All the beautiful words!

Let's talk about the Outlander series, shall we?

Many, many years ago...I was introduced to the Outlander series by a coworker who was listening to them on tape (yes, tape!). At work, this series started a conga line of woman impatiently waiting for one coworker to hurry up and finish listening so it could be passed down to the next person on the list.

It starts off as a story about a woman, Claire, who travels back in time through magical stones in Scotland and ends up married to a very dashing Scotsman named Jamie. I know it sounds a little out there and really like your typical romance story. But it is just way more than that.

When I found out that they were doing a TV series on the books, I was beside myself with excitement. I know fans had been asking for a movie for a really long time. I am so glad that they decided to take it to TV instead of a movie. There is just NO WAY that they could have done this series justice in a movie (or even a handful of movies). And I have to say that so far, the show is doing an amazing job of bringing the story to life. Jeremy has been watching it with me and even he is held captive by the twists and turns of the story.

So, I decided to re-read the books...or I guess read the books for the first time since I listened to them the first time. We are up to eight books in the series...with the possibility of more. I know...it sounds kind of crazy, right? Who on earth could keep a story going for more than eight books? We'll see if George R.R. Martin strings us along that long.

I managed to wrangle one of my aunts into reading the books (she has read them all twice now). I have another aunt who I just loaned the DVD's for Season One of the show. AND a third aunt has now ordered the books as well. Plus a cousin who is also watching the show after I introduced her to it. I'm starting my own mini-fan club.

My mom keeps saying its because of the sex. And while there is sex...and I do read many, many, many romance novels that do revolve a lot around the sex...these books are so much more than the typical romance novel. I don't think I could have kept myself interested for eight books if it was just about the sex.

No, this series really has everything. It is an epic story which spans over a lifetime for the main characters and many of the secondary characters as well. This story has you in several different countries, during several different wars, during a couple of different time periods.

But through out the different plot lines and side stories, it always comes back to Jamie and Claire and their love for one another. It is a love story, to its very core.

I'm getting ready to start reading the books again. Jeremy was like "Again?! But you just finished!" Yeah, and?! They are just that good.

His and Hers Weekend Projects

I'm trying really hard to ignore the chaos that is the presidential race. Maybe if I ignore it, it will just go away..hhmm? Instead, I've been focusing on controlling the chaos of my own home and in my own head.

About two years ago, we remodeled the office/man cave. There were just two more things that needed to be done to finally wrap this room up. The old, old, very old rug and the floor. And the floor. This room was originally part of the kitchen. At some point, someone decided to put up a wall and make it into a very tiny room. But the floor was the still the same old linoleum that was in the kitchen. And that, my friends, is what we've been living with for all these years. Until now...

For Christmas, Jeremy brought home a new rug.

It looks pretty good. But, it made the fact that we still had ugly linoleum floors glaringly obvious. So, we finally decided to handle THAT problem.

And now the man cave is officially, officially complete.

The floating laminate floor went down pretty easy. It took Jeremy a weekend to do it by himself. While he was busy doing all of that, I was busy trying to stay out of the way. I kept myself busy with sewing a whole bunch of these burp clothes.

I know five ladies who are pregnant or who have very recently had babies. I've sent some of these to all of them. As someone who is new to sewing, I loved this project. It doesn't get any more straight forward, so it was really great practice and helped me get comfortable with my machine. Plus, if something happen to go a little off I didn't worry about it too much. These are for babies who will quickly grow out of needing them.

We have already moved on to other projects... both sewing and home remodeling. I'll be back to share all of that with you.

YTD

2016, so far.

1. The dishwasher leaked (again) and pretty much destroyed what was left of our already ratched kitchen floor. I am determined to get the floor replaced this year (it WILL be done!).

2. Jeremy's Grandfather passed away.

3. Our older than dirt dryer retired (i.e. stopped drying). Short of having to finish up some already washed laundry at my Grandma's house, this was a small hiccup since we had a new dryer two days later. (Jeremy is still trying to make friends with the new dryer...it doesn't seem to like him)

4. I finally finished my cross stitch that I have been working on for a year.

5. Jeremy and I went to a lyp-synch battle. Us, out on a Thursday night! We are wild and crazy. (Never mind that we were still home and in bed by 10:30)

6. I've discovered the greatness of a good cider.

7. My football team won the superbowl. (My sister still owes me a drink) I'm not sure where my loyalties will lie next year if Payton decides to retire.

8. Jeremy took me to a play. It was a short and funny comedy about dating, mating, and marriage. I'm not sure we've ever been to a play together before (if we have, it was because my sister was in it..oh, did you not know..my sister is wicked talented).

