We love finding things to do as a family. From an early age, we started taking Rhiannon to a lot of different events so she would get used to being around lots of people.
Even though I'm much older than my 4 year old, I still adore Sesame Street. Having a child, many of us learn how to appreciate Sesame Street all over again. I love watching Sesame Street with Rhiannon. She likes to talk to the characters on tv. If they ask a question she answers it. So of course I am a fan of Sesame Street Live.
I have taken Rhiannon to several different Sesame Street Live shows. Our first show we got to go back stage and meet Abby!
She is even wearing a Sesame Street cheerleading outfit!
So the first show she watched, but didn't sit still.
The next show that came to town we got tickets for and she was getting really excited. Some of the characters went to the Downtown Library so kids could meet them and I took Rhi to meet Elmo.
My child ISN'T the one hugging Elmo. No. She is the one throwing a fit on the carpet. I think it was nerves.
And I'll tell you what, I would have loved to gotten a picture with Cookie and Elmo!
But she did good at the show. Her she is in her Elmo dress.
And she was exctied to meet Cookie Monster back stage!!
It was about this time that we even had an Elmo themed birthday party! My friend Ginny made Rhiannon this amazing Elmo birthday cake!
So we are all in when it comes to Sesame Street! In fact, I have to go back a little to my single days to explain my love of Elmo. I had gone thru a bad breakup, or had a bad day, or something...and a friend wanted to cheer me up. She gave me her Tickle Me Elmo. She said it always made her smile when she had a bad day. I still have that Tickle Me Elmo. I share it with Rhiannon (because she tells me often that it's nice to share) and it still makes me smile.
So now we have Sesame Street Live coming back to Wells Fargo Arena! I am so excited because this time it is Elmo's Super Heroes! If Super Grover is there I am demanding an autograph! (Well I know he is going to be there, but I mean if he is anywhere close to me they might have to issue a restraining order because I adore him!)
There are several performances, and I am all set to go to the Sunday show. In fact, and I'm pretty pumped about this....I get to go on stage and introduce Sesame Street Live! How cool is that? I have introduced bands and celebrities many times, but the thought of introducing Sesame Street Live has me weak in the knees. This is where I get nervous! Because I've loved these characters all my life!
Here is the description of the show: Sesame Street Live "Elmo's Super Heroes!" is coming to Wells Fargo Arena May 18-20th. Super Grover has lost his super-ness, but the fabulous five Super Heroes are here - featuring Elmo as Captain Fuzzy - to put the "super" back in Super Grover. Teaching lessons of healthy habits through song and dance, Elmo, Abby Cadabby and your favorite Sesame Street friends will explore exercise, nutrition, sleep/energy and hygiene – all in a quest to put the "super" back in Super Grover. It's Elmo's Super Heroes to the rescue!
So I have something special up my sleeve. I have a way for you to get a discount on your tickets!! Go HERE and you can save $3 off your ticket! (Now this does exclude the Gold Circle tickets and Sunny Seats) What a great, affordable way for your family to spend some time together! Just enter KARESS as the promo code for this exclusive offer! And I hope you can come out and join me for Sesame Street Live!
My husband has no idea what he is in store for. He is going to laugh at how much geek out, but I just love these shows!
It's been a while since I blogged. I haven't really known what to say to be honest.
A few weeks ago my favorite Uncle was in an ATV accident. This was my Dad's identical twin. My cousin Kristi, his only child, is like my sister. (Oddly enough we are not blood related since I am adopted, but you could never tell.) We look alike. We act alike. We are both the Black Sheep of the family trading in high paying careers for our love of music. It is really odd when you look at how similar we are. Kristi and I only got close about 15 years ago and now chat all the time. She is 4 years younger than me so I am like the big sister.
Anyhow...the accident didn't appear to be life threatening. And then all of a sudden it was. And then he was gone. Obviously it wasn't that simple or quick, but this is the path that was shaped after a week. When the accident first happened I got calls as my family was looking for Kristi to tell her there had been an accident. Of course I knew where she was. She lives in L.A. so she was at the Coachella Music Festival in Palm Springs. And my call or text would probably be the only one she would answer. And I was right. I texted her to call me, there was an emergency. Her favorite artist was on stage but she still texted me back so I could get her on the road.
Kristi had already lost her mom, and was an only child. So to see her strength as she made life changing decisions was awe-inspiring. I would like to think I could do what she had to do. But a big part of me thinks I would turn to jello and just be bed ridden.
I waited for her to tell me she needed me. And she told me she needed me to be back in South Dakota for the funeral. So I managed to take a week and drive out to my hometown to be there for her. We had a ton of family there. One night my parent's friends put together a dinner for the 50 plus family members. It was all most too many people for me! There were cousins I hadn't seen in about 15 years! Cousins I never really had a chance to get to know previously showed up. It was great to reconnect with so many people. But such a horrible event to all get together for.
My Uncle lived across the street from where my parents just moved. So I spent a lot of time at his place helping Kristi sort through stuff to pack up and take back to LA or to get rid of at an auction. And again she showed amazing strength. I felt like I couldn't break down until she did. And she just showed little cracks, so I held it together.
As I write this she is cruising across the U.S. in a big ole 16 foot UHaul on her way back to LA. She packed up what she wanted to keep and is making her way home. And I think it is starting to hit me. She told my Dad that he has to be her Dad now. And that I have to adopt her for real as my sister. Done and done. Last night on the phone she did tell me that she realized how important family is and how much it helped her get thru everything. She knows we got her back.
In addition to the importance of family, I have to say I was really appreciative of how supportive my friends and co workers have been. My work totally understood why I needed to be gone and helped me work it out. Friends stepped up to check our mail and do the things that friends do.
So I just wanted to let you know why I haven't been on the blog lately. I'll be back though.
I must apologize for this blog being so delayed. I had a family emergency that has kept me very preoccupied and I just couldn't get to this blog as soon as I wanted to.
But let's dive in headfirst, shall we? Saturday afternoon I headed up to Perry for our Girls Night Out Carnival. I didn't know what to expect since we had bad weather rolling into Central Iowa. But I really was looking forward to seeing the Hotel Pattee and staying the night. And as soon as I stepped into the hotel I felt this sense of calm wash over me. The lobby is full of sturdy wood that just gave me the impression that this hotel is rooted in the community. I know it sounds weird, but you get this sense of security. I checked into my room and was given the Dutch room. Which just made me feel like I was in Pella at tulip time. I loved it! Yes, I took a long soak in that whirlpool tub...with a cocktail.
Cute room right? I can honestly say I've never slept in a more comfortable bed. As the storm raged late that evening, I curled up with my book and was very cozy.
Now after I checked in, I made my way downstairs to the Copper Door Spa where I was treated to a Hot Stone massage. Now I will be honest, I've had a stone massage before and felt it was lacking. I explained what I had previously experienced with my massage therapist Homie, and she said no worries...this is the real thing. And she was right. It was truly amazing. I'm not posting pictures of me getting the most relaxing massage ever...noone needs to see that. But the stones are magic. And Homie is the magician. I needed this treatment so bad. And it was more than I ever dreamed it could be. It is almost the stones have this ability to withdraw all of the stress from your body.
After this massage I realized I need to reward myself with more things like that. In the past I've always rewarded myself with food. Ok not rewarded, but celebrated with food. As I make changes in my diet, I want to start rewarding myself in other ways, and I think massages are the perfect way to do that.
So after my massage I went back up to my room to get ready for the Girls Night Out Carnival. I really didn't know what to expect with the weather. I hoped we would get a good turnout, but I wasn't sure. I came downstairs and started chatting with the vendors. I knew I was going to be buying things from a lot of them! (And I did).
This is Homie who did my Stone Therapy Massage. She was giving chair massages at the event!
Some of the vendors set up before we started the event.
Some of my STAR listeners getting their adult beverages.
These ladies were READY for the night with own wine glasses! They cracked me up all night and they had a chance to tour every room at the Hotel Pattee!
More ladies shopping!
