Nicholas Hornby
11. Oogy by Larry Levin
12. **The Orchard by Theresa Weir
13. Falling Together by Marisa de los Santos
14. The Midwife of Hope River by Patricia Harman
15. Hopeless by Colleen Hoover
16. **Slammed by Colleen Hoover
17. **Where We Belong by Emily Giffin
18. A Summer Affair by Elin Hilderbrand
19. The Good Daughter by Jane Porter
20. Mrs. Perfect by Jane Porter
21. The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner
22. Odd Mom Out by Jane Porter
23. **Easy on the Eyes by Jane Porter
24. **The Good Woman by Jane Porter
25. Hell's Corner by David Baldacci
26. **Stay Close by Harlan Coben
27. Nights in Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks
28. The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory
29. Dead Until Dark (next four books are by Charlaine Harris as the Sookie Stackhouse Series)
30. Living Dead in Dallas
31. Dead as a Doornail
32. Definitely Dead 
33. All Together Dead 
34. The Search by Nora Roberts
35. **Sleeping Beauty by Phillip Margolin
36. The Racketeer by John Grisham
37. Folly Beach by Dorthea Benton Frank
38. The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani
39. **Table for Five by Susan Wiggs
40. **Good Grief by Lolly Winston
41. **Bulls Island by Dorthea Benton Frank
42. **The Island by Elin Hilderbrand
43. Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns by Lauren Weisberger
44. **Mirror Image by Danielle Steel
45. The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb
46. **Southern Lights by Danielle Steel
47. **Suzanne's Diary to Nicholas by James Patterson
48. **Naked in Death by J.D. Robb
49. Desperate Networks by Bill Carter
50. Recipe for Love by Katie Fforde
51. **The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
52. Whiplash by Catherine Coulter
53. **Defending Jacob by William Landay
54. South of Broad by Pat Conroy
55. Tough Customer by Sandra Brown
56. Notes From the Blender by Trish Cook
57. **The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler
58. At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks
59. **Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand- BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR! READ IT!

Whew! Think that was enough? But I am always looking for more recommendations if you have any! What great books did you read this year?

The Newsletter That Wasn't

So I had plans to continue my holiday newsletter tradition this year...

but it didn't happen.

I honestly felt that I didn't have much new information to share due to me seeing so many friends and family this year and the fact that I communicate about my life on this blog.

So I wrote one, but decided against mailing it out. For those of you who care, feel free to read below to see what you would have gotten in the mail!

Christmas Prom!

Thanks to all the great feedback from my inaugural holiday newsletter, I decided to keep the tradition alive this year (oops)! I know you were worried.

  No big complaints from me about 2013. Nothing incredible and/or awful (thankfully) happened this year, but I stayed busy enjoying myself.  The main item from the beginning of the year was training for my 1^st half marathon. After 12 longs weeks of training (too long, I might add), I ran the Virginia Beach Shamrock Half Marathon in March beating my goal time of 2:10 by 5 minutes! I celebrated by eating my weight in food (why else do I run so much if I can’t pig out?!)

  April was awesome because my mom and I traveled to Spain during my spring break. We went to Madrid, Seville, Granada and Barcelona and highly recommend anyone to visit Spain. We want to go back!

  The school year finished up quickly with me coaching varsity soccer. That kept me busy after school and involved a lot of me yelling at the girls to run, which meant I could run too. (I have come to the conclusion that yelling makes high school students like you more…don’t ask me why).

  I spent my summer working as an assistant pool manager at a local country club and attending 9(!) weddings and 1 bachelorette weekend (NYC, baby!) in addition to a week at the Outer Banks. Shout outs to all my friends who got married- all the weddings were unique and fun and get my food seal of approval (love those bacon wrapped dates)!

  I started back at my high school in late August for year four! It is crazy to think I have been a “real” person for so long. There were many administrative changes at my school, so the year has felt different (and my office moved). My role as counselor is pretty cyclical in terms of college and career readiness programs with the day-to-day differing depending on student crisis and needs. I added babysitting to my after-school schedule 1-2 days a week in addition to playing social wiffleball, which was very fun! Fall also involved trips to many local college football games, though I mostly routed for Ohio State since my alma mater did not have a stellar season. Good thing I don’t really care who wins and just like the social atmosphere of games and tailgates!