9. I've been stitching up a whole pile of cute burp clothes to give as gifts. It's the season for having babies, apparently.

10. I've seen exactly ONE movie at the theatre. (How to be Single, if you must know).

I'm learning to sew

For now I'm keeping it simple. Trying my hand at some scrappy bookmarks.

New Adventures

Last summer I bought a cross stitch kit as a Christmas present for my sister. It's the Tardis from Doctor Who and it says 'Tardis Sweet Tardis'. I started working on it as soon as I got it, but thankfully I didn't get far before my mom checked my progress. Turns out it's called a counted cross stitch for a reason! Ha ha. I learn something new every day. I started the cross stitch border on the very edge of the aida cloth and my mom gently encouraged me to count out from the center of the picture guide. Turns out that my entire cross stitch pattern was going to be much smaller than the size of the cloth. She set me up with an embroidery hoop to hold the cloth and a storage box for all my
thread and cute little scissors. And once I had counted and started over again in the correct spot, I was in business.

But...I found that I was having a hard time making myself sit at home and work on it. I was too distracted with the TV and the animals and the husband and the Facebook. So, I was lucky enough to be invited to join a sewing group. I know, I wasn't really sewing but the ladies were nice enough to let me come and sit there doing my cross stitch. And I really, really enjoyed it. As Christmas drew closer, I finished up the cross stitch and decided to make it into a pillow. I ordered the fabric online and brought it along to the sewing group. One of the ladies, my co-worker, was nice enough to help a girl out and sewed it all together for me.

Once I was finished with that, I started wondering what I was going to work on next..so that I could keep going to the sewing group. I have a sewing machine. My mom gave it to me for Christmas years ago. But its been up in a closet unused for nearly all that time. Was it time to actually get it down and learn how to sew? Once the thought was in my head, I couldn't get it out. So I took to trusty Pinterest for simple, easy, beginner sewing projects. One project I came across was a tie-on dinosaur tail for little kids. I'm not sure how "beginner" this project was considered but I really wanted to do it for my friend's little boy. He turned three this week and I thought it would be the perfect gift.

Instead of getting my own sewing machine down (I'm working up to it) I took the fabric and directions to my Grandma. Thank goodness she was there to help me because I would have never figured it out on my own. Keeping to the seam allowance is SUPER important, I learned.

I did most of the sewing, and some of it had to be ripped out and re-sewn. But my Grandma did do a little bit of the sewing for me (mostly because I was over there for three hours and it was getting late). Either way, for better or worse, the tail was made and shipped off to the birthday boy.

It's the elusive Kidasaurus.

According to my friend, Jonessa, the tail was a real hit with Jethro and he even sent me a video to show off his dino ROAR!

Well, as much fun as I had putting that together, I did it outside of the sewing group. So, I still have to come up with a new project (maybe one that actually includes my own sewing machine). I might try infinity scarves next. How hard can that be?

I have another cross stitch kit heading my way...in case this whole sewing thing doesn't work out.

Y is for...You're kidding, right?

Day 25. Favorite book

There is no such thing as A favorite book. I couldn't even being to try and narrow it down. I am an avid romance reader and have been known to devour books in a matter of hours.  But I do have a few favorite authors.

1. Lara Adrian

2. Pamela Clare

3. Kresley Cole

4. Tara Janzen

5. Jill Shalvis

6. J.R. Ward

Weekend Doings

I've been living for the weekends lately, just so I can hit that door at quitting time on Friday and not have to think about work again until Monday morning. This weekend was the Color Up 5k. Since we live out in the middle of no where, we don't often get the chance to have large organizations bring in things like Color runs or mud runs or obstacle runs. But I'm seeing a turn in the tide, San Angelo is being put on the map since we are currently in a very fast paced growth spurt.

Anyway, it was so amazing to see SO MANY PEOPLE come together for the Color Up run! Just more proof that events like this are really good for the community and city. It was FREEZING Saturday morning...not as bad as the Hot Chocolate run last year, but still. As we waited for the race to get started the sun came up and more and more people gathered. The music was pumping and the array of colorful wigs, socks, and tutus kept us entertained.

The race was just what it was suppose to be..fun!

 

 

 

 

 

One of my favorite authors, Pamela Clare, has a prequel novella out today (e-format only), First Strike. This is short story set up for her next full length novel, Striking Distance, that will be out on November 5th. You all know I'm an avid romance reader, but I don't usually plug or review books here on this blog. And I'm not really trying to do that here either, I just thought I'd put it out there. Her books are really good, so if you haven't read any of them and were looking for something new to get into..put Pamela Clare on your list.

