Tonight I wrote my guy a short little story about a shark named Louie. Now, it isn't going to be a Caldecott Medal winner or anything, but it was fun to just sit down and write without really any pretense. I had started it last night, but I fell asleep with the Mac in my lap and didn't get much farther than Louie and San Fransisco harbor. The premise of the story was pretty predictable. Louie and his friend Teddy go off hunting but get separated. Louie spends the night alone until his Mom comes and saves him right before he almost gets trapped by a fisherman. Nothing spectacular, but see, that wasn't the point.
The point is, I need to be doing writing exercises (point one.) I need to make myself write stories and blog more and get over the idea that writing in my novel is enough. The only way my book is going to be any good is if I dig in and spend MOST of my day writing something. So get ready internet, you might be hearing a whole lot from me. Not that I care really... I'm writing this blog for me. I mean, don't get me wrong, if someone actually comes along and reads this and it makes them think or smile or even just laugh at how crazy my a$$ is - awesome! But really... I'm doing this to break out of my shell a bit, get more comfortable behind the keyboard again, and build some confidence in myself - NOT to please the masses.
That is point one... Point two, and in my mind the most important point, is that writing stories like this for him is a really great way of reminding him how much I love him, and keeping us close while the distance is still there. I've only got about a year to go (give or take some weeks) and since we have been together for five already, I think I can handle it. Still, it wears on us both... Some days I can feel every single one of the 400 something miles, and I know he can too. Skype, Yahoo, endless amounts of text messages, phone calls, and even writing silly little stories helps us connect and shorten those miles so that we end up being more connected in our hearts than most people are that sit beside one another on the sofa and watch TV. In our hearts there is no distance. In our hearts we are one, no concept of where one ends and the other begins.
So I think I will keep writing him stories. I will keep feeding the inner little boy that I adore and can see in his eyes. I will keep trying to fill the cracks that have been left by those who came before me, to heal the hurt. I will make shark shaped chocolate chip cookies, Jaws underwear, and write Louie stories all of my days if that's what it takes. That, internet, is love.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
Bleach pens and Sugarland
I must say - I'm pretty proud of myself, Internet. See, I'm not very crafty. I like to try, but Art was never my favorite class. I have no problem envisioning something in my head - it's making it come to life that I have issues with.
But alas, I took a dive and my first crafty project is this bleach pen t-shirt. I had seen these things all over Pinterest and thought it would be easy enough. Turns out, it was!!! It is a little messy in the lettering, because I wasn't sure how the pen would write - but it will be perfect for tonight's concert.
See, friends... Tonight is my 7th Sugarland concert. Well, technically the 6th, because I've seen Jennifer Nettles once by herself, in Denton, TX. I'm quite excited. I wish I was going with the boyfriend, but instead I'm going with a good friend who is leaving NC in June for a new job and better things in Jacksonville, FL. Tonight will be a celebration! I've been looking forward to this for weeks.
In honor, here are some of my favorite pictures from concerts past...
Freedom Hall - Johnson City, TN - May 22, 2009
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Asheville Civic Center - Asheville, NC - August 12, 2010
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Attic Community Playground Benefit Concert w/ Jennifer Nettles - Denton, TX - January 15, 2011
(Me meeting Jennifer!!! One of the best moments - EVER!)
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Greenville Civic Center - Greenville, SC - March 25, 2011
But alas, I took a dive and my first crafty project is this bleach pen t-shirt. I had seen these things all over Pinterest and thought it would be easy enough. Turns out, it was!!! It is a little messy in the lettering, because I wasn't sure how the pen would write - but it will be perfect for tonight's concert.
See, friends... Tonight is my 7th Sugarland concert. Well, technically the 6th, because I've seen Jennifer Nettles once by herself, in Denton, TX. I'm quite excited. I wish I was going with the boyfriend, but instead I'm going with a good friend who is leaving NC in June for a new job and better things in Jacksonville, FL. Tonight will be a celebration! I've been looking forward to this for weeks.
In honor, here are some of my favorite pictures from concerts past...
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Wednesday, April 25, 2012
French Mushroom Chicken
This is a recipe my Momma had, that I revised. It's super easy, and is a great way to use almost any cut of chicken. I prefer white meat, but thighs are great as well. Anything will work, just adjust cooking time accordingly.
1 bottle of French dressing (I like Ken's Country French, but any will work)
1 jar/can of sliced button mushrooms
1 cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
4 large chicken breasts
Preheat oven to 350. In 9x13 baking dish place your chicken pieces, sprinkle with pepper and then pour 1/2 the bottle of dressing over the chicken. Bake for 20 minutes or until about 1/2 way done. Remove from the oven and flip chicken over. Pour remaining dressing over chicken, drain mushrooms and place on top of chicken. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and return to the over for another 20 minutes or until chicken is done.
Once the chicken is finished, remove to a plate and if you choose, use some chicken broth to thin out the sauce and pan juices to make a really great sauce to spoon over the chicken and either rice or noodles.
