On the Writers' Road Less Traveled...Weblog of Alyssa Goodnight

Cover Art! Don't Miss it!

2011-07-28T21:55:00.000-07:00

If you haven't updated your blog roll, yet, please do! Come visit me at alyssagoodnight.com/blog and see my brand-new cover art for AUSTENTATIOUS!! Then subscribe to my new blog feed, and get all the news!

I'm Moving! (Virtually speaking)

2011-05-22T18:03:00.000-07:00

Finally!

At long last, I have a brand new website & blog, so I hope you'll come visit me at the new digs:

http://alyssagoodnight.com/

If you want to subscribe to my new blog feed, click here.

Highlight Reel

2011-05-20T08:26:00.000-07:00

1. Hello Dollys in the oven right now. (That one had to come first because the smell of melting chocolate is distracting me.)

2. Houston Museum of Fine Arts yesterday with my mom to see the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings on loan from the National Gallery. (Followed up with a Chicago Dog.) Lovely!

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3.   Lunching with my new niece. Baby cuddles and baby smiles.

4.   Shopping at Walmart at 11:00 p.m...for fedoras for the Phineas and Ferb dance number. It's a whole different place late at night...

5.   Spending the afternoons at the high school pool while my boys took a water polo clinic put on by the varsity team. With teeny tiny Speedos there is occasionally a wardrobe malfunction. Just sayin.

6.   Brainstorming a new book (or two...)

7.   Website redesign is coming along...hoping to launch in the next week or two! (Still no cover though.)

8.   An afternoon of non-healthy snacks and giggly games with the girls.

9.   Re-reading Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart as part of Jenny Crusie's Gothic Book Club.

10. Dance practice. I've almost got it down now!

Weigh In!

2011-05-17T16:14:00.000-07:00

The days are getting away from me, summer is almost upon us, and I've started making my Bucket List, which includes all the things I want to get done before I have two boys tagging along with me everywhere I go, wondering if we can get a drink, and when we're going to be done, and whether we can do all this tomorrow... The list includes shopping, errands, lunches, movies, you name it. It's a veritable free-for-all with a two and half week time frame. Shortened by the amount of time required to plan all my boys' end-of-year parties, etc. It's a crazy whirlwind around here!

This morning I had dinner for breakfast (not on the list), eating some leftover steak, mashed potatoes, and corn-on-the-cob, and topping it off with a brownie. It was an excellent start to the day, and while I was eating I was paging through the latest Redbook magazine. The article that caught my eye was "Hottest Fantasy (i.e. Celebrity) Husbands"

I will tell you the five guys featured...you tell me the order.

Mr. Darcy (as played by Colin Firth)

Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey on Grey's Anatomy)

Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson in Twilight)

Uncle Jesse (John Stamos from Full House...could not be-lieve he was on here!)

Jim Halpert (John Krasinski on The Office)

Who would you add? I want to know why Gilbert Blythe is not on this list!

My Crazy Life

2011-05-12T09:27:00.000-07:00

Check out this Harry Potter sky I snapped a shot of at 5th grade Field Day yesterday. I probably should have been looking for the Death Eater symbol to appear to send the kids screaming. Honestly I think they'd probably scream for any reason, judging by the uproar that ensued when one of them saw a wasp.

In other news, I finished reading Hotel No Tell, sequel to Super in the City (which I loved). I really enjoyed this one too, although I suspect I was a little too distracted to really give this one the attention it deserved. I'll have to read it again in a few months (which is all it takes for me to almost completely forget the plot of a book). Last night I started reading Charles and Emma, The Darwins' Leap of Faith, and despite only being on the second chapter, I have to admit I'm already fascinated.

In other news, I'm waiting for rain, and have even committed to participate in a little dance number the PTA is doing as part of this year's teacher talent show. Here's the song...picture it if you will...me as a Ferbette.

Weekend Update

2011-05-08T20:02:00.000-07:00

Friday afternoon, we headed down to Galveston and visited our favorite pizza spot for the first time since before the celiac diagnosis. It was soooo good. We have tried quite a few varieties of gluten free pizza, but the crusts just aren't the same: chewy and crispy at the same time. We savored.

GFB didn't have pizza. We stopped at Five Guys Burgers and Fries, his favorite restaurant and picked him up a burger + cheese slice to eat on a gluten free bun with all the greasy fries he could handle. Then he played Angry Birds while we ate...all in perfect harmony.

Then we hit the beach, which was breezy, a little chilly, and littered with sea weed. I didn't even dip my feet in the water but PFB went all in and then shivered himself dry. Then we buried him in the sand (naturally at his request), redipped him, and he shivered all over again.

Saturday was full to bursting with laundry, vacuuming, and baking with GFB. And then we watched The Incredible Mr. Limpet, which we all found to be preposterously funny.

Mother's Day kicked off with a muffin-in-bed and a nearly toppled glass of orange juice (not my fault). Then I opened my gifts from my boys. A school made, framed poem and photo from PFB (9) and a card, which thanked me for giving birth to him in the first sentence and thanked me for feeding him pizza in the second, and a storebought bird feeder and seed from GFB (11...they are apparently too 'busy' to make anything for Mom in the 5th grade). Evidently, a main selling point of this feeder was its resistance to squirrels. There was actually a tiny artist's rendering of a squirrel falling to the ground in embarrassing defeat on the tag. So when the first squirrel approached the feeder, all three boys (husband included) rushed to the window and hung on to see if it would meet a similar fate. Rather disappointingly to all involved, it conceded the battle. Live updates on The Squirrels vs. The Feeder here on this blog.

We went to my mom's house for lunch/early dinner and I opened a couple more gifts there, including a breadmaker, which my MIL told me she bought to 'make my life easier.' I'm hoping I can easily adapt some of the bread machine recipes to gluten-free versions and hit on a winning sandwich/toast bread. So far we've been unlucky. Also received the BabyCakes cookbook from my Mom, which is full of interesting gluten-free recipes (many of which feature the questionable garbanzo bean/fava bean flour). Things just might start to get interesting around here...

A very nice Mother's Day, all in all, and I didn't have to make any of the meals! Hurray!
I hope all you moms had a great day!

Book Review Club ~ May

2011-05-04T03:00:00.000-07:00

Barrie Summy's Book Review Club is back with another slate of reviews today, and I am reviewing Heads You Lose by Lisa Lutz and David Hayward. I will tell you going in that I picked up this book because I have read all the Spellman novels that Lisa Lutz wrote solo, and LOVED them all. I truly appreciate her wacky sense of humor, her kooky characters, and her twisted, tangled writing method.

So naturally I was curious about the book she co-wrote with an old boyfriend...a writer of poetry.

Evidently they made a deal that specified that they'd write alternate chapters and that neither of them could 'undo' what the other had written. They just had to roll with it. Naturally there was some back and forth between the authors during the writing process, and the editor made the excellent decision to include it in the book. So, between the chapters there are notes exchanged that spell out suggestions, frustrations, or general commentary. These are seriously some of the funniest parts of the whole book.

Quick summary:
Lacey and Paul are brother and sister, living together in the family house and making money off the marijuana they're growing in their basement. One night, someone leaves a headless dead body on their lawn, and rather than call the cops (who they don't want snooping around their property), they decide to move the body and do a little sleuthing of their own. Well, Lacey decides to sleuth. Paul mostly just gets high and watches TV (a point of contention between both characters and authors). When the body shows up back on their lawn and a couple more bodies join the mix, things start to escalate pretty quickly.

I think I laughed out loud while reading this book more than I have ever laughed while reading any other book. It was hilarious and entertaining. However...despite the storyline being quite creative and the characters being well-developed, I have to admit that the plot could maybe have used a couple of tweaks. It wasn't as clean as I would have liked it to be, but what it lost in stellar storytelling, it made up for in humor. Definitely recommended. If you're in the mood for funny and crazy and inventive. If you're a stickler for form and elegantly crafted mystery, maybe not.

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@Barrie Summy

Called out by The Pioneer Woman (she doesn't know it)

2011-05-02T07:39:00.000-07:00

If any of you have not yet popped over to The Pioneer Woman's website, you should. Just because it's something to see. It's a phenomenon. She has a huge number of followers, a cookbook, a memoir (of sorts), and now a children's book. Plus, she's funny, a great photographer, an awesome cook (if you can get past all the butter), and she homeschools...on a ranch. Let's just say she's got a lot going on.

I don't visit her site too often, mostly because it's a time suck for me. I want to look at all the pretty pictures, check out all the new recipes, debate whether I'm willing to make them and my family's willing to eat them, etc. But when I do visit, I'm always pleased. Well I visited on Saturday and learned a little bit about cinnamon toast.

The Pioneer Woman will tell you there are several schools of thought regarding cinnamon toast. And there is one that is the best, a couple that are pretty good, and one that it 'gross.' You can probably guess where I'm going with this. That's right, I'm owning up. I make the gross cinnamon toast....and I like it. I would have said it was delicious up until yesterday when I took TPW's advice, and tried THE WAY to make cinnamon toast. Such a difference, I cannot even tell you. Then again, I probably don't even have to, because you all probably don't make the gross version of cinnamon toast. You may not even need TPW's advice, but obviously I do. And did. (And probably still do.)

Before: I toasted, buttered, and sprinkled cinnamon sugar
After (a la The Pioneer Woman): I mashed up a mixture of butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla, spread it on the bread, and toasted that. Crunchy, caramelized deliciousness!

So here's what I want to know...why hasn't someone tapped The Pioneer Woman for a cooking show?? I would sooooo watch her! And take notes. And learn how to bring back the butter.

Go make yourself some cinnamon toast--the good stuff.

Wish List (just a sample)

2011-04-29T14:32:00.000-07:00

January 2012

September 2011

June 2011

October 2011

May 2011

Happy Weekend!

May it be filled with books!

Quoteable

2011-04-28T12:27:00.000-07:00

Boys have been taking state standardized tests this week, and PFB finished yesterday. This was his first time using Scantron cards, and he was clearly intrigued. This was a conversation between the boys this morning on the way to school...

PFB: You know how there's that grey number on your Scantron card? When you get your Scantron, look and see what your number is so you can tell me.

GFB (belligerently): Why? So you can steal my identity???

I laughed out loud and reassured GFB that I doubted very much that that was PFB's intention. Then again, who knows? That kid's got all kinds of things up his sleeve...

In other news, I have a cold, with a bad sore throat. I solicited advice on Facebook on how to get rid of it, and someone suggested cayenne tea. A follow-up question confirmed she was suggesting I drink cayenne pepper mixed with hot water. Yesterday I balked. Today I just might try it... I'm going to try Hot Tamales first though.

A Milestone

2011-04-26T18:43:00.000-07:00

I finished the first draft of 'book three' today and am feeling pretty good about it. (I basically finished this one in six months, which, given my track record, is mind-boggling. I guess a little planning goes a long way...) My agent has already seen the first 200 pages and loved them, so I have high hopes that the revision process won't be too painful. After that, it remains to be seen whether my editor likes it...

