Tricks and Treats - Halloween not so Happy!!

I really don't like Halloween!

I like the church carnival part and the candy part of course, but the rest pretty much stinks.

For example, some people are dressed up in my big work building, including a young boy whose father works the shoe shine station here in my bank tower lobby. (I work in a 24-story buidling) This boy is probably 11 or so, very polite and sweet, and often comes up to my floor to see if my boss would like a shoe shine (my boss uses their services frequently)

Well I had to leave my desk for a moment a little while ago, and when I came back I heard that the boy came up to see if anyone needed a shine, and since I wasn't at my desk - instead of waiting for me to get back - he just started wandering the halls! Not a huge deal in itself, just very unprofessional and my boss would NOT have liked it...but he was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a Scream mask!!!

My coworker, the girl who found him wandering (after he scared her to half to death!!) told him to just check back later because she didn't know what else to say. So now I'm sitting here waiting for him to come back in with that mask on!! Ugh.

I really don't like Halloween. I don't remember it being this bad when I was little. I remember dressing up in a Minnie Mouse costume and trick or treating my grandma's neighborhood. Costumes were cute, not scary, and neighborhoods were safe. (we were always with an adult, of course) But now....it seems the evil is more potent, the underlying meaning behind actions and costumes trashier than ever before (what's with female teenagers and grown women thinking they have to dress up in something slutty just because its Halloween?? What happened to Minnie Mouse!??!) and candy dangerous unless its from a known neighbor or church group.

Bah.

However, tonight is a church carnival outreach in our community, to which I will take my daughter, who will be the cutest Tootsie Roll the world has ever seen. =)

Pics soon to come!!!

And might I add that just because its a wordly, evil holiday today, doesn't mean God won't still somehow get the glory. It's rightfully His!!! =)

Proud Mama Boasting...

Okay, so here are some new pics of my Little Miss.

I think this has become an addiction...but I mean really, how can I stop? And more importantly, why on earth would I want to? hehe. =)

Bundled up for the new cold weather!

Chillin' with Mama at church (in the bathroom because we got fussy during the loud worship concert. haha)

I love this one!!!!

Hanging out with Daddy in our bunny PJs

So the above reason is why I don't get to write as much during the evenings as I used to. (but oh what a good reason!) =)

My writing time is now condensed to lunch breaks and snippets here and there are ideas strike. But you know what? I'm almost as productive now as I was before I had Audrey. I believe God is blessing the time I can devote to writing because I'm being obedient to Him in regards to my family. I'm trying my hardest to keep my priorities straight and not stress over the lack of productivity in other areas of my life.

I'm learning how to let my Type A tendencies loosen a bit. Dishes in sink? That's okay, Audrey is happy, and that's what matters. Laundry needing to be hung up? It can wait, I'm snuggling with my daughter. Living in a house that's not 100% perfect all the time doesn't bother me nearly as much as I used to imagine it would.

Life is good. Everything gets done eventually, I'm learning important lessons along the way, and blessings are falling everywhere from our God of grace.

And when my Little Miss grins at me and kicks those Bunny-feet, I know I'm doing exactly what I'm supposed to! =)

It's baaaaack......

When I first started going back to the gym after my maternity recovery, I was really upset to see they'd cancelled my kickboxing class. I knew jumping back into it would help me shed these last few lbs ASAP. Turns out they cancelled it because the instructor was busy teaching other classes and doing other things in her personal life and simply ran out of time. Bummer.

But now it's back! I was super excited...until I saw the new instructor's name on the bulletin board.

Think Energizer Bunny from Hades meets Richard Simmons on speed.

She subbed for our class a few times last year when our main instructor was out. When we saw her walk into the room, we all tried to find a way to disappear. (to no avail, of course, she's kinda scary and you don't want to upset her) Its not that we didn't LIKE her - we just liked breathing and possessing fully functioning bodies after class, and with her, those type of things ceased.

She's a nice person. Truly - very friendly and sweet. But she's like a five foot (Maybe 4'10?) muscled, energy-wielding jumping bean. Its impossible to keep up with her, even when I wasn't pregnant and had been in the gym consistently for over a year.

Now I'm not as in shape, and more than a little nervous. But I'm going! Starting next week.

Ohhh, if only the above picture was me. haha. Toned and in shape and ready to kick some booty!!! Maybe I'll get there eventually through this class. Regardless, I'll have fun doing it again and will definitely burn some major calories and hopefully get back into my skinny jeans.

