Memorial Day

With today being Memorial Day, my previous post about music that I enjoy needs to be enhanced a bit with this one, that has music that inspires me.

This song makes me well up every time I hear it. It triggers many memories from 9/11, and the emotions felt as people bonded together.

Thanks to all our military men and women and their families ... parents, spouses, partners, children ... who give up so much so we all can have so much. May G-d continue to bless and protect you all. And from the bottom of my heart, Thank You.

Music Mondays!

My first time jumping in on Music Mondays. Found out about it from Tami over at Hearts Make Families and figured I'd join in!

This song is my general ring tone these days, so I can't help but feel happy and sing it ALL THE TIME!

Never Let You Go ~ Book Review

Let me start off by saying that I wasn't sure what to expect from this book.

Basically I started it thinking I'd be focused on the main character, Lexi, and that I'd spend the pages watching her work hard at fixing her life and protecting her daughter, only to fall back into the traps of her past.

Lexi is a single mom to Molly, who seems to be more the parental figure than Lexi, herself, is. They live with Gina, their "roommate," in a 2 bedroom apartment. Lexi's husband Grant left her many years ago, after dealing and dabbling in various kinds of drugs.

Great, right? Lexi's mom is a traveling woman, who reviews restaurants (I think, honestly what she did was not something I focused on, so forgive me if I err there!) and walked away from her husband after his mental break, which happened after Lexi's sister was killed. Even better, isn't it? Whew.

Anyway, Lexi is working several jobs to maintain her life and take care of her daughter. When out of the past comes -- well -- too many people from the shadows. Grant returns, as does Ward(en), and her sister's killer is up for parole. Too many evils surround her at once. All she wants to do is protect her daughter. She finds a savior shows up in her life just when she or Molly needs him. He's handsome, powerful, and everywhere she turns. Should she be suspicious? Should she just relax in his seemingly endless support? How is it that he shows up exactly when she needs him to be there? He saves Molly's life. Saves her life. Saves Molly's life again.

So much of Lexi's past unravels here in the present day. Will Grant try to take Molly away from her? What does Ward TRULY want? Is Lexi losing her mind? How can she protect her daughter? How can she help her father? Will she let her mother help her? What will happen next?

As I started this book I had some of my own suspicions about where the story would lead. I read a little bit about the author and the book on her website, ErinHealy.com and at some point looked at the back of the book to determine the "genre." This book had three! Fiction, Suspense, and Christian. Interesting, no? And yet I kept reading!

I definitely enjoyed the book, although it would not be something I'd consider my normal type of read. If you're into mystery and suspense, with a little religious undertones, you'll enjoy it. And even if you don't go for the religious aspect, you'll still enjoy the story and the way it all plays out. Suspend your disbelief. That's normally what we do when we read and watch movies, anyway, right? Think to ourselves, HOW could that possibly ... No way, that would *never* happen ... What on Earth? and so on.

Happy reading!

** I was not compensated for this review in any way. I received a copy of the book from the publicist to facilitate my review. **

Bid on a Bundle of Books for Duck Fest!

THANKS TO ALL WHO ENTERED! THE WINNER OF THIS RAFFLE IS #5:

DAFFY OF BATCRAP CRAZY!!!!

CONGRATS, DAFFY!!!!

So, if you know me, you know I love to read. I mean. I'm totally addicted to books. Completely.

And so as Duck Fest preparation is underway, I thought to myself, what can I possibly contribute to this cause? How can I help Daffy's family?

So I sent an e-mail over to That One Mom and said, what about books? What if I put together a bundle of books (would have been a basket, but a basket will be hard to mail!) and see if people will bid on them? I mean, it's just $1 per bid, so how hard could that be?

And she agreed with me! She was excited, which made me so psyched. I was starting to feel so lame. All these wonderful donations flowing in for various causes out there in Bloggy Land, and here I sat, on my bottom, doing zilch.

So, in an effort to help raise money for the JD Scholarship Fund, I've decided to create a bundle of books up for the charity raffle!

This Bundle of Books will include:

The Red Tent, by Anita Diamant

The Bright Side of Disaster, by Katherine Center



The Senator's Wife, by Sue Miller



The Jane Austen Book Club, by Karen Joy Fowler

I have read and enjoyed each of these books, and honestly, The Red Tent is one of my absolute favorite reads EVER! You can win over $40 worth of books for just the bid of $1. Yes, ONE SINGLE DOLLAR.

