Currently

Excited About: Being cleared to workout again postpartum. I'm tired of my achy back, soft body, and getting kicked all day long. I can't wait to hold little baby M in my arms and be able to put him down every so often so I can work out! I want to run again. I want to be fast. I want those endorphins.

Reading:

(Just Finished) 

(It was good)

Feeling: Oh, pretty good. The stress level is down a bit, I'd say. I am working ahead in the class I'm taking right now so that I won't have a ton of stuff to do as baby's due date gets closer.

Crafting: I'm going to give this a whirl. I bought all the stuff earlier this week-

(not my photo)

Also, I'm working on a display board for my sweet middle child. It is a work in progress, but it will hopefully help him to communicate by pointing to it when he needs something and is frustrated. It has basic tasks and items we use on a regular basis.

Working On: Counseling 603, Catching up on laundry so I can wash and organize tiny baby clothes, and creating new designs for my shop

Grateful For: I got a call early this week that they found some loaner hearing aids for Baby A! I was thrilled and so thankful. They won't cost us anything and he can use them as long as he needs them. He has to wear them at least three months in preparation for the cochlear implant process.

Christmas List

My man always waits until the last minute to go Christmas shopping. Not me. I like to buy in advance so I'm not stressed out by the time the big day rolls around. I almost always have a few that I need to pick up a few days before Christmas, though. It never fails. I'm not where I'd like to be on our list, but hopefully we'll get there. As usual, I thought I'd make it easier on J when he goes out shopping. Not that he's not good at choosing gifts for me- he is. BUT...I am diggin' these:

Do you shop well under pressure? I don't. Yesterday, I was feeling the stress of SEVEN DAYS and I wandered around aimlessly after the two gifts I went after were nowhere to be found. I was power walking through our tiny little mall like no one's business, but I wasn't getting anywhere. Sigh.

Tis the Season.

Just Keep Swimming

In just over a week, I'll be returning to school to work on my Master's again. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. Our Mac is acting like it's coming down with the sickness and that's just the least of my worries. Last time I worked on this degree, I had a colicky newborn. I couldn't get anything done. J was also working on his Master's (still is) and we were constantly working and always stressed. What has changed? Well, that colicky newborn is now a very challenging toddler and another babe has been added to our family. That's why I'm nervous. I couldn't do it then. What if I can't do it now? I already feel overwhelmed in trying to get simple house chores done in addition to successfully parenting each day. Perhaps I'm too hard on myself. I've been known to be that way from time to time.

Anyway, I wanted to let my fellow college-goers in on the perks of renting textbooks with CampusBookRentals.com.  By doing so, you can save anywhere between 40-90%! That's awesome. We all know how ridiculously expensive text books can be. I almost always purchase mine online. Their program includes free shipping both ways and flexible rental periods. You can also feel free to highlight in the texts, too. That's a must for me. I'm a highlighting machine.

One of the best perks of renting with them is that they donate to Operation Smile with every rental!

They also have a new program called RentBack.com that allows you to rent your books to other students. Obviously, a huge perk there would be that you would likely make more money by renting the book out to other people instead of a one time selling fee. At the end of the period, you'll get your own book back. Brilliant!

For those of you who are plugging away at a degree, keep up the good work. Keep fightin' the good fight. As for me, I think I'll adopt this mantra:

(Full Disclosure: I was compensated for writing this post. As always, opinions expressed are my own.)

a fiction and a non

Happy Sunday to ya! I hope you'll step out of your wonderful world of whatever Reader you use and take a peak at the new look. Fran hooked me up with a lovely new design and I think it's pretty cute. She's wonderful to work with!

Today I thought I'd mention some books I've read lately that I enjoyed. These won't count toward my goal of 35 books in 52 weeks because I finished them before the New Year. Still, they're noteworthy if you're looking for something to read right now.

This book was recommended to me by an ole college pal and I loved it! It was right up my alley with a splash of psychology, a dash of suspense, and a bit of a love story. Don't let the cover or title fool ya- I didn't get the "chick lit" vibe as I read this.

