07.02.09
Posted in Books, Cool Stuff, IMO, Life, Products at 9:11 pm by Melonie
Oh…I’m so excited…and I just can’t hide it. Cuz I know, I know, I know, I want to…
Read some e-books! I have been flirting with the idea of e-books for some time now, but have stayed away from engaging in any activity…until now. I was chosen as 1 of 30 lucky bitches (I say that with love) to “test-drive” a Sony e-book reader for the summer. I just need to take good care of the thing and write a review on what I thought of it. I also get $25 to spend on Harlequin e-books, provided I write 2 book reviews for the SB’s (which is actually pretty sweet in itself).
Just 2 weeks ago, I was reviewing submission requirements to many e-pubs…and thinking how that may be the route my writing takes on the road to “publishing.” Getting this chance to take a closer look at e-book readers and e-books themselves will really help me make a choice. It’s like an answer from the Romance Gods sent down by Fabio dressed as Arch-Angel something or other.
Summer reading just got a whole lot more exciting…I’ll just have to be careful not to spill booze all over the thing.
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06.30.09
Posted in Life, Monday Muse, Time Wasters at 9:09 pm by Melonie
So 3 weeks in and I already missed a Monday! Not totally my fault, I was babysitting a friend’s offspring yesterday. Well, a day late but good timing – this week’s Monday Muse is Karen Marie Moning: one of my favorite authors. I am not much for re-reading novels, but with her stuff I make an exception…especially if I have been feeling especially crabby…an evening in with one of her Highlanders is sure to put me in a better mood (even better if some form of alcoholic beverage accompanies my reading time). I say good timing, because she just announced an incredible contest (see sidebar) today.
What I love about KMM is the connections she strives to make with her readers – and how open she is about her writing. The fact that she made the leap and took a chance on herself and her writing so inspires me…way to go Karen, keep up the incredible work!
And now for the miscellany (isn’t that such a great word? I love it).
Sometimes I impress myself – like today -by 10:30 a.m. I had:
Run 2 miles and did 15 minutes of abs
Made the bed and vacuumed the 2nd floor
Washed, folded, and put away 3 baskets of laundry (and started2 more loads)
Cleaned, dressed, and fed Lil G and Miss A (and got myself ready too somehow…that usually tends to be a blur…)
Took Miss A to her swim class (yikes was it cold for that today!)
Gave the freezing Miss A a hot bath after swimming
Changed the now-soaked-because-she-had-to-try-and-get-in-the-tub-too -Lil G
Kept Lil G occupied while Miss A did her summer home school stuff (we are keeping it light and easy, but still trying to do a little something each day, the focus is phonics).
Phew! Somedays at 10:30 a.m. we are all still in our p.j.’s and I’m hard pressed to make it to Lil G’s gymnastics class at 11 on time! But other days I really have my S together and knock off all sorts of stuff. Laundry and a made bed may not seem like much to you – but in my world it is an accomplishment, even if more of the same are always waiting…
And more miscellany:
As mentioned earlier we picked us some berries last week. Not let’s make jars and jars of jam amounts, but 2 healthy baskets. I made a very yummy strawberry sauce with some of the berries. Usually I make a sauce that requires corn starch and lemon juice…but I didn’t have any lemon juice, and was in the mood to try something different…so I googled strawberry sauce recipes and then after skimming a few, got a little wacky and made my own. I really didn’t measure anything, it’s more fun that way. I washed and sliced about 1 1/2 lbs of berries – put a pound in a sauce pot and saved the rest. I added about 3/4 cup of sugar and a healthy splash of vanilla to the pot and heated it up til it was simmering away. I whisked the mixture while it bubbled to mash the berries up a bit. Then I turned off the heat and mixed the remaining 1/2 lb or so of berries in to the pot. Results: wow! The vanilla really makes a difference.
Continuing with my zany chef-self, I took a quick mix banana bread that had been minding its own business in the back of my pantry and mixed it up (it’s one of those lovely shortcut deals that just needs water). Now, let me defend myself by saying that I can bake an awesome BB (banana bread) from scratch, and have no problem doing so…but today was just not going to be that kind of day. So I mixed up the mix and layered the strawberry sauce in the middle. I used a little less water than the box called for since I knew the sauce would add its own juiciness.