Please leave one comment for each dollar donation you make for this giveaway. Registration runs June 3rd through June 8th. Drawing will be conducted June 9th via random.org. Winners will be notified via email and shipping information will be collected at that time. Thank you for your contribution to the JD Scholarship Fund!

Just click on the ChipIn widget above to submit your monetary donation and that will confirm that you are eligible to win! Thanks so much, everyone!

We have opened the "bidding" so PLEASE post your comments here if you are interested in winning this bundle of books!!!!

WELCOME TO DUCK FEST!

Have you heard about DuckFest?

Well, come on out from under that rock, wouldja? ;)

What is Duck Fest, you ask?

Duck Fest is an incredible effort across the blogosphere to help out Daffy over at BatCrap Crazy. Daffy lost her sister recently, and we're all pulling together to help raise money for the JD Scholarship Fund, a fund set up by the family to benefit BigSis's son as he and his dad face their future without his mom. This event runs from June 3rd through June 8th, all across Bloggy-Land.

How does Duck Fest work?
**I snagged this directly from That One Mom's website, so I KNOW it's accurate!**
You will be able to visit a number of giveaways to raise money for the JD Scholarship Fund. If you find a giveaway you'd like to enter, beginning June 3rd, you can click on the donate button on that giveaway and donate money for entries. Each entry is $1.00. If you donate $10.00 you have 10 entries to spend however you want. Please follow the PayPal directions for your donation (be sure to leave your blog url in notes for verification!). Leave a comment for each $1.00 donation on the giveaways of your choice and on June 9th, each hosting blog will select their winners using random.org.

How can I help out?
You can make a few "bids" on the various items up for grabs, or you can host a giveaway at your own blog. If you feel you have nothing to offer, well, you'd be surprised. I am actually going to be hosting something here, despite my initial feeling of 'I have nothing worthwhile.' Stay tuned for more details ... And if you'd like to participate, send an email to: That One Mom at thatonemom.onlyparentchronicles@gmail.com OR to Tamara at cheapskatemom@live.com.

I would like to donate money and not worry about prizes.
Wonderful! You'll be able to do that, too. Each post will have a donation button set up so you can contribute in the way that works best for you.

I'll also be setting up the donation button on my blog at some point, so stay tuned. And remember, every penny counts! Thanks so much for your help with this, and although I don't actually KNOW Daffy, I know she appreciates the support.

Much love to you and yours.

On Folly Beach ~ Book Review

Welcome to Folly Beach! Kick off your shoes, grab a cool drink and stay a while. There is so much to see here, so much history and some incredible people. You're going to wish you could stay longer, and may even want to truly visit someday.

Karen White's On Folly Beach is a fantastic read. The story delves into the intertwining lives of our main character in current day, the people she meets once she relocates to the beach, and the lives of those from many years ago.

A simple bottle tree opens up our story and connects our characters. Emmy, the main character, wakes up from a call within herself, knowing that her husband Ben is gone. Ben is serving in Afghanistan, and Emmy just knows that he has passed. She makes her way out to her parents' backyard, over to her mother's bottle tree, as the wind whistles through the still of the night.

Emmy's mother brought this bottle tree with her from her home. There is so much about her mother's past that she does not know. So when Paige encourages her to head there and renew herself, find a passion for life again, Emmy is not sure what to think.

She flat-out refuses. Why would she want to leave the world she once knew? The world where Ben was a part of her every day life? She never wants to forget him. Never wants to leave him behind.

And then her mother passes along a stash of old books that she recently purchased from Folly Finds. An old bookstore from the beach. Emmy finds herself drawn to them, overwhelmed with a need to sort through them. Eventually we find out why. She begins to find hidden letters within their pages. Love letters. Notes of passion and longing. Who wrote these? Where did they come from? She can't help but need to know more.

Emmy decides to relocate to Folly Beach to take over Folly's Finds. She rents a house from the owner, Abigail, stumbles into the actual owner, Heath [Abigail's son!], and there's a strong connection. She finds out more about Heath and his family, especially his aunt Lulu, who Emmy immediately clashes with.

Lulu. There is so much to say about Lulu. Lulu's sister Maggie is the other main character of the story. She lived in the 1942 version of Folly Beach. Maggie lived and loved, loved and lost. Lulu and Maggie lived with their cousin Cat, who lost her own husband, Jim, in the war. This is just one of the many parallels between the 1940s story and that which takes place in the 2000s. Lulu is the tie that binds.