At least this will be good material for my writing. I've already had one kickboxing character, in a suspense I wrote last year that is still trying to find a home. The girl was tough! And it was really fun writing about what I had been doing all those months. Maybe I can develop another after I get back into the swing of things!

I'll post an update next week...if I can move my fingers. =)

Welcome, Winter

Winter is here.

It arrived silently during the night, catching us all off guard. Yesterday was a little warm with a cool breeze - the kind that makes you want to sit outside in the sun in short sleeves and bask in the rays. The day before that was actually a little hot.

This morning, however - BRRRRRRR.

I ran (literally) from bed to take a hot shower, (after making sure Audrey's blanket was still covering her in her crib - she's a kicker!) and after a few minutes discovered the water pressure was way off. As in, barely on. Then, this city-girl-turned-country realized that DUH - we had yet to cover our well. We had talked about building a little house of sorts over it like you see people having....and we talked about it last July when we moved. When its 100+ degrees you tend to forget the urgency.

When it's 34 degrees and you're unable to ge the shampoo out of your hair, you remember quite vividly.

So that's hubby's project today. Find someone to insulte the pipes under the house and find a way to cover the well.

Welcome, winter. Welcome.

And oh, between my little-water shower, and the static from these fuzzy socks I thought would be warm with my boots, and the houndstooth jacket I'm wearing - this is what my hair looks like...

The Shape of Mercy - again...

This was such an amazing book I had to post about it twice. Earlier, I hadn't yet read the book and posted the default info from the publisher. Now, however, I MUST share my opinion....

UNBELIEVABLE.

This is such an amazing story. The kind you read and forget is fiction. The kind you want to read again and again because you can't get it out of your head. The kind that makes you find yourself telling everyone you know about it, whether they care or not. =)

I've realized something over the last several months - my favorite books are the ones that incorporate something true from real life (a person, legend, historicial event, etc.) and blend it with a fictional story. For example, in this novel, Lauren, a college student, takes a job transcribing a diary from the 1600's for this old, retired librarian. The diary was written from one of the accused witches during the Salem Witch Trails.

BAM - you're interested, right away, aren't you? I was!

Think about other books and movies over the years that have done something similar. The Da Vinci Code, for example. I'm not saying I support that novel or its content, but I think it was a best seller because of the premise - the mystery and intrigue of the "what if". Everyone knows the Mona Lisa. Or take National Treasure - the movie with Nicholas Cage. Who wouldn't be interested in a treasure map on the back of the Declaration of Independence? Its exciting to blend real life and fiction.

In this particular story, the diary was written by Mercy Hayworth - not a real person during the Salem witch trails, but in Mercy's fictional account, she mentions real names from history, making it all blend together and causing you to feel that you've peering over the pages as she writes.

Please read this one for yourself. I really believe you'll feel the same way I do. =)

Who will eat cake???

Haha, I crack myself up. This blog title is a nod to the first book in the French Twist series, entitled LET THEM EAT CAKE. So, as I prepared to do the drawing, I thought...well, yeah. You get it. Okay, fine, maybe I need more caffeine before I make a joke. =)



Drumroll, please.....



dadadadadadadadadaa



dumdumdumdumdumdum



(do drums really sound like that? I might be doing this wrong)



.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

AND THE WINNER IS

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

CLEDA!!

Congratulations!

Please email me your mailing address at betsystamant@yahoo.com so I can ship your book to you ASAP. I'm sure you're going to love it!

If you signed up at Georgiana's blog for the same book, don't forget to check today and see if you won there!

Thanks to all who participated, and please check back soon for more book giveaways. =)

A delicious new read....

Yummy, yummy...

What a fun read this one was! But warning - read with a crossiant or at least a cup of coffee because you'll be craving one before too many chapters!!! =)

Reading this book, I'd have thought Sandra Byrd was a professional French chef herself. The narrative and descriptions are so detailed and realistic. This lady did her research! And ended up creating a aromatic blend of believable, heartfelt characters and their relatable lives that leaves readers wanting a taste of more.

Summary:

In this second book in the French Twist series, readers join Lexi Stuart in a crème de la crème adventure!

Deciding to leave her familiar home in Seattle and her could-be boyfriend Dan, Lexi moves to a quaint village in France to pursue her dream of becoming a pastry chef. Life among the French initially proves to be less than easy as Lexi is challenged by her coworkers, missing her friends, and failing to master the perfect baguette.

Determined to find her place, Lexi settles into the culture and life becomes la perfection. She finds a church, meets a new friend, and makes the acquaintance of a child named Celine—as well as Celine’s attractive, widowed father, Philippe. Even Patricia, the gruff pastry cook, shows a softer side as she mentors Lexi in the art of baking.