 

In the same vein, there is a little rumor going around (started by the author herself) that Tara Janzen might be writing a Steele Street novella. She is another author that should be on your list. So good.

 



Thursday Randoms

1. Yoga is hard. And very relaxing at the same time. How is that possible?

2. It's pathetic when the idea of only reaching 89 sounds like heaven. Summer can hit the freakin' road. Worst summer ever.

3. My new flat iron isn't working right. I turn it on..and 30 seconds later it turns itself off. I turn it on again..same thing. I have to push the on button three or four times before it actually stays on and heats up. I wanted a flat iron with automatic turn off, but this was not what I had in mind.

4. I'm in love with our new bedding set. It's soft...and light...and I adore it.

5. I'm working on relaxing (see #1). With all the issues Lola has had this summer with her allergies, I allowed myself to get wrapped up in her and how she is feeling and what she is doing...and why is she scratching..and is her belly red...and why is she tilting her head like that!!!!!!!! I've been working on focusing less on Lola. She is fine. And when she isn't she will let us know...I won't have to guess. When she starts scratching too much or shaking her head..to the point of distracting me...I remove myself from the room. I know this probably seems stupid to a lot of you. She is JUST a dog, right? Yes, you are right. So I have to teach myself to not stress out.

6. I have Ben & Jerry's ice cream for dessert tonight. OOOhhhh...someone is misbehaving.

7. My reading has been a little lack-luster lately. Other than Pamela Clare's books, I've been slightly disappointed in the books I've been picking up lately. Do you have good romance novel suggestions for me?

Random thoughts on a sleep deprived Monday

1. I stayed up too late last night reading {Defiant by Pamela Clare}. Even after I put the book aside I had a really hard time finding sleep. It was an on again/off again thing until the alarm went off at 5:30.

2. Because I was tired and grouchy my coworkers were annoying me..by just sitting there. I managed not to get into an argument with anyone..but I'm not sure how.

3. Did y'all hear about the Octomom signing up for gofundme.com so people, regular ol' people like you and me, can give her money? For nothing in return! Does that really work? I'm totally doing it.

4. I removed the word verification thingy from my blog comments {you're welcome}, but I'm getting pissed at the stupid spam comments. I get excited when I see an email that tells me I have a comment waiting for approval just to have my mood soured to find its a spammer. Boo.

5. But I have been loving the upswing in comments lately from y'all..the real human people out there. I love hearing from y'all.

6. I have become a little discouraged with my weigh loss/fitness. I still have a little too much jiggle to my wiggle. But I'm having a hard time committing to a solid work out schedule or curbing my food intake. I haven't gained any weight, no worries, but I'm still considered overweight and I'm just..jiggly. Too jiggly.

Let's talk about underwear

I might have mentioned a time or two or a hundred that I enjoy reading romance novels. There are many things I love about romance novels, which is why I keep reading them. But there are some things that annoy me or confuse me or that I can't really relate to.

One of those things is women's underwear.

Many, many, MANY (but not all) of the female leads in my romance novels are written to be women that haven't been getting any action...for a good long while. I'm ok with that. What DOES confuse me is that when things DO get hot and heavy with our male lead and clothes start coming off the lady is always wearing some scrawny lacy underthings...kind of like this.

Now, I love me some sexy lacy underwear. But there is just no way I can believe that a woman who hasn't been getting any for a really long time...and doesn't seem to have any prospects (or so she thinks) of getting some any time soon would choose to wear skimpy, lacy underwear around all the time. Is it sexy, yes, but it is not comfortable. It's made to be put on and then taken right back off. Not to be worn for daily use as a lot of our leading ladies do.

And I'm not buying it. Because I know that if I wasn't sexing someone up...if there hadn't been anyone seeing me in my underwear for a long time...I'm not going for the lacy. I don't care HOW pretty it makes me feel. Besides, no flimsy unlined lacy bra is going to hold my girls in place long enough for anything other than foreplay.

That doesn't mean I think she should be wearing granny panties. I happen to think my underwear are super sexy and they aren't even lacy..not entirely anyways. I might wear something more like this with a cute pair of matching hiphugger panties. Simple, cotton, supportive, breathable....and still very sexy. And I AM getting action on a regular basis.

So please, please...no more lacy bra that hooks in the front that is so thin he can canoodle her nipple right through it. Not unless she was expecting to get jumped...which most of them aren't...until later...and then some sexy underthings might make more sense.

