A Novel Experiment

2010-11-06T08:26:00.000-07:00

Will the person responsible for inventing scissors please come and clean up the mess at my house!

My five year old has taken it upon herself to cut paper every waking moment for the last month.

I love her to pieces.

Procrastinate....

2010-11-05T08:29:00.000-07:00

–verb (used without object)

to defer action; delay: to procrastinate until an opportunity is lost.

–verb (used with object)

to put off till another day or time; defer; delay.

Some days my motto is "why do today what you can put off til tomorrow!".

I don't advise this to just anyone.

I wonder what is in my nature that tends towards putting things off until later?

Is it the thrill of having everything come due all at once?

Maybe I work better under that kind of pressure.

If I'm being honest, I'll tell you that sometimes I can clean my house in 37 minutes flat. Including bathrooms.

And I do mean spotless clean.
Never mind that I am sweating like I've just run a marathon.

My next topic would have to be "piles".

It's fall....

2010-11-04T13:04:00.000-07:00

Fall has been present.

Many times in the past I've complained that Mother Nature went right from summer to winter, robbing us of our fall. This time around she has made up for all the stolen days of the past.

When I was younger I hated fall.

I didn't want the leaves to loose their green or the ground to turn cold. I wanted to always feel the warm sun and have the smell of fresh cut grass.

I guess I've changed.

Fall now feels like a wonderfully deep breath.

It's a season that gives me pause.

I love the fall. I look forward to it.

I wonder if I will ever feel this way about winter. We aren't good friends yet.

(I actually took this photo! I'm quite impressed. Aren't you?)

Reading Teen giveaway

2010-09-23T09:14:00.000-07:00

One more giveaway to wet the appetite!

Get a move on this one because it ends tomorrow!

Go here for details.

Good luck!

Wordbird Giveaway

2010-09-23T08:55:00.000-07:00

Wordbird is having an amazing giveaway. Grand prize is 5 books and a $10 Amazon gift card.

Go here for the details.

Pretty awesome if I do say so myself!

Nine lives......

2010-09-22T08:30:00.000-07:00

First off, where has the time gone!!!! Oh my, I must have had an amazing summer and early fall because I let pretty much everything else go! Well, now the kids are back in school, routines are in place and I can once again commit!

Now, on to my nine lives story!

Several weeks ago, I was driving across the gully near my home when I noticed a dead animal in the road. As I got closer I realized that this poor animal appeared to be my neighbors cat named Squeaker. Before I go any further I need to explain a few things about Squeaker.

First, I am a dog person myself, but this cat is invaluable as a mouser and window well cleaner. Since his arrival at my neighbors a few years ago we have had nary a mouse in the house. We regularly have dead birds in our window wells from birds hitting our big picture window and this crazy cat gets them out and takes care of them every time. (So much nicer than doing it myself, and we really have been trying to find a solution to the bird problem, I promise!) Anyway...

Second, Squeaker is strictly an outdoor cat. It was one of the stipulations by the dad of the neighbor kids. He has the worst allergies of anyone I have ever met. They have tried all kinds of animals and it always causes a problem. When the kids brought Squeaker home they hid him from their dad for a long time. He finally noticed that he was having trouble with allergies in the garage and the kids fessed up about the cat. Their kind dad agreed to a compromise, as long as the cat never came in the house, he would tolerate the garage being a den of runny noses and swollen eyes. His wife is the one who does the yard work anyway because he works crazy hours, so it was a win win for everyone! But, he did tell the kids that once Squeaker died, there would be no more pets of any kind! A man's willingness to be uncomfortable can only go so far!

Third, the neighbor kids love and adore that crazy cat. My kids do too for that matter. He has a funny personality and he loves to tease any dog that walks near his hiding place. It is a funny thing to watch. That is, it's funny until the cat messes with the wrong dog, which he did one day when a stray happened into our neck of the woods. That is a story for another day, but let's just say the cat ended up with stitches and a drain and we didn't know if he would make it through the night. He did. Everyone rejoiced!

With all of that you can understand my sadness as I saw Squeaker lying in the street lifeless. I didn't want to leave Squeaker in the road because the kids would be coming home from school soon and it wouldn't be a nice thing for them to see, but, I had my 5 year old with me and didn't want her to see what had happened either, so I called my neighbor and told her where she would be able to find their cat.

Later that day the funeral was in the neighbors backyard by their big pine tree. They dug a hole, laid the cat to rest and buried him. Then the older brother gave the eulogy. The neighbor kids and mom were in tears, rightfully so, but the youngest in the family was beside herself. They all talked about what a great cat Squeaker had been and that Heaven was a better place because he was in it. No cat could ever have a nicer funeral.

Hand in hand, they walked solemnly together back towards the house and climbed the stairs of their deck. When they reached the door the youngest felt something touch her leg and looked down.

She screamed in shock!

Standing right next to her was Squeaker!

They could not believe their eyes. The youngest asked if Squeaker had come back to life and the mom wondered for a horrified minute if they had just buried him alive! The older brother ran to the pine tree to check, and to their relief the cat was still there. It wasn't Squeaker they had buried after all.

Tears and laughter and a hefty dose of shock filled the air. One of the girls asked if they should try to find the owner of the dead cat. Their mom told them that no, they should leave him in peace and that hopefully the owner would know that the cat had been well cared for in his death.

When the neighbors called to tell me that Squeaker was still alive I could not believe it. That crazy cat has gotten himself in more scrapes and situations than he should and this time he really dodged the bullet.

I won't jinx things by telling you how many lives he has left of the nine, but rather, I'll just say that I hope to be seeing him for a long time coming!

Refreshed....

2010-07-15T08:12:00.000-07:00

There are times I love to be all by myself, but that rarely happens in my house. Kids run in and out all day long. Last night my husband and I counted 34 kids (ages 4 to 18) running around our yard playing night games. I set out water pitchers, cups, licorice and bags of chips and was immediately swarmed.

I'm not compaining.

Not one bit.

I love it, I really do. There is an infectious energy that hums in the air when I watch memories being made before my eyes.

I'm just glad that I was able to recharge my soul somewhere this last week.

The mountains were calm and refreshing, the stars, brilliant and bright.

I lounged at night in my reclining camp chair, the last one awake. I watched the embers of the fire slowly burn out, enjoying the warmth near my feet and the chill from the cool night air on my head.

The everyday world around me was silenced.

No phones.

No cars.

No lights.

No ipod.

No computer.

No stereo.

No television.

No hum of things plugged in.

There was only the symphony of the wind rustling the leaves overhead.

Birds chirped, frogs croaked and crickets played their song of love. The lake rippled and the deer wandered close. My lungs took in the clean, crisp air. I gazed at the Big Dipper with all of her friends and my eyes wondered at the beauty around me.

It's good to get away.

It's good to come home.

See you in a week!

2010-07-05T07:09:00.000-07:00

I'm headed to the mountains for a week.

It will be fantastic.

No phones, computers, tv, radio or any other electronic reminder of real life.

I'll hear the birds chirping, wind in the trees, streams rushing by and the crackling of the camp fire.

The stars will be spectacular.

The air, fresh and crisp.

My head will be clear, and my soul will be refreshed.

See you when I get back!

Book Review!

2010-06-30T13:58:00.000-07:00

The Dead Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

This novel is the sequel to The Forrest of Hands and Teeth, the debut novel by the same author. The first novel was very interesting and very depressing, but I really liked it because it was so different from other books that I've read. I read it so long ago, that I never reviewed it on here. Maybe I will later, but for now, know that I would recommend it.

Back to the review!

The Dead Tossed Waves takes places years after the ending of the first novel. The world has been overrun by Zombies whose only purpose is to infect the living. Gabry is the daughter of the main character from the first book and is someone who likes to play it safe. Taking risks is not part of her character, but one fateful night she is convinced to do something against her better judgment as she follows her friends into an area that is off limits. This decision sparks a series of events that seem like a whirlwind of chaos in Gabry's life. She is pushed beyond her limit where personal safety is concerned, as she tries to make right the wrongs that were done.

For me, I liked this story better than the first. I felt more invested in the characters. Even though Ms. Ryan's stories seem to follow what is the most popular formula for current YA novels (girl with two boys to chose from), this felt a little more fresh to me. Things aren't necessarily sugar coated with happy endings for the characters. In both of the stories, the characters experience real loss and regret.

Definitely a book to escape reality with!

Giveaway!!

2010-06-27T17:00:00.000-07:00

First time author Sheila A. Nelson is sponsoring an ARC giveaway! Go here for your chance to win a copy of Forbidden Sea!

Funny story....

2010-06-25T07:55:00.000-07:00

My neighbor told me the best story about my 5 year old daughter the other day.

My daughter and her best friend spied the neighbor's teenage daughter eating some oh so yummy starburst candies in her backyard. The two little girls put their heads together and came up with a brilliant plan to share in the chewy, tangy bliss. They knocked on the front door.

Neighbor: Hello girls! How are you today?

Daughter: Our moms are making pie today.

Neighbor: That is great! You are very lucky.

Daughter: Well, since my mom is making pie, she wonders if you have any starbursts that she could use. (blinking eyes and feigning pure innocence)

Neighbor: She needs starbursts for her pie?

Daughter: Yes, it's a starburst pie.

Neighbor:(laughing at this point) I don't think I have any starbursts, I'm sorry.

Daughter: Yes you do. I saw your girl eating some in the backyard.

Neighbor: Oh! (laughing even more) Well come in. Let's go see.

They went to the backyard where the teenager was bathing in the sun only to find wrappers of starbursts that had been all eaten.

Neighbor: Well, it looks like we did have starbursts but they are all gone now. Do you think your mom could use chocolate chip cookies for her pie instead?

Daughter: (grinning ear to ear) Yes! That would work!

My neighbor gives the two little girls each a cookie and as the girls were walking away she overheard my daughter whisper to her friend "We are so sneaky!"

I love 5 year olds.

Book Review!

2010-06-24T09:27:00.000-07:00

Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken

First off I must say that I love the author's name. It sounds so literary. Not only that, I love the name she chose for her main character, Sydelle Mirabil. Very cool. Now on to the review.

Sydelle lives in a far away corner of the Kingdom, where her village has suffered from a drought for as long as she can remember. Not a single drop of rain has fallen on the dusty earth until the day the wizard, Wayland North, arrives. He is offered anything he could want and he chooses Sydelle. She is angry and obstinate as she follows him far away from her village and can only think of returning home.

Sydelle possesses a talent unmatched of weaving cloth, and through her skilled hands she repairs the cloaks of Wayland along their journey. As Sydelle begins to discover bit by bit why she was chosen by the smelly, drunken wizard to join his quest, she discovers more about herself and what her talent truly is. Together they face danger as they race to stop an unnecessary war between two kingdoms.

This is a Young Adult novel and I would recommend it to someone as young as 10 or 11. Perfect for an afternoon at the beach or in your hammock.

I enjoyed it very much.

Markus Zusak you are a word shaker indeed.....

2010-06-22T17:02:00.000-07:00

The title of my blog should give away the fact that I love to read. I love it so much that sometimes I feel like I am cheating on my family. They understand that books are as much a part of me as breathing is for life, (at least I hope so) and some of them have become infected with the need for words and language as well. My son keeps up with me at a pretty fierce pace and is always asking me for the next suggestion.

Sometimes I read books that would be considered silly. Other times I read books that require more thought and time. No matter the type of book, for me the enjoyment is usually equal. I love thinking about the writing style and the content. There are times when I am impressed and times when I laugh and wonder how the book ever got published.

Recently, I read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

I loved it. I loved it. I loved it.

After finishing it, I had to sit and really think about it for a long time. The story is set during WWII in Nazi Germany and is about a young girl who is sent to live with foster parents. This girl, Liesel, finds her way among heartache, hunger, hatred, loss, but most importantly, love. Sometimes this love is disguised and unrecognizable, but when she reflects back on her experience, she can see it for what it is. The whole story is narrated by a very unlikely character, Death. We are brought along with Death as he experiences, second hand, human emotions. To me, he became a dear friend.

I have read many comments of others who have read this book. Some good, some not so good. For me, the most fascinating thing about the book was also what was the most frustrating thing to those who did not like it. It was the writing style Mark Zusak used. It was so new and refreshing that I followed my husband around the house reading bits and pieces hoping that he would hear the magic that was in the words.

Here are a few examples:

Steam was rising weirdly from his clothes. His hangover was visible. It heaved itself to his shoulders and sat there like a bag of wet cement.....

Had he not lost his cigarettes to Hans Hubermann, he wouldn't have despised him. If he hadn't despised him, he might not have taken his place a few weeks later on a fairly innocuous road. One seat, two men, a short argument and me. It kills me sometimes, how people die......

"'My heart is so tired,'" the girl had said. She was sitting in a chapel writing in her diary.
No, thought Liesel as she walked. It's my heart that is tired. A thirteen-year-old heart shouldn't feel like this......

The book thief did not retreat. She took a few extra steps and sat down. Her cold hands felt for her sleeves and a sentence slipped from her mouth. "He's not dead yet." The words landed on the table and positioned themselves in the middle. All three people looked at them. Half hopes didn't dare rise any higher. He isn't dead yet. He isn't dead yet.....

Liesel calculated that there were four more reading sessions like that with Frau Holtzapfel before the Jews were marched through Molching. They were going to Dachau, to concentrate.....

Yes, I would recommend this book. Maybe you will be as touched as I was. Maybe you will have a crush on a narrator named Death like I did. I know. I am weird.

Reading....

2010-05-28T08:10:00.000-07:00

Currently, I'm reading 5 books simultaneously.

What am I thinking?

I don't normally pick that many up at a time, but they all showed up at about the same time through various circumstances. 2 of them are sequels to other books I have read, and I will write about those when I am finished. One of the books however, has made such an impression on me that I wanted to get the word out before I finish it!

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is fantastic, incredible, heartbreaking, thought provoking and wonderful. I'm about half way through and I'll let you know if I still feel the same way when I finish it. I'd heard about this book for quite a while, but my pile of "to reads" was so big I put it off and put it off. I have fallen in love with the characters and yes, even the narrator. (If you know who the narrator is you will think I am very odd.)

This weekend will be a challenge to get anything done!

CH ch ch changes......

2010-05-27T07:40:00.000-07:00

My favorite radio station went off the air. Sort of. It's still there, it just no longer has a dj, or the news, traffic or weather. It has become a prerecorded steady stream of a variety (not always the variety that I like) of music playlists.

I can't stand to listen to it now. Gone is the personality. Gone is the ability to call in and make a request or share an idea (not that I ever did, but I liked to hear it).

I was really sad and shocked when it happened a few weeks ago. There was no warning. One day they were there and the next they weren't. I doubt that the radio personalities even saw it coming.

