Tag Archives: fun

10 things I’m into right now

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Here are 10 things I’m into right now:

  1. Royal Pains, Leverage, and Raising the Bar: These are summer shows that have totally taken me in. Leverage and Raising the Bar are TNT shows; Royal Pains is USA
  2. Dresses/Skirts: Not sure when I became a ‘girl’ but I’m totally into skirts/dresses right now.
  3. Girl’s Night Out: My girls make me laugh and help me get through bad weeks.
  4. Country Music: Um, I really don’t know how this happened.
  5. Flip Flops: I love them. Will probably wear them in the winter. I need to move to the beach.
  6. Four Leaf Clovers: I found well over 100 this summer.
  7. Tattoos: Okay, I’ve always been into them, but since I got mine this year, that love has grown. I want another one so badly…
  8. Cowboys: Must have something to do with the country music thing. I dunno. But damn, I love me some cowboys.
  9. Guacamole: mmmmmmm
  10. Exercise: I do this so I can eat guacamole.

What are you into right now?

BTW: This song/video/guy MIGHT be the reason I’m into cowboys and country music right now…

I’d like to thank the acadamy…

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My pal Kait Nolan nominated my little blog for a Kreativ Award. I like this being nominated and stuff… Pop over to Kait’s blog aptly titled Shadow and Fang where you will find her waxing poetic about anything from writing about werewolves to recipes.

Now I’m honored to be nominated and despite my irritation with the spelling of Kreativ, I will gladly participate. (I have an issue with Ks used as Cs…Like Klassic Kuts. Ugh. really? would you want to get your hair cut there? /end rant)

Here are the rules for the award:
1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.

2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.

3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award.

4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting. (see below)

5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.

6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.

7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they have been nominated.

7 Things People Might Find Interesting About Me:

  1. I’ve taken the Myers-Briggs personality test multiple hundreds of times and the answer always comes up the same: ENFP
  2. I have a tendency toward being slightly oppositional. I become a dog with a bone when I’m told I can’t do something. It can be a little scary at times.
  3. I’m very impulsive and unorganized (see ENFP above)but the majority of my good friends are practical and uber organized. I guess we balance each other out pretty well.
  4. I’m owned by a black pug named Ruby.
  5. My dream car is a 1968 or 1969 Camaro SS Convertible. (preferably canary yellow with black racing stripes down the hood or powder blue. Or black. Okay, any color is fine.)
  6. Two of my favorite animals are birds: Flamingos and Pelicans (shhh. don’t tell Ruby)
  7. I still remember the first poem I wrote. I was in 2nd grade and it was “published” in my school’s literary magazine:

Humpty Dumpty sat on a gate
Humpty Dumpty went on a date
Humpty Dumpty let out a holler
“Let’s go to the pizza parlor!”

Yes, I rhymed holler with parlor. Obviously my wordsmithing skillz are very sharp.

My nominations for the Kreativ Award are as follows:

  1. Maria Geraci
  2. Louisa Edwards
  3. Marilyn Brant
  4. Kwana Jackson
  5. Stinkydog
  6. Karma Laundrette
  7. HelloHaHaNarf! (Midnight Cliff)

fine! I’ll play

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I have been tagged 100 times on FB, so finally I’ve decided to pay. I hope you’re happy.

You’ve been tagged and now you have the honor of copying all these goofy questions, writing your own response, and tagging some other victims. You have to tag me. If I tagged you, it’s because I want to know more about you, my friend.

To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your title as “Getting to know each other!”, tag some people including me (tagging is done in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.

1. What time did you get up this morning?
5:09

2. How do you like your steak?
Medium Rare

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
“Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.” And my crush on Ron Weasley is even bigger than ever!

4. What is your favorite TV show?
It’s hard to say b/c I love TV. Royal Pains, Leverage, Raising the Bar, LOST, Family Guy, Top Chef, Hell’s Kitchen

5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
The Beach. Probably near Daytona if I couldn’t have my own island

6. What did you have for breakfast?
Key Lime Yogurt

7. What is your favorite cuisine?
Pizza or cheese dip or steak. Hard to decide.

8. What foods do you dislike?
raw.

9. Favorite Place to Eat?
Um….do they serve food? then I like them

10. Favorite dressing?
Bleu Cheese

11.What kind of vehicle do you drive?
a damn old-ass honda civic hatchback

12. What are your favorite clothes?
flip-flops and my long red maxi-dress

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance?
New Zealand

14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2full?
1/2 full. Unless it’s wine and then it’s probably empty because I drank it. <—not my answer but totally applies to me!!!

