Post-It Note Tuesday!

I'm too lazy ...

To come up with anything creative today. I actually started a post yesterday, but never submitted it as I was distracted or something like that.

It's a nice day, we went out to lunch, then Target (always fun!) and then hubby went for a haircut and dropped me and the child off at Barnes and Noble. My total mecca, of course. I actually made it out of there without getting an iced chai latte. Amazing, I know. I think I had enough with a 1/2 vanilla bean cupcake that we got for free and the kiddo and I split because I bought two Dora DVDs. Yeah, I'm a sucker for a free treat. ;) Kidding. I bought 'em and will hide them away for future gift purposes. I'm trying to do that - since last year I got a ton of holiday books at 50% off and since we do Chanukah AND Christmas, well, I'd better stock up, right?

Anyway, I thought I'd skip posting today and just toss up some links to other more interesting people, but looks like I did get a post out after all, and I will tell you if you're hungry for more (that isn't ME) check out my blogroll ---->>>>> [It's possible and/or likely that you'll have to scroll down some to find it.]

Oh, and what I didn't post yesterday, in the midst of a cranky mommy and happy kid, was that I had plans to go out last night with my local mommy peeps, and I was not sure I was in the mood to go out, not sure if it'd stay a clear night (we were seeing a movie outside) and totally not in the mood for bugs. But you know what? I pulled an anti-bug bracelet around my ankle, bought some water and popcorn when I got there and brought a chair and a blanket, and I sat back and enjoyed a movie from start to finish. Ready for what movie it was? You're gonna be jealous, I know it.

THE BREAKFAST CLUB!!!!

Best movie of the '80s, no? I can't recall the last time I watched the entire thing, and it was so different watching it now, as an "adult," ya know? Anyway, it was fun. And just for fun's sake, here's a little reminder [Editing to update: it's going to redirect you to YouTube - which says you can embed in your blog, and gives you this image below, and then you click it and it's a no go. Mega Boo! I am just too lazy to look up anything else right now! Click, click again and Enjoy!]:

Confessions: Part III.

I pretty much have a hate-hate relationship with the scale. No, not just my scale. Honestly, ANY scale. For the longest time I didn't have a scale in my home, because I had found a way to move past my obsession with weighing myself. I would walk into the bathroom and want to step on the scale. Normal? No. But more common than you think.

Then, last January (2009) I joined a Biggest Loser contest with my local mommies group. And I needed a scale for weekly weigh-ins. Did I want to get one? No. Did I? Yes.

And for a while I'd weigh myself weekly and it would be the norm. A pound or two gained. A pound or two lost. So on and so forth. From January to April I lost about 10 lbs. Since then I have been involved in the same contest this year (2010) and sadly, didn't have much of a change. I also lost motivation somewhere along the way, and although I tend to weigh myself weekly, I also tend to get more discouraged each time I step on the scale.

I hate having that number as a motivating factor. I mean, I get it. I know why it is important, but at the same time, I fear falling into that old pattern of verifying my being by stepping on the scale each morning. So I tried something about a week ago that was a small reminder of how things used to be, and an even more important reminder of how fickle the scale can be, and why it's not always as important as I tend to think it is.

See, I'm technically considered obese. Do I like that? No. Do I feel that? Sometimes. Am I overweight? Absolutely. Do I want to do something to change it? Sometimes yes. Sometimes no. I want to be healthy. I want to feel good. I want to be strong, powerful, and me. I also would love to be thinner. Am I motivated enough to make it happen? Not nearly as motivated as I'd like to be, as I could be, and heck, maybe as I should be. But I need to remind myself I'm only human. I'm me. I need to be me, Somehow I'll get to where I'm going. I don't know when, don't know how. But I need to recognize that numbers on a small battery-operated square do not constitute all of who I am.

And, now, for my experiment. Last week I did weigh myself daily. (Gasp! I know. It scared me, too!) And look at what happened:

August 10: +5.8lbs after vacation (yikes!) and what turned out to be pms-time (double yikes!)
August 11: -0.2lbs
August 12: -1.2lbs
August 13: -0.6lbs
August 14: +1.6lbs

What does all of that mean? Well, not much. It just goes to show that within 5 days my body weight can fluctuate like you'd never guess it would be. I mean, did I really gain 1.6 lbs overnight? Probably not. Was it around that time of the month? Sure. Did I eat something crazy salty? Sure, why not? Point being? Our bodies may have a standard weight, and we're bound to notice that weight varies depending on the moment we step on that scale. Is it consistent? I don't know. I can step on four times in a given morning and weigh between 1-4 pounds different then when I first stepped on. Point taken. Just goes to show that the scale is not the only way to monitor your well-being. And sometimes it's OK to say SHOVE IT! and move ahead, on your own, simply being you.

Lazy Mom Recipe!

So I'm making dinner tonight and I figured I haven't posted today yet, and I haven't done a Lazy Mom recipe in a while, so here ya go. It's not exactly the quickest, and requires a tad more than the usual lazy mom might do, but I'm good w/ it, and you could be, too!

Lazy Mom's Hash Brown Casserole

* 1 lb ground meat (I chose Turkey)
* 1 bag ('ish') of frozen hash browns (you can use tater tots if you prefer)
* 1 can cream of something soup (chicken here)
* 1/2 c milk
* 1-2 c shredded cheese (any kind)
* breadcrumbs to top (optional)

Brown meat in a skillet. Once done, combine meat, soup, milk, cheese and hashbrowns in mixing bowl. If you use tater tots, leave some to top off baking dish.

Place in a deep baking dish and cook at 350* for 30-40 minutes, or until brown and bubbly. I added breadcrumbs to the top of mine, and my timer is currently telling me I need to check them, so that's all. Enjoy!

p.s. Use breadcrumbs sparingly, because I think I just covered the dish with too much of them, and therefore they're going to take forever to actually brown. Boo!