I have to say we just had a fabulous time! We had a ton of vendors and a lot of people came out! I really can't wait until the next one!
As the event started to wind down they gave away prizes, and I was floored by the prizes they had! I then made my way into David's Milwaukee Diner for a bite to eat. And then I had a few cocktails at the bar. As I sat there I met some wonderful people from Perry who had not only come out for the Girls Night Out Carnival, but also to stay the night at the Hotel Pattee. We just chatted up a storm in the bar as the weather whipped up a frenzy outside.
It was so much fun and I can't thank the staff of the Hotel Pattee and the Copper Door Spa enough for treating me so well! I will be back!
So I have blogged about the current basement issues that plague us. I am still waiting on estimates to find out the true damage. Which all of this has me stressed out completely. And how do I handle stress? Food and booze.
Which is being proven difficult as I am on Day 18 of a change in my diet. I am NOT dieting. I am eating differently. I am retraining myself to eat smaller meals at more frequent times. Obvious stuff, but I let myself get out completely out of hand and wasn't eating until about noon each day (for the first time all day) and then overeating at night. So I'm trying this new approach and limiting to a degree what I am eating.
Booze is not on this plan. Nor is fatty food or junk food. So I've really learned that my overeating is a result of stress. At this point I am very thankful for sugar free jello.
Anyhow--I did great at Easter. Kept to my plan and didn't eat any candy. At all. No cheating. And then I hit the store and realized all the candy was on sale and before I knew it I was putting it in the cart. Candy that I can't eat!! So I have a ton of candy at home for Rhi and the hubby and I am trying to resist. So far so good.
Rhi has started making me laugh out loud more and more these days. She just cracks me up. I am at the point where I would rather hang out with her than anyone else. A couple of nights ago as I made dinner we were in the kitchen singing Dead or Alive's 'Brand New Lover' and she was using a whisk as a microphone. And singing all of the 'Hello Hello' parts. Just so much fun to watch.
This morning she told me I'm her best. Just her best. And that seems to take a lot of that stress out of my head!
I'm excited to do something I've never done before! I'm going to the Hotel Pattee in Perry!
Since living in Des Moines I've heard about this amazing Hotel Pattee, but I've never seen it. I've never been in it. I've never stayed there. Are you like me? Tired of just hearing about it and ready to see it for yourself? Ok, let's do something about this!
Join me for a Girls Night Out Carnival at the Hotel Pattee in Perry, on Saturday April 14th. This is a chance to get away with your girlfriends, your sisters, your Mom...and have some fun! I'm leaving Rhi at home with the hubby and I'm ready to have a girls night. For only $5 you can come to the carnival. And it will be worth every penny because there will be so much going on!
*Mini Makeovers (I'll take two please)
*Chair massages (um...of course I'm in on this!)
*Chocolate sampling from Stam Chocolate (you had me at chocolate....)
*Wine (well of course)
*Hors d'Ouvres (which every great girls night has food)
*Music and entertainment (ok, at this point we might be dancing after the chocolate and wine)
*Gift bags for everyone!
*Hotel/Spa Tour (I might just hide in the spa for a week)
*Door prizes for spa services, hand bags and more
*A drawing for the Grand Prize which is a spa stay for 2, with dinner at Milwaukee Diner in the Hotel Pattee.
AND WE CAN SHOP. Oh no. When I saw who all is going to be there I started saving my shopping funds for this night. Tastefully Simple and Pampered Chef will be there. Lia Sophia jewelry will be on hand. I love Thirty One Gifts so that will be a big temptation for me since they will be there. There really will be a lot going on. Find out more at the Hotel Pattee website HERE.
The Girls Night Out Carnival is from 5-8pm, but I really wanted to make it a full night. So I decided to stay the night. The Hotel Pattee hooked me up, and they are ready to hook you up with an incredible deal as well. This is a great chance to stay at the Hotel Pattee where every room is different. Did you know that? Each room has a different theme. And for this event, they will let you stay for only $69. That will also include your admission to the carnival! You can see several of the rooms on their website with a virtual 360 tour. I spent an hour just looking at the rooms on the website! See for yourself right HERE.
So here is what I decided. I'm going down early. I want to check out the Copper Door Spa. (I'm going all out for this night!) I looked at their spa menu and I could go crazy. See the menu HERE. After some relaxation at the Spa I will be ready for the Girls Night Out Carnival. Then I might hit up the Milwaukee Diner for dinner. (And I know you want to see their menu which will make your mouth water. See it HERE.) And then I might hit up the bowling alley. Or have some drinks in the Inner Urban Lounge. I can do it all!!
So let's do it ladies. Let's have some girl time! To get the special room rate for that night of only $69, call the Hotel Pattee and tell them you want to come hang with STAR for the Girls Night Out Carnival. The number is 515-465-3511. Maybe you want to come early and join me in the spa? Be ready....I'm a woman on the edge and I could go wild!
Or crumble into a sedated, relaxed, blissed out sleep. Really it's hard to tell.
Bad luck by Karess Carter,posted Apr 3 2012 12:28PM
So if you read yesterday's blog you know I am having some bad luck lately. I want to thank Heidi for your email that made me laugh and cheered me up.
So I'm trying to get some good mojo going and wearing my music bracelet with a four leaf clover charm on it. So far NOT working.
My morning started when I tried to make my morning latte. It seemed to be taking forever! And then I realized I hadn't put water in the machine. Then I spilled the coffee all over the interior of my car. My head just doesn't seem to be on straight today!
So I'm looking for good luck. What do you got? Any superstitions? Good luck charms? I'm willing to try anything at this point! Share your ideas in the comments below.
Don't say 'well it can't get any worse'. It can. And you have just jinxed yourself to make sure of that.
Examples you say? Why of course!
When Rhiannon was born we learned that we had to replace a sewer line from our house to the main hook up at the street due to orange-burg. (A substance used when houses were built on the 50's in place of metal pipes. Not a good quality material and tree roots get in it, and the material collapses on itself with age.) Obviously this was an expensive venture but it had to be done. Luckily we found some amazing people to work with at Roto Rooter and they helped us a bunch.
But we always thought it can't get any worse.
And that is where you would be wrong.
It started slowly. I noticed a musty odor in the basement. Well it is a basement so we didn't think much of it. Then one day my husband said a towel I had thrown on the bottom on the stairs to go in the laundry was soaked like the dog peed on it. The dog hadn't been downstairs so we knew that wasn't the case, but we just didn't go any further. Then I noticed damp carpet at the bottom of the basement stairs. I looked at the adjoining wall and saw bits of mold. Oh no...we had a water issue.
Our laundry room was on the other side of the wall, with a drain so we thought the obviously, there must be a leak in the pipe that drains our washer. After we watched that for a few hours we realized that wasn't the case. What we didn't notice, was damp carpet on the other side of the stairs. We were looking at this the wrong way. The washer was the problem. Where was this water coming from? I shouldn't have asked.
I ran the dishwasher and we had more damp carpet downstairs. It was the a pipe under our basement floor that drained water from the kitchen sink and dishwasher. Embedded in concrete. We learned this Saturday as a friend came over to help my husband try to figure where the water was coming from. They ripped up carpet. They ran water and watched. And they discovered things you don't want to discover. You want desperately to hold on to the dream that this is only going to cost $100 or maybe worse case scenerio $1000.
And then you get the big reality check that you have a big problem on your hands. There is some swearing. And some laughing. And you pinky swear you will never ever say 'it could be worse' again in your life.
So we have a temp solution in play so we can use the sink. But we are bracing for the worst as we won't really know until they dig up the concrete. Which as we have started to call around to places the earliest we can be seen looks to be in 16 days.
Oh, and this is one of those things insurance doesn't cover. Bummer eh?
So this is where normally I would crack open an adult beverage and a few packs of Oreo cookies. Yes, I am a stress eater. But I am 9 days into a new eating plan and won't let myself fall off the wagon. It was tempting. Oh so tempting.
On a lighter note, my husband had to run an errand at Walmart and asked if there was anything I needed. I had a list of 3 simple things.
