Book Review- Peony in Love

Not my image

I read this book for my squadron spouse's book club. 

It is the first book by this author that Ive ever read and I had never heard of her before.

This book follows a young Chinese girl in the 1500s after the Ming dynasty comes to

an end. Her family is very wealthy and shelter her from the harsh realities of life.

Around her sixteenth birthday, her father arranges an opera to be performed at their

house for three nights. During these nights the girl meets her soulmate, but she is already

betrothed to another, as is he. 

In the following months, as her wedding nears, she begins to literally waste away from 

lovesickness. The remaining two-thirds of the book follow her on her journey

to the afterworld and becoming an ancestor. 

This is a very strange book. Interesting, but at times very disturbing and creepy. I cringed 

through some of the more creepy parts, such as when she repeatedly enters a womans body and 

makes her perform sexual pleasures on her husband against her will or during the 

incredibly painful process of foot binding. 

(I wasnt 100% sure what that was, so I googled it. Very painful and very interesting. I love 

learning something new!)

Had this book stayed above the creepy level and hmm... just been a little different, I 

think I would have really liked it. As it was, I wasnt a big fan. I probably wont read any of her

other books. I dont normally read books like this, but it was very interesting to learn 

more about the Chinese, their customs and beliefs.  

Rating: **

Rating Scale
*****: Amazing, wonderful, MUST-read, loved it!
****: Really liked it, would recommend, great book!
***: Liked it, enjoyable, but not the greatest book ever written. 
**: Not so great, some good parts, but overall, it was just ok. 
*: Didnt like it, wouldnt recommend it, bad book all around.

Interesting European Signs

Life in Europe has introduced us to some interesting things.

During our travels, we have seen some pretty hilarious signs. 

At least we think they are funny.

We may have a slightly dirty sense of humor and perhaps 

that is why most of these make us giggle like little kids. 

If you're easily offended, read no further. 

If you want a laugh, read ahead!

This is the name of a real academy in Hidelberg, Germany. 

A restaurant sign in Bernkastel- Kues, Germany. 

A street I want to avoid! Strasbourg, France

Belgian license plate

A museum in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Our favorite kind of Bay.  Zandvoort, The Netherlands

100 Facts About Me

So, Ive seen this on several other people's blogs and thought it might be fun to do for two reasons:

1. Im crazy interesting 

and 

2. I know you all want to know more about me right? 

No? Sound too ridiculous? Well how about because:

 1. I  have a lot of new readers who may not know much about me and 2. My friend James is in town, so I wont have a ton of time to blog over the next couple of weeks.
Yeah, that sounds better.

So, if you want to link up, go check out Megan Writes. Now, prepare to be enthralled! Or maybe just mildy interested. Either way. *shrugs*

1. I love red wine. Really, really love it. Unfortunately, I am in the midst of what will be a nine-ish month drought. It's completely worth it, but oh, how I miss my wine!

2. My favorite hobby is reading. I absolutely love to read, thanks to my Mom, and I take my Kindle with me everywhere.

3. I am an Adult Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and Educator. Currently umemployed. We moved right after I graduated with my Master's and APN jobs are pretty rare over here. Im working on it though.

4. My siblings are 12, 14 & 16 years older than me. I also have a 15 year old nephew. We're all pretty close, though two of us live far from home.

5. If there's one physical place that I feel most at home (other than home) it's the beach. J and I definitely want to end up near a beach one day.

6. I am really starting to miss coffee. Especially the fancy and delicious coffee drinks that you can get here in Europe.

7. Im not a huge fan of reality television, but I have always loved game shows and competition shows. Old favs: The Price is Right, Name that Tune. New favs: Project Runway, Top Chef.

8. I love to bake, but dont do it as often as Id like to now because our kitchen is tiny. 


9. I love to go on long walks and hike, but I dont run. Running is very unnatural for me.

10. I could eat potatoes, fruit and sushi every day without getting tired of any of it.

11. I miss sushi.

12. My parents and I are super close and I cant wait to see them in April!

13. Our family is not musically inclined at all. I so wish I could sing or play an instrument, but I am pretty tone deaf.

