A few weeks ago we took the kids camping and I thought it'd be fun to take a few glowsticks for each kid (since they didnt each have their own flashlight). They had a blast putting on skits for us and having dance parties. Here's their police officer skit.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Uncommon Criminals Signing (Heist Society Giveaway)
I think we're a little spoiled here were I am as we have an INCREDIBLE library with the ability to host huge/awesome events. This latest one was no exception. They brought in the fabulous Ally Carter author of the Gallagher Girls series (which I am on a waiting list for the first one at the library) and Heist Society (so fun!) and her most recent Uncommon Criminals (sequel to Heist Society).
GIVEAWAY:
**You can also enter to win Ally's latest book Uncommon Criminals over on my friend Jenni's blog by July 9th.
Me & Jenni waiting in line to get in. Like I said the library is able to host a huge group, I think last I heard it was Ally's largest group at over 200+ people.
I love booky people! Friend, Me, Rachel, CA, Tawnya
Jenni (Jenni Elyse), Emily (Emily's Reading Room)
Ally's motto is to just leave out the boring stuff so she stood up to speak to us and just jumped right in with Q&A. It was SO fun to still get to hear all her stories and get almost an entire hour of fans questions.
Seriously she's adorable! Cute dress, cute accent, she just seems like we could be friends and go out to lunch. (I wish! Haha.)
A few videos for you to enjoy:
Ally tells us how she decided on Hale's name on her last visit to Utah.
(Sorry the end of the video is shaky, I was laughing and gasping, haha.)
Ally Carter on how she manages her time so she can write.
GIVEAWAY:
Enter to win a SIGNED copy of Ally Carter's Heist Society.
FYI I'll use random.org to pick a winner so please leave a separate comment for each entry.
Mandatory Entry:
Comment w/ your email address so I can contact you if you win.
Extra Entries (pick any or all):
+1 retweet this "I want to win a copy of @OfficiallyAlly Heist Society from @Cranberryfries http://bit.ly/msHbNH"
+1 friend me on Goodreads
+1 follow me on twitter @Cranberryfries
+1 follow @OfficiallyAlly on twitter
+1 follow my blog
+ 1 friend me on facebook Debbie Cranberryfries
+2 share this contest on facebook (include link)
+2 share this contest on your blog (include link)
Other info:
Open to US residents only.
Contest will end July 9th.
FYI Two other contests!!!
**You can also enter to win Ally's latest book Uncommon Criminals over on my friend Jenni's blog by July 9th.
**Enter to win an ARC of EVERNEATH from Brodi Ashton (ends June 30th).
Monday, June 27, 2011
Photography Winner
The winner of the Black Iris Photography shoot is.....
Congratulations!!
Thanks everyone for entering. And huge thank you to Black Iris Photography for the great photo shoot and prize package!
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
Author Interview with BRODI ASHTON (ARC giveaway!!!)
A couple of weeks ago Harper Collins (Balzer Bray) contacted me (squee!!) and offfered me an interview with the hilarious Brodi Ashton, author of the upcoming Everneath (released Jan 2012). Of course I did a little happy dance and promptly wrote the nice gentleman, Michael, and told him I'd be thrilled and honored. So dear friends you're in for a treat!
ABOUT EVERNEATH:
EVERNEATH is partially based on the Greek myth of Persephone: a 17-year-old who's been banished to the underworld escapes to her former earthly existence with her family and boyfriend. The catch is that she only has six months in the real world before being sent back to Hades, this time forever.
Add this one to your Goodreads | Shelfari
EVERNEATH is partially based on the Greek myth of Persephone: a 17-year-old who's been banished to the underworld escapes to her former earthly existence with her family and boyfriend. The catch is that she only has six months in the real world before being sent back to Hades, this time forever.
Add this one to your Goodreads | Shelfari
Preorder it now Amazon
ABOUT BRODI:
Lives in Utah with her husband and two young boys, who still have no idea why she's at the computer all the time.
She received a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Utah and a Master’s degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics.
She blogs several times a week and always manages to make me laugh out loud. I have often been heard referring to her blog as my morning comic strip.