1. Dial Gold Antibac soap
2. 2 bars of Lever soap
3. 1 roll of paper towels.
This was translated by my husband to mean the following:
1. Dial Gold Antibac soap (good job)
2. 8 bars of lever soap
3. 8 rolls of paper towels.
When I asked why he had problems with the quantity of things he said 'I guess I can't go shopping for you anymore'. I think this was all done on purpose!!
Blog Diggity by Karess Carter,posted Mar 27 2012 11:34AM
I am being amazed daily at my four year old daughter. I love this age. The things that come out of her mouth have me laughing out loud.
She told me last night 'You're killing me Smalls!' It's a quote from the movie The Sandlot and she has never seen that. I guess I say that to her occasionally. She has also begun to roll her eyes at me. And practice her ABC's all the time.
We took her to the circus Saturday night and she wanted to ride the elephant. So we let her. And of course she is grinning ear to ear the entire time. When she was done we heard a giant 'whooosh' and the elephant started peeing everywhere as people started moving back to avoid the spray. (There was A LOT OF PEE) Then the elephant started dropping her other business and Rhi just was fascinated. I explained to her that all animals pee and poop just like our dog. So it is ok. On the phone with my mom she told her about riding the elephant and launched in to the pee and pooping. She informed my mom it was ok though because all animals do it. I had to laugh.
I love this age. She just loves discovering new things. She explained to me today after her Dad was teasing her, how it isn't nice to tease because we never want to hurt someone else's feelings. I had to hug her at that point. It was just so simple to her.
So I'll take this point to remind myself how lucky we are. You've heard my story about how she was born at 27 weeks weighing just 2 lbs and 2 ounces. We spent 96 days in the NICU at Blank Children's Hospital. And you know this is why I walk for the March for Babies. And I'll ask you to help me spread the word about The March of Dimes. They just rock. They strive for a world where all babies are born healthy. Rhiannon is my little miracle and I love her more every day.
Learn more about the March for Babies HERE and pass it on!
Ok, I've blogged before about how much I ADORE Hu Hot! I love it! The bonus for me is that my husband loves it as much as I do, and so does our 4 year old. She is big on anything with noodles at the moment, so going to Hu Hot is a win-win for the entire family.
Everytime I give away Hu Hot prizes for Lyrical Pursuit my mouth starts watering. I start rearranging my schedule so I can get the family there asap. It really is an addiction. And those egg rolls. Oh those heavenly egg rolls.
Ok..so I came across this contest that I wanted to tell you about that has to do with Hu Hot. I won't be entering because I have NO video skills, but I know a lot of you do. And you love Hu Hot as much as I do.
Here is the basic of the contest:
Create a 2 minute video professing your love of Hu Hot…and showing them "your inner warrior".
The grand prize is $1,000 cash, 2nd place is $200 cash and $200 Hu Hot certificate, with 3rd place scoring $100 cash and $100 Hu Hot certificate. And you have until April 15th to submit your entry! How cool is that? Seriously!!
They have even created a website to give you more details and help you with some sound effects, so check that out HERE.
And listen to this for some more details!
So I'm heading to Hu Hot for some family time this weekend and I want to see all of your creative videos!
Myinnerwarrior.com for details and video aids ….sound effects, music, etc
For those of you who don't know the story behind why I support the March of Dimes, here it is. My daughter, Rhiannon, was born at 27 weeks. She was 3 months premature, and we ended up spending 96 days in the NICU at Blank Children's Hospital. Today we are lucky to have a happy and healthy little girl who just turned 4. One of the main reasons she has thrived is because of the March of Dimes. They do so much for research that I know someday all babies will be born healthy. So to give back to the organization that helped my baby survive, I walk every year in the annual March for Babies.
Rhiannon at 27 weeks.
This was Rhiannon at the walk last year!
I know we all have our causes. Money is tight. I completely understand that giving a donation may not be the right thing for you. All I ask is that you help spread the word if you can.
You can easily make a donation on my March of Dimes webpage HERE . Spread the webpage if you can. We need to get the word about that the March of Dimes is making strides every day!
Every dollar will make a difference. And nothing is too big or too small.
Thanks for your consideration with helping me. I hope you never have to go thru what we did…but if you do you will be thankful for the March of Dimes!
Seriously? How long has it been since I've taken the time to blog? Ready for my excuse?
I've been sick. I know, I know. You have too. Everyone is catching this weird crud that is NOT going away easily. I have been sick the past 3 weekends in a row. But I did everything right. Once I felt the sinus stuff coming on I slowed down. I started taking decongestants. I got rest. I cancelled plans. I dealt with it for about a week then went to the doctor for something else, and asked her about it. I told her what I was taking and doing, and she said to stay on top of it. Next weekend came and I still felt like I was just not better. So I rested. A lot. Then came last week.
Thursday I started to feel really run down and I felt that sinus drainage start to drip in my throat. Now I am prone to sinus issues. I've been to an ENT. I know the drill. I get the seasonal stuff too. Only once has it happened where I've lost my voice. I woke up on Friday morning to no voice. Nothing hurt and I felt fine, but I could barely eek out a squeak. Not a good place to be when your voice is your job! So I obviously hightailed it the Walk in clinic. I explained the last three weeks and gave my impressions of what was going on. The doctor confirmed exactly what I thought...sinus drainage caused a throat infection. Not contagious but he gave me steroids, antibotics and a list of home remedies. Oh and the biggest thing was he recommended VOCAL REST.
Now if you know me at all, and most of you do, I am not a quiet person. Vocal rest is like telling me not to breathe air. Nearly impossible. If I am home alone I talk to the dog. It cannot be done. But I tried. I tried everything to be honest. I drank so much Lemon Zinger tea laced with honey that I thought my poor bladder was going to burst. I slept. I took my medicine. I did the netipot. And then on Sunday it all changed again.
Where before I had no pain, and no voice. Now I started to get a very gruff voice back, but searing throat pain and incredible burning up my throat. So now I started on popsicles and ice water. Throat coat. Throat drops. Hot steamy showers. Nothing was working. I called the doctor on Monday and they told me this 'crud' that everyone seems to be getting is sticking around for weeks. They said everyone has been having issues getting rid of it and some people have had to go to two rounds of antibotics. But they said to give a few more days.
Now during this time I am still the mother of a 4 year old and on vocal rest. Yeah right. How can you not raise your voice when you see crayon on the wall? But Rhi kept saying 'Mom, you lay on the couch and rest.' Then she would bring me my pillow and a blanket.
Yesterday was our big event at Blue Moon Dueling Piano Bar and Restaurant with Christina Perri. I was so excited, but yet so sick. I had a listener say she heard me on the air and felt bad for me. While Christina was doing her soundcheck, the sound of the piano was killing my head. I knew I wasn't going to be able to stay for the performance. So with much regret, I left to get more rest. (But I will go see her May 14th at Wooly's!!)
Last night I slept upright in a recliner to help my sinus cavities drain. And although I'm still really stuffed up and a long way from being better, I feel like I might actually be turning a corner. I could end up back at the doctor tomorrow as I need to be looked at again, but maybe this is finally working. I don't recall ever feeling as horrible as I have the last week. But I know it is going around. I'm just saying it is not fun.
Ok...a Rhism for you. Lately she has been saying this weird thing that I have no idea where she got. But I ask her what she wants and her answer is 'love, love, love.' It is so cute! And the other day while on the couch she was sitting behind me and had her legs propped up on my shoulders. I heard her exclaim 'this is the life'. Where did she get that?? There is nothing like being the parent of a 4 year old. This is the age where she makes me laugh constantly. I want to bottle this age.
I'm back to feeling creative! I had a mission before Christmas, to finish a scrapbook for my Mom and Dad of their trip to Alaska. When I say finish, I really mean START. And that didn't really happen like I planned. Now my Mom's birthday is March 17, so I thought maybe I could get a handle on this project and get it done in time. And then a crop came my way.
