The Top 5 Reasons I Do What I Do

Whirling Wednesday

2011-08-10T05:24:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the blog silence.

Soon after returning from our vacation I found out I'd run out of image space here on the ol' blog. I did a quick sweep and deleted duplicates, old headers, etc. but am still dangerously close to the free storage max. I'm left with a challenge.

Do I delete the images from the older posts, say from 2007 through 2009?
Do I pull the images, re-size them smaller, and re-post?
Do I bite the bullet and PAY for extra storage?
Do I call it a good run and wrap the blog up?

I suspect, whichever way I go, things will be very quiet around here until after school starts again when I'll actually have time to tweak things.

Speaking of school...

The school supplies have been bought with the exception of new backpacks. Hair cuts are on tap for this weekend. I need to do a final inventory to make sure everyone has appropriate clothing (3 of the 4 have to wear 'standard attire') and fill any gaps.

Then we have Back to School Day for Cam at middle school so he can get his locker assignment and class schedule. Seventh grade...it's hard to believe.

The following day is a parent only Kinder orientation for Robbie. My baby :whine: Can I just say this is completely bittersweet? I'm excited for him and this next stage but he's the last one to head off to school. A part of me is looking forward to the 3 hours of quiet I'll have each afternoon yet I think that's going to wear off sooner than I expect, LOL

Finally, we'll have the general orientation at the elementary school for all 3 boys to meet their teachers, drop off supplies, and all that fun stuff.

And Monday, August 29th, school is back in session :throws confetti:

The Road Home

2011-08-04T05:35:00.000-07:00

The road home from our annual vacation to see family in Oregon was paved in hell, LOL

We were cruising along, making decent time, when Mark noticed a noise. He didn't even have time to identify it before this...

He was able to get us safely to the side of the road. Thankfully, no one was hurt and no accidents occurred.

Loaded for the trip home, getting to our jack was not easy, LOL. Because we have just the standard factory jack we figured we'd have to unload the majority of the van to use it safely thus elected to call on AAA. The rain helped decide it :)

Waiting for AAA to show up...

Then the decision: continue on to the next city and hope we can find a tire store open or turn around and hope to find a tire store open at the previous city.

Did I forget to mention it was Sunday afternoon when this happened? Sorry.

We continued on figuring worst case scenario we'd have better luck finding a hotel for the night. We squeaked in by the skin of our emergency spare tire -- why don't they put full-sized spares on vehicles anymore? -- into the Eugene Sears service bay 15 minutes to closing. (Huge shout out of thanks guys in Sears Automotive! You saved our bacon.)

Trying not to completely waste the stop we went to dinner. All this put us 3 hours behind schedule and we ended up driving through Death Valley in the heat of the day.

Did I mention we were loaded down? We had to turn off the A/C a couple times while driving through Death Valley to make sure the poor van didn't over heat. (Yeah, that would have been the icing on the cake of the trip.)

After four years of making this trip I guess we were due but boy was this the neverending trip.

We had a challenge on the way up too, you can read about that here, but that one ended up being kinda cool :)

What trip from hell have you experienced?

Me Time

2011-08-03T05:24:00.000-07:00

While on vacation, I made sure to get me time. (Don't worry. Mark got some guy time and long overdue family time with his parents.)

It came in the form of dinner and a movie with BFF.

Getting a pedicure with Debbie...a long overdue pedi! Is it my imagination or is this color the same as my avatar? Oh well, the pedicures were a few years apart.

Going to the Highland Games. Of course one of the best parts of going to the games was spending time with Debbie and Helena!

While at the games, niece Helena, found this shop and bought one of these hair do-dads. Is this not gorgeous? Yeah, I was whining about my lost hair. I've got the business card :) and a reason to grow out my hair again, LOL

Book Review: The Devil to Pay

2011-08-02T05:29:00.000-07:00

The road to Hell is paved with good intentions and bad tequila. Shannon McKee finds herself at the end of her rope, and she offers her soul to whoever can save her first.

Unfortunately, she sends that request to both agencies. Shannon’s plea is answered immediately by two men who couldn’t be more different from one another. Yet they share a bond and an affection for the stubborn Miss McKee that even they don’t understand.

When Heaven and Hell demand their payment, Shannon has no choice but to submit. No matter who gets her soul, she’s not getting out of this alive.

My lovely friend Maria Zannini sent me a copy of her new book, The Devil To Pay. Thank you! (She didn't ask me to ~~pimp~~ review it.)

This is Maria's first foray into indie publishing and I think she nailed it with a great cover, clean editing and formatting, and her usual amazing storytelling. The Devil to Pay is the first book in her Second Chances series.

At novella length (about 55 pages) there wasn't an overwhelming amount of world-building, just enough to ground the reader in the story, but what there was Maria peppered throughout the narrative and made every word work for its space in the story. Amazing characters but because this is the start of a series we don't learn everything about them.

We're pulled into the story by a situation I think most of us can relate to in this economy and we care about Shannon, worry about how she's going to get out of her predicament. Delicious hero number one walks in. Just when you think maybe Shannon has an answer...well, then it gets complicated :)

The story came to a conclusion, all the questions for THAT plot were dealt with, and the series was nicely set up. Still, I was left a bit disappointed in the ending. I can't completely put my finger on it. Perhaps it is that the romance wasn't resolved. But I have faith in the story and trust Maria. After all, this is the set-up of a series, and oh, there are so many ways things can go!

As a self-published series, I'm crossing fingers the wait won't be long between releases. What are you waiting for? Go pick up your copy of The Devil to Pay today :)

July Reading Summary

2011-07-31T05:29:00.000-07:00

Total number of books read: 10 (I'm actually surprised I got through that many this month as I slacked quite a bit in July.)

Monthly reading goals:

1 new-to-me author each month -- Stacey Kennedy
4 genres/sub-genres each month (I'm adding to that at least one book a month must be non-fiction and/or writing related.) -- Non-fiction (No More Blank Screen: Blogging Ideas for Fiction Authors by Krista D Ball), Romance (Indian Moon by Carolyn McCray), M/M Romance (Conquest by SJ Frost), Steampunk (The Twisted Tale of Stormy Gale by Catherine Bell), Paranormal Romance (Stolen Dreams (The Lingering Spirit) by Stacey Kennedy),
Alternate male and female authors (I will say at least one male author per month.) -- didn't happen this month
Write a note to 1 author each month -- hasn't happened yet but will

Heavy Athletics

2011-07-29T05:36:00.000-07:00

Is there anything more delicious than a man in a kilt?

Not in my book :grin:

Kilt, n. - a costume sometimes worn by Scotsmen in America and Americans in Scotland. ~ Ambrose Bierce

The Portland Stone -- okay this event is unique to the Portland Highland Games. These guys are "tossing" a 96 pound stone over 9 feet. Now, that would be like me, well maybe Mark, tossing Cam!

This was actually the judge of the competition proving he still has it!

Caber Toss -- the tossing of a telephone pole, LOL. The Caber is 19-20 feet long and weighs about 150 pounds. The goal is to toss it so the Caber pivots on its top and to fall in a straight line from the athlete in the 12 o'clock position.

I remember the time I took a friend to the games, we were at one end of a football field and the Caber finalists were at the other end -- she was worried that we'd get hit, LOL. It's a telephone pole, it won't go far!

Weight for Height -- this is like the high jump but with a 56 pound weight. The athlete gets three chances to clear the bar. If successful her can move on to the next height.

Highland Dancing

2011-07-28T05:27:00.000-07:00

There's a wee part of me that wishes my parents had encouraged Debbie and I to take up dancing -- not the bit of ballet I have vague memories of but the highland stuff -- but in their defense there may not have been anything in the Bay Area where we grew up. One of my cousins took the highland dance and demonstrated at one or more of our reunions. Sigh.

And Coquitlam, BC must have one hell of a dance studio because the majority of the winners were out of Coquitlam. Wonder if that's where my cousin went?

During one of the competitions we saw...

THIS!

Is this little sweetheart not the cutest thing you've ever seen? She was mimicking the dancers...doing a pretty good job of it too!

I just wish I could have gotten in behind her so I could take a picture with her in the foreground and the competitive dancers on the stage in the background. It would have been the coolest picture.

Pipes, Drums, and Bands Oh My!

2011-07-27T05:25:00.000-07:00

I think the music is one of the things I miss most about not going to the Portland Highland Games for so many years. My CD's from previous years only take me so far.

Mark thinks I'm crazy. Maybe it's just my Scottish blood. But whatever it is, there is nothing like the sound of bagpipes to me. I get chills, in a good way, my blood starts pumping, and sitting still is impossible. I want to dance a Highland Fling -- of course, I'd need to learn how first -- or at the very least tap my foot.

I love the music. Not just the pipes and marching bands people associate with the Highland Games but the traditional Celtic sound.

One of the specialized music acts was Men of Worth. Below is a sample of their sound. I'm kinda kicking myself now that I didn't pick up one of their CDs at the Games.

Opening Ceremonies

2011-07-26T06:30:00.000-07:00

I used to be a card carrying member of the PHGA and volunteered at many games. I've yet to make it to the Vegas version. You can imagine my joy that our vacation coincided with the Portland Highland Games. On the statistically warmest/driest day of the year Oregon gave us rain, LOL

Regimental Drum Major Inspection & Decorum

The Prince Charles Pipe Band

Color Guard: 2nd Battalion 162nd Infantry IBCT

NW Scots Guard

Parade of the Clans

Alma Lynn McDowell singing the
UK, Canadian, and US national anthems.
Behind her are:
Chieftains of the Day Colin & Bonnie MacKenzie,
and PHGA president Marianna MacKenzie Day.

Jori Chisholm preforming the lament.

Rev. Christopher Grewe giving the invocation.

The Kilted Mile Race

The fastest time: 5'40.08
However, 73 year old Patrick Feser broke a record with 7'06.11!

A Day Out at the Park

2011-07-25T05:31:00.000-07:00

We had a couple "what's with the weather" moments on this trip. Hello? Oregon, have you heard of the season commonly known as Summer?

Sigh.

After a damp morning, we took the boys out to a park to run off some of their energy. Yes, that is a running theme of our life, LOL

I don't know what this thing is but I want one for our backyard!

Ian, impressing us with his monkey bar talent.