This all seems so very strange...and not quite real. I sold last August; 'book two' is due October 1, at which time, AUSTEN-TATIOUS will still be four months from publication (January 31st release date for those of you keeping track...which I fervently hope is ALL of you!). It's hard to imagine starting work on a new book in just a few weeks, but that's the way it's going to have to be I guess.

I should be getting a glimpse of the cover for AUSTEN-TATIOUS in the next few weeks, so maybe it'll help keep things in perspective a little bit. Then again, maybe not.

[via]

Either way, I feel a little like a diva right now!

Awww, man!

2011-04-25T08:13:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the first time in my life (that I know of) that I missed out on an Easter dinner. I had a sloppy joe and chips for lunch and takeout Chinese food for dinner.

We had big plans. We were going up to my in-laws lakehouse for the long Easter weekend, Butters' sister was coming into town, my brother and his wife and new baby were thinking of driving in from Austin, and my parents were going to drive up. Family get-together on the holiday, as usual. But then my brother decided he wasn't going to come, and then my parents (for understandable reasons), so it was just going to be my in-laws and us.

My MIL likes to cook--no, LOVES to cook and actually prefers to handle most meals by herself. (I do clean-up). So, I asked her what I should bring, and she told me she thought I'd have my hands full bringing foods suitable for GFB, so nothing else was necessary. Okay...

Well, the weekend went along merrily, and Sunday my family (minus the in-laws) went to church. When we got back at about 10:30, no food preparation was going on, which, if you knew my MIL, you'd know was downright weird. At 11:00 she said, "We need to decide what we're going to do about lunch." My head snapped around in dismay. Leftovers were mentioned. LEFTOVERS?? This was Easter Sunday! Where was the ham? the potato salad? the deviled eggs? the homemade rolls? Where was ANYTHING but a leftover sloppy joe??

There wasn't anything. And I have to wonder why nothing was mentioned. I would have planned an Easter dinner. At the very least I would have planned an Easter dessert... I just assumed. And assuming doesn't get you a deviled egg, apparently. I've learned my lesson.

I don't plan on missing out on an Easter dinner again anytime soon... So there.

Ten Things...

2011-04-20T20:56:00.000-07:00

ten things that made me happy today...

* listening to the Anchor cd by Mindy Gledhill on my walk today
* reading Vixen while eating my two egg breakfast
* churning out both new pages and some promising edits
* getting all my ducks in a row before the robotics club showed up
* having them respond with 'Ma'am, yes ma'am!' and occasionally 'Sir, yes sir!' (their decision)
* adding one more thing to my Amazon cart (it's a sickness)
* spending a breezy evening at the park
* giggling at Happy Endings...a new comedy!
* debating whether I should go to a Surpr!se Party, for the research opportunities alone
* my can of Dr. Pepper

what about you?

Short, short story. With picture.

2011-04-19T14:56:00.000-07:00

A couple of ninja bunnies infiltrated a countertop of frosted Easter eggs.

They're not quite so fastidious or quick-witted as your typical ninja...they're obviously still in training. They should stay on high alert, because there are two boys close by who are likely to attack...with teeth!

The End.

Mexican & a Musical

2011-04-18T12:34:00.000-07:00

I got the bike ride and the Mexican food, but I missed the beach. I did, however, squeeze in a Sunday afternoon show. It was Butters' suggestion that the boys would like CATS. I'd never been, so I couldn't form a true opinion, although I suspected that any musical would have trouble holding their interest for the duration. (I was correct.)

I've seen my share of musicals--not a ton--but certainly a respectable number, but I'd never seen CATS. I honestly didn't know what to expect, but assumed that since it's been running for more than thirty years, it had a little somethin' special.

[via]

This is what I said to my husband after the first act: "This musical is all about cats."
Spot-on, right?
I guess I knew that, instinctively, but I didn't imagine it would be so very...catty. It didn't help that I somehow missed a part of the storyline early on...possibly due to not being able to understand the words of a few of the songs. All I could get was a lengthy ode to 'Jellicle Cats' and then some singing/dancing cat introductions.

I honestly think I needed to be a cat person to appreciate it. And I'm not a cat person. I think I've posted about that before. In fact, when the on-stage cats were rubbing up against each other, I had to suppress a full body cringe. What I did appreciate, very much, was that the musical was taken, almost in its entirety from a collection of poems by T. S. Eliot, written in the 1930's. I can only assume he was a cat person.

Let's just say I won't be going to see a production all about cockroaches either, and leave it at that.

Ahhh...the weekend...

2011-04-15T09:10:00.000-07:00

The beach would be nice, but I'm not sure if we'll make it down to Galveston this weekend.
If not, we'll settle for bike rides and walks in the park. If I'm lucky, there'll also be Mexican food. If I'm industrious, there'll be gluten-free roll-out sugar cookies decorated by the boys. We'll see...

Enjoy your weekend!

Still Sheltered

2011-04-13T09:45:00.000-07:00

Well, I've still yet to see the inside of a courtroom, and that's just fine by me. I spent about two hours waiting to see if I'd be called as a character witness (as did several other women), but I never was. The mystery of the courtroom will continue... And the lemon meringue pie didn't materialize. I was forced to settle for chocolate, and while good, it was a bit of a letdown. Huge sigh of relief that that's over. Of course I could still be asked to appear for the final hearing, but maybe not...

In other news, I think I may have a mini Bermuda triangle or jinx spot at the entrance to my little section of the subdivision. I walk through it virtually everyday to walk my dog and have never had an issue. However...the bird mentioned a few post ago was found right in the middle of it, and today as I walked through, the man walking his dog on the other side of the street stepped on a tennis ball, his legs flew out from under him, and he hung, suspended, arms out, legs out, completely horizontal for one freaky second. Then he went down hard and rolled.

His dog was standing there with no one holding the leash, so I tried to get my dog under control so she wouldn't spook his dog, while still trying to keep an eye on the man to see how he was doing. When he sat up, I asked if he was okay, and he confirmed that he was, and he got up to keep walking (now with a limp and a clearly hurt arm), but I was totally freaked. It was like a cartoon: seemingly physically impossible, and yet I saw it happen. Crazy.

I'm going to have to watch my step in the Triangle

Maybe I'm Too Sheltered...

2011-04-12T09:31:00.000-07:00

Today I have something on my agenda besides writing, volunteering, and the general minutiae of life. And I wish I didn't. I long for the calm, quiet days of working diligently, peacefully, with little human contact. (Sounds great, doesn't it??) But today, I must interact. Today I have to go to court.

I have never been inside a courtroom. All my expectations are being culled from Perry Mason, Legally Blonde, and other Hollywood creations. I'm anxious to see how the real thing measures up.

I didn't imagine picking an outfit for this project would be so difficult, but when I went into my closet last night, thinking to quickly pull something together, I realized I have no spring/summer dress pants. Really. I have jeans, courduroys, track pants, yoga pants, but no pants appropriate for court. I have capris, but they don't seem serious somehow. I really didn't want to wear a skirt or a dress, but I ended up in one anyway. I'm wearing a long black skirt with a subtle pattern, a black blouse and a black blazer. I feel very grim.

Luckily, they're looking for a character witness and not a fashionista.

I've already had the pre-game with the lawyer this morning, and that was relatively painless. He even indicated that maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't have time for me. That possibility thrilled me to pieces. I want to be helpful--I totally do--but I can see myself breaking under thes stress: The lawyer for the opposition asking me a question, and me saying, "No, but--" and him bellowing, "NO FURTHER QUESTIONS!" Maybe I'm working myself up for nothing. But this is a big deal. It's not my big deal, but it's a big deal for a friend of mine. So I'm tense with nerves and anxiety...and maybe a little nausea. And my heartbeat is crazy erratic. I need to calm down.

Good or bad, I will be treating myself to a theraputic slice of lemon meringue pie when it's all over.

In a party mood...

2011-04-10T18:37:00.000-07:00

I have a hankering for a party with confetti and streamers. And ice cream and soda pop.

[via]

Just because.

Do You Know What Happened To This Bird?

2011-04-07T14:39:00.000-07:00

Found: Dead Bluebird.

Looks like he could be playing dead, but I suspect not. I do suspect foul play...just not sure what type. Stacy suggests a basilisk may be slithering through my neighborhood in the hours after dark. A squirrel, sprawled on his stomach, found last week only three houses down from this bluebird seems to suggest a pattern... I am on the case!

Book Review Club ~ April 2011

2011-04-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

While pressed for time, I don't want to miss this month's Book Review Club, so I am reviewing a book that I haven't yet finished. However, I'm liking it so much that I have no doubt I will greatly enjoy the pages I have left. The book that's encouraged me to jump the gun?

VIENNA WALTZ by Teresa Grant
(Isn't the cover divine?)

Back of the book summary: Nothing is fair in love and war. . .
Europe's elite have gathered at the glittering Congress of Vienna--princes, ambassadors, the Russian tsar--all negotiating the fate of the continent by day and pursuing pleasure by night. Until Princess Tatiana, the most beautiful and talked about woman in Vienna, is found murdered during an ill-timed rendezvous with three of her most powerful conquests...

Suzanne Rannoch has tried to ignore rumors that her new husband, Malcolm, has also been tempted by Tatiana. As a protégé of France's Prince Talleyrand and attaché for Britain's Lord Castlereagh, Malcolm sets out to investigate the murder and must enlist Suzanne's special skills and knowledge if he is to succeed. As a complex dance between husband and wife in the search for the truth ensues, no one's secrets are safe, and the future of Europe may hang in the balance. . .

This book is fascinating on two separate levels. On the one hand, it is an eminently readable lesson in history, with a great many real historical figures featuring as characters in the novel. On the other, the author-created characters have been given such detailed and mysterious personal histories that they bring the story completely alive. Each time a hint is dropped about these characters' pasts, my curiosity is further piqued, and I'm frantic to keep reading, to discover the mysteries, the secrets, the intrigue!

The husband and wife team, neither of which are historical figures, themselves have a very curious relationship. You get the impression that theirs was a marriage of convenience...and yet it's not. Deeper feelings are lurking beneath the surface on both sides, but everyone is keeping secrets...

With the historical figures taking such prominent roles, I've been inspired to look them up so that I can picture them in my mind as I'm reading (even through the descriptions are superb)... All hotties, right?

Metternich (Austria)

Talleyrand (France)

I'm not yet sure what role Franz Schubert will play, but I'm anxious to get back to it. I will let you know...

Tsar Alexander I (Russia)

Franz Schubert

[portraits via Wikipedia]
For other, no doubt complete, reviews, head over to Barrie Summy's blog for a varied list!

Not flippin'...clickin'

2011-04-04T07:43:00.000-07:00

Some days I find that even if I have a few quiet minutes, I don't feel like reading a book. On those days, I like to turn to glossy magazine photos for a little visual inspiration. If I don't have a magazine on hand (so many of the good ones are no longer being printed...), I tend to visit pretty blogs with lots of pictures, or Pinterest, where there's so much to see you could lose HOURS in there.

