CONFESSIONS OF A MOM

I’m trying very hard this week to not complain. It’s been interesting to see the changes in Bear this week and even in Tigger. Bear has begun to sleep a little more during the night, which is fabulous! However, during the day he’s sleeping for 10-15 minute intervals. That’s hard needless to say. It’s barely enough time to grab a drink and run to the restroom.

As the week progressed, it got to the point that Bear wouldn’t sleep unless he was being held. It’s made it difficult to get anything done. I feel like the house has gone to shambles because it’s either let Bear cry or hold him. Since it seems like he’s been around forever, I have to remind myself that he’s only just over six weeks and I can’t expect too much, right?

Tigger on the other hand has become extremely helpful. He’s always been helpful but we had a rough patch for a little while. For the most part he’s happy to run grab diapers or a burb cloth or anything else. He’s still learning that I am not able to everything he wants when he wants, but those times are getting farther apart. And he more than makes up for anything when he says, “Mommy, I love having a baby brother.” “He has such tiny hands.” “He’s so cute.”

I just feel like I’m still in survival mode and I’m not sure I want to still be there. At the same time I can’t imagine having more children and my hat goes off to those who have more. I don’t know how you guys do it.

So, I’m not drowning yet and I have had some wonderful family and friends who have helped out by taking one or the other of my boys. It has given me a chance to stay above water. I am very blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful family and friends. I haven’t been able to say it enough. Thank you. Here’s to the next week hoping it will be better for everyone!

REWIND TO YOU by Laura Johnston—Book Review/#giveaway/#amreading

 Rewind to You by Laura Johnston. This is a really sweet love story. Once I got into it I couldn't put it down. Very interesting circumstances that pull these two together and I love seeing the growth on both characters parts. I would recommend this clean romance to anyone who loves a story that will make you cry and smile at the same time.

:) :) :) :) :)

One last summer before college on beautiful Tybee Island is supposed to help Sienna forget. But how can she? This is where her family spent every summer before everything changed, before the world as she knew it was ripped away. But the past isn’t easily left behind. Especially when Sienna keeps having episodes that take her back to the night she wants to forget. Even when she meets the mysterious Austin Dobbs, the guy with the intense blue eyes, athlete's body, and weakness for pralines who scooped her out of trouble when she blacked out on River Street. When she's with Austin, Sienna feels a whole new world opening up to her. Austin has secrets, and she has history. But caught between the past and the future, Sienna can still choose what happens now.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo

Author Laura Johnston Laura Johnston lives in Utah with her husband and two children. Growing up with five siblings, a few horses, peach trees, beehives and gardens, she developed an active imagination and always loved a good story. She fell in love with the young adult genre both through her experience in high school as well as her job later as a high school teacher. Laura enjoys running, playing tennis, sewing, traveling, writing, and above all, spending time with her husband and kids. REWIND TO YOU is her debut novel.

Website * Twitter * Facebook

Blog Tour Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 10/13/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an iTunes Gift Code or River Street Sweets Gift Card. 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.   

  a Rafflecopter giveaway     

Excerpt—I close the door behind me, shutting out the muggy Georgia air and the acrid smell of fireworks. A chill sweeps over me, and I welcome it. I'm not scared anymore. Another firework flashes, casting a red glow on the kitchen cabinets. I walk to the stairs, feeling my heart thud faster and faster, the palpitations Dr. Kovac told me about. The ground shakes, sending a tremor up my legs. It takes me back to the Jeep, to the smile on my dad's face as we zipped down the highway exactly one year ago tonight. That was the last of his smiles I ever saw. I let myself think about it. Make myself think about it. Difficulty breathing, a cold sweat. I feel it all in full, doing nothing to prevent this seizure. As ridiculous as it is, I want to see Austin, the Austin I met under a sky of fireworks who made life feel right again. I kneel beside my bed, burying my head in the down comforter as the aura of light fills my vision. At last, I feel that same spark I did on River Street when the light gives way and I see him. 

Blog Tour Schedule

A TIMELESS ROMANCE ANTHOLOGY:OLD WEST COLLECTION—Book Review

A TIMELESS ROMANCE ANTHOLOGY: OLD WEST COLLECTION. This collection of short stories was a great, quick read. I enjoyed the stories, some more than others. Each one has great characters that will leave you smiling at the end. It is a great way to get a taste of several different authors. I would recommend this anthology to any romantic at heart.

