Books I Read in March

Since reading book 2 in February, I have not wanted to stop reading the Pretty Little Liars series. I'm currently working on book 4.

Perfect by Sara Shepard - 4 stars (finished 3/23)
Perfect is the third book in the Pretty Little Liars series. The book series has definitely taken a different turn than the tv show, but is still just as enjoyable. I think that Aria got a little more likable, but the others were still iffy. Especially Hanna. Love the flashbacks and memories with Ali that were included. Mona is definitely more hate-worthy in the books, so curious how all these characters progress in the next book!

My April TBR List + Upcoming Releases

Like I figured, March was a slow month for me. I finished one book instead of my goal of 4. I am hoping now that we are starting to get on a regular schedule that I will be able to read more. So here is my list for this month!

Possible April Reads:

• The Crucible by Arthur Miller [reread]
• The Initiation and The Captive, Part 1 by L.J. Smith [new series]
• Covet by J.R. Ward [new series]
• Ashfall by Mike Mullin [new series]
• Breathe by Sarah Crossan [new series]
• Icons by Margaret Stohl [new series]

Lots of new releases this month: any you're excited about?

What's on your March TBR?

March Photo-a-Day: my month in pictures

March has come and gone already and it's hard for me to believe. I've had a full month with a newborn. A full month as a mom of three - what?! I tried to get a variety of pictures this month, but to be honest, they are mostly of Mason. He's so adorable and I'm giving in to my baby fever that has been around for a few years now :)

So here was our March:

March 1: Life with a newborn summed up LOL // March 2: Little guy snuggled up with Daddy.

March 3: These are a real thing. Unfortunately, I didn't like them as much as their separate counterparts. // March 4: My new front seat passenger :)

Baby Mason: 1 Month Old

I'm a little late on this. Little man turned 1 month on the 24th and we had a doc appointment on the 26th, but then time just slipped by and I was like crap - all I had to do was put in his stats and talk a little at the top. Whoops! This week has been a little hectic - I had a dentist appointment (that he slept through - win!) and he had a doc appointment (like I said)...AND I made a pretty big decision that I will hopefully make a blog post on soon.

Baby Mason: 2 Weeks Old

My littlest is already 2 weeks old (yesterday) and I already want him to stop getting so big! He's so stinking cute and I know I'll blink and he'll be 8 (like his big brother turned today). :(

The pictures below: dream smile - can't wait for the real thing! A pee incident turned into a cute clothing change. :) Snapped a picture of all three of the kids at a stoplight...Matt & Cami love their little brother so much.

Real Talk: Sleeptime Essentials for Baby

Last week, I talked about feeding baby - now it's time for every parent's favorite thing: SLEEPTIME! And again, these are things I think are essentials - my opinion - I'm not saying I'm absolutely 100% right because each baby is different. You will find a few links to Amazon and some to Target. Most of my stuff that is not linked was purchased at Target - in person. Target is my fave :)

Sleeping also has some lovely choices: crib or co-sleep. Which do you choose? Just like with feeding, we did a combination of the two. Not necessarily by choice. I always napped with Matthew in bed just the two of us. With Cami, she slept on me for the first 6 weeks and refused to sleep anywhere else. Talk about exhausting! For the most part after that, the kids slept in the Pack 'n Play or the crib.

Books I Read in February

I was on a series reading binge in February. I read a lot of light reads too (the Cora Carmack's, especially). Are we friends on Goodreads? Because if not, stop by and add me!

Excuse the smutty covers...I swear the books aren't that smutty! :)

Real Talk: Feeding Essentials for Baby

When I found out I was pregnant with Mason, I knew exactly what I wanted to get. Literally, I got my positive pregnancy test and immediately made my baby registry.  I decided to share what I have had good experiences with, so maybe some first time moms can gather up as many opinions as possible on what you need, might need, and definitely don't need.

Today's real talk is all about feeding. Throughout the post, you will find some links - these go to Amazon (not affiliate links), where I purchased most of my baby items. If they don't have a link, I most likely shopped at Target in person. Images are from Target's website.

