My Horizontal Life...pales in comparison!

Woah!

This book was a breath of fresh air! It was super funny and if you love anything about Chelsea Handler it's her quick wit and sarcasm! She's got it going on and I kid you not when I tell you this one kept me laughing all the way through!

It's like the juiciest parts of everyone one of your favorite books all put together in one!

Pick up a copy for yourself! You'll enjoy it and either feel really good or really bad about your sex life...depending on the circumstances! ;)

Enjoy!

Looking For Something Stronger Than Calgon?

Then pick up this one! Well, maybe it won't take you away....in fact, it might just immerse you directly in it!

If you are a mom, you've gotta read this one! I picked up my copy at BAM. It's available online there and through Amazon as well. It's derived from truemomconfessions.com and it's a keeper! If you're familiar with the website, then you'll be getting approximately the same thing only in book form. It's an eye opening look into the world of motherhood and what moms feel. The website offers women the opportunity to divulge their deepest, darkest secrets regarding motherhood anonomously! There is no worry of backlash from other readers. Or, like on mommy boards, the sad "looks" and demeaning lectures on why you are or aren't breast feeding. It's an all too true look at what real moms think, feel and say (or don't say)! If you're a mom, you will identify with more than one of the quotes found in this book! And if you're not a mom, then at least you'll have stepped away learning something about the "joys of motherhood"! I read this one out of the deck today and I'm eager to hear your thoughts on it!

29 Down...and Many More to Go!

Today is my 29th birthday! It's hard to believe...mainly because of all that has taken place in that time. I look at my two precious angels (7 and 4 years old) and try to imagine their 29th birthdays...and it's going to be here before I know it. The past few months since I've blogged have been quite a ride...but that's not my excuse for not blogging. I admit that I forgot my login and password and just never got around to figuring it out until a few days ago. Now that I have it, I'll be back on the blogging bandwagon, I suppose! There's much to tell, that's for sure! But, for today, I'll simply leave it at this: birthdays, after a certain point, don't bear a whole lot of excitement. I make a huge deal out of my kids' parties...more than some would, I suppose...but you only get excited about them for a short period (maybe only a 1/4 of your lifespan) so you better live 'em up, right!? But, over the past few months I've had my share of humbling experiences. My best friend's daughter has leukemia...every birthday to her (and her family and friends) is like the breath of life. A local name here, Megan Brittain, died this past week. She was a bright, vibrant, beautiful 12 year old girl that died from a form of Cancer. Her mother died only six months prior to her diagnoses..also from Cancer. That family knows all to well the importance of birthdays and what they represent. A young woman was in a car accident the other day and is now in critical condition with the possibility that she won't make it...won't make it home to her family! That seems so inconceivable! I don't mean to rain on the birthday parade, but just a little bit of info. to let you in on a little secret - I don't take my days for granted anymore! They aren't guaranteed to me for any specific length of time, so I'm choosing to spend them more wisely, more humbly, EVEN MORE HONESTLY and FREE of any undo stress that should arise! It's good to be back in the blogging world...see you soon!

The Wonderfully Written Word...

Oh my I'm a new found reader! Whoo-hoo! I started a book club - online at www.betweenthepages.ning.com - and we've only had one meeting....but I have plans to change the way we were going to do it. Here's my new philosophy on the thing: You come to the meetings, if you're in the vicinity and you bring along a book with you. It should be a book that you're okay parting with. In exchange, you will take home a book that someone else brings to swap. I have also joined SwapTree, which is what gave me the idea for changing the way we do it! This way, everyone takes home a book that haven't read!! Whatta ya think? Neat, huh? Additionally, I'm interested in feedback on what works best for everyone as far as meeting dates, times, etc. Anyway, I'm hoping to beef up our member list and get lots of books! Some of the one's I've read recently are A Million Little Pieces by James Frey, The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, Marley and Me by John Grogan and Among the Heroes - The Passengers and Crew of Flight 93 by Jere Longman. I recommend them all for good reads and I have a drawer full of books waiting on me...so I better get busy!

Seasons of Change...

It's been a while since I've posted. No reason in particular other than trying to keep up with everyday life. What's been going on with me? Well...where should I start? We're really looking forward to Turkey Day at our house! We get to travel to Atlanta to celebrate at Uncle Derek's house! It's always good to go visit them and the kids absolutely love their cousins Nick and Chris! They are just too cool for school!

I'm crazy addicted to this Swaptree site! It's a sickness...for real! I'm mailing books and getting books at least once a week and it's awesome! I wonder if it will be a fad that will fade like MySpace was for me. We'll see.

I'm trying really hard (and doing pretty good) to remember to take my new Thyroid medicine the Dr. put me on. I have noticed a difference, so that's good. Are you officially 'gettin' on up in the years' when you have to start taking maintenance medication? Oh well...like it matters. Better now than when it's too late.

The kids and I are reading Harry Potter. We read a chapter each night and Hallie is loving it! She's way more into it than Hayden, but he'll come around. The first book is a struggle to get through anyway, but you gotta read it to know what's going on! The two of them amaze me everyday with their knowledge! (Hayden did manage to stump me with some math...but that's for a different blog. I'll try to get that one up tomorrow or the day after!)