After reading you might say that Lulu is the main character, as she is the only one you find in both sections of the story. Lulu is quite the mystery. She's a quirky old lady who makes bottle trees in Emmy's life, and a young child, supportive and protective of her sister Maggie in a world so long ago.

The mystery and the entanglement between both stories made this book one I didn't want to put down. I loved each character, even the ones I hated. I wanted more. I wanted to see Emmy's life as it took each turn, and was ready for 100 more pages, if I'm being honest.

I definitely encourage you to pick up a copy for yourself. I can promise you'll enjoy it. As for me, I have a copy of Karen White's The Memory of Water in my to-read book bin that I'll be digging out for my summer reads. And I didn't even realize that when I decided to read this one. I'm definitely a new fan of hers. I'm sure you will be, too.

**I was not compensated for this review in any way. The publisher did provide me with a copy of this book to facilitate my review. **

Guest Post: Author Karen White

Living with Both of Me

I was putting laundry away today in my teenager’s rooms and paused in the thresholds, unsure of the best way to navigate the floors strewn with books, school papers, empty water bottles, shoes, clothes (dirty and clean, from what I could tell), and unpacked suitcases from last weekend’s trip. I’d take a picture to include here, but I don’t want DFCS calling on me. Whose children are these?

I’m a far cry from the character of Melanie Middleton in my Tradd Street series—the anal-retentive real estate agent who even schedules her potty breaks on a spreadsheet. But I do like everything in its place. I like neat piles of paper on my desk (my version of a “to do” list), and I like my countertops and bathroom sinks clear of clutter. A cluttered house means a cluttered mind—at least that’s what I’ve read. And since I work at home, I consider the entire house my workspace, and everybody had best keep it neat and clean! I’ve been known to collect items without warning into a large garbage bag and place in the garage. It’s amazing how seldom they miss anything.

I manage to keep things tidy in most parts of the house, but in my children’s rooms I’ve simply given up. I just don’t have the energy anymore. They are required to straighten up everything when the cleaning people come, and then it goes right back to requiring yellow tape across the doorway. I’m thinking of reporting them to that TLC show Hoarders.

I have a Palm Pilot that keeps me organized—with every event color-coded by family member and subject. Even the dog has his own color. I set an alarm for each event just in case I’m distracted and forget. Even better, when I sync with Outlook I can send reminders to various family members, too. But not the dog, of course, as he doesn’t have thumbs and finds operating a handheld device too much of a challenge.

You’re probably thinking that my organization spills over into my writing. And there you’d be wrong. I don’t outline. I don’t do character sketches. I don’t even do a first draft. I just sit down somewhere with my laptop and start writing a story about characters I want to know more about. I’ve been told it’s the “wrong” way to write a book, but I figure after twelve published books (including one that made it to #31 on the New York Times list), I can keep doing it the “wrong” way.

I started out being a reader, and I write the way I read—without really knowing what’s going to happen next. How excited would you be to read a book that you know how it ended? Part of the fun of writing is discovering what my characters are going to do next.

The only “organized” thing about my writing is my research. Even though my stories have contemporary settings, I always use some kind of historical context—or some kind of passion that I know nothing about. In The Memory of Water, the main characters were sailors, so I had to learn how to sail. In The Lost Hours the protagonist was an Olympic equestrian, and in The House on Tradd Street, the heroine has to restore an old house. This means lots and lots of research to make sure I get it right.

I do most of my writing in a chair in my sitting room. Next to the chair is a bookshelf where I keep all of the current project’s research books and notes within easy reach. Since I don’t always know what I’m going to write, I don’t always know what I’m going to need in terms of research material, so I make sure I have a good supply just in case.

For my May release, On Folly Beach, half of the book takes place in 1942 and half of it is set in 2010. I love history, so reading about the big bands of the era (Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller) playing on the long Folly Beach Pier, and the threat of German U-boats off the US coast was really fun. (Yes, I’m a history geek). I had everything organized by subject (including a book with pages from Sears catalogs of the forties), and my notes stuffed neatly in folders. I read and researched as I wrote, sometimes writing new scenes to accommodate something interesting I’d learned.

Now with the book done, those books have been cleared off and filed downstairs in my study on the large bookcases for future reference, and now my Charleston books on architecture, furniture and history have reappeared so I can begin writing the third book in the Tradd Street series.

Sure, writing this way probably does take longer. But I just can’t imagine doing it any other way. I think that after a writer finds the process that works for her, she should stick with it.

