Random Ramblings

True story: A couple of days ago I walked up to my front door and pushed the unlock button on my key chain and waited to hear my door unlock so I could open it and go in. Until I realized I'm a dork it was in fact for the automatic car door. And I needed to pull out my house key.
(Sadly this beautiful door is not mine. But it is so pretty right?)

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Have you started reading yet? I'm just deciding between two dates in July. So either case start reading, tell your friends to read and lets all plan on getting together with author Sydney Salter! (**For all my bloggy friends who can't make it and/or live in another state I'd still love it if you want to participate. Read the book and send me your questions and I'll video tape them or get Sydney to answer them and post them on my blog!)
My brain should be functioning enough on Monday for me to figure out which time is better so I'm hoping to post the date then so you can put it on your calendar.

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Do you google read? If so do you ever actually stop by blogs anymore?Do you feel like you're missing out on the cute backgrounds, side bars, polls?
Or do you follow and then check your dashboard? What do you do you like better?

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I bought a new toothbrush this week. Love. It. It's slightly different then the last few I've been getting-this one has rubber bristles on the surrounding it. Fun new change. Then just last night at dinner a friend and I were talking and she said sometimes if I feel my self starting to get bogged at work I'll go brush my teeth. It's amazing how it helps you feel like you're starting new.

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Sherrie is giving away one of her brand new CD's! Beautiful, beautiful music. I need this playing in my house.

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I have such a big day tomorrow. I'm still awake. I have issues.
PS Don't forget to hug your cat tomorrow (check out my sidebar)------->

The ants go swimming one by one.

Two neighbor boys were trying to drown ants by pouring cups of pool water on them. I overheard:

6 year old: "I got 'em. Retreat!"
5 year old: "Trick or treat!"
6 year old: "I didn't say trick or treat, I said RAH-treat."
5 year old: "RED TREAT!"

We're Celebrating:

To these, and many other heroic people,

THANK
YOU!

Random Ramblings

Stared a new book. Shannon Hale's Austenland. (It's one I got signed.) I am loving it so far! Confession: I've never read Pride and Prejudice. Don't start throwing things at me yet. I plan to. Honestly. I'm just gearing up for it. I've seen the Jane Austin Book Club, can I have a few points back?

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I hate being spacey. I hate being flaky. So when I am I get angry with myself. I'm the official blog helper for my daughters Kindergarten class. Her teacher and I are trying to get it ready to surprise the other parents. She had to rescheduled with me, and then I rescheduled with her and we finally made an appointment for today. I spaced it. I made it there 40 minutes late and luckily got things worked out but I hate feeling like turd.

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Like books? Read Bree hopes so. Bree Despain is counting down to the release of her first book The Dark Divine. I can't wait to get my hands on a copy. You might want to try to win a book from a YA author (please tell her I sent ya!).

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My kids got in mega trouble this morning (hence a little excuse why I was outta whack and spaced the aforementioned appointment). They got out all of the popsicles and after eating a few (at 6:00am!) they let the rest of them melt all over my house. In the carpet, on the just-mopped-yesterday kitchen floor, on the couch. We thought about grounding them the whole day but then realized we didnt want to police them staying in their room (and we knew it'd just make us all angry the whole day). So hubby gave them some punishment chores, which they mostly did (I mean they're 6 and 3) and I took them outside for a while. Eeeesh. Sometimes my children...

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I got this nifty award from my fabulous friend Rachel. It just makes my heart happy. I love getting stuff and how fun to get something sweet like this. The rule to this cool award is to pass it on to some of your friends. I'd like to now present this honor to Gramme, and HK Everyday.

Bag It Baby

I'm getting this FABULOUS bag from Just Another Hang Up.

I. Can. Not. Wait.

You gotta go check out her amazing stuff. Aren't you loving this bag?

On May 28th you gotta be sure to check out this contest.

Stupid Cupid

The other day my kids were playing in the tub with those capsule things. These particular ones were 'fairy tale' so they had things like a unicorn, heart, and fairy. My 6 y/o daughter got one of a little man and asked me what it was.

