That Just Happened.

I have a lot of thoughts rolling around in this head of mine. I don't even know where to start or what to say. So... until I get my head figured out, I will leave you with this vlog. You should watch it, because it's a funny story - at least I think it is (and yes, this DID happen... and yes, I realize I use the word, "like" a lot).
Happy Thursday! 

The Other Boleyn Girl

Happy Tuesday!! 

So over the past few weeks, I have been a little bookworm. Out of all of the books that I've read, though, I think that The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory was probably the most unique.
Obviously if you're awesome, you know that this book was our pick for January's historical fiction genre for Blogger Book Club.
Before I get into my actual book review, I'd like to make one thing clear - I almost never read historical fiction, and when I do, it's always, always WWII. ALWAYS. I think that this book was the first book I ever read that focused on the Tudor period.

That being said, I thought it was a great book. You are all probably going to make fun of me, but I had no clue which King Henry this was, and if the book hadn't given us years, I would have been clueless as far as when this was taking place.

I've been trying to figure out how I want to approach this review, and I thought I would focus on the characters rather than the plot, because, well.... those characters got me very fired up.

CONTAINS SPOILERS... but then again, so does your history book. 

FIRST OF ALL. That Boleyn family. How evil, self-absorbed, and manipulative can one family be? Obviously very. You practically force your 14-year-old daughter into an extra-marital affair with the king of England just so you can get ahead in society. When she is PREGNANT with his son, you allow her sister to take over the affair and try to manipulate the king into divorcing his wife so that you can take over the throne?!?! WHAT THE EFF IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!?!?!?!?

Anne Boleyn. WHAT. A BEEP. Seriously. There were so many times I wanted to jump into the book and give you a high five. In the face. WITH A SPIKE-COVERED METAL BALL. Words cannot describe how much I hated that little beepitybeepbeepbeeper. What a manipulative, cunning, heartless, soulless person you were. You stole your sister's son and banished her from the kingdom. You convinced the king to have his wife (the lawful queen) banished from the kingdom. You deserved to get your head chopped off. I may have cheered at that part.
Mary Boleyn. Okay, you're not quite as bad as the rest of your family, but my gosh are you a freaking idiot. I mean, really??? After all that your sister did to you, you go back and indulge her and her stupid games? You make some really bad choices, Mary. I suppose I can't totally blame you since you were so manipulated by your family, but holy balls. I'm just glad that, in the end, you were intelligent enough to stay away. I appreciate that you eventually figured out that true love was more important than power.

George Boleyn. You disgust me. I'm pretty sure you were all up into making a monster baby with your sister Ann. That's right, you slept with your sister to get her pregnant. You. are. NASTY. Let's not talk about your relationship with little boys, either. I have no words. I'm glad your head was chopped off, too.

King Henry. You suck at life.

Overall, I'd give this book an A-. The author did a very good job of developing the characters and turning a part of history into a very engaging and entertaining story. I guess the only reason it didn't score higher is because there were parts where it was fairly slow-moving and I got bored.

What did you think? Feel free to link up both book and movie reviews below! Don't forget about the video chat on Thursday!! 

Sunday Confessions Link Up

Hola!! 

You know how to do it - grab a button, link up, and visit some other bloggers while you're at it!
 
1. I have absolutely sucked at doing my weekly belly pictures. I have a few weeks' worth on my camera, but haven't had the time (or desire) to sit down and edit them. Maybe I will this weekend...

2. I caved and bought a pair of maternity leggings. Yes, I spent the freaking ridiculous amount of $20 on LEGGINGS. Were they worth it? Holy balls, yes. I want another pair. I'm trying to avoid anything else maternity besides those, though. We'll see if I can do it.

3. I am way less health-conscious now than I was before I got pregnant. Like, I work out... almost never. I don't really care what I eat as long as there's at least one serving of fruits/veggies a day. It's probably bad, but I figure that I'm right on track with weight gain, my blood pressure is as low as ever, and baby girl is definitely getting HUGE in there. Why worry myself sick about how many grams of whole grains I'm getting when all is well?