:) :) :) :)

In BREAK A LEG, a charming story by two-time Rita Award winner Carla Kelly, hospital steward Colm Callahan is ready to move away from army life at Fort Laramie. His only regret is leaving behind exotic Ozzie Washington, easily the prettiest woman on the post. As a maid to the lieutenant colonel's wife, Ozzie is no wilting flower when it comes to hard work. When the post surgeon leaves for an extended week, Colm must handle several medical emergencies on his own. He pleads for Ozzie's help at the hospital. While they spend long days and nights working together, Colm, a shy man, realizes he can't hide the truth of his feelings for Ozzie. He needs a little help, though. Enter from stage left, Lysander Locke, Shakespeare tragedian on his way to Deadwood. 

THE SOLDIER'S HEART, an enchanting novella by Sarah M. Eden, follows Gregory Reeves has fallen in love with a woman he’s never met. Her brother’s dying wish is that Gregory checks on his family, and after the war, Gregory is only too happy to meet the woman he’s been dreaming about. Helene mistakes him for a hired hand and sets him to work immediately. As time passes, Gregory finds it more and more difficult to reveal his true connection to her family, fearing that a woman who loathes liars will turn her disapproval on him. 

HIDDEN SPRING is an enthralling novella by Liz Adair, in which Susannah Brown is just getting her life back together after becoming a widow. She still misses Wesley with a fierce longing, but when she meets his half-brother, Douglas, she learns her heart is not completely dormant. Over the next several weeks, Douglas helps Susannah with repairs on her small ranch in exchange for supper. The exchange becomes more and more meaningful as Susannah realizes that Douglas might be the one to finally heal her heart. 

In Annette Lyon’s delightful story, THE SWEETEST TASTE, Della Stafford hates being a farm girl in the tiny town of Shelley, Idaho. She’ll do anything to live in a big city and experience real city life. Her only regret is that she’d have to leave Joseph behind, the young man who makes her heart flutter. But she's convinced that moving away is for the best; her dreams and Joseph's dreams are too dissimilar. Then Della takes a job as a maid in Los Angeles and must face the truth that what she thought would make her happy and what really will are totally different things. 

THE SILVER MINE BACHELOR, by Heather B. Moore, is a sweet romance between an unlikely pair. Lydia Stone has a checklist for men who qualify as the eligible bachelors in the mining town of Leadville, Colorado. Her new boss, Mr. Erik Dawson, is about to be struck off the list when she sees him coming out of the town brothel. Lydia doesn’t know that Erik Dawson’s sister has been living the brothel lifestyle for years, and he’s set on redeeming her soul. When Lydia discovers Erik’s secrets, she learns that life is not as black and white as she thinks. 

In the captivating novella, FAITH AND THE FOREMAN by Marsha Ward, Faith Bannister is forced to travel west to earn a living as a school mistress in Arizona Territory. Faith soon learns that living the frontier lifestyle of a single woman has many harsh challenges. But when she meets Slim McHenry, she discovers that life doesn’t have to be so lonely. Unfortunately the dangerous Rance Hunter stands between her and Slim, and she must act with courage before everything is lost. 

CONFESSIONS OF A MOM

Well, here are the side-by-sides that I promised. Now that I look at them, they don't look so much alike. I'll be interested to see what you think. No, they are not in birth order and I tried to choose the pictures with the same pose or at least close too it. :)

This has been an interesting week. Bear is doing better at night when I stop and think about it, but I ended up sick so everything just feels like it's much worse than it is. I find myself trying desperately not to wish away this precious time. As I'm sure you know, time doesn't stop. I look at Tigger and shake my head. Where did the time go? So I know I can't wish away that time with Bear, but man it would sure be nice to get a little bit more than a few hours of broken sleep.

I have also been reminded of my previous statement of, "Sleep is highly overrated." I'd like to offically apologize for that. I am learning the value of sleep and learning to appreciate it much more than I ever have before. All I can say is it could be much worse. I am very grateful for what I have. I shouldn't complain.

Really that's been the week, fighting with myself to not wish time away at the same time I'm praying Bear will get just a little bit older so he'll begin to sleep longer at night. Everyone says it gets better, and I know it does, it's just hard to see in the middle of everything. Perspective. I need to remember perspective.

There's one other thing I've battled with this week. I know I don't feel well. I know my fuse is shorter than I'd like it to be. I know the little things are going to be the things that do me in. But even though I know this and I tell myself to keep my voice down (not much of an option right now since it's taking a vacation without me) and to not lose my cool I still do. I can be losing it at the same time my brain is telling me to take a chill pill. It's an odd feeling. I haven't figured out how to counteract it or to even follow what my brain is telling me.