I told her his name is Cupid and tried to explain to her his job. "He's like a little angel. He flies around and shoots people with love arrows and then they fall in love. She looks up at me and says, "Oh yeah, cause love hurts sometimes, huh mamma?"

Childrens Festival--Meeting the Big Wigs!

I have been waiting for this huge event at my library for over two months. They hosted a Childrens Festival and invited over 31 authors and illustrators to come out. My 6 y/o and I went almost the entire day and had a great time. She was such a trooper. We had to wait in a few long lines and she was doing so good!

I had such a great day. We first stopped by the librarys used sale where 6 y/o found about 20 books that we bought for only $6. Then we went to hear the keynote speaker Laura Seeger (Dog & Bear). Afterwards they had a breakout session and we choose to go to the fantasy panel.

Pic 1: Dean Hale (Rapunzels Revenge), Shannon Hale (Goose Girl, Austenland), Jessica Day George (Dragon Slippers), J. Scott Savage (Far World), Brandon Mull (Fablehaven, Candyshop Wars), Brandon Sanderson (Alcatraz Portal) and James Dashner (The 13th Reality--he also gave us a sneak peak to Maze Runner cover. Sweet!). It was so fun to hear their thoughts on their industry and why they write Fantasy. They had a great time together and it was fun to get to hear them tease each other.


Pic 2:Back row: Nathan Hale who illustrated Repunzels Revenge (and has no relation to those that wrote the book), Dean & Shannon Hale who wrote Repunzels Revenge (plus Shannon has written a bunch of others). Front row: My 6 y/o, me, Shauna, Jenni.


I had Shannon sign my books and I told her I'd been following her blog and told her one of the latest things she had posted I thought was funny. She said, "Oh yeah you comment as Debbie right? That comment about 'snizzle' was so funny!" Then she signed it into my book!

Pic 3: Looks like we're gonna give a high 5 right? I dont remember what we were doing but that wasn't it. Haha. Or maybe it was. We're best friends now and all.

There were so many great authors and illustrators there. We got some books signed by the Hale's, Brandon Mull, Laura Seeger and Sydney Salter. My 6 y/o picked up some books and we got them all signed but one (by Brad Wilcox). Jealous some? I got an extra few SIGNED books. Trying to decide what to do with 'em...

(These were some of the authors there: Brandon Mull, Shannon Hale, Jessica Day George, Nate Hale, Kristyn Crow, Anne Bowen, Sharlee Glenn, Mette Harrison, Guy Francis, Dean Hale, Aprilynne Pike, Sherry Meidell, Laura Seeger, Ann Dee Ellis, Emily Wing Smith, Will Terry,
Ann Cannon, Carol Lynch Williams, James Dashner, Brandon Sanderson, J. Scott Savage, Wendy Toliver, Rick Walton, Brad Wilcox, Sydney Salter , Alvina Kwong, Carla Morris, Louise Plummer, and Maryn Roos)

One Less Nemesis

The hubs has been working with this new company (aka Creative Director) for the last couple of months and I'm so excited to see them get to launch their stuff today.

If you're looking for a cool way to share with the world your pet peeves why not wear it loud and proud?

One of my more favorite designs is this. You can see more at One Less Nemesis.

In Pictures

I did this on my family blog but thought it'd be fun to do here. My friend Jenni tagged me with this cute idea. Basically, you search for the answers to the questions using the Google/Yahoo Image search. Then, you have to post an image from the first page of the results to be your answer.

My Favorite Vacation
My parents love to travel and took my sisters and me on some pretty awesome vacations (England, Hawaii, Florida, New York, San Fransisco). When I was 15 we went on a cruise to the Bahama's. A few of my favorite memories from the trip was all the perks of a cruise ship (even though I got sea sick for 2 days), snorkeling in bright blue water with a lot of beautiful fish swimming so close they touched me, the beautiful white sandy beaches and parasailing!

My Favorite Color
I don't exactly have a favorite color because to me it all depends on what it's for and what my mood is. Interior design, clothing, paintings. My fallback is usually sage green though. (My other common favorites include maroon and black.)