My reason for sharing this is because I have been thinking about the blessing and the curse of technology. I remember as a kid thinking how cool it would be to have a tv like the Jetsons where I could see the person I was talking to. Guess what! Now I have a computer that does just that. It is incredible really, when I think about how much technology is a part of my life. But for the last while or so, I've been thinking with a bit of nostalgia about what it is replacing and wondering if it really is always for the best. The fate of the radio hosts from my once favorite station is probably where the trend is heading. With so many ipods out there and the ability to play them in your car, or from a docking station, there really isn't any reason for people to be a part of broadcasting music anymore. We can simply make our own playlists, so who needs anything else.

Do people sit down anymore and take pen to paper to write a letter? Why bother with it, when email and texting is faster, more convenient and you don't have to pay for a stamp. Newspapers have been struggling in many places and will probably be replaced one day with the internet or whatever is next out there. Yesterday, I had a friend visiting from out of town and she noticed all of the books I have piled up. She laughed and told me I should get a Kindle to cut down on the clutter. To me though, there is something about the smell of a real book and turning the pages myself that I don't think I will ever be able to let go of. I then proceeded to tell her that if I were to go back to college I would want to get my degree in library science. She laughed again and told me about all of the libraries that are closing down.

Change is inevitable. As long as people are set on discovery and exploration, change will follow. I appreciate all of the luxuries that change has afforded me and I would be hard pressed to live without them.

I just wonder, are we pushing away the human connection?

Shoes....

2010-05-25T16:55:00.000-07:00

My conversation with my almost 5 year old daughter yesterday:

"Where are you?" I asked in a sing song voice as I searched for my daughter throughout the house.

"Just a sec, mommy!" she answered, trying to suppress her giggles of delight.

As I walked towards the direction of her voice, my daughter sauntered out of my bedroom with hands on her hips, pink gloss on her lips and a sassy back and forth head bob.

"I want Hot Tamale shoes just like yours mommy!" she said as she sashayed her hips around and around wearing my sinfully delicious, cherry red, high heel shoes.

I am in for a whole heap of trouble with that saucy little thing.

Funny Funny weather...

2010-05-24T07:37:00.000-07:00

We have had the strangest Spring that I can remember for a long time. The weather has been so inconsistent that my four year old is getting confused.

One day it will be 75 and sunny, the next is wind, rain and 42.

This morning we woke up to a few inches of snow, but tomorrows high is set for 68 and up to 80 on Wednesday.

You should see my tulips. They look like they are bent over in shame.

Ah well, I can't complain. This weather has extended my reading time! Yard work will just have to wait.

The recieving end...

2010-05-20T08:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the unfortunate opportunity to be on the receiving end of a mother's anger. It took me by surprise and I remained very calm but I definitely learned a few things from it.

In the past I've blogged about being very careful about passing judgment of any kind, whether it is assuming that someone has their life all perfectly put together, or assuming that someone has done something to be hurtful. It's hard sometimes, at least for me, not to pass an immediate judgment on a situation, but I have been trying to stop and listen before I react. It really isn't fun to be the object of a misunderstanding, but, (and this is a big but!) I learned that I also have an opportunity to influence the outcome of these situations simply by my reactions. I've had times in the past where my knee jerk reaction would have been to lash out if I was being accused by someone who didn't have all of the facts. For whatever reason though, yesterday I didn't feel that fight or flight reaction. I felt calm. I gave the other person about an hour to calm down and then I called them back to explain my side of the situation. Once all of the facts were on the table there was a change of heart by this mother. She knew that there was a miscommunication and that no harm was meant and in the end everything was worked out, apologies were made and a friendship was restored.

I am not saying that if I reacted positively and calmly every time to one of these situations that it would always end well, because the other person is in control of his or her own reaction to it all. What I am saying is that I would always feel like I had my character intact and would feel at peace with my part of the scenerio.

Maybe yoga has done more good for me than I thought!!!

Book Review!

2010-05-14T16:38:00.000-07:00

Once Upon A Marigold by Jean Ferris

Summary from Goodreads: A young man with a mysterious past and a penchant for inventing things leaves the troll who raised him, meets an unhappy princess he has loved from afar, and discovers a plot against her and her father.

This is a darling, I just need something to match my carefree mood kind of a book. The cover says "part comedy, part love story, part everything but the kitchen sink" and it is all true! It's geared toward the middle grade reader and I would say ages 9 and up would find something to love about it. Jean Ferris keeps her humor light hearted and fun and the love story innocent and fresh. She creates situations that feel uncomfortable and funny at the same time, all the while giving us a glimpse into the mind of a boy who falls in love for the first time. If you are young at heart you will love this!

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Summary from Goodreads: In a society where unwanted teens are salvaged for their body parts, three runaways fight the system that would "unwind" them.

Connor's parents want to be rid of him because he's a troublemaker. Risa has no parents and is being unwound to cut orphanage costs. Lev's unwinding has been planned since his birth, as part of his family's strict religion. Brought together by chance, and kept together by desperation, these three unlikely companions make a harrowing cross-country journey, knowing their lives hang in the balance. If they can survive until their eighteenth birthday, they can't be harmed -- but when every piece of them, from their hands to their hearts, are wanted by a world gone mad, eighteen seems far, far away. In Unwind, Boston Globe/Horn Book Award winner Neal Shusterman challenges readers' ideas about life -- not just where life begins, and where it ends, but what it truly means to be alive.

The premise of this book is very disturbing, but brilliant. This story of three kids who are trying to keep things together, literally, will give you much to think about. I felt horrified at times and had to walk away from the book here and there, just to wrap my brain around what the world had come to in this story. I felt disgusted by the parents who would dispose of their children in such a horrible way, but then I realized that we hear about this in the news all of the time. The people we hear about may not be getting rid of their children for "parts", but they ignore, abuse, mistreat and take for granted the possibility of what their children can be. Just this week we had a 4 year old boy who was tortured and murdered by his mom and step father. While watching the news story all I could think was "Why?". Why did that sweet boy have to be a child of monsters. The thing about this novel by Mr. Shusterman is that it made me ask these same questions. The only difference is that the "parents" weren't viewed as monsters. It was just the way things were done. Life is not something to be taken for granted and this book serves as a reminder of that.

Hello again!

2010-05-13T07:39:00.000-07:00

I hadn't realized how many unblogging days I have had until I looked at the date of my last post. Just know that they were well spent while I was curled up on the couch with my 4 year old daughter reading books while it rained and rained and rained! We also got some awesome play-dough and barbie/pretend sessions in as well. I am not sure why, but for the last 2 weeks she has decided that I am her very best friend and wants to play with me instead of her friends. How could anyone ever turn down an opportunity like that! The time will come soon enough when she wants nothing to do with me, but for now I will be 4 almost 5 again and think only of butterflies and cotton candy clouds!

p.s. I have 2 books that I have been dying to review for you on here. Check back tomorrow. I pinky promise that I'll put the reviews up. Until then, I, Sarah Sparkle Star (my new name given to me by my daughter) am off to a magical world where we eat licorice for breakfast and sometimes we can fly without an airplane! (This is what I found on my pillow this morning)

Can't touch this!

2010-05-05T09:05:00.000-07:00

Here is an awesome video clip my son showed me. I love it!

News!!!

2010-04-30T07:04:00.000-07:00

And how could I forget to mention this!!!

Because of my yoga class that I've been going to, I can now do a full back bend!

The first time I tried it (about 6 weeks ago) I could only get my hips off the ground. My shoulder and head were another story all together. They seemed glued to the floor. My arms just didn't have the strength to push up and I was sure that my back would never be able to arch in such an unnatural position. Miracles do happen my friend! In my last class I was on the floor in the bridge position ready to push up into nothing because it has never happened, when low and behold I raised my body, arched my back and realized that I was in a full back bend! Outbursts of joy are generally not done in a dimly lit yoga class, but believe me, every one knew what I had accomplished in that exact moment. My puny appendages are getting some muscle and the rest of me is getting bendy!

I love it!

Toilets

2010-04-30T06:54:00.000-07:00

One of my weird quirks is that I prefer to have my toilet lids completely lowered when not in use. Something about walking into a bathroom and seeing right into the toilet seems so wrong to me. My kids close the lids out of habit just because I've always had them do it since they first learned to use the toilet. Sometimes when the kids have friends over, the friend will use the toilet and leave the lid or lids (depending on boy or girl) up.

It drives me crazy!

I'd never dream of turning into the toilet police, standing outside the door and asking them if they remembered to close the lids, but as soon as I notice the offense, I remedy the situation.

My other quirk is that I prefer the toilet paper to roll over the top, not underneath.

What about you? Is there anything strange that you do?

The time I got kidnapped.....The Conclusion

2010-04-29T09:28:00.000-07:00

I went back because my husband and kids were there, but why didn't I take them with me in the first place? I don't really have an answer for that other than, you just had to be there.

When I got back my husband was sitting on the couch with a look on his face I will never forget. "What the HELL?" pretty much sums it up.

At this point, Annabelle grabbed me by the hand and declared that it was time to do something about my ankle. She led me upstairs and into her bathroom. Pointing to the soaking tub she said "Get in and I will fix your ankle for you."

"In there?" I asked, pointing to the tub.

"Yes, I'll hold the baby while you get undressed. She can get in too if you'd like. Then I'll massage your ankle and get the swelling down. You'll feel much better."

"Actually, I'd feel much better going back to my house, putting my kids in their beds and unpacking."

"No. It is too late. I've already had your husband put your kids to bed here. Get in."

"Even though a bath sounds wonderful and all, I'm not getting in. I don't know you and I don't have clothes to change into or even underwear for that matter. I'm going home now."

"You can wear my clothes and my underwear."

She really said that. No lie.

At this point it was probably 11 at night. I was exhausted, my baby was exhausted and my thinking was getting worse by the minute. I don't remember how, but I made my way back downstairs to my husband and whispered that we should get the kids and go. As we were talking about what to do, she comes in and says "I'll show you to your room. If you hear crying in the night please ignore it. I sleep on a mattress in my sons room."   I didn't even know she had a son until that very moment.

Once again I don't know what came over me. I followed her upstairs to the room we would sleep in. I still hadn't really had a chance to talk to my husband about everything that was going on because whenever I tried she managed to stop it. The bed in our room looked like it had come right out of the princess and the pea fairy tale. It was so tall, even the step stool wasn't enough to get in. My husband gave me a shove, and climbed up next to me. The mattress, if that's what it really was, was so soft and fluffy it was like laying on top of all of the filling from all of the pillows in a pillow factory at one time. We sunk right in.

We both lay there silent for a long time. Then I started laughing.

"What is so funny."

"This! This is crazy!"

"That's what I was thinking, but I've been trying to figure out what's been going on. Care to fill me in?"

"She kidnapped me. That's all I know."

"Why didn't you go home?"

That's when I told him about her bursting in our home and taking me and our baby on the longest car ride to her house. I told him about the spots, the tub and the underwear. He started laughing.

"What's so funny?"

"I thought you knew her. Like she was some kind of long lost friend or something. I couldn't figure out what you were doing, but I wasn't going to say anything. You seemed so determined to do whatever she said."

"What! Oh well, I guess you're right. It's like she has mind control or something. I didn't know what to do, you were gone when she came and I thought that the Relief Society had sent her. I thought it was a strange welcome, but that's why I went with her in the first place. I kinda don't think they had anything to do with this do you?"

He was laughing again, "No, I don't. Have you seen whats in the bathroom we are supposed to use?"

"No, is something else wrong?"

"Cat litter. Every where. I don't think the litter box has ever been changed and the litter is all over the floor."

"I won't be going in there that's for sure. What did she say about it when she showed you where the bathroom was?"

"Nothing. She didn't even seem to notice that there was something wrong."

We lay silent again for a while when my husband started to really laugh.

"What is so funny? I don't think this is very funny."

"I just thought that we are here in this wackos house, that you by the way got us into, and I'm just picturing her coming in here when we are asleep with a pick axe. All I can think of is Jason from that movie. Stab, Stab, Stab!"

"You are sick and wrong."

"Me? Oh no, it isn't me, I assure you. And what's the deal with her husband? He doesn't talk. He's probably scared of her too."

I started laughing so hard. He was right! We were in the home of someone who was really messed up.

In the morning I got our things together as quickly as I could. I grabbed my sleepy kids and we headed down the stairs for our escape. Only thing is, she was waiting for us!

The table was set again in her fanciest finery. She had made waffles, pancakes, muffins, french toast and juice. My kids were starving and made a beeline for the table. She started dishing up before we could say a word. Once again, I sat down defeated. She began to tell my son all about her plans for us. She told him about the play, the dance recital and all of the goodies that would be there. She pulled out a calendar and began going day by day, week by week all of the things we would do. My sons eyes grew bigger and bigger. The last thing she told him was, "The Saturday after Thanksgiving I am taking you to the mountains. I have purchased our tags for our Christmas trees. We will chop down our trees and bring them back here. We will have hot chocolate with marshmallows. Then we will string popcorn and cranberries." While saying all of this to my son not only had she gotten his breakfast for him, she had pulled out all of her candy jars for him to choose a treat from. It was like watching the old woman who lived in gingerbread house in the woods.

I had had enough. I stood up and told my kids to go out and get in the car. "But I haven't eaten my pancakes mom" my son said innocently.

"I don't care. Grab your sisters hand and go now."

My husband jumped to attention, shewing the kids to the front door.

I turned to Annabelle and said "Thank you for your hospitality. We are leaving now."

"No, it isn't possible. I haven't unpacked your house yet, and I haven't finished going through your calendar, you aren't leaving." she said in her still very robotic voice.

"We are going home now. We are unpacking OUR house by ourselves. We are not coming to a play or a dance recital. We are not having Halloween and Thanksgiving here. And I am most certainly not taking my new baby into the mountains, traipsing through the snow to chop down a tree."

All of my frustration had boiled to the surface. Her husband was staring at us, but still had not uttered a word. I grabbed the diaper bag and followed my family to the front door.

My son looks at me and says "Mom, she is real nice."

"No!" I whispered, "She is CRAZY!"

My son looked at me with disbelief and said very loudly "She's not crazy mom!"

Annabelle looked right at me. I looked at her and turned to go out the door. While walking to our car I remembered our pizza that her husband had picked up at our house the night before. Turning to my husband I asked him to go get our pizza so we could have it for lunch. He said to forget it. I told him to go back and tell her husband to get our pizza and not to come to the car without it. He knew I was losing it so he ran and got it for me. Getting in the car he asked, "Why did you want the pizza so bad? We could order another one?"

"Because, I don't know, maybe it's just that I wanted to show her that she does not have total control. Sorry, that was weird of me, but thanks for getting it."

He laughed and said "The whole thing was weird."

