CONFESSIONS OF A MOM

This week has not been the easiest. For once I felt like I was not tired and I could handle anything life threw at me and the one day of travel seemed to zap the sleep out of me. That added to the fact that the new baby has literally been doing summersaults for the last few days (daytime & night time), I feel like I’m back to square one. That and he seems to move even more of I don’t have food in my mouth . . . you know how much I love to eat . . . :) Aw the ironies of life.

Tigger has been great though. I expected some type of unconscious payback from him for being gone so long. Other than wanting to stay home, he’s been wonderful. I guess I should knock on wood. :)

Work has been good for Hubby and me . . . I just haven’t wanted to jump back into the reality and drama that life brings. That and the heat. I say it every summer, but I forget how hot it can get. I find myself saying that and yet it hasn’t been “warm” enough, necessarily to go swimming. The pool water would most likely be too cold. Are you laughing yet? I know. Illogical thought process. I guess I can blame that on pregnancy brain. :)

I think I understand the phrase, “You need a vacation to recover from your vacation” better now. But it was still worth it. We’ve had a great time telling friends and family about the trip and I’m excited to get through the pictures and put together a photo album (one more thing to add to the ever growing to-do list).

But it’s good to be home. We are very blessed and I’m grateful to have a home to come back to. I’m finding the anxiety is not completely gone. When I don’t see our dog moving or she’s in a deep sleep my first thought is she has passed away. I worry about our bird being outside for too long. I’m quicker to worry about where Tigger is playing and what he is doing outside when I used to not worry too much if our dog was with him. I’m sure that’s something I’m going to have to battle for awhile now. But it’s part of life.

And life is good. We are very blessed to have such wonderful family, friends and neighbors. I wouldn’t be who I am today without their influence and help. So thank you again. And thank you to those who have served, are serving, and will serve in the military. We lived in a very blessed land and the price for that land is not cheap. I am grateful for those who are willing to defend our rights and freedoms. Happy Belated Memorial Day.

IMMERSED by Jennifer Griffith (Ripple Effects Series)—Book Review/Giveaway

Immersed by Jennifer Griffith—I loved this installment of the Ripple Effects Series. I wanted to story to continue. The premise, characters, setting, everything about it was wonderful. It was a great ending to a fabulous series that I would highly recommend to any and everyone.

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Lisette Pannebaker speaks five languages and has a brilliant business plan—personal language immersion. Clients can hire her to shadow them and speak all day in any language they need to learn for business or travel—whatever. But there’s a major hitch: she’s far too pretty. Clients with less than honorable intentions sign up just have Lisette at their side. Solution? A make-under. Way under.It works like a charm. None of her male clients show her the least bit of interest. Until… Erik. Erik Gunnarsson is charming, kind, and smart—everything she’s ever looked for. Even though he seems to have a secret and she swore she'd never date a client, Lisette is tempted to shed her disguise—even if it means jeopardizing her career.

Amazon

Author Jennifer Griffith Jennifer Griffith studied French, German, Japanese, and a wee bit of Spanish in her school days. Her grandmother was Norwegian, and Jennifer grew up with lots of Scandinavian traditions floating around, including fabulous cardamom laced cookies called Krumkaker, made on a fancy waffle iron. However, she’d never dream of trying to teach someone any of those languages. And she might botch the cookies. Instead, she writes novels in English, drives her five kids a million places, and laughs with her husband, who came up with the plot for Immersed because he’s just a cool muse like that.

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Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 6/9/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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CONFESSIONS OF A MOM

Well, we made it back from our trip and surprise, surprise, everything was fine. It was a great experience in so many ways but I found I still had to fight the anxiety. Thank you to all those who offered help and advice on how to get through it. I found I had to make a conscious effort not to think things through very much. The minute I did, I felt myself begin to spiral downward. It was a delicate balance that I’m still working on.

Since I haven’t given many details on the actual trip, I figured I’d do so briefly now. Hubby and I were blessed with the opportunity to take a Mediterranean Cruise. We began with a day and a half in Rome where we saw the Vatican City and the Colosseum. From there we embarked on our cruise ship to our next port in Livorno, Italy.

We had a wonderful tour of Pisa and Florence before getting back on the ship. The next port was Cannes, France. We happened to be there during the film festival. (No we didn’t personally see any stars, but several members of our group said they did.) Craziness there, but we chose to see Nice and Eze rather than stay in Cannes. Beautiful cities.