My children are trying to convince me that the cesspools of their rooms are part of their learning process, and it works for them. I don’t buy it. I think it’s just laziness. My daughter is heading to college this fall and I’m anticipating seeing her clean room, day after day. Friends tell me I’ll miss the mess once she’s gone. I dunno. I didn’t miss her dirty diapers when she was potty-trained, after all. Maybe HGTV will be interested in a “before” and “after” show about children’s rooms after they depart for college. I’m already envisioning the neat and tidy bins I’ll have stacked in her now unreachable closet, the sharply folded clothes in the drawers of her dresser that right now can’t be closed.

Or maybe I’ll write a book with a mom and two messy teenagers. I wouldn’t have to go very far to research, and the time saved might allow me to reorganize my office. And my kitchen. Or maybe I can just catch up on the sleep that I’ve been missing for the last eighteen years.

**I thank Karen SO much for writing a post for me. I will be sharing my review of On Folly Beach with you all tomorrow!**

Wordless Wednesday!

Being a mom means ...

* Eating lots of ice cream because you HAVE to.

* Splashing in puddles even when you don't want to!

* Watching several straight hours of Disney Channel or Nick Jr. on a rainy day.

* Wiping a runny nose with the bottom of your shirt.

* Showing excitement over a pretty yellow flower (weed!) collection.

* Reading the same book over and over and over again.

* Finding random toys shoved into random spots of your couch.

* Waking up in the morning to find that you've slept with various items [see random toys from previous remark] in your bed with you.

* Trying to remember the last time you ate a meal in a restaurant that didn't have to be in a booth so you could trap your child in her seat, where a kids' menu with crayons wasn't given out as you sat down, and where you didn't play a quick game or two or ten of tic-tac-toe before the food arrived.

* Hearing the words 'I love you, Mommy' and feeling your heart melt.

* Looking at her smiling face and listening to her laugh and thinking those are the best sights and sounds in the world.

* Never knowing again what it's like to be lonely or questioning what true love is, because you have it, live it and feel it every single day.

People who make me laugh

And are not so hard to look at, either ...

Just thought after a rainy weekend and last week being a mostly cr@ppy week that kick-starting this week this way would be fun!

Just not feelin' it

With all that's going on in bloggy-land these days, I'm just not feelin' it. I'm empty. I don't know what to write. I don't know what to say. It just seems completely irrelevant as to whether or not I should try to turn my office into a playroom and how, or what my plans are for the weekend. I suffered my own sadness last weekend, and have slowly come out of it, but what these families are experiencing is on a whole different level.

So, if you haven't yet, please check out My Pixie Dreams to find out about Momma and her Monkey. And how you can help.

And please head on over to offer support to Daffy at Batcrap Crazy as she says goodbye to her sister.

And hug your own loved ones a little bit tighter today. Tomorrow. And always.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Sweet Memory

Skinny is Overrated ~ Book Review

I promise I'm not going to turn into a blog that only does reviews. It's just that when a book interests me I can't say no - and this one TOTALLY did interest me. Free books = Mama Saves Money = More stuff to read = Happy Mama!

When I was contacted by the publisher, I assumed it was because of my outlook in this post. And when I saw the title of this book, Skinny is Overrated, I was so psyched. I read the summary I received, as shown below.

Summary:
In her new book, “Skinny is Overrated,” physician and author Dr. Danielle Milano encourages women to get healthy and learn to love the size they are, and to disregard society’s pressures to fit into a certain mold. Humorously and conversationally written for the everyday woman, “Skinny is Overrated” offers simple and effective tips and recipes for women looking to live healthier lives. Providing 10 easy changes such as eliminating sodas and finding an enjoyable physical activity, Dr. Milano pushes women to embrace a lifestyle that will help them be healthier, have more energy and maybe even lose some weight in the process.

Sounds amazing, doesn't it? Yeah, that's what I thought.

Except it sucked. I hated it. The summary was totally misleading. It was like a diet book, but it wasn't a "true" diet. I read through page after page of information on what I should be eating to be living a healthy life. Ten easy changes are wonderful, and that is what I thought I was getting. I probably should have gone to the author's website, read an excerpt, and checked out her blog, or whatever. But that's on me, I didn't.

Instead I leaped at the title and was thrilled by the concept. Had I been in the bookstore I would have picked it up with excitement, and then skimmed through it. You know how you know when you're looking at the pages of a book if you're going to like it? If it's YOUR kind of read? Yeah, well, this one wasn't.