I love this picture...

Because I usually get this!

Robbie giving the monkey bars the ol' collage try.

Caption This

2011-07-23T05:22:00.000-07:00

Jungle Boys

2011-07-21T05:16:00.000-07:00

It wouldn't be a trip to Oregon without a visit to Safari Sam's! I LOVE this place. This is where I take the boys to run off all that energy they have to keep a grip on during the drive. I'd be the happiest parent on the planet if they'd build one in Vegas...hint, hint.

Mark and I parked ourselves at a table, bought drinks, and told the boys to play till their knuckles drug the floor.

Robbie gets more daring with each visit!

Of course, he keeps the security of an older brother near by, LOL

I think we may have reached the cap of enjoyment with this one.

Here's another one who seems to gain confidence with each visit.

Not exactly how he's suppose to get out of the Black Diamond...

Four hours later, we propelled the boys toward the van. Success.

Train Time

2011-07-20T05:22:00.000-07:00

No trip to my parents would be complete without running the trains! I think we ran them all but one or two nights while there.

The boys got their hands dirty this time as Grandpa needed to clean the tracks before they could get the trains out. I think Ian found a new love of the trains this trip.

Alex always has some hand in running the trains. This trip, Alex showed Ian the ropes.

I love it when the boys discover new interests.

~*~

Ian also was able to spend quality time with Daniel (who you may remember from other posts as the little boy who lives in the lower level of my parents home with our long-time friends) even getting to go out to the Children's Museum with him. Sadly, I didn't get any pictures of the two together but these boys have a special connection.

Craving Perfect

2011-07-19T05:21:00.000-07:00

My blogging friend, Liz Fichera, has a new release coming out next week, Craving Perfect.

A Life Less...Hers

Grace Mills craves being perfect almost as much as she craves raspberry scones. In fact, her life would be perfect if only she could lose ten more pounds, if only the pastry café she co-owns with her sister would turn a profit, if only the hottest guy at the gym would look her way...

And then "if only" comes true. Grace is suddenly straddling two lives: an alternate reality where she's a size two, weathergirl celebrity and being chased by the hot guy. Only Mr. Gorgeous isn't very nice, and she doesn't get to eat...anything, much less bake!

In her other life, she's starting to realize her sister is less than happy running the family café, and hunky Carlos, the gym's janitor, seems to have a secret crush on her. Maybe there's more to him than meets the eye...

Grace is living two lives and it's beginning to cost her. Is there a way to pick one...that's perfect?

Does that not sound delicious? It comes out on the 25th and I can't wait to get my hands on it :)

Congrats, Liz!

Author Krista D. Ball is in the house!

2011-07-17T05:36:00.000-07:00

I met Krista D. Ball through Maria Zannini and have enjoyed getting to know her through her blog. When the chance came to read and review a story or two (Flying Kite, Crashing Ship and Harvest Moon) for her blog tour I jumped at the chance. A woman after my own heart, she has a recipe -- Bannock sounded so Scottish I had to look it up :) -- for you today.

Please welcome, Krista D. Ball!

~ ~*~ ~

Where's the Bannock

In Western Canada, bannock ("ban-nick") is a widely-recognized aboriginal food. It is a combination of lard, flour, and water. It’s then wrapped around a stick and cooked over a campfire. At home, it’s common to add raisins or another kind of dried fruit and bake it on a large cookie sheet. Then, you cut it into large squares afterwards. Other recipes deep-fry the dough. I've even seen hamburgers made with it!

Bannock became integrated into aboriginal cuisine post-European Contact as part of the fur trade, inter-marriage, and the eventual relocation of First Nations peoples to reservations. There's some talk that it might have existed in the US, but there's no evidence that it did in Canada.

The world of Dancing Cat is pre-Contact. She would not have eaten wheat flour in Northern Alberta. So, I could not include it, even if bannock is delicious!

When I worked at the homeless agency, I looked after their evening meal program. A large percentage of our regulars were aboriginal men. They relentless hounded me to make bannock and (oddly enough) liver with onions. I didn't tell any of them, but I planned with a large volunteer group to make bannock for our huge Thanksgiving meal. It took us all day but we cooked a full turkey dinner and 900 pieces of bannock the size of my palm! I used cranberries in my recipe, since it is a local fruit.

Here's the recipe for baking it. Give it a try, though I do recommend baking some on a stick over a campfire at least once. Kids love it!

June, Patsy, and Krista's Combined Bannock Recipe (this avoided any fighting in the kitchen!)

6 cups flour
1 cup shortening
3 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp salt
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
3 to 3 1/2 cups of water

Mix the flour and shortening together by hand until well combined. Add the baking powder, salt, and cranberries. Add half the water and mixed until just combined. Add the rest until you have a just-mixed dough. If you want to bake it over a fire, use a little less water than if you were going to bake it in the oven.

To cook in the oven, spread across a sided and greased baking sheet and bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 20 minutes.

To cook over the fire, wrap clumps of dough around a stick and cook until golden.

~ ~*~ ~

Bio: Krista D. Ball was born and raised in Deer Lake, Newfoundland, where she learned how to use a chainsaw, chop wood, and make raspberry jam. After obtaining a B.A. in British History from Mount Allison University, Krista moved to Edmonton, AB where she currently lives.

Somehow, she’s picked up an engineer, two kids, seven cats, and a very understanding corgi off ebay. Her credit card has been since taken away.

Like any good writer, Krista has had an eclectic array of jobs throughout her life, including strawberry picker, pub bathroom cleaner, oil spill cleaner upper and soupkitchen coordinator. These days, when Krista isn’t software testing, she writes in her messy office.

You can find Krista on her blog.

Fantastic Food Friday: Cranberry Cooler

2011-07-15T05:23:00.000-07:00

Many, many years ago, my sister and I were at T.G.I. Friday's (are there any still around?) for drinks and dinner. -- For those who know my sister, this was during her Fuzzy Navel period. I swear that was the only alcoholic beverage she drank. -- We were introduced to the most delicious cocktail, Cranberry Cooler. With this cocktail being a hit for both of us, we bought the ingredients and played with the formula until we came up with as close a facsimile as we could get.

Visiting with her this week reminds me of many good times and how much I miss seeing her on a regular basis. :raises glass: Cheers Sis. Love you!

Put ice in an old fashion glass. Add a shot (jigger) of Amaretto Liqueur. Fill to just shy of full with Cranberry Juice. Stir if desired. Top with a splash of Orange Juice. Enjoy.

If you want to be fancy, garnish with a thin slice of orange.

This is the perfect summer cocktail for a lazy evening. And hey, cranberry and orange juices are good for you ;)

Click here for more great recipes.

Book Review -- Harvest Moon

2011-07-12T05:26:00.000-07:00

Dancing Cat angers her Ancestor, whose harsh punishment teaches her that true strength comes from the spirit within.

Cursed, abused, and desperate to know her future, Dancing Cat sneaks a glimpse inside her tribe’s Sacred Bundle, a powerful source of spirit magic. Instead of the future, she sees her most powerful ancestor, Small Tree and incurs her wrath. Small Tree strips Dancing Cat of everything — her home, her identity, even her gender – and drops her in the middle of enemy lands.

Injured, and in a strange, new body, she is befriended by Bearclaw who is on a spirit quest. He offers her assistance and asks for nothing in return; a kindness Dancing Cat had forgotten existed. She struggles to weave a path around the obstacles of friendship, identity, and longing in order to survive her eventual return home to face even further punishment.

And she does it while wearing someone else’s skin.

I met Krista D. Ball through Maria Zannini and have enjoyed getting to know her through her blog. When the chance came to read and review a story or two for her blog tour I jumped at the chance.

Last week I reviewed Flying Kite, Crashing Ship and this week is Harvest Moon. I loved the glimpse into the culture of the native peoples of Canada. I'm fascinated by the period and the people before Europeans came to North America, influencing and sadly taking over.

Harvest Moon is a powerful story about culture and identity, set against the backdrop of Northern Alberta, Canada (a beautiful area I assure you). The story is well researched and that information is woven beautifully within the tale of Dancing Cat. Dancing Cat herself is a sympathetic character richly drawn and even if you don't understand the culture that cursed her you are pulled into her suffering. The theme of being at the end of one's rope and needing to know if it is all worth it rings painfully true.

Ball masterfully uses conflict to move the story along while setting up a sweet romance. I'm guaranteed of Dancing Cat's HEA no matter which skin she retains. My only complaint is that I wanted more. More of the world, more of the characters, and more of Ball's brilliant storytelling voice. This is certainly a story I see myself revisiting like an old friend.

Don't forget to come back Sunday, July 17th, when Krista will be here!

Brothels

2011-07-11T05:16:00.000-07:00

Did that title grab your attention?

Caveat: This post isn't about whether you think prostitution should be legal or not, is morally right or wrong, or even degrading and exploitative. Personally, I think legal prostitution such as we have in parts of Nevada is okay. Where thorough and frequent medical checks are required, a work schedule that rotates so many hours/days off (something like 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off), and it is a choice (not a necessity to support a drug habit or some other dark reason). It's not a career choice I'd make but I wouldn't want to defuse bombs for a living either.

On our annual road trip we drove through a stretch of road we lovingly call Brothel Row, a length of rural interstate peppered with legal brothels. On this trip we noticed a brothel we hadn't before, one sporting more clients than previous trips, and one that closed. Apparently, even the oldest profession isn't immune to this shitty economy.

Here's what has me scratching my head...location.

Granted, these 'houses of ill repute' are on a stretch of interstate so I assume a fair amount of business is generated by people who travel it (truck drivers, etc.). I doubt those clients are the brothels' bread and butter. That would come from locals. Again an assumption.

Here's the thing. These houses are inevitably a 30 minute drive (or more) from the nearest town/city. And I'm talking rural town/city certainly not what anyone would call a big convention center (like Las Vegas or Reno) so Mark's argument that business travelers are bused (or limoed) in doesn't apply in my mind.

Now, back when Nevada gained its first male prostitute -- yes, ladies, Nevada has you covered -- Mark and I checked the rates for that particular brothel. Morbid curiosity :shrug: The cheapest rate on the "menu" was $150 per hour. Yep, you read that right. I've not checked it recently nor do I remember what that covered.