My Age
27, Twenty seven, 2-7, The big Two-Seven. I like my age.

My entire life I've always felt young. I was always the younger of my friends, the youngest in my family, etc etc. I still dont feel old(er) yet but my hubby turns 29 this year and to me that means we're on our way to movin' on up.

My Favorite Treat
My family's homemade cheesecake (with a slight touch of my hubs family recipe). It was the ONE request I wanted to eat on my birthday. My familys original recipe would never stand up this tall because it's way too gooey and scrumptious. It's incredibly rich, incredibly bad for you, and incredibly delicious! I remember when Tarl and I first started going out we thought we were so cute because we both LOVED cheesecake. It was a match made in heaven. And I think we hardly ever eat it. Haha.

My Favorite Food
It changes about once or twice a year. Currently it is Schlotsky's Turkey Original on Sourdough (no lettuce, no olives). For those of you who don't know I'm allergic to vegetables. (C'mon it's just easier than saying I don't like 'em and people don't give me as hard of a time.) I pick off the tomatoes and onion too but I hate asking for 'hold everything' and those are big enough I can take them off and not have any gone unnoticed.

This sandwich is amazing. I love the fresh, soft, yet crispy Sourdough bread. I love the perfect level of toasted gooeyness. Enough to melt the cheese, warm the turkey and crisp the bread. For some odd reason, I also really love staying there to eat and sitting at one of their tall tables.

The Place I Want To Travel to The Most
I would actually really like to travel anywhere around the United States. I think there are so many great things to experience and see 'close' to where I am. I don't know why but New England has always been a pull for me. I don't really know much about it but I think that would be part of the fun. Plus if I was already out there I'd like to run over to Pennsylvania too since Tarl served his mission there.

The Place I Grew Up
I was nine when my family moved from this small town, but I always remember my mom trying to explain where it was to people, "It's near Pasadina and Arcadia. It's claim to fame is the City of Hope Hospital." I dont know why I remember that.
It's nice to have a marker around that age since my memories are sometimes sketchy. Whenever I remember something from my childhood, it's in two catagories before 9 there or after 9 here.

The Place I Live Now
I found this by searching Timpanogus mountain peak. I can see it from here, so it counts. Beautiful water, beautiful colors, beautiful. I love the beauty of the outdoors and it's definitely beautiful where I live now.

I just wish I could get up there in the mountains to enjoy it more. At least I can look out my windows and see these gorgeous mountains any time I want.

Something I Used to Love
I still love it, I just don't do it anymore. I played softball for about three years. I played a fastpitch womens team in the fall and a slowpitch coed team in the summer. I played shortstop. I LOVED softball! I had awesome people on my teams, we kicked trash (I think every season we won first place but one) and I was really good. (The other sports I tried, I was ok but not fantastic.)

Because I had a secret weapon of sprinting like the devil (I dont actually know if the devil sprints, but I sprinted fast) my fast pitch couches often encouraged me to bunt the ball and sprint.

I miss that feel of standing in the field at night with those lights shinning on you, smelling the dirt and the grass, chattering with the team. (I was the one who was always yelling, "three up three down, lets go girls, get it done, nice job, there ya go!".)

My Favorite Animal
Another one of my wishy-washy answers. I used to LOVE dolphins and collected dolphin stuff, but then decided (with the 'help' of my husband who thought it was time) I was done with that. Now I don't really have a favorite animal. I like monkeys, elephants, sharks.

Potty Humor & Book Giveaway

Clean (I promise) Potty Humor

A few years ago when we were potty training my daughter, hubs and I were in the bathroom getting ready while she was using the restroom. In walks little sister. It was getting kinda crowded so in an effort to give the girl some privacy hubs said, "Let's all go so your sister can poo in peace." To which my oldest daughter replied, "Dad, I already did peace."
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I think my hubs got the holidays a little mixed up. Late last night I was getting ready for bed and after ahem*flushing the toilet I am at the sink washing my hands and I see out of the corner of my eye the water flowing into the toilet is VERY much not clear--not even close, it's PINK! It took me about 8 seconds for my brain to kick into gear and I laughed the whole way to back to bed and told him well done. Have you ever seen those bath tablets you throw in with the kids to change the bath water for fun? Just throw it in the back tank. So uhm hubs, Does this mean I should be getting my mothers day gift on April 1 from now on? (Hubby actually did get me a mothers day gift, I'm just always trying to talk him into more presents.)
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On a VERY completely unrelated note: I didn't do this yesterday because I forgot until after my kids were in bed.

