Working Out and Eating Cleaner...

Since April 1, 2014 I have been pushing myself further than I have ever pushed myself before. I've been eating cleaner, working out doing blogilates and weights that I have at home. My collection will eventually grow - kettleballs, heavier weights, etc. Until then I use what I have. Mostly my own body. I finally treated myself to a yoga mat and MY GOD! it has made such a huge difference.

So, in the last two and a half months I have made so many wonderful changes for myself when it comes to how I take care of my body, from the inside out. I also have met so many amazing people along this journey. I have a new outlook on life, but I still have to put that new outlook on some other parts of my life. One thing at a time.

I absolutely LOVE eating the way I've been eating lately. I love fresh foods, fish, chicken, turkey and everything else that I have learned about that has made my process of eating "whatever" to eating healthy.

I don't weigh myself often, mainly because when I was weighing myself nothing was moving on the scale. I have lost a lot of inches (I wish I would have thought to measure myself on April 1st) and now I have finally started shedding some weight. 10 lbs to be exact.

At first this journey was strictly about losing weight. About fitting in clothes that I love. About being able to be comfortable and look nice during the summer. Now, this journey as opened my eyes to greater things. Living longer for my children. Being as healthy as I possibly could be. This isn't a diet so I will have some times here and there where I will eat something off from what I would normally eat, but you won't see me picking up processed cheese or eating anything with an ingredient list that's longer than my leg. I do still want to live and enjoy things. I now, just limit myself. If it's a yolo day I will have one of something. Or try to make it as healthy as possible. No fried foods, which now make me literally sick to my stomach. Sweets, well I used to be a huge sweets person. Now, if i have a thin piece of cake for a birthday or special occasion my mouth literally hurts. Then, my stomach.

This wasn't a hard task that I started. I thought it would be so strenuous and annoying and everything else negative. I think though that I was finally ready. My body had always been ready to lose weight. It was my mind and spirit that just wasn't ever fully into it. I truly believe that every part of my being was finally ready to be better, feel better and look better. Mostly, be healthier.

I started to run and I really suck at it. Majorly. I just wish that we had a park around here that I could feel so comfortable in that running would be the last thing on my mind because I would be too busy enjoying myself with the scenery. Unfortunately, I have yet to find a place. So I will have to hold off on the 5k I wanted to join. But that's ok! When I'm ready, I'll join another one.

So I would like to remember if at possible to document this journey further. I just always seem to forget to blog about it. I don't forget to post about it on Instagram though. =/

If there is anyone out there that is trying to lose weight or just wants to know how to eat better, I can actually help. I'm at that point where I have become an inspiration to others (so I've been told) and I would love to be one to anyone else who is willing to give me the chance.

-Cheryl

Something New This Way Comes!

As of tomorrow I'm going to be starting a new journey. I have decided that I want to run. Maybe even become a runner. Crazier things have happened! I don't know exactly how this will end but I want to start this journey with a positive attitude and hopes in myself that I become disciplined enough to do what I need to.

I'm going to register with a pretty cool marathon called The Color Run. I've heard of it before and know people who have participated in ones like this. I figured that if I'm going to start a marathon it might as well be one that is considered extremely fun and if I have to walk most of it I won't feel too bad.

So, the journey will begin tomorrow morning after I send my children off to school. I'm going to start my 3 days a week 30 minutes a day walking/running intervals. I'm going to start off slow on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Next week I will start of doing better (hopefully). I will run Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. If I do this every week for the next 9 weeks I should be able to run the 5K or at least 2 miles. I'm hoping to be able to run even 1 mile without any problems. I have faith in myself and I think if I make this into a fun goal I will push myself that much more.

I'm so proud of myself that I have been setting goals and starting to accomplish them. Slowly... extremely slowly, but definitely surely.

I would like to document my progress with my running and my Blogilates that I will also still be doing just not as much. It's very hard on someone like me who is so extremely out of shape. Although since Blogilates I have been much more flexible my agility is so much better and my strength has increased, so I definitely do not want to stop. Eating has become better as well. I can't diet. It's just not in my way. I can however eat better and make better decisions when it comes to what I put in my body. Plus I love trying new things like healthy smoothies and snacks.

Wish me luck!

- Blogilates -

This is the whole idea. I'm hoping to look like a beauty again. 