14. I never though Id marry a military man. I couldnt be happier that I did. He's pretty amazing.

15. I dont chew gum. I cant stand the stuff.

16. I grew up drinking sweet tea and by that I mean sugar with a little tea mixed in. I stopped in high school when I started eating super healthy. Now that Im preggo, it's about all that I want to drink! Decaffeinated with a Splenda.

17. I love animals. Probably more than I love most people. I wish I could protect all the animals from the dangers of people. I cry when I read about fictional animal abuse or deaths in books. Crazy, but I just want to keep them all safe. (Except spiders. And mosquitos...Eww.)

18. I dont have any tattoos.

19. My favorite seasons are Spring and Fall.

20. I grew up in the country, but cant stand country music. Seriously, not a fan, except perhaps for some old Garth Brooks or Brooks and Dunn.

21. I am not a cold weather person. A one month long winter is plenty for me and I now live in the land of 6 month winters. Ugh.

22. While I like to shop, I rarely do it.

23. We're having our first baby this September and couldnt be any happier!

24. I live 3 doors down from a German bakery and have only been once. Kudos to willpower.

25. I think it's pretty hard to come up with 25 facts about myself, much less 100!


I hope everyone has had a great weekend!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-in

1. What is your must have gadget?

     My iPhone and laptop. How did I ever live without a smart phone?? I got my first iPhone last fall and it's been an extension of my hand since then. When we lived in the States, my DVR was my best gadget. I definitely miss having a DVR with cable TV.

2. How does your adulthood compare to what you imagined it would be like when you were a little kid?

     It's different in a million ways! One thing is what I expected. I always knew that I wanted to be in the medical world, and being a nurse practitioner fulfills that. That's where the similarities end. I thought I would be married by 23 with kids by 25, 27 and 29, with a possible fourth thrown in there somewhere. In reality, I married at 26 and am pregnant with our first child now at 28. Im so much more mature and financially stable now than I was in my early 20s. As a child I never dreamed that I would marry a man in the military or live Europe and travel the world. I am so incredibly happy with the way things have turned out and wouldnt change a thing!

3. What is your favorite chocolate recipe?
     Umm, all of them? Seriously, I love chocolate. Chocolate chip cookies, chocolate lava cakes, chocolate delight and on and on.......

4. How do you deal with military life when it gets to be too much or too hard?
     Cry and then get over it. Venting to friends who are compassionate and understanding helps too. Sometimes I wish I had a punching bag. I think that would help deal with frustrations of any kind.

5. What piece of advice would you give a new military spouse facing their first deployment?
     Hang in there, it's gonna be tough. We've been through three big D's so far and while none of them were fun, the first was certainly the worst. The good news is that time never stops moving and the deployment will end. Communication is a keystone of any relationship, and it's even more important when your loved one is deployed. That's the one thing that keeps me grounded while he's away. Emails, phone calls, Skype. The worst for me was the fear of the unknown; just not knowing what to expect. I felt like a pro for the second and third rotes. They were much easier to deal with simply because I knew what to expect. One last thing- stay busy, hang out with friends and family to prevent loneliness & keeping putting one foot in front of the other.

Happy Friday Everyone! I hope you all enjoy your weekend! My friend James is coming in for two weeks on Saturday. Hopefully J will be around for most of it!

Book Review- Awakened

Not my image

Im not sure what's going on with the few series that I read, but they are all

suffering from the same thing: lack of an interesting story line. 

This is number eight in the series. I hear there will be a total of twelve. 

Im hoping the rest are more interesting. 

It follows several teenagers and young adult vampires and "fledglings" as they fight evil. 

Yes, it is written for young adults (i.e. teenagers), but I really like the series.