  I last minute decided to run half marathon #2 in Richmond in November and established a new personal record with the time of 1:58:03! Perhaps minimal training is the best race prep? I now have the marathon bug! We’ll see:). I finished up the year with a trip to Austin in mid-December to visit my friend Jane and her hubby.

  Twenty-Fourteen looks exciting as well. I start my new job at the end of January as School Counseling Coordinator for the Chesterfield Technical Center Hull Street Campus and have some BIG trips coming up, including San Francisco (winter), somewhere tropical TBD (spring break) and Greece (summer). If you ever would like to join me on a trip or want to go somewhere and no one will go with you- please give me a call! I am up for ANYWHERE!

  Wishing you all a safe, happy and healthy holiday season and new year!!!

Much love,

Robyn

Everything Happens for a Reason

I rarely post on work, but I must fill you all in on something...

I got a new job:)

This has been a very unexpected, humbling, and exciting development. One of those rare moments in life where I was truly caught by surprise. 

Going back 8 months, I started applying and interviewing for numerous jobs as the school year was ending. I was looking for promotions or a new atmosphere. I got interviews, did well on some and not so well on some, and ultimately was surprised when two jobs I thought I had ended up going to other people.

I was sad, confused and frustrated, because I felt that I wasn't getting jobs I deserved. I hated feeling stuck and stifled, because I wanted opportunities to grow and develop as a counselor and educator, but I wasn't able to in the way I imagined. I even applied to different counties in hopes that I would get the opportunity to begin at a new place.

Fast forward to August, I started back at my school under new leadership. It was hard for me to go back because I had felt cheated, but I also enjoyed the changes that the new leadership brought to the school. I was content to stay another year and hopefully develop more qualities to be a better applicant.

Then something unexpected happened- a new job opened up in late November for a new Technical Center Campus opening in September.

I read the job description, and from what I knew about the responsibilities of the current Tech Center, I applied thinking I had a shot. I talked with coworkers at my school who had previously worked at that school or in related fields and got information. I called a few people for more scoop on the position. I got an interview.

I knew this was a highly sought after job, so I was very pleased with getting an interview. My goal was to go in and have a good interview. I just didn't want to embarass myself!

The interview happened last Monday. Before the interview I saw another interviewee leave, and I felt defeated. Of course, she would get it. She had more experience than I and would do a great job. Why was I even here? I made up my mind while waiting in the lobby before going into the interview that this would be the last "promotion" I applied to until I could get experience at different schools or levels.

I went in and did ok. I felt my personality shown through very well but that someone else probably answered the questions better. However, I had good rapport with the principal, so at least I didn't feel embarrased! I left and told those who knew I had applied that I surely didn't get it. Three days went on and no news was heard, so I was 100% convinced it wasn't me.

Then came Friday morning.

I was getting off a plane in Austin at 10 AM Texas time when I turned on my phone. I had a voice message from HR. It was like my heart stopped.

I called back once I got in the terminal.

I had gotten the job.

I was literally shaking and at a loss for words. So rarely in life does something so unexpected happen. 

It was a great start to the weekend, but it was also hard to be away from work when this developed as news was spreading and I was not one to deliver it. I also had questions that I could not get answers to until Monday. A few sleepless nights (and a fabulous trip) later, Monday arrived.

I was nervous and excited to go back to work and see everyone. From the minute I walked in, though, I was overcome with support. The encouragement from the administration, my counseling team, the staff at my school and even from around the county once the announcement went out was incredible.

I hope everyone has one day in their life like I did today- where you see yourself in other people's eyes and see the reach that you can have within a small place.

I will miss my school, the students and the staff. Leaving is always hard, but this whole experience has taught me that everything happens for a reason. If I had moved to another school or gotten another job last spring or summer, I would not have the opportunity for this new job. A job that I truly believe is the best fit for me.