My March TBR List + Upcoming Releases

So I am currently up to 13 books read this year - 5 books ahead of schedule. I've finished 2 series. Last month, I finished off 7 books. I read Beastly from my Feb TBR, four books from the Losing It series that finished it out for me, Flawless (part of the Pretty Little Liars series) and The One that caught me up on The Selection series. I tried to start Animal Farm (also on my Feb TBR), but wasn't really feeling it.

This month, I have quite the list to choose from, so I'm hoping that will make my 2 books from my TBR easy to do. I then get a free pick and a series book. With Mason being here, I'm not sure how much reading will get done, but I still aim to do one book a week. With how I've been reading, I hope I can manage. I will also be studying for yet another Praxis exam that I have to take. I've taken 5, but Tennessee is changing what they require for anyone who applies for certification after Sept 1 - and that's me. So now there's yet another exam I am paying for out of pocket, stressing over, and not happy that I have to take.

Possible March Reads: 

• Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
• If You Ask Me, And Of Course You Won't by Betty White
• Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella [new series]
• Decision Points by George W. Bush
• All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin [new series]
• Black City by Elizabeth Richards [new series]
• Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead [new series]
• Nightseer by Laurell K. Hamilton [new series]
• Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas [new series]

Lots of new releases this month: any you're excited about?

What's on your March TBR?

Mason's Birth Story

I'm reposting this from my other blog, Fantastical Sharing of Recipes. I had decided after all my pregnancy updates took over my Fantastical Friday posts that I would post baby/mom stuff here on this blog even though eventually actual teaching/job stuff will be the majority of the posts.

For those of you who may follow me on Instagram, you probably have seen little guy has made his appearance into the world! I'm adjusting to having him home - plus apparently you can nest after you give birth, because I have been trying to clean and organize EVERYTHING! :) Please be aware the following is a looooong post and nope, I have no problem talking dilation here. You were warned!

So it all began on Sunday the 22nd...

February Photo-a-Day: my month in pictures

February looks a bit more balanced out from this standpoint. Although after transferring pictures off my phone, I had a bunch of Muffin. I feel like March is going to be the month of Mason pictures. My phone is already very quickly filling up with the little munchkin butt :)

Feb 1: Started off the month with a trip to L&D - thankfully it was just a fluke because I was only 36 weeks. // Feb 2: My stickers from One Orange Snowflake for my planner got here! I love them.

Feb 3: Matt & Cami have been pretty inseparable lately - they are always hanging out together and doing the same thing as the other. Their bond makes me happy :) // Feb 4: If she can't get to my bump, she lays right up on my arm.

Books I Read in January

I decided to also give short reviews of each book I read during the year. You can follow me on Goodreads to get more up-to-date reviews as I finish them.

Lola & the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins - 5 stars (finished 1/2)
This is the second book in the Anna & the French Kiss trilogy and it was every bit as good as the first. It did have Anna & St. Clair in it, like the first book. Again, I got very connected to the characters and there were times I felt like a hole had been ripped my chest wide open and I believe I teared up at one point too - pregnancy hormones - yeah, let's blame it on them :) I like when contemporaries continue in the same world with the same characters. I'm very excited about book 3.

My February TBR List + Upcoming Releases

I did pretty well in January - much better than I have done in any months in 2014. My goal was to read 4 books: 2 from my TBR list, 1 series book, and 1 pick of my choice. I read 6 books. Two from my TBR list (Alice in Zombieland and The Fifth Wave), two series (Spirit Bound and Last Sacrifice) that finished out the Vampire Academy series, one from my Netgalley list (Day 21) and I also read Lola and the Boy Next Door. I'll be talking about each of them tomorrow. Here's the books I will choose two from this month :)

Possible February Reads: 

• Animal Farm by George Orwell  [reread]
• The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman [reread/new series]
• Beastly by Alex Flinn - 2/4
• The Black Prism by Brent Weeks [new series]
• 77 Shadow Street by Dean Koontz

(I've also finished Keeping Her by Cora Carmack (2/2), The One by Kiera Cass (2/5), Faking It by Cora Carmack (2/11), Finding It by Cora Carmack (2/13), Seeking Her by Cora Carmack (2/16), Flawless by Sara Shepard (2/22))

Lots of new releases this month: any you're excited about?

What's on your February TBR?