Or at least, I did. It seems like the authors are just dragging the story out as long as 

they can before coming to the big conclusion. 

I started reading the Sookie books before I found this series and I was hoping these books

would be more like the Sookie series. They fall terribly short.

My older sister is the one who recommended these books to me and she feels

the same way about this book as I do: It was good, but not great. 

Rating: ***

Rating Scale
*****: Amazing, wonderful, MUST-read, loved it!
****: Really liked it, would recommend, great book!
***: Liked it, enjoyable, but not the greatest book ever written.
**: Not so great, some good parts, but overall, it was just ok.
*: Didnt like it, wouldnt recommend it, bad book all around.

Recipe of the Week

Today's recipe is one of the best things I've made recently. It's deceptively simple, but packed full

of flavor, plus it's healthy. I served it with artichokes and crusty bread with an olive oil based

dipping blend. J & I loved it! I even ate the leftovers for lunch the next day. 

Pasta with Fresh Tomato-Basil Sauce

Courtesy of (adapted from): Cooking Light via My Recipes

Ingredients

1/2 pkg. linguini noodles

2 T. olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

5 vine ripened tomatoes, chopped

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 c. fresh basil leaves, torn

Shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting the salt and fat. Drain; place in large bowl.

2. While pasta cooks, heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until it begins to brown. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer another 5 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. 

3. Remove from heat and stir in basil. Add tomato mixture to pasta. Toss well. Top with cheese. 

4. Enjoy! 

**Next time I might add capers, olives and/or artichoke hearts. I love that it's easily adaptable!

Mmm, pasta with fresh sauce.

Delicious meal!
(Again, ignore the crappy quality of the iPhone picture. )

An Update

I thought some of you might like an update on how things are progressing with my pregnancy. I mean why wouldnt you right? ;)


How Far Along:  14 weeks

Size of baby:  thebump.com says Baby Olive is the size of a lemon this week. 

Total Weight Gained:  I started at 110.5 lbs. (per the Dr's scale and Wii Fit) and now weigh 109 per Wii Fit. I dont think that's right. I've been eating plenty and definitely have the beginnings of a baby bump. I'm betting Ive gained a pound or two in the last few weeks since I stopped being so sick, though I suppose it's possible that I lost weight when I was sick and am just regaining now.  

Maternity Clothes:  Not yet, but I have bought some from Old Navy. They were having an awesome sale and I just couldnt pass it up (twice)! I am still fitting into my regular clothes, though I do have to use the rubber band trick (using a rubber band looped through the button and hole to keep them closed) with most of my jeans. 

Gender: We find out in 5 more weeks. I cant wait! At first I had a feeling that it was a boy, but in the last few weeks, Im thinking more girl. Last night I had a dream that it was twins, a boy and a girl. Luckily, we know that that there is only one Baby Olive in there! We honestly dont care either way, we just want our baby to be healthy.

Movement: Still too early for that. 

Sleep: I thought I was going to avoid the pregnancy fatigue, but it hit me around week 11. Most days I need an afternoon nap and am still ready for bed around 9-10pm. Before week 11 I wasnt fatigued or sleepy at all. I was constantly nauseated, but not sleepy. Ill take sleepy over nauseated any day. I have had some insomnia, but it comes and goes. I have been having very interesting and vivid dreams- tornadoes, people breaking into our house, shark attacks, races and catching large fish are among the most recent ones. 

What I miss:  Having a glass of wine with dinner, though the craving for wine hasnt really hit me yet. I also havent missed coffee either. For the first 11 weeks coffee was a huge aversion and now it just doesnt interest me. I hope that goes away after the birth. I love my coffee! 

Cravings: Mmm.... Sour cream, cereal and fruit right now. I seriously can not get enough fruit. We have apples, oranges, bananas, kiwis, pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cantaloupe and grapes in our house right now. This is a great thing since Im still not digging veggies very much. Early on I was craving cupcakes, cheetos and cinnamon rolls. Good to see my craving are taking a healthier swing. 