-What was your favorite part about the journey of writing Everneath?
I loved exploring a different voice in the narrator Nikki. If you read my blog, you know I don't take things very seriously and I like to laugh, usually at myself. But Nikki's story would not have been well-served by that voice. I had to stretch myself as a writer. I couldn't think, "What would I do in this situation?" I had to put myself in Nikki's shoes. It made her come alive for me.
-Is there a particular scene that you loved writing or just gave you that feeling like, 'yes, this is why I love writing!'? Can you reference it enough without spoiling it so that we can know when we read it later?
Yes, I can reference my favorite scene! It was the first scene I wrote, in Chapter 1, where a girl returns to school after she's been in this horrible place. The rumor mill is going full swing, but she still chooses to go back to her school, and face the people she left behind. The tension in that scene was what drew me to the story, and despite several rounds of revisions, very little has changed in that scene.
-What's been one or two fun things you've gotten to do since/because of signing on with a publisher?
I got to go to New York and have lunch with my agent and editor! The whole time, I nodded and pretended I was listening to the conversation, but really I was thinking, I'm having lunch with my agent and my editor. This is the life.
Okay, I may have said it out loud a few times too. I was all, "This is my agent. And my editor." and the waiter was all, "Umm... I asked what you wanted to drink."
-What was your favorite book you read in the last year?
Oh man, that's a tough one. How about WHERE SHE WENT, DIVERGENT, BACK WHEN YOU WERE EASIER TO LOVE... to name a few.
-You've got a pretty hilarious sense of humor. Have you always been funny? or To what do you credit it? (it's just how you grew up? your family? your friends? you found it during college)?
It was these strange "magic beans" I bought from a door to door salesman in 1997.
Okay, that's not very funny. People are going to read this, and be all, "Seriously? That's not funny. Say something funny, harpy! Make me laugh!"
-What would be better, eating lunch with Rafa or hitting the NYT bestsellers list? :)
Eating lunch with Rafa! And then getting a text that I hit the NYT list. Just kidding. I really can't think about stuff like that. It would make me crazy. So, definitely, lunch with Rafa. And perhaps some afternoon delight. Just kidding, Sam. I love you.
Go ahead, I'll wait for you to collect both pieces.
Back? OK. Now, put them together and go TWEET IT!!
Easy-peasy right? Of course it is!
ABOUT BRODI:
Lives in Utah with her husband and two young boys, who still have no idea why she's at the computer all the time.
She received a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Utah and a Master’s degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics.
She blogs several times a week and always manages to make me laugh out loud. I have often been heard referring to her blog as my morning comic strip.
Q&A
I loved exploring a different voice in the narrator Nikki. If you read my blog, you know I don't take things very seriously and I like to laugh, usually at myself. But Nikki's story would not have been well-served by that voice. I had to stretch myself as a writer. I couldn't think, "What would I do in this situation?" I had to put myself in Nikki's shoes. It made her come alive for me.
-Is there a particular scene that you loved writing or just gave you that feeling like, 'yes, this is why I love writing!'? Can you reference it enough without spoiling it so that we can know when we read it later?
Yes, I can reference my favorite scene! It was the first scene I wrote, in Chapter 1, where a girl returns to school after she's been in this horrible place. The rumor mill is going full swing, but she still chooses to go back to her school, and face the people she left behind. The tension in that scene was what drew me to the story, and despite several rounds of revisions, very little has changed in that scene.
-What's been one or two fun things you've gotten to do since/because of signing on with a publisher?
I got to go to New York and have lunch with my agent and editor! The whole time, I nodded and pretended I was listening to the conversation, but really I was thinking, I'm having lunch with my agent and my editor. This is the life.
Okay, I may have said it out loud a few times too. I was all, "This is my agent. And my editor." and the waiter was all, "Umm... I asked what you wanted to drink."
-What was your favorite book you read in the last year?
Oh man, that's a tough one. How about WHERE SHE WENT, DIVERGENT, BACK WHEN YOU WERE EASIER TO LOVE... to name a few.
