Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Title: Peter Pan

Author: J.M. Barrie

Genre: Children's Classic

Pages: 162

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fantasy Project; TBR Pile; Book to Move; Well-Rounded Reader; Back to the Classics -- Adapted into a Movie

Somehow I've never gotten around to actually reading Peter Pan.  Sure, we all know the story.  There have been so many movie adaptations.  But I've never actually read it.  I enjoyed the storyline, but I must say the writing style is a bit off putting.  The sentences are often stilted and oddly constructed.  I can't say that it was the worst "classic" that I've ever read, but the book just didn't grab me like I thought it would.

Movie:

For my movie selection, I rewatched Disney's Peter Pan.  I really enjoy this film.  I love the music.  I love Captain Hook.  I love Smee.  I love the fun and frivolity of the movie.  This is the classic edition to me.  That said, I really want to watch Neverland with Rhys Ifans.  It looks amazing!

February 2014 Wrap-up and Monthly TBR

Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.

Fantasy February's TBR Pile (8/13):

1. January Roll-over: The Nanny Diaries by Nicola Kraus and Emma McLaughlin √
2. J's pick: Time Enough for Love by Robert Heinlein
3. Freebie: Tithe by Holly Black √
4. Book to stage: Wicked by Gregory Maguire
5. Classic: Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie √
6. Book club selection: Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn √
7. Carry-over: A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
8. Monthly Motif: Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
9. Fun and Funny: The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul by Terry Pratchett
10. Series Pick: Roaring Midnight by Colleen Gleason √
11. Library Book: Iron Legends by Julie Kagawa √
12. Added: The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa √
13. Added: Sh*tty Mom by Laurie Kilmartin, Karen Moline, Alicia Ybarbo, Mary Ann Zoellner √

Picture Book Roundup (I'm not planning on reviewing the picture books we read, but I do plan on recording them monthly for my reading challenge)

1. It's a Book by Lane Smith -- Library book. I love Smith's books, but this one is a bit rude for super young kids.
2. Dinosaurumpus! by Tony Mitton -- Library book.  Nice rhyming musical book with real dinosaur names.  Loved it.
3. The Composer is Dead by Lemony Snicket -- Library book. Awesome book!  I love they way the book teaches kids the roles of the orchestral instruments.  We will be checking this one out again (and possibly buy it).
4. 13 Words by Lemony Snicket -- Library book. Another really great book.  I love that one of the words taught is despondent.  I want Arthur to go around at four year olds telling others that they look despondent.
5. Madam President by Lane Smith -- Library book. Cute little about a little girl president.  I liked it.  Arthur didn't respond to it at all.
6. The Three Ninja Pigs by Corey Rosen Schwartz -- Library book.  I really enjoyed this one.  We will definitely be checking this one out again.
7. The Dark by Lemony Snicket -- Library book. Definitely a dark book, but I really loved it.
8. Fuzzy Bee and Friends -- We own it. It's a cloth book and Arthur loves loves loves chewing on it.
9. Squishy Turtle and Friends -- We own it.  Just like the Fuzzy Bee book.
10. Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae -- We own it.  We picked up this board book from Barnes and Noble.  I really really enjoy it.
11. Sherlock Holmes in The Hound of the Baskervilles by Alison Oliver -- We own it.  We had to get a first Sherlock Holmes book for our future detective.
12. Star Trek Book of Opposites -- We own it.  A must read.  It's all based off of the original series.  Too funny.
13. My Little Geek by Andrew and Sarah Spear -- We own it.  A very cute A to Z book for out little geek.  Very appropriate.

1,000,000 Page Goal

Monthly Total: 2152 pages
Pages Remaining: 830,759 pages

Current Read - Time Enough for Love by Robert Heinlein

Books Won (0)

Books I Gave Up On (0)

Challenges Completed  -- None yet, but I making some decent progress.

Comments - A decent reading month for the shortest month of the year.  I read some mediocre books this month.  I'm hoping March is a lot better.  I've got my TBR pile ready to go.