15. Where would you want to retire?
Florida

16. Favorite time of day?
Sunset

17. Where were you born?
Little Rock, AR

18. What is your favorite sport to watch?
College football

19. Who do you think will not tag you back?
Who Cares!?

20. Person you expect to tag you back first?
Seriously, why is this a question?

21. Who are you most curious about their responses to this?
Everyone, actually.

22. Bird watcher?
Um….I’m 40 not 80. I notice birds but don’t like actively watch them.

23. Are you a morning person or a night person?
Night.

24. Pets?
tons. apparently I was Noah in a former life.

25. Any new and exciting news that you’d like to share?
Have you bought my book yet? If not, Why? Seriously? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061430986/ref=kinw_rke_tl_1

26. What did you want to be when you were little?
either a vet or a soap actress. Go figure…

27. What is your best childhood memory?
4 leaf clovers.

28. Are you a cat or dog person?
both. why must we choose?

29. Always wear your seat belt?
Always.

30. Been in a car accident?
yup. 1 was my fault, the other 2? Not so much.

31. Any pet peeves?
I despise insecure women…they give the rest of us a bad name. I also hat ‘repeaters.’ People who repeat everything you say and nod their heads like they totally get it. and I hate it when people can’t get to the point.

32. Favorite pizza topping?
I’m a veggie girl!

33. Favorite Flower?
Daisy

34. Favorite ice cream?
Mint Chocolate Chip

35. Favorite fast food restaurant?
Um…. Not really sure here.

36. How many times did you fail your driver’s test?
never

37. From whom did you get your last email?
My friend Dee Dee

38. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card?
Lowes

39. Do anything spontaneous lately?
Yes. Don’t ask.

40. Like your job?
Yes.

41. Broccoli?
steamed. Yes.

42. What was your favorite vacation?
beach. Period.

43. Last person you went out to dinner with?
Dee Dee

44. What are you listening to right now?
George Straight: Living for the Night

45. What is your favorite color?
Hot Pink

46. How many tattoos do you have?
one, but it’s really big…

47.How many are you tagging for this quiz?
stupid question. I don’t know.

48. What time did you finish this quiz?
9:52 pm

49. Coffee Drinker?
DUH

50. Do have a secret?
Don’t we all?

back again! Sorta…

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Went to Oxford for an awesome signing on Saturday. Returned Sunday. Headed back today to finally close on the house we’ve been trying to sell for 2 years. Yes. It’s true. Thank you, Universe.

I’m over at Fictionistas today talking about signs and local customs. You won’t wanna miss it. Here, let me give you a preview of my favorite street sign ever:

My life according to Staind

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this is a facebook meme that seemed kinda fun. So I played.

THE RULES: Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Pass it on to 15 people you like and include me. You can’t use the band I used. Try not to repeat a song title. It’s a lot harder than you think! Repost as “my life according to (band name)”

Pick your Artist:
Staind

Are you a male or female:
Me

Describe yourself:
Devil

How do you feel:
Lost Along the Way

Describe where you currently live:
Home

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
Outside

Your favorite form of transportation:
Falling

Your best friend is:
Right Here

You and your best friends are:
Schizophrenic Conversations

What’s the weather like:
Raining Again

Favorite time of day:
Tonight

If your life were a TV show, what would it be called:
All I Want

What is life to you:
Everything Changes

Your fear:
Suffocate

What is the best advice you have to give:
Believe

Thought for the Day:
Nothing Left to Say

How you would like to die:
The Way I Am

Your soul’s present condition:
Raw

Your motto:
Fill Me Up

literacy signing, HQN party, Divas, and DC #RWA09

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This is going to be a picture heavy blog. Sorry it’s taken me so long to get the pics up. I’ve been sick, got my line edits in for LOVE SUCKS, had my lawn mower stolen from my back porch and been just generally all around stressed. I’m good now. Oh, and I hit a milestone that I blogged about over at FCR.

Literacy Signing

Colleen Gleason and Sarah Wendell (aka SmartBitch Sarah) What a great picture!

Maria at her very first Literacy Signing!

Me, Jen Echols, and Tina Ferraro

Me and the beautiful Crystal Jordan.

swag

Naughty and talented Robin Rotham

Jill Monroe (and me of course)

Me and fellow divas Loribelle, Rowan Larke, and Karen Erickson (Miss y’all!)

Gena Showalter can’t get enough of me.

Monica Burns being a cheeky monkey

and the best pic of all, Me and Maria!

Diva Dinner (which I did not attend, but I showed up to snap a few photos)


RWA ONLINE Party

December Gephardt aka FunkyBunny. how cute is she?