So thank you to everyone reading this for your support! I am humbled, honored and grateful to be where I am today, and I will work to never lose this feeling.

Silent Sunday- Austin Style

(Thanks for a great trip Jane and Doug!!!)

Austin-bound

Hey there!

The sun finally shown through yesterday, and though it was chilly, I got in a nice, long 7 mile run after work. Finishing up my run as the sun is setting is one of my favorite things. Unfortunately, I stepped in water when I was in my socks at home before my run so I ended up getting some blisters. I am hoping that a few days off and proper protection will let them heal. I forget that my feet are very sensitive to blisters and damp feet + a long run = bad news for me. Last winter when I was training for my half it took me weeks to stop wearing protective bandages on my blisters. They fully healed by spring but now I am afraid I have opened the wounds again...ugh!

Luckily a few days off to let them heal will be easy because I am going to Austin today!!!

People keep asking why I am going doing a trip so close to the holidays when I already have built-in time off, but this trip was planned back in October to visit my friend Jane and her hubby with another friend of mine. This was the best weekend that worked (and we got great ticket deals)! The thing that has been the most stressful, though, is getting my Christmas shopping done early since I am losing a weekend. It is also sad to miss some holiday parties, but I am also glad that my main parties are NEXT weekend so I am not missing many gatherings.

I am excited to get out of town for a few days and that all the bad weather was LAST weekend, so hopefully everything will go smooth traveling. We should have a solid two and a half days to play in Austin! It will also be warmer than Virginia, so I am excited for a few less layers:)

Recap to come when I return! Have a great weekend!

Rain, rain go away...

All this rain makes my running heart sad:(

I am attempting my first treadmill run this morning...

I will let you know if I survive (I may die from boredom).

Holiday Hustle

Whew. December is a busy month!

Getting back into the swing of work after the long holiday weekend was really tough. I was not feeling it AT ALL. Work was super busy, and I also had an event every single night after work (except Monday...but I had workout plans with a friend that evening), so I was never really given the chance to regroup. As I have said, I like to have plans about 50% of my days after school (maybe slightly more depending on my mood), but having something for 5 straight nights is too much for me. Of course, once I am at my activity I always have fun, but leading up to it I get stressed and don't want to go! This week those activities included babysitting (Tuesday and Thursday), dinner/drink plans (Tuesday and Wednesday), ticket sales at my school (Thursday), and hosting a party (Friday). Whew!

Speaking of hosting a party- I hosted my first Premier Jewelry show on Friday at my condo! I went to a show back in October and had a great time and thought it would be a great way to have friends come together for a ladies evening of wine and dessert and holiday shopping! This is such a busy time of year that many of my friend could not attend, but it was a lot of fun with the six girls who came. That actually ended up being a comfortable amount of people to host in my condo. I think I will do my next show around my birthday and maybe in a restaurant?! I love the rep who comes and sets up all the jewelry- she is great! The collection is great, too.

Last night, after finishing up ALL my Christmas shopping, I attended a 90's Party with my coworkers at one of their apartments. It was pretty hysterical seeing people dressed up in their various 90's gear, the complimentary slap bracelet people got as they came in, the super nintendo set up in the main room, and the food they served- pizza bagels, pudding, airheads, ring pops, bubble tape, gushers, various "fruit" juice packs...:) The games and music were the best part! Great idea for a party!

A little clueless, 90's rock, 90210 and tacky holiday gear.

JanSport!

Our favorite childhood drinks!

Love the 90's!

Awkward family photo:)

Today the weather is not so great here in VA, so I am catching up after the busy week! I have another busy one coming up, but I go to Austin on Thursday to visit my friend, Jane, so it will be a short one!

Oh, and for those of you who care, I decided NOT to send out a Holiday Newsletter this year...I honestly didn't feel like I had anything noteworthy to say or announce, and I saw SO many friends and family this year at various weddings, I feel like people are pretty caught up on my life. And you have this great blog to read in case you are ever feeling out of the loop...:)