Chick Lit Plus by Samantha March

Chick Lit Plus

Celebrity gossip, articles on fashion, health, fitness, and beauty.

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My First 5K: Week 15: Training on Vacation
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My First 5K: Week 15: Training on Vacation

Two more weeks to go before The Color Run comes to Des Moines! My training schedule this week and next is a little shifted around. I usually run on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday’s, but we had a wedding out of town this weekend that my fiancé was in, and we will be on vacation starting next Friday visiting my family in North Carolina. When I go on vacations I almost always pack my athletic shoes and can usually fit in at least one for two workouts. The wedding this weekend wasn’t too bad, we left Friday morning and got home Sunday afternoon, so I simply did my Saturday run on Thursday. But next week will be a bit harder, and I’m not positive yet how my schedule will go. But I think it’s important to be conscientious of what your schedule looks like, because I know I would hate not working out or getting in at least two runs Friday- Tuesday (our vacation schedule) and then come home and have The Color Run happen in four days. But hopefully it will all work out and I’ll feel prepared on October 6 for the 3.1 mile run!
Below is my workout schedule for the week. Bold is what I would normally complete, non-bold is the 5K training.
Monday: Run 10 minutes, walk 10 minutes
Tuesday: Walk 15 minutes, 50 minute Billy Blank cardio DVD
Wednesday: Run 15 minutes, walk 15 minutes, 30 minute elliptical
Thursday: Walk 15 minutes, run/walk 3.1 miles
Friday: 20 minute treadmill run/walk
Saturday: Day Off
Sunday: 30 minute treadmill incline walk

September 23, 2012
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In My Mailbox: Week of September 23
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In My Mailbox: Week of September 23

In Samantha’s Mailbox:

Title: A State of Jane

Author: Meredith Schorr

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: Jane Frank is ready to fall in love.

It’s been a year since her long term relationship ended and far too long since the last time she was kissed. With the LSAT coming up she needs to find a long term boyfriend (or husband) before acing law school and becoming a partner at her father’s law firm.

There’s just one problem: All the guys in New York are flakes. They seemingly drop off the face of the earth with no warning and no explanation.

Should she join her best friend Marissa in singlehood, making cupcakes and watching True Blood? Or should she follow her co-worker Andrew’s advice and turn the game back on those who’ve scorned her? As Jane attempts to juggle her own responsibilities and put up with the problems of everyone around her, she starts to realize that the dating life isn’t as easy as she originally thought.

Title: Maven Fairy Godmother: Through the Veil

Author: Charlotte Henley Babb

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: Maven’s new dream job–fairy godmother–presents more problems than she expects when she learns that Faery is on the verge of collapse, and the person who is training her isn’t giving her the facts–and may be out to kill her. Will she be able to make all the fractured fairy tales fit together into a happy ending, or will she be eaten by a troll?

Title: All At Sea

Author: Heather Wardell

Received: From Heather Wardell

Synopsis: Melissa and Owen met on New Years’ Eve and he proposed on Valentine’s Day. Now it’s March, and they’re about to set sail on a two-week Caribbean cruise – and get married on the last day at sea. Though their relationship’s moving fast, Melissa’s wanted to be married for years and she knows the smart stable Owen is a great catch so she’s sure they’ll be fine.

At least, she’s sure until she meets his brothers on the cruise and discovers she’s dated both of them: Austin, the fun-loving flirt whose kisses still haunt her dreams, and Nicholas, the sweet horror movie fan whose lack of ambition upset her in ways she still doesn’t understand.

Melissa expected to spend tons of time onboard with her fiancé, but he instead spends nearly his every waking moment in the casino displaying a previously unseen love of gambling. This surprise, and the time she spends with Nicholas and with Austin, makes her question everything she thought she wanted.

Her relationship with Owen was just fine before, but suddenly ‘just fine’ doesn’t seem good enough to keep a marriage alive for a lifetime. Melissa has two weeks to decide: stay with Owen or jump ship.

In Sara’s Mailbox:

Title: Valentina Goldman’s Immaculate Confusion

Author: Marisol Murano

Received: Dan @ Hipso Media

Synopsis: Since her arrival in the United States from Venezuela, Valentina Goldman isn’t exactly living the American Dream. She’s living the American Nightmare. Her late husband, Max, has left her a young widow, a step-daughter whom Valentina didn’t want, and a bi-polar ex-wife. And oh, having given up her dream job in New York, Valentina is also unemployed in Arizona. Part “Bridget Jones Diary,” part “Modern Family,” “Valentina Goldman’s Immaculate Confusion” is the story of a woman trying to get a handle on her whacky life in America. In breathless, blog-like snippets, Valentina compares her own story with that of her eccentric sister, Azucena, who has bizarre troubles of her own down in the tropics. “Valentina Goldman’s Immaculate Confusion” is a funny and moving story about what happens when a passionate South American woman moves to the USA and, like so many of us, ends up with a life she never imagined.

