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Showing posts from March, 2012

A brownie of yet a different color

I found another reason I'm turning into my Nanny other than the reclusive hermit/crochet thing. I've made her brownie recipe twice in two weeks. Instead of green brownies and icing, it was orange today. Actually, the brownies were kind of red and the frosting was a beautiful shade of orange, just for Peyton. Nanny never made colored brownies though. Paige, Peyton and I shared the afternoon playing Moon. As best as I could teach Peyton anyway. She actually did well, and Dad got into watching us, and later playing 42 without counting count to make it like Moon for 4 with partners. I must say, I got my fill of it though. I'd write more, but I really need to do something that I shouldn't have put off until after 9:30 tonight. What did you do today to make the weekend special?

Chocolate, Indians and a Tale

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I really am thankful my mom has a hobby. She's needed one. I'm just not into her hobby anymore than she's into mine. Here's the latest genealogical discovery that she has made on my dad's side of the family. My six times great grandmother (or something close to that) was murdered along with a few of her children by Indians in Lancaster, PA while trying to escape through a window. And scalped at that! Her husband and the rest of their children (including my 5x great grandmother) were all kidnapped. I just sent out a message on Facebook to my author friends who write Amish fiction if they have ever written about Indian murders and scalping. I have to admit that it's not my genre of choice, so I'm not sure if any have broached the subject. Oh, and I almost forgot. Some distant relative married a Hershey. I unfortunately am not a direct Hershey descendant. Speaking of the Amish, the book I just finished reading had some Amish characters. I grabbed it out

A preview of Stand by Me

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I posted my review last week, but wanted to go ahead and post the tour too. Enjoy! It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book! You never know when I might play a wild card on you! Today's Wild Card author is: Neta Jackson and the book: Stand By Me Thomas Nelson (March 13, 2012)   ***Special thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishers, for sending me a review copy.*** ABOUT THE AUTHOR: As a child growing up on the campus of a Christian school where her parents taught, Neta Jackson began creating imaginary worlds at a young age. Loving

Writer's block

I have extreme writer's block on getting anything blogged tonight because I have some ghost writing I need to do that I've sort of been stalling on. I need some ideas to talk about here. Any suggestions?

Gotta have something to look forward to

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I'm kind of empty on blog topics tonight, quite frankly. That's what happens when you have only walked out to the mailbox in order to get out of the house and the only person you have talked to on the phone was a wrong number. I must make some plans to leave the house. Something beyond "are you free the second Saturday in April for another singles get together?" Poor Rachel, aka Rebekah. She was the person who got the answer that was something like "really, I'm in a mood, and I really don't give a flying fig what theme the event has because no one is going to show up." I have a number of rants along those lines and some of the other things that came up in regards to said event that really have nothing to do with her. All I know is that next Friday, I have seats 14 rows from the field for Opening Day for the Texas Rangers. I am ready to get out of the house and go on my annual tradition. After that, I need something to look forward to. You have

A tour of my office

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I finally finished my "project" that I've been planning to do for weeks - cover the bi-fold closet doors with all the pictures that used to hang around my old office. I started with Command strips on one panel. Those got expensive. I did the other three panels with sticky back velcro. If I ever take them off, it will peel all the paint off the doors. I've already learned that. But, the doors haven't been painted in who knows how many years - more than 10 for sure, so it will all be OK. The one blank spot on my walls had been behind the door (before I decided it needed to close now). I actually had my desk at an angle in front of the door until last week. So anyway, if you wonder where I work all day, this is it.

Why must everyone at church want to set you up?

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Not that I ever plan to write a book, but I think I could write a book based on the things the kids in my 5th grade Sunday Bible class say. This morning, the topic was happiness, and I must have been guilty as charged regarding getting them stirred up (yes, I was told by one of the students that it was my fault they were loud). Before everyone arrived, we were playing a game as suggested in the materials. The first person had to say, "I would be happy if i had a lot of _____." Their item had to start with an A. The second person had to say the first person's item, then add in an item of their own with a B. The third person, A, B, and C. I played along. As I was trying to give examples, one of the girls said, "if I was married" directing that comment toward me. I tried to get them on track because I only recall one conversation ever that might have led them to think I would want to discuss this. (Probably when I told them that when the preacher asked each S

