Going Back to Cali: Days 3 and 4

Our 3rd day in California the boy and I took Elley down to 2nd Street. It's a cute area of Long Beach with restaurants and shops that's fun to walk down. I used to go down there in high school and clearly still do as well. The plan was to walk down and back and then drive someone else for lunch. Except by the time we got back to the where our car was, we wear dealing with this...
...a passed out baby. So we decided to stop for lunch. The destination was Rubio's, a fast food Mexican restaurant known for their fish tacos. Again, something I love back in high school and clearly still love now.

Fish Tacos from Rubio's with a Sleeping Baby in the BackgroundWe then spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out at my grandma's and actually were joined by Elley's godmother since she had a few hours till she had to leave for her flight back home.
As for our 4th day, well I don't have a single picture, which also means I failed on my Project 365 that day. While there may not be photographic evidence we spend the day at my grandmother's, this time joined by my aunt and uncle. I guess we were all just having such a great time socializing that no one remembered to take photos!

Oh The Places You'll Go

Come Away With Me by Karma Brown
Published: August 25, 2015 by Mira
I've never read Eat, Pray, Love before, but I imagine that is quite similar to this book. Except of course that this one is a book of fiction and not a memoir.

In some ways I so want to share the places Tegan traveled after her miscarriage to help herself heal, except that I love how each one was a surprise until you got there. Even more than that I really enjoyed how each location was written. You couldn't help but feel yourself on these adventures with Tegan. Even though I've only been to one of the places in the book, it didn't matter, because you truly did feel like I was a part of the trip.

I wasn't expecting the end to this at all, but really appreciated it. In fact, I was leaning towards classifying this book as one I liked, but after reading how it ended, now it's a love. It's the type of ending that makes you want to reread the book immediately to see what clues you may have missed and how you could have predicted it better.

According to the author's interview in the reader's guide, the next book she's working on (which will only be her second!) is about a family who uses a surrogate to have a baby. While it is normally a topic that would intrigue me, after reading one book by Karma, I can't wait to read another from her and just hope its as good as this one!

5/5

I have one copy of 2 A.M. at Come Away With Me to giveaway to one lucky reader. (US and Canada only.) Please use the rafflecopter form below to enter.

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Disclosure: I was provided this book through TLC Book Tours. All opinions expressed are my own.

Project 365: Days 185 Through 194

I'm not yet adding to my California recaps, but I promise I will in time. Especially since I know everyone out there is dying to know about our trip. :) First though, since it's even more behind, another edition of daily photos.
July 4, 2015 - 185/365: So maybe it's not the most patriotic way to celebrate the 4th of July, but I really wanted to make French toast for breakfast.
July 5, 2015 - 186/365: A slightly more American option, a burger on brioche with veggie fries.
July 6, 2015 - 187/365: The last of the new frappucinos, the cupcake frap.
July 7, 2015 - 188/365: Home of the Free Because of the Brave.
July 8, 2015 - 189/365: Someone wants to steal my dinner.
July 9, 2015 - 190/365: Passed Out in Bed.
July 10, 2015 - 191/365: A Night Out at Book Club.
July 11, 2015 - 192/365: 7 Months Outtakes.
July 12, 2015 - 193/365: Playing with Crincklies. This was at the boy's last baseball game of the season after she stole this toy from another baby.
July 13, 2015 - My July Graze box, which sadly it doesn't look like I'll be managing to blog about.

Going Back to Cali: Days 1 and 2

I was deathly afraid of our first plane flight with a baby. I've just been on too many plane flights with babies that screamed THE ENTIRE TIME to imagine we would escape unscathed. Except I really should have had more faith in Elley. After all, she's such a good baby normally her plane behavior really shouldn't have come as too much of a surprise.

Not the clearest of photos, but it's hard to take a photo in such tight spacesThe worst thing she did was fill her diaper as we were taking off, which meant we couldn't change her till the seat belt sign came off. I actually tried to go earlier, but was told by a flight attendant it wasn't safe to be up.

