Happy Monday! // Names + Reveal

Happy Monday, folks!

Has yours been any different from my quite rainy, sometimes sunny, kinda day?

I have just two names for you today, and they may in fact be names I have already featured. . .

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Gabriel

M | French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, English, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek

ga-bree-EL (French), GAHP-ree-el (German), GAH-bryel (Spanish), GAY-bree-ǝl (English), GAHP-ryel (Polish)

From the Hebrew name Gavri-el meaning "strong man of God."  In Hebrew tradition, Gabriel is the given name of one of the seven archangels.  [We don't agree with this number.  The Old Testament only mentions one archangel, Michael.  (Jude 1:9)   The word angel is derived from the Greek angelos, meaning "messenger."]  He appears as God's messenger in both the Old and New Testaments, announcing the birth of John to Zachariah and Jesus to Mary.  

This name has been in use occasionally in England since the 12th century but did not become popular in the English-speaking world until the 20th century.

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James

M | English, Biblical

JAYMZ

English form of the Late Latin name Iaconus, which is derived from the New Testament Greek form of the Hebrew name Ya'aqov (Jacob, "holder of the heel" or "supplanter").  This was the given name of two of Jesus' disciples: James, brother of John, and James the son of Alphaeus -- as well as one of His brothers.

Since the 13th century, this name has been used in England, though it became more popular in Scotland, where it was borne by several kings.  It was the given name of the English explorer, Captain James Cook (1728-1779); the Scottish inventor, James Watt (1736-1819); the Irish novelist and poet, James Joyce ( 1882-1941); and six American presidents.  A well-known fictional bearer is the British spy James Bond, created by author Ian Fleming.

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"Why did you just share names we've already seen here?" you may ask.

And why does it all look so different from normal??

Wellllll. . .

Because.

.  .  .  .  .

We had a gender reveal party yesterday!!!

photo credit to me mum :] 

About 50 people (!!!) showed us their love yesterday by partaking in this celebration.  We had a blast!  As you can see, GREAT food, fellowship, and some target practice.  :]

So BOY or GIRL??

It's a BOY!!

(I apologize for the tiny video!! It's all I could do at the moment... heheh)

Hence, the reason for the rehashed names.

Because that's we've decided to call to our little boy!  Baby Gabe.  <3

So there's my amazing news for the day, y'all.

Have a lovely week!

Hulloo!

What?? No Name post???

Yeah. . . I know.  I kinda. . . er, forgot.  Heheh.

So, I decided to share an update instead!

Yep.  While my blogging schedule has not happened as I desired (there's not enough TIME in the day to do what I want/need to do!!), and lifey things always seem to get in the way (excuses, excuses), it's quite obvious I'm still working on the managing-my-time thing.  ;D

Aaaaaannnnnddd, I realized last week that I've posted absolutely NOTHING about myself and the baby.  I mean, other than announcing that I'm now a mama-to-be (Wow!), I've not shared a thing about my journey so far.  

And to be honest, I wasn't sure how you, my dear readers, would take it.  Would you even WANT to know?  Even though you possibly aren't even close to thinking of a family of your own and it's all you can do to focus on school?  Seriously, I'd love to know what you think.

For now, I'll move on with my update.  :]

Instagram

We have reached the halfway mark at 20 weeks!! 

WOW.  It doesn't seem like that much time has passed, but then again, it does seem to have gone by rather quickly.  

According to an app on my phone, Baby is approximately the size of a Belgian Endive.  (Yeah, I totally had to look that one up too. . .)

He/she is about ten inches long now, weighing in at 10.5 ounces.  And is extremely active!  I cannot tell you the joy it is to feel the little "flutters," as it is called, of tiny kicks in my tummy.  :]  

This coming Sunday, we are having a gender reveal party, and I can HARDLY wait!!! My hubby already knows---and won't tell me a SINGLE thing---as he broke down at the ultrasound visit and HAD TO KNOW once he saw the tiny hands and feet and then the beautiful profile. *points below*  I elected to wait, despite the fact I'm DYING TO KNOW.  I will definitely try to post pics next week!!

Instagram

So precious!

In all honesty, I feel awkward sharing such things.  But this is my life now!  I've always hoped this little blog could serve as encouragement and inspiration for other young (and even much younger) ladies.  If I can share a small glimpse of what your futures could look like and give first-hand stories of my experiences, then that's what I'd love to do!  But really, I would wish to do so only if there's an honest interest.

So honestly:

Are you apt to read such posts?  Or would you be one to click the link, skim the words and photos, and move on?  (Absolutely nothing wrong with that at all, please don't misunderstand me!)

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Thanks for dancing by, y'all.  I hope you have a marvelous week!

Welcome, glorious Spring weather!!!

What's in a Name?

Monday arrived again, folks! (And is nearly over now as I write this. . .)

I do hope yours was pleasant and filled with thanks for another day.  :]

The names I've got for you today are particularly interesting, if I do say so myself.  At least two have a tidbit of history and Eastern mythology.  

