Book Review: Private Games

Private Games by James Patterson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Someone is not a big fan of the Modern Olympics and is determined to see their demise.
Set in London during the 2012 Olympics. Jack Morgan, Private's head honcho is present, but not the main character. Peter Knight, and investigator for Private London has a personal investment in catching this madman. One that gets even more personal when his children become involved.

I really enjoy this Patterson series, almost more than his others I follow, I think. While it's the same high-paced action, I think it is a breath of fresh air compared to the other series (Cross and Women's Murder Club particularly). There seems to be more going on in this series in a short period of time, or maybe he just covers more cases. I don't know what it is, but I dig it.


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5 Question Friday

Morning, Ya'll! I don't know about you guys, but I am absolutely beat! On top of having an emotional roller coaster of a day yesterday (good news with my weight-loss, followed by a disturbing altercation with a daycare teacher that afternoon), I also push mowed the yard, went to the gym, and then, because everyone has been saying how good Grey's and Private Practice have been lately, when I got home from the gym last night I tried to get caught up on at least on of them on the DVR (to no avail, I might add). So, I guess it's my own darn fault I'm draggin' butt this morning.

Without further ado, on with the post! Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you like what you see enough to come back again *wink, wink, nudge, nudge*

 
1. Do you make your kids finish all the food on their plates? Sometimes. It depends on what we're having, when the last time we've eaten, how much I gave them to begin with. Oh, and what's on the tv. If they are genuinely full before they've cleaned their plates, hey, no biggie. I don't want to encourage over-eating. But, if the newest iCarly is on tv and she's squirming to get back to it... as mean as it sounds, DD has to finish every last bite regardless of the pleas of her "straining top button." I just don't buy it...

2. Do you give allowance? My chit-lins are only 7 (wow, I only get to say that for 9 more days) and 3, which I think is a little too young for allowances. Not to mention, I'm not sure we will give them an allowance in the conventional sense when they're old enough anyway. Something the hubs and I have to talk about, I guess.

3. Do you actually park your car in the garage? Garage? What garage??

4. What is one food you will NEVER cook? Fish. Or seafood of any kind really. I don't like the stuff, so I have absolutely no idea how to cook it. Not to mention it smells. I couldn't have that stuff smelling up my house for hours at a time. Uh Unh. When the hubs wants fish, we eat out. That's the rule. Silly, maybe. But it works for us.

5. Do you have anything exciting planned for the summer? Actually, we are in the midst of planning a vacation to Outer Banks, NC with the fam. Our little foursome, my mother & father-in-law, and my brother & sister-in-law. I cannot wait, as you can imagine. My daughter hasn't been to the beach since she was 2, and my son has never been. So yeah, i'm pretty excited about our Summer plans this year :-)

Has anyone been there before? I'm looking for recommendations for places to go, see, and eat!


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Book Review: Mayhem in High Heels

Mayhem in High Heels by Gemma Halliday
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A well known wedding planner is stabbed in the back as she waits for a couple to show up for a cake-tasting. And who should find her, but none-other-than Maddie Springer, shoe designer...

This is one case she's personally vested in. The design for a very important pair of shoes is on the line.

I won't spoil anything, but I was suprised by the way this book ended. While the whole book lead up to that moment, I was surprised it happened in this book. It makes me anxious to see how the rest of the series will go and what can happen from here. I believe alot went unsaid...


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PAR-TAY!! Er... I mean, Accountability: Week 12

Let's get this party started!! Whoop Whoop!!

via

Starting weight:   172 lbs.

Previous weight:  161 lbs. 

           Current weight:    160 lbs.            

Weight +/-:          -1         

Total weight loss: -12         

Short term goal:   160 lbs.

Goal weight:        145 lbs.

If you haven't noticed why I'm so excited, look right up there to the "Short term goal" and compare with my new current weight :-)

Yep, that's right! I've hit my first short term goal and I couldn't be more proud of myself!

If seeing the number on the scale wasn't enough to be excited about, I got an email right after I logged my weight into LoseIt that I earned a new badge... my GOAL ACHIEVED badge! There's nothing like a computer-generated congratulatory message, lol, to say, "Hey, you did it!" (and, yes, I am seriously excited about the email- that's not all sarcasm). I am also now part of their 10 Pound Club. I'm thinking of ordering the t-shirt ;-)

LoseIt's 10 Pound Club Badge

I'm on week three of my new trainer-designed workout regimen. It was a weights night last night, and I tell ya, I think I sweat more last night than I have in any of my workouts. Since January! But it is so worth it!