Aversions: Broccoli, spinach, lettuce, most vegetables unless mixed in with other things.  

Symptoms:  Lower back pain is the worst. The breast tenderness is disappearing. Dizziness, occasional nausea, peeing ALL. THE. TIME with occasional bladder pain. Nothing major thankfully. 

Best Moment this week: Scheduling our gender/anatomy ultrasound, picking out the nursing furniture. Oh, and all the back rubs J has been giving me! 

Recipe of the Week

This week's recipe reminded me of dinner at the beach. It's aptly titled Beach Shrimp and it is 

delicious! We had the shrimp with crusty bread, corn on the cob and 

potatoes. Next time I will use larger shrimp, but the smaller ones are all I had on hand and they

worked just fine. The absolute best part is using the crusty bread to sop up the juices in the pan. YUM! 

Beach Shrimp

Courtesy of (adapted from): Southern Living via My Recipes

Ingredients

1 lb. unpeeled, large raw shrimp (I had the peeled, smaller version and they worked.)

4 T. olive oil

1 T. parsley

1 T. oregano

1 T. basil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 lemon, halved

1/2 c. butter, cut up

1. Place first six ingredients in a baking dish; toss to coat. Squeeze juice from lemon over shrimp and stir. 

Add lemon halves to pan. Sprinkle with butter. 

2. Bake at 375º for 15-20 minutes or until shrimp are done. Serve in pan. 

3. Enjoy! 

This recipe can easily be doubled! 

Forgive the crappy iPhone photo!

Book Review- 9th Judgement

Not my image

This book is the ninth in a series. 

It follows four best friends: a detective, a medical examiner, an attorney and a reporter. 

In one way or another, they all work together to solve crimes. 

When this series started, I LOVED it! 

It was thrilling and fast paced. The characters were heart warming and genuine.

Somewhere in the last few book though, the characters have gotten lost, 

and the story has become stagnant. 

This book was good, like all of them have been, but it wasnt great. Im worried that 

this series may have run its course. 

It is a very easy read. In fact, I finished it in just one evening. 

Have any of you read any of the books in this series? 

What do you think? 

Rating: ***

Rating Scale
*****: Amazing, wonderful, MUST-read, loved it!
****: Really liked it, would recommend, great book!
***: Liked it, enjoyable, but not the greatest book ever written.
**: Not so great, some good parts, but overall, it was just ok.
*: Didnt like it, wouldnt recommend it, bad book all around.

Shameless

So I know my posts lately have been of the recipe, book & milspouse fill-in variety. I apologize for this, but honestly, there hasnt been much else to write about lately. My life is currently wonderful, but not exactly blog-worthy. I'm definitely ok with this. We have a ton of stuff planned for the upcoming weeks, so this lull is actually really nice. In less than two weeks, my bff from home arrives for a two week visit! We are planning a Paris trip, a Prague trip and multiple day trips. Im excited! I havent seen him since we moved to Germany, so Im looking forward to this trip!

Seven (7!) of my family members are coming out to visit us at the end of April. I cant wait to see them all, especially my parents! We are planning a Berchtesgaden and Salzburg trip with them. In May, J & I will celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary. We're combining that with a "babymoon" and planning a weeklong trip to Spain! We are so excited about that trip! Neither one of us has ever been to Spain before, so we really wanted to get that in before the baby is born.

So that's about it. Im busy planning all of these trips and enjoying this down time. Ill have lots of travel posts soon!


*** J & I have recently found a new TV to love. It's called Shameless and airs Sunday nights on Showtime. It's trashy, offensive, touching and really, really awesome. You may not know this about me, but I dont watch "trashy" TV shows. Ive never been a fan of the Real Housewives, Jersey Shore, Teen Mom or 16 & pregnant. I dont watch Dog the Bounty Hunter, the Duggars or reality shows like those. Ive just never been interested in watching other peoples "real life" drama. I dont find that interesting in the least and yes, I think a lot of it is fake. (This is just my opinion, dont let it offend you. I know many of you love these shows and that's 100% ok.)