March's TBR Pile:

1. February Roll-over: Time Enough for Love by Robert Heinlein
2. J's pick: Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
3. Nonfiction: What Ifs of American History
4. Freebie: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
5. Series pick: The Zombie Whisperer by Jesse Petersen
6. Classic: Tales of the Brothers Grimm
7. Book club selection: The Baker's Daughter by Sarah McCoy
8. Carry-over: Wicked by Gregory Maguire
9. Monthly Key Word: Yellow Crocus by Laila Ibrahim
10. Library Pick: The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa

FF #7: Oscar Night

This week is Oscar week.  I had to do a fashion plate as to what I would wear to the ceremony.  I was going for a classic retro vibe with this dress silhouette.  With a dress full of lace, I decided to go simple but colorful for the shoes and sparkly for the accessories.  Overall, this look is very classy and comfortable.

Black cocktail dress

1stdibs.com

Miss KG platform shoes

$125 - allsole.com

Karen Millen mini purse

karenmillen.com

Dana Rebecca Designs white gold jewelry

danarebeccadesigns.com

Kate Spade bracelet bangle

lordandtaylor.com

Music Memories

Sometimes Sweet started a journal day for every Thursday. I love the idea and find it easier to follow a prompt rather than think up my own.  So, here we go:

Prompt #2: We all have songs that really mean something to us. Often just hearing it can take us right back to that place and we are able to re-experience the memory associated with the song. Sometimes good, sometimes bad, but either way music has the ability to really draw things out of us and evoke deep emotion. Choose a song that has a particular meaning to you. Tell the story of the memory associated with the song, sharing as much detail as you can. Take us there; let us experience it with you.

My memory isn't just one song, but a mini playlist.  My junior year of high school, I drove a few of my friends to and from school.  We had our own little carpool.  I quickly realized that I hated listening to the radio in the morning (tons of talking, not enough music).  And so I began to create mixtapes to entertain us in the morning (and in the afternoon).  Yes, they were cassette tapes.  This was before most cards had cd players and definitely before mp3 players.  I diligently sat at home with my boombox in front of the stereo and started taping.  Every morning, I would listen to the radio until I picked up my best friend, Beth.  Funny aside: she lived the closest to school (1 block away!) but I always picked her up first.  We would pop the tape in and start our day right with some headbanging top-of-our-lungs singing of The Offspring.  And then we would cool down to some Barenaked Ladies and Five Iron Frenzy while throwing in some Korn and Snoop Dog.  It was always a party.  We would then drive around picking up my other carpoolers and eventually make it to school.  In the afternoon, we would pick up wherever we left off on the tape.  That tape lived in my car for two years.  I only played it on the way to and from school.  It was a special tape for a special occasion.  Those mornings and afternoons were my first taste of true freedom.  I had a car, I was all on my own, I had my friends with me to enjoy the ride.  Anytime one of these songs pops up in my iTunes shuffle, I immediately go right back to high school hanging with my friends and my little white Hyundai Accent rocking our way to another day at school.

P.S. I know there were more songs, but for the life of me, I can't remember them all.  And the tape has disappeared into some landfill somewhere...

This Week's Video Round-up

Chvrches covering Arctic Monkeys... Awesome!

Mental Floss awesomeness

Way too funny for an animated movie!  I guarantee will be buying it when it releases to DVD

God I love Tom Hiddleston!

Quote Wednesday -- Hepburn

Film was and is still a romantic business, just as life is romantic. -- Katherine Hepburn

Well said, Kate!

Playing with My New Supplies

This past week, I received a huge Stampin' Up order.  My demonstrator, Pam, told me that she wanted to see me make cards with my new stuff.  Of course, I had to dive right in.  I had so much to play with and try out: tons of DSP, some punches, some stamp stamps, new ink colors, and some new embellishments.  Here's pics of my new stash:

Card #1

Pam gave us the sketch above for our stamp club homework.  I won't be attending March club (Arthur and I are flying that day to Indiana), but I did want to do the homework and get creative.  I started with the idea of using my new Sweet Sorbet DSP.  After finding a few different layering patterns, I paired them with my new Petite Petals stamps and punch.  I love the play of florals with a touch of neutral (Sahara Sand based pattern paper).  I left the card without sentiment because I didn't want it to get too busy.  As an added bonus, everything on this card is Stampin' Up.

• Stamps: Petite Petals
• Inks: Crisp Cantaloupe, Pistachio Pudding, Summer Starfruit
• Cardstock: Summer Starfruit, Sweet Sorbet DSP
• Tools: Petite Petals Punch, SNAIL, Dimensionals

Card #2

The second card is again using the sketch from OWH.  I wanted to play with my new Banner Blast stamps and punch, and this is what came out.  I decided to skip the horizontal piece of DSP as I think it would have been much too busy.  While card #1 used a lot of the floral patterns from the Sweet Sorbet DSP pack, this card uses the geometric designs.  I love the polka dots!  I think that design is my favorite in the entire pack.  I had to use it a background!  Plus, this is another all Stampin' Up card.

• Stamps: Banner Blast
• Inks: Pool Party, Pistachio Pudding, Crisp Cantaloupe, Basic Black
• Cardstock: Sweet Sorbet DSP; Summer Starfruit
• Tools: Banner Punch, SNAIL, Dimensionals

Card #3

I initially tried to complete the sketch with patterns from the Birds of a Feather DSP, but found myself making some big changes.  Ultimately, this is what came out after a lot of playing and changing pieces up.  I loved the birds on a wire look and wanted to incorporate that piece somehow.  Because of the big pattern with both bird designs, I designed to go subtle for the background patterns.  They are all from the same design pack so of course they all work together.  Another all SU card.

• Stamps: Express Yourself
• Inks: Raspberry Ripple
• Cardstock: Primrose Petals; Birds of a Feather DSP
• Accessories: 2012-2014 In Color Dahlias
• Tools: Artisan Label Punch, SNAIL, glue dots, dimensionals

Card #4

This is my other attempt to use the sketch and the Birds of a Feather DSP.  I decided that the two pieces overlapping (blue design and brown stripe) really threw off the balance of the card.  So, I put the sentiment on top of the cross and added the dahlias in the opposite corner to help balance the card.

• Stamps: Express Yourself
• Inks: Primrose Petals
• Cardstock: Primrose Petals, Birds of a Feather DSP
• Accessories: 2012-2014 In Color Dahlias
• Tools: Artisan Label Punch, SNAIL, Dimensionals, Glue dots

Card #5

I wanted to play some more with the Sweet Sorbet DSP pack, so I went onto my Pinterest boards for inspiration.  The above card caught my eye and I knew I had to use it as inspiration.  Just like Angie, I initially didn't know what to do with that black based pattern.  It's incredibly loud in a 12 x 12 sheet, but if you cut it down and only use a piece, I really really love it.  I kept her basic layout, but changed up some of the supplies for ones from my own stash.

• Stamps: Perfect Pennants; Banner Blast
• Inks: Crisp Cantaloupe, Summer Starfruit, Pool Party, Basic Black
• Cardstock: Crisp Cantaloupe, Pistachio Pudding, Sweet Sorbet DSP
• Accessories: WRMK Sew Easy Floss
• Tools: Chevron scissors, Chevron Embossing Folder, Banner Punch, SNAIL, Dimensionals, Glue Dots

Card #6

Another card inspired by a Pinterest pin.  For my last card, I realized that I don't have any Pool Card cardstock, so I can't recreate the exact coloring on the above card.  Instead, I used a piece of black scrap to give the card a bolder look.  I love the look of the banners in a row.  Plus, the colors really pop against the black (they look much brighter in person).

• Stamps: Banner Blast
• Inks: Pistachio Pudding, Crisp Cantaloupe, Basic Black, Pool Party, Summer Starfruit
• Cardstock: Whisper White, Black scrap, Pistachio Pudding, Sweet Sorbet DSP
• Accessories: WRMK Easy Sew Floss
• Tools: Banner Punch, SNAIL

Overall, I'm really loving my new supplies.  Next week I want to branch out to some of the other pattern papers.  I have a plan to use some for One Sheet Wonders...

Arthur: 19 Weeks

Every week Arthur has new and exciting skills.  I love watching him grow and change.  Even his personality is starting to show.

Likes: Walks, anything he can put in his mouth, his cloth books

Dislikes: Bedtime (fighting it every night now), not being able to eat my food

Sleeping:He fights sleep at nights now.  We have to go through a few times of putting pacifiers back in and/or rocking him before he drops off.  Plus, he is only sleeping 4-5 hours at a time again.

Eating: I bought him some rice cereal, but i've decided to wait until after his vaccinations to try it.  I'm still waiting to see if those vaccinations have any ill effect.  Maybe Wednesday or Thursday...

Playing:He loves hanging out on the blanket and checking out all his toys.  He's reaching and grabbing and figuring out stuff.  I love watching him explore!

Doctor Visit Stats:

• Weight:17 lbs. 11 oz (85th percentile) — I thought he was over 17 pounds and I was right!  He's almost doubled his birth weight.
• Length: 25 1/2" (65th percentile) — I don't think this measurement was correct.  The nurse had a heck of a time holding him still.  I measured him at 25 1/2" at 3 months and I know he's grown since then.  I'm estimating him closer to 26 1/2"
• This visit was a bad one. As soon as Arthur entered the exam room, he started screaming.  Not fussing, screaming...  It was horrendous.  We hardly got through the physical exam.  And then we got to the vaccinations.  He had one oral and two shots.  Amazingly enough, the vaccinations were less traumatic than the rest of the exam.  He cried the entire way home (thank goodness it's only about 4 blocks) and for another 1 1/2 hours at home.  I did a lot of walking and rocking to get him to calm down.  I eventually gave him a bit of Tylenol.  And after another 30 minutes of rocking, he finally fell asleep. Thankfully he woke up smiling and fairly happy.

Medical Milestones: 

• Averaging 11-14 hours of sleep each day with fewer day naps -- Check! He usually sleep 8-10 hour a night with three small naps during the day.  He averages about 13 hours of sleep a day.
• Attempting a sippy cup -- Nope. We haven't tried this yet.  Maybe soon.
• Insecurity around strangers -- Sorta check. He doesn't cry when others pick him up, but he doesn't usually smile either.  Smiles are reserved for those he knows.
• Developing preferences of toys -- Check! He definitely has his favorites: Sophie and Taggie monster.  He plays with other toys, but these two will always elicit a smile.

Schedule: He's settled into a fairly predictable schedule.  Three naps a day.  In bed by 7:30 with a bedtime routine of bath, bottle, and cuddles.

Out and About:

• Olympus Caffe -- We met the mom's group for coffee and a chat.  It was a nice little afternoon in the cooler weather.
• Mom's doctor appointment -- I had to take Arthur with me to my appointment.  Thankfully he was great and charmed all the ladies in the office.
• Campbell Community Track -- We met another mom's group to walk the track and chat.  We had a nice time and I hope to do it again.
• Book Club -- Sunday we met Pam and Angi for book club at Specialty's.  We had a lovely chat and brunch.

Sh*tty Mom by Laurie Kilmartin, Karen Moline, Alicia Ybarbo, Mary Ann Zoellner

Title: Sh*tty Mom: The Parenting Guide for the Rest of Us

Author: Laurie Kilmartin, Karen Moline, Alicia Ybarbo, Mary Ann Zoellner

Publisher: Abrams Image 2012

Genre: Nonfiction - Parenting, Humor

Pages: 176

Rating:  3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction Adventure; Library Book; 52 Books - W9

Sh*tty Mom is the ultimate parenting guide, written by four moms who have seen it all. As hilarious as it is universal, each chapter presents a common parenting scenario with advice on how to get through it in the easiest and most efficient way possible. With chapters such as How to Sleep Until 9 A.M. Every Weekend and When Seeing an Infant Triggers a Mental Illness That Makes You Want to Have Another Baby, as well as a Sh*tty Mom quiz, this is a must-have, laugh-out-loud funny book for the sh*tty parent in all of us.

Not the laugh-out-loud funny book I thought it would be.  At times, I think it tried too much to be funny and lost the realities of parenting.  Not quite what I was looking for.  Definitely don't pick it up if you can't see the absurd in parenting.

Music Monday -- The Neighbourhood "Afraid"

I finally (finally!) picked up The Neighbourhood album I Love You and I am so in love with it.  My favorite song at the moment is "Afraid."  It's been getting a ton of airplay on Alt Nation and for good reason.  It's a great song.

Lyrics:

When I wake up I’m afraid, somebody else might take my place When I wake up I’m afraid, somebody else might take my place

Paid that money, fake that dummy, ache my tummy On the fence, all the time Paid junk honey, face so sunny, ain’t that funny All my friends always lie to me I know they’re thinking

You’re too mean, I don’t like you, fuck you anyway You make me wanna scream at the top of my lungs It hurts but I won’t fight you You suck anyway You make me wanna die, right when I

When I wake up I’m afraid, somebody else might take my place [x3] When I wake up I’m afraid, somebody else might end up being me

Keep on dreaming, don’t stop breathing, fight those demons Sell your soul, not your whole self If they see you when you’re sleeping, make them leave it And I can’t even see if it’s all there anymore so

You’re too mean, I don’t like you, fuck you anyway You make me wanna scream at the top of my lungs It hurts but I won’t fight you You suck anyway You make me wanna die, right when I

When I wake up I’m afraid, somebody else might take my place [x3] When I wake up I’m afraid, somebody else might end up being me

Being me can only mean Feeling scared to breathe If you leave me then I’ll be afraid of everything That makes me anxious, gives me patience, calms me down Lets me face this, let me sleep, and when I wake up (I wake up, I wake up) Let me be

When I wake up I’m afraid, somebody else might take my place [x3] When I wake up I’m afraid, somebody else might end up being me

Love for Books Readathon -- Finish Line

Pages read today: 88 (Time Enough for Love) + 25 (Sh*tty Mom)

Pages read total: 265

Comments: Well... I didn't really accomplish my goals.  Life just seemed to get in the way this week.  We had too many activities and a cranky baby.  I'm disappointed, but I keep on reading.

Goals:

• Finish at least one book in progress (Lost Prince or Time Enough) √
• Read two books
• Review all books read √
• Read at least 600 pages

TBR Pile:

• The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa
• The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa
• Time Enough for Love by Robert Heinlein (in progress)
• Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
• Wicked by Gregory Maguire
• Sh*tty Mom by Laurie Kilmartin, Karen Moline, Alicia Ybarbo, Mary Ann Zoellner (in progress)

Sunday Sunset #5

Book finished: The Lost Prince

Reading: Time Enough for Love; Sh*tty Mom

On the Nightstand: The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa; Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

On the Web: I joined in with Danielle at Sometimes Sweet for the restart of her journal topics.  The topic this past week was Crossroads.  Check out the post to participate or just to read some amazing blog posts from other readers.  So inspiring!

Crafting: Not too much crafting this week.  But I did manage to finish my last two swap collections: Black + White and Scraps.  Next week, I need to get back to doing my weekly Project Life spreads and do my Stamp Club HW.

Watching: I finally watched The Internship.  It's been sitting on the server for weeks and it took me all day to watch it (baby was cranky and demanding), but I watched it.  Not the funniest or the best, but whatever.  We also watched Ender's Game on Sunday night.  I really like the book, and was really concerned with how the movie was going to depict certain events (like the ending) and certain characters.  It wasn't a bad movie, but it definitely doesn't compare to the book.

Shopping Scores: So much shopping this week!  I went a bit crazy, but I'm sure I'll rein myself in and not really buy anything for a few weeks.  First, I went onto Amazon to buy Arthur a hat.  It's way too sunny here and none of the stores had any non-obnoxious ones that fit him.  But of course I ended up buying more than just a hat.  Check out the stash below.  I snatched up some fun sensory balls, a new book, some outlet plugs, securing bands for hanging toys from the stroller, and a photo album.  Now we just need some photos for the album.

Second, we went to Barnes and Noble on Thursday before heading to our Meetup event.  We had about 45 minutes to kill and I had a $25 GC from Christmas still to use.  I decided to spend my GC on books for Arthur instead of books for me.  Considering that we have a closet full of unread books, this was a good choice.  I bought another cloth book (just like his beloved Fuzzy Bee and Friends book), a Sherlock Holmes sounds book, Giraffes Can't Dance (really love that one), and two mythology collections.  The twins can read and enjoy those last two also.  Plus, I grabbed the latest copy of Bitch and the January copy of Flow for me.  All in all, a great haul!

Third, we stopped at Joann's after the Meetup to possible grab some Project Life supplies.  Well, the location we went to (Cupertino store) doesn't stock PL.  But they were having a huge President's Day sale still with 50% off stickers and embellishments and 40% off paper stacks.  Plus I had a mobile coupon for 15% my entire order (sale and regular priced items).  Score!  I got some adorable 6x6 stacks to make PL cards and maybe some greeting cards.

Fourth my two Stampin' Up orders came.  Look at the huge stash!  It was my hostess month for club and I went a little crazy.  My extra large order plus everyone else's resulted in $80 hostess dollars!  Holy crap!  Here's my haul:

• Etcetera DSP
• Tea for Two DSP
• Comfort Cafe DSP
• 2012-2014 In Color Dahlia Assortment
• 8.5" x 11" Subtles Collections (Old color collection)
• 2013-2015 In Color Cardstock and Ink Bundle
• 2012-2014 In Color Cardstock
• Twitterpated DSP
• Fan Fair DSP
• Parker's Patterns DSP
• Floral District DSP
• International Bazaar DSP
• Sweet Sorbet DSP (SAB)
• Pocketful of Posies DSP
• Banner Punch (SAB)
• Hexagon Punch
• Blossom Petals Punch
• Artisan Label Punch
• Petite Petals Punch
• Merry Minis Punch Pack
• Sycamore Street Buttons and Ribbon Pack
• Express Yourself Stamp Set (Hostess)
• Perfect Pennants Stamp Set
• Six-Sided Sampler Stamp Set
• Petite Petals Stamp Set

Project: I finished all my February Project Life Swaps this past week.  I went a bit crazy and joined 5 swaps which means that I had to make 50 PL cards (some the same, some different). Plus, I made a few more sets for RAKs.  In total, I think I made about 80 PL cards this past week.  I am done!  And I've told myself that I'm not going to join any of the March swaps so I can concentrate on other crafting projects.

Exercising: Right after I added this category mentioning my standing mom's group walk at Shorelines, we skipped a week.  Granted it was a holiday on Monday, but that change really put me behind on exercising for the week.  This week I:

• walked 2 miles on the treadmill in the gym on Monday.  J was home from work so I took the opportunity to pop down to the gym for a quick workout.  When I arrived, it was empty.  Within 5 minutes, there were 5 other exercisers.  Guess everyone had the same idea!
• met a new mom's group and walked 2 miles around the Campbell track.  The track is a gorgeous, well-maintained place that was perfect for a walk.  It was a lovely 70 degrees and sunny.  Seven other moms and babies showed up to the event.  That means we got to meet seven new mom and baby pairs.  I had a great time chatting with everyone.  Having a friend to talk to really makes the miles go by quickly.  We could have done more, but Arthur (and some of the other babies) were getting hungry and cranky after the initial 2 miles.  I hope to put that walk on our usual rotation.

Picture: Such Attitude!

Love for Books Readathon Day #5

Pages read today: 111 (The Lost Prince)

Pages read total: 252

Comments: Well...  this week isn't going as I planned.  Baby has decided that he doesn't like it when I read during the day.  I did finally finish The Lost Prince.  I know I won't finish Time Enough for Love before Sunday, but I really want to get at least another 100 pages in.

FF #6: Updated Menswear

I love menswear inspired outfits.  There's something about the hard edges and soft features that just appeal to me.  For this outfit I combined very masculine boots and pants with a very flowy top.  The vest is a combination of masculine and feminine with the structure and clasps, but cut very close to the body.  Overall I adore this outfit.

Top

yoox.com

L K Bennett top

$98 - lkbennett.com

Chanel black pants

1stdibs.com

Sperry Top-Sider wingtip shoes

sperrytopsider.com

Armani Jeans shopping bag

$230 - vanmildert.com

The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Lost Prince (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #1)

Author: Julie Kagawa

Publisher: Harlequin Teen 2012

Genre: YA Paranormal (Fey)

Pages: 377

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library; 52 Books - W8; Women Authors; Seriously Series

Don't look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase's unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he'd dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister's world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

It was refreshing to read a book set in fey that wasn't focused on Meghan.  I'll admit that I was tiring of her by the end of The Iron Fey series.  I needed a change to stay interested.  Ethan is a great change.  We get appearances by Meghan, Ash, and even Puck, but the book is really centered on Ethan and Keirran's journeys.  I liked getting to know these two new-ish characters,  The book definitely ends on a cliff-hanger, but I'm okay with it.  We get a whole new mystery to solve in thus series and I'm on board.  I can't wait to see how this all plays out.

The Iron Fey

• #1 The Iron King
• #1.5 Winter’s Passage
• #2 The Iron Daughter
• #3 The Iron Queen
• #3.5 Summer’s Crossing
• #4 The Iron Knight
• #4.5 Iron’s Prophecy
• #5 The Lost Prince
• #6 The Iron Traitor
• #7 The Iron Warrior

At a Crossroads...

Sometimes Sweet started a journal day for every Thursday. I love the idea and find it easier to follow a prompt rather than think up my own.  So, here we go:

Prompt #1: Everyone has a time in their life they view as a crossroad. Sometimes you can see it as it's happening, and you're able to choose one way or another. Other times you may not realize you're there until you look back, and see what a turning point it really was. This week, write about a time you view as a marker in your life; a distinct place where things changed, for better or worse.

My crossroads came in June of 2011 and it wasn't all amazing.  After an entire year of unemployment and feeling stuck, I finally made a huge change in my life and moved to Nebraska to be with J and a fresh start.  I had decided to make the move almost a year before then, but I was stuck in Indiana because of a custody fight.  My ex didn't want me to move the twins to Nebraska.  And so we began an almost year long back and forth.  It was draining both financially and emotionally.  After that year, an agreement was reached.  One I was not that keen on.  But it was a change and it allowed me to move ahead with my life instead of being stuck in limbo.  Come June, I packed up my entire life into a U-haul, left my boys with mom until they could fly out, and drove 10 hours to another life.  It felt like my life started anew.  From that point forward, things have increasingly gotten better in my life.  My relationship with J has deepened.  I finally found who I could be with for the the rest of my life.  I moved into a different career.  Even though I am not currently working, I have worked in new and different fields learning new skills.  I have found a new support system of friends with like interests (crafters and moms!).  And finally, I have added another member to my family with the birth of my beautiful Arthur.  While the choices weren't optimal, I feel like I eventually made a decision and set my life on a better path filled with endless opportunities.

Video Round Up

Fascinatingly informative video.  It really makes you think about how people can change the world. 

Hell Yes!  The first one was amazing.  I can't wait to see the second.