Random Goal for Today

I am sitting here while my daughter is running amok upstairs (yes, I just used the word amok - what of it?) and hubby is in the shower.

I'm taking a little time to sift through my Google reader, check out the peeps I follow, update some newbies and trying to comment on as many blogs as I can today.

I've neglected some of you lately, and that's not cool by me. So, I'd like to touch base and say hey. A small hi or a smile. Even a quick what's up?

If I don't get to you today, I will this week. That's my goal. To make it through at least one post for each blog in my entire reader.

I have no clue HOW many blogs I follow or have in my reader, but we'll see how this goes. It's a mini-challenge to myself. I think it'll be fun.

And if I haven't said hi yet, and you have started following me in the last month or so, sorry. I'm still catching up post-vacation. Yes, yes, it was weeks ago, I know! I'm getting there.

So I'll see ya in your 'hood!

Spooky Little Girl

I received my copy of Spooky Little Girl two days ago via Paperbackswap.com (tell them that ace1028 sent you). I started it yesterday morning, and I finished it last night!

Any guesses on how much I enjoyed it? I did. Truly.

It was cute and quirky, light and flirty. And yet, it was even a little bit heavy and heart-warming at the same time. And I do recommend it. I love Laurie's books. This is the first novel I've read by her (but I'm not sure if it's the first one she's written) as my other reads have been non-fiction and hilarious. One of my absolute favorites was, Autobiography of a Fat Bride. Fantastic. Hilarious. Absolutely excellent. I know I have another one I haven't read yet, but can't remember which one it is. It's called There's a (Slight) Chance I Might Be Going to Hell. What a perfect name, don't you agree?

Anyway, Spooky Little Girl is a story about a woman named Lucy. When the story begins Lucy is about to be married, and she has taken a bundle of money to go on her last single vacation with some girlfriends to Hawaii. When Lucy returns, she finds all of her possessions strewn across the front lawn of the house she lived in with her fiance', and her beautiful puppy Tulip barking at her from inside. She's devastated. Confused. And totally lost.

As Lucy tries to figure things out and ends up taking off to stay with her sister, Alice. We only meet Alice briefly before things take a dramatic turn. As is written on the back of the book (so no true spoilers here, I promise ...) "A fatal encounter with public transportation leaves Lucy not in the hereafter, but in the nearly hereafter." I know, right? What the heck does that mean?

You'll have to pick up a copy for yourself to find out! Happy Reading!

I needed to take a moment ...

So if you're on Twitter and/or in the Blogosphere, you must have seen the ridiculous story that AOL posted yesterday with a so-called expert on Postpartum Depression.

It took me a few minutes to catch up with what had happened, but apparently this "expert" expressed opinions that PPD is a "crock" ... or that it doesn't truly exist. Really? I mean, REALLY? I'm not sure what is worse, the fact that someone so ignorant could say such a thing, or the fact that AOL, which has it's own health SECTION covering Postpartum Depression, could allow such a quote to be released on their behalf.

Here is the article, with said quotes removed, AOL News Story.

You can find some of the actual quote here, on Postpartum Progress.

And even worse, you can find not just the details, but a response from this "expert" over at Pretty Babies.

I am amazed and completely appalled that this woman would say something like this:

I am not ignorant of your argument for PPD and I am not saying in some rare case such a thing could exist based on chemical issues. Generally speaking, I don't buy the chemical imbalance theory for any depression; I believe people just don't want to deal with real life issues and the fact that sometimes life is simply depressing and damn difficult. It isn't about chemical imbalance but tough times and our own issues.

Pat Brown
Investigative Criminal Profiler
patbrown@patbrownprofiling.com

Just completely amazed. Has this woman ever considered what mothers with postpartum depression experience? Has she ever spoken to one or many of us? Has she ever experienced it herself?

She is NOT a doctor. She is an Investigative Criminal Profiler. Whatever that means. That is not enough to make a *diagnosis* on women everywhere who -- although we don't know the actual situation with this mother who killed her children -- suffer various levels of postpartum depression, anxiety and yes, even psychosis. Women who experience so much pain after the birth of their babies that their entire worlds are changed forever. And not with the simple joy of becoming a mom, but with so much more.

If you have recently had a baby, or ever had a baby and believe you may have experienced symptoms of Postpartum Depression, PLEASE, please do not listen to this person. Please recognize that you are not alone. This is REAL. REAL as the day is long. Real as the sun comes up every morning (even on rainy days) and real as the air we breathe.

Read the stories that are out there. Share yours if you have one. We're here to support you, and you'll be amazed at the network out there that knows where you are coming from.

Take a look at the list compiled over at Postpartum Progress here to find people just like you, people in support of you, all across the blogosphere and Twitterland. We're out there, and we're here to listen, and share.

And as for Pat Brown, the expert who should have remained nameless for her own sake, until you know ME, or other mothers like me ... and until you have walked a mile or more in my flip-flops, how DARE you speak of something so important and critical with such a tone. The air of arrogance you express nauseates me, and on that note, I shall hit publish. To remind others who have been where I have been that we're all in this together. To remind mothers who are now where I was, or beyond, that they are not alone, that support exists for them, and that people like you are ignorant ------ BLEEPS.

Wordless Wednesday ~ I realized that I've never shown my hubby's face!

Number 41: Between Sisters

Between Sisters is the second book I have read by Kirstin Hannah, and yet I am already able to refer to her as one of my favorite authors. The first book I read was Firefly Lane. It was beautiful. Amazing. I loved it.

This one was different, and that is a good thing. It was strong, powerful and touching. Those are the similarities. It was sad, but not in the way that Firefly Lane was, so that was where the change came in, I guess.

The stories of two sisters, who separated from one another in their younger years, remained in touch, but minimally so, and went on to live totally different lives. One became a divorce lawyer, after her own heartbreak, the other worked on a camping resort with her biological father, and was a single mom.