Shameless isnt a reality show, but it is plenty trashy and I love it! It's like a train wreck that you cant look away from no matter how much you want to. I like that it isnt a reality show, even though it is a drama and it is painfully real. Despite your best intentions, you become attached to the characters and are drawn in to their lives. It is a Showtime production, so be prepared for nudity, cussing and controversy. This might be an unlikely show for me to like, but I keep tuning in every week!***


Happy Tuesday!

It's gorgeous here in Germany, again! We've been so blessed with the weather lately. I saw a butterfly today for the first time this year, so hopefully, Spring really is on the way!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-in

It's Friday again and that means MilSpouse Friday Fill-in (when I feel like answering the questions. =)
Hop over to Wife of a Sailor to participate!

1. During military separations (whether short or long) how do you keep yourself positive and motivated? submitted by Married/Single Parent

I just stay as busy as possible. It makes the time go by faster and he's home before I know it.   Communication is also a huge part of keeping a positive outlook. The more effectively we 
communicate, the more comfortable I am and less stressed. Thankfully, J & I are good at 
communicating with each other. 

  2. What is your favorite concert you have ever been to? submitted by Young but Not (Completely) Dumb
       Ive been to so many concerts, I dont even remember most of them! (Due to a bad memory, not large quantities of alcohol. Well, not usually.) I loved Aerosmith, Linkin Park and Lifehouse. John Mayer is definitely a favorite, as was Norah Jones. 

   3. What do you miss most about your "hometown"?  submitted by A Florida Girl and Her Soldier
   My family and friends. I was homesick yesterday after talking to one of my friends online. I would love to just be able to meet up for coffee or go baby clothes shopping with my mom. From my surrogate hometown I definitely miss the shopping and our favorite restaurants. I even miss my old job. But only just a little.

          4. If you could run in any race, which charity would you choose to support? submitted by Wookie & Co.  
    Probably the American Diabetes Association or the Humane Society. My professional passion is diabetes and I love animals! 

   5. You find out Willy Wonka is your father, what 3 course meal do you INSIST he create in that stick of gum?  submitted by A{muse}ing Mommy on a Pink Park Bench
   Asparagus soup, filet mignon with potatoes and chocolate delight.


Happy Friday!

Guest Blogging Today

I'm a guest blogger today over at the annoyed army wife, so go check it out! She's one of my favorite bloggers, so if youve got time, stay and look around a bit. Her husband just arrived home from a 6 month deployment.
I talk about my recent trip to the States and the interesting travel fashions I saw along the way. My question for you guys is this: when you're traveling, more specifically, flying, what do you wear and why? Personally, Im all about comfort and safety on a plane, but I know other people have different concerns. Im glad because it makes for some interesting people watching!

Recipe of the Week

It's back!!!

Now that I'm not nauseated every minute of the day, I actually have an interest in food and cooking again! I know my poor, sweet husband is happy about this! I dont have any of my own pictures to go with this, but I did find one on the Betty Crocker website.

This casserole is so YUMMY!!!! It's easily adaptable too, which I love in any recipe. I added chicken to J's and he loved it, but kept mine vegetarian. (Im still not loving a lot of meat products right now.) You could add any protein you wanted and it would still taste great. I also love that it's the easiest casserole Ive ever made! Whenever a friend or squadron member has a baby, Ill definitely be making this casserole for them. I also told J that after Baby Olive is born, we'll be eating this a lot since its so quick and easy!

Tortellini Minestrone Casserole
Courtesy of: Betty Crocker

Ingredients:

1 (9oz.) pkg. frozen cheese tortellini
1 (12 oz.) bag frozen mixed veggies
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic & oregano, undrained
1 (15 oz.) can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1/2 c. water
1/4 c. shredded parm cheese (I use more!)

