It's officially the very last day of November today! I normally don't do a lot in November apart from celebrating Thanksgiving with loved ones, but this year definitely broke the mold. I did a ton of things with so many friends, and I love that. If every month were as fun as this one (minus friends moving back to their hometowns and getting sick multiple times), I would be all for it!

WHAT I DID

The month kicked off with getting to see a second Jason Robert Brown show at Subculture, something I'd highly recommend you do if you like his musicals. I also got the chance to hang out with Gaby, Alyssa & Amy for a day up in Connecticut, filled with Book Barn bargains and delicious food. While Macky was away in San Francisco for a few days, I kept busy - a pre-birthday dinner for my cousin Clarissa at Taqueria with Jaymee and Mel, a girly sleepover at Jaymee's, another sleepover at Rachel's, and a day in West Chester with Rachel, Kelly & Betty, with book bargains and diner food to tide us over. I also got to cat sit the most lovable cat for my friends while they went off to London, and I celebrated a fun Friendsgiving with friends! All in all, it was definitely a month filled with people & things that I loved to pieces.

WHAT I READ

Of the 19 books I read this month, these were my favorites:

Winter / Their Fractured Light

WHAT I POSTED

Personal | Autumn Adventures, Things I'm Thankful For
Reviews | I'll Find You Anywhere, Grey Sky, A Platonic Love, Abbreviations #17, Noise of a New Beginning, Brand New Gal, The Pleasures and Perils of Being a Hathaway, Quit Playing Games with My Heart, Flip a Coin, College Confessions, "Let's Carpe the Hell Out of This Diem.", "Come to the Dark Side. We Have Pop-Tarts."

Features, Tours + Tags | I Love My Hair, Fictional Worlds, The Sunday Mix (18), 3 Questions for Lauren Smith, Book Bloggers + Books Tag, Books in Real Life, Episode 9: Since You've Been Gone, {Bookish} Style Files: Plaid Adventures, The Sunday Mix (19), Tunes & Tales: I Cry When I Laugh

We're nearly at the end of the year! But don't despair - there is still one whole month to achieve the reading goal you set for the Flights of Fantasy Reading Challenge. Rachel & I have loved hosting the challenge so much that we're doing it again next year, so look out for the 2016 sign-ups! Anyway, I managed to read two novels The Impostor Queen and Uprooted, both of which were pretty great. Only eight more books for me till I hit 50!

How great is the title of this album? I would never have discovered the awesomeness that is Jess Glynne and her debut album, were it not for Rachel of Hello Chelly. From the very first time I listened to it, I just loved it. This is my kind of music, folks. Great lyrics, strong beats and just very uplifting melodies, which is the perfect combination to get listeners pumped and ready for the day! I often turn to this album when I need an extra boost in the morning or in the office, and it hasn't failed me yet!

photo credit

The older I get, the more it feels imperative to try to keep up a daily attitude of gratitude. There are many things in this world that leave me anxious, angry or sad, but I've found it's easier to bear these things when I contemplate all the good things in my life. I'm truly blessed to be living a life that feels rich with joy and possibilities, and I try not to take that for granted. It is always at around this time of year that I start thinking about everything that I'm thankful for, and since it does happen to be Thanksgiving, I felt like sharing all the things that enrich my life:

What are the things you're grateful for?
Happy Thanksgiving!

Magnus Chase has always been a troubled kid. Since his mother’s mysterious death, he’s lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, keeping one step ahead of the police and the truant officers.

One day, he’s tracked down by a man he’s never met—a man his mother claimed was dangerous. The man tells him an impossible secret: Magnus is the son of a Norse god. The Viking myths are true. The gods of Asgard are preparing for war. Trolls, giants and worse monsters are stirring for doomsday. To prevent Ragnarok, Magnus must search the Nine Worlds for a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years.

When an attack by fire giants forces him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents, Magnus makes a fatal decision. Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die...

I'd read thirteen Rick Riordan novels before I even started The Sword of Summer, and never once did I feel like he let me down in his storytelling. The count has now gone up to fourteen, because I enjoyed this one! It might not be Riordan's job to write stories that I love, but it may as well be, considering that each story he's added to the list of his published work has found a place among my favorites. To be sure, his stories are primarily geared towards readers on the younger side of the spectrum. But the humor and heart with which he writes these tales is universally understood by people of all ages, and I count myself lucky to be a part of his fandom.