I really liked this one, too. It's full of info about how children learn and how we as a society have gravitated toward pushing our young ones to study, study, study! The authors write about how that's not necessary to development and give examples as to how you can teach your child by playing with him or her without all the fancy toys, music lessons or flash cards. Time spent with a child in conversation and play outweighs the time he or she has trying to pack in various cultural activities that are likely creating pressure to perform. It's food for thought, anyway...

Have you set any reading goals for this year?

Gone Girl

Synopsis: Former city girl, Amy Dunne, is planning a delightful surprise for her husband, Nick on what will be their fifth wedding anniversary. She outdoes herself with preparations for the scavenger hunt and gifts that she thoughtfully pieced together each year. Nick doesn't get her help in deciphering the clues she has given because his lovely wife turns up missing the morning of their big day. The story is huge for the Missouri town mostly because Nick isn't exactly looking squeaky clean. He pictures her head, smashed and bleeding. His thoughts of his wife aren't centered around the good times rather he continues to remember everything he didn't like about "Amazing Amy". Nick begins to spin his web of lies in order to prove his innocence, but he only manages to make himself look incredibly guilty in the eyes of the public, police, and eventually Amy's attentive family. Was Nick the killer? Or did so many other shady characters from Amy's past have something to do with her disappearance?

My Thoughts: Loved, loved this book. The author, Gillian Flynn, has perfectly crafted this story with smart writing and interesting turns of events. This was one of those books that I was sad to finish. It was brilliant...and it made me want to go immediately to the computer and start my own fiction novel.

The best part-- Reese Witherspoon is said to be the producer for Gone Girl the movie! I hope this story is played out well on the big screen as I think it has potential to be an excellent movie. Be sure to read the book before seeing it, though. We all know how movies rarely ever measure up to their literary counterparts!

Linking up with:

What's New!

 I'm amazed at what a difference a year makes:

This is a photo of my boys last December at the dog park in my hometown. This year I'll have three men in my life come December! Wow.

I'm anxious to see how these glasses look on me:

I jumped on the firmoo bandwagon after K broke my glasses recently. For 8 bucks, I figure it can't hurt! Cray K has been on a roll lately. He also broke my iPhone yesterday.

I'm reading: 

It's good. I'm about 64% done. I purchased it for the hospital. Perhaps it will last that long, but I might finish it up this weekend instead. Speaking of books, I have a review that is set to post for you all tomorrow! I'll be reviewing Gone Girl.

This is my most popular item ordered from Scentsy to date:

You need it in your life.

My nails look like this:

Essie Sand Tropez and OPI A Million Sparkles

I have a new post over here:

Learning to Live and Living to Learn

and last but not least, I'm currently at:

the doctor's office having what I hope is my last appointment before I meet Baby A for the first time. Wish me luck.

Happy Thursday!

Currently (#2)

Want to know what's currently going on in the life of Mrs. K? Well, I'll tell ya...

I'm currently excited to announce that I'm now selling Scentsy! If you're living under a rock, I'll let you know that I've been diggin' their products for a long time now and you should try some out, too. Scentsy is a yummy smelling alternative to candles. Their wickless warmers are absolutely delicious (or at least they'll leave your home smelling that way!). That's not all that is offered, though. I'm excited to get this business rolling and I'd love if you were a part of it! Please go check out my page and order if you'd like or contact me with any questions.

Currently Reading:
I am now reading A Scattered Life. I'll be honest, I only purchased it on my kindle because it was under $2 and I was in that sad phase when you finish a book you haven't been able to put down. I'm only a few chapters in, but I will let you know how it is. The book I just finished is Bloom by blogger Kelle Hampton.

I've been all about bloggers turned published novelists and authors partly because I'd like to support them and partly because I envy them. I've heard a lot of good reviews on this book. I thought it was good- interesting. I enjoyed reading her raw emotions from the birth of her 2nd born until now. Her journey makes me wonder what I'm capable of in other areas of my life. I don't think I enjoyed the book as much as most, though. There were just a few small things that irked me about it that I can't quite put my finger on. I don't know if that's because I just can't understand what she was thinking/feeling or if I'm simply envious of her rare ability to not hold back- to tell all.