1 bottle of French dressing (I like Ken's Country French, but any will work)
1 jar/can of sliced button mushrooms
1 cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
4 large chicken breasts
Preheat oven to 350. In 9x13 baking dish place your chicken pieces, sprinkle with pepper and then pour 1/2 the bottle of dressing over the chicken. Bake for 20 minutes or until about 1/2 way done. Remove from the oven and flip chicken over. Pour remaining dressing over chicken, drain mushrooms and place on top of chicken. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and return to the over for another 20 minutes or until chicken is done.
Once the chicken is finished, remove to a plate and if you choose, use some chicken broth to thin out the sauce and pan juices to make a really great sauce to spoon over the chicken and either rice or noodles.
FREE Harry Potter Book for Kids
Disclaimer : Books listed below were listed at 100% discount on Amazon
at the time of this blog posting. It is up to you to verify that they
are still at a 100% discount before you buy. Items updated daily, and
are typically only FREE for one day.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter : Planet Explorers Travel Guides for KidsProduct Description
Harry Potter fans can't get enough of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Now, there's a 2012 guidebook to this incredible place written just for kids! Whether your family is traveling to WWoHP soon or just dreaming about it, you'll love our photo-filled guide. Check out the active hyper-links, behind-the-scenes tips, and fun mini-quiz at the end!This Wizarding World of Harry Potter inside Universal's Islands of Adventure theme park is one of the world's top attractions. This "park within a park" is based on the first four years in the beloved seven-book series. Harry Potter lovers agree it's wonderful. It has three rides, lots of amazing shops, a cool restaurant...and BUTTERBEER. What could be better? Click around throughout this guidebook for fun facts, trivia, and links to more information about the things you'll see inside The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
FREE Cookbooks for Kindle for 4/25
Disclaimer : Books listed below were listed at 100% discount on Amazon at the time of this blog posting. It is up to you to verify that they are still at a 100% discount before you buy. Items updated daily, and are typically only FREE for one day.
Delicious Cake Mix Brownie & Bar Recipes by Kathy Wilson :
This collection of a dozen homemade brownie and cookie bar recipes by Amazon best-selling author Kathy Wilson will walk you though the process of making delicious homemade desserts that both you and your budget will love!
These recipes are so easy to make that even your kids will be able to make great-tasting desserts, without needing to measure flour, sugar, salt, or baking soda. (These ingredients are already pre-measured and ready to go in a box of cake mix)!
Here Are Some of the Delicious Cake Mix Brownies & Bar Recipes You'll Enjoy...
~ Super Chocolatey Brownies
~ Macadamia Coco Rum Bars
~ Better than Pumpkin Pie Bars
~ Mom's Magic Cookie Bars, and eight more!
Plus, Kathy's book is Entertaining...
Kathy didn't want to release 'just another recipe book'. She wanted to make her book special. And she's accomplished this goal by making her brownie & bar book a recipe book that's fun to read cover to cover.
You'll meet Kathy's family, and you'll hear some of the sarcastic comments her 17 year old daughter makes as Kathy dictates recipes for this book.
Great Australian Barbecue Recipes by Clive Jordan :
Seriously Great BBQ Recipes is a great guide to getting anyone started in creating some delicious meals on the BBQ. Using easy to source ingredients and a simple step by step guide this book will have you impressing your friends and family in no time.
Wether its beef, pork, chicken or seafood you will find a recipe to tempt even the fussiest of eaters with some great kebab ideas that will keep the kids happy, while you enjoy the outdoors with friends and family.
This collection of a dozen homemade brownie and cookie bar recipes by Amazon best-selling author Kathy Wilson will walk you though the process of making delicious homemade desserts that both you and your budget will love!
These recipes are so easy to make that even your kids will be able to make great-tasting desserts, without needing to measure flour, sugar, salt, or baking soda. (These ingredients are already pre-measured and ready to go in a box of cake mix)!
Here Are Some of the Delicious Cake Mix Brownies & Bar Recipes You'll Enjoy...
~ Super Chocolatey Brownies
~ Macadamia Coco Rum Bars
~ Better than Pumpkin Pie Bars
~ Mom's Magic Cookie Bars, and eight more!
Plus, Kathy's book is Entertaining...
Kathy didn't want to release 'just another recipe book'. She wanted to make her book special. And she's accomplished this goal by making her brownie & bar book a recipe book that's fun to read cover to cover.
You'll meet Kathy's family, and you'll hear some of the sarcastic comments her 17 year old daughter makes as Kathy dictates recipes for this book.
Seriously Great BBQ Recipes is a great guide to getting anyone started in creating some delicious meals on the BBQ. Using easy to source ingredients and a simple step by step guide this book will have you impressing your friends and family in no time.
Wether its beef, pork, chicken or seafood you will find a recipe to tempt even the fussiest of eaters with some great kebab ideas that will keep the kids happy, while you enjoy the outdoors with friends and family.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
FREE Tuesday Evening Kindle Books
Note : These books were at a 100% discount at the time of this blog posting. You are responsible for checking that the items are still free when you click the links.