But I love how all kinds of online magazine are cropping up everywhere. They're the perfect little break from writing...or life, with gorgeous photographs, fun party ideas, yummy-sounding recipes, and interesting articles. If you haven't checked them out, you should...just for the fun of it.

The Power of Book Blogs

2011-03-31T14:58:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time I considered this somewhat of a book blog. It is, first and foremost, an author blog, but it is the blog of an author who, like most, loves books. Wants to gush about books, and covers, and really cool metaphors. (Or maybe that's just me.) Anyway, I said 'once upon a time.' Why? Because I've recently come to the realization that this is not a book blog. Not in the way that some blogs are book blogs.

[via]

A couple of weeks ago (you may remember), I signed up to participate in a blog hop, hosted by two book blogs: I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Books Complete Me. Over the course of that experience/experiment, I discovered several things:

1. Book Blogs have a LOT of fans and a LOT of traffic...they can drive pre-order sales (not to mention post-launch sales).
2. Book Blogs are strictly about books. They hype new releases, host a crazy number of giveaways, interview authors, share the love with other book bloggers... You name it.
3. Book Blogs participate (and host) blog hops and book tours.
4. Book Blogs post an astounding number of reviews, some of them for ARCs donated by authors and publishers
5. Book Blogs host and advertise book clubs and hold (and promote) contests

In fact, Book Blogs are one-stop-shopping as far as books are concerned. You can find out about new releases, read reviews from reviewers you trust, *win books* and other book related paraphenalia, read author interviews, and get in the loop on all the latest hype.

In my 'research,' I've discovered that the bulk of the big Book Blogs tend to be focused on either YA books or paranormal, or both. Which is understandable, given the current trends in publishing right now. But if you look, you can probably find Book Blogs dedicated to any genre you're interested in...like say, Jane Austen fiction...or chick-lit, should you be so inclined. These Book Blogs wield a lot of clout with a LOT of readers, so no author...and no reader should be unaware of such an awesome resource.

Poems...for Everyone!

2011-03-29T15:53:00.000-07:00

Reading to my boys from Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein last night. It has probably been thirty years since I've read those poems--I remember loving them the first time. We only read a few because it was almost time for bed, and we realized we were missing Dancing With the Stars (which they love to watch with me--how about that Daniel Laruso!), but these were my favorites from last night:

LISTEN TO THE MUSTN'TS

Listen to the MUSTN'TS child,

Listen to the DON'TS

Listen to the SHOULDN'TS

The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON'TS

Listen to the NEVER HAVES

Then listen close to me--

Anything can happen, child,

ANYTHING can be.

MAGIC

Sandra's seen a leprechaun,

Eddie touched a troll,

Laurie danced with witches once,

Charlie found some goblins' gold.

Donald heard a mermaid sing,

Susy spied an elf,

But all the magic I have known

I've had to make myself.

Then found this picture today, and it made me this of this second poem all over again...

[via]

Working on the book...

2011-03-25T12:10:00.000-07:00

I'm in a visual mood today. So, I give you the inspiration for the hero of my current WIP...
That's Karl Urban, who you might also know as Éomer, from Lord of the Rings, or Bones from Star Trek.

[via]

He's working out great so far. :)

** Just realized I never announced the winner of my Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway. Congratulations Jennifer Hedger!! Enjoy your gift card! **

Hitchcock's Genius

2011-03-22T20:15:00.000-07:00

Still a little bit on a movie kick...and since I don't actually have any of Monday's Disney movies in the house...I pulled out a favorite Hitchcock: To Catch A Thief. Got my Cary Grant fix...my Grace Kelly fix...my French Riviera fix...

I had imagined I was quite the Hitchcock connossieur, but when I actually went to look up all the movies Alfred Hitchcock produced/directed on Wikipedia, it was clear I have a good amount of viewing still to do. Not a problem.

[via]

A few of my favorites:
1. Rear Window
A photographer based on Robert Capa, must temporarily use a wheelchair; out of boredom he begins observing his neighbours across the courtyard, and becomes convinced one of them (Raymond Burr) has murdered his wife. Stewart tries to sway both his glamorous model-girlfriend (Kelly) and his policeman buddy (Wendell Corey) to his theory, and eventually succeeds

What I love: the cinematography is wonderful, the idea is clever, and Grace Kelly is divine.

2. North by Northwest
In North by Northwest, Cary Grant portrays Roger Thornhill, a Madison Avenue advertising executive who is mistaken for a government secret agent. He is hotly pursued by enemy agents across America, one of them Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint), who turns out to really be an American double agent.

What I love: the confusion, the danger, the tension...that scene where Cary Grant is nearly mown down by a crop duster!

3. Dial M for Murder
Ray Milland plays the scheming villain, an ex-tennis pro who tries to murder his unfaithful wife Grace Kelly for her money. When she kills the hired assassin in self-defense, Milland manipulates the evidence to pin the death on his wife. Her lover, Mark Halliday (Robert Cummings), and Police Inspector Hubbard (John Williams), work urgently to save her from execution.

What I love: the utter audacity of the crime, Grace Kelly's fighting spirit, the scissors!!

4. To Catch a Thief
(pairing Cary Grant and Grace Kelly...clearly, Kelly is a favorite, both of mine and Hitchcock's.)
Grant plays retired thief John Robie, who becomes the prime suspect for a spate of robberies in the Riviera. An American heiress played by Kelly surmises his true identity, attempts to seduce him.

In my mind this isn't exactly classic Hitchcock, but it's got so much to love...a visual feast...

So...what's your favorite??

[Summaries courtesy of Wikipedia]

Back to Normal

2011-03-21T15:12:00.000-07:00

Whew! That was a wild ride. Never in my wildest imaginings did I expect such an awesome response for this giveaway--that was unbelievable! Clearly there are some book lovers out there who are willing to go the distance to win books or book paraphenalia or gift cards to buy books! Clearly you are a tasteful group!

In terms of a winner, well here's the thing...I am experiencing technical difficulties. The Random Number Generator picked a random number, I cross-referenced it with my spreadsheet, and checked that the requirements for entry had been met...and hit a roadblock. I'm hoping to have this resolved today in order to announce the winner. If I cannot get it resolved, it's back to the Random Number Generator, so stay tuned.

But now it's time to get back to normal here on the blog. Normally, I talk books and whatever else strikes my fancy. And today, I'm talking Disney movies...not the new ones...the oldies. And not the animated ones--the live action ones that were just good, clean fun, minus the special effects. Bascially, the ones some of you have missed out on, and that's a darn shame.

Over the past few years I have systematically been checking out all the old live-action Disney movies that I loved when I was a kid and watching them with my boys. These are kids who LOVE video games and cool special effects. But they also love slapstick humor and out-and-out silliness, and they have loved these. Here are my top five. Please feel free to list your faves in the comments. I'd love to think I've missed one or two...

1. The North Avenue Irregulars...a CLASSIC, full of hilarious hi-jinks
2. The Apple Dumpling Gang...two kooky but loveable small-time thiefs foil some true criminals
3. The Swiss Family Robinson...a shipwreck, pirates, an ostrich race, and a little romance
4. Mary Poppins...practically perfect in every way
5. The Absent-minded Professor...so out of control, it's cringe-worthy

Runners up: The Parent Trap, That Darn Cat, The Shaggy Dog, Candleshoe
Anybody else got a favorite?

WOW!

2011-03-17T18:54:00.000-07:00

This is the most comments I've EVER had on a blog post! Amazing!
Thanks everyone for entering! I hope you'll stick around after the hop to see what's going on here regularly.

*** One more entry opportunity if you want it... ***
Tell me your favorite book blog! (That makes five possible entries!) Good luck!!

Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop!!

2011-03-16T19:38:00.000-07:00

Just for fun (and because I recently wrote an article for my RWA chapter that highlighted them) I decided to particpate in a blog hop, with giveaways. This blog hop has 242 blogs signed up to participate so there are plenty of chances to win!

The deal is that the giveaway has to be book related, but rather than impose my taste in books (which is undeniably superb) on any entrants, I decided to go with the ever-popular Amazon (or B&N) Gift Card, which will allow you to choose a few books on your own. If you need suggestions, I will be happy to provide them. Or you could just peruse past posts on this blog and find some excellent suggestions.

So...let's work a little trade. I'll keep it simple. For a chance to win a $20 Amazon (or B&N) Gift Card, you can do any one of the following:
1. Follow me here on the blog
2. Friend me on Facebook
3. Follow me on Twitter
4. Friend me on Goodreads...I just started with that, and I think it just might become addictive.

And, if you want more than one chance to win, go crazy and do two, three, or all four of them....there's a $20 Amazon (or B&N) Gift Card up for grabs!! Only one comment here is necessary--just let me know how many entries you get. If you're already a follower or friend (depending on the site)--you're awesome (and I will give you two entries if you want 'em)! Just send me a message letting me know you want in on this opportunity. And don't forget to leave a blog link or an email so that I can get in touch with you if you!

The blog hop runs from Thursday, March 17th to midnight on Sunday, March 20th, so hop to it!

And once you've entered, follow the Linky to other book blogs on the hop for more great giveaways! Think of the possibilities...

From the Trenches...

2011-03-16T08:12:00.000-07:00

We're in the thick of Spring Break now, and things are going pretty well. My biggest pet peeve is all the jinxing. It started several weeks ago (I lay the blame squarely at the feet of PFB's fellow third graders...GFB is just along for the fun). Any semi-simultaneous uttering of the same word--they were certainly not sticklers--would result in the chant, "Pinch, poke, you owe me a Coke." Then, just when that was getting particularly irritating, they shook things up a bit, switching out the poke for any old thing to rhyme with something they wanted: "Pinch, thwickers, you owe me a Snickers." This went on for DAYS! Maybe I should have been applauding their creativity--I wasn't.

I had to pull the plug, and I did. So we were without jinxing for a week or so. Now it's back, without the chant. Now it's just 'JINX!' But if they both say jinx at the same time, they have to keep going until one of them calls Uncle. Last night I heard them upstairs and nearly spit out the orange slice I was eating. Two happy-go-lucky voices chirping, "Jinx! Jinx! Jinx!..." It must have been fifteen times. I could picture them skipping down the road, holding hands, continuing the chant far, far away from me.... No such luck.

So far, today is a virgin day. No jinxes yet. And I desperately hope we keep it that way.

Strawberry Pickin'

2011-03-12T13:16:00.000-08:00

The boys had a half-day Friday, so as soon as the bell rang, I whisked them away for an hour in the strawberry patch. It was a beautiful day, and rows and rows of deep red, juicy strawberries were just waiting for us. We overdid...overpicked, but the eating is good! PFB wanted to buy a little strawberry plant of his own, and it's currently sitting by the window in his room. He has a sleepover tonight and wanted to make sure that, in his absence, I would take care of the watering. I told him I had it covered.

I love that tree!