Once upon a time I thought I could pass for someone attractive. After having my son, that feeling diminished. No one made me feel that way. No one ever put me down about my weight or asked why I wasn't wearing makeup anymore, or why I always looked like I just rolled out of bed. All of the feelings I have had about myself the past 8 years is all on me. I'm not only my worst critic when it comes to writing, but I'm my worst enemy when it comes to anything else that has to do with myself. 

I always felt that I had to work to be pretty. By work I mean wear makeup and always make sure my hair was done or wearing figure flattering clothes (when I was skinny of course). I didn't mind because I love wearing makeup and I love(d) shopping and I love doing my hair. I just didn't care at all about that once I had my son. 

First off, I had two other children and an apartment to take care of when he was born. I rarely had time for myself other than writing. After some time I just became used to "letting myself go". That being "used to" stretched for almost 8 years now. I had tried to lose weight last year and I did. 20 lbs. That 20 lbs took me forever to get rid of. A strict low calorie diet 24/7 and working out in the gym 5 days a week. This went on for 3 months. Now it wasn't so bad because I felt great, but if that was a few years before I would have lost 60 lbs, not 20. I know with age your body changes and with having children it can change as well. Up until my son my body was always the same. No, I'm lying. My body did change. For the better. I lost almost 80 lbs after my first child and I gained 20 lbs with my second and lost 15 so I was always happy with the way I looked, and felt. I thought, well with 2 small children an apartment and constantly going out with the kids while I was pregnant (and watching how I ate so I didn't retain water or too much weight) I figured that I would maybe gain 20 lbs with him. And that was how it felt. Even after I had him I didn't look like I gained much weight. I actually remember a friend of mine saying to me that she never would have guessed I was pregnant just a couple of weeks before.

Then the strangest thing happened.

I looked like I gained 100 lbs. I looked it up and basically my body hadn't "hardened" up after my son so everything was kind of hidden if you will. Once my body started to get itself back into a normal form, my true weight gain shown. How could this have happened? I was active. I was eating right. I was sleeping right. I was taking all my vitamins, going to all my appointments and never getting told once I was gaining too much. I was always told, "you're doing just great!"

So, how can someone who hardly gained extra weight during the entire pregnancy, look as if I had gained almost 100 lbs? 

I have no idea.

I don't eat much, I'm was active as a mother can be but I decided that I didn't have the energy to diet or work out. So... I let myself go.

When 2014 rang its bells I make a big decision. I was no longer going to "let myself go" or "feel sorry for myself". I was going to take my life back that I have felt that I've lost this whole time and be happy again. The more I'm happy, the more everyone else around me is happy. Or at least I like to make believe that's true. 

Losing weight and becoming more healthy wasn't my only New Year's Resolution. I made a promise to myself that I would get past my fears as well. My biggest fear? Failing. I chose to push myself to the fullest, with my writing, my family, my friends, my life. 

I had been following Cassey Ho from Blogilates for some time now. I just never tried out any of her exercises. I never listened to her advice on how to live better and be happier. Something, not sure what, but something made me go on her website, sign up to her April Beginner's Calendar and start doing something to shed these pounds. I've only lost 1 lb but I have become stronger and more flexible and I have agility. My posture is the best it's probably ever been and I may not be shedding pounds right now, but the benefits so far are working incredible for me. My back hurts, well... never now. My shoulder that was killing me for months doesn't hurt at all. I suggest anyone and everyone to go to her site and push yourself as far as you can. That's what I'm doing and MY GOD it's hard. 

But it feels so good!

Deciding to be a little more happy..

I think I deserve to be happy. I think I deserve to love myself and appreciate myself more.

I’m tired of being unhappy. I’m tired of not liking who I see in the mirror every morning. I’m tired of having little patience with myself and the people around me. I’m tired of just not enjoying the fact that I’m a live and that my children, as crazy as they are, love me unconditionally. That alone is a reason to love life. I need to start appreciating things more. I’m not happy that I don’t have my own home yet. But someday I know I will and I need to strive and work harder for that. I’m tired of feeling bad for myself and I’m tired of giving up. But I’m also tired of not doing anything for myself. Everything in my life revolves around my children, which of course is how things are supposed to be, but I also need something for myself again.

I've made a list for myself of things that used to make me happy. As little as some of them are they worked wonderfully at keeping me focused. If I want to eventually make it into the writing world as a published author, I need focus.