Let me say…this bread was delightful. Oh so yummy. Strawberry and banana are like Lil’ G’s fav combo, so I’ll be picking up extra bread mix and cranking out a few more of these. I’ll wrap up a few loaves and hand them out to friends…and I bet you anything they will surely think it was made from scratch BB. If you won’t tell ‘em I won’t either.
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06.25.09
Posted in Family, Kids at 8:43 pm by Melonie
I’m sure Mama blogs across the net have entries concerning a trip to the strawberry farm. And I’m sure I’m not the only one who immediately thinks of that really not so great (gasp! I said it!) Beatles tune. So whatever, here’s my contribution.
Fact: Miss A hates strawberries.
Fact: It was over 90 degrees before 9 am and the air was so heavy it (insert metaphor I just can’t seem to come up with).
So add fact 1 to fact 2 and you figure it was a pretty miserable day, huh? Actually, no. We got up to the farm by 9:30am (I was hoping for an hour earlier but Lil G felt like sleeping in). So while yes, it was hot-tah, it wasn’t totally unbearable. And while Miss A doesn’t like to eat strawberries (except for a few months when she was 2) she does seem to really enjoy picking them.
Yes, I bathed all us fair skinned red heads in plenty-o-sunscreen.
It doesn’t stop the freckles though…or the heat-flushed cheeks.
Miss A took her job quite seriously, and filled that basket with very little help from me.
Of course, she insisted the very best berries would be the farthest in the field. (I really love this picture, btw. Something about it just makes me happy).
My strawberry blonde girl was proud of herself…
…but it didn’t take long for the novelty to wear off.
So together we finished filling the basket so she could get home and eat ice cream. Lots and lots of ice cream.
I now have 2 giant baskets of strawberries in the fridge. Some of my friends make jam…but I dunno…maybe a tart or two, some strawberry sauce, and a few other desserts I can come up with…got any ideas?
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Posted in Books, Cool Stuff, IMO, Time Wasters at 7:28 pm by Melonie
FSBOA: Future Smart Bitch of America
Don’t know who the SmartBitches are? You’re missing out; so check out their site, then buy their book. It will bring you hours of entertainment.
And if it offends you that I captioned Lil G with questionable language..well, you REALLY won’t like this.
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06.22.09
Posted in Monday Muse at 10:34 pm by Melonie
Man…I really need to get posting on here! I have all these good intentions, and then end up with a romance novel and glass of wine.
I did run 2 miles by 6:30 am this morning…that counts for something, right? Now if I can do that every day this week…
Anyways, trying to stick to something I start…here is someone to inspire you…another Mama, who took something she enjoyed (and was pretty darn good at) and made quite the career out of it…props to pro-photographer Rebekah…this week’s Monday Muse.
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06.15.09
Posted in Cool Stuff, Hobbies, Life, Monday Muse at 10:04 pm by Melonie
Yeah…I still have a ba-ga-zillion posts about Disney I plan to torture y’all with…
Yeah…I should be putting together some of those helpful homeschooling posts from Miss A’s 1st completed year (yeah!) of “real” homeschool…
Yeah…I should be posting more pics of Lil G’s adorableness and gushing about said adorableness…
But it’s Monday.
And I just drank a margarita as big as my head (well, not quite, but I’ve never been one who can hold my liquor).
So I’ve decided to initiate a new tradition: Monday Muse. There is so much I want to do, create, explore. So much. But usually all I do is dishes and laundry. All I create are marginally nutritious meals for my family, and all I explore is the next poopy diaper.
Does it sound like I’m in a rut?
I am.
SO to inspire me…and maybe you..I have decided (just like 5 minutes ago) to begin Monday Muse. There are a lot of talented people out there on the www….some, perhaps more than some, are crazy as well, but talented – yes.