I'm not looking for a new way of life. Yes, I'd love to lose way more than a few pounds, but I'm not going to try just yet to cut out unrefined (or is it refined? It's the white ones, I know that much!) carbs from my intake. Nor am I going to give up, well, much of anything, to be honest. Yes, she did have some great tips. But I already knew that HFCS (high-fructose-corn-syrup) is bad for you. And yes, I knew it probably is in nearly every item of processed food I purchase for my family. Like Ketchup. Yes, ketchup. And I'm already trying to be healthier in that regard. And make life better for my daughter by doing so. And I fail frequently. And I could stand to lose like 100 lbs.

And I appreciate that she shares how she supported a patient and told them they didn't HAVE to get to the measly 120-ish lbs that the US weight and height chart suggests for her. I like to hear that. Because my height says I should weigh like 123, and honey, that's a LAUGH.

Anyway, I'm sad to say that the summary didn't represent the book to me at all. The first line just doesn't jive. The next part ("Humorously and conversationally written for the everyday woman,") is completely not true, not for me, anyway. My favorite chapter was the one written for MEN! And my favorite piece of information was that it was GOOD for me to be eating an avocado nearly every day. That's awesome.

But I don't eat fish, and I don't plan to start. I don't plan to start a *Mediterranean Diet* and if I had checked out her website I would have clearly seen: "The diet I support is a Mediterranean Diet ..." Well, that's great, but it's not going to work for me. Not today, anyway. See, I'm not dieting these days. And I know the word diet can represent your lifestyle and eating habits. And that's fine. I'm cool with that. But to use it in the fashion where it means don't eat some things and do eat others, that's a DIET. That's the D-word. And that word has been out of my vocabulary for some time.

So, if that's what you're looking for, then go for it. Pick up a copy. Heck, you can have mine. But if you're looking for someone to support you and talk to you like a friend, like I am right now, it's not the right choice for you. But if you want to see for yourself, here is the website so you can find out more. SkinnyIsOverrated.com.

**This review was written based on a free copy of this book that I received from the publisher. I (obviously!) was not compensated for this review in any way, shape or form!**

My 100 Books for 2010!

So some of you may know that I have been tracking my books for this year for a challenge with my fellow TriangleMommies that we're doing over at Goodreads.com. Too lazy to link that, if you don't know what it is check out my bookshelf on the right-hand side of my blog! -------->

Anyway, I found this challenge again, I think it's the same host as last year, so I figured what the heck, I'll post the info, and link up, and eventually track all my books for 2010 on there, aside from on my shelf. Make sense? Good -- let's roll!

Here are the "rules" for the 100 books challenge:

1. The goal is to read 100 or more books. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.

2. Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, YA, Manga, Graphic Novels, Library books, Novellas, Young Reader, Nonfiction – as long as the book has an ISBN or equivalent or can be purchased as such, the book counts.

What doesn't count: Individual short stories or individual books in the Bible.

3. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

4. Crossovers from other reading challenges count.

5. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010. Books started before the 1st do not count.

6. When you sign up under Mr. Linky, put the direct link to your post where your books will be listed. Include the URL to this post so that other viewers can find this fun challenge. If you’d prefer to put your list in the sidebar of your blog, please leave your viewers the link to the sign up page. Again, so viewers can join the challenge too.

And then here's the link to go and sign yourself up!