Here is a list of ten things, simple as they are, that make me happy and I miss.
(The #1 thing that makes me happy is seeing my children smile and knowing they are happy and as miserable as I've been feeling lately I always make sure to make them happy. This is a list just for me.)

1. Writing my WIP’s
2. Blogging
3. FanFiction
4. Taking Pictures
5. Walking
6. Reading
7. Playing Outside With The Kids
8. Drawing
9. Eating Better
10. Organizing 

A little, everyday I’m going to start doing these simple things on my list. Maybe some days I can do them all. But I will not overwhelm myself like I always do when I try to get back into my life. Eventually more important things will come around that I will want to do for myself and I will add them to this list, but for now I will start with these little things.

day 5 (late) - nanowrimo - in the beginning... or the middle... or start at the end.

I have too many ideas for my stories. That sounds like a stupid thing to say because having ideas (even too many) is the point! But when I have tons of ideas -not in ANY order- I start to get discouraged. I start to get frustrated. But I think I should write whatever comes to mind. I will just keep writing later scenes if need be until I can eventually fit them all together. If I can't, then the story just isn't meant to be. I have more then enough stories to choose from to be a finished project. Think Positive. The only way to be!




Day 5 - NaNoWriMo - I only went ankle deep into my writing last night. Well, maybe more like dipped my toes in. I had an idea for a later scene and I went with it. I just didn't realize how little the scene was. Is it wrong if I pick apart another story for NaNoWriMo? I think I just may have to do that to get my juices flowing better.

day 3 & 4 - nanowrimo - at least i'm writing

I didn't get to write a thing yesterday or really get on the computer like I wanted to. But today I sort of made up for it. I haven't reached my daily mark but I'm not too far away. Now, I really wanted to write from beginning to end with this years NaNoWriMo but it just isn't working out that way. I have skipped ahead to later scenes for later chapters and started writing them out. Better to write something than nothing at all! Eventually I will piece together this poor story and make into something amazing. (Hopefully).

I've been doing some more outlining and planning and I seem to be changing parts of this story. The basics are the same, the characters and the main plot are the same but the rest of the writing that makes the story flow has gone from fantasy to a more horrory feel. I could be wrong about it though. It may just still be a fantasy. I'll worry about that when I'm done with the whole manuscript.

So for my fellow NaNo'ers... Write On!

day 2 nanowrimo - unfocused

I'm already not happy with myself when it comes to this years NaNoWriMo. Yesterday I wrote a measly 500 words. Today I barely finished a paragraph. Now, I can put all the blame on the fact that my kids have been home since last Saturday, (which really isn't helping my creative juices at all!) but I would be a big fat liar. Yes, my son asking me to help him play a game or fix something every few seconds can get you side tracked and yes my daughters fighting over every little thing that comes out of their mouths can put a damper on ones focus, and having the rest of the family talking to me when they see I'm typing can really make someone frustrated. But the truth of the matter is... my head just isn't in it.

Once upon a time I was at the height of my creativity and I had my three kids, in-laws and a other half who is almost like having a 4th child. So why was it so easy to write then? Why do I have a fanfiction that has more words in it then some finished novels on shelves? I could blame everyone around me. I want to blame everyone around me because then I wouldn't have to blame myself.

I'm my own worst enemy when it comes to writing. Hell, I'm my own worst enemy when it comes to a lot of things but it truly disappoints me the most when it comes to my writing because it was once such an important and constant thing in my life. I have wanted to be a writer since I'm 11 years old. My imagination has been my best friend all these years and something I am so grateful that I was born with. I still love to read, (probably more now then I have ever in my life) I have tons of ideas for stories, tons of ideas for WIPs. My mind is constantly churning with everything word related. Yet here I sit, another day staring at that blinky thing on my open word wondering... why is nothing happening? I don't know why and I don't know if I ever will. But I do know one thing. I will never give up. No matter how little I write or how many unanswered questions I have for myself, I won't give up. That is a promise I have made for myself and a promise I plan on keeping. Without writing, no matter how little I do, I would be lost.

So NaNoWriMo... here I come. One blank page at a time!

day 1 nanowrimo - excited

Happy First Day of NaNoWriMo!

1,667 words

30 days

I haven't written anything yet but I have tons of ideas and outlines planned out. Characters are still in the works, minus the ones I already have. Which, really, isn't much. But... I'm hopeful. I'm going to try to get my 1,667 in before the night is through. If not, I better get my butt in gear tomorrow! Good luck to all of my fellow NaNoWriMo'ers. 