We got home and not too long after there was a knock on the door. I thought for sure it was Annabelle. Instead, a nice looking woman introduced herself and asked if she could speak to me. It turns out that she was the Relief Society President from our church. My sisters friend that I had left a message for the night before contacted her and told her that Annabelle had taken us. She sat down and told us that she owed us an apology and explained that Annabelle had recently gotten out of a mental hospital, but was still heavily medicated and one of her issues was fixating on something. She had overheard some people at church mention that a family was moving into the house down the street from her and right then and there we became her fixation. The people from our church figured this out, so they told her that we were coming a month later than we really were thinking this would prevent her from barging in on us during our move. Annabelle is smart though and watched for the moving trucks. The Relief Society President told me not to open the door when Annabelle came over and to not give her our phone number. She said she knew it sounded mean, but it was the only way to get Annabelle to forget about us. I told her the whole story and she felt really bad.   She said to not be surprised if Annabelle would peek in our windows when we didn't answer the door. She told us that we had to be firm and hold our ground. As far as knowing our house "intimately" it was true. She had been in the house when the previous owners rented it out and had barged in a few times on them.

We had a few more run ins with Annabelle, but eventually she left us alone. About 2 years after moving in I had another very funny incident with her that I will share another time. But there it is, with a few things left out here and there, the time I was kidnapped. I laugh at myself when I think about it now. It was a crazy time for sure. I do feel bad for Annabelle and her family and I learned to have a lot of respect for her husband. He was staying with her, hoping that she would break free from the mental illness that took hold of her not too long after they were married. What a patient man.

The time I got kidnapped: part II

2010-04-22T07:39:00.000-07:00

Once I was in the car, I was very confused. You see, in my church there is an organization called the Relief Society. It consists of the adult women in our church. The purpose of the Relief Society is to aid, support and care for anyone in need. Sometimes when people move, the Relief Society will organize dinners for those leaving and for those coming. I thought in my head at this time that perhaps the Relief Society had arranged for this woman to come and help me. Her kind of help was very bizarre to say the least, but I went with her.

As we started to drive away I said "Wait! My husband won't know where I am! I have no way of getting a hold of him and he will be very worried when he gets back. I also ordered a pizza! I can't just leave and not pay for it!"

"My husband will come back with a note for your husband with instructions. You will write a check and we will leave it on the door for the pizza boy."

"But, I don't want to leave the pizza on the doorstep! That will be lunch for tomorrow if nothing else. It would be ruined, dogs would get into it. Please, take me back. This is getting a little too weird for me."

"Nonsense. I will be feeding you. You just had a baby. You are in no condition to put a house together. You are staying with me for at least a month. I will go down each day to your home and unpack one box for you. It will be perfect. You will then move into a perfectly organized home." She said with a robotic like voice.

"No, that's not going to fly with me. We really just need to get our kids settled. They have been in limbo long enough. Please take me home." I should have screamed this at her, but no, I said it in the wimpiest voice I could muster.

The way this woman spoke, it was hard to describe, but I knew that she was not going to bend or deviate from her agenda. I wasn't quite sure what to do now. Especially since I was in her car. Her husband still had not said a word at this point.

After driving for a while Annabelle (again, not her real name) spoke again.

"Thursday I will be putting on a puppet/magic show. Admittance is free, but licorice whips are 10 cents a piece. Lateness will not be tolerated and I will have to turn those who are not on time away. You will be there at 10 am sharp. That shouldn't be a problem since you will be staying in my home."

I looked at her, waiting for her to bust up laughing. Who talks like that?

"Friday I will be putting on a dance performance. Again, admittance will be free, but popcorn will be 25 cents. I have made enough flyers for the whole neighborhood announcing my performances. You will help me deliver them in the morning."

She handed me a flyer. She was serious.

"I really don't think I'll be able to help you tomorrow. I have a really bad sprained ankle." I pointed to my ankle. She looked and her eyes narrowed.

After driving around for what seemed like an eternity we got to their house. When we walked into the front I could see what would be the living and formal dining rooms. They were void of furniture, but all over the carpet where these strange looking spots. Tons of them! Every few inches was a spot and I had to maneuver carefully to avoid them.

When we walked into the kitchen, her dining table was set for a Thanksgiving feast; tablecloth, goblets, linen napkins, a centerpiece and enough food to feed an army. "Wow, you have really been working today!"

She pushed me into my chair, dished up my plate and sat across the table. Her husband was nowhere to be seen. I noticed she wasn't dishing up for herself. "Um, are you not going to eat?"

"No! This is for you and your family." She looked at me like I should have already known.

"I really hate for this to go to waste. I'm not sure when my family will get back."

"They will be here soon enough. I left my instructions for your husband."

I ate while she stared at me. It was uncomfortable to say the least. I decided to ask her about the spots on the carpet. It was totally rude, but if you saw them you would have asked as well.

"My cat. My cat has been sick and I clean up her mess with a paper towel. It leaves these spots and I don't know what to do." She said in her calm robotic voice.

I started to dry heave. I casually slid my plate away and told her that I was full and that I really wanted to go home.

"How could you possibly get home? You don't have a car with you."

"Could your husband take me back?"

"He couldn't. You will wait here until your husband arrives with your children."

I waited for what seemed like hours when the doorbell rang. I heard my husband at the door and I was so relieved!

"How did you find me?" I whispered to him.

"It's just down the street. Why are we whispering?"

"What! Down the street? She drove me around for at least 20 minutes!"

My husband and kids were escorted to the table where Annabelle dished up heaping plates of food.

"Don't eat it!" I mouthed to my husband. He looked at me very confused, but followed my urging and said "Oh, we just ate at the house we came from, thank you though."

At this point, without thinking, I asked my husband for the car keys, ran out of the house and drove down the street to my house. I was so mad! We were a short walk away! I ran into the home to call the one person from our church that I had talked to a few times. My sister had known her in Texas and asked her to look for me when I moved to Oregon. She wasn't home, a babysitter answered. I told her to please tell Kymberlee where I was and that I was in some sort of trouble.

Still not thinking clearly, I grabbed some more diapers and went back! When I think about this story I can't for the life of me figure out why I didn't grab my husband and kids and run out the door as soon as he got there. No, I went back.

Next time, the conclusion. It gets even better!

The time I got kidnapped.....

2010-04-20T08:22:00.000-07:00

Before you get too excited about the title I need to clarify one thing. Yes it is true, I found myself kidnapped at one point in my life, but I was not a kid and it was not by a gross man wanting to do gross things! This is more of a "I can't believe that really happened to you! Even more, I can't believe you let that happen to you!" kind of a story.

Because it is such a long story, I am going to break it down over a few posts. We'll see how many it takes.

The time I got kidnapped: Part I

3 weeks after having my third child, my husband and I took our family on one of my favorite adventures. We moved to Oregon. We didn't know a soul, but we were excited. We stayed in a rented condo for a month while we looked for and purchased our home. I had found a home that would be perfect for us. The neighborhood was clean and nice. There were kids everywhere for my kids to play with. But best of all, I could finally feel the end of a whirlwind in sight. Keep in mind I had just sold and packed up a house while pregnant and moved with a newborn. I was ready for some stability.

We hadn't been sure exactly how long we would be in the condo looking for our new home, but I had only unpacked the bare minimum and had the moving company deliver a futon, our mattresses, some kitchen items and a box of toys, keeping the rest in storage. We told our kids that it was going to be like camping, and believe me it was.

When the weekend of our final move into our home arrived I was filled with excitement. Packing everything up as quickly as I could, I started running boxes down 3 flights of stairs to the U-haul we had rented. On one of my last trips down the stairs I missed a step and royally twisted my ankle. It swelled immediately and was so painful to step on that I had to hop along to get anywhere. The thought of taking time to go to the doctor to have it looked at sounded more painful to me. All I wanted was to be in our home, get us unpacked and sit down for once. I decided it could wait.

Before our move, we had phoned some people from our church to let them know that we would be moving into the area. A few of the men offered to help us move our few things that the moving company hadn't kept, from the condo into our home. We were so relieved. Especially since I had rendered myself useless. But we eventually got there and I was just in time for the moving company to arrive with the rest of our things. One of the men who helped us move from the condo invited my husband and kids over to his house for pizza and to watch a football game. Even though I was exhausted, I was thrilled with this idea. It left me and my new baby alone to unpack the kitchen without any interruptions. My husband worried about leaving me behind, but I assured him that I was perfectly fine and I would be very careful of my ankle. He left with my two oldest, I put my baby in the swing, and began to dig us out when the weirdest thing happened....

A woman came barging in our front door shaking her hands and screaming "It's OK! It's OK! I belong to your church!"

I looked at her with some confusion. She was breathless at this point from her obviously over excited state.

"I am here to get you. You have to come with me right now!" she continued yelling at me.

"Who are you?" I asked, not quite sure how to process what was happening.

"My name is Annabelle! (changed for privacy of course) You have to come with me now! I have been waiting all day!" She still yelled excitedly at me.

"I need to unpack my house. We just got here, it is getting late and I would really like to get my kitchen unpacked before my kids get back."

She looked at me like I was off my rocker. "I have been waiting! And now my chicken is burning! You must come with me now!"

"But, I don't know who you are. I really need to just get my kitchen unpacked." I replied with even more confusion.

"You don't need to worry. I know your house INTIMATELY! I have been through it many times." She grabs my hand, drags me towards the door and says "We really need to go now or your dinner will be ruined!"

"But my baby!" I pointed to the swing. I watched in a dazed horror as she grabbed my diaper bag, and put the baby in the car seat. Before I could think through all that was happening she was pushing me into her car. Her husband was in the drivers seat and didn't say anything. He wouldn't even look at me.

(At this point in the story I need to remind you that I had just had a baby! I was getting no sleep, I had hormones a raging, and I was so exhausted from everything that I probably couldn't have told you my full name!)

Part II tomorrow!

Keeping up with my goals.

2010-04-17T07:56:00.000-07:00

In the post just before this one I told you that I didn't complete my goal of finishing my book by April 15th. After thinking about it for a while I decided to toot my own horn and tell you that I have kept up with my other goals.

Back in February I wrote about eating better, exercising and not giving up if I have a day where I fall of the wagon. I decided that my new daily mantra would be: "Today I will.... (insert goal)."

Guess what! I have lost 11 pounds and I have been exercising consistently. This morning I ran 5 miles and shaved 6 minutes off of my running time.

Could I have done better with my weight loss? Yes, but I am making progress so I am very pleased with the results so far.

How about you? Have you kept up with some of your goals?

Ooops!

2010-04-15T18:36:00.000-07:00

Something I forgot to mention was that I didn't reach my goal (set back in Nov. here) of finishing my novel the same day my husband finished his tax season.

Yeah. What can I say. I have been a single mom.

On the bright side though, I will now have a very hands on spouse so I can really get down to business!

Holy lemons Batman!.....

2010-04-15T14:01:00.000-07:00

If you have read this post, you will know that I love lemons. The taste, the smell, the color, it all has a positive affect on me.

Today I discovered the power of lemons!

My son, that I adore in every way, is almost always very helpful. However, there is one request of mine that he just can't seem to follow through on. It is using the squeegee in the shower. Because of this, the glass doors on his shower have been coated with hard water spots that have been a thorn in my side. I kept telling myself that I shouldn't make a big deal about it, he won't live with me forever, but today I just couldn't stand it anymore. I have tried things in the past to get the nasty spots off, but until now and short of using the sort of chemicals that would require a hazmat suit, nothing has really done the trick. I googled about my dilemma and found a suggestion to scrub the glass with a lemon that has been cut in half. To make it extra powerful, sprinkle some salt on the cut surface of lemon.

I decided to give it a try.

I went strait for the good stuff and used the salt combo from the get go. After I finished scrubbing, I let it sit for a few minutes, gave it a once over again and then rinsed.

"Out damn'd spot! Out I say!"

Voila! They were gone.

It was magical.

I love lemons.

A little rant.....

2010-04-15T10:45:00.000-07:00

Today in the Associated Press there is an article that you can read here.

The article is about the books that are the most complained about by parents. Stephenie Meyer's Twilight is number 5 on the list. The other books on the list were Catcher In The Rye, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Color Purple, IM (I have not read), etc. (See article for complete list)

Here is how I feel about it:

First, make sure that whatever book your child/teen is reading is age appropriate. Some books simply have too mature a theme for the advanced younger readers. There are books out there that will challenge them, but are still appropriate. Seek them out and be a big part of talking to them about the content.

Second, I say kudos to Stephenie Meyer. Though her books are not literary masterpieces, she sparked a whole new love of reading in people who otherwise would not have picked up a book for pure enjoyment purposes. I have 2 friends who had not read a book on purpose since high school, but after being convinced to read Twilight they are now book nerds, constantly reading anything they can get their hands on. Would I let my 8 and 12 year old daughters read this book? Not yet, but when they are older, absolutely. (I tend to try for innocence as long as possible)

Third, see my first point! Educate yourself about the content of books. Read with your kids. My daughter and I are constantly reading the same books. Usually I read the book first and then make my decision. My son who is older comes to me about every other week looking for something that I would suggest. He has read Tom Sawyer, The Count Of Monte Cristo, To Kill A Mockingbird, The Golden Compass series, Les Miserable and so on, all on my recommendation. Help your child find something you think is appropriate. But remember that what you think is appropriate may or may not coincide with another parents view on the same book. There is nothing wrong with that!

I just had to get that off my chest.

Favorite days...

2010-04-15T08:27:00.000-07:00

I love April 15th!

For me it is one of the most anticipated days of the year. I am serious! It comes not too far behind Christmas, Halloween and April Fools day.

Why?

I get my husband back every year on April 15th!

He is a tax accountant and come January of every year we see less and less of him. He is gone from 6 in the morning until 11 or 12 at night and often until the wee hours of the morning. He even spends the night on occasion. This happens Monday through Saturday and sometimes Sunday.   My kids don't see him unless they happen to wake up in the middle of the night. The older kids know that he comes home at night but my younger two have asked where he flew to.

Oh happy day!

Broken Hearts.....

2010-04-14T07:18:00.000-07:00

I wasn't going to share this part of the First Kiss story, but I changed my mind. I have been the cause and the recipient of many a broken heart. Of the two, it feels so much worse to be the one getting your heart broken.

That darling young man who treated me so well and gave me a first kiss to remember, well.....I broke his heart. What can I say? I was only 15. We spent part of a school year and most of a summer falling in love. Only for him it meant so much more than it ever did for me. My first love didn't come until later, (that is another story for another time and I definitely got my heart broken!) but I am fairly certain that he thought I was his.

He was so thoughtful. Sometimes he would show up with a delicate gold necklace and other times with a single flower. He opened my doors, cheered me on with pride in my adventures and was very respectful in the way he spoke to me.

The problem was, he graduated and I didn't. He left and I was still 15 turning 16.