Someone please explain to me why a person would drive for 30 plus minutes to spend $150 for an hour's worth of relief -- fantastic though it may be -- just to drive another 30 minutes home?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Cam's Art Room

2011-07-09T05:32:00.000-07:00

These are simple shapes, they contain some of the most recognized shapes in the world from the square to the octagon as well as some of the most recognized colors in the world. I was inspired when my brother, Alex, was talking to me and I all of a sudden saw six distinct shapes behind him. So now I have created this multi-shaped to show that there is a shape in every little thing.

Fantastic Food Friday: Black Bean and Corn Relish

2011-07-08T05:17:00.000-07:00

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups frozen corn
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped (I omitted this for the boys)
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine and let stand 15 minutes. Toss and serve. I topped some grilled pork chops with this...yum!

**I think this came from Rachel Ray but can't remember on which website I stumbled across it.

Click here for more great recipes.

The Things I Come Home To

2011-07-07T05:28:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, they really are too cute for words :)

Book Review -- Flying Kite, Crashing Ship

2011-07-05T09:05:00.000-07:00

Crashing Time Ship.

The Space Commission hot on her trail.
French spies and flying kites.

For Dr. Sally Pescan, this can’t be good.

I met Krista D. Ball through Maria Zannini and have enjoyed getting to know her through her blog. When the chance came to read and review a story or two for her blog tour I jumped at the chance.

First up is her short story Flying Kite, Crashing Ship. A thoroughly delightful sci-fi/time travel romp. Ball's voice is strong and captivating. She draws a wonderful picture of the differences between modern (or future) women and that of women from the Regency era.

With such a short piece it's hard to review and not have spoilers and I would have liked Ball to have explored these characters in a slightly longer story. However, for the length the characters are well developed. Ball includes enough world building to ground the reader and doesn't burden the story.

This was a quick read, perfect for an afternoon. I wonder if Ball has any plans to put together an anthology of her short works. I disagree with the price tag on this piece as a stand-alone work, and doubt I would have purchased it for myself, though I'm very glad to have read the story. Ball is an author to watch.

Don't forget to come back on Sunday, July 17th, when Krista will be here with a guest post!

Happy Birthday

2011-07-05T07:45:00.000-07:00

Sis -- Aunt Debbie

Wishing you a wonderful day! And Guinea Pig kisses :)

Love,
Mark, Sherri, and the boys

Happy...

2011-07-04T05:15:00.000-07:00

Cam's Art Room

2011-07-02T05:42:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have been awaiting my post, here it is. Cam's Art Room! Here most Saturdays I will post a piece of my artwork. I will also explain each piece. What my inspiration was. How the art makes me feel. How difficult or long the piece took to create.

Occasionally, I will post art from someone famous along with fun facts to support it. Fun through the power of art.

Today, I offer you:

For fun, caption this photo in the comments. I'd love to hear from you!

Fantastic Food Friday: Pulled Pork

2011-07-01T05:29:00.000-07:00

We stock up on pork roasts whenever they go on sell and stick them in the freezer. Recently, we were checking out the meats reduced for a quick sale and there were two lovely pork roasts. Because we were short on time and money we debated buying both, which was overheard by the employee stocking the area. This lovely man reduced the price on both roasts for us. I <3 my Kroger :)

Forget that store bought tub.

Pull out the crock pot.

I just drop a roast in the crock pot with a healthy amount of our favorite BBQ sauce and let it cook. Because the roast usually has a bone, I let it cook for a full 10 hours. When it's done, I remove the bone and shred the meat.

This is an awesome dinner when you're looking for something easy and on the lighter side. I usually offer some caramelized onions on the side. Serve on fresh Kaiser rolls (we like to toast them). Leftovers store beautifully in the fridge for quick lunches. Heck, sometimes I make this up just so we have it in the fridge for lunches!

le yum people.

Click here for more great recipes.

June Reading Summary

2011-06-30T05:19:00.000-07:00

Total number of books read: 10 -- So, halfway through the year. My grand total thus far is 72, yep, well on my way to my 100 for the year goal. (Though I plan to make a bit of an adjust at the end of the year because some of these stories/books are shorter works.)

Monthly reading goals:

1 new-to-me author each month -- Louisa Bacio
4 genres/sub-genres each month (I'm adding to that at least one book a month must be non-fiction and/or writing related.) -- Well, I started the non-fiction but haven't finished it yet. Paranormal Romance (The Vampire, the Witch and the Werewolf: A New Orleans Threesome
by Louisa Bacio), Erotic Historical Romance -- is that even a genre? -- (The Debutante's Dilemma by Elyse Mady), Paranormal Mystery (Dead in the Family (Sookie Stackhouse) by Charlaine Harris), Fantasy (The Old Warrior by Dale Broda Jr.)
Alternate male and female authors (I will say at least one male author per month.) -- Dale Broda Jr.
Write a note to 1 author each month -- Wrote a review for Louisa Bacio

The Devil to Pay

2011-06-28T05:34:00.000-07:00

My lovely friend Maria Zannini has a new book out, The Devil To Pay.

The road to Hell is paved with good intentions and bad tequila. Shannon McKee finds herself at the end of her rope, and she offers her soul to whoever can save her first.

Unfortunately, she sends that request to both agencies. Shannon’s plea is answered immediately by two men who couldn’t be more different from one another. Yet they share a bond and an affection for the stubborn Miss McKee that even they don’t understand.

When Heaven and Hell demand their payment, Shannon has no choice but to submit. No matter who gets her soul, she’s not getting out of this alive.

This is Maria's first foray into indie publishing and I'm so excited for her! Isn't that cover stunning?! I can't wait to start reading :) The Devil to Pay is the first book of the Second Chances series. Forget everything you thought you knew about Heaven and Hell. You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

Congrats Maria!

Staying Cool on a Triple Digit Day

2011-06-26T05:35:00.000-07:00

Roxy figured out how to get on the trampoline early in the game and likes to jump up there to play with the boys.

Yesterday morning, while watering the garden, Roxy started going after the water. Mark was happy to make a game of it for her.

A great way to stay cool on a day that topped out at 105.

Happy Birthday

2011-06-24T05:21:00.000-07:00

Bro -- Uncle Kary

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Love,
Mark, Sherri, and the boys

The Tooth Fairy Strikes Again

2011-06-22T07:48:00.000-07:00

This time she came for Robbie. Where has my baby gone?
:sigh:

If starting kindergarten in a couple months wasn't bad enough he had to go and lose his very first tooth yesterday.
:whine:

He got a Bicentennial 50 cent piece for his troubles.

And he's feeling awfully proud of this milestone.

I'm just feeling old, LOL

Book Review -- Return to Shanhasson

2011-06-21T05:23:00.000-07:00

In this final book of the Shanhasson trilogy, Shannari dal’Dainari has won the Rose Crown. She has her beloved Khul at her side. Yet shadows crowd closer than ever. Political machinations and assassination attempts have crippled her ability to protect the land and the people. When her children are endangered, she has no choice but to send them to safety.

Away from her.

Surrounded by grief, danger, and turmoil on all sides, the last thing she needs is another enemy threatening to destroy all she holds dear. Yet a Black Dragon stirs in the deserts of Keldar. He haunts her dreams, while a Keldari army amasses on her border. When he soars over the Shining Walls of Shanhasson, will she put a knife in his heart…or will Shadow devour her at last with dragon jaws?

Again, Joely Sue Burkhart hits it out of the park with this long awaited final installment to the Shanhasson Trilogy. A highly emotional read well worth the wait. (My review of book one: The Rose of Shanhasson and book two: The Road to Shanhasson)

Return picks up about three years after Road left off. Shannari is trying hard to balance her life as the High Queen of the Green Lands and her life with Rhaekhar as Khul’lanna of Nine Camps of the Sha'Kae al'Dan. The world and characters are richly drawn. The intrigue is amazing. The story flows smoothly with huge highs and heart-dropping lows.

I love Joely's masterful painting of the world. It's epic in classic fantasy fashion yet nothing is forced. It was nice to see the Keldar again (I first met this branch of the world in some of Joely's free reads).

Where Joely shines is her characters. Not a two-dimensional person among them. These characters are so real. (I think I said it best in my review of Road when I said, "I lived a lifetime between these pages!") I love with them. I laugh with them. I hurt with them. I cry and scream with them. Even with the hints peppered on Joely's blog I came apart completely at one point. And yes, I screamed, scaring the dog, LOL. There were more than a few tears, not just sad but happy ones too, during this story.

In Joely's own words:

However, if your heart isn’t singing with joy at the end...and yes, a few tears might spill from your eyes (I cry every time I read it)...then I’ve failed utterly and completely.

She doesn't fail folks! (Though I'm thinking Shannari's gonna be exhausted :wink:)

This trilogy is not a romance in the classic sense. Bad things happen to good people. But this tale isn't all about loss. It's about love and the power of that love. It's about the greatest gift and the greatest sacrifice. Shannari's road is long and hard but there is light in the darkness.

This quote from Kahlil Gibran fits the Shanhasson Trilogy to a tee:

Your joy can fill you only as deeply as your sorrow has carved you.

Be sure to read the series in order!

Book One: The Rose of Shanhasson

Book Two: The Road to Shanhasson

Book Three: Return to Shanhasson

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T05:21:00.000-07:00

To all the dads out there!

Wishing you a wonderful day with your loved ones!

Tooth Fairy

2011-06-18T05:32:00.000-07:00

I love this cheesy grin!

I think Ian broke the Tooth Fairy's bank this week! He lost the first tooth on Sunday, the second on Monday, and number three came out last night! Poor Tooth Fairy has to be exhausted :)

Upcoming Guest Blogger

2011-06-16T05:16:00.000-07:00

Coming up in July, author Krista D. Ball is going to be stopping by the blog. Yes, my little ol' blog is going to have a visitor!

Oh, and all my Canadian relatives better stop by to support a fellow Canadian :)

Puppy Love

2011-06-13T05:32:00.000-07:00

Robbie is in heaven. He has a television partner who doesn't try to change the channels on him.

I have a walking partner. I'm in heaven.

According to her papers, Roxy's birthday is October 26th, LOL, I still can't get away from the fall/winter birthdays.

Hmm...looks like only one baby is sleeping, LOL

For such an energetic dog she sure imitates a rug well!