Tuesday Randoms

~ Anyone have any meditation techniques? Because this girl has GOT to learn to relax. It may be PMS too. I have a serious ebb and flow of emotions from month to month. Tensing up and worrying about everything seems to come with the territory. So..meditation and midol.

~ I'm going to be reviewing romance novels at Seductive Musings. SSQQQEEEE!! I'm so excited and nervous and excited.

~ Speaking of romance novels, Defiant by Pamela Clare was released today. It has been much anticipated since its the third novel in the series about the MacKinnon brothers. I'm a bad fan and haven't picked it up yet, but I will...soon.

~ Forced myself to go to the gym today for the first time in weeks. I get antsy if I have too many evenings at home with nothing to do. Which doesn't sound like me at all..but I think that was the old me. I'm becoming a busy body in my old age. Must. Do. Something.

~ I have a canker sore on the very tip of my tongue and it is VERY annoying.

~ I'm learning all kinds of uses for baking soda through pinterest. Did you know that baking soda and salt can help with canker sores? Can't imagine it would taste good at all, but still. AND baking soda can be used to exfoliate your skin. It supposedly gives you that 'just got a facial' glow. I haven't tried it yet, so don't take my word for it.

~ Speaking of facials. I really need to find some type of foundation/primer/face spackle that will hide my flaky skin. I have dry flaky skin between my eyes and around my mouth. I use a gentle daily exfoliator in the shower but it doesn't seem to help with the flakiness..especially when I try to wear any makeup. *la sigh* I'm just destined to be a wrinkly, flaky skinned troll for the rest of my life.

Tuesday Randoms

BBBllllaaaarrrggggg!

Sorry for the lack of actual posting lately. The days and weeks are just rushing by. I get off work and then blink and then it's bedtime. I feel like I have a lot going on but nothing going on all at the same time. Ugh..that doesn't even make sense. There is a lot going on in my head {a running to-do list}, lots of stuff on the agenda. So, maybe I can do a quick brain dump...bullet style.

1. I am so..so..sssooo very glad that I am not going to the gym tomorrow. Tired. Sore.

2. I read the Hunger Games last weekend. I didn't know if I wanted to continue with the series because I'm a sucker for a happy ending and I wasn't thinking there was going to be one. But the second book fell into my lap unexpectedly in the form of an audio book. So...I'm continuing with the series.

3. My feet hurt, are rough, and my nail polish is chipping. Who needs a pedicure? This girl.

4. I need to clean out my closet. I haven't taken an outfit photo in months because I've been feeling a little uninspired with my fashion.

5. I wonder if I take enough pictures of Otto taking over my lap and turn them into a book if anyone would actually buy it {yes, he is in my lap at this very moment}.

6. I have the itch to chop all my hair off.

7. Someone argued with me at work today. I refrained from asking them 'Do you know who I am?' and just smiled instead. It doesn't really matter because I know I'm right and they are wrong.

Eight Days of 2012

1. Bought a Jessica Simpson dress at a killer price. There were no measurements listed so I'm crossing my fingers that the size I bought fits me. If not I'll be hitting the gym so that I WILL fit in it.



2. We lost water pressure...and I thought for sure there was something wrong with our pipes, or water heater, or something because our house hates us. Turns out it was a city pipe and not our house. Thank goodness.

3. Found out Friday that something was leaking water in our kitchen. It turned out to be a piece connecting the water supply line to our dishwasher. Easily fixed, thank goodness. I blame the water pressure issue.

4. I cloned myself.

5. Jeremy hung the second door in the guestroom. That means its time to move on to the next thing, probably the baseboards.

6. Applied for Jeremy's passport.

7. Read my first book of the year. 'Avenging Angel' by Tara Janzen writing under Glenna McReynolds. It was a good way to spend an evening. I really liked it.

8. Purchased tickets for our trip to Vancouver in July! Well..my sister purchased the tickets. But its official..we're going international, baby!

OAT..just a little something

'Who is THAT?', Travis practically whistled as he stared out of the floor to ceiling windows. The woman who was making her way across the parking lot was a show stopper and had totally stopped him dead in his tracks. As he lost himself in the swish of her hips a bright pink squishy ball nailed him right in the back of his head. 'That..is our 12:00 appointment', Cookie huffed. She was squeezing a neon blue squishy ball, eyeing Travis as if debating wither or not to throw that one at him too.

Dylan wanted to laugh at Cookie's antics, but couldn't muster even a grin. His past was about to sashay her way through his door, right back into his life, and he was so fucked.