Enjoy!

Bleda
M | History
BLAY-DAH

Possibly of Turkic origin, meaning "wise."  According to other existing theories, it is believed to be of Gothic origin, or a Gothic form of a Hunnic name.  This was the given name of the brother of Attila the Hun.

Tiamat
F | Near Eastern Mythology
TEE-ǝ-maht, TYAH-maht

From the Akkadian word tâmtu meaning "sea."  In Babylonian mythology, Tiamat was the personification of the sea, appearing in the form of a huge dragon.  According to legend, she died (rather brutally) at the hands of the god, Marduk, her great-grandson.

Einar
M | Norwegian, Icelandic, Swedish, Danish

Meaning "lone warrior."  From the Old Norse name Einarr, derived from the elements ein "one, alone" and arr "warrior."  This given name shares the same roots as the word einherjar, the word for the slain warriors in Valhalla.

Lark
M & F | English (rare)
LAHRK

From the English word for the type of songbird.

Names & meanings via behindthename.com.

Photos via Pinterest.

Book Review || The Tomb of the Sea Witch

The Tomb of the Sea Witch
Beaumont & Beasley, Book 2
Kyle Robert Shultz

publisher | release
YA Fiction, Faerietale Retellings, Fantasy

{GoodReads}
Private detective Nick Beasley used to be a debunker of magic--and a human being. Then he found out magic is real. The hard way. Now he's on the run from a powerful council of enchanters who want him dead, along with his little brother Crispin and the renegade enchantress Lady Cordelia Beaumont.

So when Cordelia suggests going undercover at a stronghold of the Council's power--the Warrengate Academy of Advanced Magic--Nick isn't exactly thrilled with the idea. Cordelia insists that the school may hold the key to Nick regaining his humanity: an ancient spell created by the Sea Witch from the tale of the Little Mermaid.

But the mission proves to be more complicated than Beaumont and Beasley had expected. An ancient threat is rising from the deep, bringing an army of the dead along with it. Shocking revelations send Nick, Cordelia, and Crispin on a harrowing journey under the sea.

The Sea Witch is not quite as dead as everyone believes...and her secrets will change everything.

Perfect for fans of Doctor Who, Once Upon A Time, Indiana Jones, or The Dresden Files, the Beaumont and Beasley series features high adventure in a world where fairy tales are history.

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WARNING: Possible Spoilers

{The Basics}

I've heard so many great things about this series.  And y'all, it's all true!! I absolutely LOVED this little novel.  The CHARACTERS!!! AHHHH, I loves them ALL.  The plot twists.  The faerietales retold.  The transformations. . .  

PLEASE NOTE:  This is the sequel of a series, and it is not a stand-alone novel.  To know the full, fantastic story, read the first! --->  The Beast of Talesend. 

{Spiritual Content}

This is a wonderfully clean novel, with absolutely no language whatsoever.  Characters use the phrase, "Dear God," a time or two.  But other than that, there are no overt "messages" or agendas to classify this as a "Christian" novel.  It is simply a thrilling, humorous adventure involving what you think you knew of faerietales.  :]

Magic plays a huge part in these tales.  The antagonist of this particular story possesses a girl and uses her to accomplish her dastardly evil goals.  She uses song-magic to do so, and can hypnotize folks to do her will.  

{Violence}

Undead skeletal pirates attempt to attack the academy of magic at Warrengate, but they seem to be easily disposed of as they fall to pieces without too much gnawing, kicking, punching, or magical combat.  Characters often use magic to fight.

The rather strict headmaster of Warrengate, who also happens to be a DRAGON (*cue Crispin squeal*), is always threatening to barbecue anyone who falls out of line or oversteps his boundaries.  A stone gargoyle is consumed by flames, but being stone is completely unharmed.  A horde of skeletons are burnt to a crisp.

Characters are attacked by said skeletal pirates, underwater tentacley polyps, nearly eaten by a sea-monster, and suffer cuts, bruises, and the like.  One is slashed on the arm with a dagger, but the wound quickly heals.   A Beast-creature battles a great octopus-mermaid-woman---he defeats her with a fatal slash of his claws to her neck, drawing black blood.  The Beast-creature suffers from dozens of cuts, but they soon heal.  

{Love-y Content}

Crispin (Nick's little brother) falls in love with Molly, Cordelia's cousin (after knowing her for only a couple days)---he's so cute!  Turns out Molly likes him a lot as well.  They share a few kisses hugs.  

Nick and Cordelia always bicker and argue their plans/points/etc.  But you KNOW they care for each other. 

{Conclusion}

All in all, I would TOTALLLLLLLLLYYYYY recommend this entire series to all my buddies.  (Nearly had to fight my hubby off to keep him from stealing the book from me. . .) ;D  As mentioned before, this is entirely clean fiction filled with action, humor, undead pirate skeletons, merfolk, and so much more.  I can't wait to get my hands on the third tale!!!

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Ages: 13+