He wrote letters expressing his love and future plans he had for us. I pulled back. He called and talked of "when". I pulled back even more. After a while of this I received a package in the mail from him. Every photo of me or us together, every token, ticket stub, gift, letter and note that I had ever given him was in that package. There was no written message from him, but the message was very clear. I broke his heart and he needed to rid himself of every reminder of me. Thinking back I really respect him for the way he handled it. He never tried to beg me back or say mean hurtful things which I probably deserved. He just bowed out like the gentleman he had always been. I felt bad then, but I feel worse now when I think about it because I could have given him much more respect than I did. I could have told him that I was too young for the kinds of promises he wanted from me.

Instead I pulled back.

I am proud of myself about one thing though. I never told him I loved him. That sounds strange, I know, but there is only one man that I have ever said those words to besides my dad and I married him. Now don't get me wrong, I liked him, a lot, and I told him that. I just didn't feel that I could say that I loved him. I've never used that phrase frivolously, partly because I've always had a hard time expressing myself and partly because to me it is something so special that it can't be used just anywhere. So, know that if you ever hear me say "I love you", I really mean it.

First Kiss....

2010-04-09T13:12:00.000-07:00

On the way home from the gym this morning, my friend and I ended up talking about first kisses. This, because my son has been asking me about kissing girls, when he should and what to expect. (I love that he will talk to me about it!)

My friend told me about her tragic first kiss. She was at a dance and her boyfriends friends planned the whole thing. They had arranged for a car to be in the parking lot and sent her out to meet him in the car. Awkard!!! She said it all felt forced, embarrassing and not at all nice to remember.

I felt bad for her because mine *sigh* was out of this world.

I was a 15 year old Sophomore and he was an 18 year old senior.

(That makes for the best combination ever if you ask me! He knew what he was doing and I was glad!)

He had been a good friend of my brother's so I had known him for several years. Which means he had known me as a really tall, skinny eleven year old with teeth too big for my face, elbows and knees that were everywhere and a few band-aids here and there.

I was quite the ugly duckling growing up, but something magical happened the summer before my sophomore year. The braces came off, my hair had grown down my back from the gross perm that forced me to cut it very short, the acne was gone and I no longer tripped over myself everywhere I went. The boys started to notice me, but I was still oblivious to it. The attention I mean, not the boys. I had had a crush on this boy or that since fifth grade, but they never noticed me back until that wonderful year, so I didn't really know what it was that they were all doing until someone pointed it out to me.

I got asked to homecoming by a boy that I didn't know at all, but I was thrilled. My dress was pink and I couldn't wait to wear it. I was in the bathroom in a t-shirt and cut off shorts, getting ready for the big night. My hair was up in hot rollers all over my head and while standing tip toed I applied the finishing touches to my lipgloss. That was when my brother and his friends came rushing in to start getting ready for their dates. One of his friends in particular started to tease me about the rollers and chased me around a bit trying to get a rise out of me. I didn't really care that they saw me like that, I had known them all so long.

The dance was fine but I didn't ever go out with that boy again. Let's just say that this friend of my brother's took over very quickly after that night in the bathroom.

He was so good to me.

After a couple of dates he walked me to my door, smiled, tilted his head down and kissed me. Simply that. No awkward pause, no awkward where do I put my hands and arms type of thing. He just bent down, kissed me and said good night. Oh was I on cloud nine!!!

But wait! It gets better!

A few weeks later we were at a friends house in the basement trying to figure out a show to watch when our friends ran upstairs to make popcorn leaving us alone. We talked for a bit when he got a phone call. He ran upstairs to take it, but returned just a minute later. He came into the room, smiled at me, put one hand on my cheek, lifted my chin and kissed me gently. Then his lips parted, my heart pounded and I tasted the sweetness of watermelon. That beautiful boy! I don't know if he planned it or not, but he ate the most wonderful watermelon before coming down the stairs and to me it was the syrup of the gods! There was no slurping or slopping, just soft and gentle kisses standing in the basement. Our friends came running down the stairs and rather that jumping away embarrassed he put his arm around my shoulders, gave me a squeeze and we spent the rest of the night doing who knows what! I don't remember the rest because I could think of nothing else!

I consider myself very fortunate that my first kisses were like the ones only dreamt about before they ever happened. You know the ones. They were the kind that happened in the movies and all of the girls went home at night and envisioned her first kiss to be just like the one that Blane gave Andie in Pretty In Pink or when Keith finally kisses Watts in Some Kind Of Wonderful.

Some girls have all the luck!

(Should I tell my son about the watermelon?)

Wonder Woman!

2010-04-05T15:20:00.000-07:00

This week my kids are home from school. Spring break is here and that means I will have a house full of kids all week long. I think I might have to pick one of the days to be a no friends in the house at all day just to keep myself sane. Because when I say a house full of kids I mean at any given time there are anywhere between 10 to 20 kids at my house. I am not complaining, I love it, really I do! It's just that too much of a good thing is never a good thing ya know!

Anyway, I am quite proud today because I fixed my dryer all by myself!

It went out yesterday and when it happened I knew exactly what the problem was because about a month ago my sister called me and told me about her dryer woes. I was so impressed because she had taken her whole dryer apart, starting with the backside, 3 times trying to get at the belt which was the problem. When it happened I knew it was the belt, it had to be.

Murphy's law is real! (Back to my story)

I skipped taking off the backside after remembering my sisters story and went for the front. I removed the door, the front panel and took out the drum. What a dusty mess!!!! After vacuuming the whole thing, calling my sister twice, and printing out the page from the manual I needed, I fixed the belt! Ta Da!!! It was so easy!

Then came the hard part.

Putting the darn thing back together was the challenge. I will admit that I grunted a few times, said Dammit once, and probably had plumbers butt here and there. But, I got it back together just in time to put a load of wet laundry in. And guess what! It works beautifully!

There is one thing I have to confess about this though. I have two screws leftover that I found after I got the whole thing put back together. I took the door and the front back off to check and make sure all of the holes that needed screws had them and they did. I could not for the life of me see where they needed to go. I just told myself that they probably came from under the dryer in all of the dust. My husband says that if the dryer falls apart we will know where they were supposed to go.

Anyway, how was your day?

Absent...

2010-03-26T08:22:00.000-07:00

I've been absent from blogging for a few days and will be for a few days more. I've been helping my son work through a challenge that he has come up against. I can't say any more about it other than he and I have learned much about our responsibility to those around us and the responsibility that adults should feel towards any child, not just their own.

Awesome contest

2010-03-23T12:04:00.000-07:00

Two wonderful bloggers are sponsoring a giveaway of The Forbidden Sea. Go here to find out all of the information you will need!

Good luck!

Dreamland...

2010-03-23T11:13:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had a night where you dream something that seems so real you feel a bit confused when you finally wake?

Last night I did just that. It was the most strangely realistic dream I have ever had.

I dreamt that my husband and I had secretly moved our family back into one of our old houses without anyone knowing, not even the current owners of that house. While in the middle of unpacking our belongings, I called one of my friends who lives in that area to ask if she knew how much we should offer to pay in rent for our old house. She was really confused by my question, which made me laugh! It took a while for me to convince her that we were really there and she could not believe it. She was kind of worried that we would get in trouble by the current owners, but I did not seemed concerned at all. I acted like it was the most normal thing in the world to do.

When I woke up in the early morning I had to look around at my surroundings for just a minute until it registered in my brain that I had been dreaming.

I tend to have strange dreams now and again.

Book Review!

2010-03-22T17:00:00.000-07:00

You can probably tell what I have been doing with my time by my recent plethora of Book Reviews, but I like to think of it as homework!

Jessica Day George, in my opinion, nailed it once again with her novel Princess Of The Midnight Ball.

First off the cover is georgeous! Now, let's get to the heart of the matter. It is a Young Adult novel. (I have been reading a lot of those lately, but it seems that when I find one, another gets recommended. I kind of get stuck in a genre for a while.)

The story is a retelling of the fairy tale of the Twelve Dancing Princesses. We begin with the story being told by a young man named Galen who is returning from a 12 year war. Along the way he meets an old woman who, because of his kindness, gives him some gifts to help him once he is in the palace. He thinks the old woman must be very confused because he has no family of consequence and can't imagine how or why he would ever be inside the palace.

We follow him along his adventure as he seeks out his only living relatives and a way to earn a living. His only skills are knitting (I laughed at first, but he had to take care of himself during the war and learned the skill to keep himself in socks and hats) and soldiering, since he had grown up the son of a soldier and spent most of his life in the war. I won't say any more because I don't want to give it all away, but I will say that once again the author's words paint a beautiful picture. The story is not a masterpiece by any means, just a well thought out story and the perfect length to escape on a lazy afternoon.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Book Review!

2010-03-18T08:03:00.000-07:00

I was so excited to get my hands on this book. I'd read so many raving reviews that I knew it was going to be a hit.

Synopsis from Goodreads: For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human ... until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

I didn't like it. I tried to, I really did, but I had to push myself to finish it.

First off the parents, where were they? Yes, there are parents out there who just let their kids run a muck, but they usually seem to have some issue going on like drugs, alcohol, emotional problems etc. I have a hard time believing that normal, law abiding, loving, educated people would be so completely oblivious to their daughter. The author did show us how self centered they were, even still, how can they not notice a boy living in their own house for a few weeks? There was one scene where her mom finally woke up to the situation and tried to forbid her daughter from seeing Sam anymore, but in one sentence Grace convinced her mom otherwise. Yeah, I am not buying it, it was just too convenient.

I also hated/liked the changing point of view. One chapter would put us in Sam's head and then we would be in Grace's head. I did like knowing what Sam was thinking, but it changed so much that I would sometimes have to look at the chapter heading again to remember which head I was supposed to be in. It was a good idea, but I felt confused.

Olivia and Rachel were boring. These supposed best friends were with Grace in the beginning and just disappeared until they made a cameo appearance here and there. If they are her best friends why weren't they knocking down her door to find her when she was so absent. If my best friend ever fell off the face of the earth either emotionally or physically, you can bet your life that I would be putting my nose where it doesn't belong just to find her. Same thing goes if she shows up with a mysterious boyfriend. I would be digging very hard to get answers. Where were the phone calls? The unannounced drop ins? Olivia was just grumpy and Rachel was overly giddy, but we were never shown a real relationship. They could have just as easily not been in the book.

I wasn't really convinced about the love between Sam and Grace. Yes, she had been infatuated with him as a wolf for 6 years, but she didn't know him as a person at all. Sam admitted that as a wolf he doesn't think about things the same way as a human. As a wolf he didn't have emotions like a human, it was more of an instinct. He also said that as a wolf he doesn't remember the human things or people. If this was the case how were they so in love with each other from the moment he was in human form? They needed time to find out about each other and develop a relationship. I couldn't stand that all they thought about was kissing or touching. Teens do have raging hormones, but I don't want to read about it on every page.

Out of curiosity I will probably read the second book, but if it is much the same I don't think I will give a third a chance.

Places.....

2010-03-17T08:01:00.000-07:00

Usually when I read blogs by other people I try to figure out where they are from. Sometimes they tell me in one of their posts, and sometimes it is in their profile section. I always wonder what it would be like to live where they live.

I have come across blogs written by people who live in England, Canada, Australia, Greece, and various other interesting places across the United States. On my blog I have never told where I am from, I've just hinted at the general location. As I read these blogs I wonder if the authors really realize and appreciate that they live in such interesting places to me. They may find it mundane and boring because the places we see everyday can become ordinary to us after time.

I used to live in a place that I thought was interesting. It held fascination and intrigue for me, but I started to get used to it and stopped exploring as much as I could have. I stopped visiting the must see places that were on a list I had made. I only lived there for five years. Five years that went too fast. By the time I realized I was moving to where I live now I was heartbroken by all of my lost opportunity. Thinking back there are so many places I would have made my way to if I had realized it was my last summer or my last winter there. If only I could go back.

Sigh.

But wait! I almost got the chance to.

My husband accepted a job offer to move back to my favorite place. We were on our way this last fall, but then his current company made him a whole bunch of promises if he would stay where we are. So far they haven't followed through, but it looks like we are stuck.

I have completely veered from the point of my blog.

The point is, I don't know if anyone has ever heard about the place where I live and thought to themselves "Gee, I wish I could visit/live there!". Maybe someone has, but since I am here to stay, I have tried to make the best of it. I will be taking my family on an adventure here and there to "discover" this place that we live. Then maybe one day if we ever move from here (highly unlikely) I can look back with a little regret on this place as well.

By the way:

Here is a Spells ARC giveaway!

Super Freak.....

2010-03-16T07:50:00.000-07:00

A few of my friends and I have been working out in the mornings together. I love it. It gets me out of bed and forces me to go. If I know someone is waiting for me I will not miss. If I am just depending on me to get there, I will often let myself down.

Anyway, we decided to try a yoga class that is offered on Tuesday mornings. Let me tell you, it is a challenge. It will be quite a while until I don't feel a little ridiculous on that morning. The 3 of us have really lucked out with the class because so far no one else shows up besides us and the instructor. It's like having a personal yoga coach meeting us on Tuesdays.

This morning she wanted to challenge us a little bit more and would get us into a pose and show us what we could do to make it even harder if we wanted to try it. We were going along struggling here and conquering there when we got to the Warrior poses. The first one is fine, the second one is pretty hard, but the third! Oh man, I have no balance!

Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse we faced forward and balanced on one leg with the other leg bent and crossed, resting just above the planted legs knee. She then proceeded to have us squat really low, place our hands on the floor, lean forward and rest our crossed leg on the backs of our bent arms. (picture a hand stand with arms bent slightly and one leg bent and resting on the elbows). At this point she balanced her other leg straight out with her head and chest straight out going the opposite direction. She was an arrow parallel with the floor, balancing on her hands with one leg crossed at the elbows.

I was in awe.

In my mind all I could hear was the song that says "super freak, super freak, she's super freaky!". I started laughing because I could hear the music in my head and I couldn't believe that a human body could do what she just did. She looked at me and I asked her if she had ever been with the Cirque de Soleil. I kind of killed the mood because she started laughing too.

She says that if I keep doing yoga regularly I will one day be able to hold the pose she had gotten herself into.

When that day comes I will post a picture of myself holding the pose for all to see! Because I want to be a.....

Super Freak!

Book Review!

2010-03-12T10:26:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I sat down and read Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George.

I loved it!

Based on a Norwegian fairy tale, it has some reminders of Beauty and the Beast. Considering I read it in an afternoon, it is an easy read, but the words are beautiful! I loved the description, I loved the personalities, the tragedies, and the strength and determination. The main character remains nameless through most of the book because she was unwanted by her mother who refused to give her a name. She is referred to as "pika" which means small child by everyone. When she rescues an enchanted deer she is finally given a name and the ability to speak to animals as thanks for her help. She keeps her name and new talent to herself on the advice of her oldest brother, but word soon spreads that she has a way with animals. The character goes on an adventure of a lifetime when an enchanted bear arrives at her cottage and asks that she live with him for one year. I won't say any more because I don't want to give it all away!