Currently Mad About:

This DirectTV business! Viacom, DirectTV- whoever is responsible for ridding me of my weekly reality show fixes. Unacceptable. I mean, why am I paying the same price I was paying, but now I'm short several popular channels? And they're channels I actually watch! I don't like it one bit. I look forward to moving and handing them our military orders and washing our hands of tv all together. It's garbage anyway, am I right? But man...that garbage is entertaining.

Currently Counting Down To:

* Captain J's ETS date (get out of the Army date) is now set in stone established. It just so happens to fall on our anniversary, too. Oh, happy day! I'm excited to start this next chapter despite all the uncertainty that it brings with it.

* Also? I have potential trips in my future. Nothing big or anything, but we'll see if it pans out. 

* Baby K's first birthday is coming up! I can't believe it.

Currently Pinning:

Source: someecards.com via Mrs. on Pinterest

Source: someecards.com via Mrs. on Pinterest

Note: I'm fully aware that people probably think that about K Baby from time to time!

Currently Thankful:
Well, I'm thankful for a lot but I'm really really thankful to Pinterest in this moment. I practically burnt the fingerprint off my right thumb while making a pizza. I quickly ran to the computer and typed in "burn remedy"- Voila! It said to rub egg whites on the burn, an old wives tale. Not one to question old wives, I did so and I'm here to tell ya- an hour later, the pain was gone. I'm typing with the thumb now (obviously). I can still see it, but it doesn't hurt. Thank you, thank you Pinterest!

One more thing- Have you entered my Current Giveaway?
You've got a few days left to do so. It's for Target and PayPal! Enter here.

What's going on in your world?

a Currently post

I haven't blogged much recently. Sometimes I sit down thinking- I have so much to tell them! Then I realize that finding a black widow spider at my backdoor and /or moving Baby K's crib mattress down a notch isn't exactly thrilling news. Just another day at the Mrs. K and Captain J household. Well, anyway- I may not have many adventure stories anymore but I'm glad you're here.

I thought I'd tell you what's been happening in our little life here.

Currently I am:

Reading:

This book is really good. It's a fictional piece following the life of a man who seems to be at the lowest point of his life. He lost his job and then was fired from the next. Struggling to make ends meet, he becomes desparate. He then has an opportunity to travel back in time to gain wisdom and advice from some historical figures such as Anne Frank and Christopher Columbus. The story is entertaining and at the same time it's uplifting with words of wisdom that can be applied to my own life. I really like it.

Watching:

This is my new favorite addition to my seemingly endless reality t.v. show collection on our DVR. If you don't like the Palin's, I don't wanna hear about it (kidding, kind of) because I think they're interesting, entertaining, and yeah- a good ole American family. I could be wrong but I think they're good people. Watching the show makes me miss Alaska, though. I just love how people leave you alone there. No one cares who you are or what you're doing as long as it doesn't infringe upon them. I just want a small town nestled in the mountains to call home but if you've been reading awhile, you probably already know that!

Loving:

I told you Baby K had his first real photo sesh the other day, right? I was so proud of him. He giggled as the camera came out and his photos turned out so cute. I love that I will finally have some nice ones to frame. Photos were taken by Herald Photography. If you're in the Fort Polk area, look her up. She's awesome!

Precious.

Avoiding:

 Pin Credit

Anything productive. Captain J only goes into work briefly in the morning and then the rest of the day he is mine-all-mine (he has a little break this week). This makes for a very lazy Mrs. K. Perhaps this is why our suitcase from our trip is still sitting in the kitchen waiting to be totally unpacked and dishes are piling up in the sink. No one ever accused me of being all work and no play!

What have y'all been up to lately?

Read This/Not That

I like looking at those books that tell you what to eat versus what to avoid eating because of the calories and such. It's not that I follow it necessarily, but it's interesting anyway.

Many of you send me messages about the books I read so I thought I'd give you my take on recent devotionals I have read just in case you were in the market for a new one:

READ THIS!



Road Trip: Five Adventures You're Meant to Live by Jen Hatmaker is a refreshingly witty and fun journey through God's word. It uses modern day scenarios to relate what God might be trying to tell us through scripture in an easy going yet focused way. It's a book you want to read, not one you are only reading because you feel as if you should read it. The chapters (or day by day studies) are short (Can I get an amen?), leaving time for you to reflect on what was written, pray, write, or go catch the latest episode of American Idol ;) This is perfect if you're a part of a women's small group or you're looking to start one!