We have four puppies left from Jacee's litter! They are adorable! I have three black girls and one black boy left. Any takers? They're cuties! So sweet, huge paws and short hair like a lab. The daddy dog is quite a story too...I'll elaborate more in another blog.

And today, I went through the roughest day at work I've ever had. We went through some layoffs at work this afternoon and when I tell you it was hard, I'm not even scratching the surface on describing it. It was heart wrenching to watch your friends and co-workers pack up their stuff, walk out and know that they won't be back tomorrow. I was lucky to not be among them, but I'm one of the many left behind to make sense of it all. It's hard not to question management in situations like this because you don't have all the pieces to the puzzle. You might think you could have done a better job at this or handled things more professionally or in a better manner, but no matter how you deliver it....it's still the same bad news. I struggle like anyone else to make sense of the decisions, but I hope for everyone's sake that they were decisions made that will benefit everyone in the long run. I'm hopeful that the company will learn to be more efficient through this; I'm confident that some of these folks got a kick start into retirement and perhaps they'll learn how to relax all over again; I'm optimistic that a situation like this can throttle people into something they might never have tried otherwise; and I'm also painfully aware of the economy and how much worry and stress everyone of those individuals is feeling. I feel sad that they're gone...very sad. But, what is life if not a roller coaster, right?

Swap What Yo Mama Gave Ya...

....or something someone else might have given you! Have you heard about Swap Tree? Oh my gosh! You have to check it out! I've been a swapping fool (With books, people! Minds out of the gutter!) (It's simple...set up your account, key in the books, dvd's, cd's or video games you have that you'd be willing to trade for some you don't have and you're all set! All you do is pay the postage to get your item to the party that wants to trade. It's like crack...or at least what I think crack would be like!

Movie Theater Etiquette...

I don't appear to be that great at it. Allow me to explain:

I love the movies. If I'm asked "What would you like to do tonight?" my response will always be (both internally and vocally) THE MOVIES!!! They are the ultimate escape. Even if a movie turns out to be a dud, it still took a lot to get it to the big screen on which you so enjoy it.

Today, I was invited to the movies with my sister-in-law and mother-in-law.

The movie of choice: Nights in Rodanthe. Stop laughing............

When I told my husband that I was going to see it, he said with his eyes rolling,

"Oh my gosh, just the name of that movie makes my stomach hurt!"

He's a guy.

The movie, in case you didn't know, is based on a book of the same name by Nicholas Sparks. It's every bit as much of a chick flick as it sounds. I love the shows on VH1 - I Love the 80's! - and the one where Steel Magnolias is highlighted is great!

Gilbert Gottfried, the comedian, actually says about that movie,

"This movie is so full of estrogen that if you watch it for 10 minutes, you'll grow a vagina!"

I love the fact that I can watch a movie like Steel Magnolias and be brought to sobbing tears everytime - even though I know Shelby dies, the graveside scene where Sally Fields loses it kills me; more so now that I'm a mother. I couldn't imagine watching it and not feeling what the actors/actresses are trying to make me feel. How empty that must be. But, I digress.

This time of year finds me well on my way to a sinus infection anyway, so breathing through my nose wasn't exactly a 'piece of cake'. But, the horrid sounds coming from my nasal cavity throughout the duration of this film were unacceptable to movie-goers everywhere, I'm guessing. You know that sound that you make when you've been crying for a while and you try to inhale through your nose and nothing happens - well, nothing except for that clogged up vacuum hose sound!? You know the one I'm referring to! It was terrible! So, after the first encounter with this noise, I decided it was best to breathe from my mouth. I won't lie...there were a few times I thought I was going to choke to death in the theater.

Another thing about me and crying...it shows. Some folks can cry all day and come away without the puffy eyes, red cheeks and fat lips. Not me. Sigh...it's terrible for my reputation as a hard ass. So, heed the warning about this film now - it had me crying about 20 minutes in. The only movie ever to have gotten me earlier would be P.S. I Love You.

As the credits started rolling, I gathered what I was sure was my composure and we exited the theater. We were joined by 30 or more attendees stopping by the potty to check our make up and overall appearance. So, as we were in line, it became a joke that we were all in rough shape from the tear jerker we just sat through. I'm looking at my SIL and MIL and they don't look too bad. I mean, watery eyes, sure, but they don't look like they've been hit by a truck or anything. So, I made mention that I bet we probably felt worse than we looked and my lovely SIL responded, "Nahhhhh...you look pretty bad."

So, to all those that were in attendance at the 2pm showing of Nights in Rodanthe at the local theater, I apologize. I will bring my humidifier and nose spray next time.

P.S. GREAT MOVIE!

Between the Pages

Well, I've gone and done it! I've started my own book club.

I'm calling it Between the Pages.

A modest little book club...yet so much more!

I hope to read more, learn a lot & nurture some relationships along the way!

I hope you'll join me in 'discovering what's under the dustjacket'!

http://www.betweenthepages.ning.com/

What will your Final Lecture be?

Randy Pausch, the Carnegie Mellon University computer scientist whose "last lecture" about facing terminal cancer became an Internet sensation and a best-selling book, died Friday. He was 47.