For those of you in the scrapbookin' world...you already know what a crop is. For those of you who didn't know my hidden obsession with scrapbooking, you are about to learn. A crop is a setting where you can get together with others and focus on your projects. It can be a couple of hours (like weekends at Archivers) or a full day...or even a complete weekend. So I ended up going to the Winterset crop on Saturday because I knew some gals who were going, and they have the most amazing prizes.
Now this crop starts bright and early at 9am on Saturday morning. So me being me, the ultimate procrastinator...I waited until Saturday morning to pack my supplies. So at 7am I am throwing paper, glue, kits and everything but the kitchen sink into my scrapbook tote to work on. My plan was to work on this Alaska scrapbook, but it took my 30 minutes to even find the book I bought! Then another 30 to locate the papers I bought and the photos I had printed up. Again....I should NOT have put off my packing.
But I finally headed out for a day of scrapbooking. I got to the location and set out to work. Now some ladies who come to this are serious scrapbookers. They brought crates of stuff. I am more of a 'hobby scrapbooker'. I have tons of stuff and I am not allowing myself to buy any more until I use what I have. Or unpack and organize what I have. Whichever comes first.
I spent a good 11 hours on a metal folding chair working on this book. And racking my back. I was in pain when it was all over. But more on that later. This was a great chance to chat with the gals, and enjoy lunch and dinner at the venue. And win prizes!! I guess a lot of people recognized me (or at least my voice) because a few came up and asked if I worked for STAR. (There might have been some swearing loudly as I messed up stamping or something that caught them off guard. Kidding. I think. )
There were some conversations around me that I still giggle over when I recall them. The things you overhear! Anyhow...I got my project done and also banged out a few pages for a layout for Rhiannon's birthday. For her book. Which I haven't started yet. May I remind you she is now 4? So yes, I'm behind.
I have a scrapbook that is all about bands that I've met. It ends about 10 years ago. So I am really behind on the next phase of that project. I have pages done for Rhiannon from a class I take, but no photos have been added. And for Rhiannon's book each page will have a song lyric that ties into the theme of the page. Well that is my goal anyhow.
So my husband and I got to talking about how I just need to dive in and organize my scrapbook area. Yes, I have a craft area. Right now it is nothing but paper scattered everywhere. Piles of stamps. Bags with the labels Archivers, Michaels and Close to My Heart are everywhere. It is quite overwhelming to even think of how to start organizing that. But I need to get it done. I have stuff I need and can't find. I have certain colors of ink that I want to use, but there are buried in a pile somewhere. It's really too much to even think about right now.
Back to the crop in Winterset. I feel like I got a ton done. I had so much fun. But by the end my back ached from being hunched over the table, sitting on my metal folding chair. My back ached the rest of the weekend. I also had ink everywhere. My hands were covered in green, red and blue ink. Rhiannon wouldn't let me touch her because I was covered in the ink and couldnt' get it off for 2 days!
The next Winterset crop isn't until August. But I feel like I am all creative now and want to ride it out. So I need some more crops! I missed out on one that sounded really fun at Madison County Winery, which was the same day as the Winterset crop. Scrapbooking with wine just sounds fabulous to me!! So I hope they have another one soon. Let me know if you know of any!!
I just wrote an amazing blog and the computer locked up...and it is gone. So I'm done swearing now and will rewrite this amazing blog all over again.
I think I'm having a midlife crisis. Seriously. I am have massive anxiety over the fact that Rhiannon is 4. I want to put her in a box, keep her from growing and changing, and keep her this age forever. Tell me I'm not crazy. This age has just amazed me. She is a whole little person. She has opinions and ideas. She is learning new things constantly. Things fly out of her mouth that just floor me. I don't want her to change at all!
She was asking my husband last night about a tattoo he has on his arm. She asked where he got it. He told her he got it from a friend in California. And then she informed us when she gets a tattoo it will be from her friend Mia. She will get in my face to make sure she gets a point across, like my show is over and it is her turn to watch something. She will dance. She will bust out a sentence that will have me tearing up with laughter. She lost a game on the iPad and I told her we would have to have her dad help us find it. She said 'Dad is a fabulous looker.' Which just had me laughing so hard.
I don't want these things to ever change. But when she hears me tell her she is growing up too fast she always says 'Mom, I promise I wont' grow up too fast. I'll do it slow.' Sure ya will baby.
So most of you know the story of Rhi. She was born at 27 weeks, weighing 2 pounds, 2 ounces. Tiny. Complete preemie. And I know that one reason we have her with us is because of the amazing staff at Blank Children's Hospital. The other reason is the March of Dimes. The research this group has done is amazing. They have a goal, for all babies to be born healthy one day. And for the rest of my life I will support this organization.
In 81 days, May 12, we will once again March for Babies. It is a walk to raise money for the March of Dimes. This will be our 4th year walking. And I have begun my fundraising efforts. I would love to invite you to walk with me! You can get more information HERE. If walking is too much, then consider a donation. You can donate any amount easily right HERE.
But the most important thing to me is to raise awareness. I want to shout from the rooftops about the March of Dimes! Can you help me raise awareness? Share my blog, pass the word. I hope you never have to go thru the journey that we did with Rhiannon, but if you do...you will be thankful for the March of Dimes!
I've been trying to write this blog all day, so please forgive me that it has taken so long! Starting back at the beginning of the year I started toying around with ideas to celebrate Rhiannon turning 4. I didn't want to throw a party as there are just too many kids from her class that I would want to invite. I felt keeping it small and family like was the way to go. I've already blogged about the swimming at how she ended up sick. One of the things we had scheduled to do was visit Louw's Stables and have her ride a real horse, but we ended up postponing this because she got sick with Bronchitis.
So yesterday we finally got to go to Louw's Stables. Let me start by saying since we cancelled on her birthday, we have heard nothing but 'can we go ride a real horse today' from Rhiannon. The kid is obsessed. And it's funny how I even got this idea. The past two years she has ridden the ponies at the Iowa State Fair and just loved it. Well before the end of the year we had a commercial running on STAR for a new client, Louw's Stables. And we gave away riding lessons as a part of a Weekend STAR. Which got me thinking how much fun it would be to take Rhiannon out there to see the horses. And I started asking around to see if she was too young to ride a horse. I ended up emailing Jennifer Louw at Louw's Stables and getting some great answers. I told her I wanted to introduce Rhiannon to more animals and have her enjoying being around them. She isn't afraid of much, and I really want to keep introducing her to new things and experiences. So we set up a lesson for her birthday.
Growing up in South Dakota I would often spend time each summer out at my cousin's farms. I used to love horses, until I had one step on my foot and pretty much break all my toes. So then I got skiddish. But I was really looking forward to this experience with Rhiannon. So we were all really bummed when we had to cancel our lesson. But we made it up yesterday.
I didn't know what to expect. I sort of thought maybe she would get to brush the horse, sit on a saddle and be lead around for a little ride. Nope. It was so much more than I imagined!
Jennifer Louw is amazing to begin with. She doesn't talk down to kids. The way she instructs is in a positive way, and kept Rhiannon completely interested. She introduced Rhiannon to Precious and it was love at first sight. And Jennifer gave Rhi an actually lesson. She started with the simple run thru of all of the equipment, explaining what the stirrups were, and the reins. So Rhi learned a lot. And then Jennifer taught Rhi how to get Precious to walk and to stop. (A combination of verbal commands and physical movements, which I was loving that Rhi grasped)
Then Rhi learned how to get Precious to turn to the right or left by adjusting the reins. She was just grinning ear to ear. It was so much fun to watch! And the best part was when Rhiannon learned how to trot! She giggled and giggled as Jennifer would tell her to sit up out of the saddle, then down, then up and so on. She just did great!
This lesson cost $35 and was worth every penny! And Jennifer has a lot of different packages available. Rhiannon had no fear and because she enjoyed it so much, we have decided this is something we want to continue to do every couple of weeks. Find out more HERE. After her lesson as we spoke to Jennifer, I realized what great physical activity this is for Rhiannon! She used to go to Physical Therapy because of her prematurity (we really wanted to make sure we were on top everything and that was something we monitored.) But riding horses really strengthens your core muscles! Of course first thing this morning Rhi started asking me when she can go ride Precious again. We will be make in a few weeks.