September 23, 2012
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Beauty Review: CoverGirl 24 Hour Lash Blast Mascara
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Beauty Review: CoverGirl 24 Hour Lash Blast Mascara

Mascara Junkie is back! The latest mascara I gave a try was Covergirl’s 24-Hour LashBlast. It promises three things: volume lasting up to 24 hours, anti-smudging, and bold, intense volume. Does it last 24 hours? Honestly, mine does. When I know I am just going out for a few hours here and there, I won’t wear this mascara, because I find it pointless. I use it on the days where I know I’ll be out and about and not able to retouch up my makeup, so that is a definite plus. It is a bit hard to get off at night, but worth it for me when it actually stays on and (point two) doesn’t smudge or start to crease with my other eye makeup. Can we make it three for three? Actually, yeah. It does give me lashes volume – no length, but that is not what is promised here. I don’t think it will be a favorite mascara of mine mainly because I look for a lengthener too, but this product does what it says it will do, and for that, I am a happy customer.
[Rating: 4]

September 22, 2012
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Lasik Surgery: After the Laser
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Lasik Surgery: After the Laser

I’ve been looking back at my Lasik journey these past few weeks, talking about how I made the decision, the process leading up to it,…

September 20, 2012
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My First 5K: Week 14: What Comes Next
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My First 5K: Week 14: What Comes Next

In just three weeks, I will be running in my first 5K. I’m excited, I’m a bit nervous, but if anything – I feel prepared.…

September 16, 2012
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In My Mailbox: Week of September 16
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In My Mailbox: Week of September 16

In Samantha’s Mailbox:

Title: Diners, Dives and Dead Ends

Author: Terri L Austin

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: As a struggling waitress and part-time college student, Rose Strickland’s life is stalled in the slow lane. But when her close friend, Axton, disappears, Rose suddenly finds herself serving up more than hot coffee and flapjacks. Now she’s hashing it out with sexy bad guys and scrambling to find clues in a race to save Axton before his time runs out.

With her anime-loving bestie, her septuagenarian boss, and a pair of IT wise men along for the ride, Rose discovers political corruption, illegal gambling, and shady corporations. She’s gone from zero to sixty and quickly learns when you’re speeding down the fast lane, it’s easy to crash and burn.

Part of the Henery Press Mystery Series Collection, if you like one, you’ll probably like them all! Diners, Dives & Dead Ends is the first book in the Rose Strickland humorous mystery series. Bonus: Includes book club discussion questions.

Title: Death Turns a Trick

Author: Julie Smith

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis:
Rebecca Schwartz, nice Jewish lawyer with a few too many fantasies, is happily playing the piano in a whorehouse when she suddenly finds herself assigned to make sure a near-naked state senator escapes a police raid. That dirty job done, a lovely evening turns even more delightful when she’s picked up by the cops and spends the next two hours at the Hall of Justice. Could this day get any worse? Of Course! Guess who arrives home to find a dead hooker on her living room floor?

Handsome Parker Phillips, Rebecca’s new beau and the most attractive man she’s met in ages, is arrested for the murder. (Worse, she suspects he might actually have done it.)

On the plus side, another very attractive man is following the case–reporter Rob Burns of the San Francisco Chronicle, a possible ally. And there are other possibilities.

Fans of Janet Evanovich, Joan Hess, and Elizabeth Peters will get a kick out of this one.

Title: The Saint’s Devilish Deal

Author: Kristina Knight

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: Esmerelda Quinn has been looking for a place to belong since her parents were killed in a car crash when she was young. The closest thing to home has always been Aunt Constance’s villa in Puerto Vallarta, so after a string of hotellier jobs, she’s coming home to run the villa.

Santiago Cruz has called the villa home for as long as he can remember. In between surfing events, Constance has always had a room for him. Color him surprised when Constance leaves him with a joint interest in the villa – along with her niece Esmerelda.