Veggie Sprouts

2011-06-11T05:23:00.000-07:00

We're trying some cantaloupe this year. It's one of the boys' favorite melons.

We've also planted some cucumber. I'm hoping we'll get a decent harvest and I'll be able to can up some Bread-n-Butter pickles.

And the beets were a success so we're doing them again. Like the cucumbers, I'm hoping for a good harvest so I do some pickled beets.

We've also planted lettuce, carrots, peas, beans, and corn. I'm really crossing my fingers that the corn doesn't get blown over by the crazy winds we've been having (wind killed our last crop of corn).

Fantastic Food Friday: Roasted Veggies

2011-06-10T05:25:00.000-07:00

I had to clear out some stragglers from the garden so I could replant. What to do with the odd mix of veggies at various stages of ripeness? Roast those beauties up.

I quartered the larger veggies, halved the smaller ones, and left the tiny ones whole. Drizzle with some olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and thyme, and roast in a 400 degree oven for 45-60 minutes till fork tender. Yum. These veggies ended up being a nice fresh dish for leftover night.

Click here for more great recipes.

Honor Roll

2011-06-09T05:25:00.000-07:00

Last day of school today, sigh, where has the time gone? Better yet, what am I going to do with everyone home?

Yesterday was Alex's award assembly at school. He was on A-B Honor Roll all year and received his award for that. Alex also received an award for perfect attendance (which came with a Borders gift certificate from the school's namesake).

Additionally, once back in class he received awards for his sight words and math facts accomplishments.

Way to go Alex! We're so proud of you!

Hello fourth grade!

Excellence

2011-06-08T05:32:00.000-07:00

The last week of school is more celebration than work, LOL

Yesterday was Ian's award assembly at school. He received an award for Excellent Attendance (missing less than 3 days) and an award for reaching his sight word and reading goals.

Way to go Ian! Reading has been such an uphill battle for you this year and we are so proud of all you've accomplished!

Hello second grade!

Book Review -- The Vampire, the Witch, and the Werewolf

2011-06-07T05:25:00.000-07:00

Haunted by paranormal abilities that she can't control, and plagued by nightmares about a demon that seeks her soul, Lily Anima travels to New Orleans in search of salvation.

In the French Quarter, Lily dives into the paranormal world and enlists the help of an unlikely couple: a vampire, Lawrence Justice, and a werewolf, Trevor Pack.

As the trio encounters ghosts, voodoo and unspeakable evil, will Trevor and Lawrence be able to help Lily turn her powers into a gift rather than a curse? And when Lily discovers that she needs to lose her virginity in order to embrace her powers and get the demon off her back, will the twosome be able to survive as a threesome?

Over Memorial Day weekend I participated in the Blog Tour de Troops and now have a long list of e-books from new-to-me authors to read. I started with The Vampire, the Witch and the Werewolf: A New Orleans Threesome by Louisa Bacio.

Okay, I admit it, I have a soft spot for menage stories and The Vampire, the Witch, and the Werewolf didn't disappoint. The sex sizzled and all three leads were delicious together. But the story was more than just a means to jump from one scene to the next.

"I thought you two were supposed to hate each other."

Aww...nothing like an interruption to kick off a story and that's just what starts this tale. Lily interrupts Law and Trav. All three struggle with their attraction and Bacio nails the inner aghast of all three. I felt the character development was believable and the love story between these three people well done.

Meanwhile, the external challenges were well built and helped push the characters' growth. The story moves along at a nice pace and I polished this (approximately 134 page novella) off in one night. I felt there were a couple holes (or plot jumps) at both ends of the story. However, going back over the story I couldn't pin-point them without a complete re-read so while the feeling remains the details didn't thus not something I'd mark down for.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the read and will be keeping an eye on Ms. Bacio.

Happy Birthday

2011-06-05T05:37:00.000-07:00

Mom -- Grandma

Love and miss you and hope you have a wonderful day.

Lots of love,

Mark, Sherri, and the boys

Roxy

2011-06-03T09:33:00.000-07:00

We interrupt your regularly scheduled Fantastic Food Friday with an introduction of our newest family member...

I'm a pretty girl.

Are you sure these aren't breakfast?

Yeah, I could get used to this.

Roxy is an 18 month old boxer-bully mix though we're not sure of the type of bully yet. Yes, I'm on cloud nine that there's another female in the house.

May Reading Summery

2011-05-31T05:25:00.000-07:00

Total number of books read: 11

Monthly reading goals:

1 new-to-me author each month -- Carolyn McCray
4 genres/sub-genres each month (I'm adding to that at least one book a month must be non-fiction and/or writing related.) -- Non-Fiction (When Love Is Not Enough by Nancy L. Thomas), Paranormal Romance (Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men (Jane Jameson, Book 2) by Molly Harper), Paranormal Historical Romance (Fated by Carolyn McCray), Historical Romance (Captive Spirit by Liz Fichera), Romantic Fantasy ( Dragon Actually (Dragon Kin, Book 1) by GA Aiken), and lots more of the same
Alternate male and female authors (I will say at least one male author per month.) -- Failed again, which is kinda crazy as I have quite a few male authors on my TBR list
Write a note to 1 author each month -- Wrote a review for Carolyn McCray

Happy Memorial Day

2011-05-30T05:27:00.000-07:00

To all the men and women who

have served,

are serving,

will serve,

and to your families!

Blog Tour de Troops

2011-05-27T21:26:00.000-07:00

The fine folks over at the Indie Book Collective have put together the most awesome event this weekend to say a big huge THANK YOU to our military men and women.

A number a fabulous authors are donating a FREE book to every comment posted to the participating blogs. In addition these FABULOUS authors are donating a second FREE book to the troops for every comment!

This is what we call a win WIN folks. You get a FREE read and a service man or woman gets a FREE read. There are so many genres available I guarantee there's something for everyone.

What are you waiting for? Hop on over to the Indie Book Collective and start the tour!!

Fantastic Food Friday: BBQ Babyback Ribs

2011-05-27T05:29:00.000-07:00

I always end up with the Chili's jingle "Babyback, babyback, babyback ribs..." playing in my head when I do these. YUM!

I always do these in the crock pot now. You can do a nice dry rub and cook them in the crock pot and finish them up by carmalizing some BBQ sauce on the grill. I'm lazy. I just throw the ribs in the crock pot WITH the BBQ sauce.

Only trick, you want to stand them on their sides around the outside of the crock pot.

Melt in your mouth falling off the bone deliciousness!

It is what's for dinner :)

Click here for more great recipes.

Tag, You're It

2011-05-25T09:43:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged by the lovely Liz Fichera.

1) Do you think you're hot?
I live in the desert. Of course I'm hot!! It's perpetually 100 degrees where I live. Oh. Wait. You mean, that kind of hot?! Um, no! But feel free to ask hubby :)

(Told you I was going to steal it, Liz!)

2) Upload a picture or wall paper you are using at the moment.

One of Pickyme Digital Artist's freebies. Psst, authors, she does covers too.

3) When was the last time you ate chicken meat?
Last week. We had Asian Slaw with Teriyaki Chicken. Yum.

4) The Song(s) you listened to recently?
Well, right now Higher Window from Josh Groban's Illuminations is playing.

5) What were you thinking as you were doing this?
Who am I going to tag? And I really need to get stuff done and not be playing online, LOL

6) Do you have a nickname?
Not really. Beloved sis got all the good ones. I sometimes get called Sher but it's not a favorite as I was tormented with Sonny and Cher jokes in elementary school. There's not much you can do with a name that translates into a winy cascade!

And this is where Liz cued the *creepy zombie music*

I'm tagging in no particular order:
George Allwynn
Krista D. Ball
Lindsay Buroker
Reena Jacobs
Ciara Knight
Tia Nevitt
Orlando Ramos
Jordan Summers

(I was wrong, the tags are in alphabetical order, and I didn't even plan that :shudder: Is that OCD?)

Rules: Answer a bunch of semi-embarrassing questions and then randomly tag eight more people who can then answer the same questions and tag eight more people and so on. Go forth and have fun!

Book Review -- Captive Spirit

2011-05-24T05:26:00.000-07:00

Sonoran Desert. Dawn of the sixteenth century.

Aiyana isn't like the other girls of the White Ant Clan. Instead of keeping house, she longs to compete on the Ball Court with her best friend Honovi and the other boys. Instead of marriage, she daydreams of traveling beyond the mountains that surround her small village. Only Honovi knows and shares her forbidden wish, though Aiyana doesn't realize her friend has a secret wish of his own...

When Aiyana's father arranges her marriage to a man she hardly knows, she takes the advice of a tribal elder: run! In fleeing, she falls into the hands of Spanish raiders and finds herself being taken over the mountains against her will. Now Aiyana's on a quest to return to the very place she once dreamed of escaping. And she'll do whatever it takes to survive and find her way back to the people she loves.

I finally got around to reading Liz Fichera's Captive Spirit and am so glad I did!

This is a first person narrative told by 16 year old Aiyana and at its heart lies a sweet love story played out against the desert and mountains around what is now Phoenix Arizona. Aiyana was a very likable character full of grit. She thinks on her feet. Through her challenges, Aiyana realizes her heart belongs at home with her best friend, Honovi. (I love the friends to lovers theme :happy sigh:)

Fichera weaves the intricacies of Native American daily life and ceremonies beautifully, bringing to life details that made me feel like I was there. Heart-racing action, life-threatening challenges, and coming of age self-discovery are emotional and vividly written.

Captive Spirit was a well researched, captivating read. I highly recommend it and am looking forward to Fichera's next release, Craving Perfect, due out this July 25th!

Locks of Love and Trying Bangs Again!

2011-05-22T11:36:00.000-07:00

I posted on Facebook yesterday that my amazing hubby gave me the go ahead for a hair cut and pedicure. One must look one's best for the Rapture after all, right? :snort: As I'm still here, LOL, I'm posting pictures.

Look at all that gray :sigh:

I'm giving bangs another try. It's been years, so long ago I honestly can't remember the last time I had bangs. It all my hairline's fault. I have a small calick at my left temple and a widow's peak, both of which make bangs not lay the way they should.

The cut ended up shorter than I envisioned but that's okay as all my length went to Locks of Love! I'll be mailing off two 14-inch ponytails Monday morning.