Neither open to finding love, and yet -- well, it's a chick lit kind of story, so you'll guess that love certainly comes into play at some point. For the both of them. Love that is unexpected, and love between the two women. We see a sisterly bond that has suffered over time, and yet strengthens as the moments pass. We suffer in silence as they sift through their strained relationship, when all we want to do is shake them both out of their own heads and hearts.

I definitely enjoyed this book, almost enough so to say I'd love a follow up so I can learn more about what life has in store for them and the characters in their lives. I'd certainly recommend it to anyone looking for a hearty read, with a touch of sisterly bond and love to pull you through it.

Monday, Monday ...

Tomorrow is Monday. What does Monday feel like to you?

Mondays, for me, mean that hubby heads back to work and that I spend day after day, hour after hour, home with my daughter.

Sometimes Mondays bring me one step closer to a night out with friends, though I have nothing planned this coming week.

This week I took my Sunday for grocery shopping, and miracle of miracles -- I shopped BY MYSELF! OMG! I so mean it was a miracle. I can't recall the last time I actually had that opportunity. I'm so serious. It was amazing. Not only no child, but my hubby was with the child, so no hubby, either. Ah, the thrill of it. Those of you who have this opportunity often, don't take it for granted. It's an incredible experience. It can even be peaceful, almost tranquil as you maneuver the aisles. heh heh. Yes, I seem to have lost my mind, don't I? I haven't. I can't even begin to express how relaxing it was to be able to sort through my coupons as I walked through the store, and pulled myself over to the side of the aisle without a cranky child or husband tagging along. A total thrill, I tell you.

Mondays mean meal planning, when I'm on the ball. And this week I actually am so on the ball, having done grocery shopping today, that I've planned my dinners for the week. Hooray! No last minute, 6PM calls on what to eat or what to have hubby pick up on his way home. That will be nice for a change. Especially since there are almost always the nights when 6PM is when he calls to say he has no idea when he will be coming home. Ah, the fun of it.

So, what's on your agenda for tomorrow?

Confessions: Part II.

So last week I found out I was going to be interviewed for the Friday-Follow spotlight yesterday, but the blog is on a hiatus, and so I figured I'd use the interview and my responses to the questions to share with you all as my second installment of My Confessions.

So, here goes:

1 - When did you start blogging and link up your first post.

** I started blogging for myself in March of 2009. My first post before going public is here:

http://goodgirlgoneredneck.blogspot.com/2009/03/am-i-blogger.html


My first officially public post is here:


http://goodgirlgoneredneck.blogspot.com/2009/04/ok-i-did-it.html


Far from thrilling. I eventually decided not to even PUT a counter on my blog, or use analytics, even.

2 - When you started blogging, what were some of your goals?'

** I just wanted a place where I could freely be myself and possibly share my thoughts with like-minded people out there. I thought that just maybe I'd be lucky enough to make a few friends along the way.

3 - Have you reached any of your blogging goals?

** I could never have imagined how many connections blogging would bring to me. Like-minded and otherwise! I am amazed regularly by the number of people out there who read, follow and most importantly, support me in whatever I may be rambling about. It's pretty great. ;)

4 - If you knew then what you know now, what would you do differently in regards to blogging?

** Honestly, I don't think I would have done much differently. I may have worked at watermarking my photos sooner, as I have heard some horror stories, and I may have become a blogger sooner than I did. I was always in awe of what the blogging community was all about, and here I am, right in the thick of it. I wish my non-blogging self knew there was nothing to be afraid of.

5 - List and give a brief description of three of your favorite blogs

** Hmmn, that is tough. I have a handful I truly enjoy all the time.

*NYC Girl at Heart I think being a fellow NYer I was drawn to this blog immediately. Plus, NYCGirl is such a sweetheart! I think the honest way she presents herself and her day-to-day, along with the taste of the city I get to experience through this blog is just what makes it a part of my everyday reading!

*Globetrotting in Heels I absolutely LOVE this blog. I live vicariously through HipMom when it comes to fashion and travel. She's fashion-savvy like nobody I've ever met in the blogosphere.

*Fever I mentioned this recently when Lora from Fever guest-posted for me. Somehow I feel like I have known her forever, and it's really a bit bizarre. Her blog is fresh and real, and totally worth visiting.

6 - What are some things you'd like to share about yourself?

** I am honest, open, and trustworthy. I also trust YOU until you prove me wrong. I am a friend for life. I enjoy reading, writing, and have an addictive electronic personality, which is why I have only been on Twitter for a short while and have over 4000 tweets. ACK! It's also why I haven't purchased a Kindle or a Nook. I'm addicted to books, and have piles upon piles of them, but I also have difficulties giving them away. I'm a personal library to many of my friends, though, and I never lose track of where my books are living temporarily.

7 - What makes you unique?

** I have lived in the South for the past four-plus years and I still do not drive. Gasp! I know. It's crazy. I have issues. But you'll like me anyway, I promise!

Maybe not so unique, but me in a nutshell = I'm a Jewish girl from Brooklyn, transplanted into the Triangle of NC and although I miss bagels and pizza and my Dad's matzo ball soup, I am a huge fan of sweet tea and Sheetz gas stations (for the food and drinks!) and I have decided I could never again live without central air.

8 - Give the best piece of advice anyone's ever given you.

** Everything happens for a reason. I would say that a friend in college shared those words of wisdom with me, and they seem to carry me through so many things. We may not always know WHY, or WHAT that reason is at the time, but it's there. Somehow. Somewhere. It's out there! ;)

Lazy Mom Recipe!

Lazy Mom's Homemade Croutons:
{recipe by my not-at-all-lazy-mother-in-law!}

* Leftover bread (not stale - but extra) and cut it up into multiple squares [take several slices and layer them on top of each other, and use a good knife to do so]
* Sprinkle frying pan at medium heat with olive oil and butter
* Toss bread squares into pan, salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle with garlic and onion powders
* Add more olive oil if necessary

Serve with salad, soup, top with parmesan cheese and you're good to go! YUM!!!!