And my list so far:
1. The Bright Side of Disaster, Katherine Center
2. How Starbucks Saved My Life, Michael Gates Gill
3. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
4. The Good Body, Eve Ensler
5. Things I Want my Daughters to Know, Elizabeth Noble
6. 1003 Great Things About Moms, Lisa Birnbach, Ann Hodgman and Patricia Marx
7. The Beach House, Jane Green
8. Project Daddy, Kate Perry
9. Til We Eat Again, Confessions of a Diet Dropout, Judy Gruen
10. Glory Days, Irene Peterson
11. The Bright Forever, Lee Martin
12. Why We Suck, Dr. Denis Leary
13. Confessions Of A Slacker Wife, Muffy Mead-Ferro
14. Confessions Of A Slacker Mom, Muffy Mead-Ferro
15. When you Eat at the Refrigerator Pull Up a Chair, Geneen Roth
16. No Dress Rehearsal, Marian Keyes
17. You Can't Drink All Day If You Don't Start In The Morning, Celia Rivenbark
18. Knit Two, Kate Jacobs
19. On Folly Beach, Karen White
20. Our Promised Land, Michael T. Darkow
21. Inconsolable: How I Threw My Mental Health Out With the Diapers, Marrit Ingman
22. The Accidental Mother, Rowan Coleman
23. Jane Austen Ruined My Life, Beth Pattillo
24. Skinny is Overrated, Dr. Danielle Milano
25. Saving Max, Antoinette van Heugten
26. The Imperfect Mom, Therese J. Borchard
27. Never Let You Go, Erin Healy
28. The Help, Kathryn Stockett
29. The Second Nine Months, Vicki Glembocki
30. The Girl Who Chased the Moon, Sarah Addison Allen
31. Deep Dish, Mary Kay Andrews
32. The No-Cry Potty Training Solution, Elizabeth Pantley
33. Freedom's Call, John Walker
34. Best Friends Forever, Jennifer Weiner
35. The Pocket Therapist, Therese J. Borchard
36. Seven Year Switch, Claire Cook
37. Healing With Words: A Writer's Cancer Journey, Diana M. Raab
38. My Summer of Southern Discomfort, Stephanie Gayle
39. Please Excuse My Daughter, Julie Klam
40. Gerry Tales, Gerry Boylan
41. Between Sisters, Kirstin Hannah
42. Spooky Little Girl, Laurie Notaro
43. This Little Mommy Stayed Home, Samantha Wilde
44. To Your Dog's Health! Mark Poveromo
45. Handle With Care, Jodi Picoult
46. The Ice Cream Theory, Steff Deschenes
47. Men and Dogs, Katie Crouch
48. The Truth About Delilah Blue, Tish Cohen
49. What's Up Down There? Lissa Rankin
50. The Twisted Path Home, Fae Bidgoli
51. Shelter Me, Juliette Fay
52. Pieces of Happily Ever After, Irene Zutell
53. A Secret Kept, Tatiana de Rosnay
54. Driving Sideways, Jess Riley
55. Girl Time, Laura Jensen Walker
56. The Price of Revenge, Dennis Vaughan
57. You're Not The Boss of Me, Erika Shickel
58. The Lost Symbol, Dan Brown
59. Not Tonight Honey, Wait Til I'm a Size Six, Susan Reinhardt

Memories

Our kitty cat Neo passed away yesterday. It was one of the saddest things I have ever experienced. I will miss him terribly. He was the sweetest cat in the world. Seriously. Ask anyone who knew him. Even my mom, who is not a cat lover. In any way, shape or form. Neo won her over. He loved everyone, and everyone loved him.

Here's a trip down memory lane with Neo from birth (practically, as he was born in our basement back in NY) til his last days:

Ideas ...

Follower Spotlight?

Whatcha think? Is it a good idea? Should I do it?

I was thinking about spotlighting my followers (if anyone is interested, of course) in a weekly or every other week kind of post.

Or just having a guest post. I did that for my friend LabMom once and I think she enjoyed herself in my neck of the woods.

I guest blogged for ThatOneMom once when she was on vacation, and I had fun, too!

So, if you're a follower and interested in coming by to do a guest post, just let me know. Otherwise I may just spotlight you on my own, and that'll be fun, but might not be as fun or funny as you'd like. ;)



Book Swap?

I know I mentioned this before, and a bunch of peeps were interested. So, are you? Would you like to partake? I think I can get this going before May is out, and then we can set the book mailing date to be in June at some point. If that works for everyone.

But how to ensure that your swapping partner doesn't have the book you're sending them? I mean, ideally that wouldn't happen, but it's a risk. I kind of feel like the best way to do it is to have our swappers send off a copy of one of their favorite reads. Doesn't have to be new, but has to be in gently used condition, if it's been read.

Their fellow bloggy swap partner posts to "link up" and gives us an idea of the kinds of books s/he enjoys reading. Some of their fave authors, etc. and we (the book sender) tries to find something we've loved that either meshes with them, or may be a total opposite, but we love it anyway. I don't know which direction to take this. We can also just leave it to the discretion of the sender.

I would absolutely love the recipient to be surprised by the book they get, though. I think that's the biggest *fun* aspect, but I totally love surprises, so that may just be me!

So, are you in? If so, stay tuned. I'll get us going shortly.


Button?

How do you feel about buttons?

Obviously, I don't have one, but I would love one. Not so much for people to put on their pages, but just to have something that represents ME. I could make one, but I don't really know how to do them with "clip-art," mostly just with pictures (real life images) and that's not the feel I'm going for.