Palyma, Majorca, Spain came next. Another beautiful city with incredible beaches. We went to Barcelona, Spain where the ‘c’ is pronounced with a ‘th’ sound by the natives rather than ‘s’ sound we give it. The works of Gaudi were incredible and we enjoyed attending church there.

The next day was spent at sea and was the only day it rained. It was also the only time I really felt the ship moving. I found it interesting that because of that day—at least I’m pretty sure it was because of that day—I had trouble getting my land legs back.

We docked in Naples, Italy where we toured Sorrento and a little far where they showed us how to make mozzarella cheese and olive oil before going to Pompeii. Breathtaking views and incredible history.

We disembarked in Rome and left for home. I know that’s a barebones synopsis, but a more detailed report would take a long time. So here are is the answer to the most common question we’ve received so far. “Was it worth it?” Absolutely.

Was it easy? No, but I learned a lot and was reminded of so many things I am grateful for. I am so thankful for wide roads and space between homes. I’m thankful for the many opportunities we have in the States. As frustrated as we can get with the government and things that are happening, we a truly blessed. We have so much that we take for granted, i.e. toilet seats, free public restrooms (although I can see the advantage to having to pay. They’re restrooms were very clean.), sidewalks that fit more than a half a person on them, smooth roads, homes, and the list goes on.

I am very grateful for family and friends who helped us with Tigger while we were gone. I’m thankful that my mind was put at ease most of the time. I’m thankful for the memories that were created. So, here are a few pictures of our trip. Enjoy!

 

DISCOVER AMERICA: FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA—Book Review

DISCOVER AMERICA: FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA illustrated by Julie Olson. This beautiful picture book was well done. The illustrations take us through the National Anthem as well as give children a look at different places across the country, following a red balloon. My son loved looking through it. It is also interactive in that there is a website parents and kids can go to to follow their own red balloon.

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More than a book. It's an online experience!

Follow the patriotic journey of a little red balloon as it makes its way from the West Coast to the East Coast of the United States.

Through delightful illustrations and the words of "America the Beautiful," one of America's most beloved anthems, children will discover the beauty and diversity of their country. At DiscoverAmericaBook.com they can launch their own balloon while learning fun facts about all fifty states.

MISSING LILY by Annette K Larsen—Book Blast/Giveaway

Missing Lily “You don’t know who I am,” I whispered. He didn’t move—either away from me, or closer—and after an interminable moment, I stepped back and hurried out of the house. He didn’t follow me as I fled into the night. Lylin was not used to being alone—much less alone, hurt, and lost. So when she is separated from her guard and forced to abandon her horse, she counts herself lucky to stumble upon a manor house. Still frightened by those who chased her into the night, she keeps her identity a secret, calling herself Lily as she accepts the help of kind servants, and the compassion of Lord Fallon. When they fall into an easy friendship, she wonders if her secrecy was too hasty. However, as she gets to know the manor and its residents, Lylin discovers that she’s not the only one hiding secrets, and it may be a very good thing that her host doesn’t know her true identity as a member of the royal family.

AMAZON

Author Annette K. Larsen I was born in Utah, part of a crazy, fun family of nine. I grew up in Flagstaff, AZ and St. Louis, MO before striking out on my own college adventure in Virginia. I decided to try my hand at writing novels after I was married and living in Idaho. I write clean romance because it’s my favorite genre, but often difficult to find.

I have Charlotte Brontë to thank for the courage to write novels. After being bombarded with assigned reading about women who justified abandoning either their families or their principles in the name of love, I had the great fortune of reading Jane Eyre. And that was it: finally, a heroine who understood that being moral and making the right choice was hard, and sometimes it hurt, but it was still worth it. After rereading it several years later, I realized that if I wanted more books to exist with the kinds of heroines I admired, then I might as well write a few myself. My books are about women who face hard choices, who face pain and rejection and often have to face the reality of sacrificing what they want for what is right. The consequences are often difficult or unpleasant, but in the end, doing what’s right will always be worth it. I believe there is no substitute for good writing or good chocolate. Fortunately, one often leads to the other.

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Not yet read Just Ella?

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      Book Blast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 6/10/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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CONFESSIONS OF A MOM

It’s been interesting as I’ve worked my way through getting to this trip I’ve talked about. The past week or so I’ve realized that I really changed my way of looking at things, my perception. That change in perception came about after I talked to my doctor about my nightmares and feelings and worries and all that other good stuff. I was told that unfortunately, those types of feelings are fairly normal during pregnancy, however it’s something to be watched carefully. In other words, meds aren’t the answer right now.