Beware, though, these are addictive. You will find yourselves eating them as a snack, and likely more for munching than for your actual meal time "accessories!"

These are my confessions ... Part I.

I had an off day today. Not quite a fat day. Not quite an ickky day, but the kind of day that made me feel close to tears a few times. Not sure what triggered it.

Being home from vacation? Possibly. Gaining a few pounds while away? Likely. Wishing I could do more for my daughter on a daily basis? Surely.

Sigh.

Some days it sucks being me. Some days it's amazing.

I look at my daughter's face and feel overwhelmed that I created this beauty. That sounds so cliched, but you know what I mean if you're a parent. She lights up and my mood changes instantly. But I hate the anxiety, the nerves, the moods I sometimes experience throughout the day that shift on and off and turn things for her.

Some days I have little patience. Others I am able to shrug off nearly everything. Am I sending her mixed signals? Am I confusing her poor little self? Am I completely out of my mind?

Many of these characteristics I experience on a daily basis (or whenever they feel like surfacing) stem from my postpartum anxiety experience. Although for me it started during pregnancy. And certainly deepened after giving birth. My moods switched a bit, but I never fully classify myself as someone with postpartum depression, as my anxiety was much more intense. I feel like I'm holding my breath as I write this. I know what it will feel like to click publish, a mix of relief and anxiety all rolled into one.

I hate what my anxious self brings to the table for my beautiful little girl. I hate that some parts of my anxiety (which is not PPA related in this example) leaves me home-bound, as I do not drive. What sort of things am I cheating her out of because of that? So many, I am sure. I go through days when I wallow in self-pity, feeling like a total shit because I am literally a STAY AT HOME MOM. I never leave. We go for walks, we have people come over for playdates, but I'm home. ALL. THE. TIME. It's so unfair to her. It's not quite cool for me, either, but I hate what it's like for my baby. Sigh.

Anyway, I know I need to do something about it, and perhaps this is yet another "first step" at moving in the right direction. Putting it out there and sharing with you all, my friends, acquaintances, passers-by, so you know, that if you, too, have been through this, you are most definitely not alone. And so you know that someone else out there has the courage to share these words.

It's ballsy of me, isn't it? To just throw it on out there like this? Well, I had initially thought I'd start off a week of confession posts for myself. And I may still do so, but I figured Wednesday [or Tuesday night] is as good a day to start as any, since I am Pouring My Heart Out, anyway (Thanks, Shell!).

So take a minute or two. Reflect if you wish. Go say hi to Shell and everyone else opening up for you today. Or not. But let me know you stopped by if you'd like. I'd love to hear from you!

Finding Marco ~ Book Review

I received a copy of Finding Marco, by Kenneth C. Cancellara to review from the publicist some time ago. I have to admit that I just could not get started with this story at first, as I was prepared for the Italian countryside, the memories of a man who missed the easy-going way things used to be, and a taste of culture that would have me dreaming of a trip abroad.

Unfortunately, Part I of this book was quite difficult for me to get through. I honestly could have done without the first 76 pages. Mark (later recognized as the title character of Marco) goes through many changes in the professional part of his life, and I just felt that we could have gotten to the turning point in the story without all of the work story background. Maybe it was the cover artwork that led me to believe the author would immediately take me to Italia, or the name Marco? Or the general details of the book I had received, but I found myself skimming the early pages.

This is not to say that someone else wouldn't enjoy them, but that part of life is so irrelevant for me these days, that I wasn't interested in corporate mergers, CEO successors and whatnot. Perhaps you would delve right into the story from page one, who knows?

You may have a chance, if you are interested, as I received an extra copy of this book to give away to my readers, but I'll get to that part shortly ...

So my favorite description used by Cancellara in this book is when Mark first lands in Italy (not a spoiler, we all know he's headed to his homeland to find himself again) and thinks:

There were no understudies in Italy; only principal performers in their prime, conducting life's drama through the many vagaries of the heart. There was no fakery; only deeply held emotions straight from l'anima (the soul).

It was just so beautiful and so touching, and so inspiring. The perfect sentiment for him as he started his journey home.

Mark's life goes through many changes as he re-learns how to live the way he always dreamed he would, and he becomes someone we like, enjoy and are interested in. So while the book started off quite difficult for me to read, the turn of sentiment and focus helped me to like Mark as he helped us learn about his "inner Marco."

I wouldn't say this was a favorite book for me, but I do think others may enjoy it, as we all have different tastes in stories. I figured I would give it a go, as I was contacted about it and thought I might enjoy a different kind of read.

That out of the way, here comes the Giveaway portion of this post.

* If you're interested in receiving the spare copy I have to give away to one of my readers, please comment on this post.

** If you're REALLY interested, and you follow me, let me know for a second entry.

*** And if you're REALLY REALLY interested, follow me on Twitter @goodgirlgonered and tweet about this giveaway for yet another entry.

You'll have a week to get these entries in and then I'll be picking the winner via Random.org, so good luck, peeps!



** I was not compensated in any way for writing this review. I did receive a free copy of this book from the publicist to facilitate my review, and an extra copy to give away to my readers. **

Healing With Words ~ Book Review

Reading Diana M. Raab's story in Healing With Words: A Writer's Cancer Journey was a mind-bending experience for me. When I saw that this book was available through Pump Up Your Book! I knew I had to submit a request for a copy.

See, my mom suffered from Head and Neck Cancer several years ago. She is in complete remission, and a strong survivor. So I wanted to read this book for her. For her, and every other person in my life who has experienced a battle with cancer. The survivors, those who succumbed to this awful disease, and those whose paths I have never crossed.