It would be very easy to point blame. In fact that's what I do. I don't feel well so it's okay. I know my fuse will be short so it's okay. It's because of . . . I can sit here all day and come up with the excuses but in the end it's still me that has to take responsibility for how I'm behaving, just like what I expect from Tigger and eventually Bear. Take responsibility. It's a hard thing but somehow I'll figure out how to do it.

Anyway, let me know what you think of the pictures and have a fabulous week! :)

JANITORS: STRIKE OF THE SWEEPERS by Tyler Whitesides—Book Review

JANITORS: STRIKE OF THE SWEEPERS by Tyler Whitesides. I have really enjoyed this series and this latest installment has not let me down. It's a fun, quick read full of action, suspense, and page-turning excitement. I thought this might be the one to round out the series but an unforseen twist at the end has left me waiting for the next one. I would recommend this to any and everyone who loves a great, clean, exciting story.

:) :) :) :) :)

"In five minutes," Walter said, "I'm going to use this squeegee to open a portal to New Forest Academy. We're going to move in and apprehend Director Carlos Garcia."

Spencer's surprised look mirrored Daisy's. Penny looked excited and Alan simply nodded.

"Tonight we finish what we almost did last November," Alan said. "We're taking the warlock's hammer and nail."

The stakes have never been higher, and you've never seen squeegees do this before! It is a wild and slightly unsanitary ride as Spencer, Daisy, and the Rebel Janitors find themselves chased by Mr. Clean's new and terrifying half-breed Toxites—the Sweepers. Time is short. With the fabled Manualis Custodem in hand, Spencer must figure out how to summon the Founding Witches if they ever hope to mop up and save education.

*Review copy provided by publisher but all opinions are my own.

REWIND TO YOU by Laura Johnston—Book #Giveaway

Rewind to You One last summer before college on beautiful Tybee Island is supposed to help Sienna forget. But how can she? This is where her family spent every summer before everything changed, before the world as she knew it was ripped away. But the past isn't easily left behind. Especially when Sienna keeps having episodes that take her back to the night she wants to forget. Even when she meets the mysterious Austin Dobbs, the guy with the intense blue eyes, athlete's body, and weakness for pralines who scooped her out of trouble when she blacked out on River Street. When she's with Austin, Sienna feels a whole new world opening up to her. Austin has secrets, and she has history. But caught between the past and the future, Sienna can still choose what happens now

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo

Author Laura Johnston Laura Johnston lives in Utah with her husband and two children. Growing up with five siblings, a few horses, peach trees, beehives and gardens, she developed an active imagination and always loved a good story. She fell in love with the young adult genre both through her experience in high school as well as her job later as a high school teacher. Laura enjoys running, playing tennis, sewing, traveling, writing, and above all, spending time with her husband and kids. REWIND TO YOU is her debut novel.

Website * Twitter * Facebook

    

Blog Tour Schedule

  BookBlast Giveaway $75 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 10/5/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an iTunes Gift Code or River Street Sweets Gift Card. 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. a Rafflecopter giveaway

CONFESSIONS OF A MOM

“If you don’t do this by the count of three, you’re in a time out.”

Have you caught yourself saying that at some point in time? Or any variation of that statement? That’s been a very common phrase in our house over the last little while. It’s been interesting as we’ve worked on how to communicate and get through to Tigger. I also saw a situation from a different vantage point the other day too.

For the longest time I have shared my belief that kids need to be held accountable, they need to be allowed to make mistakes so they can learn, and they need to have consequences both good and bad. I remember thinking how parents just needed to stick to their guns and follow through. Not too much to ask, right?

Well, here’s what happened at our house.

I was getting Bear ready to get in the car. I asked Tigger to go brush his teeth and we were going to head to an open gym session. After I had everything ready for Bear and he was in the carseat, Tigger comes around the corner. “Come see what I did.”

Not exactly sure what I was going to be walking into, I follow Tigger into the bathroom where he shows me his artwork all over the counter. He had used toothpaste. I look at him and ask him if he made a good choice or a bad choice because we’ve already had the conversation of not squeezing the toothpaste all over the counter before. He responded appropriately and then asked, “Do I still get to go to open gym?” All I could say was, “I’m not sure.”

I ended up calling Hubby to ask him what he thought the consequence should be. Deep down I knew what it would be, I just didn’t want to deal with the aftermath. Of course Hubby agreed and I got to tell Tigger that he would not get to go to open gym. What I didn’t expect was what his reaction would do to me.

Tigger immediately cried and wailed, “I want to go to open gym!” “But I really want to go!” It broke my heart to see how upset he was. He had looked forward to open gym for awhile and now we were within minutes of going and he lost the opportunity to go. He was heart broken. I wanted to wrap him in a hug and take him to open gym. I wanted to make him happy. I wanted to give in.