Although I guess without one I'm not going for any particular feel, right? I don't want a cartoon of me, although that would be kind of cute, no?

Like this could be me, right?

SO, do I need one? Do you have one? Should I have one? Or is it OK to just be me, and have everyone see my smiling face wherever I go? [Wink! Wink!]

Share your thoughts. Feel free. Let me have it. Or don't. I'll be OK. Just sitting here. Wallowing. Without any comments. Whatevs.

Jane Austen Ruined My Life ~ Book Review

I like Jane Austen. I've enjoyed reading her books at various points of my lifetime, but if you ask me if I can truly remember them, well, the answer is likely going to be no. So I wasn't truly sure how I'd feel about this book. Would I be able to follow it? Would I truly *get* it? Would I even like it?

And I totally did! I started reading this book on Thursday evening. I finished it last night. It was a nice, short and sweet read, but never left me bored or disinterested.

Jane Austen Ruined My Life is a book written by Beth Pattillo. I'd never read anything by Beth before, but I've got her next one lined up and ready to go, and happily so.

The book is a story about a woman named Emma. Yes, Emma. Emma was named for a well-known character in Jane Austen's repertoire. If you know anything about Ms. Austen, you likely know that book. When we first meet Emma her life is a complete mess. She's just found her husband cheating on her. And when I say found, I mean it literally. She walked in on him cheating on her with her teaching assistant. On their kitchen table. How fun. Is it any wonder she let him have the table after their split?

Emma takes off to England to pursue a dream. She's hopeful finding out all she can about Jane Austen and her secrets will save her. She'll find a way to pull herself out of the funk she is now in. She's looking to bounce back from the loss of her job, her husband, her home, even her cell phone.

Her journey is an interesting one. We follow her through England, as she meets one interesting individual after another. Along with connecting with a person from her past. There are twists and turns, things you suspect and confirm, things you suspect that you - as the reader - are wrong about, and things you'd never suspect at all!

I wouldn't define the book as a mystery, but a heart-felt story about a woman going through a new stage of her life. I liked Emma, I wanted to like Emma, even when she wasn't being true to herself.

I can admit that perhaps I would have loved the book more if there were a truly predictable ending, but at the same time I think the story rings true the way it plays out. I really enjoyed this read, and I look forward to the next one I have lined up, Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart. Notice a theme there? So if you get the chance, pick it up. It's worth it.

**I received a copy of this book to review from the publisher. I was not compensated for this review in any way.**

Mission Monkey

My bad, my blog posted before I was ready.

Many of you may have already heard about Monkey, the sweet lil thing who belongs to Michelle over at Momma's Pixie Dreams. Well, she found out that her lil monkey has Neuroblastoma. And it's friggin scary. You hear that word and you just KNOW it means business.

It's Cancer. The "C" word. And it sucks.

So, as usual, the blog world is pulling together, and if you're able to help out, here's a link for you to donate:

And if you can't help out, please just head on over to Momma's Pixie Dreams to offer your words of support and encouragement. Because even a little love goes a long way!

There will also be an auction of sorts to help this family, and you can find out more details about that over at The Daily Dose of Reality.

Hugs to Michelle and her Monkey. And the entire family.

On a Serious Note

I mentioned yesterday that I take what I refer to as Happy Pills. I'm going to take some time today to talk more about that, and in this same post, talk about an incredible book that I recently finished reading.

The book (as shown above, thanks BN.com!) is called, Inconsolable: How I Threw My Mental Health Out with the Diapers, by Marrit Ingman.

This book was incredible. Marrit (and I feel like I can call her that after reading this) pours her heart and soul into telling us about her early and later days of parenting. She TRULY talks about Postpartum Depression [PPD] and how she felt dealing with a stressful child.

You see, not everyone is blessed with an easy-going baby. I speak from experience here, folks. The young and beautiful child I show to you in various pictures was not quite so adorable as an infant. She cried ALL.THE.TIME. She had reflux. She nursed A LOT. She barely wanted anything but me and my boobs. She wouldn't take a bottle. She had to be swaddled and fall asleep with a hair dryer running. If you moved her she woke up. And many more fun things.

Yes, I am sure many of you are saying, I know that child. I HAD that child. Heck, maybe you even WERE that child. Apparently I was. Great - right? Karma's a bitch and all that. Well, add a touch of PPD, or PPA [anxiety], as I like to call my own experience, and all that shit hits you like ten tons of bricks, instead of the usual single ton.