A very sweet story.

Leftovers....

2010-03-10T07:17:00.000-08:00

I realized something about myself the other day. I really can't stand leftover chicken. It tastes weird and the texture seems all wrong after it is warmed up in the microwave. I love chicken cooked on the grill or baked in the oven, but after it has gotten cold, I won't eat it again. The funny thing is that I have always made extra chicken so we could eat it another day, but we never do. I might as well put a few dollars in the fridge, wait a few days and then throw them in the garbage, because that's what happens to the chicken.

My kids don't love it either.

I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Book Review!

2010-03-08T11:31:00.000-08:00

This weekend I read Need by Carrie Jones. I would probably rate it somewhere between 2.5 and 3 stars.

Synopsis from good reads website: Zara White suspects there's a freaky guy semi-stalking her. She's also obsessed with phobias. And it's true, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme. The move is supposed to help her stay sane...but Zara's pretty sure her mom just can't deal with her right now.

She couldn't be more wrong. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara's overactive imagination. In fact, he's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There's something not right - not human - in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.

In this creepy, compelling breakout novel, Carrie Jones delivers romance, suspense, and a creature you never thought you"d have to fear.

I had heard that people were comparing this novel to Twilight and I can see where they were coming from, a girl moves away from her mom to a small town in a cold place, this girl meets a mysterious boy and is intrigued by him. There are definitely similarities.

*spoiler alert!*

I had some issues with the book though. First, it was choppy. The language and the story were all over the place. When the characters would have any sort of conversation it was always short sentences if even that. I had to go back and reread several times just to figure out exactly what they were talking about. There were a lot of words between the characters, they just never really said much of anything.

The story was confusing sometimes as well. Nick who is a "were" can smell the pixies as they approach Zara's home but he can't smell the ones standing right next to him at school? Huh. That didn't make any sense to me. I also thought it was strange that Nick also had to discover on his own about the existence of the pixies. He is supposedly the protector of the area and his shape shifting abilities are passed down from parent to child through generations, so did his parents really never clue him in? They were probably the same age as Zara's dad so they would have been around when he had his troubles with the pixies.

Another story line issue I had came when Zara's mom made her escape from the pixies. I don't believe for one second that if she was being held captive for the pixie King no one noticed she was making her escape!   If she was so important to the King, someone would have been on her at all times. When they finally did notice she was leaving, they all just watched and announced to the King that she was escaping. The King just sat there like a bump on a log and did nothing. Really? No one tried to grab her?

The best friend Issi? She was annoying.

I did like the premise of the story and I wish that the book had been longer so the author could have worked out some of the scenes with more depth. A few more pages here and there would have given us an opportunity to really get to know the characters and what to expect from them.

Would I recommend this to someone to read? Yes, but I wouldn't buy it, even with all of the issues I had with it I would say give it a try. But I would also say not to have your expectations too high. I haven't decided if I will read the 2nd book yet, I'll let you know.

Teenagers....

2010-03-04T07:49:00.000-08:00

I love teenagers.

They are fun to talk to, and even more fun to listen to. My teenage son and I have a pretty awesome relationship. His friends are at our house constantly, eating our food, using our bathrooms, putting holes in the walls, jumping over my shrubs, tearing up the grass and on and on.

My neighbor across the street has noticed the constant commotion at our house, which her daughter is part of, as she is the same age as my son.   The neighbor admitted to feeling a little left out because her daughter doesn't want to have the group at her house. I jokingly told her that she should appreciate that she doesn't have the most damaged house and yard on the street. After I chuckled about it, I realized that I LOVE IT!!!

I wouldn't trade it for the world.

I asked my son why they are at our house so often instead of spreading the love with all of the parents. Guess what he said!

"They love our house the best, mom."

I have never felt so proud! Now don't get me wrong, I don't let them get away with whatever they want. I have very frank discussions about what behavior is acceptable and what isn't. I even have to stop what is going on now and then. But I love having them here.

I hope they will always love coming over to our house. I would rather them grow up under my watch than lurk at the mall or do who knows what in a dark movie theater.

I love teenagers.

Tattoos and Kryptonite.....

2010-03-03T09:31:00.000-08:00

Ahhh! My husband, otherwise known as Superman, now has a tooth with my name on it! Hee Hee!

Here is the story:

Two weeks ago Superman broke his tooth. I know technically that should be impossible, but soda is his Kryptonite and it was bound to happen sooner or later. Anyway, our brother-in-law is handy with a drill if you know what I mean and he informed superman that a crown was the only solution.

He prepped.

He took molds.

He sent it away.

Here enters the sneaky villainess (in the form of my sister) to the story. Her wicked mind quickly thinks up a dastardly plan of making two crowns for superman. One looks like a normal tooth in every way and another identical to the first, except for one small change.....my name written in purple with a pink heart surrounding it, is tattooed on it.

My Brother-in-law placed the "fancy" tooth in Superman's mouth (without cement) for him to look at, waiting for the reaction that was sure to come. Well.....

Superman thought it was awesome and didn't even want to see the other one! He had it cemented in his mouth, tattoo and all!

Talk about love!

MLMs....

2010-02-27T11:12:00.000-08:00

A good friend of mine and I have an ongoing joke about MLMs (multi level marketing companies). I thought I would share our recent correspondence about them!

Good friend: BTW, when are you going to create the "cool group" mlm, I want to be the first rep, that way I can get in at ground level, and really take off with it ;). I have had two requests this week from friends in (insert state) to join one.

My response: MLM people must say this to themselves each morning:

"I love the MLMs! They make me feel so confident in my friendships! I especially love how well everyone responds to my phone calls when I let them know I have something wonderful to share with them that will be life changing. I haven't made money yet, but that is because I am purchasing my monthly supply to remain a part of this incredibly inspirational company. One day when I am driving my Mercedes I will look back at these leaner days and cherish the lesson that I learned. Only sacrifice will bring the reward and I can feel it, I am so close! I just need to find a way to pay for next months supply. Maybe I can talk some of my closest friends into looking at this once in a lifetime opportunity. Especially the ones that live out of state, because it is way less saturated where they are. That would definitely cover the cost of the product for me. And what a product it is! It cures cancer, reverses aging, helps me lose weight and makes my hair super shiny. Yep, I have a testimony of the truthfulness of the MLM!"

I know, I am so mean! I really think that one day just for fun I really will start the "Status" company. It will be big! And I won't feel bad taking money from everyone who joins because they will feel so good about themselves. Just see the mantra above!

I had told my friend about a year ago that I would start a "Status" MLM that people could join and it would make them cool.

Sorry if you are part of one and if it works for you, best of luck to you. It is just not my cup of tea!

Publish Post

Ooops!

2010-02-26T09:30:00.001-08:00

One thing you should never procrastinate........

Letting the dog out.

I stepped right in the middle of a warm spot on the carpet. Gross!

Starting again....

2010-02-26T07:59:00.000-08:00

I think I am most famous among my friends for these words; "I will start on Monday for sure!" or "Monday, Monday is the day!".    Can you say procrastinator?   In my earlier post I mentioned the book I am reading, The Richest Man In Babylon, and it talks about how procrastination can take away opportunity.

I am in a world of hurt.

The problem for me is, there is always another Monday! It just keeps coming again and again and again. It never stops. Thus my procrastinating heart never changes.

How many times have I started to eat right on a Monday? Running on a Monday? Keeping my house clean on a Monday? Writing my book on a Monday? Insert almost anything here on a Monday?

Ouch!

I am announcing to you now that today, which is not Monday, I am starting again! Today it will be 3 simple things. I will commit to writing for one hour. (If it goes well I will continue.) I will also commit to running today. And finally, I will eat better today.

Notice I said today. Tomorrow I will say today again.    Perhaps that will be my new mantra. Today I will....(insert).

While reading the book I thought about what some of my lost opportunities have been.

Here are some possibilities:

Time: Being able to find something in my house right away because it is where it should be.
Weight: Had I really focused on each day rather than wait until Monday I would probably be happier with where I am at and I would be able to wear the things that are in my closet.
Strength and Endurance: By putting off my running I am losing the opportunity to feel strong.
Writing: I could have finished my novel by now.

I could keep going on but I won't. I am not going to be hard on myself. I am going to think positively and accomplish the things today that I know I can.

The book taught me that the person who does not procrastinate learns to seize a good opportunity when it comes along, and good opportunity will bring with it more opportunity.

I am still reading the book, and I do suggest it very highly!

Reading...

2010-02-25T07:08:00.000-08:00

There are a few books that I have finished reading that I will review, but I wanted to tell you about a book that I am currently reading. It is called The Richest Man In Babylon by George S. Clason. It is fantastic! I had heard about this book through the years and turned my nose up at it because it is about finances and I thought I would fall asleep reading it. It was first published in 1926 and uses parables to teach financial smarts.

Here is the crazy thing.

It still applies to today!

I highly, highly, highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone! (Is that highly enough for you to pick it up and read it?)

It is interesting, teaches great lessons, and has important information.   I borrowed it from a friend, but I will be buying this one!

An omen?

2010-02-22T11:07:00.000-08:00

I don't think of myself as a superstitious person by nature, but I have been known to make a wish on the first star at night or purposely step over a crack. Growing up I used to wonder how my day would end up differently if I went out one door versus another. I think this is more out of having a child somewhere inside me that still hopes there really is a tooth fairy somewhere out there. So, whenever I find a penny on the ground I pick it up thinking of all the good luck that it will bring my way.

Image my joy when I was devouring my latest library book turning page after page swallowed up in my reading when a perfect, crisp, wonderful dollar bill fell out of the book! Logic told me that someone had simply used it as a book mark, but my heart told me that it was a sign! I've been struggling with the book I have been writing. Thoughts of "Will anyone really ever want to read this anyway?" have been keeping me away from the task.

That dollar bill gave me courage again!

In my mind it was a hundred good luck pennies sent my way.

Please don't think I interpreted it that I would be published and money would be falling into my lap from my book. Rather, I saw it as the boost that I needed. The verification that even if what I am doing is for myself and myself alone, it is what I love and that makes it important. I literally thought to myself "A sign! I need to keep going!".

I guess you could say that I am a superstitious person after all.

Book Review!

2010-02-20T11:53:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading the Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry. It was a very quick read that falls in the Young Adult category.

Huh.

Not quite sure how to start here because I have mixed emotions about this one. I looked on a few sights and so many readers gave it rave reviews with very few negative ones, so I am confused. I am wondering if I read the same book they did. Yet, I didn't hate it. I am somewhere in the middle on this one. Let me break it down.

First, I would not put it in the Young Adult category, it would fit in more of a fifth and sixth grade area.

Things I liked:

A creative retelling of a Cinderella story
Lucinda, the heroine, although whiney here and there, wasn't afraid to take charge of her situation.
Peter, the thief, was interesting and added some witty banter to the story.

Things I didn't like:

The heroine falls completely in love after one small encounter with the prince. It felt like she just decided one minute to be in love. There wasn't any relationship development. It just felt flat.
Beryl, the woman from another world, was a great opportunity lost. She could have added a huge dimension to the story and it wasn't really played out very well.
The traveling back and forth between the worlds wasn't thought out very well. Beryl says she is trapped, yet, with the heroines help she returns to her world, then comes back again to help the heroine. I thought there wasn't any way for them to go back and forth. It was confusing.
The protagonist was flat. Why was he banished? Where was the person who was banished with him? If he knew who and what Beryl was when he first met her, why didn't she know about him?
The prince. We don't really get a chance to meet him, yet he and Lucinda are so in love with each other he decides she needs to stay away so he can fulfill his duty. Who is this guy? What is it she loves about him? What made him fall in love with a commoner and a thief for that matter?

I don't mean to sound like I am tearing this book apart. It was a fun, easy, cute read. But, like I mentioned earlier, more for the preteen crowd. I would recommend it to a 10 year old girl in a heartbeat!

Manna from Heaven.....

2010-02-18T13:29:00.000-08:00

This is probably a strange post to follow so closely behind the skunk stink, but I have made a discovery worth heralding!

I love lemon. Lemon pie, lemon bars, lemon pound cake etc. etc. I love it so much that I would rather have a lemon meringue pie for my birthday than a cake. I have now found the perfect "it's afternoon and I just need a little something" treat. They are called Carr's Ginger Lemon Cremes (see them here). I found them at Costco and just the word lemon caught my eye so I had to try them. The ginger cookie is the perfect balance with the lemon creme center. After savoring the first one I thought "This must have been what manna tasted like!"

Watch out oreos! There is someone sexy in town!

The sweet smell of skunk......

2010-02-16T12:08:00.000-08:00

Excuse me as I dry heave while I type this.

It is that bad.

Last night I had an errand to run, so, I hopped into my car for a few blissful moments of me time. I cranked up my Taylor Swift cd and joined the fast flow of traffic on the freeway. The exit I needed came and I merged off and was on my way to Ikea. Pure joy up until this moment.

I noticed a few cars doing a weird little swervy move up ahead of me. I thought it was a strange thing for them to do until I got to that point in the road.

The smell. It was horrible.

The sight was just about as bad.

A dead skunk was right in the middle of the road. Well, not exactly the middle, kind of off centered to be exact. Off centered just enough that it was in the exact same spot that my left tires were headed. That was the reason for all of the swervy moves. Only I couldn't swerve. Cars were coming toward me and there was no room on the other side!

Oh the horror!

I drove right over it!

The smell, the smell, the smell!

I thought I knew what a skunk smells like. Until last night that is. Now I really know what it smells like!

In an instant a putrid, pungent perfume permeated through the air of my car. I rolled down the windows but found no relief. Gasping and choking I drove into the parking lot and saw puddles of melted snow. Thinking it would help to drive through the water I headed right through them. I parked my car with all of the windows down hoping that the night breeze would come through like a Merry Maid and rid my car of its aroma.

As I walked through the store I wondered if anyone could smell me. I could smell me! Of course they could if they ventured close enough!

Purchase in hand I headed out to my car. The smell of skunk was everywhere I turned. Thinking that it was just the foul air and not my foul car that I could smell I ran and opened my trunk.

WHOA!!!!

I was assaulted with the sharp smell that had settled within.

There was only one way I was going to make it home.....

With ALL of the windows down and the heater on full blast, the cold winter air sliced at my face and I had to wipe the tears off my cheeks repeatedly.   I then spied a gas station with a car wash attached.

I washed my car longer than necessary and tried not to think of what was splashing up into my face as I sprayed the undercarriage. It didn't make the problem go completely away, but there was a definite improvement.