Besides that though, we didn't have any issues with her. She nursed during take-off. (Of course while I sat next to a guy who looked to be in his late teens or early twenties. A little awkward, but we survived.) We brought her stuffed hippo, which we've napped trained her with, and used that to get her to take a nap in my arms. She ate some homemade hummus we brought along as a snack and drank some water from a sippie cup. She did nurse about an hour before landing which was a little awkward, but used her pacifier during landing and didn't seem to have any issues with the pressure change.

Our flight actually landed pretty early, intentional by us to make sure we could put her to bed at a normal time. But while we made it back to my dad's at a normal time, we spent the rest of the day hanging out at the house since even though she was good for the 4-hour flight, it wasn't what I'd list as relaxing.
The next day we headed out to spend time with my BFF, Elley's godmother. Her schedule worked out where she was able to be in California at the same time as us, and we met up at her mom's house. (Which if you remember is where I had my bridal shower 3 years ago.) The last time I saw her was in January when she flew out to meet Elley, so we had a lot to catch up on.
But even so, the highlight of the day had to be swimming, aka the first time Elley got to spend time in a pool. We weren't sure how she'd do, especially since she's only recently started liking her baths, but she had a blast.
She figured out how to splash, which you can almost see by how much water is on her face by the last photo.
Overall, a great way to start our California trip.

Mailbox Monday (118)

Things are starting to get a bit back to normal after our California trip. So normal that I'm even here linking up with Mailbox Monday.
For Review from TLC Book Tours
Come Away With Me by Karma Brown
I've actually already started this one, and so far I'm enjoying it. The book is about a couple and how the deal with the aftermath of a miscarriage. Where I am in the book they're about to start traveling the world and I can't wait to see where they go. So far it's a bit heartbreaking, although I'm hopeful that as the couple starts to heal it will get a bit easier to read.

What did you find in your mailbox this week?

A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald

Z by Theresa Anne Fowler
Published: March 4, 2014 by St. Martin's Griffin
First Published: March 26, 2013
Going into this novel I knew nothing really about Zelda Fitzgerald. Only that she lived in the 1920s and was married to F. Scott. Actually while I have read The Great Gatsby, I knew little about the author himself, so I was really looking forward to this.

The book starts off quite promising and I loved meeting Zelda and hearing how her and Scott met and were married. It was a lot of fun reading about the early high-jinks in their marriage. If I was rating this book based the first half this would definitely be a 5.

Except, unfortunately, as their marriage fell apart so did the book. In the second half of the book we only hear again and again how miserable Zelda is. Nothing actually seems to happen. Scott tires to write and drinks instead...Zelda tries to do things but is held back by Scott. It's a vicious circle that repeats itself and quickly becomes monotonous.

I did appreciate Hemingway's cameos in here. I had no idea Hemingway and Fitzgerald were such good friends, but it does make sense. There's actually been several books recently written about Hemingway's wives and after this I'd love to read them as well to see how they compare.

Obviously I have mixed emotions about this, sad as I am to say it. I did love the insight to the lives of the Fitzgeralds. It makes me want to go back and reread The Great Gatsby as well as others by him. But unfortunately, I can't see myself taking the time to read this one again.

3.5/5

Today I'm linking up with Blonde Undercover Blonde for Book Club Friday!

8 Months Update

You are 8 months old!
While you didn't have an 8 month visit, you did visit the doctor at 7 and a half months for a weight check. You were 14 lbs 1 oz, and for the first time went up in percentiles to the 5th.

July 12You're still primarily in 6 month clothing although we did try one 9 month outfit and it fit as well. I'm guessing you won't fit in your current clothes much longer, but the rest of your 9 month outfits are ready for you.

Eating Mashed Potatoes, July 18Your bumgeniuses still have one unsnapped at both the waist and legs. You actually fit in size 3 diapers better, but we have a big box of size 2's from Costco we're hoping to get through while they still kind of work.