Each June I walk for Race for the Cure, a walk in support of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, in honor of breast cancer survivors and among the thousands upon thousands of people fighting AGAINST breast cancer. This year I raised over $600 thanks to family and friends, and felt that I was able to contribute just a little bit so people don't experience what Diana has.

But back to the book. I truly was able to feel Diana's strength as she battled breast cancer. The loss she experienced as she had to choose between her breast and survival. The decision to find her way back to herself by picking up a pen and putting it to paper.

Diana reminds those battling cancer the importance of holding onto yourself. In her book, after each chapter, she includes blank pages with inspiring and thoughtful questions about the reader's own battles with this demon. While I have been fortunate enough to not have had this experience, I felt the power of her words, and the questions she asked to motivate those she was encouraging to journal. I, myself, gave my mother a blank journal/notebook to use as she started her journey to a healthy self. She's expressed that she has used it, and continues to do so as she goes to her follow up appointments, receiving an "all-clear."

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone battling breast cancer, and honestly do think that if you tweak the writing exercises a bit, anyone with cancer or any other health issues could use it, as well.

Even if you have not been one who has fought and beat cancer to a pulp, you can also get a lot from this book, as I feel I have. Not just the ability to put myself in my mother's shoes, but the understanding of how important writing can be to healing, and finding yourself again, no matter what you've been through.

I thank Diana for sharing her story through these words, and I am truly grateful for having had the chance to read and review this book for my readers.


** I was not compensated in any way for this review. I did receive a free copy of the book to facilitate my review from Pump Up Your Book! **

Gerry Tales: Book Review

I received a copy of this book before I left for our two week journey (which seemed more like two years when you consider the # of miles we traveled *2000* and the passengers we had *me, hubby, dog and 3-yo* ... but I digress) and finished it before we even returned home!

Gerry Tales is a sweet book by author Gerry Boyolan, with a subtitle of How I Lived Happily Ever After, Despite Stabbing Myself in the Back, Scalding my Cojones, and Really Pissing off my Wife During Childbirth.

Right there, reading that extra detail in the title had me cracking up.

Gerry Boylan starts this tale by saying that 'Writing fiction may be more fun, but true stories are funnier!' and when it comes to getting to know him, his history and his family through this book, he is speaking the truth.

Gerry tells stories about growing up [hitching with friends, stabbing himself in the back - literally, running from a bat and literally "setting his cojones on fire"], becoming a man [having his first child, traveling with his family, making professional decisions] and experiencing life as a father and grandfather [pride in his sport-playing son, the miracle of having his first grandson, and the fear of nearly losing one of his daughters] and so much more.

I definitely recommend this book, and am passing my copy along to my father-in-law so he can enjoy it, as well. As a mother in my late [yes, late] 30s I feel that I am at a good point in my life to enjoy this kind of writing. I think anyone of an earlier generation would, as well. Which is why I'm giving it to my FIL, because I know he is going to love it, and relate to it. Whereas for me, though there were many things I couldn't relate to specifically, I am still at the point in my life where I can enjoy both, his writing style and what he has to say. It's not the kind of book you'd want to give a single woman, although many a man will enjoy reading this as he looks to his past and/or his future.

I have also received a copy of Gerry Boylan's Getting There, and look forward to reading that over the coming weeks. I'm obviously glad I enjoyed this book, as the next one is a work of fiction, and I'm sure he can infuse that with a bit of his own life's journey, making it even more fun to read.

So head on out and pick up a copy, for yourself or someone you love. And happy reading!

** I was not compensated in any way for this review, but I did receive a free copy of the book to facilitate my review. **

I'm Featured on Friday Follow today!

No kidding! Me! It's so cool. :)



I planned on getting this post up last night, but as all good plans often do, mine flopped.

I am in NY visiting with my family, and yesterday my SIL and I went to see my best friend and her 8 month old baby boy - who I had yet to meet.

My hubby, daughter, parents, brother, niece and SIL's mom went to the circus. Imagine how much fun that was! It was. And imagine how cool it was to miss it and have a girls' day with my sister-in-law, who is one of my closest friends. It WAS.

Anyway, I am psyched to be in the coveted #7 spot today. And even more excited that I'll be interviewed on Thursday of this coming week as a spotlighted blogger! Super cool. (I'm a dork, what can I tell ya?)

So ... follow me to Friday-Follow, and find yourself some new, fun bloggy friends!

Lazy Mom Recipe!

Another Lazy Mom Recipe for my readers. Can you tell that this has become a regular [Thursday] thing for me?

Lazy Mom's Hot Fruit Salad

* 20 oz jar chunky applesauce
* 21 oz can cherry pie filling
* 15 oz can peach slices (drained)
* 11 oz can mandarin oranges (drained)
* 8 oz can of pineapple chunks
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1 teasp. cinnamon

Combine in crockpot. Mix ingredients. Cook on low for 90 minutes. (You can also bake for 90 minutes at 350*!)

DONE.

This is a yummy breakfast treat, or a great snack, dessert, it can be served pretty much any time of day. It's only yum if you enjoy warm "fruit," which I do, so it works for me!

You can serve it with biscuits (Pillsbury is my friend), or tarts. Yum. With cheesecake, even, if you do fruit with yours (I don't, but I'm suggesting it anyway!). Or just serve it solo, because warmed up it's absolutely delicious ... all by itself.

Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday!

Guest Post: Lora from Fever

I was sitting with a friend yesterday, talking about our mothers. Her mother is getting older, and having some health problems. She's been hospitalized, and she has an oxygen tank, and I'm pretty sure she has a nurse coming in to make sure everything is okay plus one of her bazillion children is on call for her Monday through Saturday and Sunday they all sit together and pretend like everything is normal. Like they all decided to have a family dinner just like they used to. In 1968.