Well folks (if there are folks out there) be on the look out for a new short term goal in next week's post :-) In addition to just feeling great about seeing those numbers fall I also have some new motivation... by means of planning a beach vacation. I haven't been to the beach in years. Gotta get this bod ready!

I'll post more on the vacation soon, once we get some of the deets worked out.


This post carries a disclosure Level of 0. Please see my disclosure page for more details. Even though it seems as though LoseIt probably sponsors my posts or something, they don't. I wish they did. Maybe I should give them a call... Anyway, I'm just a genuinely pleased member of their site and want to share what's working for me with you all.

Make My Morning Blog Hop

Good Morning and welcome to my little corner of the blogosphere. So far I'm not taking up too much room, but maybe one day that will change. For now, I'm so glad you've decided to stop by! This is my first time participating in the blog hop hosted by the amazing Jeannette of The Adventures of J-Man and MillerBug, Lisa of Mompreneur Mogul and Jen of Life With Levi!  If you're new here, and let's face it, I think it's safe to say most of you will be :-) let me tell you all little about me and what I've got going on here...

I'm Bird, a twenty something mother of two. I work full time outside of the home and am aspiring to make some changes in my life in my "down time". Making those changes happen has been a challenge, but I'm up for it! A big one I've mainly been focusing on lately is changing my body. I've been hitting the gym for the past 11 weeks and have lost 11 pounds so far. The gym, while difficult on some days, has proven to be a lot easier than changing my diet... but hey, I'm working on it.

Another one of those changes I'm attempting... to be a better wife and mother. I don't know anyone who isn't always working toward this, but I thought it was worth mentioning anyway. Pinterest has apparently lit a fire under my behind though... What all these amazing women are doing all the time for their families- wonderful home cooked meals, amazing parties, fun activities for the kids. It makes me feel as though I've been skating by. No more! I'm sharing my Pinterest inspired moments of better motherhood here with you all... or whomever should stumble upon my little corner over here...

Anyway, that's enough about that for now. Hopefully you'll come back again to see what's really going on around here anyway.




The question today was "What Makes Your Morning?"

Of course a new comment or follower would make my morning, so feel free :-)

But what really does it for me, I mean really puts me a good mood... those two aforementioned kiddos cooperating with me in the mornings. The hubster is working out of town right now, so he's up and out long before the sun rises- or me and the kids for that matter. My daughter, not a morning person. My son, well, he's going through a bit of a defiant stage. He wants to move at his own pace. Set his own rules.

This Mama Bird is just a bit too busy for all that.

So, when they cooperate - when they wake up with minimal to no attitude - when they don't need prodding through their entire morning routine - when they are the well-behaved children I know they can be - and when I make it to work on time because they were on their game- that truly makes my morning.

Today was one of those mornings. I'm on top of the world as we speak :-)

Well, I'm off to visit a few new blogs. I hope to see some new faces around these parts, too. Have a great day everyone :-)


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My New Exercise Regimen

So, I think I mentioned a couple days ago that I saw a trainer last week. It's included in my monthly gym membership, but until now I'd  been just going at it alone. I figured it was time to get serious, and who'd be better to help me do that than a bonafide trainer?

The goal for this regimen was weight loss and toning. I didn't specify that I wanted to target any certain area. I just wanted an overall routine this time. I do have some ideas for some target areas I'd like him to help me tackle when we reconvene.

Anyway, since I had already been working out for a couple months and using their 30 minute circuit routine he wanted me to start doing some exercises with free weights. Whew! Talk about a difference! I guess with the free range of motion you're working muscles in a whole new way- rather than the machines limiting your motion.

I am to do the following regimen for 6 weeks. I'll do 4 sets for the first 3 weeks and then 5 sets for the last 3 weeks. We'll meet again then. So, here's the deal:

Trainer's Weight Loss/Toning Exercise Regimen 1

1. Dumbbell Swings                (12)                  15 lbs.
2. Push Ups (Modified)           (12)                  Body Weight
3. Standing Dumbbell Rows       (12)                  15 lbs.
4. Squat Curl Press                (12)                  15 lbs,.
5. Plank                               (30 sec.)           Body Weight
6. Arc Trainer                      (3 min.)            10 incline/20 resistance

After doing 4 rounds of that, hop on the Arc Trainer for 30 minutes alternating between 1 minute at 10 incl/20 res. and 2 minutes at 5 incl./15 res.

Do this 3 times a week.

On cardio days at the gym do 45 minutes on the Arc Trainer doing the same incl./res. routine.

Dumbbell Swings, via



Push Up (Modified), via

Dumbbell Standing Rows, via

      

Squat Curl Press, via

Plank, via

I've been doing this for a week now. That first time was brutal! I couldn't lift my arms the next day. I kid you not! I've been doing better though. It's still a challenge, but I'm not near as sore as the first time.