1. Heat over to 375º. In ungreased casserole dish, mix all ingredients except cheese. Cover with foil.

2. Bake 30-45 minutes (depending on your oven). Uncover, stir well and sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered for another 10-15 minutes until cheese is golden brown. (I cooked mine a little longer than the photo below. The cheese was more of a crisp topping and it was great!)

3. Enjoy!

See, easy isnt it? And delicious too!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-in

It's Friday again! And it's another beautiful day in Germany. FIVE days in a row! I swear that's a record. It's still freezing cold, but so pretty, so I dont mind. I am barely keeping my eyes open though, so it's time for my afternoon nap. Ill leave you with this....

1. Do you or your {spouse} ever wish your {spouse} was in a different branch of the military? submitted by The Turner Family
Nope, we are glad to be in the AF. 

2. What duty station(s) are on your "No Way, Hell No, Not Going, Have Fun Unaccompanied" list and why? submitted by Every Branch
Hmm... There isnt a place on Earth that I wouldnt go with my husband. I would follow him anywhere.  If I had to chose my least favorite places to be stationed, it would be anything in Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Alabama, Japan... and on and on... there are a lot of places that I do not want to live. Im sure they are all great in their own right and really wouldnt be that bad, but there are so many places that I really do want to live. I guess I just dont want to waste time in places I dont love. We are fair weather people too, so we'd like to stay in the lower half of the country. BUT, I know that we could and would make it anywhere. Every experience is what you make of it and we would make something wonderful out of any duty station we received. 

3. If you could be one age forever, what age would you choose and why? submitted by Three Krakens
I have loved my late twenties, so 26-28 works for me. Although, the older I get the less I fear getting older.


4. If you were a breakfast cereal, which one would you be? submitted by the C.W.
My favorite cereal right now is Crispix. Yum, yum, yum! But if I was going to BE a cereal, I would want to be something fun and colorful like Lucky Charms. 

5. What is your morning beverage of choice and why?  submitted by NH Girl Displaced
Pre-pregnancy it was definitely coffee! I love coffee with flavored creamer and sugar, lattes, macchiatos & cappuccinos. Since getting pregnant, coffee just hasnt sounded good to me, which is good since I dont need the caffeine. My drink of choice now is orange juice or cranberry juice. 


Happy Friday!

So, the BIG news is.....

....what you are all probably expecting me to say....

Im Pregnant! 

Yes, I am 12 weeks pregnant today. We couldnt be more thrilled! We've wanted this for a long time and are so excited to welcome a baby into our lives. 

We actually began trying in July/August of 2009. I quickly became pregnant, but had a miscarriage at four weeks. Five days later, J deployed. That was not the happiest time in my life, but thankfully, I stayed busy since it was my last semester of grad school. J came home on Christmas Day that same year and shortly after, we got our orders for Germany. We decided to hold off on actually trying to conceive (TTC) until we arrived in Germany, but we wouldnt use any BC or prevention until that time. Basically we said, whatever happens will happen and we'll be happy about it.

Fast forward six months to June and we arrive in Germany. We officially started TTC that month, but we didnt get pregnant until December, six months later. J was away on work trips during a month or two during my fertile days, but I was starting to get worried. I mean, an entire year of not using protection and we still werent pregnant. I had scheduled an appt with a GYN doctor in November to discuss my worries. She told me that if we hadnt conceived by May, it would be time to look into referring me to a fertility specialist. That seriously freaked me out and caused endless worry, but thankfully, we were able to conceive on our own in December and are expecting this little one in September! 

So, how have things been going?