The facility is just amazing. Truly beautiful and only 15 minutes outside of West Des Moines. Everyone we met from people who worked there, to other kids anxious to go riding...were just amazing. I can't say enough about how this crazy 'whim' of mine has turned out to be a great experience for my daughter than I want to see continue. Are we going to be buying a horse anytime soon? Probably not. But what an affordable experience that not everyone even thinks of! I am so glad we came across Louw's Stables. And especially Jennifer who has a great attitude!
Can we discuss Valentines Day? Since grade school I have felt this is a very highly pressurized holiday. Seriously! Growing up in grade school we had our traditional Valentine's Day party and back in my day you didn't have to bring a Valentine for everybody. So it ended up being a contest to see who got the most Valentines in their homemade little mailbox, usually made out of a shoebox and decorated appropriately.
On to Junior high where it was the nerve racking to see if your boyfriend (who you never ever held hands with or kissed, but was just that in name only) got you a teddy bear or a giant Valentine cookie from the local bakery. I mean he would have to walk down and get that cookie before school started! His name was Tim, but for the life of me I can't remember his last name. He gave me a stuffed animal which was a mouse holding a heart, and that cookie. It was obviously love and everyone was jealous.
Then High School came and it was on to the carnation fundraiser. Every year of high school some club (Spanish club or French Club etc) sold carnations for a Valentines fundraiser. Each color meant something different. Blue was friends, Red was love, pink was Like, and there was something for white but I can't recall. Maybe white or yellow meant you had a secret admirer. You paid a couple bucks, filled out a card that would be attached and they would all be delivered in the classrooms throughout the day on Valentines Day. My senior year I got a bunch of these and have all the cards kept in my Senior memory book. Like it or not, this was a big deal. It was pressure I tell you!! You couldn't be a friendship one for just one of your friends! NO! You had to spend half of your McDonald's paycheck to buy all your friends carnations, and that cute boy you had your eye on.
And forget about Valentines Day when you are dating. That is a whole different set of rules. Do you get someone a gift if you have just started dating? And how dare you forget a present or a night out when you have been dating for a certain amount of time. Expectations galore!
And then you get married. Now I will start by saying I love gifts. I love flowers and I love candy. But I don't like the idea that there should be one specific day for these things. I'm team 'buy flowers just because you love her on a random day!' But for my husband and I, we have never been big on spending money for gifts. Sure if we had a huge fat bank account from winning the lottery I am sure that would be different! But we are on a budget, and that stuff doesn't fit into it. So we are more low key about the holiday. I will say there is a set of espresso cups from Caribou Coffee that I really really want with a mustache on them. But it doesn't really fit in the budget so I won't be getting it. (Believe me, I dropped major hints) I would prefer for my husband to take some time and laugh during a movie with me. Or maybe cook dinner.
I did buy both my husband and daughter a tiny box of chocolates at Dahl's last night. And I got Rhiannon a Micky Mouse Club Valentine book. She has a party at school today so we bought cupcakes and made her Valentines last night. And yes, everyone is getting one!
Ok, so now on The Voice. I love this show. LOVE IT! I was a big fan last year and when I had the chance to interview Adam Levine at the Iowa State Fair I mentioned it. You've heard me talk about how it was the most awkward interview ever. I am not saying he wasn't nice...it was more along the line of an interview is the last thing he wanted to do and someone told him he had to. So he wasn't really open.
I don't if I have ever even aired any of this interview as it was THE MOST AWKWARD THING IN THE WORLD. But there is an example of what I dealt with.
But on the Voice this season Adam can't stress enough that he won last year! He belittled it to me, but does the opposite on tv. So anyhow...I am rooting for Blake this year. Last night the last performer of the night was being shown and I immediately recognized the name. Jordis Unga! She was on the first season of Rockstar and I adored her. Funny thing is both Rockstar and The Voice are produced by Mark Burnett, so it shouldn't be a surprise that he would give a second chance to some amazing artists from the show. And The Voice is all about 2nd, 3rd and 4th chances! So without hearing her sing, I paused the DVR and predicted she would be the winner this year of The Voice. I didn't even know yet if anyone would choose her!
So she sang an amazing version of Paul McCartney's 'Maybe I'm Amazed' and it was mindblowing. All the judges (except Adam) turned around and she ended up choosing to be on Team Blake. Watch it...she will win this thing!!
So you heard me talk about Rhiannon's 4th Birthday and the plans we had made. I even blogged about it. We were taking her to the Ramada Tropics Resort on Merle Hay for some swimming and fun, and we planned to stay the night, then go to Louw Stables and have her ride a real horse the next day. But nothing ever goes as planned.
My husband and I both took Tuesday off, but we still took Rhiannon to school so she could bring cupcakes. So as she was at school we had a lunch date at Zombie Burger since he has never been there. (He loved it as I knew he would!) Then we headed home to clean the living room and get her presents wrapped and out. I found a child size recliner that I thought she would love, along with some board games etc.
We headed to school to pick her up and when we walked in the room, we saw she was laying on the floor by her coat crying. I asked her favorite teacher what was wrong and she said 'she keeps saying her tummy hurts'. I sat on the floor and Rhi crawled over and climbed in my lap. She had been experiencing a running nose and bad cough for several days. She was very warm, but we all collective thought the tummy ache was from eating 3 plates of spaghetti (her favorite food) for lunch and having 2 of her cupcakes. But she was crying and not acting like herself. We headed home debating if we should cancel swimming. We weren't sure of the cancellation policy, and in the end decided to go and see what happened.
We went and she seemed to be feeling better. Still coughing, but the humidity in the pool area really seemed to help. And she was loving it! She couldn't get enough of the pirate ship, and practicing kicking in the pool. So we swam pretty late into the evening. That night as we slept at the hotel, she felt warm again so I gave her some children's Advil. She woke up the next morning just excited and asking about riding the horse that day. But she was still coughing horrible. We swam a little in the morning, and then headed home. With a quick detour to get more cough medicine. We got home and she didn't want to eat anything, but agreed to take a nap so she would be all rested for Louw's Stables. When she woke up from her nap, she seemed fine.
We got her dressed for the next adventure, and then she ran in the bathroom puking. I felt her head and she was burning up. We knew we had to cancel. She cried and cried and I told her we would make sure she got to out and ride the horses when she felt better. So I took her temp and called her dr. Around 5:30 the called back and said to take her to a walk in clinic. As we were getting ready to leave she vomited again. Poor baby! Her strep test came back negative, but the blood test showed an elevated white blood count. They couldn't pinpoint exactly what was going on, but knew she needed antibotics. We took her home and knew she couldn't go to school the next day because of her fever.
Nothing is worse then when your child is sick. They don't quite understand. And Rhiannon was no different. We kept fluids in her but she had no appetite and was very lethargic. Thursday morning the doctor we saw at the walk in clinic actually called us to see how she was doing. This is why I love Iowa Health! She said she kept thinking about Rhi and wanted to see how the cough and fever were. The medicine was really kicking in and I started to see improvements in her demeanor right away. I called her school to say she wasn't going to be there and was told they had confirmed cases of Bronchitis in her room. I had them tell me the symptoms, and Rhi had every single one. So we think at this point, that is the culprit. We opted to keep her home again today to give her a better chance of recovery so my husband is home with her today.
Of course she is still just asking over and over about riding the horse. So we will be going to Louw's Stables next week and I will have pictures! But there you go...nothing ever goes as planned!
Ok, the big Sunday game. I was so happy the Giants won. And as I watched the game, I realized that four years ago when these two teams last met up in the big game I was pregnant with Rhiannon. And two days later in the hospital with her. So I was all weepy during the game. More on that in a minute.
I didn't watch the game closely. I sat on the couch with Rhi, in our pj's, eating cookies and playing on the iPad. We watched commericals mostly. I loved the one that featured the band the Darkness, because that one made me run downstairs and pull out the cd. I did like the commercial for the Voice featuring the judges and Betty White. That had me laughing out loud. Others were ok, but not outstanding.
