Sarah Strohmeyer

Ok, so even as a writer I do not have this long list of writer's that I am partial to. I have my favorite's (John Grisham, Jodi Picoult, Nicholas Sparks) and usually devour every book that they write as soon as it hits the shelf, and if I get word of another author I may try them.

There are several authors that, while I have read some of their books and like them, they are not ones that I consistently look for and seek out.

Well, a few days ago I got this........



OMG.......can you say LOVE her???? Sarah Strohmeyer is now one of my TOP favorites.

I ordered her book from Amazon. Someone had told me about her and I really was looking for someone new to read. So I bought this book. I waited a few days to pick it up and when I did, I could NOT put it down.

From the minute you start reading, all housework goes to pot, children are starving and animals are being neglected, husband complains and.....well, you get the picture.

She's so funny. She's like the best friend that you wish you had. One of those writers who you'd love to meet for coffee.

So anyway, after that one I rushed out today and got....








We are going to the beach in less than 2 weeks and I had intended to get every single book that she had written, sit on the beach and read. They only had the three Bubbles books. I reeeeeeally wanted the new book The Penny Pincher's Club. but they didn't have a copy. :(



They told me they had sold the last one a few days before and they could order it. (That's a good sign right? They can't keep her in stock) So I perused the shelves and bought the only three books they had of her. I didn't want to wait a few days to start reading. (Yes she's that good)!!

So anyway, I may order the new one from Amazon. And while I had PLANNED on taking these to the beach, I know I'll end up stealing a read tonight on one of them which means I'll have it finished by tomorrow and with that vicious cycle I will again have nothing to read for the beach. Unless.....of course Amazon will hurry up their deliveries and I get it by next Friday. (Oh pray....)

So anyway, I don't normally strongly recommend anyone cause everyone has their own tastes but seriously, if you are female....you will LOVE Sarah Strohmeyer. I did read the Cinderella Pact will be a lifetime movie in 2010. So now ladies...Lifetime movie....really??? Who doesn't like a good lifetime movie? Buy her books. Go now. Don't wait.

Why are you still reading?

Go now!!!! I hear they are flying off the shelves. :-)

C'MON Chipper Jones!!!!

Gooooooooo Chipper. You can do it!!!!

So proud!!!!

3 more!! Knock em out and break that record!!!!

Maggie's Day

I used to blog a lot more than I do not. Once I started writing it's become increasing more difficult to write in my spare time. I find this incredibly sad because I love writing blogs and I've had no time for my book. I like creative writing so much more than what I've been doing but this blog doesn't exactly pay me so....

Today was a Maggie day. It seems everyone in our family (kid wise) has their on thing. Allison had gymnastics and went to band (which she's quite good at both). Graham has skateboarding and plays baseball and Julianna is going to play basketball. That left Maggie with nothing. I wasn't worried quite yet cause she's only 7 but I felt like she truly needed to be involved in something since she is homeschooling.

She gets plenty of play time with other children since our street is packed with em and she loves Miranda and Cole and then she goes to children's church on Wednesdays so she has plenty of play time with other children she just needed an activity.

We tried dance. She went two lessons of ballet and HATED it. We went to Saul's on the square and she picked our her shoes and tights and leotard and got this cute little ballet bag. That's about as far as it went. The first day she clung to me and didn't want to do anything. Finally, I had to force her to finish up the month that we paid for. She said she wanted to cheer and then decided she didn't. There was just nothing that interested her.

Miranda told her about taking horseback lessons. She started as Western but is doing English this year. This peaked Maggie's interest. Maggie is my animal lover. She loves bugs and all kinds of critters. Kinda reminds me of how Ellie May Clampett from the Beverly hillbillies was. She loves em all. She'll cry when you squish a bug. She likes to save em.

So I start looking around. Miranda takes from a place ...I won't plug the name because from what I've heard it's not the best place to take your child if you want "real" lessons. They are cheap but your child works with a group. There is no one on one. They get a different horse each week etc....

I searched the internet and found Garland Farms. Then the more research I did, the more I liked. Ashley Marascalco...doctor Marascalco's daughter would be her teacher. So last week we went to visit. Maggie decided it was what she wanted to do. She was a little afraid ....ok a lot afraid, of the horses, so I wasn't sure how she would do.

Today we went back. Ashley taught Maggie how to tack the horse and let her walk her to the arena. Her horse is a beautiful Hanoverian. Her name is.........Maggie :-]

Maggie did excellent. Ashley taught her how to sit up straight and tall and taught her how to make the horse turn. It was awesome seeing her control that big horse all by herself.

She walked Maggie back to the barn and got her settled back in.

Maggie cried when we left. She didn't want to leave.

My Maggie has found her thing. I'm so happy for her :] My little equestrian.

Congrats to my baby boy

Graham made the travel team that he tried out for. They are currently number one in the state.

GREAT JOB Graham!!!!

The First Day of School

Today is the first day of school for my babies, minus Maggie. (She starts next Monday). I was OK at first, then excited for them, then sad and now.....as Maggie lays on the couch watching Dora and I am going to write a bit, while it looks like she may go back to sleep, I'm kinda melancholy.

