Early Christmas present...fail

Dear UPS man,

When it is the week after Thanksgiving, and you are delivering a box to a house with a bunch of kids playing outside and watching what you're delivering, will you please be secretive about the box with the bicycle pictures on it? It may be a Christmas present, do you think?

Yes, Trey asked for a Razor 360 from Santa, and yes the UPS man delivered it right to our front door with all of the kids outside and watching. So, Ryan informed Trey that Santa was worried the bikes were going to sell out by Christmas, so Santa decided to send it early so he wouldn't run out. Trey believed it. Case closed.

But still...

Christmas Songs

What's your favorite Christmas song?

My oldest asked me this question yesterday. I told him I didn't know. It depended on the singer, and it depended on the genre. I have a soft heart for Michael Buble and Frank Sinatra, but I think my favorite Christmas album is The Carpenters. I especially love the 'Christmas Waltz'. Love it! It makes me want to get up and dance the waltz (with memories of dancing with my dad). Love 'Sleigh Ride'...oh and what about 'It's Christmas Time' and the lovely piano. I always wanted to learn hot to play the complicated introduction. And I loved 'Ave Maria'. Yes, I could go on forever. Love The Carpenters. I'm going to go listen to some music. It makes me happy. :)

Thailand...in February

We're going to Thailand!!! Isn't that crazy! Ryan just surprised me on facebook with the news. So excited!!!

Politics & Leslie Ann Warren

My first exposure to heated discussions over politics was when I first watched "The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band". I watched mostly because of the cute romance and the cute boys, but of course I watched it because of the music. I have always been a sucker for classic movies that make my toe tap. I want to watch this movie again now from my adult perspective so I can understand more of what was going on in the movie and to watch Leslie Ann Warren.

P.S. God bless America!

Title Names

So it's between:
Princess Heritage Series
Princess Chronicles

And the title of the second Princess book:
Sleeping Beauty Was Here
Who is Sleeping Beauty?

P.S.

I've started the second book in the Princess Heritage Series (my princess time travel books). I'm not sure what the title will be yet. The first was 'I'm Not Cinderella'. So, since this one is Sleeping Beauty, I was thinking along the lines of 'Sleeping Beauty is Gone' or 'Where is Sleeping Beauty?'

Another perfect quote

Often I feel as if I'm walking through three or more life scenerios.in the day. My mind will walk through my 'work in progress' novel and think about past and future conversations they will have, then I will think about the novel I've been intermittently reading that's stashed under my couch, and I also dream about the life at Downton Abbey (my favorite tv show).  Oh what a life we live with the assistance of great movies and books. What would I ever dream about without their assistance.

People who announce they don't like to read scare me.

Perfect!

More summer reading.

Here are my recent favorites:

Loved, loved, loved...LOVED this book! When you stand in your living room and twirl in a circle after reading a book then you know it's a great book. I love modern classics but often more than not grow bored and eventually disappointed in the anticlimactic love exchange at the finale. Instead, this book had sweet exchanges throughout the book. Now mind you, of course the kiss happened at the end, but I was satisfied with their conversations and excitement of watching them evolve together even when new obstacles began to come their way.

After Edenbrooke, I wanted another modern classic. This book was sweet and cute, but fell in the line of boredom and slightly disappointed at the end. Sorry. I skimmed a bit, too.

Very good. A bit dark, but I'm getting used to the these out of life, out of body type books my sister keeps sending me. What I liked about this book was the undeniable connection the main character had with her past boyfriend. He's basically the one who brought her back to earth. Otherwise, she would have forgotten everything. Her thread to his memory and his love was her anchor. Can't wait for the sequel. Curse you sequels!

Life is like a piano

Love this! It's often times I need to remember that everything that has happened in my life (both good and bad) has led me to now. It's led me to who I am and where I am. And I love where I am. I love being a mom of 3 amazing kids and a wife to a wonderful husband. It's taken 35 years of my life and 15 years of marriage to sit here and sigh in content. I couldn't ask for more. This is what I want. Forever.

Birthday Time

This is a picture of the cupcakes I made for my birthday. Well...they didn't look quite like this. They were a little flatter, the frosting not so perfect, no white chocolate shavings...but they were of the same genre. Meaning: the genre of deliciousness. I saw these cupcakes on pinterest a few weeks ago, and I knew I needed to make these for my birthday. Yes, I had to make my own cake for my birthday, but you see it's a good thing since I get to pick exactly what I want to make.

Today was a good day. A great day in fact. I love birthdays because they're a day that everyone reminds you that they're glad you were born. I have 3 vases of flowers on my table (from wonderful friends), new clothes (from my mom and a close friend), new books (form my likewise book loving sister), full belly (from lunch date with hubby), cards and drawings (from my excited kids), a card from my great (great as in wonderful) grandparents), and a phone full of loving text messages (from family and friends).

Yes, I am loved.

I'm on a Roll

To be a good writer, I've often heard the advice to read, read, and read. And of course write. I can support his theory and find that when I read (and often) it helps me when I write. The words come easily to my mind and I also have the motivation to make something amazing when I read something that touches me.

For the past couple of weeks, I've been deep in my reading binge. I love it!!! I stay up late. I think constantly of the characters I've grown and loved.

My sister mailed me a box of 'one nighter' books. Thanks sis! But 95% of them were first books in series...without their accompanying sequels. Thanks sis! Anywho, I am in love of reading. Here are some of my favorites:

The character in this book is actually a dragon. Weird huh? But it was SO good. I had to buy the 2nd book. I just had to. ;) The 3rd and final book comes out in 2 weeks. Yay!

Angels are the new fad in the publishing industry, apparently. This book, about a girl who finds out she's part angel, is now on my 'save forever' shelves. I loved every aspect of this book...romance, mystery, adventure, love triangle. Sigh. I have a confession: I bought the 2nd one too. The 3rd doesn't come out until January. :(

Great series! Another book about angels. Luckily I didn't have to buy any sequels. I found a friend who had them. The 4th and final one comes out in October.

This one is a book about zombies. But not the kind you're thinking of. They're teenagers who have died but attend a school to learn how to live among the living. Don't dig it until you've tried it.

Cute book. I couldn't wait to find out who she chose. But I was not expecting the cliffhanger at the end. There was no conclusion. No finale. No hint of what would happen next. I don't even know when the next book comes out. :(