My car spent the night on the driveway with the windows down. I wasn't worried about anyone stealing it because of the smell.

It was better this morning, but the sun brought out the aroma like a scratch and sniff. It is still there, just waiting to be brought to the surface.

Looks like I will be spending some time with google trying to find a way to rid my car of the olfactory infestation.

GROSS!!!!!!

Book Review!

2010-02-12T09:35:00.000-08:00

If you have a teenage daughter at home or if you are still a teenager at heart, I highly recommend It's A Mall World After All by Janette Rallison. I just read this book yesterday afternoon and laughed, sniggered, swooned and blushed the whole way through!

It was very clean in content, which for me is a definite plus. It is not a literary masterpiece if that is what you are looking for, but rather, it is a fun, escape your day with something light kind of a read.

I love that the main character, Charlotte, turns her nose up at all things snobbish, but then in turn realizes that she herself has been a bit of a snob all along.

Let me know what you think!

Happy reading!

You want emberrassing? I'll give you emberrassing!

2010-02-11T07:08:00.000-08:00

My husband and I went to dinner and a show with some very good friends.

Apparently I took the "very" part a little too seriously because when we got to the movie theater and walked in my friends husband announced he was going to use the restroom. "Oh! Great idea, I don't want to leave during the show!" I said enthusiastically.

I turned to get my ticket from my husband, then walked to the bathroom and went right in.

I stood there for a minute stunned.

"This is strange" I thought to myself. "Why would Lisa's* husband be in the womens bathroom?"

Even stranger still was the fact that there were urinals in the womens bathroom.

It took a few too many seconds for everything to register.

A few too many seconds as I inappropriately stared at my friends husband standing in front of the urinal. But I wasn't looking, I was more in a state of confusion. And no I didn't see anything I shouldn't have! It was more of a "one of these things is not like the others" kind of stare, while my brain was trying to catch up to the situation.

I turned bright red as the realization of everything hit me.

Then I started laughing.

Bob* turned to look at me.

He raised his eyebrows and gave me a look of confused wonder.

I laughed again, said sorry and ran out as fast as I could. I went across the hall to the womens bathroom and I could not stop laughing.

Sigh.

I never did ask if he got gun shy after that. That would just be too much information!

The rest of the night I would laugh whenever I looked at him. I don't think he appreciated it too much towards the end.

*names have been changed for privacy!

Forgetful and Judgy....

2010-02-10T10:09:00.000-08:00

My husband forgets things all of the time.

And when I say "things" I mean things like his pants, a belt, shoes, a shirt, or his underwear kind of things.

You have to know something about him before you make any snap judgments about his forgetfulness. He leaves for work at 6 a.m. each and every morning and heads straight to the gym. He gets ready there, so he really has to pack a small suitcase every night before he leaves.

For whatever reason he has been quite forgetful this past week and a half. (Which when I think about it, he hasn't really gone more than 6 weeks at a time without something that was forgotten.)

Last Thursday I got a phone call from my embarrassed husband who forgot his underwear. He told me about the strange looks he got from everyone else in the gym as he put his pants on in what he refers to as the "free-ball" style.

Monday he calls to tell me he forgot his belt. (not so bad, right?)

Yesterday, he called me in a panic and needed to know where the nearest Walmart was.........He forgot pants. (He would be mortified if anyone knew he was buying pants at Walmart. He is a bit of a clothes snob. But hey, they are open 24 hrs. a day!)

Today, well, today was just as much fun. He forgot his COMPUTER! Hee, hee, hee! I realized this before he even got a chance to call and let me know. Me, being the nice person that I am, thought that I would run it to his office (35 miles away) before he even noticed that he didn't have it. (He was still at the gym during this time). In my haste I didn't worry too much about my own appearance or of my 4 year old daughters. We hopped in our car, zipped up the freeway, and waited.

Forever.

I called. No answer.

I called again and again. Still no answer.

I looked at my daughter and thought I might as well make this little trip of ours fun, so I left my husband a message and drove to the nearest McDonalds.

Walking into the McDonalds I wasn't too worried about my appearance. It's still early, most people are in a hurry and I don't know anyone anyway so it doesn't really matter. We order, sit in our booth, relax a bit and then I start to take in my surroundings.

That is the time that I start to realize that pretty much everyone in there looks like they spent a cold hard night on the streets. The restrooms near where we were sitting had some sort of contraption on the doors that you needed to insert a token in order to unlock the door to go in and use the bathroom. My daughter and I were just one of a few females. The rest were men.   Tired, hungry looking men.

Oh my.

I was a little nervous.

I kept watching the door, waiting for my husband to get there.

Minutes take a really long time when you are just a tad bit nervous.

My daughter was blissfully unaware of our scenario. Which to be honest was probably not that bad. I just have an imagination that will bring out all of the possibilities of any situation.

We waited and waited and waited.

Finally, my husband came.

"Glad you are here! I am having breakfast with all of the homeless people." I said to him.

He looked at me, looked around the room and said "You fit right in."

I realized in that moment that my daughter and I were dressed like we had spent the night on the streets as well. She had on a dirty long sleeve shirt, long pink camouflage shorts, dirty moon boots, a stained red jacket and a rats nest in her hair. I sported my husbands too big black sweats, my brown ugly boots, my sons fur lined hoodie, and an equally impressive rats nest pulled up into a pony tail on the top of my head.

"Oh! I guess you are right!" I said.

Then I started laughing. I remembered the cute "showered" family that had been in the restaurant earlier. They had looked at me with sideways glances, but I had assumed it was because of everyone else that was there.

Nope. I was scary too!

I wished I could have had someone take a picture of us. My husband all clean and dressed in nice work clothes eating breakfast with us. It probably looked like he found us outside and wanted to make sure we had at least one good meal for the day.

Here is what I learned. I need to make my husband a check list and I still need to work on not being judgy. (If you read earlier posts you will know what I am talking about)

I have far to go!

I am slow I know....

2010-02-09T06:40:00.000-08:00

Have you read These Is My Words by Nancy Turner? I just did and WOW!

I had a hard time at first because of the "uneducated" type writing style (I am not sure the best way to describe it). I didn't think I was going to like it, but then I got swept away into what I would say is now one of my favorite books.

Talk about a love story.

I loved that the book made me angry, scared, sad, irritated, anxious, excited, thrilled and thoughtful.

I also loved that after I finished reading it I could not stop thinking about it!

If you have not read this book, run as fast as your legs can carry you to get it. I am behind the times because it has been out for quite a while, along with books 2 and 3 (I have them on reserve at the library). I will let you know what I think of those as well.

If you don't have plans for Valentines read it!

LOVED IT! LOVED IT! LOVED IT!

4 down, 2 to go.

2010-01-29T06:27:00.000-08:00

Four of us got the stomach flu within 4 hours of each other. Pretty awesome huh!

Only two people left in our family to get it.

It has been more than 4 hours.

Maybe they are safe.

(yes, it is the both end variety)

I am Woman. Hear me Roar. Sort of.

2010-01-27T06:54:00.000-08:00

My 3 1/2 year old insinkerator kitchen disposal died a sad death 2 days ago. I discovered it by the water dripping onto my feet while I was at the kitchen sink. I did what comes naturally and called a plumber.

He looks.

He tinkers.

He gets a frowny face (for my benefit I am sure).

He announces that I will need a new disposal. (No surprise to me, I am smarter than I look).

How much? I boldly ask.

Depends, says he, you have two options.

They are?

Option 1 will be 849.00. Option 2 will be 775.00.

Oh. Says me.

Of course there is always option 3. Says he.

3? says me.

Yes. Says he. You can go to the Home Improvement store and buy your own and I will install it.

Great! How much to have it installed? (I ask with much enthusiasm)

400.00. Says he.

Huh. Says me. I will have to consider my "options" and get back to you on that one.

He left and I went straight to Home Depot (after calling the 1-800 number on the disposal first of course, to find out which models are compatible with my plumbing).

Guess what I find out at Home Depot! My exact same model is 99.00 and an upgraded model is 119.00! Wow! (I think) If I could install this myself I would save about 700.00!

I look.

I think.

2 men approach.

Do you need help? Says man one.

I am trying to decide how hard it is to install a garbage disposal.

They are very easy if you don't have to change the plumbing. Says man 2.

Oh?

What are you considering? Says man one.

I have this one under the sink. But I am considering this one to upgrade to.

I did just that in my house not too long ago. Says man 2.

Was it an ordeal?

It took me about 15 minutes. Says man 2.

(I consider offering a batch of cookies if he will follow me home)

Do you think I could do it? Says me.

I don't see why not. Say They.

I am going to do this! Says me.

I run home with my purchase. Get out the tools and get to work. I disconnect the dishwasher hookup. I undo the waste hookup. Then I get stumped. I cannot turn the thing that needs to be turned to get the disposal down. My fifteen year old son tries with the same results. Sigh. I realize that I am not strong enough to do everything. But at least I tried!

My husband gets home, chuckles at my frustration, and wonders at my willingness to attempt. Takes the old disposal down, puts the new disposal up and we save ourselves 700.00!

What a day!

Should be fun...

2010-01-21T08:28:00.000-08:00

Last week my son and I went out looking for a piano. 3 of my kids have been taking lessons for a year and a half and practicing on what I had named the "Hunk of Junk'. I call it Hoj for short. Anyway, we had been looking at all of the ads online, we went to several piano stores that sell new and used, and we even went to some homes trying to find something that would fit our needs and our budget.

It was discouraging.

Everything I touched sounded like it was coming out of a tin can. The pianos all looked like they had fallen off the back of a truck. There is something you need to know about our Hoj. It is a 103 year old, 57" tall mammoth and it looks very cool. So I was having a hard time with everything I saw and heard, because even though Hoj has seen better days, it looked so much cooler than the squatty little pianos I was looking at. (I even thought to myself that the Hoj even sounded better.)

This story is long so hang on.

I had been told by several piano tuners that our Hoj was nothing more than an intricately carved piece of firewood. They are the professionals, so I was trying to follow the advice I had been given, but ignored for the last several years.   So anyway, my son and I finally came across a piano that looked really nice, was only 10 years old, and I couldn't believe the price.   The owners hadn't advertised it on the more popular sites, but I found the ad none the less. We went to see it and I was excited. It looked to be in perfect condition, sounded nice and I was ready to strike a deal when I asked where they bought it. (This is where the music would go DUH Dun DUH!)

It was purchased in Wisconsin, then the family moved to Hawaii for four years, and then they moved to the desert that I live in. Hmmm. I had to stop and really consider for a moment. That was a red flag for me. If you know anything about pianos, you will know that humidity and climate change can really destroy one fast. I told them that I would like to find a piano technician to come back with me. We agreed on a day and time.

Stay with me, here is where it gets interesting.

I phoned several piano techs but something in my gut told me to keep looking after each one I spoke to. I followed my gut, searched the internet some more and came across someone with the longest list of credentials I had ever seen. My eyes really popped out of my head when I saw that he is the head technician for 2 major Universities nearby and for the Symphony in our state. I laughed thinking that it would be fun to get him, but it was not likely to happen.

I called and his wife answered. She was very nice, very helpful and thought that her husband wouldn't mind stopping by on his way home from the University to see the piano I was interested in. We talked a bit more and I briefly mentioned that I would need to figure out what to do about my Hoj.   She asked me a few questions about it and then told me that she was going to have her husband stop by my home within an hour.   I thought it was strange, but agreed to let him come.   She also thought it was curious that I had come across her husband since he isn't listed in the phone book. But, she said it was my lucky day because she would have him help me in my search.

He stopped by soon after that. He is quiet and looks like a music professor with round rim glasses, a short, neatly trimmed beard and a presence that demands respect.   He began to take my piano apart, plunk around on the keys, tune a little here, tune a little there and then stopped and gave half a smile.

Here is what happened next...

Him: What kind of piano did you want me to look at?

I told him, showed him the picture on line and gave him my reason for real concern.

Him: You asked very good questions about that piano and you were right to be concerned. It could be rusted out, but we will look.

He got quiet and then began again.

Him: Can I ask you a question?

I nodded yes.

Him: Why aren't you going to fix this piano?

me: I was told it wasn't worth anything more than firewood.

him: (laughing) Who told you that?

me: Several piano tuners. All but one and he was 83. He loved this old thing and I thought that he loved it so much because it wasn't that much older that he was.

him: (laughing again) This isn't firewood. This is wonderful. Do you realize that your old piano even with all of its problems has a better sound quality than an entry level Yamaha. (They are 3000.00!) This piano has the sound board space of a 7 foot grand and the string length of a 6 foot grand. You will not get that with these newer pianos. These old piano were also very strong, sturdy, well built and made to last a long time. The newer pianos today are made to be replaced.

me: But I've been told that it doesn't make any sense to sink money into these old pianos. I would never be able to sell it for what I put into it.

him: Why would you ever sell it. Even if you get the other piano you are interested in, you must keep this one. If you got this piano restored it would be the quality of the 16,000.00 Yamahas. Nothing today can compare to these old pianos. Not all of them are worth fixing up, but a lot are and yours definitely is. It is the piano manufacturers who have convinced people to believe otherwise.

me: But this isn't really a name brand that anyone would recognize.

him: I would rather have the quality of sound and performance than a name.

me: What do you play on?

him:   A 1901 Steinway grand that I restored. But I just sold it so I could redo the outside of my house. So I am now almost finished restoring a 1910 Weber grand that I think sounds better than my Steinway did.

me: (feeling very confused) Can we still look at the other piano while I decide?

him: Sure, but don't get rid of this one. If you do decide to restore it you should never get rid of it. Pass it down.

me: Ok. I will let you know what I decide after you see the other piano.

I paused for a minute and looked at him.

me: If you were me you wouldn't even bother looking at the other piano would you?

him: No. I would put everything into this one.

me: How much is everything?

him: It can be done in stages, but from start to showroom condition finish you would be looking at about six thousand dollars.

me: gulp

him: That sounds like a lot, but it can be spread out over a few years and that includes the exterior restoration which would be 2500.00.

me: I would be more concerned about the interior right now. The exterior would be the last thing on my list.

him: (smiling at my comment) Glad to hear it. And keep in mind it would be 10,000.00 less than buying a piano that would come close to it sound and performance wise.

me: ok. I'll see you again Thursday.

He left and I was confused. I called my dad who really had got me thinking about getting a new piano to begin with and told him the story. I wasn't sure what he was going to say because you need to know something. We grew up playing on a Steinway grand piano. My dad knows what it means to have sound quality. He got quiet and I told him to go to the computer and look up this technicians credentials and to call me back.