My friend said something like, "my mom is old. She's not the age I thought she was. I sat beside her and looked down on her bed the other day (the one the insurance company had bussed into the house, one that folds up and has sides that turn it into a crib for grownups, one that has a headboard that has outlets and IV hooks and who the hell knows what those other things are) and realized that I stopped seeing her for who she is about 30 years ago. I thought my mom was forever forty, but I'm older than that now. Which makes her old. Just old. She doesn't look like I thought she looked. Her face is different. Her clothes are different. Her body is different. Her house is mostly the same, but this isn't her bed, it's not even in her room because we don't want her upstairs. My mother sleeps in the dining room. She isn't beautiful. She's dying."

Not my mom, I thought. My mom is really young and always the prettiest mom around and she's thinner than I am but a little bit shorter and she's always really tan and her hair is dark like my son's and her eyes are more green than mine, but still hazel.

But she's not. She's not really young anymore and she's not thinner than I am anymore and she's even more shorter than I am and I don't think she's so much tan these days because the spots and lines and creases have set in and she started lightening her hair twenty years ago (in an effort to hide the grey I'd imagine) and her eyes are more green than mine, but still hazel.

Is she still the prettiest mom around? To me. I'm not sure what everyone else would think. I'm not ready to look at her with my thirty (almost) four year old eyes.

I wonder what sort of picture my son will carry of me. Right now I'm the most beautiful girl in the world. I'm just a kid too, he says, because I like to play and I don't have "cracks" on my face and my hair is still "gold and not silver". I sing like an angel and I "know almost everything except for the stuff that I don't" and I'm the best cook in the world and when he says I have a "big ol' butt, oh yeah" he really means that I have a "little young butt, oh yeah" but that isn't how the song goes so it's not like he can just say that. Oh yeah. I'm "the best best best best bestest princess in the world (not a queen because queens are mean) and he's so lucky that he gets to be my prince and everyone and all the animals love me most because my heart is full of love and when I exhale, invisible rainbows come out of my mouth and all the bad stuff in the whole wide world fills up my lungs when I breathe in and my body changes it into rainbows and that why rainbows come out when I breathe."

You're welcome for that. The whole making all the bad into rainbows. It's a tough job, but I'm up for it.

Did I mention my son is four?

Four year olds are great for your self esteem.

Fourteen year olds? Twenty-four year olds? Thirty-four? Well, I hope he comes around by the time he's 34.

I'll be close to retirement. Not beautiful to most.

Will he remember me as a dedicated career-woman who was able to make time for my work and my family each day? Or someone who was so tired by 6pm that she didn't give him what he needed.

As a confident person who was comfortable in her own skin? Or a weirdo who didn't wear enough clothes around the house.

A great cook? Or someone who only fixed what she wanted and that was easy and forced him to try icky stuff because it was on sale at the ShopRite that week.

I want him to think of me as a fun, active, singing, drawing, cleaning, funny, writing, baking, involved, playing, cooking, caring, available, working, educated, loving, solid, bending, outreaching, dedicated person. Beautiful would be okay to throw in there too.

I want him to hold tight to the good parts of me- let them shape who he becomes, and be able to look past and forgive the not so good, the way I do of my mother- especially now that I am a mother too.

Or get himself a damned good therapist and keep going until he does.

** If you have not yet met Lora before today, I strongly recommend you head on over to Fever immediately. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200 (but be sure to share with her [heck, and me!] if you do). Just go. Now. She's someone I swear I've known all my life, although we've not yet met. Odd, no? Go anyway. Now that I've freaked you out a bit you'll be even more prepared to meet her. Thanks, peeps! **

Guest Post: I am interviewed on All Things NYC

See below for the interview I did with Lisa, from Two Bears Farm, and then head on over there to get to know her better. You won't regret it - I promise!

When Andrea invited me to do a guest post I was very excited, because I’ve been dying to pick her brain on all things NYC for a while now. See, I’m running the NYC marathon in November. It only took me FOUR LONG YEARS to get in. And I’m pumped! But a little intimidated. I grew up in Northern Virginia on the outskirts of D.C., but I’ve been a country girl now for quite a while. And I definitely don’t know anything about NYC. So I asked Andrea if I could interview her for my guest post. I need the inside scoop so I don’t get into trouble while in the big city.

Okay, so first off logistics. The race starts on Staten Island and I heard that it’s best to take the ferry to the start. So I’m staying at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square. Good choice or am I screwed?

** You will be able to take the subway (often referred to as the train) from Times Square directly to South Ferry. I believe it will be the red lines, the 1 or the 2 trains were what go directly downtown, and you can pick them up in Times Square, but I will confirm that for you before then. A great website for visiting NYC and the buses/trains information is Hopstop.com. Even native NYers like myself have been known to use it at times!

We’re taking a train in to Penn Station because I’m absolutely terrified at the idea of driving in NYC. My husband actually asked me why we weren’t just driving. I said, “No one DRIVES to NYC!” Would it be disastrous to expect to walk from Penn Station to our hotel (assuming we only have light luggage) or should we cab it?

** Too funny about driving. You're likely better off so as not to have to worry about parking, which unless the hotel has a "lot" you'd be paying out the nose for over the course of so many days! You could actually take the subway, if you were comfortable enough doing so. You'd get on the train [subway - not the one you're taking in] under Madison Square Garden and inside Penn Station and take that directly to Times Square. It's one stop over. A cab is not horrible, and it's a short ride, but with traffic (what time are you arriving in NYC?) it might cost more than you'd expect since you're in the heart of the city over there. If you wanted to walk over it's from 34th (Penn Station) to 42nd (Times Square) and depending on the exact block your hotel is on, it may seem like an ordeal, as, again, heart of the city, lots of foot traffic, and car traffic, etc. If you don't mind spending a few $ to get you there, hop in a cab and you'll have the "experience," and tend to use them less frequently than you'd expect throughout the four days you're there.