And now for the...

NOT THAT!



I didn't enjoy He Said, She Said as much. I thought it would be different from what it really is. I was hoping for a couples devotional when I felt like I got a lot of honest personal stories that were prompted from single verses from the Bible, which is fine, but not what I was looking for. It offers some worthwhile food for thought, but overall I didn't feel God speaking to me through this book. It just wasn't my cup of tea, that's all.

(Note: I was not compensated for the review; all opinions are my own.)

How To Get Anything You Want

The title of the book is just attractive, isn't it?

How To Get Anything You Want Just Like That!



I don't know anyone who doesn't want to know that little gem of info. We're all searching for something, right? Needless to say, I thought I would really like this book. My background is in the helping professions and I assumed that I would find Janet Poole's book useful and relatable. If I'm being honest, there are several excellent points in it. There were multiple times when I was scribbling in my notebook thinking, "Oh, that's good!" or "Yes. That is absolutely important to remember." The flip side of the coin, though is one that is not so relatable for me. For instance, the very first sentence starts off, "Did you know that you are entitled to have anything you want?" Perhaps this set the tone for the rest of the book for me since I completely disagree with everything about that sentence.

There were other things about this way of thinking that irked me, too. The author describes that each of us are gods (p. 7), a belief that is fundamentally against what I, as a Christian, believe. Poole discusses past lives and freely dishes out lots of feel good advice and tools toward getting what one wants out of the present life.

What did I like about the book? It's food for thought. No matter what you believe, it's important to know why you believe that. It's important to step outside of your box and expand your mind. One of my favorite quotes says:

"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." - Aristotle

With that being said, the book also contains several key concepts that I wholeheartedly believe to be true. There's an emphasis on making changes in thinking in order to create change in life. This is absolutely something that I've found to be true in my life and in the lives of people I've worked with in a counseling setting. There's also an emphasis on loving and valuing the self which is important for self growth, in my opinion.

In addition to these pearls of wisdom, there are also summaries and exercises to accompany each chapter.

Want a copy? The first person to comment on this post will get their very own! And maybe the second person, too ;) Facebook comments will not count- it must be a blog comment.

(Note: I was provided this book as well as compensated for this review. All opinions are my own and may differ from yours.)

Dark Mind

I love a good psychological thriller or suspense book. They've long-time been a favorite of mine. I think this genre may have been why I fell in love with reading in the first place. I especially love when something happens at the end of the chapter and I just HAVE to read on to see what happens in the next one. Jennifer Chase's book Dark Mind does just that.



It combines paradise with mayhem as the main character, Emily, finds herself pursuing a serial killer in the beautiful Hawaiian islands. This combination makes Dark Mind even creepier because when you're relaxing on the beach in the land of Aloha, the last thing on your mind is the possibility of someone so disturbing interrupting your siesta in the sun. Am I right?

As I was reading, I found myself wanting to know more about Emily's past. I didn't know this book was the third in a series because it easily stands alone. Still, I may go back and read the other two as well.

In this book, Emily is joined by Richard and Jordan to track down the man who is terrorizing the island. Amid the search, there's also an intricate love triangle among them. Emily seems to draw the attention of the men she comes in contact with perhaps because of her tenacious, strong, fighter spirit. It's obvious in this novel that Emily has been through the ringer in her life and she definitely hasn't had an easy go of it.

The local police seem to be operating off of island time, in no hurry to solve the murders that are plaguing their community. It will be up to Emily, Richard, and Jordan to find the killer before it's too late.

This book is nonstop action. I really, really enjoyed it!

You can find this book on Amazon among other places and it's available on eReaders, too :)

(Note: I was compensated for this review as well as given the book to read free of charge. I was not paid to write a positive review. All opinions are my own and may differ from yours.)

Book Suggestions

Hi, y'all! Short and sweet today. Mondays leave lots for me to do!