I thought about it for a while a decided that no matter what anyone else said I was going to trust this piano technician whom I had had the luck of coming across. I called his wife back and told her that I had decided I didn't want to go look at the other piano with her husband. I would rather not waste his time and that I wanted to get started right away and spend the money on my piano instead. She laughed and told me that her husband was going to be so excited. When he had gotten home that day he had told her about my wonderful piano! She told me that she was so glad that I mentioned my Hoj when I called her the first time because it would have been so sad to have gotten rid of something so wonderful without really knowing what I had.

After hanging up with her I was so excited and my gut told me that I could trust this guy. Then my dad called.

I was nervous.

me: Hi dad. What do you think?

dad: I think you should trust him.

me: (in total disbelief) Really! You really think that?

dad: I didn't think so at first, but after reading about what this man knows you have to trust him. I am excited for you.

me: (still in shock, you just have to know my dad to really understand this) Thanks dad, I am a little nervous about this, but I feel really good about it as well.

So on Thursday last week instead of keeping my appointment to see the other piano I sent mine off to the piano technicians shop! It will be a few years before I can restore everything, but I am so excited.

When I get it back I will take a picture and post it. If you have one of those old American pianos, don't believe the technicians who tell you to throw it out. Find someone who really knows and who will take the time to look at it. You might just have a Thing Of Beauty! (That is the new name for mine!)

Whoa!

2010-01-18T06:19:00.000-08:00

I think I must have fallen into a hole! I have been gone for a really long time!

I have great news though!

I ran in a 5k this weekend. Yep, 3.1 miles! I am on my way to 26.2. I only have 23.1 more to go!

I have read a few books while I was gone. (hee hee, more than a few, but who is counting!)

I loved The Forest Of Hands And Teeth by Carrie Ryan. It is kind of a strange idea (zombies are strange), but I loved that this book really pissed me off. I got so mad I had to put it down for a minute to walk away. I say BRAVO to the new author! I can't wait for the sequel that will be out in March.

Another series that I really, really enjoyed was the Enchanted Inc. series by Shanna Swendson. She has four books out in the series with a 5th in the works, but it won't be published at this time because she doesn't have high enough sales numbers for the other books to convince the publisher. I say help her out people! Run to your library and check it out! (even checking things out at the library will help her numbers, did you know that?) The series is most definitely chick lit, but very fun. If you need something light, funny and full of magical mayhem you have found it. You could easily read one book in an afternoon.

Have you read anything good lately?

2009-12-18T09:43:00.000-08:00

I am having a brain cramp. Too much writing. Too much reading.

I have read (actually quickly browsed and skipped through) about 4 books in 3 days. I couldn't really get into any of them. I don't know what it was that turned me off on all of them exactly. Maybe I just need to take some time off from reading. (And no, I don't normally try to read that many books in such a short time! They were just that bad!)

One of the books (it will remain unnamed) had the worst main character I have come across in a long time. It was written in first person style and the character sounded like a drone. Everything was ho hum. Even in parts that were supposed to be exciting had nothing there. The main character got his toes stepped on in a big way and he just acted like an Eeyore. It was infuriating actually. Maybe that was the point of the book and I just didn't get it.

Another one of the books was so sappy I was embarrassed. Maybe I am just too cynical.

On the other hand, I will tell you about a book that I read earlier in the week that I really enjoyed. It is called Enchanted Inc. by Shanna Swendson. It was a light, fun way to spend an afternoon. I liked it well enough that I will definitely read the sequels.

Have a great day!

My guilty pleasures

2009-12-15T12:01:00.000-08:00

During the Holiday season there are some things that I look forward to almost as much as Christmas morning. My girls also join with me in these little pleasures. My husband and son on the other hand just laugh at us, but leave us alone when it is the "time".

The things we love are.......

The kitschy Holiday movies.

It is almost embarrassing to admit to this, but we love them. The acting is usually pretty bad, the story lines are silly, but we try to catch as many as possible. Some of our all time favorites are Holiday In Handcuffs, The Christmas Card, The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year, The Holiday Switch, Santa Baby and Silver Bells.

I could keep going on and on, naming movie after movie. I would have to blush if I continued though because you would think that we did nothing else. Just keep in mind that all of this wonderfulness starts around Thanksgiving so we have plenty of time to get our movie fix. Our ritual is always the same. We make our popcorn, sit in front of the TV with the DVR ready to go and we are whisked away into another world.

We are always sad when it ends, but we look forward to the next year with anticipation.

Something I learned

2009-12-11T10:15:00.001-08:00

I know that we should never judge people. I have been taught this principle my whole life. I have always tried to follow this but last week I really paid attention to the teaching in a different way. I learned that we should never look at anyone and think they have it all with nothing to worry about.

(No, it was not Tiger Woods that brought this on!)

Some people that are close to me are going through a struggle of epic proportions and when it happened I was shocked. I had always looked at them with admiration, awe and yes, if I am being totally honest, a twinge of jealousy. They always seemed so blessed. Everything turned to gold that they touched. They went on awesome vacations. They completely enjoyed each other in every way. Their kids are cute, funny and full of personality.

That is what I thought. Little did I know that they were struggling so deeply.

Shame on me.
Shame on me for judging them.
Shame on me for making assumptions.

I am not saying that we should walk around with a pessimistic eye towards everyone. What I am saying is that we should always show genuine love and concern no matter their circumstances in life. We should always reach out even when things appear to be going peachy. You just never know. The old saying about "death and taxes" should probably add heartache. No one is immune to it. They may pretend it hasn't touched them, but it is there.

The naughty list

2009-12-10T07:15:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I had a very funny episode with my youngest daughter. She is four. The evening started out with her getting very upset about not being able to find her princess socks. She went up to her room and emptied her sock drawer onto the floor all the while crying and screaming "I hate you dumb bumb poo poo head!" at her sister who is eleven. The four year old kept blaming her oldest sister of taking the princess socks. To make matters worse her sister was having a hard time containing her laughter.

Then I came up with a brilliant plan. This is how it went:

Me: I think maybe we should call Santa Clause and let you talk to him

4 year old daughter: (Suddenly quiet and a little white in the face) Ok.

Me: (calling one of my awsome brothers who moonlights as Santa in a flash) I have someone who really needs to talk to you about the way she has been acting.

4 year old daughter then proceeds to listen, nod and occasionally reply to "Santa" about having a hard night, but trying to be nicer to her sister.

4 year old daughter: (agrees to be nice, hangs up the phone and without missing a beat, looks at her older sister, who is innocent by the way, and says....) You're on the naughty list poo poo head!

I could not hold back my laughter after that!

Back!!!

2009-12-02T13:47:00.000-08:00

Hi there! I am back! We are healthy and happy! We didn't ever end up with the real flu, just a nasty bug that made its way through a few of us.

I just wanted to tell you about something that I love.

Warm, homemade tapioca pudding. It is so good on a cold winter day.

MMMMM!! I made some today and I am loving it!

Out of commission

2009-11-18T09:41:00.000-08:00

We have the flu at our house.

I will be back after it is gone.

I hope it goes away soon.

Still Going Strong!

2009-11-17T05:51:00.000-08:00

I am still running! I am up to a very slow, but consistent 2 miles. When I read that it makes me sad considering at one time I ran 6 miles every morning like it was a walk in the park. But I am still proud of myself! My son asked me last night about this very thing and wondered how far I was going every day. When I told him where I was at and where I planned to be he said "Good job Mom, that is really cool." He is almost 15 so I take that as a HUGE compliment!

Books. All I can say is that I love books! I love the library so much that I get excited to go ahead of time. I have even snuck over after school so the older kids could baby sit and I could be by myself.

What do you love?

I am still here

2009-11-12T06:29:00.000-08:00

I haven't disappeared from off the face of the earth, but I am sore from running and tired from staying up too late from reading and writing. All good things, but I have not stayed on top of posting.

Last night my kids got into some boxes of photos (I am not a scrapbooker) and I laughed at the old pictures. My husband and I looked like kids playing house when we were first married and it looked like I was just the babysitter in the photos of me holding my first child on my lap. My kids thought it was hilarious.

It is amazing how much we change. Yesterday my youngest told me I was almost a grandma. No one is pregnant or even close to marriage age at all in our family, she was just letting me know that I am old compared to her. When I look at pictures of myself in the last few months I kind of have to agree with her. Compared to the old pictures I am almost a grandma! (Not really, but yikes, when did the wrinkles sneak up on me!)

I am just lucky that my husband is aging right along with me! I will have to do something about my tummy though. Shortly after telling me I was old, my youngest also let me know that my tummy was fat. She is a real confidence booster to have around. Before you burn her with your thoughts, keep in mind that she is only 4. She just says what everyone else thinks.

Six months from now though, watch out. I may have more wrinkles then, but my shape will be smokin'!

By the way....

2009-11-05T12:22:00.000-08:00

I did it! I got my 2 miles in. This time it was a combo of walking and running again, but I upped the speed this time during the run. Every few minutes I alternated between 4, 5 and 6 on the treadmill speeds. Not impressive I know, but it feels good!!!

I finished.....

2009-11-05T09:55:00.000-08:00

the novel I was reading. I wish I could say right now that I finished the novel I was writing, but if you have read any of my earlier posts you would know that I have a problem with reading. As in I read too much. Anyway, THE HOURGLASS DOOR by Lisa Mangum, was good! Very interesting story idea and it does leave you hanging a bit at the end which I love/hate! I love cliff endings when I have book 2 in hand. I hate them when I don't, and it looks like I will have to wait until summer to read on.

My husband would think this book was just ok.

There are a few ways that I classify books, one is whether I would like it, the other is where my husband and I would like it. (please keep in mind this isn't the only way I classify books though, it is just an "in general" fun way).

To explain a little better, my husband hates romance. He hated TWILIGHT and read all but the last 20 pages when he threw the book across the room (that is the truth). He said he didn't want to read any more about how some guy smelled or how he looked or how this girl was hot and bothered. He liked the MORTAL INSTRUMENTS SERIES quite a bit. Yes, there was some romance, but it was a LOT of action and danger and suspense.

So, with that all clear as mud, my husband would say that this was better than TWILIGHT but he still wouldn't like it.

I see things a little differently than he does. I do like romance, not the gross quivering thighs kind, but the cleaner, leaves more to the imagination kind. I like being reminded of what it felt like to fall "in love" for the first time. Sappy, I know, but there it is.

I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait for the next one to come! The author filled it with love, mystery and a great story line. I say good job to Lisa Mangum!

I love to read books that are the first published novel for the author. I then love to read the books that follow to see how or if the author develops in any way in their writing. I am amazed at how some authors are able to nail it with their first book, and I also cringe sometimes when I read (my own words included) and try think what I would do to improve them.

Anyway, those are my thoughts and I'm sticking to them.

Honest

2009-11-04T10:17:00.000-08:00

I will be honest. Today I did not run. But!!!!! (Isn't there always a "but" when an excuse is about to follow?) Here is my excuse, though lame it may be. I go to the gym with my son. It is our time together and he stayed up far too late to get up this morning before school to workout, and I stayed up far too late making sure he was doing ok with his homework and helping my husband pack (he is going on a business trip).

There you have it. Lame excuse number one! The second excuse is that I could have run after the kids left for school, but I had a much more important commitment to keep. I will try to make it happen later, I just don't think it will.

To all of this I quote Anne with an E, "Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it". I am going to follow her motto and start fresh tomorrow!

The novel is coming along. Yesterday and today it is coming along mostly in my head because I just picked up another book. It is called THE HOURGLASS DOOR by Lisa Mangum. So far I like it and I will let you know what I think after I finish it.

And one more thing....

2009-11-03T08:56:00.000-08:00

I also need to set a date for the completion of my novel.

April 15th will be the magic day. I am married to an accountant so it just seems fitting that we would finish with a major accomplishment on the same day.

Weird reason I know, but there it is!

(Did you notice! I gave away a little more info about who I am!)

Other goals....

2009-11-03T08:26:00.000-08:00

Besides trying to finish my novel I have decided that it is high time for me to set some other goals as well. Long ago (6 1/2 years to be exact) I ran a full marathon. Yup, you read that right, 26.2 miles. After that I maintained running 6 miles a day for a few years. Then came a baby, some illnesses, some more health problems, a move and so on and so on. I have tried to get back to my former glory days with a little "umph" of effort here and there, but it has never quite worked out.

Well, enough!!!! Enough excuses, enough weight gain, and enough wimping out!

I have signed myself up for a 5K in January. That is my first goal.

My next goal is much loftier than that......Another full marathon in the fall. I haven't decided which one yet, but I am going to do it! I am also going to report to you, my faithful readers, (there are only a few, and you may be relatives, but you know who you are!) of my progress.

So, drum roll please........

Today I ran 1 mile and walked 1 mile. Yippee!!! My whole body can feel it too! I know what you are thinking. That 2 miles, half of it walking, is not very much mileage considering where I once was and where I want to be, but to that I say "You must start somewhere!". Maybe one of these times I will share with you my first attempt at trying to run way back when. It wasn't pretty, but I stuck with it and look where I ended up! (You are supposed to answer: The finish line of a marathon!).

I have another goal, but I am not so sure I am ready to fess up to what it is just yet. It is something that I have always wondered if I could do, but have never really thought it would be possible. Hmmm, I will have to think about that one for a while.

Anyway, what are your goals? Do you have anything that you aspire to? Maybe we can encourage each other!

p.s. I think I have convinced one of my sisters to do this with me. She thinks I am crazy, and she's probably right, but think how much fun will it be to cross that line together!

I really shouldn't do this, but......

2009-10-31T13:25:00.001-07:00

I am going to post another snippet from the book. The scene is fairly self explanatory.

As they rounded the corner Meg slowed a bit to take in her surroundings. She gazed up at the roof lines of the old buildings. Walking along the road she loved the feel of bumpy cobble stones beneath her feet and took a deep breath trying to memorize the smell of the air which held warm bread, coffee and history.

Her eye caught something reflected in one of the windows. She glanced in the direction but as she did whatever is was moved out of sight very quickly.

“Did you see that?” she whispered to Anna.

“What are you talking about?”

“Never mind, it was nothing.” She said to Anna with a nonchalant look on her face.

“I must be spooking myself around all of the old buildings with their ghosts and all.” She giggled to herself.

They made their way back to the hotel in time for dinner. Meg tried very hard to hide her excitement for the day to be over.

“Tomorrow is Stonehenge” she whispered with a crooked smile.

“Did you say something?” Anna looked at Meg

“No, just mumbling.”

The air was warm and moist and smelled of moss and grass. Meg followed the group as they made their way towards the massive stones. The area was unusually crowded because of the Summer Soltice, but it was an opportune time to visit, as the fences surrounding Stonehenge come down and you are allowed to walk amongst and even touch the stones themselves.

“This is Stonehenge.” Meg thought as she stood near the towering stone in front of her. She reached out to touch the moss that covered the stone and felt a tingling sensation up and down her back. Her arms were covered in goosebumps and the hair at the base of her neck felt prickly.