I'm not sure what to feel. Part of me wants to cry. Part of me knows that this is just part of growing up. Part of me is very happy to see my babies grow everyday and get older, wiser, stronger and more independant. It's nice to see them successful. But they ARE my babies.

I read the other day, I was reading My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Piccoult and the attorney, who's name is Campbell, made a comment about his dog. He said, "Another great thing about dogs is that they sever ties with their mothers when they are little". At first I thought that was a funny thing then today, I remembered that and it made me sad.

I mean, as mother's we care, we worry, we care for the sick, we help with homework and study for tests. We mend clothes and wash bookbags, fix lunches, pack snacks, organize class parties and scrape unidentifiable food out from under the bed. Then we won't mention the projects that we find out about the night before and pull an all nighter trying to make a volcano out of toothpicks and string or an electric engine out of rubber bands and coat hangers.

This is love. The unconditional love that only a mother can have for her child. The inseparable bond that begins when we first hear..."You are pregnant" until we draw our last breath.

My babies, my sweet babies. I hope you all have a great day today. I hope today brings you nothing but happiness and new friendships, success and great teachers, classes you love and the beginning of a great school year.

I love you my babies.....more than life itself!


Mom

I changed my mind

Ok...I know that I said I really am dreading the kids going back to school.

I lied.

Well it wasn't really a lie until this morning. So last night I decide it's time to start going to bed like it will be for school...or at least earlier than the night owl hours they have been keeping this summer. So by 9:30 all the sugarplums were nestled in bed.

Hubby fell asleep on the couch and I was alone.....

alooooooooooone..........like really alone.

Allison usually keeps me company but she was not here and I had finished up my writing for the day. OOooo today's articles were good ones: testicular cancer, pirate bedroom ideas, arthritis treatments, neopet siggy ideas and many other countless reasearch topics that took roughly 30 minutes.

Yes, I get paid for this people.

I digress.

So I'm sitting here and decide to watch Lost (yes I know I'm off topic but bare with me I'm on a roll). I watch a few episodes and then I get to one that BREAKS my heart. probably so far my favorite episode but nevertheless, I sit here worried about my favorite character. Yes....precious Sawyer. So in this eipsode, the "Others" (da da daaaaaaaa....creepy music) have decided to teach Sawyer a lesson and make it so he will behave. (This is Season 3 episode....can't remember, maybe 4 or 5) You know what they do to loveable Mr. Charismatic Sawyer??? They install a pacemaker in him that will cause his heart to explode if his pulse goes above 140. Kinda like a rev limiter for you heart. So if he gets worked up about anything ....

BOOM!!!

Only, not really. He sees Kate changing clothes and his pulse goes up and he dumps water over his head. He gets beat up and doesn't fight back (Kate tells him she loves him). Then he is drug up a mountain with the others and his pulse starts racing. Then the stupid dude Ben tells him that they really didn't install the pacemaker. :( They just wanted him to think they did so he would behave. They also showed him that he isn't still on "the" island but yet it's next door neighbor and there is no where to run. My poor Sawyer. I didn't watch another episode cause by now I had watched about 4 hours of lost and it was past 1AM.

OK....so back to the kids and school. This morning they got up during my peace and solitude time when I get most of my writing done because of course, they went to bed early so they get up early. I do think that as soon as their feet hit the floor they started fighting. UGGGH!!!! It's been this way ALL DAY LONG. One battle after another and quite frankly I'm stressed.

School starts in 11 days and while my little Maggie will be homeschooled she is SO easy to handle when she's alone. And I've already got a schedule planned.

I get up get everyone out the door and Maggie and I will do her school. She will be done around lunch so I will feed her and then write. I need to write about 5 hours a day to pay bills and have money left...about $1000 a week. I'll work a couple of hours, Julianna will come home, help her with homework.....ok so the details are boring. Bottom line, when they go to bed I'll spend a few more hours writing and do my classes and all should be good. Tuesdays I will not write, I will instead have a class that I must log on for from 5:30 to 8:30. I will probably take another day off but I'm not sure when. Probably on Sunday, maybe Monday.

I get sidetracked so easily. I started out telling you how horrible awful the kids were and I'm into schedules for Fall. It's 4:30 and I'm fixing barbque chicken for dinner. hubby will be home soon and I need to finish writing.

Payday tomorrow :-) Tax free weekend this weekend. Life is good!

Sadness

I miss my Alli........

Seriously.

Then today, I was waiting on her to call and she never called.

I go to call her cell and our phone isn't working.

I get my cell and the battery is dead.

So I plug up my battery and wait. Then the phone rings and it's someone for Julianna. What was up with that? Why was our phone not working. Tonight I notice that there had been a break in at a local pharmacy and the phone lines had been cut so we were without a phone during that time. :( :(

I never heard from Allison. So I'm assuming she tried to call when the phone was not working and I'm so sad. :(

I miss her!!