Now, for me, my anxiety started towards the end of my pregnancy. Or maybe even earlier. All I know is that I was NOT sleeping. My mind was racing and I could not turn it off. I spoke to my OB, and she suggested I safely start up my Sarafem. Sarafem is something I had been taking monthly to deal with what is normally called PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) before I got pregnant. I took it for two weeks out of the month, to coordinate with my cycle and {woah!}MAN did it help! It's like a teeny, tiny dose of Prozac, and seriously alleviated any mood swings, etc. that I experienced monthly. And my husband loved it.

It was considered safe for me to take this while pregnant, so I started it and took it until my next appointment. When the OB asked me if I would be breastfeeding. (Huh?) Or if I'd be trying to. Or planning to. Or whatever it is they ask you when you're a mommy-to-be and have so little clue what is in store for you. I said I'd be trying, and so she switched me to Zoloft. The switch was because Zoloft is considered a safe drug for nursing mamas. I was sleeping again. I mean really sleeping. That, in and of itself, was a huge bonus. Aside from getting up to pee every few minutes, I was doing well.

Enter - stage left - Baby girl. Stay tuned, folks. It gets even more interesting!

How Do I Look?

If you are new here (and many of you are - thanks and welcome! Pull up a chair, get your cuppa on, cuppa whatever works for you - of course!) you may not have noticed the change, but I got bored with my blue and brown background, and so I opted for something a bit more spring-y.

So, whatcha think?

Be honest with me. I can take it. Too bright? Too flowery? Too pink? Too -- not me? Tell it like it is, please. Honestly, I'm asking. Does this blog make my butt look fat?

Although I haven't taken my happy pill today, since I ran out, and might be over-emotional and throw a brick at you, or something. But not hard enough to hurt, plus my aim kinda' sucks, so I wouldn't be too afraid.

And it's not like my cat just sh!t on the counter or anything. Or like I've been wiping and blowing my own nose with toilet paper or baby wipes since I'm running out of tissues. Or that I've been using my shirt to wipe my daughter's nose, which has been running for days. I mean, I'm in a frig-tastic mood over here, and I'm sure that the slightest little comment from one of you, my trusty and loyal and fun-loving followers won't push me over the edge or anything.

Did I use that phrase already? Sorry. Lost my creative juices. Must have thrown them out with the POOP my cat just left on the counter. Right where he eats. Whatever happened to not sh!tting where you eat? I mean, isn't that a rule of some sort? Or is that just about relationships? Yeah, that's probably it. Probably not the best time to confess that my ex-boyfriend was someone I worked with. And my husband and I used to work together, as well. Hmmn? So THAT's what that saying means.

Well, if anyone wants to tell Neo that it means something different, I'm all for it. Because if this happens again I might lose my ever-lovin'-mind. Even my old-man-cat who passed in November never did something that ridiculous. And he did his bidness in many places. MANY.

Anybody have a mega-Hershey bar and a vat of sweet tea available? E-mail me for my address. Aw man, scratch the chocolate, I'm kind of feeling ill right now. I'll accept ice cream, though. Vanilla works perfectly.

Oh, man. Now I need to change the color of my signature, cause that looks AWFUL.

Writer's Workshop: My Life As I Know It

After working in Publishing for 9 years, Andrea decided that it was time to move on and start doing something more for PEOPLE than for, well, more WITH people than sitting in front of a computer. Or so she thought. Do you know how much paperwork is involved in social work? Working as a child and family therapist she found herself on the floor playing with young children daily, while trying to convince their parents that this was, indeed, therapeutic work! After nearly 3 years in the field, Andrea and her husband relocated from Brooklyn, NY to Raleigh-Durham, NC. While searching for work in family therapy, she learned that she'd be starting her very own family shortly! So as not to come and go in her future clients' lives, she decided to hold off on working until after the baby arrived. And now she is a SAHM to a 3-year-old bundle of energy who keeps her on her toes daily! She did obtain her social work license in NC, and is working hard at getting the required 40 CEUs to renew it next month. As it is important to her to be able to maintain that license and head back into the field at some point, to help children and families in need.

**And there you have it. Life before you knew me. And life as you know it for me now. I hope you'll turn the page and come on in to learn the details. And I look forward to sharing the coming days with you, as well!**

Wordless Wednesday ~ Passed Out!

Post-It Note Tuesday!