4. I have listened to this song at least 30 times in the past 2 days. Maybe I'm biased because it's my husband, but I think it's amazing.
5. I want to get my hair dyed. But... I'm cheap. And apparently once you get it dyed, you have to keep going back. And... I'm cheap.

What do you have to confess? 

What to Expect when You're Expecting: Food.

Happy Wednesday! 

Holy moly. Please tell me I am not the only one ready for this week to be over. It's sad that I find myself counting down to the weekend first thing Monday morning, but Wednesdays always bring the comforting fact that the week is officially halfway over (at noon, anyway).

Anyway. On to Part Three of What to Expect when You're Expecting (an extremely condensed and not at all accurate representation of pregnancy). Today we'll be talking about food.

1. You will cry over food. Or maybe this is just me? I mean, I cried about cupcakes with frosting when I wasn't even pregnant. I could just be extremely passionate about the stuff I eat, but I think the hormones make even "normal" women cry about tacos at least once. Or they may cry and practically flip out on a cafeteria worker when they are REALLY wanting mashed potatoes and the cafeteria at work doesn't have them. Still just me? Well, then. Moving on...

2. You may not have weird cravings. I don't want to eat chalk. My mouth doesn't water when I walk by the charcoal briquettes at the store. I don't run to my front lawn and eat a handful of dirt for breakfast. If you do crave something crazy like this, take a look at your diet and make sure you're getting all the right nutrients for you and your baby!
3. You may almost vomit and just the thought of eating some of your favorite foods from your pre-pregnancy days. Food aversion - it's real, people! And your tastes can change like that *snaps*! One day tacos may sound delicious. The next, you may make a run for the bathroom at the mere mention of a flour tortilla.

4. You will eat more than your 6'7" husband. You can obviously adjust that height to be a bit more... fitting. But seriously. There are days when I can eat, and eat, and EAT! I don't even know where it goes - my baby must be a food hoarder.

5. You will eat less than your pet hamster. I don't even know how much hamsters eat, but it can't be a lot, right? Anyway, one day you will be a ravenous pig, and then POOF! Just like that, it's gone. You can barely eat a few crackers. It's like your food hoarding baby just released all of your food back into your belly and you are FULL. I tell you what, the appetite comes and goes, my friends.
And that's that. I mean, I was really expecting to have more to say about food, but I guess I don't. You know what I have plenty to say about, though?? CLOTHES. Yes, next week we will be talking about those wonderful things that keep us from walking around naked.

In other news... Don't forget about the book club book review link up next Tuesday! If you've forgotten, the book is The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory. Next month's book is Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin.

Timing.

Hi guys! 

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend, and to those of you who don't have to work because of Martin Luther King Day.... I  am jealous, and I just don't know if we can be friends anymore.

Anyway. Today I wanted to share something that is personal, but very important to me. I've wrestled a lot with whether or not I wanted to share this experience here, and, in the end, I've decided that it is something that I would like documented.

Timing - it is everything, especially when a couple is considering having children. Couples find themselves asking, "Is now the right time to have a baby? Is there ever a right time to have a baby? Are we financially secure enough to bear the burden of the cost of a baby?" Like many other couples, Mike and I found ourselves asking those questions.

In August of 2011, we were headed to Europe for ten months. We would have insurance and plenty of time on our hands. We prayed and prayed, and didn't know if having a baby was something that we should do at that point in our lives. We decided to leave it up to fate - we wouldn't try, but we wouldn't not try, either.

If I'm being honest, the fact that I stopped taking that little blue pill at 7:00 a.m. on the dot  every day terrified me. I was only 23 with my whole life ahead of me - I wasn't ready for a baby. I was secretly hoping that it wasn't the time, that things wouldn't work out. At the same time, though, I found myself slightly disappointed each month that I wasn't pregnant.