I found out I was preggo right before my fifth week. I was sick everyday from day 1 of week 5 until day 1 of week 11. Constant nausea, but I never threw up. Jenny McCarthy describes it as morning sickness purgatory and I wholeheartedly agree! The term "morning sickness" is BS too. Mine lasted from the moment I ate breakfast until I went to bed at night, sometimes even waking me up during the middle of the night for some good ole dry heaves. As of week 11 though, it was like someone flipped a switch and Im magically not nauseated anymore. I have my moments, but luckily, they havent been anything like before.

As you can imagine, food hasnt been my friend until recently. I preferred bland food like potatoes and pasta during the first 11 weeks. Ive craved cinnamon rolls, cheetos and cupcakes, things I havent eaten in years! I felt like a 10 year old child most days because for lunch and dinner I would have mashed potatoes (or potatoes in some form) and chicken fingers. I also ate a ton of fruit. Im still craving lots of fruit (mainly kiwi), but thankfully my cravings and aversions are settling down. For weeks I havent been able to stomach the thought of vegetables (other than potatoes), but I am slowly working them back into my diet. The thought of broccoli or spinach (things I normally love) made me gag. Im still not ok with those two, but can eat veggies mixed in with other foods. As for weird cravings, Ive had a few- pineapples and cheetos, applesauce and cheese, shrimp, cornbread & mashed potatoes.

My sweet husband has taken this all in stride and acted like a champ. He's very happy my appetite is coming back so his own eating schedule can get back to normal and Ill get back to cooking. =) He's also been great at massaging my aching back and cleaning the house so I dont have to. Im so lucky to have him!

I avoided the dreaded bone weary fatigue that everyone talks about during the first trimester, though since week 11 I need a nap or at least a "rest" everyday. And sleeping at night has become more difficult. I lie awake for hours.

Im not showing yet, though there are definitely some days where it looks like Ive even an entire box of cupcakes. Ive gotten close, but I havent actually done that.... yet.

We've nicknamed our little one Baby Olive. Around week 8 the baby was supposedly the size of an olive. Up until then we'd been saying "baby whatever fruit it was that week" but when we got to olive, it just stuck. We like it for a nickname, but no, we arent naming our child Olive even though I do like it for a girl's name.

We're just enjoying every minute and looking forward to finding out the sex and meeting our little one. Im also super excited to start registering and buying adorable baby things!

*Dont worry, this blog isnt going to turn into baby central. Ive created a baby specific blog for family and friends where I can gush all about the little one so you guys dont have to hear all the nauseating sweetness that goes on. ;) I will update you on how things are going though and do some baby posts along the way, Im sure. Please feel free to ask questions/make comments! 

For those of you who are/have been trying: I hope one way or another you are blessed with the child you so desperately want. Our journey has been a year and a half in the making, but I know some of you wait much longer than that. I say a special prayer for you and hope one day it will happen for you too! 

Book Review- Outlander

Not my image

I actually downloaded this book for free from Amazon onto my Kindle several weeks ago, 

but didnt start reading it until this past month while J was away. 

It is a long book- 600 and some odd pages, but worth every minute! 

I loved it! 

It was very entertaining, held my interest and made me want to read more. 

Thankfully there are several more books in this series. 

It begins in Scotland in the 1940s, post WWII and follows a nurse who disappears 

through a crack in time when she discovers a sacred site. 

She ends up in the 1700s and falls in love with a Scot. They go through Hell and back, 

but end up together. 

Or do they? 

There are a few graphic and disturbing scenes that had me rushing threw those

pages and grimacing. I have a good imagination and these were not things I wanted

to be picturing. (sadistic torture) Thankfully, those are fairly short scenes. 

Other than that, this is a wonderful book and I would definitely recommend it, 

especially if you enjoy time travel books as much as I do. 

Rating: *****


Rating Scale
*****: Amazing, wonderful, MUST-read, loved it!
****: Really liked it, would recommend, great book!
***: Liked it, enjoyable, but not the greatest book ever written. 
**: Not so great, some good parts, but overall, it was just ok. 
*: Didnt like it, wouldnt recommend it, bad book all around.