Stand by Me

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I thought with my job transition that I would have some free time for reading. I've been crocheting instead. Probably not a smart move as I've gotten into a new job, and have some press kits that I need to write which requires some reading. Two of which I have PDFs on, and I'm not wild about reading on the computer screen. Make that three. I've also had a couple of hard copies come in the mail for work. And a book an author graciously offered me for review. And I ordered 5 on Amazon this week. Wow. I need to not think about all the books piling up.  Yes, I bought books. I wanted to start reading the Stephanie Plum books after watching the movie One for the Money and a couple of friends told me that they were hilarious. And the latest Charles Martin and Randy Singer books came out and I wanted those as well. And I need to quit buying books and keeping them because I already bought a new shelf last year, and there's really not anymore room on it. (No, it'

No, I'm just becoming the other grandmother

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Last week, I wrote about how I hoped I was not turning into my mother and grandmother. I may or may not be, but one thing is for sure. I'm turning into my other grandmother. That would be the one that sat home all of the time and crocheted her days away. In my defense, I do work from home now even though some days I don't get in my car and leave the house. And I don't crochet all day long. Last night, I did finish the baby blanket project I started a year and a half ago and left about 1/3 done. I was able to finish it in just a few days with it being all one pattern and set of colors. I sped through it and was even doing it in my sleep one night. I was dozing off on the love seat and crocheting at the same time. Here's a picture of the finished project. You can't tell, but it's maroon and white (the Aggie colors though I am anti-Aggie). Definitely smaller than the "ugly blanket" is. Don't forget... you have until midnight Saturday to ente

Now I'm really wondering about my neighbors

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For anyone who has even seen one of my status messages on Facebook, you know that my neighbors tend to annoy me. I live in one of four duplexes in a row. In the almost 9 years that I have lived here, there have been more people in and out than I can count. All four buildings share a driveway, so I do have to pay some attention to what is going on. There's the rowdy bunch of small children next door that bang on the walls and make pictures fall off the shelves. Then, there are the new neighbors that were partying less than 20 feet from my bedroom window at 1:45 AM on a Thursday night/Friday morning a few weeks ago. There's also the new neighbors friends that keep parking in my area. The other day, one of their friends with a giant truck on big tires and lifts (which is so pointless) was parked parallel to my house blocking the whole area in which I usually park perpendicular to the building. When said truck left, he turned the neighborhood phone box thingy (what is it call

Looking for books for your little angels?

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Gabby's back ... and she's brought a Kindle Fire Giveaway with her! Meet Gabby for yourself here. || Read what people are saying here . Enter today - Sheila and her publisher, Thomas Nelson, have put together a prize package worth over $200! One lucky winner will receive: A brand new KINDLE Fire with Wi-Fi Gabby, God’s Little Angel   Gabby's Stick-to-It-Day But wait! There’s more … The winner will be announced on the Gabby Landing page on 4/2/12 . In the meantime, enter to win the Kindle Fire then head over to the Tommy Nelson site and download the Gabby coloring sheets, watch Sheila's Gabby video , sign up for news about upcoming Gabby and Thomas Nelson products, and much more. About the book:   Gabby's Stick-to-It-Day Gabby is a little guardian angel with a big job to do! Watching over Sophie is hard work, but Gabby knows that God wants her to stick to it. Gabby, God’s Little Angel, flies to the rescue as Sophie attempts to hel

What I can tell you about showing pigs

What I can tell you about showing pigs could fill... a sentence maybe. I went to my second pig show ever tonight. After taking a year off, Paige was back at it again. All the pigs pretty much look alike to me. Most of the pigs she and her friends raised were from the same litter(s), so there was a genetic reason for that. But the judge does his judging on the shape of their bodies, boxy heads, square shoulders, rounded backsides and such. Now, I understand how you can raise them and fatten them up to a certain size. Walk them to become more muscular. How you can get them to have the shape rib cage unless you bind them up in a corset, I really don't know. Or put a helmet on their little piglet head to have a good shape. You're either born with it or you're not. This is the thought I expressed to my father, and he knows about enough about pig showing to completely a compound sentence, and he agreed. So, in the words of Porky Pig, "that's all folks!" Ha

Sixty Acres and a Bride - Kindle Giveaway!