Oh please please please tell me about food! Favorite restaurants, street vendors – you name it I’m game. I’m running a marathon and I expect to enjoy the chow rewards that come along with that ;-)

** There are so many amazing places to eat in New York! You can pretty much find a pretzel or a "dirty water dog" vendor on any street corner. I suggest you be sure to have yourself a true NYC bagel and at least ONE slice of pizza from a real pizzaria before you head home. I need to check exactly where in Times Square your hotel is, so I can direct you to the best possible options! And I'd say if you could find yourself a local diner, you'd have an enjoyable and fairly cheap dining experience, at least once.

A few places I recommend (and I'll give you a few not in the area, so you can explore Manhattan a bit!) are:

* Chat-n-Chew, for which you can find the menu here. The reviews on this particular site aren't overly favorable, but I have never had anything from their menu that I didn't enjoy.

* Cucina de Pesce, for the best Italian food! There are tons of places you can find, but this one is quaint, even somewhat romantic. I usually get pasta, but they have a variety on their menu. It's not exactly "cheap," but it's fairly affordable compared to other places. Plus it's on the Lower East Side, which is a different experience than where you will be. But if you and hubby prefer to try family-style Italian eating, there are the well-known touristy Italian restaurants I can suggest, as well.

* Another place I'd recommend is John's Pizzeria, which is actually not far from your hotel. The pizza is really good, the atmosphere is fun, and you can walk there. It's not your typical NYC pizza joint, but it's well known, and good food.

* OK, lastly (or I'd be going on forever here!) if you want another touristy experience, you should go to Serendipity. Their regular menu isn't all that exciting, and is really over-priced, so you can feel free to pick up a slice of pizza or something generic out on the street (in a smaller location, not a restaurant type place) and head over there for dessert. If you've never heard of their frozen hot chocolate, well, you'll see when you click that link. To. Die. For. I can also recommend their "Humble Pie," which is really yummy. [Plus they are right down the street from Dylan's Candy Bar, so you can pick up some treats to bring back home or to your hotel with you - to avoid raiding the minibar! Or heck, just grab dessert there and people watch!)

We’re staying 4 nights in NYC. I won’t do much the night prior to the race, but the other nights are fair game. This will be my first time away from the twins and Pierce like this, so the hubby and I should probably live it up. In fact, we haven’t even been out to a movie on our own since they were born! Where should we go to have fun in the evenings?

** Will you try to see a show? If so I think heading over to the TKTS booth in the area will be your best bet, as long as you are flexible, they have offers available for crazy low prices, but you have to buy whatever they have for sale to go see that day. So you may want to see show A, but if they don't have cheap seats, you would only have B & C to purchase, if you're interested. Worth checking out. Honestly, you can experience so much just walking around Manhattan. There is so much to see and do, I would be hard pressed to encourage you to do one thing at night. Food, food and more food work well. ;) Would you like some bar info, too? Dancing? I am pretty sure there are movie theaters nearby, as well, so you can always catch whatever is playing!

Likewise, we’ll have some free day time too. What are the MUST SEES for the tourist like myself? Who knows when/if I will get to head back there, so I want to make sure I don’t miss anything really great.

** The Empire State Building is a must-see for tourists in NY, in my opinion. I've been a handful of times, and each time it amazes me how much you can see from up there. It's over on 34th street and 5th Avenue, and you could probably walk from your hotel (see the cab comments earlier, it's an easy walk once you know where you are headed and minus the luggage). Also, St. Patrick's Cathedral is beautiful. It's just an amazing experience to walk in there, and it's a definite NYC landmark. If you're looking for a more somber experience, you can always head downtown to see Ground Zero. There is a lot to do down there, shopping and eating, etc. but I warn you, it's an extremely emotional and overpowering experience to stand before where the towers once were.

Do I have to wear black? It always seems like the trendy New Yorkers only wear black.

** You can wear whatever you want. If you want to blend in more, stay away from floral patterns and stick with solids. NYers do wear black, but we like our solid colors, too. Although in November, if it is a chilly fall, you may be wearing a coat all the time, anyway. Except when you're running, of course.

What about shopping? I’m perpetually broke, but is there some really great store I should be saving up to visit?

** I am a shopper, but I don't think I have anything you MUST head to. Like, I'd say, oh, you should go and see Tiffany's, but as if you're going to make a purchase in there, just because you're there, ya know? But I would say you should try to get to FAO Schwarz. It's the craziest toy store in Manhattan, and yes, you'll enjoy the experience even without the kids. Possibly moreso! But don't expect to purchase anything. Their prices are crazy. But if you've seen BIG [Tom Hanks] and remember his jumping around on the floor piano scene? That was filmed there. If you do want to buy something affordable for just YOU, and don't have an H&M anywhere nearby, you may want to check out one of their locations. They have cute stuff, a little bit of a city feel, but it will be JAMMED in there when you go, so brace yourselves! [Oh, and now that I think about it, there is one like right by St. Patrick's, so you might want to sneak on in ...]

I don’t guess they have sweet tea up there. What am I going to drink?!?

** Nope. No Sweet Tea. And avoid their iced tea like the plague. Since it will be November, you're bound to find some yummy warm beverages to keep you nice and toasty as you travel the city streets. Basically you can find a coffee/tea vendor on any street corner, and for about 50c (it may have gone up - but it's still super cheap - all things considered!) you can actually get a decent cuppa' something to warm your insides. Of course there are 900 Starbucks locations (that's an exaggeration, but I am sure I'm not far off) throughout Manhattan, and every real New Yorker knows that carrying a water bottle on you at all times is essential.

Any tips for avoiding issues like pickpockets. Do I even need to be worrying about that?