The months went by, we came back to the United States, and we started looking at houses and jobs. In July we closed on our house and I got a full-time job (you know, the kind with insurance and a salary). We began to wonder if now was the time - should we start thinking a little more seriously about having kids?

This is the part where I tell you that I believe in God. I believe that His timing is everything, and I believe that He knows what we need to hear and when we need to hear it. This is where I share my testimony - I believe in divine revelation, and I believe that, through the holy ghost, our Heavenly Father speaks to us. These revelations can be had through peaceful feelings, thoughts, and even dreams. This is where I share a revelation that I hold very dear to my heart.

Over Labor Day weekend, Mike and I were visiting my parents. Before I go deeper into this story, I want to share that my [then] 16-year-old brother's girlfriend had recently given birth to his child. Because of the circumstances under which that precious little boy came into this world, I harbored a lot of resentment toward him. I hated him because he was born into a broken family, to a girl who couldn't care for him. I hated him because I know many people who would have given anything to have that baby, who could have given him a happy, full life. I hated him because of the mistakes that my brother and his girlfriend had made.

I didn't want to hold him - I didn't want to be around him at all, actually. At one point, though, my brother put him in my arms. I took him upstairs, held him close to me, and rocked him. Eventually, I laid him down on my lap, and I was overcome with a feeling of peace. At that moment, I was told that I could not hate this sweet spirit because of what other people had done. I was told that it was time, and that everything would work out - everything would be okay. 

Two weeks later, I took a pregnancy test and it was positive.

You see, we don't have a lot of money, Mike's still in school, and things aren't exactly easy. In the eyes of the world, our timing probably isn't great. In the eyes of God, though, our timing is perfect because it isn't ours at all - it's His, and His timing is everything. 

Sunday Confessions Link Up

Happy Sunday! 

Hold on to your britches... I have an actual post for you today. I know, I know - pick up your jaws off the floor please.
 
First things first - if you're linking up, please be sure to grab a button, link to your actual post (not just your home page), and visit some other blogs!


1. I'm jamming out to NSync while writing this. I'm not ashamed to say that I still love me some old school boy band music. This is my childhood, people! Fifth grade Alyx would be very proud of me.

2. I had a Kristen Bell-esque breakdown yesterday (think sloth). If you follow me on instagram, you probably saw this beautiful picture:
A friend compared it to this:
And I have to say - we could be twinsies. Story: I freaked out during the labor and delivery part of "What to Expect when You're Expecting." Once I realized how irrational and ridiculous I was being, I started laughing my butt off. Then I started crying because I realized that a watermelon would have to come out of my lady parts. Then I told Mike to "take a picture so I can blog about how crazy I am!" He's such a good husband. I feel like most husbands would question their psycho wives, but mine just went for my phone.

3. I had cheetos for breakfast yesterday. Don't judge. They were screaming my name from across the room.
4. I had a dream that random people were touching my belly and I didn't like it. Tell me, do people actually do that? Because that is so not cool.

5. I wish I was more crafty. Really, I do! I constantly pin things on Pinterest that I know I will probably never successfully make, but it makes me feel better to at least take that first step of pinning the idea.

PS: Have you entered this giveaway yet??? 

What do you have to confess today?? 

When Life Gives You Books... and Earrings?

OH HAPPY DAY!!! 

It is hump day, and you know what that means?! We are halfway through the work week, people! This week has just dragged, and it feels like the last thing I want to do is go to work. I wonder if that feeling is because of these lovely things: 
Books. Oh, how I love them. I have to tell you guys a secret - my blogging has been lame lately because I've had my nose constantly stuck in a book. But... when life gives you books, you read them. Right? 

Just this year, I've read Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver (the sequel to Delirium), The Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspear, The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory (for blogger book club... have you read it yet?), and Motor Mouth and Metro Girl (both by Janet Evanovich). I'm reading Uglies by Scott Westerfeld right now, and it's good. Like, really good.