We picked 2 1/2 buckets!

Tunneling

2011-03-10T14:46:00.000-08:00

Today was an adventure day.

Today I explored the tunnels beneath Downtown Houston, and I must say, it was fun! (Last time I'd been in the tunnels was about fifteen years ago...I was working downtown as a summer intern.)

Armed with only a map and a friend, I dipped below the surface at approximately 11:00 a.m. and didn't resurface until almost 2:00 p.m. In the interim we zigzagged through the green, looped around the red, got a little lost in the yellow, and jazz-handed through the purple (the Theater District). Okay that last part isn't true.

And not once did we ask directions. Well okay, we did once, to be polite. A women literally pinned us down, wanting to know where we were going. Despite her desire to help, she didn't, so we made our way on our own. In the beginning we were uncertain how we'd find an entrance to the tunnels, and while I didn't want to ask, my companion hinted that such a objection might be me getting in touch with my masculine side. But we did it--we found the way in on our own...and we found the way out. We ate lunch down there too. Great day. Although it would've been nice if there'd been a bathroom that didn't require a keycard or a coded entry. Just sayin'.

And a little more...

2011-03-09T19:22:00.000-08:00

Love this too!

via

Smidge of Wisdom

2011-03-09T10:45:00.000-08:00

Love this...

via

Giveaway Winner & Legos

2011-03-08T11:23:00.000-08:00

Okay, so you're probably wondering who is the lucky winner of some ninja cookie cutters, which can be used (as we've seen in the comments) for any number of things, including ninja burgers, and for the extra talented, ninja salad.

Winner is...Jen Daiker of Unedited! Congratulations, Jen! Email me your info, and I'll get these shipped out to you. Everyone else...should I have any book signings next year, and you plan to attend, let me know, and I'll bring the ninjas (in cookie or brownie form).

In other news, I need to finish up with this blog post because I'm on a time schedule to build a working, motorized Lego car before the 3rd grade Robotics Club meeting tomorrow. No matter how many warnings I issue, these boys simply will not listen to me when I say, "You cannot connect the motor to your axle or the cord will wrap around and around and get tangled." So, they spend the bulk of the hour after-school with their cords tangled. I'm hoping to show them a better way. And it's harder than it looks. I'm not used to working with these weird Lego pieces...or really building anything of my own at all. I'm typically the designated Lego Piece Finder (and even occasionally the Lego Peace Finder), but sometimes I mix it up and am the Lego Booklet Instruction Follower. Not today. Today I'm a Bonafide Designer/Inventor.

Good Times & Recipe

2011-03-07T06:55:00.000-08:00

Last day to enter the drawing for the Ninjabread Men Cookie Cutters!!

"There is no charge for awesomeness or attractiveness." (Kung-Fu Panda) Except a follow.

Lately I've been thinking a lot about Orange Julius (and, in fact, I was inspired to post by this). Long ago (it seems like eons), there was a tiny mall near where we lived with two little department stores (one, if you don't count Sears, which I didn't), a handful of stores and a cute little food court. This sounds like the beginning of a fairy tale, doesn't it?? Anyway, this mall was a regular stop for us...non-stressful for my dad but still appealing to my sister's obessive need to shop. My favorite stops were the Sanrio store with all its little girl Hello Kitty paraphenalia and the colorful, hipness of The Gap. And Orange Julius. I LOVED the frothy, fruity, slightly icy deliciousness of the Julius, and their burgers were delicious too.

Well somehow my mom came up with a comparable recipe--this was waaay before the Internet, and we have been using it ever since. My boys ask for Juliuses(?) and I still love the sweet frothy goodness. Typically I make orange, but we've had pineapple too, and last week I bought some frozen strawberries to make a Strawberry Julius. But then...I went onto their website and saw that they've come up with a whole range of new flavors...Mango Julius! Must try! So that's next in the queue.

Basic Recipe for Orange Julius

6 oz. of a can of frozen concentrated orange juice
1 c. milk
1 c. water
1 t. vanilla
10 ice cubes
1/4 c. sugar (I don't add the sugar any more...I think it's plenty sweet without)

In blender, combine all ingredients, process for half a minute.
(I've also used concentrated pineapple juice. For the Strawbery Juliuses, I just plan on using frozen strawberries.)

Oh, Orange Julius, how I miss you... I miss the old Gap too. What's with all the adorable clothes for kids and all the blacks, khakis and greys for adults? It's as if they think we lose all personally when we grow out of the kids' section. Not me! Bring back the color! And the Juliuses!

picture via

A Day in Photos...And Some News

2011-03-04T14:26:00.000-08:00

Spring photos from my walk today...the wasps kept me from a close-up of the second picture.

G is for Gluten-free. My mother-in-law brought us some scrumptious gluten-free red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese icing from Sprinkles Cupcakes. I may get more than one given my family's odd aversion to cream cheese...

My Scholastic bookfair haul...these were just the ones I picked out. My boys both have a couple more in their backpacks. The top left title is The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis (a seriously awesome title--it puts me in mind of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn...)

****** My News ******

My Official Book Title is to be AUSTEN-TATIOUS, with a release date of Feb. 2012!!

A Little Piece on Writing

2011-03-03T08:15:00.000-08:00

I have to admit, this cracked me up...mostly because of the voices.

*Friendly Reminder* The Ninjabreadmen Cookie Cutter giveaway ends March 7th!

Book Review Club ~ March 2011

2011-03-02T03:48:00.000-08:00

First Wednesday in March, and that means that once again, it's time to talk books.

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book review blogs
@Barrie Summy

This month's pick is kind of coincidental. I don't even remember how I stumbled over it...maybe on someone's blog, possibly on Amazon in the Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought section In any case, I bought it for the blurb and the reviews, which hinted at a fun, frothy debut. I'm a big frothy fan. So, it was just a coincidence that I stumbled onto it, and it was just a coincidence that I was so busy and frazzled and distracted that I wasn't in the mood for the book I was already reading. So I snuck it into the line up, and it was perfect.

Now I should probably tell you what it is...
Today I'm reviewing The Espressologist by Kristina Springer.

Jane Turner is a seventeen-year-old barista who's been sizing people up based on their coffee drinks. She keeps a notebook under the counter and when someone orders, she assesses their personality and records it in her notebook. Soon she's able to predict what new customers will order based on a first impression.

Everything is going great until Jane's boss finds out about the book and decides to exploit Jane's little parlor trick to boost shop sales. He sets her up with a flashy red apron and a little table by the counter and tells the customers that--after they purchase their drink--they should let Jane know their name, their favorite drink and an interesting tidbit about themselves. Jane enters the info into her laptop and promises to call or email if she can match them up.

The promotion is so successful (and Jane's match-making record so impressive) that customers are lining up outside the door, waiting for a chance to see her. It attracts the attention of the local news channels and a popular morning program that decides to film a show watching Jane at work. But can Jane work under pressure? And is she willing to give up on her own crush to be successful?

Sounds fun and frothy, right? It doesn't disappoint.
Most of all, I loved the idea of this. The character descriptions Jane matched with each drink were fun and creative, as was the pairing of drinks/individuals.

Medium iced vanilla latte
Smart, sweet, and gentle. Sometimes soft-spoken but not a doormat.
Loyal and trustworthy. A good friend. Decent looks and body.

Medium dry cappuccino
Smart and simple. Fit and fairly good-looking. A little timid and soft-spoken but probably a powerhouse if ever tested. A good friend.

I could imagine this as a stellar coffee shop promotion, and it was fun being inside Jane's head. Ironically, my only complaint is what drew me to this book in the first place: it was a quick read. I thought the story could have been expanded to up the romance factor for Jane herself and maybe even include a couple of subplots. But then I might not have picked it up, so I'm delighted with it just the way it is.

Makes me wonder how Jane might size me up. My order? A grande skim chai tea latte.

And don't forget, if you're interested, my giveaway ends March 7th.

Catchin' Up

2011-02-28T15:29:00.000-08:00

Things have finally gotten a little bit back to normal. The school carnival was this past Saturday (HUGE sigh of relief), and I sent my pages in today, one day early (HOORAY!) So for the next few days I'm taking a mini break from virtually everything to clean my house. (That didn't sound quite right, did it?) But seriously, it needs a little TLC, in the form of vaccuuming, dusting, bleaching, etc. I'm not exactly looking forward to the rest of the week. There will be a bit of gluten-free experimentation this week too. Tonight I'm making mac and cheese with corn noodles and hopefully some chocolate chip cookies today or tomorrow. I'm anxious to see how they turn out.

I'm getting back on track with my reading too! I finished The Espressologist recently--it was a quick read and I'll be reviewing it for Barrie Summy's March 1st Book Review Club. Since then I've started on the 3rd Flavia de Luce mystery, A Red Herring Without Mustard and am super-excited about that. I LOVE that series. Catching up on my blogs will be this week's treat between toilets. Sounds great, doesn't it?

Butters and I have started watching the early seasons of The Big Bang Theory in the evenings, seeing as we're in a programming lull. I got him the first three seasons on DVD for Christmas, and I think there are a lot of episodes we've never seen. I was seriously belly-laughing last night. Meanwhile, Butters' questionable Netflix choices are still rolling in...Harry and the Hendersons was watched (without me) Friday night. I took the opportunity to read.

Vacation is on my mind constantly because we don't have anything formally planned, and spring has hit Houston. I'm thinking I'll go on a bike ride tomorrow...after at least one toilet is sparkling. This is the bike I wish I'd be riding.

ShelterBox

2011-02-23T19:39:00.000-08:00

So very impressed with Maureen Johnson's personal quest to encourage donations to the UK-based international disaster relief charity ShelterBox. Monetary donations are pooled to fund shelter boxes, which include high quality tents, tarps, blankets, water purifier, mosquito net, cooking stove and utensils, warm hats and gloves, and a small selection of children's activities, all of it stored in a sturdy plastic tub that in itself could have a variety of uses. Better still, the charity assesses the needs of each deployment sight, adjusting the contents where necessary.

This morning Maureen Johnson offered up encouragement and an ARC of her upcoming The Last Little Blue Envelope as added insentive to donate. She also agreed to donate the balance of money not collected to purchase a full shelter box (at a price of $950). As the day went on, she tweeted with updates, and other authors (Scott Westerfield, Libba Bray, Holly Black, and more) joined the cause, donating ARC's of their own. Six Shelter Boxes were funded today through this effort, and the effort will continue tomorrow.

Inspiring. If you're on Twitter, follow along at #lastlittleshelterbox or @maureenjohnson.
To donate, visit Shelterbox.

Giveaway!

2011-02-22T12:39:00.000-08:00

Some of you may remember the awesomeness of this year's ninja brownies for GFB's and PFB's class birthday treats. You were probably a little bit envious, and a whole lot impressed, right?

Well, I am giving you the opportunity to win a set of Ninjabread Men for your very own. Make ninja party sandwiches, ninja cookies, ninja brownies, and ninja pancakes. Wow your kids, your husband, your neighbors, and friends. Make them wonder...strike awe in their hearts. Be awesome.