Run (The Hunted) by Patti Larsen :
Sixteen-year-old Reid thinks life is back to normal. His sister Lucy pulls herself together and cuts him free from a year of foster care. She promises to take care of him, that her new boss and her new life are what they both needed to start again. Until Reid is taken in the middle of the night, dumped in a wild stretch of forest far from home with no idea why he is there. Lost and afraid, he learns to run from the hunters who prowl the darkness, their only pleasure chasing down kids like him. And killing them.
Awake : A Fairytale by Jessica Grey :
Alexandra Martin didn’t believe in fairytales…
Alex has always been more interested in rocks and science than stories about princesses and magic. Now she’s far too busy with her summer internship at the Gem and Mineral Museum to think about children’s stories. Between avoiding her former best friend and high school baseball star, Luke Reed, and trying to hide her unrequited crush on her mentor at the museum, the real world is occupying all of her time.
…Until she walked into one.
It turns out fairytales aren’t all fun and games. A curse has turned her neat and orderly world upside down, and to break it, she bands together with a fellow intern and a recently awakened princess who’s been asleep for 900 years. Can this trio of unlikely heroines put an end to an ominous enchantment, discover true love, and keep an ancient and evil magic from being unleashed on modern-day Los Angeles?
Killing Hope by Keith Houghton :
One man stands in the way of countless innocent deaths… One man will try to stop him… Only one will succeed…
“Celebrity Cop” Gabe Quinn is back working Robbery-Homicide after a personal tragedy has left him emotionally bare. He’s raw, but resolved to catch a serial killer stalking the streets of two major cities. With cryptic clues left at each crime scene, Gabe is faced with the seemingly impossible task of piecing together the bizarre puzzle – following signs that point toward a killer whose motive questions everything he believes in. If you could save a million lives by taking one - would you?
Beyond Hades by Luke Romyn :
What if mythology isn't myth? The ancient Greeks told fabulously detailed stories involving unbelievable creatures - monsters dominating all tales from that time. Were they just highly imaginative, or was their inspiration from somewhere else?
Doctor Talbot Harrison, a professor in archeology, receives a phone call one day which will destroy everything he perceives as reality. His brother has been mysteriously killed and within moments the United States Military appear at his door, literally dragging him from his home. Thrown into a helicopter under intense armed guard, it doesn't take long until they are attacked by something which cannot possibly exist, something drawn to destroy the one man who can stop the beasts from a land beyond Hades...
Run (The Hunted) by Patti Larsen :
Sixteen-year-old Reid thinks life is back to normal. His sister Lucy pulls herself together and cuts him free from a year of foster care. She promises to take care of him, that her new boss and her new life are what they both needed to start again. Until Reid is taken in the middle of the night, dumped in a wild stretch of forest far from home with no idea why he is there. Lost and afraid, he learns to run from the hunters who prowl the darkness, their only pleasure chasing down kids like him. And killing them.
Awake : A Fairytale by Jessica Grey :
Alexandra Martin didn’t believe in fairytales…
Alex has always been more interested in rocks and science than stories about princesses and magic. Now she’s far too busy with her summer internship at the Gem and Mineral Museum to think about children’s stories. Between avoiding her former best friend and high school baseball star, Luke Reed, and trying to hide her unrequited crush on her mentor at the museum, the real world is occupying all of her time.
…Until she walked into one.
It turns out fairytales aren’t all fun and games. A curse has turned her neat and orderly world upside down, and to break it, she bands together with a fellow intern and a recently awakened princess who’s been asleep for 900 years. Can this trio of unlikely heroines put an end to an ominous enchantment, discover true love, and keep an ancient and evil magic from being unleashed on modern-day Los Angeles?
Killing Hope by Keith Houghton :
One man stands in the way of countless innocent deaths… One man will try to stop him… Only one will succeed…
“Celebrity Cop” Gabe Quinn is back working Robbery-Homicide after a personal tragedy has left him emotionally bare. He’s raw, but resolved to catch a serial killer stalking the streets of two major cities. With cryptic clues left at each crime scene, Gabe is faced with the seemingly impossible task of piecing together the bizarre puzzle – following signs that point toward a killer whose motive questions everything he believes in. If you could save a million lives by taking one - would you?
Beyond Hades by Luke Romyn :
What if mythology isn't myth? The ancient Greeks told fabulously detailed stories involving unbelievable creatures - monsters dominating all tales from that time. Were they just highly imaginative, or was their inspiration from somewhere else?
Doctor Talbot Harrison, a professor in archeology, receives a phone call one day which will destroy everything he perceives as reality. His brother has been mysteriously killed and within moments the United States Military appear at his door, literally dragging him from his home. Thrown into a helicopter under intense armed guard, it doesn't take long until they are attacked by something which cannot possibly exist, something drawn to destroy the one man who can stop the beasts from a land beyond Hades...
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