I thought Kelly Clarkson was amazing. Her new look is a little harsh for me. She looks like a mean girl with the bangs. And she is so sweet so it doesn't fit her personality. But that is just me. She looked and sounded great. I don't care if it was lip synced or not. I didn't pay close enough attention.
Now the half time show I was really looking forward to. I like old school Madonna. Her early music was my soundtrack to high school in many ways. I LOVED that she shared the stage with other artists. I didn't think her dancing was as bad as Luke and Kurt have commented. And she looked amazing for being 50 something! And the gymnastics in heels...you go girl!! I also really liked the song selection. I am still not convinced her new song is a hit, but I liked the performance of it last night. And how dramatic was that exit?
So I am on the couch with Rhi and I told her 'look Rhi, it's Madonna!' She was playing with the iPad and looked at me and said 'I just won a new ornament for my tree so whooppee!' She had no interest what so ever. (She was playing Preschool Kitty, the Christmas version)
Now Saturday we took Rhiannon to the Iowa Energy game. I had never been to a game and we were lucky enough to join some winners in the Suite. So much fun!! Rhi loved it! She was obsessed with Surge and wanted to go down and meet him. Since that didn't happen we had to just let her eat popcorn and drink pop. But everyone there had a blast and I can't wait to go again! And now I really want to see a Barnstormer game!
Tomorrow is Rhi's 4th birthday. So most of the weekend I spent just trying to wrap my head around the fact that I have a 4 year old. Born at 2 lbs and 2 ounces, she is happy and healthy today. So I taught her to say 'Mom, I will always be your baby'. So often I would look at her and say 'Mom....' and she would finish the sentence and giggle. I can't wait to take her swimming tomorrow at the Ramada Tropics, and then out to Loews Stable on Wednesday to ride a horse. She is so excited! I'll have plenty of pictures to put up on Thursday!
So this weekend I was sick. I mean knock you on your butt, can't get out of bed sick. It started Friday when I just didn't feel right. It was a coworkers birthday so everyone in the building had plans to go out for a few drinks after work. I wasn't sure I would make it, but I did end up going for a little while. But by about 6pm, I knew I was getting sick. So I headed home, curled up on the couch and dozed. (This was after a quick little run thru the Taco John's drive thru. I had to get me some nachos and churros!)
So Saturday I woke up feeling icky. My throat was feeling funny. I had head and body aches galore. And I just knew I needed rest. So hubby took care of Rhiannon so I could rest. She would come in my room every so often and ask if I felt better. I would tell her no and she would pat my arm and say 'you just need rest honey'. It always cracks me up when she calls me honey. So Saturday night I moved to the couch and we did watch some movies. We watched Moneyball which I really liked. Then I tried to convince my husband to give Bridesmaids a try. He lasted 15 minutes and didn't find it funny. So he bailed on me. And I watched it. Laughed a few times. But really didn't love it like I wanted to.
I woke up Sunday to feeling worse. My head hurt so bad that anytime I was upright it felt like I was trying to balance a watermelon on my shoulders. And I had no balance. So I slept more. And read a book. (I finished Son of A Witch, the sequel to Wicked) Eventually I moved to the couch and slept more. And by dinnertime last night I was sorta upright. For some reason we started watching Hot Tub Time Machine and couldn't stop. I forgot how much that movie makes me laugh.
Having slept so much, sleep last night was difficult. But here I am today, somewhat better. A little headache and body ache, but I'm here. Since I wasn't feeling good, I didn't watch the SAG awards. This has to be the least popular of all the awards shows. But it sounds like the girls from Bridesmaids did a great little skit. And I wanted to share it with you because it will make your Monday better!
Did you see or hear about the news that the ARL assisted in the rescue of 88 dogs? It is stories like this that just break my heart! But it makes me so thankful for organizations like the ARL that are here to help.
Let me be clear, there are A LOT of great organizations in the metro that focus on pets. Pet Project Midwest aims to help people going thru tough times be able to keep their pets. There is Animal Lifeline and the ARL that do so much with rescueing pets!
But without a doubt, these groups need our help. Donations are needed, and they will always accept dog or cat food donations too! With the news story that just broke, it is evident that a lot of help is going to be needed to help these rescued dogs. And then find them homes. We adopted our dog from the ARL and it was one of the best decisions we ever made.
Look at that face!! And she is the most loveable dog! Every morning Rhiannon has to get up and kiss Gizmo good morning.
Rhi helps feed Gizmo every day and loves to take her for walks. I can't imagine not having her as a part of the family.
Please share the story about the rescue HERE and try to lend a helping hand if you can!
This is my battle cry for the day. Sometimes as a Mom and a Wife...little things can just set you off. I know you've been there. Maybe not one thing in particular will send you over the edge, but several little incidents can sure push you close.
My daughter battles me for sleep. She just will not give in to sleep! She is so afraid she is missing something, so we can start the bedtime routine at 7:30, and she will continue to get up and out of bed until after 9. It is ridiculous. But we are going without pullups at night, so even though we know it is a trick to get out of bed, we sorta have to let her when she says she has to go potty.
So this was the typical evening at our house. Around 10pm I realized she was finally asleep and I went into the bathroom. To find that she had used a whole roll of toilet paper. I know this because I changed the roll at 7pm. I mean not that the roll was undone on the floor. I mean a whole roll of toilet paper was sitting in the toilet. My husband and I had fun getting that out. (Yes I made him help me....there are some things that just need to be shared!)
So then I went to bed. And I am not joking when I tell you she woke up ever 2 hours and asked if she could get in bed with me. I kept sending her back to her bed and she would cry 'but I just want to cuddle with you!' Which makes me laugh because she is so dramatic when she does it. Around 6am I realized I was just not going to get to sleep. So I got up and woke my husband up so he could get ready for work. From the next room I hear 'Mom, NOW can I get up and cuddle with you?' Fine.
Every morning before we get dressed Rhiannon and I spend 15 minutes snuggling and chatting in bed. So I told her to come in. She informed me her stuffed dog had to come too. She crawls in bed and I said to her 'you better go potty.' She said she didn't have to go. Fine. I'm exhausted and I think I can get another hour of sleep if everyone just keeps quiet. But no. The dog hears my husband in the kitchen and she takes off thinking there is food in her future. Then my husband puts her back in bed with me while he showers. After his shower he takes her outside. So I am woken up again. Then he returns from taking the dog outside and puts her back in bed with me. Awake again.
As my husband is standing in the door saying goodbye, I feel something. My butt is wet. As I start to ponder this, Rhi says 'Mommy I went potty' and I jumped up. Yep. In my bed. And she starts rubbing my arm with the sad puppy eyes, saying over and over 'Mommy I'm so very sorry'.
At this point I gave up. No shut eye for me. My husband is laughing so hard he missed the daggers I shot at him from my eyes. Then Rhi is crying that her tummy hurts. I sat on her bed with her and held her for a little while. She said she just wanted to lay down for a little bit in her bed. (I can't argue as this sounded like a brillant idea to me!) After a few minutes she said she felt better and was ready to get dressed.
And this is why I feel a McDonald's Arctic Orange Shake is the only thing that will make my day better. Or a box of Girl Scout Thin Mints.
Anyone have one of these days? I'm sure at some point in the day the dog with puke or have an accident on the floor so I can really invest in Calgon.
Most of you know the story of my daughter Rhiannon. She was born at 27 weeks, at just 2 lbs, 2 ounces. It was a scary thing for first time parents to go thru! It is so scary to see your child so small and helpless. But we ended up spending 96 days at the NICU at Blank Children's Hospital. And we truly believe that if is wasn't for the March of Dimes, we wouldn't have our little girl today. They are all about research. I hope you never have to go thru what we did, but if you do, you will be grateful for the March of Dimes.
I look at this picture and I am just amazed at how far we've come. I want to point out as well, the staff at the NICU at Blank Children's Hospital too. They made our stay so much easier. They were such troopers! They became our family.