July 23We've introduced you to humus, melon, tomato, nectarine, crackers, puffs, and yogurt melts this month. You actually weren't a fan of melon the first few times you had it, but it's grown on you. You've also had a few sweet and salty treats with bites of french fries, potato chips, ice cream, and donuts.

First Time in a Restaurant Highchair, July 25As mobile as you were last month, you're even more mobile this month. On July 25th, we actually woke up to you excitedly pulling up on the headboard of our bed, and since then you're pulling up on everything. A day or two later you finally mastered sitting on your own. You are able to cruise along the couch and ottoman, especially if you're rewarded by stealing a chip or remote at the end of your journey. But because of this, you have taken your fair share of tumbles as well.

July 29In other big news, you traveled to California this month to visit your extended family. That trip was full of lots of firsts, your first plane ride, first time swimming, first time at the beach, first time at Disneyland... but that trip definitely deserves a post or two of its own.

July 29Once again, your such a different baby than you were the month before which gets me excited about the month to come. A month full of exciting moments like your first LSU football season, cooler weather, and maybe even your first steps.

1 Month ~ 2 Months~3 Months

4 Months ~ 5 Months ~ 6 Months

7 Months

Project 365: Days 175 Through 185

Posts two days in a roll!?!? Of course I do have a number of things I've been meaning to write about, but since it's fairly it's to post about, it's another update of my Project 365.
June 24, 2015 - 175/365: Not Sure About This Banana. Of course, bananas are actually one of her favorites, this was actually just one of the first times where she had actual pieces instead of it all mashed up.
June 25, 2015 - 176/265: Steak with Roasted Broccoli and Smashed Potatoes.
June 26, 2015 - 177/365: I Want Those Carrots!
June 27, 2015 - 178/365: Homemade Biscuits with Egg and Sausage.
June 28, 2015 - 179/365: After seeing the Red Robin commercials for years we finally had one open near us. Although I'm pretty sure I remember eating there growing up. Sadly though, the burger did not live up to the hype.
June 29, 2015 - 180/365: I spent most of this summer obsessed with this Power Kale Caesar Salad from Panera. I wasn't sure I would like it, but clearly that wasn't the case. I normally change up what I pair with it, this time it was a Mediterranean Flatbread.
June 30, 2015 - 181/365: This was probably my least favorite of the summer's frappucinos. Although it really did taste just like cotton candy.
July 1, 2015 - 182/365: I had forgotten about this ice cream until I went to write this post, but it was so, so good. Of course now I kind of want to run out and buy and brand new carton to devour!
July 2, 2015 - 183/365: Lamb with Roasted Vegetables.
July 3, 2015 - 184/365: Winning at Love Letter; a recent game the boy and I discovered.

Project 365: Days 165 Through 174

I may not be posting my Project 365 photos lately, or really even posting at all, but I miss it. I've actually been in California over the past weeks which explains in part my absence. But I'm hoping to get back to posting more regularly, starting with a much belated group of daily photos.
June 15, 2015 -165/365: Red Velvet Cake Frappucino. While this may not have been my favorite of this summer's flavors, it was actually quite a bit better than I expected it to be.
June 16, 2015 - 166/365: Practicing Standing.
June 17, 2015 - 167/365: Passed Out
June 18, 2015 - 168/365: Girl Scout Cookie Granola Bars. These were so delicious! Sadly, they only had Samoas and Thin Mints. The ones at the bottom on the normal peanut butter. I bought a box of each and would most definitely buy them again.
June 19, 2015 - 169/365: Turkey & Brie Sandwich from Whole Foods.
June 20, 2015 - 170/365: Playing With My New Toy.
June 21, 2015 - 171/365: Why yes, she is playing with a calculator.
June 22, 2015 - 172/365: Cocoa Caramel Cluster Frappucino. Not only was this the one that won the summer flavor-off, I'd probably list it as my favorite as well.
June 23, 2015 - 173/365: You can't quite tell from the photo, but this was actually a happy face.