Remember I was giving away a book? I had my kids pull a winners name and it was...

Kimberly!

Congratulations! I'm still waiting to hear back from Sydney (yup the author-she's super nice!) when she'll be able to stop by a book club for us all but as soon I as find out I'll post it so you can put it on your calendar and tell some friends to come with you!

Crazy May Days--Part 2

You may remember I did a similar post to this last week. This weeks are just as interesting, funny and silly:

• 10-Mothers day, Lupus day (I've seen this affect my family-interesting stuff), Windmill day
• 11-Eat What You Want day (I didnt make this up)
• 12-Limerick day, National Nutty Fudge day
• 13-Receptionists day (Woot woot! One of my all time favorite jobs!), Root Canal Appreciation day
• 14-Nothing listed
  
• 15-International Day of Families, National Chocolate Chip day (gotta admit I haven't seen this before), National Safety Dose day
• 16-National Sea Monkey Day
• 17- NASCAR day, World Telecommunications day

Will you be making something chocolate chip-y on Friday? What sorta things do you throw your chocolate chips in? Brace yourselves. When I make chocolate chip cookies I make a pan or two without the chips and then add some for the rest of my family. I'm just not a fan I guess. I know one gal (coughBrodicough) who likes her cookie/chip ratio to be 1:1, yup 1 cookie:1 chip. What about you?

Save Second Base aka Save the Ta Ta's

In celebration of my mom who was diagnosed with breast cancer 11 years ago (and again a couple years after that--she's now in remission) I did the Race for the Cure today with a bunch of FANTASTIC ladies. Gotta love great friends.

At the end of the race I found my super hubs who despite his hatred of large crowds (and this was a doozy!) braved them just for me and brought the three kiddos down to see me finish my first 5k. Sure do love this guy.

Random Ramblings

I'm so excited for my first random Friday post. I love seeing these on my friends blogs. I will coin mine Random Ramblings.

This is the curse of the short people. Or at least people who don't like to hem their pants. Funny thing is, it's just on my left pant leg.

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Sometimes when I take the garbage out it makes me anxious when I see how full it is. Especially because garbage day is Tuesday and sometimes, like yesterday it is already pretty much there. I start getting really nervous we won't be able to make it a few more days and that we won't fit it all into the can. I think I have issues.

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Saw this at the grocery store today. Forked over big bucks just to show ya. Really? Cause Bologna is SOOO popular that someone thought, "You know what kids would love?! Bologna gum! It'll be a HUGE hit!" (However I gotta admit that I love saying it phonetically.)

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Yesterday my daughter brought home an egg she picked out of a hens all by herself (at the farm where she takes horseback riding lessons from). I always sorta thought I'd be like this but I can't bring myself to eat it--because I know where it came from--and it wasn't the grocery store. I'm not sure I can even cook it up for her to eat. She wants to eat it tomorrow, I may have to ask hubby to step in.

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This is how my kids vacuum. You hold the hose and I'll pick up tiny morsels from the floor and feed it in. Hey, it kept them entertained for literally 10 minutes while I unloaded and loaded the dishwasher.

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I am so AOCD that I just spent 10 minutes on website called 'words that start with r' so I could come up with something for my title to go along with 'random'. You know you love it. It just sings to you right?

Cranberry [Wo]Man

I ran across this little gem of a product about a month ago. I. Am. In. Love. Thats probably obvious since I cleaned out the stores supply last week (which doesnt include the 2 I have in my car and the 3 I have upstairs in my bedroom). Let me introduce you to Ocean Spray Cranberry flavored drink mix.