The Sword of Summer follows Riordan's patented winning formula: a lovable main character who happens to be directly related to a mythological god + a life-changing moment + quest to prevent the apocalypse/end of the world/death and destruction. You might be wondering: what makes it stand out? I'm here to tell you that there are two things that make this story different from the ones before it: the mythology and the characters.

Riordan has tackled Greek, Egyptian and Roman mythology, so it was exciting to hear that he was going to turn his sights on Norse mythology for The Sword of Summer. I'm not nearly as familiar with the gods and concepts, but I never felt extremely lost while reading. (In fact, I found myself yearning to study Norse mythology for myself, just to enhance my future reading experience with this series.) As always, Riordan demonstrates a mastery of the basic tenets of the mythology. It's woven so well into the fabric of this novel; gods are personified, and concepts are tweaked to make sense in the context of our modern society. I definitely feel like I walked away with just a bit more knowledge of Norse mythology, and a curiosity about it that I might just have to satisfy before I pick up the next one. It's quite fascinating to read something that proves to be both entertaining and educational!

But Riordan really shines when it comes to his characters. Magnus Chase is different from Percy, Jason, Sadie and Carter. He's older (16!), and his real life hasn't been great since his mother died and he became a homeless teen. Still, he shares a few similarities with the rest: his lack of preparation or knowledge of how the supernatural happens to be a part of his life; he also extremely loyal, always willing to fight for the people he cares about no matter what the cost, another patented Riordan hero quality. But he's more easygoing and quicker to understand the "lay of the land". Plus, he's got this brand of sarcastic humor that I just love (mostly because it reminds me of my husband). He's joined on his mission by his friends Sam (a former Valkyrie who also happens to be a badass demigod fighter), Blitz (a dwarf with impeccable fashion sense) and Hearth (a deaf and mute elf); he meets the gods and other demigods along the way; he also encounters a familiar face, his cousin Annabeth Chase(!). Really, Riordan excels at writing ensemble casts, and The Sword of Summer is no exception to that rule.

The Sword of Summer is fast-paced and filled with enough excitement to keep you turning the pages until you reach the very end. I honestly had no idea what to expect, and it definitely made this reading experience even more fun! (This is also the reason I don't want to get into specifics about the plot.) It also is a funny story, filled with wisecracks, sarcastic retorts and clever chapter headings that made me laugh out loud. As always, it was a real treat to spend time with a Rick Riordan novel, and I can't wait for more!

The Darkest Minds / Never Fade / In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken

Series: The Darkest Minds #1-3

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Publication Dates: December 8, 2012 / October 15, 2013 / October 28, 2014

Source/Format: Owned || Kindle, hardcover; Borrowed from Rachel || ARC

Imagine, if you will, a world where children develop a mutation that allows them to tap into unseen parts of their brains and do extraordinary things. But these children, instead of being celebrated for what they can do, are quarantined in camps and facilities. They are treated poorly, inhumanely, by those scared of what they can unleash and those high on the power they have been granted. Imagine, then, that there comes a day when it all becomes too much to take. Imagine that one girl is given the opportunity to be free, to fight for her rights, for her friends, for these children. This is the story of Ruby Elizabeth Daly. This is the story of her friends, her allies, her enemies. This is the tale of how one girl lit a spark, and set the world on fire to create it anew.

It all sounds a bit dramatic, I know. But the way that The Darkest Minds is told just demands such an extreme response. There's a level of mastery in the way that it is written that I haven't encountered very often in my reads, with Bracken striking just the right balance between exposition and revelation. We don't know everything about this world or these characters right off the bat. But Bracken carefully peels away at all the layers, until we learn what the bottom line is, what the truth is. It's one heck of a journey, and the initial uncertainty and lack of knowledge makes the reading experience all the more intense. This story is woven well, inviting readers to get to know these characters in their fullness, past, present and future, admirable traits or inevitable flaws. It slowly maps out a variety of relationships, all of which fall somewhere on the spectrum between necessity and desire. It exposes a world of utter strangeness permeated with familiarity and just on the line between what's real and what's not. The care and caution that went into the construction of this story, of this series really, is undeniable, and I truly admire the writing ability Bracken has displayed.