Five Questions

Grabbed this from Amber over at Adventures in AmberLand.


5 places you need to visit: 
Ireland
Scotland
England
Maine
California

5 places you would love to call home: 
Maine
Pennsylvania
Ireland
California
England

Top 5 favorite things in your life: 
My Kids
Writing
Reading
Losing weight
Determination in everything I do!

5 things you want to cross off your bucket list or goal list this year:
Finish writing one of my novels.
Reach my goal weight.
Start a Diary and Write in it Everyday.
Stop caring about what people think.
Have fun.


5 random facts about yourself: 
Spiders make me hyperventilate.
I have a fear of Bridges.
I’ve never been on a plane.
I start things and never finish them… (I’m hoping this changes)
I never feel like I'm good enough, for anyone or anything.

Losing Weight

I have been on a calorie counting diet since April 24, a SlimFast diet since about 3 weeks ago and going to the gym almost daily since May 15. Finally on Saturday for the first time in about 5 years I felt good about myself. I have lost a total of 9 pounds! Now, that may not be a lot or even enough to be noticeable to others that I have in fact lost weight, but it was a huge milestone to me. Every ten pounds I lose will be like winning the lottery. I'm proud of myself and even more motivated than I was before. I am hoping that during this summer I can actually buy some clothes and feel comfy and not like a whale who everyone is talking about. So hopefully I will have enough confidence to post some pics of my progress. If not, I'll just write here and there about my accomplishment.

P.S. Eating healthier can actually be fun and tastes great!!

Halloween Time!

My favorite time of year has always been Halloween. I'm a horror movie junkie, a lover of the creepy and misunderstood. The scarier the better. I love everything there is to love about Halloween. From the movies to even the colors. So every year I like to try to do something fun for the kids. This year I decided to do some decorative cupcakes. I also made the kids a dark red drink of Pepsi and the juice from the Maraschino Cherries. It was actually pretty good.

So during my browsing on the web and magazines I found some fun ideas for cupcakes. Some were extremely time consuming. Some were kinda lame the more I thought about them and some were so perfect. Those became an issue since I could only pick 3 to make. I would have done more but I didn't want to take all day doing this.




Finally after debating with myself on what to make my adorably bratty children, I chose the three in the above picture. Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes, Haunted Forest Cupcakes and Vampire Cupcakes. I changed a couple of things on the cupcakes though. Which make them feel more like mine then something I just found. Just simple tiny things.

For one, instead of putting mini Reese's on the top of my Reese's Peanut Butter Cup ones, I piped chocolate spider webs. It was so annoying making them at times but the outcome was awesome. With the Vampire ones instead of having a pie filling like most recipes suggested, I used Red Velvet cake.

Since I suck at giving directions and I didn't entirely follow directions, I will just kinda tell you what I did and hope that I don't sound like a rambling idiot. :)

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes


1 box of desired chocolate cake
1 bag of melting chocolates (I used Dark Chocolate)
Confectioners Sugar
Milk
Peanut Butter
Unsalted Butter (1-3 sticks)

Now I apologize for not being able to give you a precise recipe because I go by eye and taste, but I used 1 small jar of Peanut Butter, half a box of Confectioners Sugar and 1 stick of butter. The milk I put in just a small amount at a time and would add as needed.

Spider Web Template


Haunted Forest Cupcakes


1 box of desired dark chocolate cake mix
1 bag of melting chocolates (I used Dark Chocolate)
1 tub Cream Cheese Frosting

I didn't use frosting on this cupcake other than the cream cheese frosting for the ghosts. The recipe called for two different sized chocolate morsels for the eyes and to make a mouth, but instead I just made my own with the melting chocolate. After making your cupcakes wait for them to cool and pipe your ghosts. Add your eyes and mouths if desired. Place your haunted trees (template below) where you see fit. I personally like them slightly to the side of the ghost.

Haunted Tree Template


Vampire Cupcakes


1 box Red Velvet Cake
1 tub Cream Cheese Frosting
1 tube of decorative red gel

After you put your frosting on make two uneven lines of red gel on each cupcake. At the start of each line poke a hole. I used the back of a paint brush. Super simple. If you would like to do the original recipe for this click here.

