1. The theme for spring break:

 

 

 

 

 

The kids were not thrilled. The house is NOT ship-shape.

2.  Sold even more cookies. My favorite part was eating barbecue. It was windy and cooooolllllddd.

 

 

 

3. So the next day I had a fever and had to miss a fabulous GNO which involved EATING and bowling. One of which I am much better at than the other. Bet you can’t tell which.

 

 

 

4. Tuesday Bird was home chillin’ cause he’d been up all night at a friends house.

Textual proof:

Me- Are u spinning the night at GPS?

Bird-Yes. The whole night. Spinning in large tea cups.

Don’t you just love how prim he is in his texts?

5. That very same day I took the kids to the park. Well, two of them anyway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. I wanted to make Bird jealous of the fun we were having, so smarty that I am I didn’t send the pics I took with my phone but texted him instead.

Me-There are kids your age here

Bird-Ok.

Me-They’re having lots of fun

Bird-Ok.

Me-One of them has blue skin and green teeth

Bird-You should take a picture!

Me-I tried. No image. Eerie.

Bird-Weird looking vampire thats immune to sunlight?

Me-I think the blue skin protects him.

Bird-Oh ok.

7. The girl and I went to Girl Scouts and I snapped this flattering pic. That’s pollen on my nose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. Wednesday we went to pick up boxes from a food bank when the TRE went screeching by. I wondered later if using my flash was disruptive to the driver. Then I remembered that it’s a train. On rails.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. Thursday we went back to the park and had a picnic. It was windy. And expensive. This week we all promised not to eat out and then we’d go to Kincaid’s on Friday. So instead of spending $20-$25 at Subway, we went to Albertson’s and spent $33. But we didn’t eat out!

10. That night we decided to go to Kincaid’s.

11. I found this great recipe for Seasoned Chicken Strips. It was sooooo good and healthy. What a combo. You’ll have to click the link to see the final product. I was so good about my before shots, and completely neglected the after (maybe because the food was ready?) But that’s okay since mine looked just like the pic on the site.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12. The girl and Max decidedly not enjoying Ship Shape Spring Break:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13. My cat:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14. My other cat:

 

 

 

 

15. Both cats!

 

 

This is from a summer 2009 post entitled ‘why i write’:

I’ve been doing a heckuva lot of reading lately, and I don’t mean the fun kind.  I mean the informational kind.  The kind of which I’ve never been a huge fan.  It’s the only kind of reading that can actually make me sleepy.  I love make believe (or at most history that’s as good as make believe).  Anyway, all of this reading has me wondering how I ended up the way I did, with this fierce love of all things not real.  I’m a drama queen actress by nature and a storyteller by nurture…  All this thinking led me back, as most things do, to my childhood.

I was reminded at a family dinner recently of one of my weirder escapades (and there were many weird ones).  I don’t remember how old I was, but I was most likely the same age as in the pic to the left when a new girl moved onto our street.  She was about my age, so this was cause for serious excitement.  I immediately went out on my bike (that had a string for the door so it was easier to pretend I was actually sitting in a car) to meet her.  And I had a plan.  I was going to introduce myself as Jessica and talk about my twin sister, Jennifer.  She was pretty well on board with it until I went to go get my twin and she came out without me…in different clothes of course.  Unfortunately the girl wasn’t as big a fool as I’d hoped (even though I’d roped a sibling or two into the ruse) and my act didn’t last long.  Next came the uncomfortable scene when I had to explain why I did such a weird thing.  It was not the kind of opening that leads to a great and lasting friendship.

So I’ve never been content with life as it is…too much reading has ruined it for me I think.  But that’s okay, ’cause even if I can only live out my big dreams in my head they can eventually end up on paper and that would make them real to me.  And if someone else gets a kick out of my stories too, then that’s just icing on the cake.

1. This blog cracks me up. Warning: There may be some strong language.

2. Wednesday was leap day. And we had 2 leap day miracles:

a. I got to go to Target TWICE in one day!

b. This:

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Just going to remind you a little teeny bit about my wattpad account. If you like my grammar, the way I put quotation marks around dialogue, or ya know, the story please vote. And comment. I like comments.

4. Is this a cry for help?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. THE HUNGER GAMES!

6. If you haven’t read The Hunger Games, you absolutely positively must finish reading this blog post and then read it.

7. I haven’t read a book in like 2 weeks. I knew I was feeling an empty hole in my life.

8. I’m supposed to be reading Oliver Twist. My dad is reading it too. Rather, he’s most likely finished with it and I am just slacking!