Fantastic Food Friday: Asian Slaw with Teriyaki Chicken

2011-05-20T05:38:00.000-07:00

Place 6 to 8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a bag with 1/4 cup Teriyaki and 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Marinate for at least 20 minutes, turning once.

Meanwhile, make the peanut dressing by whisking together 2 tablespoons each of creamy peanut butter, olive oil, and white vinegar. Add 1/3 to 1/2 cup of Teriyaki sauce, whisk till blended.

In a large bowl, toss together 2 14 ounce packages of coleslaw mix (I found a great broccoli, carrot, and cabbage one at my local Kroger) with 1 11 ounce can of drained Mandarin oranges.

Grill the chicken (5-7 minutes each side) till juices run clear. Toss dressing with slaw mix and divide equally on plates. Slice each chicken breast and place over slaw. Sprinkle with chow mein noodles.

This was a hit. Thumbs up all around and a perfect dinner for a hot summer night.

Click here for more great recipes.

Book Review -- Fated

2011-05-18T05:38:00.000-07:00

Torn apart by History

Bound for Eternity

I was lucky enough to get an early read of Carolyn McCray's upcoming release Fated. This was the first time I'd ever read anything by Ms. McCray and I was pleasantly surprised with a solid, well paced story.

I'll admit I likely wouldn't have picked this up for myself as I've moved away from historical, non-time-travel, romances in recent years. But this story reminded me of what I liked about them in the first place: a glimpse into history told in the non-dry arena of fiction. McCray obviously did a good amount of research and blended it well within the scope of the story. Added to that was a touch of paranormal making Fated an updated historical romance.

McCray's characters were well developed with goals and motivations. The story's intrigue alone would have been enough conflict but woven into that was the paranormal aspect...kudos for pulling that off.

The story is set in Caesar's Rome centering on Brutus and Syra. And it's hard to sum it up without giving away spoilers. We meet Brutus in the weeks leading up to Julius Caesar's assassination and are swept up in the political intrigue. Enter Syra. She complicates Brutus' life and not just by the attraction they feel for each other. I experienced a nice ahh-ha moment where Syra was concerned when clues peppered in the first half of the book coalesced in the last half...love when that happens.

Hop on over to your favorite e-book store and pick up a copy. Carolyn McCray is just one of a large group of indie authors I'm coming to enjoy.

Happy Birthday

2011-05-17T05:43:00.000-07:00

Mark, no more giving me grief about my age, LOL

Love you, honey. Thank you for being an amazing husband, a loving father, and a great friend.

The Caminator Factor

2011-05-14T11:26:00.000-07:00

Please give a warm welcome to the newest contributor to The Top 5 Reasons I Do What I Do.

I'm not sure where the interest first came from -- of course the apple doesn't fall far from the tree and he does enjoy writing -- but that boy has been after me to start up his own blog. I'm not quite willing to give him that range, so we compromised. Cam will be contributing posts here. He's not sure yet what he'll be posting about but he has a wide range of interests.

Hope you enjoy the additional view point.

Fantastic Food Friday: My Top 10 Favorite Food Links

2011-05-13T10:19:00.000-07:00

I've discovered some new foodie loving blogs in the last couple of weeks. I'm all about sharing the love. Not to mention it gets me out of posting my own recipe this week and it's been some time since a Top 10 List graced the blog. Without further ado, here's a mix of new and old favorites. Happy cooking. Enjoy.

For the Love of Cooking
A simple collection of recipes.
Gluten Free Goddess
Cook. Taste. Smile.
My Husband Hates Veggies
A charming little blog in which our heroine cooks, eats, and throws dinner parties, all the while attempting to trick her husband into eating his vegetables.
One Perfect Bite
The food here is simple, inexpensive and easy to prepare - it's peasant fare that meets the needs of today's health-conscious cooks. I hope you'll pull up a chair and join me at the table. The recipes are great and I think you'll enjoy the stories of the people and places behind them. The coffee pot is never empty and you're always welcome here!
Pantry Eats
A tasty adventure using pantry staples and food storage.
Pots and Plots
Kitchen witchery for the everyday cook from a Mississippi writer. (Kait Nolan started the Retake Homemade movement.)
Recipe Girl
Dishing out the best recipes for entertaining and every day.
Simply Recipes
Think of this site as our family sharing the recipes in our recipe binder with you.
Wholesome Mommy
A blog for modern moms that long for a simpler time. I’ve set out to prove that eating wholesome and organic food isn’t just for the elite and cooking from scratch is within reach for anyone. Thanks for joining me as I find new ways to make wholesome living easy and affordable!
A Year of Slow Cooking
A New Year's resolution to use the crock pot every day.

My Mother's Day

2011-05-10T05:33:00.000-07:00

Was a quiet, rather same o' same o' kinda Sunday, with lots of handmade love from the boys and a nice dinner.

From Ian

The anklet and necklace are made out of fabric strips and beads using a macrame type knotting. Very flower-child feeling :) Ian and Alex made them during art at school.

Robbie drew a picture and Cam made a card and Mark was home for dinner. I chatted with Jewels, both Moms, and my sister. A good Mother's Day all in all.

Happy Release Day

2011-05-09T05:18:00.000-07:00

The only place left to hide was in the past.

Fire Elemental Leda and her plainfolk companion, Grey, are running from a man obsessed with creating a creature who can read thoughts. Convinced that Leda can produce this unnatural child, he has threatened to hunt her down to the ends of the earth—and he has kept his word. Their only escape is a one-way trip through the time portal.

With death on their heels, salvation appears in the form of two strangers. Seemingly ordinary people, Tom and Cassandra assure Leda and Grey that they are here to help. They claim they are repaying a debt—Leda and Grey helped them once, 1200 years ago.

The trip through the portal offers no escape, as Leda and Grey discover that evil transcends time. Can their presence in the past stop the eventual apocalypse that forms their future?

My friend Maria Zannini has a new book, Apocalypse Rising, coming out today. It's the long awaited (at least for me *grin*) sequel to Touch of Fire which I reviewed here.

What are you waiting for? Go grab yourself a copy, you can't go wrong with a Maria Zannini read *grin*

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T05:16:00.000-07:00

To all the

out there!

May your day be filled with all kinds of wonderful.

Fantastic Food Friday: Tuna-Noodle Casserole

2011-05-06T05:46:00.000-07:00

1 cup elbow macaroni
1 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons butter
1 11 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup milk
1 9 ounce can tuna, drained and broken into chunks
1 cup grated cheese (I used sharp Cheddar)

I'm all about NOT dirtying more than I need to -- this is a one pot deal -- so I used a pot I could put in the oven.

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In the same pot, saute the celery and onion in butter till tender. Stir in soup and milk. Gently stir in tuna and the cooked pasta. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes (till heated through). Sprinkle with grated cheese and return to the oven for 5 minutes to melt.

Of course, with my family, I doubled the recipe. Mark loves taking leftovers for lunch the next day.

Click here for more great recipes.

Book Review -- Garden Spells

2011-05-03T05:10:00.000-07:00

Claire has everything she thinks she needs, until one day she wakes to find a stranger has moved in next door and a vine of ivy has crept into her garden...and her carefully tended life is about to run gloriously out of control.

I won Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen a few weeks ago from the fabulous Lynn Viehl.

Allen told a lovely story, and once I got started, I read quickly and was left with warm-fuzzies.

Every smiley moon, without fail, Claire dreamed of her childhood. She always tried to stay awake those nights when the stars winked and the moon was just a cresting sliver smiling provocatively down at the world, the way pretty women on vintage billboards used to smile as they sold cigarettes and limeade.

So begins Garden Spells. The story is of the Waverly family, an oddly-gifted group of characters who are trying (or not) to cope with themselves. They are helped (and sometimes hindered) by their garden, in which grows special flowers, herbs, and an eccentric apple tree. Allen characterization (and each character's specific form of magic) is well done, the world building is fully realized, and the vivid descriptions of Claire's catering left me hungry to try some of the delicious dishes. The darker moments in the story just bring the lighter ones out in better relief.

Garden Spells is magical and romantic. A story about family, taking chances, and the everyday places magic hides. There are precious few novels that are especially unforgettable but this is one of them and I highly recommend it.

As Lynn Viehl herself said:

Ms. Allen's debut novel does not read at all like a debut novel, and it's the kind of book you end up sharing with everyone you know, even people who don't like to read, so it can work its magic on them.

Happy...

2011-05-01T09:10:00.000-07:00

April Reading Summary

2011-04-30T06:12:00.000-07:00

Total number of books read: 15

Monthly reading goals:

1 new-to-me author each month -- Stacia Kane
4 genres/sub-genres each month (I'm adding to that at least one book a month must be non-fiction and/or writing related.) -- 2, count 'em, 2 non-fiction this month (Smashwords Style Guide by Mark Coker & We Are Not Alone: The Writer's Guide to Social Media by Kristen Lamb), Mystery (Twelve Sharp (Stephanie Plum #12) by Janet Evanovich), Urban Fantasy (Unholy Ghosts (Downside Ghosts #1) by Stacia Kane), Paranormal Romance (Wicked Highlander (Dark Sword) by Donna Grant), Historical Romance (Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale)
Alternate male and female authors (I will say at least one male author per month.) -- Mark Coker
Write a note to 1 author each month -- fail

Fantastic Food Friday: Cinnamon Rolls

2011-04-29T05:39:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love waking up to fresh cinnamon rolls?

Combine 2 cups flour and 1 package active dry yeast. Heat and stir 1 cup milk, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt till warm (120-130 F) and butter almost melts. Add to flour mixture along with 2 eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on low for 30 seconds, scraping bowl. Beat on high for 3 minutes. Using a spoon, stir in as much of 2 to 2 1/3 cups flour as you can.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl; turn once. Cover, let rise in a warm place till double (about 1 hour).

Punch dough down. Divide in half (if you're making 24 small rolls vs. my 16 large rolls). Cover; let rest 10 minutes.

Roll into rectangle (I eye it to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick). Melt 3 tablespoons butter; brush over dough. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; sprinkle mixture over dough. If desired, measure 3/4 raisins and sprinkle over dough. Roll up from one of the long sides. Seal seams. Slice dough into rolls (approximately 1 inch thick). Place rolls into greased cake pan(s). Cover; let rise till nearly double (about 30 minutes). Bake at 375 for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool slightly; remove from pans (I'm lazy and serve up from the pan) and drizzle with icing.