(You would not even be-lieve how long it took me to get an even marginally workable photo of these--the glare was insane! And now I can't get it to rotate. I'll work on it. Until then, don't let this subpar photo in any way devalue the awesomeness of this set...)

Couple of ways to enter...okay three.
1. Leave a comment and follow me on the blog. If you already follow the blog, just leave a comment, reminding me that you're already super cool.

2. Friend me on Facebook (there's a button on the sidebar). Again...if we're already friends, just comment there (or here) to remind me, so I make sure to count everyone who wants to be counted.

3. Follow me on Twitter (link on the sidebar). One more time...if you already follow, just comment there or here to get your name in.

Okay? Who's ready? This unsurpassed opportunity will be over March 8th, so don't miss out!

In an Ideal World...

2011-02-18T11:49:00.000-08:00

What a relief to have pushed through this week till today, the end of a week full of errands, mishaps, frustrations, and utter exasperation.

Rather unbelievably, given the week I've had, the day has actually gone relatively well so far:

1. I swung by Buccee's this morning for the express purpose of treating myself to a cranberry walnut muffin, and I scored the last one! I was almost preening with delight.

2. Then in an unprecedented feat of perfect timing, I arrived at the health food store to pick up my pre-ordered potato starch (!)...for homemade gluten-free bread...at 10:01 a.m., putting me there just as they opened but still efficiently on schedule. Clearly it didn't take much to wow me today.

After that things went slightly downhill...but only slightly.

I did discover that Cracker Jacks, which I LOVED as a kid and still sometimes buy for myself, are gluten-free. So GFB will be testing them out as a snack in the days to come. Also on the menu: red bell pepper slices with ranch dip and chicken salad with red grapes and pecans*. My kids' stomachs have lived very sheltered lives so far. But that's all about to change...

* only GFB will have the pecans...PFB will have to miss out.

Weather-wise, it's a perfect, spring-like day here, and I can't help but think it's a good day for a picnic. Here is a snapshot of the day I would have liked to have had...

[via]

Relaxing on a coral beach towel in a park somewhere, wearing a cute outfit and eating a French macaroon... One day. I'm seriously thinking of adopting her Manifesto. (The very fact that she has a Manifesto makes her inarguably cool in my book). This is exactly the life I want...with a few highlighted exceptions.

We believe…

We believe in being glass-half-full sorts of girls.
We believe that often times, granny is chic.
We believe in peddling vintage Schwinns with flower baskets.
We believe in poetry, picnics, and piñatas.
We believe one is never too old to keep a diary, the secrets only grow more scandalous.
We believe in arranging fresh flowers unruly like an English garden.
We believe in adventure and traveling the globe, be it to Marrakech or Malibu.
We believe in mixing lucite with oriental rugs. Thrift store finds with heirlooms.
We believe in handwritten thank you notes, better late than never.
We believe in needlepoint, letterpress, decoupage and forgiving Martha Stewart.
We believe in piggy banks and cookie jars.
We believe in book clubs full of Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Austen and Woolf.
We believe station wagons are hopelessly chic. (not sure about this one)
We believe in recycling our Grandmothers’ names. Eloise, Jackie, Faye…
We believe in collecting: stamps, shells, books, big glittering diamonds…
We believe in marrying the boy that writes us the best love letters.
We believe in highly competitive board games—Chess, Scrabble, Chutes & Ladders.
We believe in spontaneous road trips and charming, chintzy bed & breakfasts.
We believe there’s something to fortune cookies, wishbones and 4 leaf clovers.
We believe in classics, shaken and stirred.

She is Katie Armor of Matchbook Magazine.

Push Cakes

2011-02-17T14:59:00.000-08:00

This is exactly what I need today...a push-up pop made of cake and frosting and sprinkles.

[via]

Instead, I'm eating pretzel crisps and M&M's. So not the same.

Two photos

2011-02-14T15:51:00.000-08:00

No one realizes more than I that this blog has turned sluggish, at best. My days are filled with trying to meet a March 1st deadline of 200 pages on 'contracted book #2,' (I'm at 185!), researching gluten-free recipes, painstakingly searching the grocery stores for items that are gluten-free, and putting together a program for a spring carnival at the boys' school. Not to mention painting a practice board for the school's newly created robotics team. I haven't had time to blog, to read other blogs, to read actual books, or any of that good stuff.

But this weekend...I did. I started The Orchid Affair by Lauren Willig, and so far, it's lovely. Here's a shot of my book and a close companion. I might have had gummi worms on the nightstand when this was taken...

Now I must go mix a myriad of previously unfamiliar flours to create some gluten-free bread.

Oh, but first, what do you think of the new author photo...post-editing?

V-Day

2011-02-11T17:09:00.000-08:00

This morning during GFB's Valentine's Day Party, someone gave Valentines that the recipient was supposed to squeeze or twist or something, thus instigating a slow ticking sound as they slowly inflated to look like mini Mylar balloons. But that wasn't the end of it. The ticking slowed, and at the moment it was least expected, they let loose with an explosive popping noise, rocketing off the floor and tumbling through the air to the immense delight of the entire class.

I did not care for them.

Direct quote by a grinning child: "Oooh, that one almost hit GFB's mom in the face!"

Happy Valentine's Day!

I've yet to decide on gifts for Butters, GFB, and PFB, but I have a few more days yet before the situation gets dire.

What are you giving?

A Little Peek at Paris

2011-02-08T09:16:00.000-08:00

Found this on Stephanie Perkins' blog and had to share.

EF - Live The Language - Paris from Albin Holmqvist on Vimeo.

Tragically, I don't see Paris in my near future. Butters has been before (on a junior high school trip), and is expressing no interest in seeing it again anytime soon. Me, I've yet to go...

New Names!

2011-02-07T14:10:00.000-08:00

If you thought I was revealing the final name for my book, you are, sadly, mistaken. I still haven't gotten the final word on that, but you can bet, the minute I do, I'll be touting it here. The pub date still seems like forever away...I got the offer at the beginning of August, and here it is February...and the book isn't coming out till next February. My friends look at me with confusion written all over their faces, wondering, 'why so long'? Inside, I'm wondering that too, even though I have a good understanding of the reasons. So anyway...no cover right now, and no other book news either.

The reason for the title is that, rather than always referring to my sons as 'younger' and 'older,' I have come up with some names for them here on the blog: Gluten-Free Boy and Peanut-Free Boy. To clarify, I have one son with celiac disease and a sensitivity to gluten, and one son with a peanut allergy. I joked to the family this weekend that our Christmas card this year should feature PFB holding a box of Wheat Thins and GFB holding a box of Nut Thins. Gluten-Free Boy loved the idea, and in fact, he keeps asking me if we're actually going to do it. I told him we'd have to think of things for Butters and I to hold. I suggested cream cheese for me, because, although Butters isn't allergic, he has an intense dislike of it. He could hold a plate of Cinncinati chili.

And our friends and relatives would think we were wacko.

So that's where we are.

Gluten-free Day

2011-02-04T09:29:00.000-08:00

Well, the boys are off from school today for no apparent reason. I know that there are icy roads and maybe even sleet out there somewhere in Houston, but it doesn't look like we got any of it. So they will be working on their Valentine's box and bag for next week. And of course, they'll be catching up on their favorite video games.

I decided to do a little experimenting with gluten-free ingredients, and have so far made gluten-free granola with walnuts and dried cranberries (it got a trifle over-baked, but it's still edible), and some gluten-free dough a la Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I'm hoping the dough can be used to create a tasty pizza crust tonight for dinner. I'm also wondering if it might be easier (and tastier) to buy a bread machine and use pre-made mixes. We shall see...

Gluten free is pretty tough, at least in the beginning. You should see me in the grocery store examining product labels, paging through my printouts and store listings of gluten free products. And then gasping at the prices. Obviously it's going to take some getting used to.

Have a great weekend!

Book Review Club ~ February 2011

2011-02-01T15:54:00.000-08:00

The air has turned frigid here (even deep in the heart of Texas!), and my day has gone completely awry, and I'd really like to be curled up on my bed with my best blanket and a good book, but I'm a pioneering member of Barrie Summy's Book Review Club, so I'm getting this review out first!

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book review blogs
@Barrie Summy

This month, I'm reviewing Airs Above the Ground by Mary Stewart. Any reader of this blog knows that Mary Stewart is bandied about this blog quite regularly. She is my favorite author, and has been since I read my first book by her, probably twenty-eight or so years ago. I've read all her romantic suspense novels, but I've not read any of her Merlin series, and I was thinking quite recently that I should. It's very possible the first in the series could be reviewed here next month...

I've probably read Airs Above the Ground ten times, and I'm currently on my second copy, despite still owning the first. It is an enchanting novel, more suspense than romance because the the heroine is happily married throughout the novel. The romance is there but not a huge story element. The story lies in the circus, and the horses...and is set in the 1960's.

Vanessa March was hoping for a holiday in Italy, but instead, her husband has been called away on business to Stockholm. But then she sees him in a newreel on the scene of circus fire in Vienna...with a young blonde hanging on his arm. So when a friend asks her to ferry her teenage son to Austria to see his father, Vanessa accepts, determined to discover the truth.

In Austria, the pair locates the circus, casually insinuates themselves with the owners, and discovers that Vanessa's husband is undercover as Lee Elliot. The circus' horse trainer and a coworker of Lee's have died in the recent fire, and Lee is eager to wrap up his inquires prior to the circus crossing into Yugoslavia in two days. Vanessa and her young companion are pressed into service as an additional set of eyes and ears, and then...they are well and truly in it.

Without giving anything away, I will tell you that Lee has reason to be suspicious, and that the circus is at the center of the mystery. And then there are the horses... The circus owns a Lipizzaner stallion trained in the dressage movements and some of the 'airs above the ground' which are the military manuevers that have been taught at the Spanish Riding School for 400 years. It is the Lipizzaner that steals the show in this novel, but the suspense is first-rate.

In as many times as I've read this book, I've never made a solid attempt to do a little research on the Lipizzaner stallions and the 'airs above the ground.' This time, I found them on You Tube. And watching them was a delight. They are all white stallions, descended from the Spanish Andalusians, and it sometimes takes them years to learn the manuevers. In 1945 General Patton saved the animals from being destroyed by bombings or the encroaching Soviet army. There's even a Disney movie!

[via]

There is a much longer video as well, with tutorial, if you're interested.
As always, I highly recommend Mary Stewart and any one of her romantic suspense novels.

Monday Nothingness

2011-01-31T09:50:00.000-08:00

I have really nothing to blog about today so it will be a mish-mash of weekend anecdotes:

* Visited the Houston Auto Show for the first time in probably ten years. I'm good for another ten (at least). Upon discovering that there is such a thing as a seat warmer, my boys were obsessed in climbing in every car to see if it had that much-coveted feature. They were also very intrigued by the iPads that were sitting around to take potential buyer contact information. The Fiat was very cute.