I must add this book to my TBR pile before I see the movie...

The movie may turn out to be crap, but I'm intrigued.  I always loved the Disney villains way more than the "heroes."

Here's more facts about the states.

I can't wait!

Quote Wednesday -- Kubler-Ross

There is no need to go to India or anywhere else to find peace.  You will find that deep place of silence right in your room, your garden, or even your bathtub. -- Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

I find mine curled up with a book.

Love for Books Readathon Day #2

Pages read today: 75 (The Lost Prince) + 66 (Time Enough for Love)

Pages read total: 141

Comments: A slow start for the first two days of the readathon, but I'm still encouraged to keep reading.  My goal is to finish The Lost Prince tomorrow.  I only have 100 pages left so it's possible.  Time Enough for Love will take me much longer, but I imagine that I will continue to read that at night before bed.

Arthur: 4 Months (18 Weeks)

This past week was a bit difficult.  J was home most of the week with nasty cold.  Arthur caught a little bitty cold on Wednesday.  He had a fever and screamed off and on all day.  It was torture.  Sleep that night was practically nonexistent.  Thursday he seemed back to his usual self, but Friday the fever and fussiness came back.  Another round of Tylenol and a lot of cuddling with mom and he was back to normal by Saturday.  I'm so thankful that he didn't completely catch the cold, but what he did catch was nasty enough. Because of scheduling issues, Arthur's four month doctor's appointment won't be until next Monday.  Next week's update will include stats from the doctor's visit and hopefully a not cranky baby after this round of vaccinations.

Likes: Playing airplane, his Taggie Monster, other babies, mirrors

Dislikes: Bathtime if Dad does it (literally screamed the entire time, according to J), going to sleep (he fights it sometimes)

Sleeping: Sleep has regressed to 3-4 hours at a time throughout the night.  Ugh!  And he was doing so good with 8 hour stretches...

Eating: He eats 6-7 ounce bottles every 3 hours during the day.  And he's attempting to steal food off of my plate.  And he watches food go from my plate to my mouth.  It's really a bit creepy.  I think we are going to have to start rice cereal soon, like within the next week.

Playing:All the things!  At this point, he turns everything into a toy.  Loves exploring for new play opportunities.  This week we're having a baby playdate with the mom's group.  At some point, I'm hoping that he starts playing with other kids.  Plus, we have a few new toys coming in the mail this week.

Medical Milestones: 

• Range from 23 - 25.5 inches and 11 - 15.75 pounds -- Check!  Well, actually he's above both of these stats.  At last home measuring, he is over 26 inches long and 17 pounds.
• Sleeping through the night -- Previous check...  By the end of the week not so much.
• Rolling over -- Check!  He's got back to front down pat.  However, he gets stuck on his stomach and has only rolled from stomach to back accidentally.
• Following objects from side to side -- Check!
• Babbling and other noises -- Check!  His current favorite noise to a crazy rolling sound.  So adorable even if he's a bit loud sometimes.
• Finding his feet -- Check!  Changing his diaper has become an issue as he spend the entire time trying to put his feet into his mouth.
• Exploring things with hands and mouth -- Check!  Everything he grabs goes straight into his mouth.
• Entertaining himself for up to 15 minutes -- Check!  While he still relies on me to entertain him most times, he does play by himself for small amounts of time.

Schedule: We've moved into the land of three naps a day.  He's fairly consistent with three, but the length varies each day.  At least he still can nap while we are out and about.

Out and About:

• Walk at Shoreline — Our usual walk got moved to Tuesday this week.  We still managed to do 6 miles and then had lunch.  Always a good start to the week.
• Sunnyvale Library -- We walked over to the library mainly because I had a book that was due.  But, it was a nice excuse to get moving again (2 miles!) and get Arthur out of the house after his sickness.
• Lunch at Palace Cafe -- Sunday we headed down the block to the Palace Cafe for lunch.  Arthur spent the entire time watching people walk by the window.  J and I had a nice peaceful lunch.