Teresa Bodwell and Maria Geraci

Pamela Hathaway and her very adorable son Will(?) I think that was his name.
Maria, Kitteh aka Kristen Painter and Jen Rementer

Harlequin Party
Me and Naughty Kate

Bustin’ a Groove. It was 80s and 90s music all the way and sadly most of us felt right at home…

Lucienne Diver and ME!


Me and my new BFF Jade Lee!

There is nothing quite like the Harlequin Party dance floor.

Jax Cassidy and Me! (yes, yes, I know you know who I am by now. LOL)


Cambria and Vivienne

Me, Eden Bradley, Vivienne Westlake

Me and Victoria Janssen

and last but not least, me and my favorite Rowan Larke.

RITA night

Sandy making Jessica Rabbit look like June Cleaver.

Me, Maria Geraci and Louisa Edwards. Critique Partners extraordinaire!

drag queens + karaoke = win #rwa09

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You can view the whole album here. I must warn you, some pics are not pretty. Most–are well worth looking at.

So after the literacy signing on Wednesday night (I’ll post those pics later, I just figured we should start off with a bang here) a group of Romance Divas decided to hit the drag (bar) like we did in Dallas a couple years ago.

We hit the jackpot when we found Remington’s. Seriously, this place was dream come true for us Divas. They welcomed us women with open arms. And we accepted their welcome gleefully. Here, let me show you:


Lisa and I got pulled up on stage to dance back up….
Chelsea is our other backup dancer…
took this one with my cell phone. She was my favorite!

After the show we trounced upstairs and took over. A couple of regulars (who could really actually sing) didn’t seem to appreciate our version of karaoke. You know what version I’m talking about right? The ‘I can’t really sing but who gives a rat’s ass because this is fun’ version. Pictures…let me show you them.

Vivienne Westlake owning the mic
Me and Christina “singing” I’LL THINK OF A REASON LATER (though, truth be told, we already have our reasons…)
and me and Jen “singing” COPACABANA. Yes, we put on quite the show…
I think I was a mic hog which is honestly, quite unfortunate.

A good time was had by all. My fave part of the night (besides being molested by a Drag Queen) was when the New Yorker (Jen) busted out the cabbie for going way out of his way to get us to our destination. She pulled out her iPhone map and he nearly died. He said, “Sometimes the cheapest way isn’t always the best way.” Uh huh. Tell that to someone who doesn’t live in Manhattan buddy.

More pics soon….

yes i’m name dropping, get over it!

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Boy have I missed you. Seriously. Even you. And especially you. *wagging brows* Yes you. Don’t act like you don’t know who I’m talking about.

I got home at midnight last night, hugged the kids, changed the sheets on my bed and fell asleep. I had a tired. I needed to wash the airport grime off of me, but couldn’t even muster the energy for a shower.

This morning it was back to work. Hm. That kinda sucks. I took two days in DC after conference to wind down and not feel rushed getting home, but now I need another day to wind down from traveling.

Okay, really, I just need to win the freaking lottery. Yeah, yeah. Don’t we all.

I plan to post lots of pics this week at some point or another. (must find the time to download…)

Highlights of conference:

Being on a panel with 4 really amazing women: Seriously, these chicks know their stuff. Can’t believe they let me sit on the stage with them. All the feedback we received after the panel was positive, so that’s pretty awesome. Of course, who’s really gonna come up to us and say “That freaking sucked.” But I’m going to ignore that and believe that people told us they loved it because they loved it.

Seeing old friends and meeting new ones: I got to meet Katiebabs! Yay me! And Micki Nuding (who I now have a crush on but must wait in line behind Kitteh because apparently she gets first dibs. Whatever. Rocki will always get first dibs, but then that means I’m at least 3rd in line, so outlook is pretty dismal.) Finally got some face time with Colleen Gleason. I’m pretty sure we’re soulmates. Just ask her. If she says no, she’s just trying to play it cool. And there were many, many others as you will soon see in the upcoming pics. (if I get them downloaded. Sigh)

Being stopped in the hall and hearing: OMG I recognize your tattoo from twitter! Yes, that’s pretty freaking cool.

Being mistaken for Feisty. That is the best compliment ever.

Luncheon with Deidre Knight. I heart my agent.

Meeting Jade Lee. That woman is awesome. Plus she couldn’t keep her hands off my tattoo which makes her my #1 fan. (and not in a creepy Kathy Bates way)

Asking Nora Roberts for directions to the bathroom and seeing the mortified look on this other woman’s face when I did it. What? Nora doesn’t have to pee? Seriously. I had already introduced myself to Nora earlier in the week when I tried to pry her shoes off her wee little feet. So now we’re as tight as Joan Rivers’ face.