First of all, I just wanted to say thank you to those of you who responded to my last post and responded in an encouraging and helpful manner. For the most part, all of you who emailed me really made me feel better in knowing I'm not alone. That being said, I have made the post password protected because some of you responded in most unhelpful (and hurtful!) ways when all I was trying to do was vent to someone, anyone who could listen. I will never apologize for something I write here that I feel doesn't need an apology and the post last night definitely does not. It's difficult being a mom regardless, but when you're also isolated in a new state with a colicky baby and your husband is working twenty four hours a day and off ten (if we're lucky) then it's just that more taxing. I make no apologies for my last vent session. I love my little boy more than anything in this entire world- that's something that is never in question. If something I say here bothers you, please simply quit reading. This is my space.

Whew! Let's get something lighter going on around here, ehh?

What are you reading these days?

I'm reading two books- both of which I recommend:

I read about two chapters of this one night and woke up the next morning and gathered two trashbags full of stuff that was cluttering my life. I don't miss it one bit! I look forward to more purging in 2012. This book is all about simplifying your life and I'm all about that these days! You needn't worry- it's not too granola! ;)

The second?

LOVE! This is the next big series, right? I'm not going to give a review because I'm probably way behind on the times and you have likely already read it, but if you havent- you should. You'll want to read it before March (when the movie comes out).

That's it for today.

XOXO,

Mrs. K

The Sitting Swing

This may very well be the best memoir I've read to date.



Irene Watson's story begins to unfold as she tells her dark and sometimes uncomfortable recollection of her homelife. There were so many points that hit home for me in this book that I'm just not sure where to start.

I suppose I'll start with the one that was truest for me-

"There's not a person in this world who can keep his own, personal ambitions and still give his will over to God. Not one person. If God has ambitions for you, that's fine. But let them be God's ambitions."

You all must know by now that I struggle with this. I look back on leaving graduate school and a budding career to move to Alaska to support my husband the soldier and I wouldn't change a thing. Yet, sometimes I wonder if I should be working instead of staying home because of these goals I made for myself years ago. I find comfort in reading the reminder that I should put my trust in my higher power and follow His instruction in my life.

I digress, though. I was going to give a book review, wasn't I? :)

The Sitting Swing tells the powerful story of a child turned adult who endured a rough upbringing. Her early influences in life shaped her into a person she didn't seem to want to be, one that landed her in what she thought to be a controlling marriage. As a child, Irene grew up in a small town, the second (but only surviving) child to her parents. Her mother kept a close, judgemental eye on her from the very beginning which began to seep into everything Irene knew and understood about life.

The book discusses her difficult childhood, going into details of the abuse she suffered and the guilt she carried with her over the years. Then, Irene seeks treatment and the book takes a different path. The reader is put into the shoes of an older Irene who is dealing with the process of therapy and hoping for a way out of the crisis her life has become.

The best aspect of the book is the emphasis of something that I've studied most of my adult life- the ability to change despite poor circumstance, age, or adversity.

I know my counselor friends will enjoy reading this book and I suspect the rest of you will as well.

The Sitting Swing is available on Amazon and at Barnes and Noble. Both have to option of an ebook download as well. Check it out!

(Note: I received a free copy from the author and was compensated for this review. Despite this, all opinions given are my own.)

Lies of Mercy-Lies of Grace

Oh, my.

What a night.

Earlier today I noticed Baby K had a low grade fever so I pulled out the handy little catalog they gave me at the hospital when I was pregnant in case I "ever needed anything"-- riiiight.

Anyway, all these phone numbers at my fingertips! This new mom was sure to be okay. I dialed one- busy. I dialed another- some weirdo singing recording picked up, definitely NOT an Army hospital recording. What gives? Luckily after a quick text to a friend, I had a number that actually works. I mean I've heard of people not wanting to work, but giving a whole print out of fake numbers is taking it a little far. I'm kidding. I think.

Bottom line is Baby K is fine. Mama's not.

I'm getting there, though. I wound down with a glass of white, a bath, and a good book! I'd like to take the time to point out one of my sponsors. I received this book in the mail the other day-


and within the first few paragraphs I was already smiling. I love a witty book! I'm only on Chapter 3 right now, but I am enjoying it thus far. I'll be sure to post a full review when I finish, but I just wanted to point out some of the folks (on the right hand side of the page) that make Mrs. K and Captain J happen. Go check them out, will ya?