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But the Swagger Wagon limo was my favorite.

I love that Sienna Family!

* Went gluten-free exploring at Whole Foods. We've just discovered that it's likely that my older son has celiac disease (although the confirmation call has yet to come in), so while we were 'in town' we visited Whole Foods to check out their selection. They have a handy printout listing of all their gluten-free foods, and purple 'Gluten Free' strips on the floor in front of relevant products for easy reference. We bought a few things to try, including a tiny $6 loaf of bread. Luckily, he seems to like everything so far. I will likely be making my own gluten-free bread.

* Younger son visited a friend's house yesterday and came home with large sections of skin on his legs scraped off. Seems he'd been walking on the treadmill, friend sped it up, and he tripped. He now has giant bandaids covering the fronts of both legs.

* I discovered my younger son's favorite part of our Colorado vacation a few years ago was the squeeze cheese we kept for en-route snacks.

* Tonight is the parent meeting for 5th grade students transitioning to junior high. Yikes!

A Really Good Try

2011-01-28T12:45:00.000-08:00

I received this letter from my younger son last week.

I told him it was a truly excellent letter. He didn't believe me, because it was unsuccessful in persuading me to buy a hamster. It could have been the best letter in the world and included chocolates, and it still wouldn't have persuaded me... I'm not a hamster girl.

Pancakes!

2011-01-27T15:56:00.000-08:00

Is it just me, or does this photograph trick you into believing that it's just as much fun (or more) to make pancakes as it is to eat them??

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And this one makes me want to host a rooftop pancake party. If only I had a workable roof.

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In a word: tired

2011-01-26T12:33:00.000-08:00

Today I'm tired (I had to get up quite early) and I just want to look at pretty pictures and imagine all the what if's...

...what if I was crafty...
...what if I was motivated to try to be crafty...
...what if I made fun to-do lists...
...what if I threw caution to the winds...
...what if I worried less about the difficulties and focused more on the delights...

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[via]...still in PEI mode

...what if I just took a nap...

Gilbert, Ninjas, and Pizza

2011-01-25T09:29:00.000-08:00

Today is another round of ninja brownies for younger son's class birthday treat tomorrow. I'm getting good...maybe I should look into professional ninja brownie baking...

I plan to relax over lunch, watching the second half of Anne of Green Gables.

I re-watched the first half on Saturday night, when Butters took one for the team and took both boys, each with a friend, out to CiCi's Pizza for dinner. I don't know if you have CiCi's where you live...it's like a Gattitown or general family friendly pizza buffet. It's my boys' first choice restaurant pick and let's just say, it isn't mine. The one thing I do like about it is how the young pizza hawkers announce the latest pizzas out of the oven, ready to be put out on the buffet. For example:

*in singsong*
"It's hot, it's kickin'....it's Buffalo Chicken!!"

There's a cute little rhyme for most all of them, and it's almost charming. Almost.

Anyway...I stayed home eating leftovers and watching Anne of Green Gables. Megan Follows was such a perfect Anne...and Jonathon Crombie the perfect Gilbert. I think if I saw him somewhere, I'd immediately blurt, "Gilbert!" without even thinking about it. I'd forgotten about the sack race...and the first wink. *Sigh*

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Time for lunch!

Author Photos and Twitter

2011-01-23T20:12:00.000-08:00

As you might notice by the icon slapped onto my sidebar, I delved into the mysteries of Twitter this weekend. It was tough. I didn't want to do it, but I felt a little bit like I needed to, in the name of promotion. After I came up with a nickname (alyssagoodnight was already taken), I sat there staring at a mostly blank screen, wondering what to do next. I half-heartedly started searching around for friends, wondering who I should 'follow,' but I couldn't really get into it Here's why:

If Facebook is like a cocktail party, where you casually meet everyone and they tell you the most interesting little tidbits about themselves, Twitter is like having RainMan as your escort at the same party. And you hear about EVERYTHING. Especially the Cheetos.

Now obviously not everyone is like that, but some, very definitely, are. So not only can I not decide who to follow, I can't figure out who would follow me. I'm lucky if I come up with one interesting thing to say a day (which I then extrapolate into a blog post here). So, how can I keep the interest of someone who wants a constant influx of 'material'? In the words of George Constanza, "I gotta be on all the time!" It boggles my mind. I currently have three followers, and I think they might be pity-followers.

Does this say pitiful...

by Custom Design

In other news, Butters agreed to snap some shots of me this weekend with the new camera, but between the wind blowing my hair around, the sun bringing out my squint, and the chilly temperatures making me hunch and shiver, I'll be lucky to get one good one out of the hundred or so we took. The best part? Watching Butters contort himself to 'get the shot' from the best possible angle. Let's just say I had no problem smiling.

The pictures are currently in photoediting...

Do You Trust Me?

2011-01-20T10:26:00.000-08:00

I talk about books a lot on this blog, whether it be in the form of formal reviews, casual mentions, TBR lists, or book cover love, and I started wondering if it's had any impact.

I'm curious how many of you (even you lurkers!) have read a book as a result of a mention or recommendation here. Let's say in the last year or so.

To refresh your memory, here's a quick, but not necessarily comprehensive, list...

1. Dark Road to Darjeeling by Deanna Raybourn
2. The Thing About Jane Spring by Sharon Krum
3. The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James
4. The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte by Syrie James
5. The Luckiest Girl by Beverly Cleary
6. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
7. Royal Blood by Rhys Bowen
8. Nick of Time by Ted Bell
9. The Case of the Missing Servant by Tarquin Hall
10. Murder Boogies With Elvis by Anne George
11. I, Coriander by Sally Gardner
12. The Swiss Courier by Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey
13. The Secret History of the Pink Carnation series by Lauren Willig
14. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
15. Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone by Dene Low
16. The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister

Read any of these? If not, what are you waiting for??

Happy Ninja Day!

2011-01-19T12:21:00.000-08:00

Today my oldest son is 11 years old. (Yikes! That means I've been a mom for 11 years...)
Even after 11 years, I still don't truly understand what's going on in his head. Not even close. Maybe he's been in training since day one to be a ninja.

Couple of notes:
1. Silence plays a BIG part in the element of surprise.
2. Tie-dye shirts aren't as incognito as you might think.
3. Awesomeness is clearly key.

Today, we celebrate like ninjas...skadoosh!

Sidenote...I was going for a ninja star, not a collection of mini snowballs. I'll work on it.

To Keep Me Busy...

2011-01-17T13:33:00.000-08:00

So, I've decided to draw up a small list of fun things I hope to accomplish in 2011.

Learn to crochet. To be judged by my ability to make this scarf.

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Take advantage of pick-your-own produce whenever possible.

Rig up some fairy lights in my own backyard for impromptu ice cream soda nights on the patio--look at this chandelier!!

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Take one vacation for fun and one just to relax (probably not with these guys...)

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Screenprint something

Hang an inspiration board over my writing space for maximum impact.

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What about you...what's on your 2011 To-Do?

Movie Love

2011-01-15T13:21:00.000-08:00

Tell me you're as psyched for this as I am...

Shakespeare and gnomes...with British accents! Love!

Book Covers That Can Edge Out a Kindle

2011-01-14T05:48:00.000-08:00

Step 1...Done.

2011-01-13T14:23:00.000-08:00

Slow day here today. Paying bills...writing...and de-seeding a gallon bag of pick-your-own blackberries that have been in the freezer since June. Tired arms. Gigantic mess. 5 cups of seedless blackberry goodness.

Bowled Over

2011-01-13T08:06:00.000-08:00

Just imagine having a cupboard full of bowls (arranged by color!)...I think I'd eat soup and ice cream everyday.

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As it is, I think I maybe have enough to serve a few people respectably. Unless they're happy with Ikea plastic wonder bowls...

What is it about Gilbert Blythe?

2011-01-11T15:16:00.000-08:00

I'm curious, all of you Anne of Green Gable readers and watchers out there...

What is it that makes Gil so adorably irresistible??

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As far as the book goes, he's barely on page, and the vast majority of our exposure to him is through Anne's eyes. His appearance is mostly glossed over, as Anne is more interested in his mind and the competitive spirit he inspires in her.

We learn, of course, that there is many an Avonlea schoolgirl crushing on Gil, probably because he's so handsome and good-spirited, but Anne is utterly immune.

He saves Anne from near-drowning during her stint as 'The Lady of Shalott' and later, he gives up the position to teach at Avonlea school for Anne so that she can stay at Green Gables. Otherwise, he's pretty much a mystery.

So...why are we all rooting for him through the book and the movie, mentally castigating Anne for holding such a fierce grudge? If she could just see the real him and get past the 'Carrots'!

Maybe it's because he so clearly likes and respects Anne...and he sees in her what we all see: a little bit of perfection. What do you think?

Happy Tuesday!

2011-01-11T07:29:00.000-08:00

I finally got the birthday cake I'd been craving: yellow (Betty Crocker) cake with chocolate buttercream frosting. Made it myself, and decided to indulge myself in a little piece for breakfast. Clearly I'm not a food stylist.

Then I walked the dog in 39 degree weather...with wind. My face is now chapped, and my fingers are tingling (despite the gloves). Time for some tea and a little bit of writing.

It's a good morning (if a bit chilly).

Thank Goodness It's (Almost) Monday!

2011-01-09T19:05:00.000-08:00

The best way, I think, to describe the weekend I had is painful. Pair a 'get 'er done' Mom with an 'I can do it later' son, and throw in a science project, and it's simply inevitable. My son's work strategy is as follows:

1. Chug through one step in the process of finishing a science project due on Monday (this may take anywhere from 5-30 minutes).
2. Breathe a sigh of relief.
3. Congratulate oneself.
4. Inform Mom that you're taking a 5-30 minute break, depending on what you think you can get away with.
5. Indulge oneself in a well-deserved break.
6. Repeat steps 1-5 about 50 times while Mom seethes with frustration.

My headache has been steadily building since Friday afternoon, and right now it's a colossus. Luckily, the project was just finished (with just enough time to shower and brush teeth before bed), so I'm hoping the headache will start to subside any time now.

Two highlights: The Doris Day movie my boys watched with me Friday night (a much-needed break from The Project), which they LOVED...you still got it, Doris! And Secretariat, which we saw at the dollar theater today because Grandma and Grandpa came down to visit. Really good movie. I recommend. It probably would have been even better without the headache.

Book Review Club ~ January 2011!!

2011-01-05T04:30:00.000-08:00

Somehow along the way, Anne of Green Gables has managed to slip through the cracks of my reading life. I watched the Sullivan Entertainment Anne of Green Gables miniseries while in high school, and loved every minute of it, but I never quite made it back to the book. Now I have, and I'm reviewing it for Barrie Summy's Monthly Book Review Club.

