Confessions Of A Mom

It’s hard to begin in the middle of a life story. Things won’t make sense. As a writer, I know that’s the best way to begin a story. Drop the reader into the middle of the action, but I think it’s different with life. You need more of the background to truly understand.

Growing up, I LOVED Tigger. It only seemed natural to have that as our theme when we found out we’d be having a boy. Little did I know that Tigger would fit his personality perfectly.

Our first son joined our family in 2010 and hasn’t stopped moving since. He has literally bounced since day one, and ran since 9 months. As a newborn, I expected him to sleep a lot because that’s what people said newborns did. Well, the only way I could get him to sleep was to hold him, otherwise he was bright eyed all day long. It was crazy.

He really didn’t start napping until about eighteen months, and even then, he’d only go down if I was laying with him. I guess I can’t blame him for that. It’s my fault really. One could often find me saying, “Sleep’s highly overrated.” Can I take that back now?

Anyway, he has only one setting on him, high. The only time he slows down is when he’s tired, and even then it’s not much. People who have spent time with us have often asked, “Is he always like this?” The answer is, “Yes.”

That’s why when we began talking about expanding our family, I had my reservations. How would I keep up with him? I lamented the one-on-one time that would be lost with him as much as I worried over not being able to spend enough time with a new addition. I knew we’d get it all worked out, but it was overwhelming just thinking about how to make it happen.

Then we found out we were pregnant again.

Those worries really began to escalate. Then adding to that was a fear that came out the first time I was pregnant. I was really worried that someone would take my child. It wasn’t worry about loosing him or anything like that, but that someone would take him. It scared me to death.

The second time around was even worse. I had dreams where I couldn’t find him or that I saw someone take off with him and couldn’t catch him, you know, fun things like that. There was even a time I swore I heard voices in the house. I got out of bed to check on my son and didn’t see him in his bed. I woke my husband in a panic and searched the house, unable to find my baby boy. My husband found him tucked in his bed, safe and sound. I cried the rest of the morning from the residual fear.

Long story short, our second son joined our family in 2013. He surprised us with all sorts of medical problems. Ultimately, he was with us for eight precious days and returned home. Although I know with all my heart everything happens for a reason and I completely trust The Lord, I feel like in a way, my ultimate fear came to pass. 

JANITORS by Tyler Whitesides--Book Review

JANITORS: Secrets of New Forest Academy by Tyler Whitesides. First of all, check out my review of the first JANITORS and my interview with Tyler Whitesides, here.

I really enjoyed this book. It's such a creative concept. The characters are fun. The setting is wonderful, and any kids or adult will love being swept away into this fantastic world of Toxites. It makes school fun. I highly recommend it for all ages. Be sure to check back for my review of JANITORS: Curse fo the Broomstaff, coming next month.

:) :) :) :)

Now, more than ever, Spencer, Daisy, and even Dez must fight to save schools everywhere. The Bureau of Educational Maintenance (BEM) is after Spencer, and the only place he is safe is within the walls of the New Forest Academy. Or so he thinks. In this fast-paced adventure, the kids must figure out where their loyalties lie and who they can trust as they fight to discover the true secret of the New Forest Academy and what it means to the future of education.

*Cover photo and blurb taken from barnesandnoble.com. A review copy was provided by the publisher, but that had no weight in my review.

EMMA by Rebecca H Jamison--INT giveaway & interview

EMMA by Rebecca H Jamison. Take a look at this fun one. It sounds great! Be sure to enter to win your own ecopy, and stay tuned for my review! Click here to read the first chapter.

Emma isn’t so good at the whole life-coaching thing. Her first client ended up with a broken heart and is threatening to relapse in her bad habits. Now Emma has problems of her own to deal with, and all those problems start with one name: Justin.

Justin is her best friend, so it’s hard for Emma not to feel betrayed when she suspects he is falling for her childhood rival. And she knows she’s losing him despite her best efforts. No matter how much she tries, she keeps running up against obstacles. How is she supposed to help other people when she’s drowning in her own failures?