Anyway. I made it a goal to read 100 books this year, and by golly, I am determined to reach that insane number! So... while I'm off reading and being a little nerdy-faced bookworm, I have a very special treat for you - awesome earrings. And when life gives you the chance to win earrings, you keep on reading. Right? Right. They are available for YOU to win from an awesome blogger.... who you will meet right.....  

now

Hey Every Day is a new Adventure readers! I'm Eryka, the writer behind the blog ABCDE and the owner of the little shop Made with Love, & that handsome guy up there is my hubby hubs! I love pretty things, blogging, date nights with hottie of a husband, and good hair days. I blog about my life as a wifey as well as share things I love. I started my shop a few months ago as a fun hobby. I love making pretty things, so I thought, why not share them with everyone?!

You are in for a treat! I am giving one of you lucky readers a pair of earrings from my shop Made with Love. So awesome right? 
That's it! Good luck and thanks for letting stop on over Alyx!!!
xoxo
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Crazy hair... DON'T CARE!

HIIII!!!! 

Hope you all are having a fabulous Tuesday. Just think - we're one day closer to the weekend! That's a win for everyone.

Anyway. Today I want to talk to you about hair. You're probably thinking something along the lines of, who the heck are you to blog about hair? In practically every picture I have ever seen of you, your hair is pulled back into a crappy ponytail. 
Touche, my friend - tou-freaking-che.

I'm sure you're just dying to know what I could possibly have to say on the subject of hair, aren't you? Well, it's your lucky day, because I am going to tell you right....
meow. 

A few weeks ago, I was asked to do a review of a Misikko Hana Pro 1" Flat Iron. As a person who has crazy (read: craptastic) hair exactly 98.73% of the time, I was absolutely ecstatic. I thought, HEY! Now I can go out in public with my hair down and straight! What a victory! As someone who has only owned a total of two flat irons in her entire adult life, I was pretty dang excited to receive this totally rockin' one from Misikko.
Can you imagine my surprise when I got this beautiful package delivered to my door?! It was not just a flat iron - it was a brush, a cooling mat, some bubble bath roses, some makeup, hand sanitizer, and a Christmas ornament. I was flabbergasted. I thought, either this flat iron is a piece of poop, or these people just have amazing customer service. I'll give you a hint - it's the second option.

Don't believe me? Here's the proof.
Yeah - that took me less than 10 minutes. And now we have a happy Alyx who chants "Straight hair... DON'T CARE!!" instead of what I used to grumble. And maybe, just maybe, I look like one of those people who puts effort into their appearance. But probably not.

Sunday Confessions Link Up

Happy Sunday!

Grab a button and link on up!
 
My only confession today: 

I haven't had the time this week to check out the blogs that were linked up last week, so if I haven't visited... don't be offended. I'll get to it today. I'm planning on taking a couple of hours to blog this evening, so hopefully I'll be able to visit all of you!

Oh, and my boobs itch. That's my other confession.

Link up below! 

What to Expect when You're Expecting (Part 2)

Hi guys! 

Happy Friday! 

Before I go into part two of my little pregnancy series that I like to call What to Expect when You're Expecting (an extremely condensed and not at all accurate Representation of Pregnancy) (you can find part one here), I wanted to let you all know that the book for February is Something Borrowed. If your library has a waiting list, get on it now!

Anyway. Now it is time for part two...

Things I Wish People had Told me about Pregnancy

11. How often you will have to show off your lady parts. Ummm let's just talk about how open us pregnant ladies have to be. I mean, obviously I knew that I'd be showing the whole world my junk during labor, but I didn't expect so much of it before the fact. 

I knew what dilation was, but it did not occur to me how they would measure. It also did not occur to me that I would have to do a vaginal ultrasound along with a normal one at my 20-week appt. It ALSO did not occur to me that if you are having any strange symptoms down there, the doc will want to check it out. 