Getting a brand new story idea that I can’t wait to write. It’s so awesome. It’s a YA Urban Fantasy and if the idea works like I plan, it will be 3 books. Will commence writing today. Just get ready–you ain’t seen nothing like this!

Assisting Maria Geraci with her first Literacy Signing. (and by “assisting” I mean I was her wine bitch. I was also Robyn Carr’s and Colleen Gleason’s wine bitch as well. I’ll be taking applications for Wine-bitches-in-training for next year’s signing.)

Drag Queen Karoke. Pictures will follow. I sang two songs, (I’ll Think of a Reason Later and Copacabana) both sucked, (I had help so I didn’t suck alone) but I had the best time.

The Harlequin Party. Holy Smokin’Hot Dog was that fun.

This little Greek cafe called Medaterra. I ate there 2 or 3 times I think. It was so damn yummy.

Touring DC with Maria after the conference. By the time we were through, I was a pro at this metro traveling stuff!

There is definitely more, but these are just a few of the things that I truly enjoyed this week. Especially after a bad start on Tuesday. Trust me when I tell you, you just don’t wanna know. It’s laughable now, but on Tuesday? It totally wasn’t. BTW, I just have to give a shout out to Kitteh and Jax for saving me Tuesday. I owe you both, big time.

Today I plan to take my boys to see Harry Potter and then if it will ever stop raining, I’m going to go walking tonight with @jennchrstman. I’m kinda going through withdrawals!

DC day 1 #rwa09

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Okay, yesterday was a big blur of grungy travel, poor planning, and sheer exhaustion.

I finally got into my room at 4 after a tiring check-in process. Then I filmed a super sekrit interview which y’all will see soon, but no comment on it until then. Then I had dinner and drinks with Colleen Gleason, Merrilee Whren, and Terrie McLaughlin. Then I had one more glass of wine with Colleen, Janice Lynn, and Lindsey Brooks. But I was tired, so I couldn’t stay awake any longer.

Besides, Maria and I had been two ships passing in the night, so I needed to see her!

I slept hard (thankfully) and am just about raring to go now. Will report in later when things really get rolling.

Oh. just in case you don’t follow me on Twitter… there’s a plunger in the hallway on my floor. I’ve named him Kyle. I’m thinking he may be here for a while…

Jr Chef

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My youngest son has always enjoyed helping out in the kitchen. I first noticed it a few Thanksgivings ago, when he was curious about how I make pies: specifically the pumpkin pie which is is favorite. Since then, I’ve been encouraging him to help out when he can.

He’s 11 now and so yesterday I decided it was time for him to learn to cook. We’re going to do a new recipe once a week over the summer. We’re going to shop for the ingredients, discuss any adjustments we’d like to make, and then cook.

For our first lesson, we started out with this recipe from the Whole Foods website: Cheesy Lasagna Rolls

We hit the grocery store, bought the ingredients. Once we got home, we set out everything we were going to need and got started. We decided to add a couple of more cheeses to the stuffing and make it a 3-cheese stuffed roll, decided against adding a meat this time, but think bacon or sausage would be fantastic in this. I’m also pretty sure I would love to add artichokes and may try that next time.

The basic ingredients are spinach, marinara sauce, and ricotta cheese (we added mozzarella and parmesan into the ricotta mixture) And of course lasagna noodles. We used 7.

Rader is adding sea salt to the water to boil our noodles.

When your noodles are al dente, you lay them flat, spread cheese, marinara, and layer some spinach on the noodle.
Then you roll up the noodle

And place it upright in the pan

Once you’ve placed all the rolls in the pan, spoon remaining marinara over each roll, sprinkle with mozzarella (and Parmesan) and bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees or until golden brown

They were DELICIOUS! and so easy.

Cheesy Stuffed Lasagna Rolls from Wholefoods.com

Salt
1/2 pound (8 to 10) uncooked lasagna noodles
Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups prepared marinara sauce
1 1/2 cups packed baby spinach
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

We added Mozzarella and Parmesan into the Ricotta as well, and made them 3-cheese rolls

Method

Preheat oven to 400°F. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add noodles and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well and gently transfer to a clean work surface.

Grease a small roasting pan or casserole dish with cooking spray; set aside. Working with one noodle at a time, spread with about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta and 2 tablespoons of the marinara then top with spinach. Starting at one end, roll up noodle snugly then arrange in pan either seam-side down or with the rolls close enough together to hold each other closed. Pour remaining marinara over assembled rolls then sprinkle with mozzarella and bake until golden and bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes.