First ultrasound

11.15.10

Ok, two weeks later dad and I are back at the doctor's office for our first sonogram. You have NO idea how long I've been waiting for this day to arrive. It means that we finally get the chance to see you and hear your heartbeat for the very first time (YAY). Having the sonogram done, was the most amazing thing I've ever experienced in my life, getting to see a glimpes of you and hearing your heartbeat is unbelieveable. I only hope that someday, when your all grown up, and meet someone and MARRY that person who loves you very much, that you get to experience this the way we have. 

Roses!

11.07.10

When your dad came home from a long day a work today, he brought me the most beautiful roses ever!! I know that they had nothing to do with me, and everything to do with you. I'm barely 3 months along, but believe me when I tell you that your daddy and I are very excited about the day that we finally  get to meet you.

REVIEW: Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Title: Every Other Day

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Publisher: Egmont USA

Release Date: 12.27.11

Pages: 336 

 

SUMMARY: 

 

Every other day, Kali D'Angelo is a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She goes to public high school. She attends pep rallies. She's human.

And then every day in between...She's something else entirely.

Though she still looks like herself, every twenty-four hours predatory instincts take over and Kali becomes a feared demon-hunter with the undeniable urge to hunt, trap, and kill zombies, hellhounds, and other supernatural creatures. Kali has no idea why she is the way she is, but she gives in to instinct anyway. Even though the government considers it environmental terrorism.

When Kali notices a mark on the lower back of a popular girl at school, she knows instantly that the girl is marked for death by one of these creatures. Kali has twenty-four hours to save her and, unfortunately, she'll have to do it as a human. With the help of a few new friends, Kali takes a risk that her human body might not survive...and learns the secrets of her mysterious condition in the process. 

 

REVIEW:

 

To start, I'll admit that the reason I was so drawn to this book was because of the incredible cover art. It just really stood out and grabbed my attention. There's just something kind of creepy about a sandglass filled with blood. (Very well done.)

 

As far as the book goes, Jennifer Lynn Barnes does a really good job of pulling you into this story. I found the beginning to be a little slow, but that lasted for about the lengh of the first chapter. Once things started moving "Every Other Day" is a book that you will NOT want to put down. 

 

Kali D'Angelo is anything but your average teenager. She'd rather hang in the shadows and she has no problem with the fact that she has no friends. She actually prefers it that way and like most, if not all teenagers she has her secrets. One of which, is that every other day she has the need to hunt. Without giving to much away, (I dont like spoilers) this book is for those who like mystery, a bit of romance, suspence and characters who are so well put together you'll feel like Jennifer Lynn Barnes might be describing one of your friends, or someone you know. Every Other Day had some twists and turns that I wasn't expecting and that made the book all that much better. I like when a book keeps you on your toes and has you asking yourself what could possibly happen next. The ending has a horrible cliffhanger, and by horrible what I mean is that there HAS TO BE a second book. To me, that's horrible because I want THAT book NOW!! :) 

 

I give this book 4 out of 5 hearts (only because of the beginning) and recommend it to absolutely EVERYONE. It's a great read. Jennifer Lynn Barnes definitely put alot of thought into this book and it shows. I'll be keeping an eye out for anymore books she might have on the way. 

 

Great Job Jennifer!!

Time for another great GIVEAWAY!!

OK ALL MY BOOK LOVERS!! IF YOUR LOOKING FOR THE CHANCE TO WIN A GREAT BOOK TO READ, CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK BELOW!! THAT IS.. IF YOU LIKE READING, AND DON'T MIND THE CHANCES OF WINNING A BOOK (hello?! who doesn't??)

 http://bookish-delights.blogspot.com/2011/09/ya-debut-of-month-interview-giveaway.html

First doctor's appointment

11.01.10

Today I went to my first gyn. appointment, and being that your dad wants to be such a great father he went with us. He's making sure that he is very involved in everything that has to deal with the pregnancy. He made it very clear that he wants to know how your doing as far as groth and health goes, so that he can brag about you to everyone he knows. 


Your dad might seem like a really serious man, but he is the silliest, funniest person ever. Even when he upsets me or makes me cry, (I cry over just about anything...) he always comes back a minute later and says he's sorry or does something to make me laugh. 


Your grandmother (my mom) is the one that is really going nuts as far as this pregnancy goes. She called just to tell me that she was at Sam's Club and that she saw lots of toys and dolls, and little play houses and that she wanted to buy them for you. She said she started laughing though because I'm not even 2 months along and she's already thinking of buying toys and dolls and what not, and we don't even know your sex yet! 

*I find myself crying sometimes thinking about your great-grandmother Sara, who we all lovingly called Mamita. I would cry not only becuase I miss her, but also because you will never get to meet the one woman who was to most strong-willed, strict, never give up, fun-loving, big hearted person that I was lucky enough to get to share almost 27 years of my life with. She would have spoiled you rotten and I would have been completely ok with that. Even though she's no longer with us, I can garrantee that she would have loved you like as if you'd have been the only person in her world. She will be greatly missed.

REVIEW: Monarch by Michelle Davidson Argyle

Title: Monarch

Author: Michelle Davidson Argyle

Publisher: Rhemalda Publishing Inc.

Published: 09.15.11

Pages: 341

SUMMARY:

Nick's life as a CIA spy should be fulfilling, but it has only given him unhappiness, a wife who committed suicide, and two daughters who resent everything he has become. Now, stuck in the Amazon on the last mission of his career, he must track down Matheus Ferreira, a drug lord and terrorist the United States has tried to bring down for years. If he succeeds, he'll have the chance to start his life over again. Just when he's on the brink of catching Ferreira, he's framed for a murder that turns his world upside down. His only chance of survival lies in West Virginia, where Lilian Love, a woman from his past, owns the secluded Monarch Inn. He's safe, but not for long.

PRAISE:

"Lies, secrets, and betrayals cocoon a love story as fragile as a butterfly's wings. Readers who like their thrillers spiced with romance, or their romance spiked with danger, will love Michelle Davidson Argyle's Monarch. A promising debut!" ~ Karen Dionne, internationally published author of Freezing Point and Boiling Point

"Monarch is a smart, modern thriller that is surprisingly emotional, with well defined characters and a suspenseful plot. Readers will flutter with anticipation at the end of each chapter. Michelle Davidson Argyle is a solid storyteller." ~ Cheryl Kaye Tardif, bestselling author of Children of the Fog

"Monarch, a dynamite thriller, has all the ingredients necessary to keep thriller lovers turning the pages. With characters you'll love and love to hate, a twisting plot with plenty of action, crisp dialogue, and for a touch of the unusual, the Monarch butterfly flutters through this exciting tale." ~ Marilyn Meredith, Invisible Path

 (As posted on Amazon.com)

REVIEW:

Michelle Davidson Argyle has done it again!! I had read her book Cinders, and found it to be a very good read. But Monarch..!!! WOW! This is the type of book that you could actually see being made into a movie. There's action, adventure, mystery, romance, good relationships, and horrible ones as well. I would love to tell you that I had a favorite character, but I don't... The reason for that, is because I can honestly say that I could feel the love, anger, confusion, resentment and everything else with just about every character in this book. Michelle did a fantastic job of putting together each character. 

Michelle also did a phenomenal job of interlacing the storyline itself with many facts dealing with the monarch butterfly. (Tattoos, bloodspatter, etc.)

I would have liked to have known alittle more about Violet, but I just think that that's because she stood out alittle more to me on a more personal level. 

This is a book I would recommend to ANYONE. I had a really hard time putting it down. I rate this book at a definite 5 of 5 hearts. 

Michelle, please keep up the good work. I can't wait for your next book to come out!! (EXCITED)

REVIEW: Undertow by Cherry Adair

Title: Undertow

Author: The fabulous Cherry Adair

 Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks

Published: 12.28.10

Pages: 352

SUMMARY: 

SHE TAKES THE PLUNGE.

Teal Williams is content with her career as a ship's master mechanic-until Zane Cutter, the "Casanova of the Caribbean,"makes her an offer she can't refuse: to climb on board with him for a real-life treasure hunt. Teal must help him dredge up a shipwrecked vessel containing an abundance of gold, silver, and emeralds-and she'll claim part of the prize.

HE'S BLOWN OFF COURSE.

Zane needs a mechanic-not a lover-and Teal, who can also dive, is perfect for the job. So it suits him just fine that Teal is completely immune to his charms... or so he tells himself. But with a deadly enemy in their midst-one who's silently edging closer-Zane and Teal sink into troubled waters. Trapped in the middle of a perilous ser, they have no one to turn to but each other as they face down a danger that runs unfathomably deep-and a passion that runs even deeper...

PRAISE: 

"All the danger, treachery and romance a reader could wish for." - Romantic Times

"Cherry Adair writes for those of us who love romantic-suspense fast and hot." - Jayne Ann Krentz

REVIEW:

97% of the books I've read have all been YA. I know I'm 28 years old and could be reading Adult books already, but I just really enjoy YA books. 

Now, as far as Undertow goes, this is a must read for anyone 18+. From the moment you begin reading, your pulled right in. The plot to this book is unbelieveable, I can honestly say that once I started reading, I thought I had a pretty good idea of how it was going to end. Boy was I EVER mistaken. Adair is not only telling a story, but she does it in a manner that you feel more like your watching one of Hollywood's best movies. There are explosions, good guys, evil guys (not bad guys), half naked women in bikini's (which we all know the men love...) and the hot moments in this book can get YOU hot and bothered. 

Zane, is most definitely a man most of us women not only dream with, but fantasize over. He's strong, charismatic, a bit arrogant and totally sexy. But as much as I loved him, my favorite character was Teal. Simple but sexy. Strong-willed, and maybe even alittle hard-headed, it was really easy to identify myself, as well as many other women with her. Cherry did an excellent job of developing her characters as they were all people you could run into in real life. 

I give this book, as well as Cherry Adair 5 out of 5 hearts. (I like hearts) I also hope to read the next book in this series Riptide soon. If its anywhere as good as Undertow, I know I won't be able to put it down. 

Great job Cherry!!

Funniest weekend EVER!!

10.10.10

This weekend, I decided to spend it with my family. The obvious reason being: 

1. I love spending time with them.

2. I get to tell them I'm pregnant!

I also chose this weekend, because my sister would also be there for the weekend too. That means that almost the entire family would be together. I say almost because I have a younger brother, but he lives in FL. 

Now, the great thing about all this is getting to plan HOW your going to tell them. This is my first child, my parents first grandchild, and obviously my brother and sisters' first niece. So... before heading up the mountain to get to their house, I had a day or two to think about how I was going to do this. (plotting) My mom's birthday was at the end of this month (October, check the date up top) so what I decided to do, was to put the home pregnancy test into a fancy box. Something that looks like its made for jewelry, and make a copy of the lab results. Both these things, I put into a decorative bag and hid once I got to my parents home. 

After I got there and spent a good while talking about alittle bit of everything, I told my mom that since I wasn't sure I'd be able to make it for her birthday I'd be giving her her present now. I got the bag and before handing it to her, I told her, "First open the box, THEN read the paper. Now, before anything, I'm gonna let you know that this gift, is one that I think Iris (my sister) and dad are going to take away from you every chance they get. You've been warned." With that said she took the box out and opened it. The look on her face was PRICELESS!! She was completely clueless as to what she was looking at. My sister was the one who said "Thats a pregnancy test!! Are you pregnant?!" The look on my mom's face said, stop pulling my leg, I know your not pregnant. I just looked at her and said, (rolling my eyes) "Just look at the paper." When she did, she STILL didn't know what she was looking at! And AGAIN my sister says, "That says positive! YOUR PREGNANT! Your pregnant aren't you?!" This is when my mom decides to look at me and ask, "Are you pregnant?? Your not pregnant." All I did was look at her and nod my head. Thats when I hear my mom say, "Your pregnant?! I'm gonna be a grandma? (question) I'm gonna be a grandma (shock) I'M GONNA BE A GRANDMA!! AHHHHHH (SCREAMING!! AND TEARS) I thought that I was going to cry, but seeing and hearing her reaction was so FUNNY all I could do was laugh! My sister was crying as well, and just about pushed my mom out of her way so that she could be the first to hug me.  After that, we went to my grandfather's house to give him and my uncle the news as well. The reactions were just about the same. IT WAS GREAT!! I'm just sad that when I went to record my mom's reaction, my battery was dead (sad face). 

DRINK, SLAY, LOVE by Sarah Beth Durst

Finding out that this book has to do with Vampires and Were-Unicorns was definitely odd to say the least, but after reading a very well put together review of this book I can honestly say that if someone gifted it to me, I'd read it. If I won it, I'd read it. And even if I didn't, I would DEFINITELY go to the store to buy it (and read it).  

The story line is like nothing I've read so far and that alone sparked my interest. Author Sarah Beth Durst, certainly did a great job with this book.  Not only that, check out the cover! You could walk into any bookstore and the first thing your eyes will see, it THAT cover. I love that fact that it just draws you right to it.
This book will definitely be on my wish list!

Giveaway!!

Hello to all my lovers of books!! 
Between my personal blog entries, I will be posting on giveaways that seem extremely interesting to me. With that said, check out the following, where 5 lucky people will get a chance to WIN (and who doesn't like winning...??) one of many books. Good luck to all who enter!

http://evie-bookish.blogspot.com/2011/07/best-summer-releases-giveaway.html   

Confirmation

10-1-10
Today I was able to excape during my lunchbreak. My mother-in-law and I went to a nearby clinic to have bloodwork done so that we (Ivan and I) could confirm or deny being pregnant. I honestly think that everything was going our way since the clinic was empty when we got there. It only took them about a minute to draw the blood and said it would take approximately an hour to have it processed. Since I had to go back to work, I called Ivan to let him know that I would be getting the results as soon as I got out of work. Sadly, he didn't want me to pickup the results because he wanted us to open and read it together. He asked his mom to get it for us and keep it safe until we stopped by to get it. 

When I finally got home, Ivan went to his mom's to get what we so DESPERATELY wanted to see. When he returned, we both laid in bed and and the second we opened the envelope and saw the result, we didn't say a word! We just looked at each other, started laughing, and just stayed there looking at the ceiling thinking about what we were going to do. To be honest, I don't think either of us really knew how to react to the news. 

Now.... How do we tell our families?! This is gonna be GREAT!!

ATTENTION!!

9-30-10
Went to work today extremely excited about being a mommy. And even though I had only told 2 co-workers about being pregnant, they were still really excited when they saw me. The "secret" didn't last very long though, and before the day was over EVERYONE knew I was prego and continually made me laugh by rubbing my belly. 
My husband though, was the one that really made me laugh by calling every so often just to check up on me and ask how I was doing and how was I feeling. I have to admit that I was completely in love with all his attention. I felt SO important and special everytime he (or anyone for that fact) would ask if I was ok. My boss was the best and even though as a hairstylist, I have to be on my feet all day she would tell me to "take it easy" and "sit down" all the time. She had just had a baby herself a couple of months earlier which I think made her very sensitive to making sure that I was always comfortable. The great thing about a great boss, is that even though I no longer work for them, not only do we keep in touch, but we spend time at each others home to share and eat and whatever. I'm very thankful for all that they did for me. Tran and her husband Dan (their from Vietnam) are one of the sweetest couple I've met and I hope to continue to share such a great friendship with them.

How to tell him... " I'm pregnant!"??

9-29-10
Before my husband got home, I was trying to think of ways to tell him that I was pregnant. Do I just come out and say it? Do I try and mention it subliminally and hope he gets it? ... Then it hit me!!! A couple of nights before he had mentioned having a dream in which he said that I was 4 months pregnant and didn't have health insurance. The funny thing about that dream was that at the time I got pregnant, I didn't have health insurance. So, when he arrived, I was in the kitchen just finishing cooking. He was walking toward our room and I said "Well, it seems I'm gonna have to get health insurance sooner then I thought." All of a sudden, his head pops back into the kitchen and as he asks "Why?" I look at him and say "Because your dream came true." 

After a series of "Are you serious??" and having to check the test himself, by the time we got to bed Ivan was completely in love with the idea of being a daddy. He even rubbed my belly and said "My baby!" 

The Adventure Begins....

9-29-10
On Wednesday September 29th of last year, I got the biggest surprise ever. This, after my coworkers were making fun of me for saying that I thought my food smelled bad. They all said that it sounded suspicious to them. 

Since I hadn't gotten my "little friend" in those days like I was suppost to, I decided to buy an at home pregnancy test BEFORE my husband got home. The reason I wanted to do it before he got home was because it the test turned out to be negative, I didn't feel it was necessary for him to get stressed out about it. So, I got home and the moment I went into the bathroom I HAD to go pee. With nerves on end I took the test and waited.... Let me take this time to say that if you read the instructions of a pregnancy test, it says that you usually have to wait at least 2 minutes for the results. I waited SECONDS! As soon as I put the stick (test) down, you could see the "Positive" result. That's right, the biggest surprise ever was finding out that I was pregnant!