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@Barrie Summy

Orphan Anne Shirley is mistakenly sent to Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert of Green Gables, Avonlea, Prince Edward Island, when they'd specifically requested a boy to help Matthew with all the heavy work. Marilla is intent on sending the mouthy, flighty child back, but Matthew is thoroughly charmed and wants to keep her. After a trial period, which tests Marilla's patience to the breaking point, it isdecided that Anne can stay. Anne is overawed with the island and all of its natural beauty and spends a good bit of her time imagining names and histories for different spots. Meanwhile, she makes a 'bosom friend' in Diana Barry, and they are inseparable. But mischief and trouble continue to follow Anne to hilarious result.

Anne of Green Gables is the first in the series by Lucy Maud Montgomery, and it captures Anne between the ages of precocious eleven and sensible, elegant fifteen.

I enjoyed AoGG immensely. It's been a long time since I've seen the miniseries (although I own the DVD's), and the book charmed me all over again, even more so because the lavish descriptions filled the narrative instead of just frothing out of Anne's mouth. The miniseries stayed (mostly) true to the book, and I was glad for that. I have to admit that they characters who played Anne and Marilla and all the others were already set in my head because of the movie, but that didn't detract even a bit, because they'd all seemed pretty much perfect the first time around.

I have to admit, I wish Gilbert Blythe (Anne's mortal enemy/eventual love interest) had made a few more appearances. Either he was larger than life on screen, or they added a few extra scenes with him, because I felt he was less of a mystery in the mini series.

But, oh, page after page of Anne's dreamy wonder, Marilla's sharp wit, and Matthew's quiet admiration was lovely, and all the commentary on the quirky characters of Avonlea had me thinking of Jane Austen. But what I adored most were the gorgeous descriptions of Prince Edward Island. I see it in my mind, and want to visit now more than ever.

"They had driven over the crest of a hill. Below them was a pond, looking almost like a river, so long and winding was it. A bridge spanned it midway and from there to its lower end, where an amber-hued belt of sand hills shut it in from the dark blue gulf beyond, the water was a glory of many shifting hues--the most spiritual shadings of crocus and rose and ethereal green, with other elusive tintings for which no name has ever been found."

Sigh. Too bad Gilbert wasn't around at that moment...

Oh, and the last line..."nothing could rob her of her birthright of fancy or her ideal world of dreams." Love it.

It was so worth the wait.
If you're interested in a little more AoGG discussion, stick around...I encourage you to read (re-read!) the book and watch (re-watch!) the mini-series for a good ole discussion, including a little Gilbert gossip.

And definitely swing by Barrie's blog for a great selection of reviews!

Top 10 TBR for Toddlers

2011-01-03T15:39:00.000-08:00

Seeing as my brother and sister-in-law just had their first baby, and several of my blogging friends are soon expecting, I felt inclined to reminesce over some of the books, without which my boys' childhoods would simply not have been the same.  For this list I'm sticking to the baby/toddler crowd. Later years will have to be another post another time. So...here we go!

#1: Anything by Sandra Boynton.

What's to love? Simple drawings, silly rhymes, snazzy colors...even music! We have a ton of her books (I refuse to give them away), and my kids loved reading them. We also have all four of her music complilations (with celebrity guests), which are creative, diverse, and super fun. I dare you not to sing along.

#2: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
What's to Love? Vibrant colors, nibble holes in the pages of food, fun story that builds and builds until the glorious transformation of caterpillar into butterfly.

#3: The Nutshell Library by Maurice Sendak What's to Love? Adorable little stories with charming pictures, made for little hands. If you can get the audio version, do it! It's wonderful! (I'd also add Where the Wild Things Are.)

#4: The Little Fur Family by Margaret Wise Brown
What's to Love? If you get the deluxe version, the book is actually covered in fake fur, which is very luxurious. A cozy story of a little furry dude that spends his day having an adventure and then happily returns to a warm and loving home.

#5: The Olivia Books by Ian Falconer
What's to Love? Olivia's incorrigible, irrepressible attitude and unerring ability to turn things on their head...in a charming way. Her little brother is quite something too.

#6: The Frog and Toad Books by Donald Lobel
What's to Love?  The simple stories of two best friends having adventures. So amusing, so charming, so very sensible.

#7: The Francis Books by Russell Hoban
What's to Love? What's NOT to love?? Francis is irresistible, with her clever little songs, and her crafty ways of meting out justice, and her picnics and parties. Oh, I can't say enough!

#8: Anything by Richard Scarry
What's to Love? The crazy amount of detail that goes into every book. It's impossible for a child not to be engaged when simultaneously a pig's falling off a truck, a moose is stepping into a manhole, and a cat is about to get hit in the face with a pie. They call it Busy Town for a reason! And then there's the educational value...whether it's shapes, colors, occupations, numbers, or fruits, you're learning something.

#9:   The Little Quiet Book by Katharine Ross
What's to Love? It's such a soothing transition into bedtime. Simple, sweet, and perfect.
I read this book to my oldest son every night for months (with a few other selections mixed in too).

#10: The George and Martha Collection by James Marshall
What's to Love? Two charming hippo friends just living their lives--sounds pretty awesome, right? They understand the importance of friendship. But then there's the silliness, and the subtle humor that have you grinning all the way through. We were late comers to these, but my eight-year-old still likes reading them, giggling the whole time.

And there you have it...our list. What would you add??

Genius!

2010-12-30T16:30:00.000-08:00

I want these for my boys' birthdays in January, but they are out of stock everywhere!! Imagine showing up at your kids' class with a trayful of ninja cookies, decorated with Chinese stars (or whatever those things are called).

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Sarakastic, you might consider investing in a set of these yourself. I'd think fresh baked ninja cookies on a first date could send quite a statement.

And, Green Girl, these seem perfect for you and Team Testosterone too!

Post Christmas Drip

2010-12-29T14:08:00.000-08:00

I'm sure you are all wondering how things are playing out in the Goodnight household these days, now that the magic of Christmas has spirited off, leaving only a gigantic mess of presents, goodies, and generic stuff. Well I'll tell you...

1...As previously mentioned, Monday was my birthday. Thank you, by the way, for all your good wishes. I hope you are all still hanging around the blog in a year to see if Butters makes good on my flash mob birthday bonanza! Anyway, I also had a cold on Monday and spent most of the day in bed trying out my Kindle. It works good, and I've learned to like it. A lot. I could get addicted. While Scrabble was my first purchase, I've since bought a single book and finished it and loaded up with several Jane Austen novels, which were freebies. Score!

2...Butters is currently helping my older son work through all the many and varied elements of his Science Fair project, which will be due in two weeks. DREAD. We are trying to get him motivated and steadily working this year so the last weekend will not be so hardcore. So far, so good, I think.

3...There are little messes everywhere in this house...everywhere! Clean one up and another one appears like magic!

4...I'm fighting valiantly to snatch a few minutes to myself to read up on the new digital SLR camera Butters got me for a birthday/anniversary gift. If I can figure it out, it's just possible that pictures on this blog could get a LOT better. I'm excited!

5...I'm celebrating my birthday tonight with the girls...we're playing games and hanging out...possibly in PJ's. Unbeknownst to me until recently, I've developed somewhat of an undeserved reputation as a game player. I suppose when I don't understand the rules of a game I get frustrated and perhaps that comes across wrong. This happened one weekend with an alternate version of canasta and now a certain someone has coined the phase, 'Don't make me go all canasta on you!' Referring to me!! Just look at my profile picture...do I look like I would 'go all canasta on you?' Seriously!

And that's about it. What are you all doing?

One Year To Go

2010-12-27T11:51:00.000-08:00

It's my birthday today. I'm 39. And so begins the one-year countdown to THE GREATEST BIRTHDAY EVER. I should probably have Butters read this post, just to jog his memory.

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I'm spending the day cozied up in my jammies reading Anne of Green Gables the traditional way (book) and Murder on a Bad Hair Day in the new-fangled way on my brand new Kindle. It's definitely the life.

Happy Holidays!!

2010-12-24T08:49:00.000-08:00

Baking is done, wrapping is done....all that's left is to wish you all a joyous and wonderful holiday!!

Custom Calendar...Done!

2010-12-23T15:10:00.000-08:00

Down to the wire, but I finished it. 365 Reasons to Live, customized for my grandmother. I hope she likes it and that it makes her look at everyday in a special way. That's my younger son, posing on an outcropping of rock in Acadia National Pak. I thought the picture captured everything I wanted to convey.

Festival of Lights

2010-12-22T19:23:00.000-08:00

at Moody Gardens in Galveston. Yes, that's Santa on a floatie. We had perfect weather (at least for me)...high sixties. The boys wore those funky fold-up cardboard glasses that make every Christmas light look like a snowflake, a Santa face, or an alien head. A good, giggling time was had by all.

Hard to believe...

2010-12-21T17:40:00.000-08:00

But I got myself a Christmas tat.

Luckily, it'll wear off in a few days, or faster with baby oil.

It's Starting...

2010-12-20T20:13:00.000-08:00

My younger son asked if he could open a present today--just one. When told no, he wandered off and came back to ask again about twenty minutes later. Put that scenario on a repeat cycle, and you have my day in a nutshell. The gift in the photograph is not one of his.

A Favorite

2010-12-19T16:47:00.000-08:00

My older son made this ornament at Mother's Day Out six years ago. It's one of my favorites. And I have lots of favorites. My tree is jam-packed, particularly since some of the lights went out this year and, rather than delay the tree-decorating any longer, we decided not to use our tree-rotator and just cram everything onto the front. Next year won't be fun.

Done!

2010-12-18T15:41:00.000-08:00

Well my Christmas decorating is finally done, and I'm relieved. I wish I could have tackled it like this woman: all smiles and brute force.

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A Little Ice

2010-12-17T15:19:00.000-08:00

The boys had a half-day today so we braved the traffic and the crowds and headed down to the Houston Galleria to go ice-skating. It was very festive and there were no injuries and no major falls. (None at all by me...success!) Here's a shot of the boys admiring the giant tree positioned in the middle of the rink. Or perhaps they are just taking a break from skating...

A Big Birthday

2010-12-16T15:43:00.000-08:00

We interrupt the previously scheduled photo advent calendar for this Google homage. Happy Birthday to the phenomenal Jane Austen--still alive and kicking at age 235!! I'll pretend I get your birthday wish...although you've already been my good luck charm once this year... But who's counting?

Early Christmas Gift

2010-12-15T11:50:00.000-08:00

A good friend dropped off an early Christmas present at my house this morning...this little homemade string of lights--made with plastic Dixie Cups and decorative paper--tucked into this Santa bucket tote. Love.

In other news, I'm two months down on my 'Reasons to Live Calendar'. Ten to go.

A Happy Glow

2010-12-14T15:02:00.000-08:00

This afternoon has been all about brittle. I'm on my fourth batch of cashew brittle, and really ready to call it quits, so luckily, this is the last of the day. I need a little Christmas, right this very minute...

So I slipped into my younger son's room to snap a photo of the little Christmas tree he decorated himself, with a few glass balls and a colorful collection of melty-bead ornaments designed and created by him. I love it.