The true strength of The Darkest Minds lies in two things: characters and themes. Yes, the world-building is excellent, particularly because there is an obvious attention to detail. Yes, the plot is well-planned, with surprising twists meant to catch readers off guard and further ensure their investment in the book. However, without the overarching themes, without these characters, I wouldn't be able to lavish the same amount of praise on this series.

I love being entertained by my reads, but I also love being challenged by them. The Darkest Minds might be fiction, but it does bring some really interesting questions to the forefront of a reader's mind. What is right and what is wrong? Is there any situation where the end will justify the means? Why is it that we automatically assume that different is dangerous or different is bad? Is there more than one type of family? How far are you willing to go in the name of freedom? In the name of control? What will it take to make people understand? How much needs to happen before people take notice of injustice that is happening right in front of their faces? Why do people turn out differently in spite of having similar personalities and gifts? I have no clue whether or not Bracken intentionally wove themes of prejudice, relationships, injustice and more into her stories, but either way, it was really well done. It was really interesting to find myself thinking about these things, and trying to discern my own answers. I felt really challenged and empowered, and I love that these books inspired me to go that route. 

Admittedly, the themes are point in favor of this series. But I don't think I would have felt them so keenly or examined them so well if I didn't care so deeply for these characters. Ruby. Liam. Chubs. Zu. The original Black Betty gang, and the group of kids that immediately stole my heart. Each one of them has experienced horrible things, has done horrible things, but each one manages to stay strong. True. Loyal. Vulnerable. Even if it doesn't seem like it, they always have the best intentions when it comes to their choices. They care deeply for one another, always acting in each other's best interests. More than friendships, more than allies, more even than the romance (which was pretty damn swoon-worthy and wrecked me multiple times), they were family. As the events in this series unfold, more characters join the fold - Jude, Nico and Vida, Cate and Cole. It took some time to really warm up to anyone outside the original four, but after reading all the novels, I can't imagine this story without all the rest in its pages. These characters felt real, as they flew up out of the pages and into my heart. And I know that they are the kind that will stick around for the long run in my mind and in my heart.

Basically, what I'm trying to say is this: The Darkest Minds is insanely amazing. It has all the elements I want in my stories: strong and flawed characters with complex relationships, detailed world-building, and an intricate plot. Every character, every moment pops to life off the page effortlessly, and it didn't take all that long before I was emotionally invested in the outcome. If you're looking for a new young adult series to binge read, if you want to be emotionally invested in characters whose lives and choices will wreck you on occasion, if you want to be transported into a terrifying, vivid new world, your search ends here. Pick up your own copy of The Darkest Minds (and you might want to make sure you have the other two on hand), and simply let the story take you away.

Reagan Forrester wants out—out of her trailer park, out of reach of her freeloading mother, and out of the shadow of the relationship that made her the pariah of Charytan, Kansas. Victoria Reyes wants in—in to a fashion design program, in to the arms of a cute guy who doesn't go to Charytan High, and in to a city where she won't stand out for being Mexican. 

One thing the polar-opposite best friends do agree on is that wherever they go, they’re staying together. But when they set off on a series of college visits at the start of their senior year, they quickly see that the future doesn’t look quite like they expected. As both Reagan and Victoria struggle to learn who they are and what they want in the present, they discover just how much they don't know about each other's pasts. And when each learns what the other’s been hiding, they'll have to decide whether their friendship has a future.

If you’re anything like me as a reader, you’ll like Just Visiting. It is a recent addition to the group of YA contemporaries that feature excellent female friendships, and I’m personally thrilled to be able to say that it’s really good! Adler’s portrayal of friendship is incredibly spot on – fun and frank, with no hesitation to show the natural ups and downs as the relationship grows. (It really isn’t always rainbows and butterflies, even when you love your friend dearly!) But her story is not just about these two friends. It’s about their struggle to figure out what they want to do after high school, learning more about themselves and yes, there’s a bit of romance thrown in too. 

It’s so rare to find an author who knows how to capture relationship dynamics perfectly, but Dahlia Adler certainly has a knack for it. Friendship, romance, family, enmity, attraction – all of these relationships can be found in Just Visiting. They were all written to be complicated, and their complexity made them seem real to me, and I loved that. I was happy to go along for the ride, watching as Adler explored and exposed different parts of these relationships to share with us. The highlight, of course, is watching Reagan and Victoria’s friendship grow as both girls do. They go through some tough times (balanced out by the fun they have together), and they definitely fight. But their friendship just gets stronger when faced with adversity, and I really, really loved that.