How cute is this little guy? I seriously almost didn't want to eat him. I'm sure you know how that ended though.

Operation Beautiful and The Shine Project

Through my blog surfing today I came across a site that I have been following that is doing a Sticky Notes of Kindness challenge. I started to read about this really cleverly cute idea and came across another blog called Operation Beautiful. The creator of that blog had started pretty much the same thing some time ago.

I started to read more into Operation Beautiful and was completely inspired. I know myself, that if I was to find one of these sticky notes in a random place that it would lift my spirits. I absolutely love people who enjoy helping others like this. In a world where you feel like you are alone sometimes, it's a good feeling to know that there are not only others with similar situations that can give advice, but also people who go out of their way to try to make someone smile. I will admit, when I read these two blogs - I smile.

I'm going on vacation in two weeks and me and my daughter Gianna decided that we would like to use this vacation to participate in Operation Beautiful and Sticky Notes of Kindness. Now being they are both basically on the same page it will maybe make it a little easier on us to be apart of both. (I sound so lazy and I completely apologize for that.)

So I will be making a list of the color post-it notes, sharpie's (a MUST), and inspirational words I will be using for this little project. I think this is a good lesson to teach my daughter and a positive out look for myself.

I have been feeling extremely out of place and almost lost since my sons accident. Now, I hate bringing it up just as much as people I'm sure hate hearing about it - but the fact of the matter is, no matter how hard I try to convince myself that I'm ok and that I'm better - I'm not. I worry about everything. I can't stop thinking about the what-if's in life more than normal. I can't look at myself in a mirror without cringing and I can't stop thinking about why I dislike what my life has become. My son's accident put me so far down in a depression that everything else in life - even the most trivial - have become something for me to worry about or hate. Most have to do with what happened to him. But some, like how I look which has nothing to do with him, has become something that affects me on a daily basis.

When I see things like the above challenges, it gives me hope. I swear to you, as the sun shines bright, it gives me hope. I need any inspiration and any hope that I can get my hands on. If writing a few positive words on a post-it can do that then I think I owe myself enough to try it out.

And I think if you have even the slightest drop of negativity towards yourself or your life, I think you owe it to yourself to try it out too. It should be fun!

If you do decide to follow, I would love to see your photos!

Camp NaNoWriMo

I was reminded a week ago about my promise to participate in Camp NaNoWriMo. Thank God for that reminder because in all honesty... I forgot. I really wanted to be apart of this not only for the fun of it, but also to push my lazy a** into writing! I haven't been keeping a single promise I made to myself when it comes to writing in 2011. Why? Because I have 3 children that literally demand my attention almost 24/7, a husband who sometimes is like a 4th child and in-laws that I live with and well, I don't think I need to get into that one.

When I get the writing bug my children won't give me a moment to write. When they go to sleep and there isn't a soul to block my concentration; I'm too tired. So it seems that lately I just can't win. But I need to try. NEVER GIVE UP! That has to be my motto! (Along with 'Believe nothing you see and only half of what you hear.' ) So here is me trying very hard to keep up with my writing. Maybe, just maybe this will help.

I was hoping that I would have at least half of my novel done by the time I start work (kids will be in school a full day as of September 8th so back to work I GO!), but at this rate it will not be the case. So if you know how I feel even in your own way; pray for me. Even if you are one of the lucky ones that never experienced what I'm saying; pray for me. I can use anything at this point. Spiritual, good vibes... etc. etc. So, if you are on the Camp grounds and want to check out if I am trying hard enough, click for my profile here.

Tour of Secrets GIVEAWAY!!!

So I have been following the amazing author Heather McCorkle for awhile now. She is not only an amazing author but a completely awesome person too! So it's no wonder that she would be having such an equally awesome giveaway for the release of her new book The Secret of Spruce Knoll. Rules are simple and the prizes are well, awesome! Click HERE to enter yourself! Good Luck!

formspring.me

Ask me anything http://formspring.me/CherylKeats

Congratulations are in order...

I want to start off by saying this past month has been beyond hectic for me and my kids. Two graduations, two birthdays, planning for the summer for two more birthdays and getting things ready for my kids to be home for the next two months and finally, having family over for the entire 4th of July weekend doesn't entirely sound like a lot I guess, but to me, it's ahelluva lot! Maybe if I had one kid, maybe... MAYBE I wouldn't be so brain tied when it comes to organizing (and dealing with a lot of people at once).