-You've got a pretty hilarious sense of humor. Have you always been funny? or To what do you credit it? (it's just how you grew up? your family? your friends? you found it during college)?
It was these strange "magic beans" I bought from a door to door salesman in 1997.
Okay, that's not very funny. People are going to read this, and be all, "Seriously? That's not funny. Say something funny, harpy! Make me laugh!"
-What would be better, eating lunch with Rafa or hitting the NYT bestsellers list? :)
Eating lunch with Rafa! And then getting a text that I hit the NYT list. Just kidding. I really can't think about stuff like that. It would make me crazy. So, definitely, lunch with Rafa. And perhaps some afternoon delight. Just kidding, Sam. I love you.
Thanks for the chat Brodi! I'm looking forward to this winter when I can get my hands on a copy of EVERNEATH!
EVERNEATH ARC GIVEAWAY!
Brodi has kindly offered up one of her coveted ARC's for Windy and I to giveaway so pay attention to the rules folks so you can make sure to enter.
Here's what to do in a nutshell:
**Get the part 1 tweet from me (below) and part 2 from windy and tweet it. Everything else is just extra pudding. :)
Mandatory entry:
Have a Twitter account? Good. No? Better get one, or else you're gonna miss a chance to win your very own Brodi Ashton-signed ARC of EVERNEATH! Here's all you've gotta do:
Take the first half of the "OFFICIAL Brodi-approved #everneathARC tweet" from below:
Take the first half of the "OFFICIAL Brodi-approved #everneathARC tweet" from below:
Part 1: "I can't wait to read @BrodiAshton's EVERNEATH in January, but"
Go get the second half of the "OFFICIAL Brodi-approved #everneathARC tweet" from Windy's blog.
Go get the second half of the "OFFICIAL Brodi-approved #everneathARC tweet" from Windy's blog.
Go ahead, I'll wait for you to collect both pieces.
Back? OK. Now, put them together and go TWEET IT!!
Easy-peasy right? Of course it is!
Extra entries:
Now, if you want some extra chances to win ... there's a few things you can do, and NO, you do NOT have to keep track of your points or come back to us with an email or anything like that. If you just do any of the following things, we'll take care of all that hard math, counting and adding and stuff for you!
+1 following either of our blogs (+2 if you follow both) - new and old followers, same number of points.
+1 commenting on either of our #everneathARC blog posts (+2 if you comment on both)
and the big one ...
once the cover is revealed and available on the PageTurners blog you can get
+5 for changing your Twitter avatar over to the EVERNEATH cover and leaving it up for the next week! (we'll be spot checking - no work necessary from you other than the switch over)
And don't think the ARC is all we've got up for grabs! If that's not enough for you, there's an awesome second prize as well containing oodles of EVERNEATH-y goodies! You won't be disappointed!
This contest is open to all US residents only (sorry international friends) through Thursday, June 30 and we'll be announcing the winners on our blogs Friday, July 1.
*For more EXCLUSIVE! (part 2) Q&A with Brodi check out Windy's blog.
Now, if you want some extra chances to win ... there's a few things you can do, and NO, you do NOT have to keep track of your points or come back to us with an email or anything like that. If you just do any of the following things, we'll take care of all that hard math, counting and adding and stuff for you!
+1 following either of our blogs (+2 if you follow both) - new and old followers, same number of points.
+1 commenting on either of our #everneathARC blog posts (+2 if you comment on both)
and the big one ...
once the cover is revealed and available on the PageTurners blog you can get
+5 for changing your Twitter avatar over to the EVERNEATH cover and leaving it up for the next week! (we'll be spot checking - no work necessary from you other than the switch over)
And don't think the ARC is all we've got up for grabs! If that's not enough for you, there's an awesome second prize as well containing oodles of EVERNEATH-y goodies! You won't be disappointed!
This contest is open to all US residents only (sorry international friends) through Thursday, June 30 and we'll be announcing the winners on our blogs Friday, July 1.
*For more EXCLUSIVE! (part 2) Q&A with Brodi check out Windy's blog.
