Baby Book Addict

Garrett update

Tara

 

So I haven’t updated you on Garrett lately. Wednesday he will be 11 weeks old.

First ….. We are sleeping through the night!!! Hooray! We are sleeping from 10:30-6 every night and have been for 2 weeks now.

We did change his reflux medicine. I can tell a big improvement. This new stuff is a lot more expensive, but if it soothes him then I am happy.

However, one thing I am starting to notice now is that he’s beginning to have tummy aches after bottles. I originally thought it was gas, so I started adding gas drops to every bottle. That hasn’t helped a whole lot. My grandmother thinks its his formula. I’m wondering if we shouldn’t switch it to a sensitive formula. He has never really seemed to be 100% content after feedings, whether it be from his reflux or his belly issues. I had brought up the issue of potentially changing his formula with the pediatrician, but she shot that idea down without me even fully explaining what was going on. But I’m starting to really get the “mom knows best” feeling on this subject and am contemplating changing him anyway. What can it do? Hurt him more than the one he’s on now already does? If that was to be the case we’d just go back to what he’s been on. It breaks my heart to see him in pain. It’s terrible.

He’s really starting to “talk” to us now! It’s the cutest thing ever in my opinion! I love it. I’m just purely amazed at how much he grows and changes and learns in just a matter of days. It’s truly miraculous.

He is soooo close to rolling over. He can get on his side but can’t figure out how to bring those legs all the way over. I’m anxious for him to reach this milestone!

This upcoming weekend we will be taking him on his first official overnight trip! I’m anxious about it, but seeing as how we seem to always be on the go, I want to get him in the habit from a very early age. We aren’t going far from home, just down to Nashville. And my parents are going with us, so we will have lots of help.

I guess that’s really all I’ve got for now. Until next time 🙂

4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2012, READING CHALLENGES 2012, Scot Harvath, SERIES, T

2012.20 REVIEW – Blowback by Brad Thor

Tara

Blowback
by Brad Thor

Copyright: 2005
Pages: 568
Rating: 4/5
Read: July 30 – Aug. 11, 2012
Challenge: Mystery & Suspense 2012; Off the Shelf 2012
Yearly Count: 20
Format: Print
Source: Personal copy

Blurb: Scott Harvath’s counterterrorism career has just crashed and burned – thanks in part to a ruthless senator with her sights set on the White House. But when the war on terror takes a chilling turn, the president has no choice but to secretly bring Harvath back inside. Deep beneath an Alpine glacier, an ancient weapon designed to decimate the Roman Empire has been unearthed – and a shadowy organization intends to use it for America’s downfall. Racing across Europe, Harvath must secure the ultimate instrument of destruction before it brings the United States and the rest of the world to its knees.

Review: This is the fourth in the Scot Harvath series. I read the first three last year and then took a big break. These books are not easy reading. But I have enjoyed all four books in this series.

I’m still trying to figure out what to say about this book. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it. But as I stated above, Mr. Thor’s books are not easy to read. They definitely take a lot more concentration to get through. So with everything going on in my life, I am pleasantly surprised that I was able to get through this book as quickly as I did. I say this because I actually tried to read this book earlier this year and actually had to set it aside because I simply didn’t have the concentration for it (pregnancy brain at it’s finest!) However, I am very glad that I decided to pick this book back up when I did. Because I found it to be a very exciting read.

I sometimes struggle with books that have terrorist aspects. There’s no particular reason for this, other than it’s outside my comfort zone. But in this book, it didn’t phase me at all. There were a few times throughout the book that I struggled to understand what was going on, but that was always when they were discussing the weapon that is at the heart of the plot.

As I stated earlier, this is the fourth book in the series. While I always prefer to read books in order, I do not think that it would be a requirement for this book. I felt as if it could have read as a stand-alone just as well.

I like Scot’s character. Mr. Thor has managed to make him quite appealing in my opinion. First he’s married to his job. But he’s also not a womanizer. And it was in this particular installment that the reader really gets to see that Scot may be regretting not being settled down. I am definitely anxious to see where Scot’s romantic life takes him in subsequent books. There’s just something about his character that fits perfectly in my opinion. It’s hard for me to put into words what I feel about this.

Another thing that I like about these books is that Mr. Thor always seems to have a very strong female secondary character. This complements Scot quite well. And it also fits my tastes perfectly. I hate the whole damsel in distress thing, so I enjoy seeing Scot interact with women who are perfectly capable of taking care of themselves.

Overall, while these books may not be for everyone, I enjoy them quite a lot and would definitely recommend them.

Miscellaneous Ramblings

I’ve been lucky!

Tara

Wow, have I been lucky here lately. I’ve managed to snag two free copies of books that have sounded really great to me. Plus I got approved for another book on Netgalley that has me SUPER excited!