Note: I use the filling (adding 1/2 cup chopped nuts) and icing from the linked recipe below.

Another favorite recipe is Overnight Cinnamon Rolls.

Click here for more great recipes.

X is for Xibalba

2011-04-28T05:29:00.000-07:00

Xibalba according to Wikipedia is:

In Maya mythology, Xibalba (pronounced /ʃɨˈbɒlbə/), roughly translated as "place of fear", is the name of the underworld, ruled by Maya Death Gods and their helpers. In Yucatec, it was known as Metnal. In the 16th-century Verapaz, the entrance to Xibalba was traditionally held to be a cave in the vicinity of Cobán, Guatemala. According to some of the K'iche' Maya presently living in the vicinity, the area is still associated with death. Cave systems in nearby Belize have also been referred to as the entrance to Xibalba.

We experienced a level of Xibalba the other night.

We have the smoke detectors from hell wired into our house. Or they are possessed by some Xibalba native.

I want to do bodily harm to whoever wired our smoke detectors.

A little back story. These things are uber sensitive. Good thing, mostly. They go off whenever I clean the oven, annoying but I can live with it. I'd rather having working smoke detectors. They go off whenever I need to cook above 375 in the oven. Extremely annoying, but again, I'd rather having working smoke detectors.

And it's not just us. We hear neighbors' smoke detectors going off all the time, too.

So, on the night in question, the smoke detector went off around 12:30 in the morning. Hubby and I jerk wake, he does a walk through to make sure it's a false alarm, and he shuts it off. End of story? Not a chance. The darn things went off again. Three more times in that first hour (after which we closed all the windows thinking maybe it was dust coming in with the breeze setting it off) then every 30 to 45 minutes till 6 am. Needless to say, hubby and I wore toothpicks in our eyes all day.

Did you know it's a good idea to blow air (like the compressed air you use on computers) into your smoke detectors when you change the batteries (y'all know when you Spring Forward and Fall Back)?

Here's the scary.

It's a little like The Boy Who Cried Wolf. Our first response is no longer, "OMG we need to get out of the house."

Here's the terrifying.

The boys slept through it all! Not a single one woke up, got out of bed, or groggily said, "What up with the alarms last night?"

There have been studies about kids not waking up to smoke detectors. We even tested the boys when we lived in Oregon. But this was truly terrifying because it went on so long. And it was loud! Every smoke detector upstairs going off at once. Not a moan or groan from the boys.

I can't tag this one Blog Fun even though it fits the challenge, it's just too serious.

W is for Woodworking

2011-04-27T05:31:00.000-07:00

My father-in-law is an amazing woodworker.

Just take a look at some of the gifts he's made for us over the years...

A cutting board too beautiful to use as a cutting board!

A toy car, made for Ian one Christmas.

And how about this adorable recipe card holder?

Is my father-in-law the bomb or what?

V is for Vacation

2011-04-26T06:20:00.000-07:00

As in, I NEED ONE!

LOL

The boys were on Spring Break last week but we stayed close to home and they ended up being bored out of their minds. Picture your worse kid related nightmare, times 4, throw in a dose of Grinchy "NOISE, NOISE, NOISE, NOISE," and it all equals last week.

It was nicely rapped up with an Easter party at Mark's boss' house Sunday night.

We're in the home stretch of this A to Z challenge and it's been fun.

Hoppy Easter

2011-04-24T05:15:00.000-07:00

We wish everyone a wonderful Easter spent with family and friends.

T is for Trampoline

2011-04-23T05:13:00.000-07:00

Fantastic Food Friday: Veggie Lasagna

2011-04-22T05:28:00.000-07:00

Crock pot version. Not pretty but tasty!

2 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano or basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 15 ounce container ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
16 ounces grated mozzarella cheese
12 lasagna noodles (regular not the no-boil)
2 10 ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry -- or 3 cups fresh spinach, cooked, or substitute your favorite veggie

Combine tomatoes, garlic, oregano or basil, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together ricotta, Parmesan, and 3/4 of mozzarella.

Spoon 1/4 of tomato mixture into bottom of pan. Layer noodles, breaking to fit. Sprinkle 1/3 of spinach over noodles. Spoon 1/3 of ricotta mixture over spinach. Top with 1/4 of tomato mixture. Repeat with two more layers. Top final layer with remaining mozzarella. **I add the remaining mozzarella after cooking when doing this in the oven.

Cover with foil. Cook in 375 oven for 1 hour, test for donenees by inserting the tip of a paring knife into the noodles; it should pierce them easily. **Top with remaining mozzarella. Allow to stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Crock pot option: Prepare as above, **adding final layer of mozzarella. Cook on low heat until noodles are done (use same test as above), 2 to 3 hours.

Meat lovers option: Add 1/2 pound of browned ground beef to the tomato mixture.

Click here for more great recipes.

R is for Rabbit

2011-04-21T05:23:00.000-07:00

Because B for Bunny, D for Decorating, E for Easter, and H for Hopping Down the Bunny Trail are past. So, here's some of our Easter decorations featuring Rabbits.

(That table cloth didn't even last 24 hours before one of the boys spilled on it, LOL, good thing it's washable!)

Q is for Quiet

2011-04-20T05:41:00.000-07:00

A rare quiet morning!

P is for Pets

2011-04-19T05:18:00.000-07:00

Bear is the cautious one.

Cal has no such worries.

The Great Guinea Pig Escape!

O is for Orange Blossoms

2011-04-18T05:11:00.000-07:00

Our dwarf orange tree has flowers! I'm really hoping we get some fruit this year...and that the boys don't pick all the budding oranges before they can mature!

N is for Nom de Plume

2011-04-16T05:13:00.000-07:00

My alter ego was born this month.

I agonized over whether or not to create a pen name. I got amazing advice from Joely Sue Burkhart, Maria Zannini, and Kait Nolan, friends and mentors. I polled my family and Jewels, played a lengthy game of Pros and Cons, and in the end the need to keep the family separate from the writer won out.

I introduce to you Raelyn Barclay:

Blog
MySpace
Facebook
Twitter

I’m a long way from publishing that first story. However, donning Raelyn Barclay has made me serious about this writing dream, feeling my writing has become a career instead of a hobby.

Fantastic Food Friday: Couscous Salad

2011-04-15T05:35:00.000-07:00

3/4 cup orange juice
1 1/3 cups couscous
1/3 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup shredded carrots
1/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts
3 cups torn fresh baby spinach

In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups of lightly salted water to a boil. Stir in 1/2 cup of the orange juice, the couscous, and the raisins. Cover the pan, remove from heat, and let stand for 5 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Fluff the couscous with a fork and cool.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup of orange juice, the salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the oil until it's well blended.

Add the carrots, nuts, and spinach to the couscous. Pour in the dressing and toss to mix.

Optional: Add 1 1/2 pounds of cooked turkey or chicken breast, cut crosswise into thin strips for a main dish.

Click here for more great recipes.

L is for Ladle Rat Rotten Hut

2011-04-14T05:32:00.000-07:00

Once long ago, in a country far away, a young man sat in a hospital bed recovering from open heart surgery. His crazy, fun-loving sister sent him a piece of paper upon which there were no capital letters nor punctuation nor spaces. He puzzled those letters till his puzzler was sore. By the time the letters meant words and the words made sense as a story, that young man had memorized the thing! And thus became a tradition at every family gathering for that young man to tell the tale of Ladle Rat Rotten Hut.

Wants pawn term, dare worsted ladle gull hoe lift wetter murder inner ladle cordage, honor itch offer lodge dock florist. Disk ladle gull orphan worry ladle cluck wetter putty ladle rat hut, an fur disk raisin pimple colder Ladle Rat Rotten Hut.

Wan moaning, Rat Rotten Hut's murder colder inset, "Ladle Rat Rotten Hut, heresy ladle basking winsome burden barter an shirker cockles. Tick disk ladle basking tutor cordage offer groin-murder hoe lifts honor udder site offer florist. Shaker lake! Dun stopper laundry wrote! An yonder nor sorghum-stenches, dun stopper torque wet strainers!"

"Hoe-cake, murder," resplendent Ladle Rat Rotten Hut, an tickle ladle basking an stuttered oft. Honor wrote tutor cordage offer groin-murder, Ladle Rat Rotten Hut mitten anomalous woof. "Wail, wail, wail!" set disk wicket woof, "Evanescent Ladle Rat Rotten Hut! Wares are putty ladle gull goring wizard ladle basking?"

"Armor goring tumor groin-murder's," reprisal ladle gull. "Grammar's seeking bet. Armor ticking arson burden barter an shirker cockles."

"O hoe! Heifer blessing woke," setter wicket woof, butter taught tomb shelf, "Oil tickle shirt court tutor cordage offer groin-murder. Oil ketchup wetter letter, an den - O bore!"

Soda wicket woof tucker shirt court, an whinney retched a cordage offer groin-murder, picked inner widow, an sore debtor pore oil worming worse lion inner bet. Inner flesh, disk abdominal woof lipped honor bet an at a rope. Den knee poled honor groin-murder's nut cup an gnat-gun, any curdled dope inner bet.

Inner ladle wile, Ladle Rat Rotten Hut a raft attar cordage, an ranker dough belle. "Comb ink, sweat hard," setter wicket woof, disgracing is verse. Ladle Rat Rotten Hut entity bet rum an stud buyer groin-murder's bet.

"O Grammar!" crater ladle gull, "Wood bag icer gut! A nervous sausage bag ice!"

"Battered lucky chew whiff, doling," whiskered disk ratchet woof, wetter wicket small.

"O Grammar, water bag noise! A nervous sore suture anomolous prognosis!"

"Battered small your whiff," insert a woof, ants mouse worse waddling.

"O Grammar, water bag mousy gut! A nervous sore suture bag mouse!"

Daze worry on-forger-nut gulls lest warts. Oil offer sodden, thoroughing offer carvers an sprinkling otter bet, disk curl and bloat-thursday woof ceased pore Ladle Rat Rotten Hut an garbled erupt.