Fans of Jane Austen’s Emma will love this modern retelling of the classic romance novel. Fall in love with Emma’s latter-day tale of redemption, forgiveness, and the quest for true love.

INTERVIEW

What made you decide to become a writer? 

I never thought I'd become an author. Writing is just something I do for fun. My first published novel started when I couldn't get an idea out of my head. After I finished, I set a New Year's resolution to send the manuscript to a publisher. I had to force myself to do it.

Who inspires you? 

Great writers help me to write better. Obviously, I love Jane Austen. I also like to listen to motivational speakers when I get discouraged. I have some health coaches who have helped me with my fitness goals. They inspired me to make Emma a life coach.

What would you like your readers to get out of your writing? 

I hope my readers have a fun time reading, but I also hope that they'll feel empowered. One of the major themes of Emma: A Latter-day Tale is self-acceptance. I want readers to come away feeling that they don't have to be perfect to accomplish great things. Failure is okay.

Where did this idea come from? 

I had an idea to make Jane Fairfax into a country music star named Jena Farley. I built the rest of the book around that concept.

Who was your favorite character to develop? 

I had a lot of fun developing Justin. He's a nerd in many ways. He dresses in sci-fi themed T-shirts. He has a home but doesn't furnish it. He loves old music. But, he's also full of wisdom.

Any advice for aspiring authors? 

Read a lot and write a lot. Then let other people read what you've written. A lot of writers hate having other people critique their work, but it's a necessary part of the process, especially for beginners.

What can we expect next from you? 

Right now I'm working on a retelling of Sense and Sensibility. I'm also outlining a Romance about a wannabe cowboy who moves to a country town and then makes a whole lot of mistakes.

Where can we purchase your book? 

It should be in Seagull bookstores around the middle of August. It will also be in Costco around that time. Deseret Book will probably get it later. You can also order online: Amazon & Barnes and Noble

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Confessions Of A Mom

I didn’t want kids. It wasn’t always like that. In fact if you had asked me in Elementary school what I wanted to be when I grew up my response always included being a mom. As I aged, I figured I would be a mom someday down the road. Well, after marrying off six different sets of friends, I gave up on that dream and decided I didn’t need children. I was perfectly happy the way things were.

That’s when he came along. They always say it happens when you least expect it or when you’re not looking for it. I never believed them. I still don’t want to believe them, but the words taste sour in my mouth because I know it’s true. It happens when you least expect it.

Then I did what I swore I would never, ever, ever do. I married him within three months of our first date. (It might have happened sooner had my dad not been in Europe when we began dating.)

The next logical step after marriage would be kids. Nope. Not me. The thought really hadn’t even occurred. I had graduated with a Masters degree, did a post-baccalaureate for my Elementary teaching certificate and found myself teaching kindergarten. Note to self: don’t get married during your first year of teaching, especially if it happens to be within the first month of that first year of teaching. Not a good idea. Can we say stress?

Needless to say, I finished my first year of teaching and was still married. The second year began and the idea of kids officially took a flight out the window. If anyone has any trouble convincing youngsters the need for abstinence and/or birth control, just have them spend a day in a kindergarten classroom. That’s all. One day and they’ll get the idea. I got my husband to spend half a day with me and he wouldn’t come back.

Everyone told me that my own children would be different than taking care of someone else’s, but their arguments fell on deaf ears. I didn’t want to hear it. I couldn’t imagine teaching all day and coming home to another one. Those who have done it or who are doing it, more power to you. I don’t know how you do it. You have my upmost respect.

The days slipped by and because of a myriad of things, I decided not to renew my teaching contract after three years. I was excited to get to stay home. I could finally do things like go to the restroom whenever I wanted to, have more than twenty minutes for lunch, you know enjoy the luxuries of life. After almost a year of living the high life (don’t get me wrong, I didn’t just eat bon-bon’s and watch TV. I was productive during that time), the idea of children had begun to grow on me. Good thing too, because not two months later we found out we were pregnant.