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I'm going to have to see if my mom has found Regina on the family tree (she's obsessed, I tell you!). Dad will want to send her an invitation to the family reunion. Celebrate the release of Sixty Acres and a Bride with author Regina Jennings by entering to win a Kindle Fire and coming to her Author Chat Party on 3/27! One fortunate winner will receive: A Kindle Fire Sixty Acres and a Bride by Regina Jennings Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends 3/26/12 . Winner will be announced at Regina's Author Chat Facebook Party on 3/27. Regina will be hosting an evening of chat, fun trivia and more! She'll also be giving away some GREAT prizes : gift certificates, books, and some beautiful silver jewerly! So grab your copy of Sixty Acres and a Bride  and join Regina and friends on the evening of March 27th for an evening of fun. Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP TODAY and tell your frie

It is finished! Do you want it?

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The ugly blanket is finished! It's about 43 inches wide by 50 inches long (it's shown sideways here).  As promised, I'm going to hold a contest to give it away. Here's what you have to do to win. Leave one comment per day on this post. You can post once per day every day between now and Saturday, March 24 at midnight. Then, I'll draw a name from all the entries.  If the winner lives in Corsicana, I'll hand deliver it. If you live elsewhere in the US, I'll have to mail it to you.  COMMENT AWAY!!!

This is why singles activities occur once and never again

I am sitting in a corner blogging as the new and (same as its ever been) Westhill singles ministry is in full swing. Keep in mind that I am the life of the party, and I am blogging. Timmy the Fly is trying to school everyone in shooting pool in the alpha male way men do. However, I told him I had a stick in my hand and could use it on him. I think he's resigned himself to there's no hope for the 75± year old (who once had hair the same color of the fingernails I talked about last night. He also just admitted he had a few dead brain cells. I could not look Rachel's aka "Rebekah's" way. The purple haired lady is playing Jenny's uncle's old flame. The way she kept asking about Timmy, I think she may be interested. He's come close to leaning over her to help her make the shot. We've had the egg salad sandwiches, my green brownies (nasty greenish brown) with green mint icing, and cool ranch Doritos, washed down with root beer. This is why we

Please, don't let me turn out like my mother (grandmother)

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This starts off as an absolutely pointless story. It actually ends that way too.  I'm not much of a polished fingernail kind of girl. Never have been really. For the last I am not sure how long, a while now, I've ended up biting or picking my nails off. If they happened to get long, they'd also bug me typing (they may have to be dealt with soon). In the past five weeks, however, my nails have grown back out. Imagine that. Anyone I make that comment to says that it makes sense.  Anyway, I wanted very pale purple nail polish on a whim. However, I didn't find as light as I wanted, but anyway, they are currently purple. I am 35 years old, and I knew I was going to my parents house and almost took off the color just so my mother would not make issue of it. Yes, I seriously thought this. Just leave me alone. So, at the end of the meal, I was talking, with my hands as I tend to do and she interrupts me. "Oh my goodness, your nails are a color. I don&#

Julie Klassen Facebook Party TODAY!

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Don't miss the perfect blend of Regency-era romance and mystery in The Maid of Fairbourne Hall ! Grab a copy   of  The Maid of Fairbourne Hall  and RSVP for her Author Chat party on Facebook! Swoon. Join   Julie's Fairbourne Hall Book Chat Party on 3/15 . Julie will be hosting an evening of chat, trivia and a sneak peek of her next book - bring your friends! She'll also be giving away some GREAT prizes: gift certificates, books and a Downtown Abbey Prize Pack (Seasons 1 and 2)!   About the book: To escape a scheme to marry her off to a dishonorable man, Margaret Macy flees London disguised as a housemaid. If she can remain unwed until her next birthday, she will receive an inheritance, and with it, sweet independence. But she never planned on actually working as a servant. And certainly not in the home of Nathaniel and Lewis Upchurch--both former suitors. As she fumbles through the first real work of her life, Margaret struggles to keep her identity secre

Yes, I go see "kids" movies on purpose

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Whatever Miss Paigey has to say in her daily email today will include me. After catching up on The Voice from this week, she and I went to see The Lorax . Very cute. Very funny. Very catchy closing song. The great thing about being an aunt is that you have an excuse to see cute and funny movies. I had to explain less about The Lorax  than I did The Muppets thank goodness. Oh, and the two of us agree to no 3D. There were moments of close to 3D without the glasses. Wow. Here are her past two days: Day 3: Dear Relitives,                      Since today we fell backwards and lost an hour of  sleep Dad and Julie were all worn out from the sencond day of the best stay at home spring break ever they just slept an hour later than usual so after the pigs got some more protien from the whole 2 raw  eggs then I filled up their water bucket for thier feed in the rain. Then we were off to big church you adults call it worship . First off the decons changed all the lights in the