12. You will be scratching more than a monkey on crack. I found myself scratching my boobs in public today, and I didn't notice until I'd been doing it for a good thirty seconds. I'm constantly trying to relieve myself of my itchy stomach, as well, so I probably just look like some chunky meth-head. 
13. Your mouth will never be the same. Weird, right? Your gums will probably bleed. If you've had braces, your teeth will move more than usual. You may drool more than normal. 

14. You will not only scratch like a monkey - you will probably start to look like one, too. Your hair will grow thicker (and, in my case, darker). This is great for your head, but not so great for your arms, legs, and umm... other places. 

15. TUMS aren't candy - they actually have a purpose, and you will come to keep them around for said purpose, not just because they taste good. Or am I the only one that treated TUMS like candy before I got pregnant? Anyway, you'll go through a bottle of that stuff if you're lucky enough to get the killer heartburn that oh, so many prego ladies get. 
And that is where I stop. Next up - What to Expect when You're Expecting (Part 3) - and this time we'll be talking about FOOOOOOODDDD!!!! 

Blogger Book Club February Vote - Romance

Hey everyone!! 

Hope your week has started off great, and for those of you going back to school today... only 4.5 more months till summer break - WOOOOO!! Start those countdowns.

Anyway. I've got a job for you wonderful people. Below are three books - they are the ones we are considering for book club for February. If you could vote for the one you most want to read, that would be fabulous. The genre for February is romance. *all synopses and book covers are from goodreads.

Option One: Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
Something Borrowed tells the story of Rachel, a young attorney living and working in Manhattan. Rachel has always been the consummate good girl---until her thirtieth birthday, when her best friend, Darcy, throws her a party. That night, after too many drinks, Rachel ends up in bed with Darcy's fiancé. Although she wakes up determined to put the one-night fling behind her, Rachel is horrified to discover that she has genuine feelings for the one guy she should run from. As the September wedding date nears, Rachel knows she has to make a choice. In doing so, she discovers that the lines between right and wrong can be blurry, endings aren't always neat, and sometimes you have to risk all to win true happiness. Something Borrowed is a phenomenal debut novel that will have you laughing, crying, and calling your best friend.

Option Two: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Orphaned into the household of her Aunt Reed at Gateshead, subject to the cruel regime at Lowood charity school, Jane Eyre nonetheless emerges unbroken in spirit and integrity. 

She takes up the post of governess at Thornfield, falls in love with Mr. Rochester, and discovers the impediment to their lawful marriage in a story that transcends melodrama to portray a woman's passionate search for a wider and richer life than Victorian society traditionally allowed. 

With a heroine full of yearning, the dangerous secrets she encounters, and the choices she finally makes, Charlotte Bronte's innovative and enduring romantic novel continues to engage and provoke readers.

Option Three: Bookends by Jane Greene
On the heels of her national bestsellersJemima JandMr. Maybe, British sensation Jane Green delivers a sparkling tale of old friends reunited and old jealousies rekindled. Catherine Warner and Simon Nelson are best friends: total opposites, always together, and both unlucky in love. Cath is scatterbrained, messy, and–since she had her heart broken a few years back–emotionally closed off. Si is impossibly tidy, bitchy, and desperate for a man of his own. They live in London’s West Hampstead along with their lifelong friends, Josh and Lucy, who are happily married with a devil-spawn child and a terrifying Swedish nanny, Ingrid. All’s well (sort of) until the sudden arrival of a college friend–the stunningly beautiful Portia, who’s known for breaking hearts. Though they’ve grown up and grown apart from Portia, the four friends welcome her back into the fold. But does Portia have a hidden agenda or is she merely looking to reconnect with old friends? Her reappearance soon unleashes a rollicking series of events that tests the foursome’s friendships to the limit and leaves them wondering if a happy ending is in store. Fortunately, Cath has plenty to take her mind off Portia’s schemes–like her gutsy decision to leave her job in advertising to fulfill her dream of opening a bookstore. And then there’s James, the sexy real-estate agent who keeps dropping by even after the bookstore deal is done. With his irresistible smile and boyish charm could he be the one to melt Cath’s heart?