*For the official cover launch stop by Page Turners blog (It's soooo pretty)!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Black Iris Photography: Photoshoot Giveaway
You could win this FANTASTIC photo package:
- FREE 1 hr photo session (includes any type they offer: engagements, bridal, boudoir, maternity, newborn, family, missionary, senior)
- CD of the images
- Full copyright
Black Iris Photography is kindly willing to travel between Brigham City and Provo.
Find them:
Blog: Black Iris Photo | Facebook Fan Page: Black Iris Photography
HOW TO ENTER:
(I will use random.org to pick a winner so it's in your best interest to leave a separate comment for each entry.)
Mandatory Entry:
Like Black Iris Photography and then come back and tell me you did.
Additional Entries:
+1 (one daily possible entry) comment on any post on the Black Iris Photo blog.
+1 (one daily possible entry) tweet this: "I want to win a free photo session with Black Iris Photography on @cranberryfries blog http://bit.ly/j8EvDX "
+2 entry: Notify your friends on facebook by posting a new status update with a link to Black Iris fb page.
+2 entries: Email at least 2 friends about this contest
+2 mention this contest on a current blog post
Contest ends June 25, 2011.
**If you would like a photo session and you don't win, anyone who entered can get 40% off ANY portrait session! Just mention Cranberryfries blog sent you! Wow thanks Black Iris Photo!
Special thanks to my friend Jenni who introduced me to Carlee and Eric!
Monday, June 13, 2011
Marriage Monday: Date Nights Are a Good Example (for the kids)
Guest blogging today is Julie de Azevedo Hanks, MSW, LCSW with a little Q & A.
Q: My husband and I spend most weekend evenings attending our children’s sporting events and never go out on dates. He says it’s because he wants to make sure we’re there to support our kids during this short time window of time before they grow up, but I’m feeling increasingly resentful, hurt, and neglected by him. What should I do?
A: Modeling a strong marriage is the best gift you can give to your children -- even more important than attending every sporting event. While your husband’s dedication to fatherhood is admirable and likely part of why you love him, let him know that you long for more couple time with him. “Honey, I’d like to go on a date twice a month with you. When can we schedule that? I know it’ll be hard to miss a game here and there, but it’s really important to me” works better than complaining or criticizing. “We never go on dates anymore” or “The kids are more important to you than I am” will likely trigger your hubby’s defenses.
The safety, comfort, and stability of a strong marriage is a far better gift to your kids than attending every game. Attend your kid’s activities “more often than not” and let them know that when you do miss a game its because you are taking care of your marriage. Consider that your husband may have some hurts, fears, or longings about his own childhood that are playing out here. Gently ask him about his early experiences and see if he felt supported by his parents or if he has any regrets about sports or other areas.
Julie de Azevedo Hanks, MSW, LCSW is a licensed therapist specializing in relationship counseling and women’s emotional health. In addition to owning Wasatch Family Therapy, she is a wife and mother of 4. For more relationship resources visit www.wasatchfamilytherapy.com or www.juliehanks.com.You can find my other Marriage Monday's here.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
In The Paint (Win 25 Original Design T-shirts!)
From June 1 through June 30, In The Paint will be accepting 4-color designs for the open theme contest. Those wishing to enter can submit ANYTHING they'd want printed on a shirt - as long as it's 100% original. From the entries, a 'panel of experts' will select the top 5 submitted designs for public voting through Facebook.
The winner will be given 25 shirts printed with their design.
See more contest details here Tee Design Contest (facebook).
Literacy Week
I LOVE my kids preschool! For participating in Literacy Week (three months or so ago) each of my preschoolers came home with a book and a toy. We had to read 15-20 minutes everyday for an entire month. Something we were more then excited about. We picked The Boxcar Children and read it together every night before bed. It's been a fun tradition for us all to read chapter books together. Talk about a fun way to encourage them to love reading.
(This is my kids just being goobers.)
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Now that school is done...
Ah we've entered that fun stage where school is over and now hubby is on the lookout for a job (actually more of a career). Which of course means tons of applications and interviews. I dont know anyone who enjoys this process. So dear husband all I have to say is good luck!
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