Mural: Yonder nor sorghum stenches shut ladle gulls stopper torque wet strainers.

That young man grew up to be my uncle and while he has passed the torch to my nephew the tale of Ladle Rat Rotten Hut will always be his.

Book Review -- The Sevenfold Spell

2011-04-12T05:21:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered what happens to the other people in the fairy tale?

Things look grim for Talia and her mother. By royal proclamation, the constables and those annoying "good" fairies have taken away their livelihood by confiscating their spinning wheel. Something to do with a curse on the princess, they said.

Not every young lady has a fairy godmother rushing to her rescue.

Without the promise of an income from spinning, Talia's prospects for marriage disappear, and she and her mother face destitution. Past caring about breaking an arbitrary and cruel law, rebellious Talia determines to build a new spinning wheel, the only one in the nation—which plays right into the evil fairy's diabolical plan. Talia discovers that finding a happy ending requires sacrifice. But is it a sacrifice she's willing to make?

I recently received a copy of Tia Nevitt's The Sevenfold Spell., the first of the Accidental Enchantment series.

I loved this twist on the classic Sleeping Beauty tale. All the fairy tale elements you know and love are still present yet the different perspective keeps it from being just another retelling.

Talia is fully developed. She’s a very likable heroine, who just wanted a life with Willard, but was denied. She picks her way through a life altered by the curse. Talia grows and changes along her journey despite the circumstances dictating a lot of her choices. I was rooting for Talia to get her happy-ever-after.

Everyone you expect make appearances, just not how you'd think. I enjoyed the explanations such as why the fairies couldn't reverse the curse. And was rewarded with a satisfying end that took in the entire scope of the story.

The Sevenfold Spell is a quick read and a good way to spend a free hour or two. I'm looking forward to more from this series.

H is for Hookie...as in I'm playing Hookie Today!

2011-04-09T09:57:00.000-07:00

Fantastic Food Friday: Rice Pudding

2011-04-08T05:26:00.000-07:00

:le sigh: this is one of my all-time favorite desserts. It's also a guilty pleasure because I'm the only one who eats it.

3 beaten eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup rice
1/2 cup raisins
Ground nutmeg (or cinnamon)

Combine eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla. Beat till well combined but not foamy. Stir in rice and raisins. Pour into a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Place casserole in a large baking dish (I use the bottom of my broiling pan) and pour boiling water into the baking dish around the casserole to a depth of 1 inch.

Bake at 325 for 45 to 55 minutes till a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. (Original recipe calls for a stir 30 minutes into the baking but I like the defined layers created when omitting this step.) Makes 6 servings and can be served warm or chilled.

Shh...don't tell...but I love this for breakfast, too. Am I channelling Bill Cosby when I say its the perfect dessert for breakfast? I mean it has rice which is a grain, raisins which are a fruit, eggs which are a protein, and milk which is a dairy. By my accounting that makes rice pudding better for breakfast than...say...cake! LOL

Click here for more great recipes.

F is for Forty-Five...gasp!

2011-04-07T05:42:00.000-07:00

Who shares your birthday? I share today with:

Without cheating, how many of these fine folk can you name?

D is for Doctor Who

2011-04-05T05:42:00.000-07:00

Yay! April 23rd can't come soon enough, LOL. Yeah, I'm a nerd.

B is for Blog Challenge

2011-04-02T05:29:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week I learned of the A to Z Blog Challenge. I love the idea. Basically you post six days a week, each day focusing on a specific letter, with a goal of getting through the entire alphabet by the time you reach the end of April.

I'm not officially joining the blog challenge but am going to attempt to do the blog posts in and around my regularly scheduled posts. So we'll see what fun I can get into on the blog for April.

There are over 700 blogger participating in this A to Z challenge. April is going to be a busy blogging month! People I know who are taking part:

Angelina Rain

Liz Fichera

Krista D. Ball Who, by the way, is gonna visit my li'l ol' blog this summer.

Ciara Knight

Jennifer Shirk

For fun, what kind of blog posts would you like to see this month?

Happy Birthday

2011-04-01T09:58:00.000-07:00

Ryan!

Nineteen years ago yesterday, we were having a family gathering at my parents -- I don't remember now if it was for my birthday (which is next week) or Easter or a combination of the two (they run neck and neck more often than you'd think) -- my sister was huge, ready to pop any day. After sis and BIL left that night those of us left joked about her going into labor and the baby having an April Fools birthday.

Just after midnight, sure enough, the call came in. BIL and sis were on their way to the hospital, LOL. So, April Fools at 9:58 in the morning my amazing nephew came into the world.

Happy birthday Ry-guy. Love you!

Uncle Mark, Aunt Sherri, and the boys

Fantastic Food Friday: Corn Bread

2011-04-01T05:44:00.000-07:00

Two ways. We like the more traditional recipe to accompany things like fried or roasted chicken but the sweet recipe for spicy foods like chili.

Traditional Corn Bread
1 cup corn meal
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/3 cup veggie oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Sweet Corn Bread
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup corn meal
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup veggie oil
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl combine the the liquid ingredients. Add the milk mixture to the corn meal mixture, stir just until blended.

Pour into greased 8 inch baking pan, greased or paper-lined muffin cups, or my personal favorite a cast iron skillet.

For the traditional recipe: bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes for bread or 15 minutes for muffins.

For the sweet recipe: bake at 350 for 35 minutes for bread or 18-20 minutes for muffins.

Click here for more great recipes.

March Reading Summary

2011-03-31T05:33:00.000-07:00

Total number of books read: 16 (crap, I out did myself!)

Monthly reading goals:

1 new-to-me author each month -- Nicky Charles
4 genres/sub-genres each month (I'm adding to that at least one book a month must be non-fiction and/or writing related.) -- Mystery (To the Nines (Stephanie Plum)by Janet Evanovich), Paranormal Romance (Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs (Jane Jameson)by Molly Harper), Romantic Suspense (Kill for Meby Karen Rose), and lots more of the same so I didn't make the 4 and/or the non-fiction, oh well.
Alternate male and female authors (I will say at least one male author per month.) -- yeah, didn't get this covered either
Write a note to 1 author each month -- not yet

Report Cards and Grades, oh my

2011-03-30T05:42:00.000-07:00

I don't have a WiP post for this week. Haven't been cross-stitching and decided not to continue with the revision updates, ain't y'all lucky? The revisions are going better since I took the pressure off myself of the weekly update, go figure.

So I'll plug in a little family update instead.

Report cards came in for Alex and Ian. Both are doing well.

Alex is a strong A-B student, once again on A-B honor roll for the year. He received A's in Math (very much his strongest subject), Writing, and Social Studies. The B's were in Science and Reading.

Alex is an amazing student; he excels in science knowledge and multiplication facts. He has incredible illustrations to go along with his stories and books.

Ian received A's in Math, Science, and Social Studies; a B in Writing; and a C in Reading. His writing has improved so much over the course of the year! He still holds his pencil weird but his control, therefore his legibility, is 100% better than the start of the year. Reading continues to be a struggle. He's receiving an extra half hour of intervention a day. For me the joy is in watching him actually pull a book out and curl up in bed to read it. So while he still struggles he seems to be developing a joy in reading and that is more important to me than a score on a test!

Ian is a delightful little boy. I am very proud of Ian. He continues to blossom.

Grades for the third quarter are in for Cam.

It's no surprise that he received A's in Science and English. He has found a new love in science this year after a skill test said he'd be good at astronomy. I guess the Rocket Burger dream finally bit the dust. He received B's in everything else: Band, Reading, Math, and Computer.

He is now in a situation of having to select his electives for next year and is torn. He's been surprised at enjoying band yet it is far from his first love. His band teacher has recommended him to move up to the intermediate band, which is great because it means he's mastered the beginning band skills. We agreed he would apply for publications (working on the yearbook/newspaper) as a first choice, band second, and in a surprise move he selected working in the cafeteria third.

And not to be left out -- I've filled out the registration for Robbie to start kindergarten in the fall. Oh where, oh where has the time gone?

Happy Release Day

2011-03-29T05:28:00.000-07:00

So many books, so little time...

Highlander's Curseby Melissa Mayhue

Eternal Rider (Lords of Deliverance)by Larissa Ione

Lady Doctor Wyre: Jane Austen Space Opera, Book 1by Joely Sue Burkhart

Dead in the Family (Sookie Stackhouse)by Charlaine Harris

My One and Onlyby Kristan Higgins

Vampire Mineby Kerrelyn Sparks

Lover Unleashed (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 9)by JR Ward

What are you waiting for? Run out for, or download to your e-reader of choice, some new reading material. Or if you already did, what are you reading?

I just finished Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs (Jane Jameson, Book 1)by Molly Harper which was a fun romp if reminiscent to the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris.

Fantastic Food Friday: Turkey Chili

2011-03-25T05:37:00.000-07:00

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (can use pork or beef)
3 cups chopped veggies (I used 1 cup each of onion, bell pepper, and celery)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon oil
2 15-16 ounce cans kidney beans (or your fav)
2 14-15 ounce cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 15-16 ounce can tomato sauce
1 cup broth or water (I omitted because we like thicker chili)
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried herb (I used basil but Italian seasoning, oregano, and thyme are great too)
1/2 teaspoon black, cayenne, or crushed red pepper (depending on your spice level preferences)

Cook meat, veggies, and garlic in hot oil till meat is brown and veggies are tender. Drain fat. Stir in beans, undrained tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, spices. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered for 20 minutes.

This works great in the crock pot too! Cook meat, veggies, and garlic as above. Combine meat mixture and the rest of the ingredients in the crock pot. Cover; cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5 hours.

Click here for more great recipes.

Thoughtless Thursday

2011-03-24T05:51:00.000-07:00

WiP Wednesday

2011-03-23T05:38:00.000-07:00

I'm revising the story I finished in November for NaNo. I've dealt with character and plot holes (I hope), sketched out scenes I knew were missing plus a few more that are part of an idea that hit me in December after I'd set the story aside to rest a bit. I'm excited to be working on this again.

Goal is to get Let Me Be Your Prince revised and off to Jewels for that first read -- aiming for March 23rd.

:whew: Scary putting a date on that!