Sunday Confessions Link Up

Happy Sunday!!! 

As usual, grab a button, write some confessions, and link on up! Don't forget to stop by some other blogs while you're at it!
 
1. I eat ice cream out of the container. I know, I know - I'm a sinner. If it helps, I always get new ice cream if we're going to have someone over for dinner/dessert.

2. I have become a phone person. You know, one of those people who always has their phone with them? Yeah, I've become one, and I'm not happy about it. I guess that's what happens when you have a phone with cool apps that actually function.

3. I walked around the office with my pants unzipped on Friday and totally didn't realize it. Oops. I suppose it is time to invest in a couple of pairs of maternity pants? Unless I want to keep prancing around with my underwear hanging out - also a very viable option (it's what the cool kids do).
4. I am itching to paint the rest of our house. After painting the nursery and seeing what a difference it can make, I want to finish every room. We will eventually, but I'm ready to get it all done now. 

5. I am hooked on this month's book for book club! Seriously - it's so good. Have you read it? I'm about halfway done.

Link up your confessions below!! 

BOOK CLUB JANUARY BOOK.

Yo party people! Just wanted to stop in really quick and let you all know that the book for January is "The other Bolelyn Girl" by Phillipa Gregory.

Gone Girl.

Holy freaking balls. I can't even really greet you today - my mind is THAT messed up right now. You want to know why my mind is messed up? I'll give you a hint:
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.

That's right - a book. A freaking book has got me confused about life, staring at my cat with my jaw dropped, and generally shocked. Here's my problem - I get way too into books. I start to feel the emotions of the characters, and let me tell you - that can be exhausting. Especially when I've gotten myself into a book like this one (note: I was supposed to read this for book club in November, but JUST got it from the library).

WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS. 

This book is classified as a thriller. Holy crap, did they get that one right! I started it on my lunch hour on Friday, and was super mad that I am incapable of finishing a 420 page book in a mere 45 minutes. I woke up on Saturday and wandered around my house wondering what I should do when I remembered the book. What a great way to spend my Saturday, right?!

WRONG.

My Saturday was spent feeling a crapload of emotions that weren't even my own. I went from being all happy hunky dory to pissed off at the world, hating Nick, thinking he was some sort of crazy schizophrenic batcase, to loving him and feeling sorry for him, to hating his freaking cheating and lying guts, to thinking, "Maybe he didn't do it." The exact same thing happened with Amy, except I eventually settled on, "OHMYGOSH I HATE THAT FREAKING MANIPULATIVE, LYING, PSYCHOPATH!!!"

In a matter of hours, I was physically exhausted from feeling so many emotions. I had to take a break after I found out that Amy was crazy enough to actually kill someone. Actually, this story is full of freaking crazies. I mean, Amy is obviously the craziest, but Nick? I mean, come on! Grow a pair, man! Instead of going back to your crazy wife, why don't you let her rot in prison for what she did to you? WHY ARE YOU PLAYING HER GAME?!?!?

Anyway... let me just touch on the end of the book before this review turns into a novel of its own. I didn't like the ending - it left me angry and confused. I mean, I understand Nick's willingness to do anything for his child, but it sickens me that the "anything" he would do for said child includes staying with his psychopathic, lying, and murdering wife. Why wouldn't he try to fight this thing and prove that she framed him and murdered Desi? UGH. Some people's kids, I swear.

Grade: B. I'd give it a better grade if it weren't for the ending and complete lack of character growth in Nick. The constant use of the f-word and other completely inappropriate language sort of turned me off as well. But... It kept me on the edge of my seat, made me want more, and was a pretty good read when I wasn't pissed off at the world. In the end, I'd say it was definitely worth reading, and I'd recommend it to anyone without virgin ears.

Have you read this book? What did you think?