I have read this book and I can't even begin to say how much it touched me. (I've already chosen it as the first read for my upcoming book club!) I laughed and cried the whole way through!

I hope you'll all get a copy and let it touch your heart the same way it did mine.

Vacation Wrap Up and other mind-numbing rants!

Well, the vacation went just swell. I fully intended to update daily, but the sand and the sea got the best of me! My apologies! The kids had a blast, we all ate too much and after the long ride home, I got to unpack! Unpacking is like the ultimate torture, right? I would make juvenile delinquents do that...right after I made them fold my laundry...oh, and iron it. Ha! However, I returned to home sweet home to discover that it had not been so sweet during our absence. There's been a lot of crime in the area lately and it leaves me uneasy. You may have read my previous blog about how I was followed in a major discount store and how uncomfortable it made me feel. Well, upon our return, we discover that our cousin was at home with her two daughters when two gentleman came to her house and busted her front door down trying to get in. They were scared off when she screamed...but I can't imagine how terrified she must be right now. It seems like it's everyday that there is somethin on the news or in the paper about another robbery, kidnapping or attack. What is the deal? When we were in FL, there was a story about a two year old little girl that has been missing for five weeks and her mother is a suspect. Her mother! I'm astounded. However, on a brighter note, I did get to read two fabulous books while I was wasting away in Margaritaville. Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner and the follow up to that called Certain Girls. These two books are just wonderful! They'll be perfect for my book club as soon as I get it going! ;) Finally, I attended a Relay for Life Committee Wrap-Up Party tonight. The events were held at the Talladega Superspeedway and it was great! We got to take turns going around the track at 120 miles per hour! It was up there with the neatest things I've done! But, the focus of the evening was for the 'powers that be' within the American Cancer Society to thank the committee that helped raise over $600,000 toward cancer research and funding! It was very nice of them to put it all together and even nicer for them to recoginze the hard work of the members and their families that sacrifice so much to let them be a part of the organization. A few were asked to stand up and give their reasons for why they Relay. I wasn't one of them, but if I had been...here's what I might have said: For my father, whom I didn't know, that passed away with Colon Cancer; For Uncle DeWayne, whose diagnosis hit me like a ton of bricks; For PaPa Sprayberry, who had the greatest outlook right up to the end; For Mike Cooper, who was one of the last great "family men" on Earth; For Kaylie Claire Ellis, who shouldn't even be having to think about chemo and radiation at four years old; But, mostly for selfish reasons...I relay because I get to be a part of something that fills me so completetly with humility and pride that I can't stop coming back. I relay with the hope that my children will never have to think about fighting cancer. I relay because it feels so dang good to know that I'm making a difference...and being on the Committee is only icing on the cake. That's why I do it.

Vacation - Part 2

Today could not have been more perfect if I'd written it that way myself.... The weather was warm, the ocean was calm and clean and I almost finished my book. The kids splashed and played in the Gulf like they've never done before and that was great to see! We rounded out the evening with ribs at Pineapple Willy's and go carts! You can't have vacation in PC without go carts, right?! I'm pretty sure I located the guy with the worst job in the world...he's in charge of the kiddie go carts at the "go cart place" and we were all in agreement that it probably sucked more than anything else in the world...at the time, anyway. Personally, I'm ready for bed...as soon as I finish my book! To be continued...

Tears in Flight!

My job doesn't require much travel for me outside the northeast region of the state. Recently however, an opportunity presented itself for me to tour a printing company that we use and I jumped at it. My trip consisted of two days (one night) of making my way through airports and I must confess: the sense of pride that consumed me as I swiftly maneuvered my way through the countless terminals was a nice surprise. I was more surprised that I ever doubted myself, really. But, after the numerous takeoffs, landings, shuttles and baggage claims I must admit that my book was probably the best part of my trip. What book? Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah. As a mother of two/wife of one and full time employee, reading often falls to the bottom of my To-Do. But, one day last week, my mother-in-law gave me this book that she'd just finished and she couldn't stop singing its praises. I'm a jacket reader. If the cover is enticing I'll want to read the book. I'm a huge believer that catching the reader's eye is the first step in drawing them in. Everything from the design to the font used inside - it must have a seamless flow in order to leave the reader satisfied. Your written words might not be enough. I work in advertising - what can I say? Nevertheless, this book held me captive from the very first line. It follows Tully & Kate through their mostly wonderful, sometimes painful, always truthful friendship. I won't turn this into a book review for fear of spoiling it, but I will say this...don't forget to bring your tissues. The tears started on my first flight - from Atlanta, GA to Grand Rapids, MI. The two flights home - Grand Rapids to Cincinnati and Cincinnati to Birmingham - were no better. Overall, I had three flight attendants, four passengers, two ticket takers and one server ask me if I was okay! That's doing some serious crying, right? But, as I said before...it's wonderful. I already have a list of folks in mind to purchase this one for. I can't wait to hear their embarrassing stories of where they were when they got to chapter 20!! I'm always encouraged when I get lost in the characters of a book - reminds me that I can still dream. Here's to hoping you never forget that either!