Our little Rhiannon is a pistol. You probably have read my stories about her. She just cracks me up everyday. And on February 7th she is going to be 4. That blows my mind.
And as we celebrate this milestone, I am so thankful that she is happy and healthy. This is why my family will continue to support the March of Dimes. I invite everyone to come out and walk with us at the March for Babies this year on May 12 at Principal Park. I started a team called Rhiannon's Warriors and you can join us in the walk, or make a donation.
I know money is tight with the economy, so I do understand if making a donation is not possible. Then help spread the word! The March of Dimes is such a great organization! Pass this blog on and help me make a difference. I've met several families who have gone thru the same thing we did. But not always the same outcome. (Which breaks my heart.) My hope is that someday we will be able to prevent prematurity. I have to believe that.
You can sign up to join me, or make a donation HERE. Thank you for spreading the word!! Every dollar can and will make a difference!
I am addicted to Pinterest. As I mentioned on the air, I sit watching tv at night with my iPad in hand. I sit and pin away with Pinterest. I have a number of boards, but I am finding that I collect craft ideas and recipes more than anything else. Love trying new recipes from here! And I found a winner last night that I must share with you....Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread!
This recipe originally came from a website called Lovin' From The Oven. It is as follows:
Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread
For the bread:
3 over-ripe bananas, smashed up
1/3 cup melted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
dash of salt
1 1/2 cups flour
For the swirl:
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbs cinnamon
(((I had a Cinnamon Sugar spice from Penzey's Spices so I used this)))
Preheat oven to 350. Butter and four a loaf pan. Mine was 9 x 5, but you could use any sort, I suppose. Just keep a close eye on it in the oven, and adjust the time as needed
Mix bananas, butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla together. sprinkle baking soda and salt around on top of the banana mixture. Then gently stir in flour. Be careful not to over-mix!
In a small dish, mix together the 1/3 cup sugar and 1 Tbs cinnamon.
Add 1/2 of the batter to the loaf pan and then sprinkle half, or a little more than half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture all over the batter in the pan. Add the rest of the batter, and then sprinkle the leftover cinnamon-sugar on top.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, but remember, if you're using a different-sized loaf pan, be careful and keep a close eyeball on it!
Ok...this was amazing. The loaf is gone already. My husband dove in like a crazed maniac. I need more rotten bananas now cuz this recipe is a keeper!!
I wasn't feel really great this past weekend, so I spent some quality time resting and reading. I am notorious for having 5 or 6 books checked out at a time from the West Des Moines library. But I love to read!
So I finished up the Denise Richards book 'The Real Girl Next Door'. Good book over all. She doesn't go into as much detail about the issues that lead to her divorce from Charlie Sheen, but she did give some great insight to her career. It wasn't a bad read.
Then I started a huge book called The Passage by Justin Cronin. All I knew was that it was a type of vampire book. Not like Twilight though. Not glamerous. It is really hard to explain so here is the description from Amazon.com:
You don't have to be a fan of vampire fiction to be enthralled by The Passage, Justin Cronin's blazing new novel. Cronin is a remarkable storyteller (just ask adoring fans of his award-winning Mary and O'Neil), whose gorgeous writing brings depth and vitality to this ambitious epic about a virus that nearly destroys the world, and a six-year-old girl who holds the key to bringing it back. The Passage takes readers on a journey from the early days of the virus to the aftermath of the destruction, where packs of hungry infected scour the razed, charred cities looking for food, and the survivors eke out a bleak, brutal existence shadowed by fear. Cronin doesn't shy away from identifying his "virals" as vampires. But, these are not sexy, angsty vampires (you won't be seeing "Team Babcock" t-shirts any time soon), and they are not old-school, evil Nosferatus, either. These are a creation all Cronin's own--hairless, insectile, glow-in-the-dark mutations who are inextricably linked to their makers and the one girl who could destroy them all. A huge departure from Cronin's first two novels, The Passage is a grand mashup of literary and supernatural, a stunning beginning to a trilogy that is sure to dazzle readers of both genres. --Daphne Durham
And here is a review from Danielle Trussoni:
Justin Cronin's The Passage is a dark morality tale of just how frightening things can become when humanity transgresses the laws of nature.
The author of two previous novels, Cronin, in his third book, imagines the catastrophic possibilities of a vampiric bat virus unleashed upon the world. Discovered by the U.S. Military in South America, the virus is transported to a laboratory in the Colorado mountains where it is engineered to create a more invincible soldier. The virus' potential benefits are profound: it has the power to make human beings immortal and indestructible. Yet, like Prometheus' theft of fire from the Gods, knowledge and technological advancement are gained at great price: After the introduction of the virus into the human blood pool, it becomes clear that there will be hell to pay. The guinea pigs of the NOAH experiment, twelve men condemned to die on death row, become a superhuman race of vampire-like creatures called Virals. Soon, the population of the earth is either dead or infected, their minds controlled telepathically by the Virals. As most of human civilization has been wiped out by the Virals, the few surviving humans create settlements and live off the land with a fortitude the pilgrims would have admired. Only Amy, an abandoned little girl who becomes a mystical antidote to the creatures' powers, will be able to save the world.
The Passage is no quick read, but a sweeping dystopian epic that will utterly transport one to another world, a place both haunting and horrifying to contemplate. Cronin weaves together multiple story lines that build into a journey spanning one hundred years and nearly 800 pages. While vampire lore lurks in the background--the Virals nick necks in order to infect humans, are immortal and virtually indestructible, and do most of their hunting at night--Cronin is more interested in creating an apocalyptic vision along the lines of Cormac McCarthy's The Road.
Taking place in a futuristic America where New Orleans is a military zone, Jenna Bush is the Governor of Texas and citizens are under surveillance, The Passage offers a gruesome and twisted version of reality, a terrifying dream world in which our very worst nightmares come true. Ultimately, like the best fiction, The Passage explores what it means to be human in the face of overwhelming adversity. The thrill comes with the knowledge that Amy and the Virals must face off in a grand battle for the fate of humanity.
No kidding, I read this book in about 24 hours. It is just under 800 pages. I stayed up till 1am because I had to find out how it ended. And the way it ended, I realized...was closure for me. So then I did a little Google action at 1am to learn this was the first part of a trilogy. And the next two books don't pick up where the first one ends. Instead, the author is going to take us back to the beginning of the outbreak and give us a different point of view, so we will see things from a different perspective. Things that we might have missed or overlooked will show with new importance. Killing me. I can't wait for this next book!! We are looking at sometime Spring 2012. But I have to tell you...pick up this book.
I saw on Facebook one of my old coworkers from St. Louis was also reading it, so we chatted a little bit about it. Very weird, but it draws you in quickly. Worth the read!
I love to read. In fact I have a stack of 6 books I need to either return to the library, or get started reading. You will always find a book in my purse. And I really read a variety of things. For a time I posted a question to my listeners about reading an actual book, or reading on a Kindle or iPad. And that did get an interesting discussion brewing.
Many of my coworkers read on their iPads. I have looked at the sample chapters of books on my iPad, to help me make a decision as to whether or not I want to read the book. But I am cheap. I haven't actually purchased a book on my iPad. In fact, since my favorite Borders closed, I haven't purchased a book. Here is my secret to saving money...GO TO THE LIBRARY. I am a huge fan of the West Des Moines library. I get newsletters from Amazon.com, and Barnes & Noble about new books coming out. Then I go to the library website and reserve the books. They call me when they are in, and they are waiting on a shelf for me! I also look for book reviews in magazines or books for sale at Sam's Club. Then I write down the title and author, and hit up the library website. Love my library! Now I will spend money on a book that I think I will read again. Or on a fitness or cookbook. I'll admit it, if I can save money, I do. (Or hit up Half Price Books...I do love that place!)
So what am I reading? Currently I am reading a book called I Want My MTV. It is a history of MTV, and it is told by a number of different people in interviews. So there may be 2 or 3 different sides to a story that are all explained. Right now I am just reading about the loss of the original 5 VJ's and how Julie Brown and Adam Curry came to work there. I am loving this book! Billy Idol, Duran Duran, and other huge artists all have comments in here.