** It's not nearly as scary as one would think. Just use common sense. If you're on the subway, don't carry your bag behind you with all of your money in it. If you have a knapsack, pull it around front so you have your hand and eyes on it all the time. If you're walking through the streets hold your bag under your arm and close to your body. If you've got a knapsack keep nothing in the smaller zippered compartments and keep your money on your person, as opposed to in the larger areas in the bag. Always keep some extra cash on you, in a pocket, somewhere, in case you lose your bag. It's easy to forget something if you're not used to the experience. Just pay attention to your surroundings and you'll be fine. The tips I'm giving are not so you'll be afraid, just so you remind yourself of common sense and you won't have to worry. And try not to stop in the middle of the street and look up. Dead giveaway that you're a tourist. Oh, and I wouldn't suggest asking strangers to take pictures of you and hubby. Unless you happen to meet a couple in the hotel or something. [See the next answer for more on that!]

Tell me a fun story from your own life in NY. Just to give me a little taste of what I’m headed into!

** I am ALWAYS the person that people on the street ask for directions, ask a favor (can you please take a picture for us?) and just plain talk to. NYers are friendlier than you think. If you need directions, ASK for them. We'll help you, and if we have no idea where you're talking about we'll shrug and walk off. Or we'll say something like, 'Sorry, Dude.' But unless you see ME in the middle of the street, be careful who you ask to take a picture for you. You never know if you're going to wind up with someone who is going to run off w/ your camera. I'd say that anywhere, but your best bet is to ask the waiter/waitress serving you, or a hostess to take a quick shot, so you can at least remember that you and hubby were there together.

As a final reminder, walk around like you OWN the place. Seriously. That is one thing New Yorkers do. And we are cool with sharing. Don't push and shove, of course, leave that to the natives, but that's also where the don't just stand there comes in. We'll knock you out of our way. If you need directions and can't figure something out, move over to the side of the street, walk into a store, but don't be surprised if the guy behind the counter barely speaks English and is trying to tell you how to get to where you're headed anyway! Wow. I'm so totally homesick right now. Good thing I'm headed North soon ...

Thanks, Andrea! How cool is it that I’m going to have my very own Good Girl Gone Redneck handbook for my trip? Waaaaay better than Fodor’s!

Guest Post: Single Mom in the South

Because Ms Andrea and I are book buddies of sorts, I thought this would be an appropriate Guest Post. Please check out Single Mom in the South today, as she’s guest posting for me too, because not only do we have the same taste in books and movies, apparently we also have the same taste in vacations and are both headed to The Great White North this week!

Unlike Ms. Andrea, I am a book borrower, not buyer. My sister, however, is a book buyer, so she lends me lots of books…usually ones I’m on the wait list for at the library. Such was the case with Emily Giffin’s latest novel Heart of the Matter. I’ll admit this one was tough for me to read. In fact, when I started to glean what the book was about, yes, I gave my sister a big ol’ lecture about warning me! I had to skip to the end and read the last chapter. There was a time not so long ago, where a book like this would have been tossed out the window in a fit of tears.

Heart of the Matter brings us two women, Tessa, who if you read Something Borrowed and Something Blue is the sister of Dex, who marries Rachel…they appear in the book, is a newly minted SAHM of two and wife of a surgeon and Valerie, a successful working single mom to Charlie. Through tragic circumstances, and every mom’s worst nightmare, Charlie is injured and becomes one of Tessa’s husband Nick’s patients. As the story progresses, Valerie ends up having a brief affair with Nick.

Giffin does a good job in presenting both sides of the story. We see Tessa’s frustration over Nick’s increasing distance and her struggle, as she senses something is amiss, to right things with her marriage and family. We see Valerie struggle as her feelings for Nick intensify and she fights doing something she knows is wrong but then convinces herself it’s okay to do it anyway, that her feelings justify her actions.

A couple of things resounded with me in the book, from Tessa about her mother, whose own marriage ended after an affair,

“I truly believe that she is finally over my father and the pain of her divorce, but for some reason, she says she will never forgive the “other woman’” fiercely believing that all women are in a sisterhood together, owing one another the integrity that men, in her mind, seem to innately lack.” Okay, I’m not a man hater, but I do feel this way, although with slightly less passion…I think, because I’m a woman and I know how I think, I cannot imagine going after someone else’s husband, I think all women should be like me- I know, terribly judgmental. For me, I have forgiven my children’s stepmother, but my feelings for her are more conflicted.

And from Tessa on whether or not she will divorce Nick,

“What should I do. What a strong woman would do. In fact, the only think that I am certain of is that there are no easy answers, and that anyone who says there are has never been in our shoes.” It grates on my nerves when someone whole heartedly insists they’d leave. I always insisted I would…but when I was faced with it, well, there were other things to consider and I didn’t immediately want him gone…I would have been willing to try to work through it. He wasn’t. In the long run, he did me a HUGE favor, but at the time…I wasn’t so sure.

And on her own guilt,

“Because no matter how many times I tell myself otherwise, how many times Cate and Dex reinforce the notion that Nick’s affair is no reflection on me, it still feels like my humiliation. I am deeply ashamed of my husband, my marriage, myself.” Oh, sometimes in my darkest moments I still feel this way…like it was somehow my fault, even though I know that it wasn’t. Yes, I contributed to the problems in my marriage but I AM NOT responsible for the dishonorable way HE chose to handle it!

Ultimately, and obviously from my own life experiences, I identified most with Tessa. Even though Giffin lets us into Valerie’s thought processes, I couldn’t bring myself to feel sympathy for her. I mean, yes, I understood her single mom anxieties and her fears for her child, as well as how her vulnerability ultimately made her fall for the man who rescued and “fixed” her child, but I just could not relate to her crossing the line. It’s just something I can’t ever see myself knowingly or willingly doing. And I can’t, I can’t, I can’t forgive her for putting her own needs above that of her child…for letting Charlie get attached to a man HE could never have. I’m glad I read it and didn’t throw it out the window *grins*, because the fact that I got through it and didn’t cry or slide into a funk means I’ve grown and healed! YAY me!

** Please go say hi to my sistah from another mother over at Single Mom in the South when you can. I'm her guest poster for the day today, and she's got lots of great stuff to read while you're there! Thanks, Mama!**