In the middle of the fit, I found myself debating inside. If I give in, he won’t learn the lesson and he’ll think he can get away with more things. If I give in the morning will go much smoother and he’ll stop crying. I want him to be happy, but I want him to learn, but . . . It was then I saw how and why parents give in and children get what they want even they probably shouldn’t.

At the end, we came to a compromise. Tigger agreed to no TV for the rest of the day and the next day in order to go to open gym. It worked well but I learned a very valuable lesson. One, don’t judge. :) Two, there’s most likely a compromise that can and will satisfy both ends. Three, stick to your guns.

Whoever said parenting was easy, lied. It’s hard, especially on no sleep and screaming children. Who am I kidding, it’s even hard without those parameters. But we do the best we can and learn as we go. I am very blessed to have three wonderful boys. Even though one is pushing buttons hard, another is on the otherside, and the third isn’t sleeping, I love them all and wouldn’t trade it for the world!

Side by side pictures next week . . . promise!

REWIND TO YOU bt Laura Johnston–Book Trailer/Giveaway

Rewind to You Book Trailer    

Trailer Reveal Giveaway Details   


$40 Gift Card to River Street Sweets

     

2 $10 iTunes Gift Cards

     
  
Ends 9/31/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an iTunes Gift Code or River Street Sweets Gift Card. 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.
a Rafflecopter giveaway


  

Rewind to You One last summer before college on beautiful Tybee Island is supposed to help Sienna forget. But how can she? This is where her family spent every summer before everything changed, before the world as she knew it was ripped away. But the past isn’t easily left behind. Especially when Sienna keeps having episodes that take her back to the night she wants to forget. Even when she meets the mysterious Austin Dobbs, the guy with the intense blue eyes, athlete’s body, and weakness for pralines who scooped her out of trouble when she blacked out on River Street. When she’s with Austin, Sienna feels a whole new world opening up to her. Austin has secrets, and she has history. But caught between the past and the future, Sienna can still choose what happens now.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo

Author Laura Johnston Laura Johnston lives in Utah with her husband and two children. Growing up with five siblings, a few horses, peach trees, beehives and gardens, she developed an active imagination and always loved a good story. She fell in love with the young adult genre both through her experience in high school as well as her job later as a high school teacher. Laura enjoys running, playing tennis, sewing, traveling, writing, and above all, spending time with her husband and kids. REWIND TO YOU is her debut novel.

Website * Twitter * Facebook

CONFESSIONS OF A MOM

I didn’t think the weeks could go by any faster and yet now they seem to be really flying by. Bear doesn’t seem like he’s only three weeks old. It feels like forever and he’s acting much older than he really is. I’m seeing just how grown up Tigger is and as happy as I am about it, I’m not too thrilled at the same time. Then all of it is making miss Lion even more.

With Lion, it felt like once I had mentally wrapped my head around things and had begun to develop a plan on how we were going to take care of our sweet little one as well as Tigger, Lion decided it was time to go home. I think I’ve been a little bit afraid of that with Bear. Tigger and I took Bear to the doctor at eight days. I didn’t put my thoughts together until recently on that. In a way, after we took Bear to the doctor I felt like I could wrap my head around things a little bit better. Maybe it is because we got past the eight day mark with Bear. (Lion stuck around for eight days.) I’m not exactly sure, but I feel like I’m adapting better now.

Bear still has days and nights mixed up but I’m a little more okay with that. I feel like I’m able to get more into a routine, or at least attempt to get more into it. I’m slowly adding things week by week and I know that eventually things will fall into place. It’s an interesting, comforting feeling.

I also had the wonderful priveldge or attending the sealing of a friend’s adopted little boy to them for time and all eternity. I was in tears before I even got to the temple. I’m not sure if it’s because of the peace and serenity that is always present at the temple or if I was feeling Lion close by. I’m sure it was a combination of both. What a wonderful blessing temples are. Through those sacred ordinances I know I will see Lion again. I look forward to that day.

This has been a learning week as I’m sure each week will be. I’m still working on patience with Tigger as he is testing the limits of things as well as my patience in everything around me. I feel like we, as a family, are beginning the craziness of the holiday season early. So, strap on your seatbelt and enjoy the ride!

COFESSIONS OF A MOM

So, the day went by much faster than it should have and I'm realizing I haven't done this post. You'll have to bear with me as I will get to it Today or tomorrow. I apologize but that's the way life is going right now. :)