Since I am currently a member of good old Weight Watchers (to be honest it's kinda hard to admit but there ya go blogger land) I hardly ever drink ANY juice--I just HATE drinking my calories. I've limited myself to Water, Crystal Light (my fav flavor is strawberry, orange bannana), and my other ambrosia Diet Coke. When I saw that I could add Cranberry flavor back into the mix I was a bit skeptical. Watered down cranberry? Ewww. No seriously though, it doesnt taste watered down, it tastes...mmm like heaven. (Ok now who's gonna invent frenchfries that are only 5 cal a serving?? C'mon people the cranberry man did it!)

Jokes.com
Brian Regan - Goodbye Dairy, Hello Cranberries
dians.comedycentral.com
Joke of the Day Stand-Up Comedy Free Online Games

Just in case you haven't ever seen fun little things like this before here's how simple it really is.



And you should most definitely check out this today. Who doesn't love free books?

Free Pearls

My friend Sunny suggested that we all go see Praying for Parker's blog. Praying for Parker has a coupon for this totally free strand of Freshwater Pearls (gotta go get 'em before this Sat). I picked mine up this morning and was so excited to put 'em on! Go check out Parkers blog! Spread the word to your friends!

Wanna meet an author? Me too!!

A few weeks ago I won this fabulous book by Sydney Salter from Brodi Ashtons blog and really enjoyed reading it! I got it right before our Spring break trip and it kept me very entertained on our long driving trip and lazy vacation days.

When I got home I emailed Sydney(I hope she doesnt mind I refer to her like we're BFF's),who is totally sweet and very kind and she said she'd love to come to a book club gathering to visit and discuss and play. So guess what? I'm gonna throw a party! Let me know if you're interested in coming so I can make sure to keep you posted. It'll most likely be held in Salt Lake County, Utah. (Specific date and time tba--It'll be after May 17th though.)

I'm also gonna give away a copy of My Big Nose to a random commenter on this post. I'll announce the winner next Sunday May 10th sometime after 12noon. (I'll use the completely accurate method of my kids pulling a name out of a bowl.)

More about the book:
It’s the end of junior year, and summer is about to begin. The Summer of Passion, to be exact, when Jory Michaels plans to explore all the possibilities of the future--and, with any luck, score a boyfriend in the process. But Jory has a problem. A big problem. A curvy, honking, bumpy, problem in the form of her Super Schnozz, the one thing standing between Jory and happiness. And now, with the Summer of Passion stretched before her like an open road, she's determined for Super Schnozz to disappear. Jory takes a job delivering wedding cakes to save up for a nose job at the end of the summer; she even keeps a book filled with magazine cutouts of perfect noses to show the doctor. But nothing is ever easy for accident-prone Jory--and before she knows it, her Summer of Passion falls apart faster than the delivery van she crashes. In her hilarious and heartbreaking debut novel, Sydney Salter delivers a story about broadening your horizons, accepting yourself, and finding love right under your nose.

Crazy Days

Found a fun calendar that lists all the real, crazy, silly, goofy, dumb, etc days of the year. I figure it'd be a fun addition to my blog so be on the lookout in my sidebar for that!

Some noteables from this week (but not limited to):
1-Friday: Amtrak Day, Mother Goose Day, No Pants Day, Tuba Day
2-Saturday: Free Comic Book Day, National Scrapbooking day
3-Sunday: Graden Meditation Day, Lumpy Rug Day, National Two Different Colored Shoes Day, Paranormal Day
4-Monday: Respect for Chickens Day
5-Tuesday: Cartoonists Day, Cinco de Mayo, National Teacher Day
6-Wednesday: No Diet Day, No Homework Day, Nurses Day
7-Thursday: National Day of Reason
8-Friday: No Socks Day
9-Saturday: National Babysitters Day, Stay Up All Night Day, National Miniature Golf Day

What do you think, will you participate in any of these celebrations? I have my site set on a few. If you do something fun be sure to get a picture and leave a comment for me (or email it to me)! I'd love to do a post at the end of the month with some great highlights!!