9. number nine, number nine, number nine

10. One of my children thinks Yoko Ono can’t sing. But he wants to go to Yoko’s Donuts on his birthday. He couldn’t explain the thought process behind this. I have to add that he’s never been there before so he has no idea if it’s good or bad.

11. This same child thinks ’80′s music is terrible. I. am. ashamed.

12. A Treasure Trove

13. Spring?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring! (Ok, I know it’s not official, but it will be in 18 short days–and also, did you see the blooming tree?)

14. I wrote most of this post on Wednesday, thinking it was Thursday and I was getting a jump on it. This was the least procrastonaty I think I’ve ever been. And it was a mistake.

15.

I'm going to try this wattpad thingie out for a bit. Come read me here.

The single mom for a weekend edition…

1. Yes, just this one little weekend. Hubs is in L.A. at a nerd convention.

2. Have you ever gone into a store, say, like a Target and started looking at the clothes and one top looks very familiar? You look down and realize you are wearing that top right then. Suddenly, you turn red and leave as fast as you can hoping you don’t get stopped for shoplifting. Yeah, me either.

3. Many people believe that there is a great need for a sarcasm font. I nominate MS Comic Sans. Let’s get this thing rolling, folks.

4. Funny break

5. If you decide to do parent taught driver’s education for your child please be aware that you will be asked to raise your right hand and swear that you will be responsible for your child’s driving until they are 18. They snuck this little ritual in on me after Bird did the eye test, took a picture, and I had paid the sixteen dollars. Yes, PTDE is half the cost of traditional driver’s ed, but I’m not sure I can handle the responsibility.

6. Reading time:

7. Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore: I will read Rosemary until the day she stops writing. I am proud to say that I have read all of her published books to date. I love her style and how she sucks you right in to her stories as though you’re walking right along with her characters. Amy Goodnight carries a solid Texas name but her branch of the family turns out to be quite a bit less than traditional. And, omk, love interest Ben is swoon-worthy.

8. Connected by Jolyn Palliata: Jolyn is one of my writer friends from wayyyyy back to 2009. I know, forever, right? Anyway, she is really getting her stuff out there. Connected is a novella about two souls, one with a living body and one without which are by some twist of fate, interconnected. Rhys’ (my fave male name ever, btw) conscious is stuck inside Addison and at first it is a very uncomfortable situation. Fast, and fun Jolyn will pull you in to their story and won’t let you go even after the twisty ending. Disclaimer: This is not, I repeat NOT for a young adult audience.

9. Next I’m reading Amber Eyes by Jolyn as well. I read this a few years ago when it was in it’s primitive form and loved it, loved it, loved it then. Jolyn has edited it and sent it out into the world. Check it out. And last time I read it, it was for young adults.

10: For writers:

11. Check WeBook out and tell me what you think. I think it’s a very clever idea. I wonder if it will be successful in finding agents, etc.

12. Randomness:

13. So it’s mid January and the high today should be 77 degrees. I really love Texas in the winter.

14. The Sims 3 is coming out with a new expansion pack and Katy Perry is in on it.

15. Check ya later!

Hawaiian Haystack edition…

1. If the above picture looks good to you, here’s the recipe. For the love of refrigerator space, please halve the recipe. I did, and I still have mucho mucho leftovers. That’s okay though cause it’s Y-U-M.

2. Debated using half or halve on number one. By the time I post it I will be semi-sure though. English majors, speak up.

3. A week of Pete says:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. I think Pete needs a vacation. He wasn’t very informative/funny/creative this week.

5. So, if you love free stuff…go here. This is my fave site for the week. Thanks for the tip Sara!

6. I signed on for Google+ and I keep forgetting to actually go there. I also forget to tweet. I never forget to Facebook. *sigh*

7. Lala had to have her tooth (molar) pulled on Tuesday. It was rough. But it makes for really cute Dear Toothfairy letters.

8. Let me translate.

Dear Toothfairy,

I can’t put it [tooth] under my pillow because the dentist took it and [pulled] it out hard!!!!!!! Please still give me a quarter.

9. For the record, our fairy gives out a dollar. And she was going to give more than one this time, but when she saw she could get away with a quarter she reconsidered.

10. No new books this week. *double sigh*

11. Only ten days till school starts! And I’ve done absolutely no school shopping yet. Please tell me I’m not the only one.

12. The streak was broken yesterday. There will only be 40 days of 100 degree or over heat in a row this year for north Texas. My oldest was really pulling for us to break the record. Yes, he’s a teen.