Readers will also appreciate how Adler shows the struggle of two teen girls trying to figure out what they’d like to do with their lives after high school. There are a lot of options out there, and I like that this story explored many alternatives. Add to that the college visits (which were fascinating to me), the diverse cast of characters, and a surprisingly dramatic turn of events, and Just Visiting gets even better. I really liked this one, and definitely think others will too!

After reading Just Visiting, I had a chat with Rachel of Hello, Chelly and it surprised her to learn that I had never gone on college visits ever. With that in mind, and with the desire to share a little bit of my own thoughts about college, I wanted to share my own college story with all of you!

Confession: I never had to do college visits.

In a big way, this had a lot to do with distance. The bigger schools were all in Manila, an island that requires a 45-minute plane ride from my hometown of Bacolod. There was not enough time (or funds) for school visits. And sure, there might have been some program designed to allow high school seniors to visit the schools the way that Reagan and Victoria did (though I wasn’t aware of it, mind you). But for the most part, representatives from the universities would visit schools all over the Philippines to talk about their alma maters. 

Confession: This never really concerned me.

When I was a senior in high school, there were really only three schools that were options for my college education: Ateneo de Manila University (my first choice, and my alma mater!), De La Salle University (where my parents and most of my dad’s side of the family went to college!) and University of Asia & the Pacific (where my sisters went to college!). 

I ran with it, submitting three sets of applications and taking three different entrance examinations, not even stopping to think about whether or not these places (and courses) were truly what I wanted to do with my life. I didn’t have a plan back then, nor did I really have any sense of what direction my life would take. I decided that it would be easiest to just go with the flow, take others’ opinions into account and then hopefully, magically, I would suddenly know what to do.

Confession: I had never really thought about college, or life after college.

I had no plans. I wasn’t like a lot of the college freshmen I encountered – those who were armed with a four year plan to jumpstart their adult lives, those who were ready to reinvent themselves for an entirely new experience, those who were ready to just enjoy their lives and coast through college. I had nothing going for me but my family’s expectations, my love of learning and the idea that this was the right thing to do. I’ll save you the long sob story (which includes an intensely crazy first semester) but with thanks to some really excellent people – my parents, my friends and some of my teachers – I found my way.

Confession: There is no one “right” way when it comes to college.

I don’t regret going to college and getting my degree; in fact, I consider myself lucky to have been given the gift of a great education. What I do regret, however, is the fact that I never once questioned my options. I could have studied in another country. I could have taken a gap year to travel. I could have volunteered for a year. I could have taken time off to really think about what I wanted out of life. Even though I know I would have eventually wound up in college at some point, I would have been equipped with more experience, more insight into myself and what I really saw in my future. It would definitely have made my own college experience a whole lot less terrifying and confusing; it would have grounded me in purpose with an actual goal.

Still, I can’t say college wasn’t a life-changing experience. I learned plenty, in the classroom and outside it. And I certainly don’t regret the relationships I formed. (Fun fact: I met my now husband when I was a freshman in college! And I’m still very close with my roommates for all four years of my college life.) All in all, in spite of the fact that I might not have chosen for it to go the way it went, college turned out to be a turning point, a good one, and for that, I will always look back at those years with affection.

This year has simply been flying by! I've said that so, so many times already, but it's still true. In the last edition of this post, November had just started; in this edition, it's nearly at its end. I'm really looking forward to having Thursday (Thanksgiving meal, here we come!) and Friday off (I don't know if I'm doing any shopping yet), and just relaxing with my family and friends (and a book or two). And then it'll be time to put the Christmas decorations up, which I am madly excited about!