Next up on my list is to read the sequel for Wicked, called Son Of A Witch.
Many of my coworkers have read or are reading the Steve Jobs autobiography. What do you read?
I love a good murder mystery. Or sometimes I find myself locked in an Indiana Jones type adventure with Dirk Pitt. Or a historical romance. I am all over the board with books. Got any suggestions for me? Let me know!
This is going to be a hodge podge of stuff in this blog, so hold on tight!
How was your New Year's Eve? We went low key this year. Grabbed some steaks and we headed over to my friend Edye's house for dinner. It was a good time and we were home before 11pm. I stayed up just long enough to show my empty wallet to the moon, just in case the superstition is true and this will make my wallet full for the rest of the year. (I didn't want to take any chances!)
So now that the holidays are over...what do we have to look forward to? For me, it is coming up on Rhiannon's 4th birthday. How do I have a 4 year old? This blows my mind. I've been told that she has a lot of personality. Yes. Yes she does. She told me the other day to 'be patient'. She woke up at 4am and wanted to snuggle with me. I told her to shut off the light and crawl in and we would snuggle. She couldn't reach the light (which was in the bathroom) so I told her to shut the bedroom door instead. She did it and then told me 'she was a big help to me'. Yes she is also crazy. But she has brought me so much joy. I mean she cracks me up every day. And when she randomly hugs me and says 'I love you so much Mommy', it makes every bad day go away.
So she is going to be 4. What to do for a party? Grandparents can't come from out of town. So it will be low key. I am thinking of maybe getting a room at the Ramada Tropics Hotel off Merle Hay. We could swim and have a few friends out to play in the pool. Get a cake, pizza and the works. Has anyone done this? Any advice here?
The other thought is to maybe do a party at Monkey Joe's or one of those places. Advice on this one? I just don't know what to do!
Now last week I blogged about having snakes in my house. I found 2 garter snakes. I had a pest control guy come over on the recommendation of one of my listeners. She told me to call Bruce at Home Pest Care (229-9750). He was awesome! Came out for a free evaluation and was straight up an honest guy. He does all kinds of pest control too. So you got roaches, ants, spiders etc...he is your guy. I WILL work with him again. He couldn't find an explanation as too why we had two snakes. The only think we could come up with would be the screen door having a little tiny gap where it meets the stoop. He searched everywhere and couldn't find any evidence of snakes. So we think it was just a freak accident. BUT if I see anymore he is on my speed dial!
Now for resolutions or goals for 2012. I am doing a basic umbrella of working on myself both physically and mentally. I am taking some time for me. That is my basic, achievable goal. My unrealistic one is to look like a super model. Yours?
I don't like snakes. Let me start by clearly stating that.
So yesterday I got home before I went to pick up Rhiannon from daycare. I took the dog out and came back inside the house. Since it was really nice yesterday, I left the big side door to our house open, but the screen door was shut. Now our side door opens up onto a small landing. From there you can go down a flight of stairs to the basement, or go up 3 small stairs which takes you into our kitchen.
After a few minutes I heard the dog barking from the backyard and I needed to go get her. So I headed towards the door to see a snake on the landing. After I finished screaming, I grabbed a broom and swooshed it out the door. I pushed it down the driveway all the way to the street. My heart was pounding. Now it was a snake as long as my elbow to the tip of my fingers. I'm sure it was a garter snake. But still!!! I figured out after my panic attack that he must have found a way in by the screen door.
So last night my husband got home late and we were chatting in the living room. I got up to get a glass of water to find another snake on the kitchen counter!! Now I've lost my mind! I'm screaming, and he came running asking what was the problem. I tell him another snake is on the counter! He proceeds to tell me I'm going to have to get it because 'he doesn't do snakes.' From my screams I thought it was evident that I don't do them either! I made him get a bag and a broom, and scoop him in. He took the snake across the street. Now I know I lost about 5 years off my life from the last snake.
HOW IN THE WORLD DOES A SNAKE GET ON MY KITCHEN COUNTER??
I've never seen a snake in my house, and we have lived there for 5 years. I was talking to Ken this morning and he said I might have an infestation or a nest in the siding of my house. (Ken apparently hates snakes too). So do I call an exterminator? Or wait and see if we find anymore? I really can't afford to hire an exterminator right after Christmas! But I also can't sleep knowing I may or may not have snakes in my house!!
We don't live in the country...we live in Valley Junction. Maybe it is a result of the unseasonably warm weather?
Dawn's name was drawn from all my entries in my first ever Cookie Contest! (I wrote all the names on pieces of paper and had Lori at the front desk draw my winner so this was very scientific!) Dawn has won a $20 gift card to replenish her baking supplies!
Thanks for listening Dawn!! Now bring me cookies! (kidding)
I hope you had a fabulous holiday! My family ended up with our hands full. I shall explain.
We got ready to leave on Wednesday night. Started packing and I got the car cleaned out. My husband came home and said he wasn't feeling well. And then it all happened. He got violently ill. We thought we would play it by ear as to when we would leave. He was going to take some medicine and sleep. I woke him up at 4am and he got up. And was soon trapped in the bathroom. So we decided to let him sleep until noon and we would try to leave then. And he got even worse so we bailed on leaving at all that day. So we ended up leaving for South Dakota a day late, but we did eventually get on the road.
Rhiannon was a bit of a pill on the way there so we had to stop a lot. It took us about 12 hours. When I was single I could make the drive in 9 hours. Now with a kid and a dog, it is a 12 hour drive. Thanks to the West Des Moines Library, we were able to check out a couple of Mickey Mouse Club DVDS that kept her entertained.
We finally got to my parents house, and showered right away. After a 12 hour car ride, you smell like the road. (very gross) So we took showers and I started making dinner. We had planned all along for me to make stuffed shells and my brother's family would come over and join us. Rhiannon couldn't wait to see her cousins! After dinner I was going to meet up with a friend from high school for some drinks. But I was so wiped out from the trip we ended up cancelling.
So before you know it, it is Christmas eve. I convinced Rhiannon that we could buy cookies for Santa this year instead of make them like we usually do. Which meant a trip to Walmart. And Walmart in my hometown is a high school reunion. Which I wasn't prepared for. But we followed the tradition of orderering pizza that night, and I made my homemade Pinterest cinnamon rolls for breakfast on Christmas morning.
Christmas morning Rhiannon was loving her gifts from Santa! She got a ton of Carebears, and a baby doll crib, stroller and high chair. And at this point my husband is starting to feel really sick again. I felt so sorry for him. He wanted to be in bed, and at the same time wanted to share Christmas with his family. He was a trooper!
I can now explain the craft projects we made for Christmas gifts. We made handprint calendars that I found on Pinterest. We also made pictures on canvas, and handprint Santa ornaments. The grandparents loved them! Rhi got a Carebear blanket from her cousins that she absolutely is in love with as well! (And too many other gifts to name, she did very well for herself!)
Now we are all exhausted, and we planned to leave at 6am Monday for the drive back to Iowa. Hubby is still feeling sick. And none of us are looking forward to the long car ride home. We have been in the car for about 2 1/2 hours and I'm dozing in the passenger seat. When I hear my husband swear under his breath. He got a speeding ticket. His first ever. So that put an additional damper on the drive home.
But we made it. I was so excited to get home. We haven't unpacked yet as I am at work today, but it will get done. And first thing this morning when Rhiannon woke up she said 'Can we go to South Dakota today?'
Yes, I took a long soak in that whirlpool tub...with a cocktail.
This is Homie who did my Stone Therapy Massage. She was giving chair massages at the event!
Some of the vendors set up before we started the event.
Some of my STAR listeners getting their adult beverages.
These ladies were READY for the night with own wine glasses! They cracked me up all night and they had a chance to tour every room at the Hotel Pattee!
More ladies shopping!
Rhiannon at 27 weeks.
This was Rhiannon at the walk last year!
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