I want their talent, and the time they manage to find to devote to their talent, to stir up the creative instincts in my soul (or at least kick my competitive backside into gear…after all, if so and so can find the time to indulge their inner artist/writer/poet/scrapbooker/photographer/painter/chef/dancer/fancy drink maker…then why the hell can’t I?)
Plus, I need a no-brainer idea to get me going and posting on here at the start of each week…so Monday Muse it is!
Today, our featured muse is a Mama and and artist…who did some inspirational postings for the month of May about working your craft “Everyday in May.” Scroll through her May posts….her paintings are INCREDIBLE. And the fact she does all this while trying to take care of a house and its inhabitants…well, that’s what’s inspiring about it, no?
Check out the very first Monday Muse: French Toast Girl
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05.30.09
Posted in Cool Stuff, Products at 1:43 pm by Melonie
And now – a mini hiatus from all things Disney. (Don’t worry, I’ll be posting Princess-Palooza next).
At a MMO this morning (that’s “Mom’s Morning Out” for those of you not in the know) we were talking about developments in the area and how sad it is that rather than take over and remodel a store that has been abandoned (like Linens’ N’ Things) so many places need to eat up open space and build new. Then we went on to talk about what we’d like to see less of (Tanning Salons and Wal Marts) and what we wish we’d have more of. For me, I’d love to see a Trader Joe’s open up my way…oh yes, that would be lovely…so if the person in charge of making such a decision reads this (I realize how unlikely that is but whatever) please get to work on that. Mmmmk?
Why Trader Joe’s you ask? Here: my list of Top 10 things I love about Trader Joe’s.
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05.24.09
Posted in Cool Stuff, Drama Mama Does Disney, Time Wasters at 1:51 pm by Melonie
Then why try re-inventing the wheel? I am s-l-o-w-l-y editing the 1000+ Disney pics so I can order prints and eventually enjoy a little scrapbooking fun (yes, I am one of THOSE people), and while loading some pics onto my flickr page, I thought I’d take a peek at what other people post on flickr as far as Disney is concerned.
Wow.
This is from Tom Bricker (aka; WDWFigment). Go visit his flickr page. It is made of awesome.
Next time I won’t bother trying to capture great pics of the fireworks, I’ll sit back and enjoy it…and let people that can do this:
Capture these moments for me.
For all who post this kind of wowness on flickr, thank you! Keep it up!
The only problem is during my surfing I saw some beautiful pics of Disney during Christmas and Halloween…and the “we’ll go again in 5 years” seems a loooong time to wait.
Have you visited his page yet? Go Now!!!
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05.23.09
Posted in Celebrations, Drama Mama Does Disney, Hallmark Moments, Kids, Life at 4:49 pm by Melonie
So, we’ve been home from the Magic Kingdom for more than a week, and I have yet to begin logging blog time on all things Disney. There was laundry to do…lots and lots of laundry. This was our first vacation since kids, and there are all sorts of things I want talk about: from simple gushing about the excitement (Prince Charming danced with Miss A!) to griping about the irritable details (as in – I’m never going there with a stroller again). Of course there will be pictures…lots and lots of pictures. I have more than a 1000 vacation photos to edit (no - that wasn’t a typo, and yes - I probably could have taken more) and some “here’s what I learned” tips I hope will be helpful to you if you’re planning a stay with the Mouse anytime soon.
All shall be revealed in the days and weeks and most likely months to come…and if you get sick of reading about Disney, well then, don’t read it. This is my party website, and I’ll do what I want.
As far as photos are concerned, here is what I learned:
- Be prepared. I asked the husband to order me an extra sd card, he was amazed, saying he doubted I could use up 1 whole 2gb card, let alone 2…but I did. I didn’t want worry that I wouldn’t have enough memory stop me from capturing one. I brought my camera charger with, but didn’t plug it in the first night. The next day, I ran out of juice early in the SpectroMagic Parade. After that I made sure to plug it in each night as soon as we got back to our hotel room.