So I bet I’ve got you curious now.

First I snagged a copy of “Fireproof” by Alex Kava from LibraryThing.

Then I got approved For “The Lincoln Conspiracy” by Timothy O’Brien on NetGalley.

And this morning I got notification that I had won a copy of  “The Secrets of the FBI” by Ronald Kessler through Goodreads!

PLUS I’m #2 in line on my library wish list for “Gone Girl”.

I’m a lucky gal who is going to have some exciting reading ahead of me! Hooray!

 

First chapter, Meme

First Chapter, First Paragraph, Tuesday Intros #1

Tara

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So here’s a new-to-me meme. Diane over at Bibliophile by the Sea hosts it I’ve seen this one before but for whatever reason never joined up. But this week I’m reading a book that really sucked me in on the first page.

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Donald Ellyson tried to scream, but nothing happened. He had done a lot of reprehensible things in his fifty-five years, but this was not how he had expected to die – his throat sliced and hot blood running down the front of his parka. This was supposed to be the discovery of his life, the one that would legitimize him and land him at the top of the academic heap. But the moment of his greatest triumph had suddenly become the last moment he would ever know. And for what? Did his benefactors actually think he was going to stiff them?

Recipes

RECIPE: Spiral Stromboli

Tara

In an effort to expand my blogging, I am going to start sharing some great recipes that I find and try. Cooking is something I enjoy immensely. And it’s also something that I am doing more of now that Garrett is here. We are trying to save as much money as possible and eating out was one area where we made a cut. Plus I don’t want to be one of “those people” – you know, the parents who has a child screaming bloody murder in a restaurant driving everyone around them insane whereas they somehow ignore it. Sorry if you are one of “those people,” I just don’t want to have attention drawn to me.

So here’s a recipe I made recently:

Spiral Stromboli (makes 4 servings)

  • 1 tube refrigerated French bread
  • 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/4lb thinly sliced deli ham
  • 1/4lb thinly sliced deli salami
  • 1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers or 1 jar diced pimientos, drained
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

  1. Unroll the dough and pat into a 14″ X 12″ rectangle. Sprinkle with mozzarella and cheddar cheese to within 1/2″ of edges; top with meat and red peppers. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a short side; seal seam and tuck ends under.
  2. Place seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Brush with butter; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Slice with a serrated knife.

Recipe Source: Taste of Home

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Personal Review: I had trouble with the dough unrolling into the rectangle. I think next time I make this recipe I will use refrigerated pizza dough just for more ease. I’m also considering adding some pizza sauce, but it doesn’t need it at all. I also omitted the red peppers or pimientos and instead substituted pepperoni. Another thing that I experienced was the bread being doughy in the middle, completely uncooked actually. (You can even see it in the picture if you look close enough). I baked it for 25 minutes and it was quite thick, so increasing the baking time will probably fix that issue.

Overall, this was an extremely easy and quick meal to prepare. It was also yummy. This will be making its way into our recipe rotation quite often in the future.

Miscellaneous Ramblings

I did it!!

Tara

After a good year of contemplating it I finally did it. I have my own domain!! Hooray! I went the easy route and remained with WordPress.com so I don’t have to change anything. I can use everything the same way as I did before, I just have a spiffier looking website name!

WordPress is *supposed* to make sure that all my links get forwarded to where they’re supposed to be. As far as everything I’m reading seems to be indicating, all I had to do was give them $18 a year to make my new address http://talesofabookaddict.com. Hopefully it worked right! Oh on a side note to anyone thinking of making the change, for another $8 you can make your registration private. I chose to do this because they ask for your address and your phone number. And I don’t want everyone to have access to that info.

Please let me know if you have any trouble with my site not loading or my links not forwarding correctly.

In the very hear future I will Be setting up a new email address that is also hooked into my domain.

I think this makes me look a lot more “professional”. Even though I’m only doing this for fun, it definitely makes me feel more established. I’m thrilled with my decision to make the switch 🙂

Now hopefully everything works correctly because I have no idea how to fix anything. Haha

Oh and definitely look for a new site design too. I’ve got the itch to switch things up 🙂

Mailbox Monday, Meme

Mailbox Monday, Aug. 6, 2012

Tara

 

Mailbox Monday’s August host is 5 Minutes For Books.

This week I got two books. The first one was from my grandmother and the other was a book from Paperbackswap that had been on my wish list forever!