*names keep changing because I can't decide who wants to be called what..but it will work itself out*

2011 E-Book Reading Challenge, Update 1

The list keeps growing:

Lori Foster - When You Dare
Roxanne St.Claire - Edge of Sight
Shiloh Walker - Hunter's Choice

That brings my total up to 20. See the rest of the list here. And I have many more on my Amazon wish list.

*edit - I have to retract Shiloh Walker - Hunter's Choice..it was more like a short story*

My Vision Board

The girls over at Tone It Up have challenged their readers to make a vision board. So, I started thinking about what I wanted more of in my life and then headed over to Pinterest to search for the perfect images to make my vision board.

Here is what I came up with. If I could have squeezed more images on there I would have, but this helped me pinpoint what I REALLY wanted to focus on.



I want to be less afraid of failure. I want more love, more passion, more kisses, more smoldering looks, more flirting. I want a LOT more laughter. I want to feel inspired. I want to spend more time with friends. I want a tighter body. I want creativity to STRIKE, I want it to flow into me and through me. I want to always feel that I can do anything, at any time..its never too late, never.

What would be on your vision board?


P.S. Don't think for a second I've forgotten about my 100 follower giveaway. It's coming, my lovelies!

2011 E-Book Reading Challenge

You know how sometimes you are sort of surfing blogs. You go from one to another to yet another and then you find something really fun and interesting but can't for the life of you remember exactly how you found it? That's what happened to me when I stumbled upon The Ladybug Reads and the 2011 E-Book Reading Challenge.

I'm going to "sign up" and see how many books I end up reading this year. I went back in my Kindle history to see how many books I have read so far this year...and I'm up to 17..and that's without even trying, LOL. Now that I know I'm part of a "challenge" I'll probably pick up the pace. Not that I think there are prizes or anything, not any that I read about..but bragging rights are just as nice.

I'm not going to post a book list or anything. I'm not that organized with my reading list. My moods change throughout the year as to what I want to read so..I'll leave it up to my whims. But I'll probably be posting more about it here as my list grows. For now, I'll list the books I have read so far via my lovely little Kindle.

By Author:

Pamela Clare:
Unlawful Contact
Hard Evidence
Naked Edge
Breaking Point

Kresley Cole:
Dreams of a Dark Warrior
Demon from the Dark
Pleasure of a Dark Prince
Kiss of a Demon King
Dark Desires After Dusk
Dark Needs at Night's Edge

V.K. Forrest:
Immortal

Jacquelyn Frank:
Seduce Me In Dreams

Jeaniene Frost:
Halfway to the Grave

Larissa Iona:
Pleasure Unbound

Tara Janzen:
Loose Ends

Sherrilyn Kenyon:
Fantasy Lover

Monica Mccarty:
The Ranger

Finding My Place

I've had this blog for over three years now. That's a lot of mindless crap..lol. I love my blog and hope that I don't ever find a need to walk away from it. But sometimes I get just a wee bit wistful that I haven't been able to make it into more. I don't even really know what that means...which is probably a little of the problem.

I don't get paid for this blog. Which is ok, I guess. Although it wouldn't hurt to have some extra cash. Who doesn't like extra cash? But who would pay me? My blog is really not centralized enough around any one topic to draw the eye of any sponsor. My adventures into creativity are dabbling at best. I am as my 'about me' outlines, good at many things but exceptional at nothing..except for giving my opinion. But that isn't exactly something people are busting down my door for (although they should be, I give kick ass advice).

Actually, I did get paid for the ELF makeup post I did. That is the one and only time I have ever been paid for my blogging services. They loved it SO much that I haven't been asked to do it again.

I've never been to Blogher or any type of blogging convention. And even if I DID go, considering that I would be all by myself and that I am painfully shy..I would end up spending the whole time as a wall flower. What can I say? I don't market myself well. I'm a follower, not a leader. Yuck, I hate even admitting that.

As I type this I keep asking myself:

What Am I?

What is this?

How can I make it make ME rich?...Just kidding...kind of.

I don't have any answer to any of that. I don't know what I am to the blogging world. Nothing really. Just another nobody blabbing away about nothing special. But I'm sure glad you are here...whoever you are, wherever you are..reading all my blabbity blab.

Novel Bits

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Goals for 2011

1. A New Dishwasher

2. A New Stove

3. A Costume Birthday Party

4. A Kick Ass Concert

5. A girl's weekend with the crazy ladies of my family

6. Warrior Dash

7. A trip with my sister

8. Getting my toes in the sand

9. Cultivating my talent

10. Getting a laptop

11. Visit Lost Maples

12. Go to the Texas Ren Fest

13. Visit friends, family, relax, calm down, laugh until I cry, savor good food, remember my blessings every second.