A WAY BACK TO YOU by Emily Gray Clawson--Book Review

A WAY BACK TO YOU by Emily Gray Clawson. It's amazing how many book I've read lately that have had something related to death in them. I can't figure out if that's a new trend or I'm more acutely aware of that subject. Anyway, this book was a very interesting read. The whole question made me think, "What would you do with a second chance?" I loved seeing the growth of Annie throughout the story and how things worked out in the end. It's a great read for anyone and everyone who need a good book that has a good lesson throughout it. I would highly recommend it. If you would like to read chapter one, check it out under the excerpt tab here.

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What would you do if you were given a second chance?

Annabelle, whom nearly everyone calls Anne, has been stuck in the past for two years. Numbed by grief over her husband's unexpected death and overwhelmed with the responsibility of raising their three young children alone, Anne agrees to let a friend take the kids for the weekend while she tries to get some much-needed rest at her parent's home.

But when Anne wakes up the next morning, she is suddenly sixteen again. And it just happens to be the worst day she spent as a teenager.

High school the second time around brings unforeseen changes and frustrations, but remembering that her future husband, Mitch, has just returned from a mission and is living on the other side of town gives Anne hope. Getting Mitch's attention (for the second time) is more complicated than she could have imagined, but Anne discovers she is stronger than she believed possible—and there just might be a future for her after all.

*Cover taken from author's website. Back cover blurb taken from desertbook.com. The publisher provided the book, but it didn't effect my review.

DROPS OF GOLD by Sarah M Eden--Book Buzzin'

DROPS OF GOLD by Sarah M Eden. I love Sarah's books and can't wait to read this one.

When her father dies and leaves her completely destitute, Marion can think of only one thing to do--make a new life for herself. Commencing a life of duplicity, Marion transforms herself into Mary Wood--governess. In possession of a forged letter of recommendation and cloaked in the anonymity of her new identity, she enters a life of self-imposed servitude as teacher and caretaker of young Miss Caroline Jonquil of Farland Meadows. Her idyllic daydream vision of life at the Meadows is dashed when she finds a child desperately in need of hope and a cold and sorrowful home haunted by the past. With her characteristic sunny disposition, Marion casts her spell upon the household and slowly brings to life the long-forgotten joy of those within.

Layton Jonquil is a man tormented by the lies surrounding the death of his late wife, but he cannot deny his growing attraction for the beautiful governess whose goodness and optimism have touched his dormant heart. Their connection grows ever stronger, and despite the impropriety of harboring feelings for a servant, Layton's heart whispers that this is the woman he's destined to love. But when Layton's fears about the past become too much to bear and the falsehoods in which they are entangled threaten to shatter his and Marion's blossoming attachment, will true love conquer all?

Blurb taken from DesertBook.com

Confessions Of A Mom

I'm going to try out this new addition to my blog. It's not meant to a pity-party-my-life-is-so-hard type of thing, but more of an if-I'm-thinking-this-way-I-sure-hope-others-are type of thing. I figure that I'm not the only one struggling with balancing life, kids, husband, hobbies, relationships, family, etc. (At least I sure hope I'm not the only one.) :) I'm also figuring that there is strength in numbers. To me, I've always felt better when I learn that someone else is or has shared my same frustrations or experiences or struggles.

So, I want to return the favor. I'm going to share my successes, struggles, worries, and anything else that life brings. Not to generate any pity or sorrow or saying my life is horrible or my life is wonderful, but hopefully to help others know that they aren't alone, because as a woman, we can feel very alone at times.

Now, I need to put a disclaimer here. Some of you know me well enough to be familiar with some of my situations. I am going to do my best to speak in very generic terms but if you happen to know what I'm talking about then hopefully it'll make you laugh. My intent is not to offend someone and that is my biggest fear in doing this. I never intentionally set out to offend anyone, but I know that it can happen. I'm praying that it doesn't happen.

Well, here we go on the journey of life. I hope you enjoy the ride as much as I do. The first official post will happen on Aug 3rd and every Saturday following (as long as life doesn't get in the way). :)

P.S. I think I need a picture to put with each post. Any suggestions?