A Capitol Christmas Tree

2010-12-13T15:12:00.000-08:00

Butters and I went to Austin this past weekend, without the boys. I did a little research for "Contract Book 2"...it is really amazing how much the city has changed since I lived there 10 years ago. Mind-boggling, really. We spent a lot of time driving around, scoping things out, getting the up-to-date lay of the land. We also dined in some delicious spots. Saturday night we attended Butters' company Christmas party, where the highlights were a bruschetta bar, a dessert contest, and the White Elephant Gift Exchange. I'd never heard of a bruschetta bar before, and it was vastly more interesting than I thought it'd be...it wasn't just bread and toppings--there were other topping-carriers as well! I personally did not participate in the WEGE, so it was all very low stress and quite funny. It was a nice, relaxing weekend, and now we're back, ready for the final push of class parties, festivities, gifts, and outings right up until Christmas. Looking forward to it!

Here's a shot of the Texas Capitol Building with this season's holiday decor.

* Oooh Sparkly *

2010-12-12T12:51:00.000-08:00

I'm horrible at making flower arrangements, including fake ones, so I waffled over this one for quite some time, not knowing what sort of stems to add, where to put what...

I just knew I wanted to use the little lighted branch in a Christmas arrangement.

So Friday night, I hunkered down and just started stabbing, bending, shaping and twisting. I think it came out okay. The lights are very forgiving. It's definitely festive. And sparkly. Success!

The Dreaded White Elephant Gift Exchange

2010-12-11T08:47:00.000-08:00

I just hate that when you open a gift you have to examine it knowing you may not end up with it. You can't afford to get too attached. Although...sometimes that's a good thing.
I ended up with these socks, among a few other things. Not sure I'll ever wear them out, but they're warm. And festive. And fur-lined. I'm like Santa's crazy-sock helper.

A Candid Shot

2010-12-10T14:16:00.000-08:00

A shopping mall Santa in captivity. (At least a skillfully camouflaged fan has been supplied.)

Bulls-eye

2010-12-09T14:57:00.000-08:00

A shot of my beloved Target. A festive place to spend your holiday shopping hours...

(Can you tell by the lack of meatiness in these latest posts that I've been sucked into volunteering for a project that is a gi-gan-tic time suck???) Gah! Thank goodness I'm done with it tomorrow!

Stocking Love

2010-12-08T15:43:00.000-08:00

This is the stocking my mom made for me when I was a kid. It has holes and has been through a hurricane, bleeding red dye onto the white, but I love it still.

Eventually there will be a picture of my tree. But it's STILL not up yet. Too busy.

Fan of the Fake Snow

2010-12-07T15:08:00.000-08:00

I walked the dog today wearing lounge pants, a long-sleeved t-shirt, a sweatshirt, a polar-fleeced lined jacket, gloves, and a knit hat. I think it was fifty-five degrees. It's hard to even imagine myself living somewhere that the temperature regularly falls into the thirties or below. We get a few days a year where we skim into the thirties, but it's as likely to be in the seventies as the forties all winter long. Possibly even the humid eighties--blech!

I'm perfectly content with my little basket of pretend snowballs. I don't need the real thing.

Almost time to party!

2010-12-06T15:24:00.000-08:00

Already looking ahead to the boys' Holiday Parties at school. Yes, there will be Christmas Bingo! (And if someone steps up with the goods, maybe even Chanukkah Bingo. You never know.) M&M's will be used as place markers. I plan on giving each kid a few extras, so that a sudden chocolate urge doesn't keep them from victoriously belting out Bingo!

One Tree Down...

2010-12-05T18:51:00.000-08:00

We drove up to my mom's house today, picking up my grandma on the way, for a little tree-decorating/pre-birthday extravaganza. I did most of the decorating (and Mom did most of the cooking), but I think my grandma enjoyed unwrapping the ornaments and admiring them on the tree. We had her watching Harry Potter too! She'll be eighty-eight next Saturday!

Here's a shot of my mom's mantel.

I'm enjoying this little photo advent calendar. Keeps Christmas in my mind everywhere I go, because I'm always on the lookout for a holiday photo op!
Now I just need to get my own tree up and decorated!

Christmas Cookies

2010-12-04T14:13:00.000-08:00

Today I was a helper at my friend's daughter's Christmas-themed birthday. There was cookie cutter baking and decorating, Christmas karaoke, an ornament craft, hot chocolate, and a Christmas-themed obstacle course. I was in charge of the obstacle course. But today's picture is the cookie supplies before the girls descended.

All the girls were given Santa hats and jingle bell necklaces. It was very festive, and I'm now officially in the Christmas spirit!

A Little Jolly

2010-12-03T15:24:00.000-08:00

I know I'm a little late in starting out, but I'm going to try, for the days remaining on the Advent Calendar, to post a holiday/festive picture everyday. Here is today's... It sums up the extent of my Christmas decorating so far: Christmas pillow out on the couch? Check! Stressed out demeanor set off with a jaunty jingle bell? Check! Now where's my jaunty jingle bell??

Poor Baby

2010-12-02T12:36:00.000-08:00

Anyone read Unladylike Pursuits and love it so much you want to write up a glowing five-star review on Amazon?? Today I got my first one star (anonymous) review and I'm not taking it as well as I should. I am fully aware that this book is not for everyone, much as I wish it could be. But still, it dulls the sparkle of a perfectly good day.

I need a 'poor baby'.

New [Bookish] Territory

2010-12-01T16:10:00.000-08:00

If I decided to host an Anne of Green Gables read-a-thon/watch-a-thon/chat-a-thon on the blog in January, who among you would participate? Speak up, because if it's only me, I can keep my discussion questions to myself.

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Lusting over books...again.

2010-11-30T16:14:00.000-08:00

I will be skipping out on Barrie Summy's Book Review Club meeting this month, seeing as I haven't had a chance lately to work my way through any books other than those already touted here, and a couple that maybe shouldn't be. I do have The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise out from the library and have exactly three days to decide if I like it enough to renew it or just let it slip away.

I definitely recommend you stop by Barrie's blog for this month's round of reviews, but here the best I can do is bring your attention to some beautiful children's books I found in Anthropologie today. They're Puffin Classics, the kid version of the popular Penguin Classics (also sold by Anthro).

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I wanted the entire set (despite cursing the designer for making Anne of Green Gables that cotton candy pink! There should have been bottles of raspberry cordial and currant wine and broken slates!) I came the closest to buying The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which coincidentally, is the only one of these books I've ever read, but I walked away empty handed. They're still on my mind.

A Little Help??

2010-11-29T12:33:00.000-08:00

Everytime I talk to my grandmother on the phone I ask her how she's doing. She either answers, 'pretty good,' or 'not so good.' And often times in the course of the phone call, after detailing a bit of her everday life, she says, 'it's not a life,' or 'I don't really have much to live for at this point.'

Naturally, I'm then forced to launch into a spirited listing of all the things she does indeed have to look forward to/live for. It's gotten to be a bit of a joke between us. She ends up giggling, and says, 'well if you put it that way...' which makes me feel a whole lot better. So, I've come up with the perfect Christmas present for her.

I'm going to get her one of those planning calendars with a separate line for each day (the image is from Snapfish). And on each and every line, I am going to write in a reason for her to stick around a while longer. Seeing as I've got 365 days to fill, I'm hoping to get a little help from my creative, inventive blogger friends...yes, even you lurkers have got a couple of days in you, so bring it on!

I think there might actually be a market for this sort of thing, as I was recently at my sister-in-law's baby shower, and a lady was saying how her mother says the exact same thing. Maybe this will be the big thing next year...REASONS TO LIVE CALENDAR. You saw it here first.

Here are a few hints about my grandmother to get you started:
She reads romance novels and does crossword puzzles. She loves desserts, and her idea of a treat is a McDonald's hamburger, sundae, and cup of coffee. She watches college and professional basketball (she's long rooted for the Arizona Wildcats), she lives in Houston, and she enjoyed the recent PBS showing of Sherlock.

So...anything you got. Reasons to live, and.....GO!

Happy Turkey Day!

2010-11-25T11:01:00.000-08:00

I had big plans to start this post on Thanksgiving morning before the day truly kicked off. Sipping hot chocolate while watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade...strategizing timing for cooking the holiday meal...paging through the stack of Black Friday ads in the morning paper and strategizing timing for tomorrow morning's shopping...

But I couldn't get a single moment on the computer, and now it's mid afternoon, the turkey's in the oven, the family's gone off to watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and I'm nursing a headache with an RC cola. The Christmas decorations have been pulled out of the attic and are slowly but surely edging out Thanksgiving and ushering in Christmas.

There is still time, though, for me to tell you how thankful I am for my blog readers (particularly you commenters) who alleviate some of the solitude of the writing life. Every comment is like a little pop-in visit from a neighbor, and I treasure them all. You make me smile; you make me laugh; you make me think; and you make me glad to be a blogger, most especially on the days in which it's nearly impossible to think of a post topic (or even more challenging, an interesting one).

So thank you, my blog friends. I truly appreciate you!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families!

At the movies...

2010-11-21T14:50:00.000-08:00

Friday afternoon this felt like it was going to be a movie weekend. I haven't been to the theater in a while, and, rather unbelievably, there are several movies out now that I'd be quite happy to see with the full impact of the theater experience.

First off, and lowest on my preference list, is Megamind, the DreamWorks production about a evil genius turned superhero (or something like that). This one I'd only see because of my kids. Fact is, if they see it and I don't, they'll be trying to discuss it with me...'Remember the part when [insert something hilarious to boys here] happened, Mom?' And they'll conveniently forget, over and over again, that I didn't, in fact, see it with them.

Movie 2? Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1. I'm a big Harry Potter fan, and this is the big ending...or the beginning of the big ending. The trailers are hyping the movie as an action-packed, edge-of-your-seat, super-charged blockbuster. And if they're sticking with the books, there should be a touch of romance too. And you know how I love a touch of romance...

Okay now we're moving into the movies that are truly my cup of tea...the romantic comedies. And there are two! Morning Glory, with *sigh* Harrison Ford and Rachel McAdams, and Love and Other Drugs, with the adorable Jake Gyllenhaal and the toothsome Anne Hathaway. I would be perfectly happy whiling away a rainy (or sunny) afternoon watching these movies back to back in the theater by myself. It's been a while since I've seen a romantic comedy, and I'm going through a bit of a withdrawal. Soon I'll be pulling out my go-to holiday fave, The Holiday, but not yet, and I need a little something to keep me going till then.

And now the weekend is ending and I haven't been to the theater. Maybe this Thanksgiving week...

How about you? What would you see if you had a free afternoon at the movies? And definitely give me your reviews if you've seen any of these movies!!

Slightly envious

2010-11-17T10:11:00.000-08:00

On beautiful autumn days like today, I almost wish I could trade places with my dog. She hangs out outside for hours, perched on the barbeque grill, scoping out squirrel antics and neighborhood noises.

I'd want a book.