This book would make a great gift for the reader on your Christmas list! Young and old alike will get a kick out of it. You can find it on her site by clicking on the photo above or peruse Amazon to purchase there.

Happy Reading!

-Mrs. K

Misc.

Not much has happened in our neck of the woods. We're enjoying (slightly) cooler weather by breaking out our sweatshirts only to shed them by noon when it's in the 80's again. There have been a couple of times that the temperatures have dropped to the forties at night and we've snuggled around a fire (Hey! Any excuse for some fire therapy is okay by me). In fact, that's what we're doing right now--enjoying some hot cider with a fire nearby.

Fall is my favorite season. I love to watch the beautiful colors come out. Sadly, there's not much of that here in Louisiana, but we're able to celebrate fall in other ways. For example:

Do yourself a favor and whip up some pumpkin muffins. Just mix a can of pumpkin with a box of spice cake mix and voila! Yummy fall treat.

Last night I watched a friend's little one while she went to a concert at Ft. Polk. Her daughter and I had loads of fun creating fall decorations with paint!

Speaking of lazy fall days, I've even been able to catch up on some reading. It's been amazing to be able to read books that I actually want to read. I had a week off from school this week and it has been glorious. My grades from last semester came in and I'm happy to report that the 4.0 still stands! For those of you who don't know, I'm an idiot occasionally scatterbrained and turned in the wrong paper to my professor. Graciously, she allowed me to re-do it and still gave me a perfect score. Originally, she only gave me 20 points out of 200. I was so relieved with my new grade because otherwise I would have failed the class, dropping my GPA dramatically. Next class starts on Monday and I still haven't received my school books. :( I'm going to be behind in the first week. It seems like I'm constantly behind now. It could have something to do with this little guy who is as cute as ever these days:

Completely worth it, though. I cannot tell you how much I love these bottles. After writing this post the other day, I randomly decided I would give nursing (directly) another try. I haven't breast fed Baby K this way in over a month, but tonight I was in pain from hyperlactation and he was ready to eat so I thought it wouldn't hurt to try. I was sure that there was no way he would accept this form of feeding again, but he did. I was so happy! This gives me much more flexibility and I attribute it all to Tommee Tippee (and the brilliance of my small son) ;) I'm now feeling much better and I think he is, too. He doesn't seem to have belly troubles after feedings now, although he still spits up a bit.

I realize I just gave you a yummy recipe and then talked about baby puke in the next breath. I think that makes me a mommy blogger officially?

Stick around, y'all. One day I'll post something riveting that will blow your mind. It's just not today.

Princess dreams

If I happened to be a princess, I wouldn't ask for much. Just a wall full of books and loads of time to read them. Since J and I have been married, it has been an ongoing joke between us that he would never buy me shelves. I asked for them once and he said that 'Army families couldn't have shelves because they'd just get damaged or broken in the various moves we'd have to make and no one makes a good, sturdy shelf anymore so we'd just have to wait until we got out of the Army'. I'm paraphrasing here, but I'll tell ya- that's pretty spot on to what he told me.

Naturally, I thought he was joking, but as the years go by, I'm starting to believe him. The man won't buy me bookshelves.

When we arrived at Ft. Benning and began house shopping, I immediately fell in love with the built in bookshelves in the house we ended up renting. I walked in the front door, saw the lovely, tall shelves, and whispered in awe, "this is the one."

Remember them?

They were fabulous. So much room for literary geniuses (and ok, let's be honest, some delightful vampire novels)! So much room for little knick knacks.

But now I've got this:

(Not the baby bump- praise the Lord!)

Those awful little cube shaped shelves. Now, I know they have their place. I have this one because it was originally in my very own craft room that no longer exists due to lack of space. And I'm sure it will look sweet as pie when I move it to Baby K's room to organize his toys later on in life.

But really...

It's no place for books.

I mean, they need room to breathe...

Like here:

or here:

One day, when I grow up...

I'll have bookshelves.

Or maybe I'll wait until Captain J goes out in the field and sneak them in then. Either way,  "it will be mine. Oh yes, it will be mine!" (Name that movie for cool points.)

Anyway, thanks pinterest, for letting this (wannabe) princess dream.

XOXO,

Mrs. K