books – Jaclyn Grace

Life Updates

It has been a long while since I have stepped into this space. I actually wasn’t planning on coming back here, but it’s funny how time and time again I find myself missing this page and craving an outlet for my thoughts. The past year has been one of the best and most transformational of my life. We welcomed our sweet daughter Grace to the world last February and have loved every moment of watching her grow. My son, Wesley, is 3 now (how?!) and they are the cutest little duo. He is so protective and so in love with her – I can’t wait to watch their relationship continue to develop and grow.

We received another amazing blessing from God when I found out in August that I was pregnant with Baby #3– due in April 2025. We do not take this for granted for one second and we cannot wait to hold another precious, perfect newborn in our arms and see how they fit into our family.

Amidst all of this joy, there has also been struggle. I feel like this year has really been focused on looking inward, personal development, figuring out who I am as a mother and a person versus who I really want to be, figuring out what is important to us as a family… and so much more. This has been a work in progress and has often been stressful and uncomfortable ~ mostly because it is so big and so important.

As someone who has always had a *plan*, I am feeling a bit like a rudderless ship lately as I try to figure out how all of my desires and dreams for my family fit into the reality that is my life. I feel like I have been on a hamster wheel going full speed ahead for the past decade+ and I’m so ready to get off. I want to live my life in a way that is simple and joyful and in alignment with who I truly am.

I’m well aware that this shift is going to take time, but I am realizing that it is going to be the most important thing that I can do for my future and my family so I’m going to take it slow. My goal for the month of February is to intentionally add one activity to every single day that brings me quiet joy. By quiet joy, I don’t mean the dopamine hit that often accompanies moments of instant gratification (i.e. shopping online, consuming sugar), I mean true joy that brings peace to my soul and even just a moment of clarity amidst the chaos.

I will be sharing these moments on Instagram each day if you want to follow along. As always, I’m so happy that you’re here – I’ve missed you!

xo,

Jaclyn

Family is Everything

This past weekend was perfectly relaxing and happy. It had been awhile since I had a weekend with nothing planned, but sometimes that’s just what you need.

Friday night I stayed in and watched a movie with my family before heading to bed by 10 PM. Can you say grandma? No shame.

Saturday morning I woke up bright and early to enjoy a cup of coffee and indulge in a good book on the deck before going to my hair appointment.

There’s not much I love more than starting my day off in this very way. I hope there’s a lot more of this in my future! I was reading Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. It was a great story that kept me captivated from the first page to the last. I will admit that I did shed a tear or two throughout, but now I can’t wait to see the movie. I highly recommend it if you’re looking for an end of summer read!

After my haircut, I went out for a round of golf with my brother and my aunt. We were all having a terrible game, but had a great time together anyways. Unforunately, when we got to the fourth hole the thunder and lightening cut our game short. We packed up and decided to have a family game night instead!

On Sunday morning, the whole family piled in the car and headed to Boda Borg to compete in some escape room challenges.

There are physical challenges and mental challenges that each team must complete in order to move on in the quest, and let me tell you – they are not easy! We had a blast though! I don’t think any of us have laughed that hard in awhile. 🙂

We ended the weekend in the best possible way – with an ice cream from Kimball Farm.

I usually only get here once per summer, but it is always a highlight. I always get the cherry vanilla chocolate chip ice cream and love every bite.

Feeling so thankful to have spent a great weekend with my family.

xo,

Jaclyn

The Best Advice I Ever Got

As a 20 year old college student, I often feel stressed about my future career path and how my life will turn out. I try to stifle these fears and have faith that everything will turn out exactly as it is meant to be – but this is easier said than done.

My type A personality leaves me always wanting to know the details, but as I get closer to graduating college there are only questions. Where will I work? Will I have to relocate? Will I be content with my job? Will I make enough money to pay back my loans? Did I make the right choices to lead me here? Where do I even want to live anyways?

I know – nobody has all of the answers. I have heard it 100 times from my family, but sometimes it is hard not to let these questions fill your mind. Instead of letting this anxiety take over, as it easily could, I have decided to trust in God and have faith. I know that I will end up where I am meant to be, leading the life that I am meant to live.

With this ongoing struggle in mind, I recently purchased and read The Best Advice I Ever Got by Katie Couric. It is a collection of short essays from successful people all over the world. Each person shares a valuable piece of advice that they were given along their journey. This was an ultimate feel good book – but also provided some very valuable advice.

Some of my favorite words of wisdom included:

1. “Figure out what you want. And then ask for it” – Gail Collins

2. “Be not afraid. It’s truly the secret of life. Fear is what stunts our growth, narrows our ambitions, kills our dreams. So fear not.” – Anna Quindlen

3. “Angels fly because they take themselves lightly.” – Arianna Huffington

4. “Self-Confidence – a quiet self confidence that is not cockiness, not conceit, not arrogance- is the key to excelling, no matter what you do in life.” – David L. Calhound

5. “Try to be more creative, more adventurous, and more open-minded as you go about your life. Try to notice more opportunities in disguise. Try to think more outside the box. In short? Be lucky.” – Tony Hsienh

There were so many more quotes I could share – but I encourage you to read the book for yourself. You will feel so confident and uplifted upon finishing it. This book reminded me that I have the entire world in the palm of my hand, and can complete any endeavors that I set my heart to. These words were exactly what I needed to hear at this point in my schooling and life.

xo,

Jaclyn

Books, Books, & More Books

One of my absolute favorite things in the world is sitting down with a good book. For as long as I can remember, I have always loved to read.

My favorite types of books include crime thrillers, mysteries, love stories, and self-help books.. so a very broad variety! I read incredibly fast and often finish a book in a day or less, therefore I have read hundreds over the years. Today I thought it might be a good idea to share some of my current favorites with you!

Today’s Reads

1. The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts by Gary Chapman

I absolutely love this book! I have read it more than once and think about it on a daily basis. This isn’t only for romantic relationships, it applies to all of the people in your life.Chapman describes the five love languages to be: words of affirmation, physical touch, receiving gifts, quality time, and acts of service. He uses these love languages to explain why occasionally it is difficult to see eye-to-eye with those that you love, and why they may not respond to your actions in a way that you would expect. I would recommend this book to anybody – whether you are in a relationship or not!

2. Gone Girl – Gillian Flynn

Some of you may have seen the movie – but I definitely recommend the book! This was a suspenseful mystery/thriller that was difficult to put down. I would suggest reading the book and then watching the movie if you haven’t yet. I also recently read “Sharp Objects” by Flynn but didn’t love it quite as much. This one was much darker and disturbing, yet still captivating.

Next Up

Here are a few books that have been on my radar over the past few weeks. I just ordered two of them off of amazon and can’t wait to get started!

1. For The Right Reasons – Sean Lowe

The Bachelor is definitely my guilty pleasure and Sean was my all time favorite Bachelor! He was so handsome, sweet, and funny. I also loved his wife, Catherine, on the show. There’s no way I could resist reading this book.

2. American Sniper: The Autobiography of The Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History – Chris Kyle

I saw this movie last night and LOVED it. I have a major soft spot for this type of movie and often leave the theater with my mind racing, especially since this was based on a true story. We are so lucky to live in a country where brave men and women make courageous sacrifices everyday. Definitely go see the movie or pick up the book if this is something that interests you!

3. Let’s All Be Brave: Living Life With Everything You Have – Annie Downs

This book is all about encouraging women to put their fears to rest, be brave, and step out of your comfort zone with the knowledge that God is there to guide you. It has phenomenal reviews and I think it would definitely be a worthwhile read.

Have you read any great books lately? Let me know!

xo,

Jaclyn