To be accountable, the mini-goals within that larger one are:

Act One by March 2nd -- 15,991 words, calling this pass done
Act Two part One by March 9th -- 12,868 words, not done
Act Two part Two by March 16th -- 7092 words :snort: I cut more than I kept and so not done
Act Three by March 23rd -- 9435 words, see above comment :head desk:

I'm aiming for 15,000 to 18,000 words per finished section for a finished draft of 60,000 to 72,000 words.

What I learned...putting a deadline on myself for revisions, at least these revisions, was a huge mistake. Ended up procrastinating more than working which frustrates me to no end because I really love these characters and really want their story to shine. So I continue but likely won't be updating.

Fantastic Food Friday: Meatballs

2011-03-18T05:26:00.000-07:00

2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup soft bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley (I never have this on hand so I substituted with a generous amount of dried Italian seasoning, just eyeballed it)
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper (or for extra spice use red pepper flakes)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/4 pound ground beef

Combine all the ingredients together, mixing well. Shape into meatballs, approximately 2 tablespoons per meatball should net you 18. (I tripled this recipe and made jumbo 30 meatballs.) Place meatballs on a baking sheet and bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes till no pink remains. Drain. (OR, You can also cook these up in a skillet with 1 tablespoon of oil for 8-10 minutes till no pink remains. Drain.)

I rarely make meatballs the same night I'm serving them, LOL. To freeze, place cooked meatballs in a single layer on a baking sheet. Freeze them overnight and repack in resealable freezer bags. Use within 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or microwave oven.

Click here for more great recipes.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2011-03-17T05:47:00.000-07:00

Wearing green?

Check.

Corn beef and cabbage cooking?

Check.

Green beer?

Um-no.

May the luck of the Irish be with you!

WiP Wednesday

2011-03-16T05:35:00.000-07:00

Goal is to get Let Me Be Your Prince revised and off to Jewels for that first read -- aiming for March 23rd.

:whew: Scary putting a date on that!

To be accountable, the mini-goals within that larger one are:

Act One by March 2nd -- Currently 14,766 which is thinner than I hoped for but first pass is done.
Act Two part One by March 9th -- Epic fail. Currently 11,218 and far from done.
Act Two part Two by March 16th -- Epic, epic fail. Didn't move forward with Act Two part One and, because of something I need firm in my mind from that section, I haven't been able to start Act Two part Two. :head desk: Back to the drawing board.
Act Three by March 23rd

I'm aiming for 15,000 to 18,000 words per finished section for a finished draft of 60,000 to 72,000 words.

Book Review -- The Fever Series

2011-03-15T05:37:00.000-07:00

Yep, the whole series is out, Mac's story done, so all you folks I've been telling to wait before starting this series can now do so, LOL.

I'll preface this by saying I've been a fan of Karen Marie Moning
since the first Highlander book came out. I've faithfully followed her, watched her writing grow, and even though the Fever series -- an urban fantasy -- isn't a romance Moning’s voice is there in force.

Darkfever (Book 1)

In Moning's own words...

The Fever World is a dark one, pierced infrequently by light, literally and metaphorically. I kept in mind a famous quote by Kahlil Gibran as I was writing: “Your joy can fill you only as deeply as your sorrow has carved you.”

Her writing is dark and meaningful and passionate. I was sucked into the world of Mac and Barrons and V’lane. Each of the players in the Fever world had their own agenda. And all of them searched for a powerful book.

Bloodfever (Book 2)

Like many readers, I didn't particularly like Mac at first. She grew on me though and I ended up cheering her on. She starts out as a spoiled Southern Belle -- pretty in pink blonde -- but the mysterious death of her sister sets her on a path forcing her to change and grow. She learns to fight and stay alive, learns she can see the Fae and sense their objects, and she’s tougher than she imagined.

Mac’s two heroes, for lack of a better word, are both dangerous and sexy. Barrons is powerful, mysterious, and one of the most complex and frustrating characters of the series. And I spent the series questioning who and what Barrons was. V’lane is just as powerful and mysterious, a “death-by-sex” Fae, and left me wondering whose side he was on.

Faefever (Book 3)

In the end, I was a Barrons gal, rooting for Mac and Barrons to find their HEA. It was a tough road, often violent (controversial even), and more things pulling them apart than you can shake a stick at.

The lines between the good guys and bad guys are blurred, leading to questions. So many questions! Plot twists, Moning’s masterful weaving of information, and this was a delicious, edge of my seat read.

Dreamfever (Book 4)

My frustration with the Fever series was that each book did not stand-alone. Tolkien may have done it but I don't think the average reader wants cliff-hangers that last as long as the ones in the Fever series did. (I know this was due in part to Moning's health and her refusal to release more than one title per year.) And oh what cliff-hangers! They ratchet up with each book from, “Mac has a mystery to solve” to “someone has died and Mac has lost everything.”

It was my faith in Moning’s writing and the complexity of the characters that kept me reading this series. In the end I believe the series would have been done quite easily and well in three books vs. the five...something I've said since the second book.

Shadowfever (Book 5)

Yes, there is an overall arc. Book one = Act one, Book two = Act two (part 1), Book three = Midpoint Reversal, Book four = Act two (part 2), Book five = Act three. But even that doesn't quite equal out because Shadowfever was a whopping 594 pages long.

I think the Fever series is richer having read the Highlander series but it’s not necessary. I loved how Moning pulled world-building, mythos, knowledge of the Fae and Druids from the Highlander series to give the Fever series extra depth. I enjoyed referenced events from the Highlander series and favorite characters make cameos throughout the Fever series.

I loved the series and highly recommend it.

Fantastic Food Friday: Baking Day

2011-03-11T05:49:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday I got a domestic bee up my butt and spent the day being a cooking/baking fool. Good news for you, more food posts. Good news for me, food prepped and/or in the freezer. A win, win if ever there was one. I think what started the whole thing was stumbling upon this post about big shop cooking. I did major shopping Friday :)

So, as soon as the boys had cleaned up their breakfast mess I set to work. I threw 3 plus pounds of ground beef in the crock pot with some onions and garlic, setting it on low to do its thing. Afterwards, I packaged the drained browned meat into three meals. Two possible uses: Beef & Potato Casserole and Western Casserole

Made and froze meatballs -- recipe next week :)

Made a couple loaves of Banana Bread.

Made up a big ole batch of Waffles so the boys have an easy warm breakfast option for school days.

But above and beyond that, I also pulled out a bunch of canning jars and reorganized my dry stores in the "pantry" and my baking cabinet. A rather successful day if I do say so myself.

Click here for more great recipes.

'Tis the season

2011-03-10T05:26:00.000-08:00

Of course, I also need one for:

Basketball

Cricket

Football

Golf

Hockey

Rugby

Soccer

Tennis

Did I miss any? LOL

WiP Wednesday

2011-03-09T05:40:00.000-08:00

Goal is to get Let Me Be Your Prince revised and off to Jewels for that first read -- aiming for March 23rd.

:whew: Scary putting a date on that!

To be accountable, the mini-goals within that larger one are:

Act One by March 2nd -- Currently 14,766 which is thinner than I hoped for but first pass is done.
Act Two part One by March 9th -- Epic fail. Currently 11,218 and far from done.
Act Two part Two by March 16th
Act Three by March 23rd

I'm aiming for 15,000 to 18,000 words per finished section for a finished draft of 60,000 to 72,000 words.

Book Review -- The Bloodgate Guardian

2011-03-08T05:32:00.000-08:00

Worlds within worlds await through the Maya Bloodgate...

Dr. Jaid Merritt doesn’t do digs. The last time she ventured into the jungle, someone died. Now she’s content to decipher Maya glyphs from pictures sent to her by her famous archaeologist father. But when he goes missing while trying to perform a ritual based on her translations of an ancient codex, Jaid must put aside her fears and travel to Guatemala to find him.

After misusing the Bloodgates to bring his twin brother back from the afterlife, the Maya priest known as Ruin was cursed by the gods to stand as the guardian for all time. He was unable to stop Dr. Charles Merritt from opening the gates, and now demons roam this world. The last thing he wants to do is hurt the beautiful woman who is somehow infused with his magic, but if she uses the codex to retrieve her father, Ruin must do his duty. And this time, he won’t fail. Even if it kills him. Again.

I'm bias, I freely admit that. Joely Sue Burkhart is a friend, but she didn't give this to me as a review copy -- bought it with Mark's hard earned money, LOL -- and I didn't beta read The Bloodgate Guardianeither.

Once again, Burkhart blew me away with her attention to detail, research, and amazing characters. She built a fully realized world seeped with Mayan mythos. She doesn't burden the story with her research but weaves it within the plot seamlessly. A great twist on the "end date" stories out there.

He never hated his magic until it compelled him to kill.

I was pulled in from the first sentence, Burkhart kept the action moving, the tension high, and I didn't want it to end despite the very satisfying ending. Bloodgate is a strong stand-alone story yet open to a possible series. I loved the world and the people thus would be thrilled to see more.

The characters...what can I say?...they spoke to my heart, something that happens every time I pick up one of Joely's stories.

Ruin's delicious. A strong alpha man doomed to live forever alone consumed by guilt. Burkhart took a historical/mythological person and breathed life into him. No apologies made for his culture yet a person I could sympathize with.

Jaid's stronger than she thinks she is and I totally related to her. Jaid acts and feels how I imagine I would being thrown into that story.

They have an amazing chemistry. The culmination of their feelings isn't as erotic as some of Burkhart's other works but it fits this story. One of the things I love about a Burkhart read is how she makes her couple work for their happily ever after. By the time Ruin and Jaid reach that point I blew out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding. Kudos!

Definitely run don't walk to get this one.

E-book Week

2011-03-07T06:14:00.000-08:00

Wallpaper courtesy of Pickyme Digital Artist

Who knew? LOL

Here's an awesome chance to try out a new author for free or at a huge discount. A few links to get you started --

Cate Masters

KM Weiland

Shiloh Walker

Angelina Rain

Alison Kent

General e-book specials from the main site.

Happy reading!

Giveaway

2011-03-04T08:13:00.000-08:00

I've been very uncreative in the cooking department lately and have run out of recipe pictures :sigh: This restricted diet thing is hard.

On the other hand, not to make your visit a complete loss, my blogging friend Nicole is having a contest over on her blog so hop on over and say I sent you :)