13. I can’t wait to try it!!!!

14. I’m really glad no one showed up for my garage sale, cause it so didn’t happen.

15. Glad that I find out about Rockin’ the River at the end of summer vacay. not.

Is this thing on? Who knows if anyone will read this now that I’ve been gone from blogland for almost a full year. I tried my hand at the retail world for said year and have returned with many more bumps, bruises, tales and even muscles. Even as a part-timer that world took it’s toll and left me with very little down time (after caring for my family, of course). And unfortunately blogging, and even more sadly, writing were placed on the back burner which never got around to being turned on.

Enough with the woe is me! Time to regain the writing skills that I’m sure I’ve lost over the hiatus… And I’m so looking forward to it!

BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS

One thing I almost always have time for is reading. And I’ve done a bit of that in the last year. I finally got a smartphone.  And with it, the Kindle app, which I adore and have used more than any other feature. All this is leading up to what I read on my blog-cation. The Kindle has all kinds of free classics and I chose to read all of Jane Austen’s works. I positively lurvve historical fiction so it was a real treat to read fiction from history. On the not-so-free end of things I read The Help, Water for Elephants and In Zanesville. On the paper front, Eragon. All are worthy reads, but Austen and Kathryn Stockett’s The Help were definite faves.

Please leave a comment and let me know you’re here!

Just a little tidbit for Tuesday…

Apparently there are many many types of elves. Not all of them are small or helpful or under contract with North Pole Enterprises, Inc. I know, surprising, right? And I never would have known this if I hadn’t posted the above pic in my last fifteen for friday. I don’t know whether to be proud or scared that my husband knows so much about elves.

Since this is supposed to be a writing blog, I thought I might put up some actual writing! This is a very small part of the short story I’ve been revising. It was rejected a bunch, but I love the story and I haven’t been able to get it out of my head. Thoughts? Comments? Criticism? I can take it.

Even if Kaylee didn’t believe in them, the legends were their only hope now. She remembered the words her uncle recited after each bed time story, just before he kissed her forehead and pulled the sheet up to just under her chin. “In every legend there is truth.” She’d repeated the saying every time she told a story for the children.

Until the men left. Only the old and very young were left behind to look after the town. To watch it die, Kaylee thought bitterly. The able-bodied, including her uncle had gone on the same journey five years ago that she was just beginning now.

She opened her pack and placed the map into it. It was useless, but it couldn’t be left lying around. She felt to the very bottom of the bag where a cool, flat metal plate sat and pulled it out. Shaking it, she guessed that there were probably only a couple of ounces of water in the container. She pushed a tiny button that sat flush with the rest of the surface. This action caused a piece of the rim to pop up, revealing a small opening. Kaylee pressed the opening to her lips and drained the few drops into her mouth. With a small snap she closed the aperture. She pressed another invisible button. Her hand, holding the small plate peeked out from under the cloak she was using as shelter and camouflage. She placed the plate as flat as possible on the torn mound and pushed the button again. She withdrew her hand to the safety of the cloak and waited, counting slowly to one hundred. It was the only way to ensure she waited long enough.

She reached out to retrieve the disk, only it wasn’t a disk anymore. Her heart leapt and she peeked out of a small opening in the cloth. She knew it could expand as much as it was at this moment, but it was only in construction and testing that she’d seen it that way and never because it was filled with water.

She greedily grabbed the container which was expanded to its full capacity. Her fingers shook as she opened the drinking spout and poured the clean, clear water into her dry mouth. A drop fell onto her chapped lower lip and for once she let it happen without mourning its loss. She stopped drinking as soon as she was able. She had to be conservative. As she took a deep breath—even the air felt wetter—she placed the container back onto the mound and engaged the culling button once again.

***

In the beginning, man’s spirit was dropped from the clouds like rain. He swam through the rivers and lakes and oceans until he reached a welcoming shore. Our people sprang from the once mighty Colorado. Os-Makin was our great leader. He was the first to crawl onto our shore, his spirit dragging through the red earth and collecting it for skin as he moved.

Os-Ra emerged next, the mother of us all. It was she who foretold the dry days. And in that day, she cried, ‘our numbers will dwindle and our children will thirst. A great one will pass through to the west seeking aid. Through the thunder valley, between the white tops he will meet the earth people’…

If you want more, let me know and I will post the next part on Monday.

…the return. Remember these are random thoughts, k?

1. You think your commute is bad? Feel better? Glad I could help.

2. Looking over old drafts can be disheartening. See the purple marker? It’s purple for a reason.

3. Purple prose –noun