With that knowledge, I’m still monitoring things closely but I’ve had to develop a way to coup with things too. That’s when the perception change began. That along with asking for help from friends, family, and Heavenly Father. With that help I was able a comfort, almost like I was numb. That sounds strange to have comfort and numb in the same sentence but for me it worked. The numbness acted as a shield to those horrible thoughts and images and things like that.

From there I was able to really enjoy Reed. In a way I treated each day like it could be my last day for him. I made sure to pay attention, listen, play, and tell him I love him. I made the week a whole lot easier that I thought it could be. I’ve heard people say like it’s your last day. There is a really good principal in that. We shouldn’t let things like laundry, house cleaning, and other stuff get in the way of spending time with them, talking with them, telling them you love them because you really, truly love them. That’s what I’m hoping Reed will remember from these earlier years, that he’s special, that’s he’s loved, that he’s protected.

Now, I’d love to continue but my eyes are literally closing as I’m writing. I’m having to make sure the computer doesn’t slip out of my lap. So until next time try taking a look at things just a little bit differently. :)

Take a look at this cute video that gives you an idea of changing perspective. My sister shared it on Mother's Day.

SECOND CHANCES by Donna Weaver—Book Review/Giveaway

 

Second Chances 101 by Donna K. Weaver This is a great addition to the Ripple Effect Series. I enjoyed it. The academic setting made things a bit interesting. I did feel like it ended too abruptly though. I would have liked a few more details, but the characters were wonderful and the story well told. I'd recommend this one to everyone.

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Thirty seven year old Francie Davis, a recent widow and empty nester, gets to attend college at last. She’s sure her luck has changed when she also lands a job on campus that will pay her tuition, as administrative assistant to a history professor. When her handsome new boss yells at her on the first day of work, Francie worries she will never be good enough. For Professor Alex Diederik, life is going downhill fast. Not only is his bitter ex-wife trying to poison their only daughter against him, but now his one place of solace—his work environment—is being complicated by his attractive new administrative assistant. She drives home his feelings of failure as a husband and father, and Alex wonders if hiring her was the right thing to do. Francie will have to put aside her hurt and insecurities or risk her dreams, while Alex must look outside himself if he’s to mend the breach with his daughter. And, perhaps, find someone who can help heal his pain.

   

 

Donna K. Weaver has always loved reading and creating stories, thus she’s been ever entertained. An avid cruiser, she’s sailed the Pacific five times. Wife-mother-grandmother-Army veteran-karate black belt-Harry Potter nerd.

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  Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/26/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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LIFE IN PALACE by Catherine Green

Life in the Palace by Catherine Green This book looked interesting to me from the beginning. The prologue really sucked me in and then I felt like it didn't go anywhere from there. There was language in the book that I wasn't expecting and it took to long for the story to move forward. It's a decent paranormal but it's not for everyone.

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"We need to talk," Tal said. Then I knew it was going to go badly. "We need to talk" is the conversational equivalent of walking into your basement without turning on the light, on a dark and stormy night, when a known psychopath is on the loose. You might as well cut to the chase and slit your own throat. Chloe Diaz assumed three things: that when Tal said that she was one of The People sent from heaven to maintain the cosmic balance, it was code for a pamphlet distributing, incense burning, religious weirdo; that the gorgeous Seth Wilks would never be her soul mate and that she'd never have to choose between them. Chloe was wrong. Now the future of the world is in her hands, but what if price is too great to pay?

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Author Catherine Green Catherine Green writes fantasy books featuring religious characters in a brazen attempt to make the people in faith communities seem less weird. She lives with her husband, children and three marginally neglected goldfish. When she's not writing, or pretending to be one of her characters on Facebook, she has been known to cook dinner.

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Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/22/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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CONFESSIONS OF A MOM

I'd like to share this video as a tribute to woman and Moms everywhere. And please don't feel left out because you are single or do not have children yet. Every woman in a type of Mom in my opinion. We have influence and are examples to everyone around us, co-workers, nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, neighbors, students, and the list goes on. I hope you will feel joy in your role as a woman. Happy Mother's Day. :)

And if for some reason the video is not working, here's the link. http://bcove.me/5i8oukf7

CONFESSIONS OF A MOM

I had the opportunity this last weekend to go to a writer’s conference in Utah. I’ve been going for several years now and really enjoy seeing those friends I only get to see face to face once or twice in a year. And this time around, I went with a different purpose in mind. It was very interesting to see what came of it.