Esme isn’t thrilled to share ownership of the villa with the the youngest Cruz brother – especially as the Cruz family has been after the villa for years. But Santiago has grown up while she’s been away and soon she finds herself falling for the rich boy down the hall – all over again.
In Sara’s Mailbox:

Title: The Midwife of Hope River: A Novel of an American Midwife

Author: Patricia Harman

Received By: Heidi @ Harper Collins

Synopsis: Midwife Patience Murphy has a gift: a talent for escorting mothers through the challenges of bringing children into the world. Working in the hardscrabble conditions of Appalachia during the Depression, Patience takes the jobs that no one else wants, helping those most in need—and least likely to pay. She knows a successful midwifery practice must be built on a foundation of openness and trust—but the secrets Patience is keeping are far too intimate and fragile for her to ever let anyone in.

Honest, moving, and beautifully detailed, Patricia Harman’s The Midwife of Hope River rings with authenticity as Patience faces nearly insurmountable difficulties. From the dangerous mines of West Virginia to the terrifying attentions of the Ku Klux Klan, Patience must strive to bring new light and life into an otherwise hard world.

Title: What the Heart Remembers

Author: Debra Ginsberg

Received By: Erin @ Penguin Group

Synopsis: Whispers of the past…

When young Eden Harrison receives a heart transplant from an unknown donor, her seemingly charmed life falls apart. Haunted by dreams of people and places she doesn’t recognize, Eden is convinced that her new heart carries the memories of its original owner. Eden leaves her old life behind as she is mysteriously drawn to the city of San Diego.

Whispers of the mind…

There, Eden becomes fast friends with Darcy, a young woman recently widowed by Peter, her wealthy, much older husband. But Darcy is unsettled by her inability to mourn, and more unsettled by recurring thoughts of Adam, a young musician she was having an affair with–who has suddenly vanished.

Whispers of the heart…

Yet, the more Eden learns about Darcy, the more she realizes that all is not as it seems, and she begins to suspect foul play behind Peter’s and Adam’s fates. As the tension around them escalates, Eden’s mysterious dreams become more and more frequent. Can Eden listen to what her heart is trying to tell her before it is silenced forever?

September 16, 2012
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Baby Talk: Starting Daycare
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Baby Talk: Starting Daycare

seems like the summer has just flown by. On May 26th, my son was born and I was amazed at all things shiny and new that my new life presented. The first two weeks were a blur but we eventually moved past it all and me and the little man finally got into a routine. The days were filled with naps and feedings and fun time together, but I always knew in the back of my mind that our constant time together would eventually come to a hault once I started back to work full time.

One of the things that fellow moms will tell you when you get pregnant is that one of the most important things you can do is start looking for a daycare- and they couldn’t be more right. My husband and I sat down and went over financials to see where we stood and how much we could (and were willing) to spend on daycare for Ethan. We also went over some values and criteria that we deemed important in considering our daycare, and with those few tools in my pocket, I started my search when I was about four months pregnant.

No one ever told me how hard it would be to find a good fit. It seemed like most of the places that I loved were completely out of our price range (seriously, who KNEW daycare would cost so much?) and the ones that fit our budget just didn’t seem like a perfect fit. So, the search continued until finally we found a great fit at a Baptist Church that is literally a few blocks away from where I work. Relieved that I finally found THE ONE, I submitted the paper work and paid our deposit.

I continued on through the rest of my pregnancy feeling completely comfortable with my decision and never once though that I would have an issue with Ethan starting daycare, and that feeling continued right up to August, when our days spent together full time were coming to a close. I cried, I prayed and I thought long and hard about just becoming a stay at home mom, but I knew that it wasn’t really an option for us financially. I mean, technically we could have made it work, but I decided to give it a shot and if I still hated sending Ethan off to daycare and working full time, then I would revisit my decision then. But I had to try first to see how I felt.

The first day crept up on us faster than I care to acknowledge and before I knew it, I was dropping my baby off for his first day at daycare. Oh man, I’ve never been more a mess. I’m sure his teacher was used to seeing mom’s react this way, but I was literally choking back tears the entire time we were there. The husband and I said our good bye’s and walked out of the classroom. I silently watched from the window, wondering how I could possibly do this to my baby, the little guy that I carried in my womb for 9 months. I wept as soon as we got inside the car and was seconds away from running back inside and grabbing Ethan from his teacher’s arms, but the husband reassured me that we were making the right decision and that he would be OK. But, would he be? My mind filled with every worst case scenario that you can imagine but I agreed and embarked on my first day without Ethan.