Now that everything is over including the holiday, I can actually chill. I have a lot of posts to put up and I think I shall start with the graduations.

Gianna Graduated on June 28th 2011. My girl is officially a 6th grader! AHH!

I promised my daughter I wouldn't cry so being at her graduation was HARD!

I watched my daughter as she walked down the isle to her seat and had to bite my cheek to stop myself from crying. I watched as she walked across the stage and received her diploma and had to bite my cheek to stop myself from crying. As she turned with her fellow graduates and faced the audience and sang P.S. 36's version of Tao Cruz’s Dynamite (which was crazy clever) I almost didn’t make it.

I held my breath, thought of all I had to do that weekend coming up, even thought about how cruddy it is going to be not getting an inch of me time this whole summer, just to keep from crying. It worked. But only half way. Even though my daughter was only about 6 rows away she couldn’t see that my eyes were watering. Not a single tear escaped. I thought I was in the clear. Then at the end of the ceremony she ran up to me and said… “You cried!” I of course got defensive and told her I did nothing of the sort! But there was no use lying. I admitted to the overly wet eyes but I asked for credit where credit was due. I didn’t let the tears fall at all. I didn’t ball or crunch my face in a confusing look of pain like some people do. I kept my cool, overly blinked my eyes and smiled.

I think I kept my word. Even with all I did to keep from crying, I was the most proud of her I have ever been before. She worked so hard and eagerly to be on that stage. Years of following every rule and showing us as well as herself just how much she could accomplish. I know in my heart she will continue to prove to us all what we already know. That she is a smart and extremely talented amazing young lady.

And as I write this, I bite my cheek.

 

Joseph Graduated on June 23rd 2011. Technically it was called a stepping up, but lets face it - he graduated :P. My little man is now a Kindergartener! Eeep!

As I walked into my sons classroom my nerves started. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that he would not participate in any of the graduating activities other than the eating of junk after. And, I was right. Joseph not only didn’t participate but he shook his head no at me and his father the entire time all the other kids were singing (songs that he in fact sang prior to us getting there without any problems).

We, as nonchalantly as we could, were begging him to sing, move.. Anything! And all we got was a smirk, and several head shakes indicating that he was NOT giving in. -sighs-

After some time we learned that we needed to pay no mind to Joseph because he looked like he was about to cry. The more we begged or watched him, the more he said no, the more red his cheeks became and the more he seemed to get upset. So we decided to watch the other kids for awhile. And we are happy we did. One girl in the class whose mother is a fifth grade teacher that Gianna was very close to throughout the year, was the life of the whole show. She was jamming and singing and grooving and making the most adorable faces. She had the whole class in tears from laughing (while my son was happy in his own little world so it seemed). Overall the graduation was awesome. My son was in a better mood when it was time to sit and eat the cookies, cakes and other treats the class moms arranged for them.

It’s incredible how fast the time flies by. My daughter was just handed to me and now she’s going to be 11 soon. My other daughter Adie will be 7 this month and Joseph will be 5 next month. They were all just babies. I blinked… and now they aren’t. I guess I should be thankful that I started having kids at 20. I will still be semi young when they get even older and just maybe I will get to enjoy them even more.

One can only hope.

 

And just so my baby girl Adie isn't left out of this post (she graduated from Kindergarten last year), here is a pic of all 3 of our kids after Gianna's graduation cake.

The Cake and the Girl

All I have to say is... YAY!!!

So this is what Jem basically looks like? I'm proud of myself. I wasn't too far off. I'm like a child right now. I recieved all my missing The Mortal Instruments books today and I got to see the cover for Clockwork Prince. This whole series has me all... squeaky? happy? childlike? Yes.. all that and then some.

Review - Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices Series #1) by Cassandra Clare

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Release Date: August 2010
Age Range: YA
Genre: Teen Fantasy and Adventure

Pages: 479


Barnes and Noble synopsis...

Tessa Gray descends into Victorian London's dark underworld to search for her missing brother, with the mysterious Shadowhunters as her only allies.

My Review

And this is why I must wait for an entire series to be published and on the shelves before I start reading them. I have little patience. Very little. Now waiting on the next book to be at my fingertips will be hell, torture and everything in between.