She noticed something out of the corner of her eye again and when she looked, it had moved out of her line of sight before she could really see anything. Meg started to feel like she was either seeing things, or someone was following her. She laughed at the thought.

Turning to find Anna and the other two in her group Meg saw Ashley pointing towards her and talking to her friends.

“Here we are in a world of history and they only want to point out the errors of my outfit.” Meg said as Anna walked up to her.

“Actually my paranoid friend, she isn’t pointing at you.”

“Spare my feelings Anna, I know when I'm the target. And I am not paranoid!”

“You need glasses then, because they aren’t looking at you, just in your direction. And it's your own fault that I think you are paranoid, because you’re always looking over your shoulder and jumping around like someone is going to grab you.”

Meg had to laugh at Anna’s comments. It was true. As long as she could remember she had often thought someone or something was watching her. She would try and get her friend to see the things she saw out of the corner of her eye, but it was always too late. There was never anything to see by the time Anna looked.

Meg looked at Ashley and her friends and realized that Anna was right. Ashley had been pointing to the ground near her feet.

When Meg glanced around the ground she didn’t notice anything. She looked up again at Ashley’s group who still seemed fascinated by something. Meg looked around once more when she noticed something glowing in the sunlight. As she looked closely it looked like a piece of amber coming through the dirt. Meg quickly glanced back at Ashley and her group and saw that they had turned their attention to a group of boys. “Typical” she snorted. Crouching down, Meg brushed aside the dirt and picked up the small piece of rock. Turning it over in her hands she saw that it was smooth and nearly perfectly shaped.

Thinking she should put the stone back where she found it, Meg reached out to put it back. Something inside her made her stop. She glanced at the stone again then slipped it into her coat pocket. ‘What am I doing?” she thought. “Everyone knows that you should never remove things from any sort of monument.” Even with that guilty thought in her head, Meg felt a sense of belonging. She would carry with her a piece of Stonehenge and would be able to touch it any time she wanted. With a grin on her face she walked toward Anna.

“What has gotten into you? You look like you just heard the greatest secret in the world.” Anna whispered to Meg.

“Oh, nothing. I just love it here.” Meg replied with an innocent look on her face. “I think it is because of all the stories my dad used to tell me as a kid. It just reminds me of him!”

“Well you can reminisce later, I have something to show you!” Anna squealed as she tugged on Meg’s arm to follow her. “You are going to love this!”

Swimming....

2009-10-27T08:33:00.000-07:00

Sometimes there are so many ideas swirling around in my head that I can't keep up! So what do I do? Well, not write, if that was what you were thinking. No, I don't put it to good use at all. That would be too noble.

Instead, I pick up a book and start reading. My husband has decided that a book is now just a natural appendage on my arm. He rarely ever sees me without one. I tend to lose myself daily in the words of other people.

Every time I try to stop reading I hear about another book that I "must read".....*sigh*

Focus.

That is what I need. FOCUS!!! A novel thought! (pun intended if you caught it!)

The rest of this week I will work on focusing my thoughts and ideas and getting them into written form.

Maybe at the end of the week I will give you a sneak peek!

It is harder than you think...

2009-10-23T10:33:00.000-07:00

I have learned through my little experiment at writing that it is much harder to do than you would think. Well at least harder than "I" thought it would be. You are probably smart enough to already have an inkling that sitting down to write a novel is exhausting, challenging and can keep you up at night.

The hardest thing for me is incorporating the dialogue along with the description of what is happening around the characters at the same time.

I hope I am explaining myself so you can understand.

It is also hard to figure out just how much detail to put in or what is not important enough to be mentioned. I had started writing every little detail, but I found that and I could describe someone eating their dinner for 3 pages. Which would really not be very interesting.

Anyway, the jury is still out on whether or not I should keep sharing what I have written with you.

I am just not sure.....

Some Advice...

2009-10-15T16:16:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the long wait for another post. My life had been temporarily turned upside down. I was moving, then I wasn't, then I was, then I wasn't, then I was and finally I am not. After that roller coaster I needed to take a little time to regroup.

Then something else happened. After talking to one of my dear friends, I think I won't put any more of the novel online (maybe). I have definitely written more, but I haven't done anything because I have been going back and forth as to what to do. She says not to do it. That I should try to send it in instead. I am not totally in agreement with her. The chances of getting anything published are so slim, and my intention with this was to get some experience, some feedback and hopefully some support.....I am not sure what to do.

More tomorrow!

Chapter One

2009-09-10T14:03:00.001-07:00

Meg could not believe her luck. In most cases she would consider herself very unlucky, but right now she was on a flight to England with a group from school. Had things not transpired as they did she would still be at home trying to find a summer job that would most likely entail wearing a ridiculous outfit, or buttons, or smelling like a deep fryer.

“A job can wait. At least for a few weeks anyway.” she thought as she looked out the window.

Meg winced at the thought and her mood changed. She knew she would have to find some way to make up the money.

All she had in her life was her mom and her brother. They had been on their own for 5 years since her dad had been killed in an accident. He didn’t leave them in the best of circumstances and without an education beyond high school her mother relied on a housekeeping job to keep them afloat. When Meg was old enough she began babysitting and then moved on to other jobs to help make ends meet. Somehow they always seemed to get by.

“Why won’t she sell the ring?” Meg thought. It seemed so stupid.

“And why am I even thinking about that dumb thing?”

The only thing her father had left behind was an ugly, gawdy ring that no normal man would be caught dead with. Her mother had had it appraised after Meg’s dad died and it would fetch a nice sum if, and that is a big if, they could find someone who wanted to buy it. It wouldn’t be enough to get them out of their current situation, but they could put it away for a rainy day.

Meg thought of the bald tires on her mom’s car, the broken window that had been taped in the bathroom and the dishwasher that sat useless in the kitchen.

She remembered her last conversation about it with her mom.

“This is the only thing I have left of him Meg. He gave it to me and asked me to keep it safe, always.” Her mother looked into Meg’s face as a tear rolled down her cheek. “I am not selling it. Ever. Please don’t ask me again.”

Her train of thought was interrupted by a ding on the intercom system and a message from the captain.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, please return to your seats and fasten your seatbelts. We are coming upon some turbulance. For your safety remain seated until further instructions. Estimated time of arrival is 4 hours and 23 minutes.”

“I totally CANNOT wait to get there!” Meg heard the voice coming from a few rows behind her. It was Ashley Paxton. Meg rolled her eyes and waited for the rest.

“All of the guys will be so hot with their cute accents! I wonder if I will be there long enough to pick one up.”

“An accent?” asked Ashley’s best friend Tara.

Meg started to laugh to herself.

“No, I am so sure!” Ashley rolled her eyes “A boy!”

Meg’s mood improved greatly while she listened to the ridiculous banter between the two girls. She was grinning and thinking about Ashley.

They had been friends once. That is until Ashley’s mother remarried and it was into some money. Things changed after that.

With earbuds and an ipod, Meg tuned the girls out.

“Excuse me, you need to raise your seat and put your tray up please.” The flight attendant tapped on Meg’s shoulder.

Meg looked up and saw very red lips, very blonde hair, and very thick eyelashes.

“Huh?” she pulled the earbuds out. She glanced around and realized they were getting ready to land. “Oh.”

Her chin seemed unusually cold and when she touched it she felt the slobber.

“Nice.” Meg’s felt her face flush with emberassment.

“S’okay. No one really saw.”

Meg turned to Anna who was sitting next to her.

“Oh, nice of you to say so now! You could have told me I was slobbering before everyone was looking at me!” said Meg, not really mad. “And it’s nice to finally have someone to talk to now that we are landing!” Meg smiled and jabbed at Anna’s shoulder.

Anna and Meg have been friends for the last two years. Anna moved from Pleasanton, California and was blessed with everything associated with a California girl. Blonde hair, blue eyes, long legs, athletic ability, instant popularity and none of the arrogance to go along with it. Anna navigates through life with a lot more ease than Meg, but somehow, the two of them became fast friends.

Meg looked at Anna and wondered what it would feel like to be so beautiful. Anna never really seemed to notice the attention that always came her way.

Meg reached up and felt her own nose. It wasn’t a bad nose, it could be worse, but it definitely did not have the cute little upturn like Anna’s. Meg had what she considered skinny lips. Her chin was ok, her cheekbones were average and her thick brown hair was always a mess. It wasn’t a mess on purpose though. When you are born with hair that in its natural state looks like you have been electrocuted, it poses a daily challenge. The only thing that Meg really liked about her looks were her eyes. People have often commented on how blue her eyes are.

Check Back Later

2009-08-26T10:07:00.000-07:00

I really hate to do this, but I won't be able to post anything for about 2 weeks. Something has come up and is needing all of my attention. So, I will not be able to sit and really write until this has been taken care of. So, mark your calendars and come back in two weeks for the real start!

Note from The Novelist-Change in direction

2009-08-24T08:44:00.000-07:00

I have decided that what I have posted so far will be the prologue. I have been working on how to bring you back to the story before this accident happened and it isn't working very well. So I will start from the beginning (for now). Maybe when I have more experience I will be able to go back and forth in time, and like I said, the story will be reworked as I go along. Just be patient with me.

Also, I will be posting much more often. You won't have to wait so long to read what is coming next. I have just been a little busy. Actually a lot busy!

Prologue Page 2 revised

2009-08-20T14:25:00.000-07:00

Meg could feel the man gently rub her back as if to let her know that he would protect her. She seemed to relax with his touch and tried to concentrate long enough to figure out what was happening around her.

The ambulance arrived and as the EMT’s rushed towards Meg,
the man caring for her leaned down near her face and whispered in her ear.

“You must heal.”

That was it. Nothing more. He seemed to vanish into thin air.

“Strange” Meg thought to herself. She tried hard to concentrate on staying awake.

A flashlight was shined in her eyes and made her sick.

“She is running a fever, but the rest of her vitals are stable....”

The light dimmed and Meg drifted off.

“A female approximately 16 years of age with no identification was found injured in the public restrooms at a rest stop along Interstate 84 this morning. Sheriff deputies are asking for your help in the case. They are considering her a possible kidnapping or runaway. If you have any information please contact the Multnomah county Sheriffs office. No word yet on what her injuries are.”

Meg opened her eyes as she heard the tv in the background. “Ow” she moaned as she raised her hand to touch the area above her ear. She felt the bandages. Her hand traced the contours of her face and she felt her broken nose, swollen eyebrow and lip and the gash across her check. When she glanced down her arms were full of scrapes and bruises. Her back ached and with each breath her ribs protested.

“Welcome back!” came an over enthusiatic exclamation from the short, round, red headed nurse.

Meg hadn’t noticed her in the room and glanced her direction. She attempted a weak smile, but felt too groggy to respond.

“Your food tray is right here. Let me help you sit up so you can eat.” said the nurse as she wheeled the tray towards Meg.

“You really should get something in your stomach. It’s a little bland though, we don’t want to shock your system too fast.”

Meg followed along without protest. After the food was in front of her and the nurse left the room, Meg lay her head back on her pillow and closed her eyes.

“What is happening?” she thought. She could feel a surge of panic rise in her chest when she realized that she had absolutely no idea.

Prologue page 1

2009-08-17T13:09:00.000-07:00

With dried blood matted in the hair over her ear and across her brow, Meg rested her cheek against the cool porcelain of the dirty public restroom toilet. The coolness brought little relief to the fire that was burning through her. She had never thrown up so much in her life and felt sure that if she continued her stomach would soon be floating in the toilet bowl.

The thought of where she was sitting and what her face was touching made it worse.

Her head spun like a merry go round that never stopped and she couldn’t remember how she ended up in this condition. Memories would come back to her in brief glimpses, but she couldn’t piece it all together or make sense of it.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Loud thundering noises pounded and echoed through the metal door and walls of the bathroom.

Bang! Bang! Bang! With each sound her head split and stomach heaved.

Meg heard someone calling, but couldn’t process what they were saying. She had neither the will nor the strength to make a response. Suddenly a thunderous crash burst towards her and the bright light streamed in to find her hunched over the toilet.

“Oh! There is someone in there.” A female said with a Hispanic accent.

“Miss! Miss! Are you all right!” The husky male voice was frantic and filled with concern.

Meg could hear voices all around her full of confusion, concern and questions. “Make it stop” was all she could think. The noise hurt so much. Someone had called out for 911.

“I don’t want to hurt you, I‘m going to wrap my jacket around your shoulders.” the husky voice spoke softly to her. She could hear the panic in his voice as he gave instructions to those around him. As she felt the warmth coming from his jacket she realized that she had little clothing on.

“We don’t want to scare her, back away and give us room.” the man continued. He seemed to take on a fatherly concern for Meg, wanting to comfort and sooth her until help arrived.

Getting Started

2009-08-17T09:26:00.000-07:00

I've wondered what it is like to write a novel. It seems an impossible dream to write one let alone get it published. So, I will expose myself to critique of the best kind.....the readers. This is going to be an experimental journey. I have very little experience, but I hope to grow into a respectable writer with the practice. Here's how it will happen....

Twice a week and sometimes more a page or two of the novel will be posted. Suggestions will be taken, changes to previous posts will be made, but a novel will be created.

Hopefully you will be entertained!

A Novel Experiment

Procrastinate....

pro·cras·ti·nate

It's fall....

Reading Teen giveaway

Wordbird Giveaway

Nine lives......

Refreshed....

See you in a week!

Book Review!

Giveaway!!

Funny story....

Book Review!

Markus Zusak you are a word shaker indeed.....

Reading....

CH ch ch changes......

Shoes....

Funny Funny weather...

The recieving end...

Book Review!

Hello again!

Can't touch this!

News!!!

Toilets

The time I got kidnapped.....The Conclusion

The time I got kidnapped: part II

The time I got kidnapped.....

Keeping up with my goals.

Ooops!

Holy lemons Batman!.....

A little rant.....

Favorite days...

Broken Hearts.....

First Kiss....

Wonder Woman!

Absent...

Awesome contest

Dreamland...

Book Review!

Book Review!

Places.....

Super Freak.....

Book Review!

Leftovers....

Book Review!

Teenagers....

Tattoos and Kryptonite.....

MLMs....

Ooops!

Starting again....

Reading...

An omen?

Book Review!

Manna from Heaven.....

The sweet smell of skunk......

Book Review!

You want emberrassing? I'll give you emberrassing!

Forgetful and Judgy....

I am slow I know....

4 down, 2 to go.

I am Woman. Hear me Roar. Sort of.

Should be fun...

Whoa!

My guilty pleasures

Something I learned

The naughty list

Back!!!

Out of commission

Still Going Strong!

I am still here

By the way....

I finished.....

Honest

And one more thing....

Other goals....

I really shouldn't do this, but......

Swimming....

It is harder than you think...

Some Advice...

Chapter One