The day went by so slow and every thought was filled with Ethan. I stared at pictures of him on my phone and wondered how he was doing. Around lunch time I caved and went to check on him. When I arrived, I was quite surprised with what I saw- he was completely content and wasn’t even crying. Sure, his teacher said that the morning had been difficult, but she reassured me that it always is with a new baby for the first few days. I stayed by his side for a few moments then left, fearing that I would do more damage than good if I stuck around too long. So, I headed back to work.

Each day got easier and so far, he seems to be enjoying it. We have officially survived one full week of daycare and although I miss Ethan like crazy, I know that it is for the best. He can make friends, gain some independence, but most importantly, always know and trust that his parents will be there at the end of the day to take him home and shower him with love. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him smile more than when he sees our faces at the end of the day.

A few tips that I’ve discovered that have helped me along the way:

– Always start your search early. Finding a good fit is much harder than you think.

– Help baby make the adjustment slowly. I had my mom take care of Ethan my first week back at work, that way he could get used to not being around mommy 24/7 and also learn to take the bottle. This also helped make the transition easier for me.

– Work on developing and implementing a schedule before starting. It helps tremendously.

– Leave blankets, toys, and other things that “feel” like home. I feel like it helps soothe him.

– Develop a relationship with their teacher. This has been crucial. Please remember that no one knows your child better than you and I think it is unfair to send the baby off without letting his caregiver know more about him. I filled her in on feeding schedule, typical behaviors, preferences, napping, etc, etc. I figured the more the better.

September 15, 2012
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Nick and Vanessa Lachey Welcome Son
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Nick and Vanessa Lachey Welcome Son

Baby Lachey has arrived! Nick and Vanessa welcomed their son on Wednesday evening, and gave this statement to People.com: “We are incredibly proud to announce the birth of our beautiful baby boy, Camden John Lachey. Born today at 6:54 p.m., he came into this world at 8 lbs., 9 oz. and 21 inches. Love has truly been redefined for both of us.” This is the first child for Vanessa, 31, and Nick, 38. The couple was married in July 2011.

September 13, 2012
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Lasik Surgery: It’s Surgery Time!
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Lasik Surgery: It’s Surgery Time!

All right, the time now has really, really come. I’ve signed the forms, I’ve taken the Tylenol PM, the doctor has markered my eyes, and I’m being led into the room where the Lasik surgery will take place. I say goodbye to Mitch, who is watching the surgery through a TV outside of the room, and head to the chair. After lying down and getting comfortable, my head is wedged between two large…things…that are supposed to keep my head from moving at any point in the surgery. I am handed two stress balls, drops are administered and….away we go!
Lasik surgery is actually done in two parts. The first part is creating the flap – that’s right, they peel back your cornea to reshape the tissue underneath. I went all bladeless, and with the numbing drops I didn’t feel a thing, no pain or anything, but it did get freaky at one point. I had a great doctor who talked to me the whole way through, which helped keep me calm and in the know, and also kept my mind focused on her words, so that was really nice. During this first part, she told me that eventually it would all go black – but only for a few seconds. So I’m in my chair, head wedged in, stress balls in hand, and one eye covered, the other under the laser that would create the flap. Sure enough, even though my eye is open (they used holders to keep the eyes open throughout) everything went black. That’s when I really started squeezing the stress balls, and a million terrible thoughts jumped in my mind – was it coming back? Would I ever see again? Would this work? Did I just go blind? As fast as it went out, my vision was back. I breathed a sigh relief –but then it was time for the next eye. Bring on the blackness and stress once again. It only took about 60 seconds in that chair, and then part one was over, and I was brought to a new chair.
The next chair was the actual Lasik surgery part, where the reshaping of tissue was happening. More drops were put in and the laser started. The doctor informed me that this part might be weird – I would hear what sounded like a chainsaw and smell burning hair. I’m sorry – what?! But sure enough, I thought Jason was running around lighting my hair on fire. That was freaky, possibly even more freaky than having a blackout moment. This part took a bit longer than the first chair, but no more than a 3 minutes. My head was wedged in again, stress balls were in hand, and I remember my doctor kept saying “And look at the green light. Go back to the green light. Find that green light. Green light!” If you couldn’t tell, I was supposed to be focusing my vision on this green light, and I don’t know if it was fear or question or what, but apparently my eyes kept drifting away. But I made it through! Less than ten minutes in the surgery room, and it was over. A few minutes of fear, of hesitancy, of who the hell is lighting my hair on fire, and it was done. A huge decision, a big leap of faith, and now it was over.
Check back next week for what happens after surgery!

September 12, 2012
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