I haven’t read the whole Mortal Instruments series -gasps- but can easily say that this is by far my favorite of the two series. I almost love everything set in the Victorian London era. So when anything fantasy or paranormal is twirled in the mix, I’m hooked. Not only was it well written (Cassandra Clare just flows with intelligence with her writing) but the ideas and characters are just flat out amazing. Even those I disliked I couldn’t get enough of. Reading this story was like watching a movie as I sat as the edge of my seat. I ran through this book so desperate to see how things were to unfold for Will, Jem, Tessa and the rest of individually interesting characters. And when I reached the end, surprisingly, I was satisfied. Not that the story had ended! But how she ended it.

I don’t know how to explain to you how much I completely loved this story without giving very important details away so I will just say this about my three favorite characters. I’m in love with Will even though he is by far the most arrogant, rude, thick headed person I have ever met. But I see something under that exterior. Plus, he’s hysterical! Jem is the type of guy that you swoon over and want to be your best friend as well. You could sit and talk to him for hours on end and blush every time he smiles at you. Tessa is strong and intelligent and I would love to know her personally. I want to hug her and laugh with her and even help protect her at times.

Sometimes you get so lost in a story that you look up at the clock and it says 4 am, when you had sat down at about 10 to read it. I pray for those moments every time I sit and open a new book. And this book provided it for me not only one night, but two nights in a row. I am thankful for that. I haven’t been this happy with a book in quite some time. I have no complaints. Nothing I wish would be better or changed. So I suggest for those of you who haven’t read her books to get going already! You are missing out on an awesome ride!

Thank you Cassandra Clare. You freakin rock!

In My Mailbox 2

I ordered myself books the other day from Barnes and Noble. This was a first since I love going right to the store and looking through everything a bagillion times before I take home just the right books. Now, even though I love the whole journey of being in the book store and getting myself a nice cup of coffee, the money I saved on getting it through the mail was kind of sad. Sad because I could have been doing this all along. Saving money = more books! Blah. Well, I know now so I shall do this more often.

Oh how I miss seeing books in the mail! I need to get myself back in the ARC/Reviewing world!!

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

P.S. I'm in the middle of making that blanket thats under the books. I am so excited that I am doing a half decent job! Yay me! :P

Posting long over due fanfiction...

So, in 2008 I met up with some of the most awesome people ever. The MrHedlund.com fellow luva's! Right before I joined the site I got this itch to write a fanfiction about the much loved, Billy Darley from Death Sentence after finally recieving it on DVD. After writing about a page of the new story I went on a venture to learn more about the star Garrett Hedlund who plays the awesomely sexy tattooed bad boy. When I stumbled upon the MrHedlund site I about died. Not only was it filled with equally awesome ppl as myself that completely adore him, but it had... FANFICTION! Each and every part he played was recreated by some really talented people. I was like... this is meant! So, I started to read some of the creative stories and fell on my favorite one, written by no other than my muse, Amber. I made a comment on her story, she made one on mine.. and the rest is history.

A couple of years ago I pulled away from writing more than I wanted to and put my stories on the back burner. This was a mistake on my part, but I just didn't have the mind to continue. Pulling away from the net completely, I kind of just existed for awhile. Then, suddenly I had enough. I started to come on the computer making a promise to some people that I wouldn't leave again (after doing the peek-a-boo act a few times). And leave, I did not. But getting back into the very fun writing of fanfiction was still a long ways away. Slowly but surely I wrote the much anticipated (by me anyway) chapter 22 of my story, It's Almost Easy. That was the easy part. Posting was now my next hurtle, which is the meaning behind this post.

I don't know if I still have the followers I did on both MrHedlund and FanFiction, but I grew a pair and posted anyway. If people want to see this story continue they will read. If no one reads, at least I know I'm going to continue and eventually finish what I started. Which, after a word count of 124,292, I think I owe it to myself if anything to finish the story.

Being I'm my worst critic I will let anyone know that actually wants to read the story that I think of myself as the worst writer in the world. I have grown and have gotten much better since 2008, but to me I still suck. The story is not for people who don't mind seeing a bunch of cursing, sex (not detailed, it‘s not an erotic thriller or anything), violence and drugs. Hey, I just wrote the fanfiction. I didn't make up the concept of the story! :P

You can find the two site to the left at the Where I'm At section. Enter if you dare, and just incase you do ever read... be gentle with me. I'm delicate. And although I may not take criticism well, it is very much needed. How the hell else am I gonna learn?