The Jefferson Key by Steve Berry

Four presidents of the United States have been assassinated – in 1865, 1881, 1901, and 1963 – each murder seemingly unrelated. But what if those presidents were all killed for the same shocking reason: a clause contained in the United States Constitution? This is the question faced by former Justice Department operative Cotton Malone. When President Danny Daniels is nearly killed in the heart of Manhattan, Malone risks his life to foil the murder – only to find himself at odds with the Commonwealth, a secret society of pirates first assembled during the American Revolution. Racing across the nation and taking to the high seas, Malone and Cassiopeia Vitt must break a secret cipher originally possessed by Thomas Jefferson,unravel a mystery concocted by Andrew Jackson, and unearth a document forged by the Founding Fathers themselves – one powerful enough to make the Commonwealth unstoppable.

Anne Boleyn: A New Life of England’s Tragic Queen by Joanna Denny

No English queen has enjoyed such notoriety, and non has been so persistently vilified. In this powerful new biography, Joanna Denny reveals the truth about Anne Boleyn, presenting a picture of the woman – highly literate, accomplished, and a devout defender of her Protestant faith – that differs radically from the unsavory and unflattering accounts that have come down through history. A tragedy set in motion by her allure and her attraction of England’s violent and paranoid king. Anne’s life found her trapped in the vicious politics of the Tudor court, confined to a path that would lead to her execution.

Plunging into the intrigue, romance, and danger at the heart of King Henry VIII’s court, Anne Boleyn is a compelling account of the turbulent times that would change England forever, and a passionate portrait that will ultimately alter our perception of this much-maligned queen.

Miscellaneous Ramblings

Needing advice

Tara

Good Sunday afternoon to you all!

I’m in need of some advice. If you can help me out I would greatly appreciate it.

I have been contemplating dropping the “WordPress.com” portion of my blog address. Yep, that’s right. I want to jump in and make the switch to talesofabookaddict.com (assuming its available).

But I honestly have no idea as to where to begin. I understand that I have to pay WordPress a yearly fee. But is that it? Or do I need to have some kind of a host as well? Like through godaddy or something?

And how much HTML knowledge do I need to do this? Because I have very little. Although I’m sure I could read up online enough to get by in a minimal capacity.

This is something that I’ve been considering for some time now. I’ve just been afraid to take the plunge. But now I’m ready and need any and all advice I can get.

So please tell me, dear friends, any and all experience/advice you have on this matter.

Thanks!!

Meme

Book blogger hop – Aug. 3, 2012

Tara

 

 

Book Blogger Hop

So this is my first time ever participating in this. I’ve seen the hop around the book blog-o-sphere, but I’ve never participated (I can be such a lurker online!). Anyhoo, on to the purpose of this post:

When a book goes “viral” (Hunger Games, Fifty Shades, Twilight), do you rush out to read it like everyone else, even if it’s not in your typical genre?

Wow, what a good question. And one that I can easily answer. Nine times out of ten, I will do everything in my power to avoid books that go “viral.”

Back in 2008, I read Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight and New Moon. As a general rule, I do not like vampire books. Actually, Im not a big fan of paranormal in general. I can say that I read them. But I obviously didn’t like them enough to read any further. And I’ve only seen the first movie.

I bought the first Hunger Games book on my Nook last year …. And still haven’t read it. I bought it when it was on sale, but that’s as far as I ever got with it. I have no immediate plans to read it, either.

Fifty Shades … Oh my. What can I say? First of all, this is not my genre of choice. Not even close. And while I have to admit that I’m more than a little curious, I have no intention of ever reading it.

So this question got me very curious about what other books I’ve read that have been hyped up. I looked back at what books I’ve read since I started my blog and made a quick list of “viral” books.

  • Chelsea Cain’s Heartsick – I remember enjoying it okay, but not being overall thrilled. However, I did like the subsequent books much more.
  • Tana French’s In the Woods – I didn’t like this book very much at all. And I haven’t read anymore of the books in this series either.
  • Kathryn Stockett’s The Help – Okay, so this one may be an exception. I LOVED it and still would recommend it to anyone!
  • Chevy Stevens’ Still Missing -Well here’s another exception. I enjoyed this one as well.

I also have to mention Dan Brown’s The DaVinci Code and The Lost Symbol. I loved the former, but ended up not being able to finish the latter.

I honestly believe that I have some kind of an aversion to hyped up books. They just don’t do much for me as a general rule. However, I will say that I have Gone Girl on my library’s waiting list and am dying to for it to be in my hot little hands.

Anyone who follows my blog regularly knows that I read a lot of older books. Actually I read more older books than I do newer ones. I’ve always been that way. There’s no real reason as to why, other than the fact that it’s what I have on my shelves. And the fact that I have an aversion to buying new books when they’re super expensive. I read too quickly to spend a lot of money on one book. So I guess it’s really not a big surprise that I don’t read a lot of the hyped up books.

But I don’t want my sole reason for picking up a book to be because it’s the hot thing to do at the time. That’s not the right reason to read.