WHAT I READ

WHAT I ACQUIRED

bought: The Secret Garden + A Little Princess Classic Library / The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett / A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett / Heart's Blood by Juliet Marillier / Me Before You by Jojo Moyes / Sandry's Book by Tamora Pierce / Book Three: Air + Book Four: Earth by Tamora Pierce / Cold Fire by Tamora Pierce / I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith / Granny Dan by Danielle Steel / Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas / The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes / The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley / Daja's Book by Tamora Pierce / Squire by Tamora Pierce / Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas / Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas / Scandal in Spring by Lisa Kleypas / The Sum of All Kisses by Julia Quinn / Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn / Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff (Kindle book)
for review: Loud is How I Love You by Mercy Brown

It has been entirely too long since I've shared what's been going on in my life with you guys, and I miss it. Sure, I mention what's been happening over the last two weeks in The Sunday Mix, and yes, I also tell you all about the month in my recaps. But I haven't gotten the chance to actually write a whole post detailing some of my adventures since September, and I thought it was high time to remedy that! Signings, friends (bookish or otherwise), road trips, bookstores and food - this post has a little bit of everything. Get ready for a whirlwind tour of my life!

Seventeen-year-old Rose Levenson has a decision to make: Does she want to know how she’s going to die? Because when Rose turns eighteen, she can take the test that will tell her if she carries the genetic mutation for Huntington’s disease, the degenerative condition that is slowly killing her mother. With a fifty-fifty shot at inheriting her family’s genetic curse, Rose is skeptical about pursuing anything that presumes she’ll live to be a healthy adult—including going to ballet school and the possibility of falling in love. But when she meets a boy from a similarly flawed genetic pool, and gets an audition for a dance scholarship in California, Rose begins to question her carefully-laid rules.

I'm really excited to put a new spin on {Bookish} Style Files! Even though I've never had any interest in creating an actual style blog chronicling my outfits, I do love the challenge of putting together a look that fits my personal aesthetic perfectly. So, I've decided to start pairing my outfits with book covers as a variation of this feature!

Whenever cooler weather comes around, I consider three things my outfit staples - a leather jacket, a plaid flannel shirt and boots. The weekend I went apple picking with Rachel, I wanted to dress up in my usual fall gear so I could share one of my go-to looks with you guys. Everything in this outfit is definitely a wardrobe staple! My leather jacket is an old one, so I don't remember where I got it. I got my plaid scarf, blue flannel shirt, black shirt and skinny jeans from Forever 21. My sunglasses are from the Philippines.

1. Magnolia by Kristi Cook | This novel is, by far, one of the cutest YA contemporary romances I've read all year! I'm always drawn to stories set in the South and to stories where the relationship goes from love-to-hate and stories where the couple has some history. Magnolia ticks off all three of those things, and it was super adorable!

2. Daughter of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan | I was really obsessed with Ryan's zombie series (particularly the last book, which had me ugly crying by the end of it), so I'm eager to pick up this standalone novel. It's a revenge story, which is always fun to read, and I have faith that her writing will do this plot justice.

3. Cinder by Marissa Meyer | I'm a huge fan of the way that Meyer's Lunar Chronicles series puts a spin on fairy tale characters I grew up with! I've been eagerly anticipating the last novel Winter (which was out last Tuesday), but the entire series has been such an entertaining read from start to finish. It's a great ensemble story (with such memorable characters), and I highly recommend it!

Marley Lake is no stranger to awkwardness, but getting caught watching a dirty GIF by the company’s hot new IT guy exceeds even her standards. That is, until she realizes he's as turned on by it as she is. But with a big promotion on the line, she refuses to let her current dry spell be her downfall. Maybe.

Austin Rivers has no business lusting after the irresistible editor of Gamers Magazine. He's a secret partner in the business—and technically Marley’s boss. One look at that GIF, though, and he’s ready to install a whole lot more than just software…as long as she never finds out who he really is.

But reality’s not as virtual as it seems, and when Austin’s identity jeopardizes Marley’s promotion, he has to change his game or risk losing the only woman with the cheat code to his heart.

Watching sparks fly is one of my favorite things about reading romance, and Erickson shows readers how it's done really well in Changing His Game. The passionate, volatile relationship that springs up between Marley and Austin is something that truly tickled my fancy as a reader. Of course, it probably wouldn't have worked out that way, were it not for Megan Erickson's deft hand at creating characters that are complex and slightly eccentric.

Here are three important things to know about this story:

CHARACTERS | I really liked Marley a lot! Her determination to succeed in her field, in spite of it being dominated by men, was really cool, and her passion for her job admirable. I love that she's got more to her than meets the eye, a wild, passionate side hidden under her steady, smart, respectable "day" face. And then, there's sweet, awkward Austin, who I just wanted to scoop up and cuddle. He might not be the best at social encounters, but he sure as hell knows how to be romantic and extremely hot in the bedroom. Let's not forget the fact that's he's both intelligent and creative, yes? Apart from these two, there's a bunch of delightful secondary characters introduced (some of whom get will be getting their own book) who definitely steal the spotlight when they happen to be on the page.