My first round of 6 is usually pretty easy. The second one, I'm still doing okay. The third one is proving to be a bit more difficult. And by the fourth, I'm sure I'll drop those dumbbells on my head during the Squat Curl Press. Like, it's so bad I'm terrified to do that one. Literally terrified. I'm sure I'll drop it and then be laughed out of the gym. Apparently my shoulders are very weak. That is the most challenging, and certainly painful, exercise I think I've ever done. It ranks right up there with a hard core abdominal workout for me. Ouch.

So far though, no dents to the noggin' from dropped dumbbells so I'm doing okay.

Let me know if anyone gives this a try.


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5 Question Friday

Good morning all. I hope your Friday has started off on the right foot. Mine's not looking too shabby right now. We have no big plans for the day. Just the grocery and the gym. Real exciting stuff, right?

Oh! I guess one member of our household is up for a little excitement today. Our dog Potter is being neutered. Poor fella. A few months back he started peeing in the house for no reason. He'd go to the door to go out. He'd go out and do his business (or so we thought) then he'd come in and head straight for the hallway to tinkle on the wall. Talk about infuriating! Not to mention GROSS!

We've cleaned the carpets I can't tell you how many times. We've sprayed, we've tried internet tricks. We've had him looked at wondering if he had bladder issues. To no avail.  Nothing seems to deter him. So, we're hoping maybe it's just his male instinct to mark and that neutering him will fix the problem. If it's not, then I don't know what to do. This busy Mama Bird doesn't have the patience for much more...

Anyway, on to the real reason you stopped by today, My Little Life's Five Question Friday! Thanks for coming by. It's always a treat to have visitors :-)






1. Groceries are high right now what is easiest way you have found to cut back? Though I've been slacking on it, couponing and matching my coupons to the ads. We also try to meal plan around what's on sale and just get what we need for the week. It's nice to stock the shelves, but keeping to the meal plan for the week does seem to cut our spending back quite a bit. We also buy Target's brand on a lot of things which really helps. Granted, there are some things you just can't do that with, but we've found a lot of their things are just as good as what we've used before.

2. What are the top 3 things on your "bucket list"? Hmm... this is a super tough one. There are so many things on my "bucket list" (which are really just floating around in my noggin'- I should probably write them down. hmm...). Anyway, I don't know what would be the top things. I know I want the four of us to go to Disney while the kids are still small (my hubby missed their first trip last year b/c of work), but that's a sooner rather than before I die kind of thing.

I guess I'd like to take my family to Austria where my Mama and Nana were born. My Nana took me the summer after 5th grade and it was just beautiful. I'd love to go as an adult and share it with my family.

Oh, I don't know if it's a top thing but I have always said I wanted to walk on hot coals before I died. I think I saw it many moons ago as a challenge on Road Rules or The Real World or something silly like that. For whatever reason it just stuck with me as something I said I'd do someday. Weird, right?

Oh, okay, so that did remind me of two that are pretty important to me. One, I want to complete a Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 3 Day. It's a 60 mile walk raising funds for breast cancer research. In all actuality I'd like to do it within the next 5 years, but it's definitely pretty high on the list.

And two, I'd like to participate in St. Baldrick's event. Yep, I want to get my head shaved to raise funds for childhood cancer research. I probably would have done it already, but in all honesty, my hubs isn't too happy with it. He wonders why I can't just find another way to raise money or donate. I don't know, this one just seems more fun ;-) It's a way to really connect with the kids who face the hair loss and see a little of what they go through. I can't say when for sure, but this one is definitely going to be accomplished!

3. Would you rather give up AC or heat? Heat. Definitely heat! I can be cold. You know, because I can always put more clothes on. Blankets, etc. I cannot, I repeat, cannot be hot. There's only so many clothes you can take off before someone gets offended...

4. What's your favorite cocktail?? I'm more of a beer or wine drinker so I'm not sure how to answer this one.

I like frozen strawberry daquiris. Does that count? Not very exciting, but hey, I enjoy them.

5. What was your first job & how old were you? My first paying gig was as an actress in a production called the Passion Play in Gatlinburg, TN. I stayed summers with my Nana there and would be in the play 6 nights a week. I think I did it from the time I was age 9-12. I'm sure you may have guessed by the name, but it was a play of the life of Jesus Christ. Some weeks I would play the dead child he brought back to life. Some weeks I would be the lame child who could miraculously walk again. I also played the maid of Caesar. It was fun, and I enjoyed it very much. I used the money I earned there as spending money when Nana took me to Europe.

After that though, my first job was at Big Lots when I was 15.


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