I’m burned out. I’ve openly admitted that to several people lately, and to me that says a lot. So I took this opportunity to go to Utah with nothing big in mind. I wasn’t even sure I would attend any classes at all. I gave myself permission to just sit in the hotel room and do nothing, or write, or read, or whatever I felt like doing.

Life is just interesting in how things happen. I did end up attending classes and felt the spark to write again ignite. However, I decided to put my current work in progress (WIP), THE BLACK ORCHID on the back burner and begin something new that has been floating around in my mind.

With that in mind, a good friend of mind talked me through how to get more writing time in my life. And for shutting her down and coming up with excuse after excuse, I appreciated her persistence in helping me. Not many people would put up with the amount of closed doors I threw her way. :) By the end of the conference though, she had given me some good ideas that I did hear. I just need to see about implementing them now.

Then a surprise came. I had entered THE BLACK ORCHID in the first chapter contest a while back. In fact I had entered it in a Beginning of Book contest back in February and it took second in the Young Adult category. But for some reason I wasn’t expecting much this time around. Well, it took first place in the mystery/suspense category. That plus lots of encouragement from other people to keep working on it shifted my thinking about pulling it from the back burner.

Then . . . another good friend talked about a class she took on accountability partnership and by the end of the conference we had worked that out with us and one other gal. (I’ll get into the accountability partnership for a later post because it really is a great tool.)

By the end of the conference I was armed with great ideas and a ton of motivation. The partnership has been going great and I’ve been amazed at how my productivity level has increased. I was also amazed to see how quickly life intervened for each of us and our goals for the day were altered. It’s been fascinating to see, but at the same time very enlightening.

However, I found myself toward the end of the week, Friday in particular, feeling like a failure and feeling burned out again. It seems like by the time I get to the end of the week I’m burned out again. Somehow I need to snap out of it and work through it, but I haven’t figured that out. I know that’s part of life, but I guess I’m asking you guys. What do you do to defeat the “end of the week blues” as I’m going to coin it? Maybe together we can all get some great ideas and find what works best for us. I feel like this is an abrupt way to end a post but my brain just shut down. So once again, I sure hope this all makes sense and that you are able to see how I came to the conclusions I came to. And hopefully we’ll be able to help each other out. :)

LOST AND FOUND by Karey White

Lost and Found by Karey White This installment was all about risks that I'm not sure I would have had the courage to take. It's always fun to read about someone else stretching themselves. I loved the ending and the lessons that were learned by both Lydia and Blake along the way. Highly recommended.

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Lydia was supposed to have an adventurous and exciting summer. Instead she's done nothing more than read and eat takeout. Now it's time to go home, and what does she have to show for it? A big fat nothing. Unless, of course, her trip to the airport somehow turns into something more than just a flight home. Blake feels like he's been sent on a wild goose chase. While work is piling up back in Denver, he's on the other side of the country, hunting for some mysterious box that his grandfather left him. Well, no more. Nothing inside that box could possibly be more important than the opportunity to make it as the youngest partner at his firm. So he's going home, and that's that. But that's before he discovers his flight has been cancelled. When these two strangers meet at the airport, they make a split-second decision to search for the box together. Maybe with both of them on the hunt, Lydia can have her adventure and Blake can find the box. And maybe, if they’re lucky, they’ll even find some romance.

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  Author Karey White Karey is a USA Today best-selling author. She grew up in Utah, Idaho, Oregon, and Missouri. She attended Ricks College and Brigham Young University. Her first novel, Gifted, was a Whitney Award Finalist. She loves to travel, read, cook, and spend time with family and friends. She and her husband are the parents of four wonderful children.  

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The Ripple Effect Romance Novella Series Enjoy this exciting new series of clean novellas by six critically-acclaimed authors. "Like a pebble tossed into calm water, a simple act can ripple outward and have a far-reaching effect on those we meet, perhaps setting a life on a different course—one filled with excitement, adventure, and sometimes even love." Book 1: Home Matters by Julie N. Ford Book 2: Silver Linings by Kaylee Baldwin Book 3: Righting A Wrong by Rachael Anderson Book 4: Lost and Found by Karey White Book 5: Second Chances 101 by Donna K. Weaver Book 6: Immersed by Jennifer Griffith

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$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/12/14

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