- Make more mini movies. I was tempted to buy a flip camera for the trip, but didn’t. I’ve just never been much for doing the recording thing…I’d rather enjoy the experience as it is happening than see it through a camera lens. I did take some mini movies with my digital camera, but just a few. As it turns out, these are Miss A’s favorite things to look at: seeing herself play Mrs. Potts with Belle and watching the Dreams Come True parade lets her relive all the excitement again and again. So next time – more videos, I don’t care if I look like a fool recording it.
- Take a much bigger advantage of the photopass system. If a photographer offered at the time, then we did a photo – but I never really went around and “solicited” the Disney photographers for family shots with the photopass. As I look over the 60 or so shots that were taken on the photopass, I realize how nice it would have been to get some of those “landmark” shots of all of us together (in front of the castle at MK, the Epcot sphere, Mickey’s hat at HS, etc).
- Hopefully, I’ll have a better camera next time I go – one that can take a rapid series of photos so I’m more likely to get a perfect shot, and one that can handle nightime photography better – my shots of the SpectroMagic parade, the Wishes fireworks show, and Cinderella’s castle at night are just not so hot. Too bad, because I thought it was so neat to get a shot of the castle right AT midnight.The pics aren’t perfect, but at least the hands on the clock are visible.
Things are a bit fuzzy and blurred, but with the help of the Pioneer Woman’s “lighten” and “define and sharpen” Photoshop actions I was able to capture a bit of the wonder. Seeing the castle change colors was very very cool.
Miss A's favorite color was pink, of course.
Then there was orange, which we think is Lil G's favorite color.
The golden yellow color was really very pretty too, and set against the night sky it was just incredible. I think I might have been more taken with it than Miss A. She wanted to head towards more rides, I just wanted to keep taking pictures of the castle.
I really liked the aqua blue, but didn’t get any good pictures of that version.
I think it was getting ready to turn blue here...
I did take a picture of the castle when it was aqua while we were watching Wishes, but as you’ll see, the distance and darkness were too much for my puny camera.
Watching the fireworks show with Miss A was wonderful. I hope my memories of that night will always remain clear and bright… even if the photos aren’t.
A Disney “expert” told us in his nearly 30 years of MK experience that the best place to view the fireworks was from the train station platform. So I got Miss A some popcorn and a drink and we camped out about an hour before the show was set to start. We probably should have made it up there a bit earlier, for while there was still plenty of room, all the available chairs were taken. Lucky for us, about 10 minutes til showtime a very nice guy (who turned out to be a Cast Member out on a night off) gave up his front and center seat so Miss A and I had the most perfect chair in the most perfect spot.
The advice about viewing location was great.
Below us, Main Street was a crammed swarm of hot and tired people; but up on the platform there was a nice breeze.
And it was a show in itself to see the sun set and all the lights along Main Street come to life.
As for the fireworks, we had a wide open, clear view of everything, including Tinkerbell's flight.
Did I say it was perfect?
It was.
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05.03.09
Posted in Kids at 8:30 am by Melonie
…not when you’re the Mama of this:
Wherever I go with Lil’ G…people tell me how gorgeous she is.
I smile and thank them, unabashedly agreeing with them.
Many will say, “I don’t often think other people’s baby’s are cute, but she is just adorable.
I find plenty of other baby's cute, but is it wrong to say that none compare to Lil G?
It can be kind of weird, we’ll be out somewhere and someone will come up to me saying, “I’ve been trying to think of an excuse to come over and tell you how beautiful your daughter is.” As long as my crazyperson meter doesn’t go off, I do the smile and thanks bit. (If my spideysenses shout “WACKO ALERT!” I pretend I hear someone calling me and hastily evacuate the area…that’s only happened twice).
Usually they are just normal people, snared by the magic in Lil' G's baby blues.
We’ve had the usual slew of, “Oh, you shoud get her into modeling-commercials-etc!”
I'm not down with dragging Lil' G through all that, I just want her to have a happy silly babyhood.
I suppose if one day, one of the admiring strangers turns out to be a casting director…then I might consider it…
and then again, I might not. I'm kinda selfish and want to keep all this cuteness for myself.
That was a joke. Sorta.
Lil' G doesn't seem to care either way...as long as she can rock out.
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