PLOT | Girl and guy have meet-cute, where it just so happens that they both see a porn GIF that sparks curiosity and desire. They act on their desire, unable to resist the lure that draws them together. Guy, knowing the obstacles between them, lies by omission, even as he continues his pursuit. They start to fall in love, only to have the truth come out and become their setback. Even though it's a familiar plot, it becomes unique in Erickson's hands because of her handle of dialogue, character and sexytimes. I didn't mind the predictability at all, mostly because I loved seeing these two characters develop quite the relationship.

ROMANCE | Obviously, the heart of this book lies in the romance. It's true that Austin and Marley act out of lust initially. But it doesn't stay that way! The more they get to know about each other, the easier it is for them to actually begin to fall in love. It felt organic and wonderful, even though you know that that truth is hanging over their heads like a guillotine. They're good for each other, and I happily rooted for their relationship to work out, in spite of what lay in their way.

Changing His Game is equal parts sweet, awkward romance and steamy, sexy encounters. I really enjoyed it! It's one of those novels that's perfect for reading in one sitting, and I'm sure plenty of readers will enjoy the time they spend with Austin and Marley.

ROMANCE | They might have been in disguise the first time they ever meet, but that just makes their sexual encounter even hotter. I love how role play was a big part of their initial attraction and fascination. But I also love that, when the roles are eventually dropped to reveal their real personalities, they happen to really like each other too. It's an interesting commentary on how a relationship is based on loving the real person underneath all appearances, flaws and talents and all. Watching the romance blossom between Chloe and Grant was absolutely wonderful, from start to finish.

I really loved Playing His Heart! It's my favorite of this series so far (and yes, I may be biased because Grant is my favorite guy so far). It's another take on the nerdy-slash-sexy romance from Megan Erickson, and she certainly did it justice. I highly recommend giving this one a shot!

I'm ridiculously excited about this month's Books in Real Life. In case you didn't know, Rachel of Hello Chelly & I collaborate on this regular feature where challenge ourselves to do the things we read about in books... in real life. This month's outing came together quite organically, mostly because it's such a seasonal activity! We were inspired by Since You've Been Gone, a novel from Morgan Matson about friendship, first love and finding your own wings. In this story, Emily's best friend Sloane has disappeared without a word of warning; the only thing she's left is a list of tasks for Emily to accomplish. It's a finely crafted YA contemporary, and I'd highly recommend reading it to find out what happens to Emily!

In order to get to the orchard, you can either take a brief, invigorating walk. Or, you can do what we did, and hop on one of the truck/tractors that will take you to the top of the orchard. As something that I always associate with apple picking, and because the opportunity presented itself, we just had to hitch a ride! Plus, you get a good look at most of the orchard and there are some pretty stunning nature views to behold.

Then it was time to get down to business and pick some apples! Considering how late in the season it was, I certainly wasn't expecting there to be a ton of fruit left on the trees - but I was wrong. There are, apparently, a few varieties of apple that are only really ready to pick at this time of year, so we had a lot to choose from. We wandered up and down the rows, stopping wherever we fancied to grab some apples to fill our bag!

We dutifully rewarded ourselves with some apple cider donuts. You guys, I love apple cider donuts. I'm not even ashamed to admit that I can eat a whole bag by myself in one sitting when the opportunity presents itself. We took our time munching on these glorious donuts, and talking about life and the future and other fun things.

1. What was your favorite part or a memorable moment? I just really enjoyed my apple cider donuts during our snack break. Plus, Rachel and I always have the most excellent conversations whenever we hang out together; this day was no exception to that rule!

2. Anything you wish you'd known beforehand? I wish I'd known about their excellent food selection! It would have been nice to have lunch there, so I wish we hadn't eaten such a full breakfast so close to the time we arrived. (We ate DD in the car!)

3. Would I do this again? Absolutely! I would like to go earlier, and see the trees filled with fruit. Plus, then I would get to have more donuts and I would be prepared to wine and dine a bit.