Fast, fun, and packed with French culture, foodie appeal, and unique recipes readers will love accompanying Lexi on her journey in Bon Appetit as she tries to choose between two countries, two men and the faith to lean on God while savoring the surprises life brings!

Author Bio:



Best-selling author Sandra Byrd enjoys a successful career writing adult, teen, and children’s books, including the Friends for a Season, Secret Sisters series and the French Twist series, including the first Lexi Stuart novel, Let them Eat Cake. She is also a regular contributor to newspapers and magazines. Sandra lives in Washington state with her husband and two children.

Guess what? I'm giving away a copy - FREE!!!

Just leave a comment on this post and you'll be entered to win!
And while you're signing up, tell us one of your favorite all time desserts! What tickles your tummy the most - gourmet chocolate, creme brulee, crossiants, or petit fours?

Guess what ELSE?

You can DOUBLE your chance of winning by visiting my good friend and fellow author Georgiana's blogsite HERE.

~ Drawing to be held Friday ~

And hey, if you happen to lose both times, never fear - Amazon has plenty in stock HERE. =)

Singie Sashimi - by Camy Tang

Camy is one of my new favorite authors! She's a sweetheart and a very talented author. Not only that, but her Asian-lit series is incredibly unique to the inspirational market and I've thoroughly enjoyed each one.

This is a series you don't want to miss! I've already shared a copy of the first book, Sushi for One?, with a friend who now wants to now buy the next in the series. So readers, pick up this book and the others, and continue to spread the word. This is a series worth talking about! =)

Here's the blurb:

Drake Yu. Why would Drake call her after...what, five years? Six?

Venus heard in his voice that resonance that was almost a growl, that titanium-hard determination to get what he wanted. And he usually got what he wanted. The voice said: "I want you to work for me."

Not this time...If it was a choice between Drake and McDonald's--she'd choose french fries. She'd never work for him again. It would take an act of God.

Venus Chau is determined to start her own game development company and launch the next Super Mario-sized phenomenon. However, she needs an investor to back her idea. When Drake Yu, an old nemesis, approaches Venus with a contracting opportunity at his sister's startup, the offer tempts Venus to think the unthinkable.

Venus would rather throw away her PS3 than work for Drake again...but then Grandma bribes Venus to do this favor for Drake's wealthy family. With the encouragement of her three cousins, Lex, Trish, and Jennifer, Venus discovers that even a wounded heart can undergo a beautiful transformation...

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Camy Tang writes romance with a kick of wasabi. She used to be a biologist, but now she is a staff worker for her church youth group and leads a worship team for Sunday service. She also runs the Story Sensei fiction critique service. On her blog, she gives away Christian novels every Monday and Thursday, and she ponders frivolous things like dumb dogs (namely, hers), coffee-geek husbands (no resemblance to her own...), the writing journey, Asiana, and anything else that comes to mind.

Visit her website at http://www.camytang.com/ for a huge website contest going on right now, giving away ten boxes of books and 30 copies of her latest release, SINGLE SASHIMI.

Get your copy of this novel HERE!

When the super cape doesn't fit...

I'm starting to realize Mommyhood is very complex.

Some days, I feel on top of the world, able to take on giant loads of laundry and dirty dishes in a single bound. I am SUPER MOM, here to save the day, save shirts from spit up stains, save pacifiers from the dirty floors, save bottles from the sink, save dinner from the burners, save lost blankies and rattles, save my hair from slobbery fingers...I am woman, I am Mom, hear me roar. (or atleast whisper quietly during nap time).



There there are the other days I feel completely incompetent. Exhausted. Dumb. Incapable. Lost. Forget SuperMom, her cape is in the wash and I just need a super nap and some super-sized fries. But then that would just add to the super-complex I have of feeling like I still have super-sized thighs. Add a full time job to the mix, and OY. I'm still woman, and I'm still Mom, but I have no voice, no energy, and no time to announce it to the world or even to my baby.

Then I realize that while SuperMom has much better hair and muscle tone than Frazzled Mom pictured above....I'd rather be somewhat Frazzled and relying on my Jesus anyday. Sometimes if I'm doing it all myself and feeling pretty confident, I lose the reality of my need. I lose the desparation that keeps me at the feet of Jesus and shows me that I can't do it all alone and better yet - I'm not expected to.

Moms need back-up. Not just in the form of a husband or family member to help with physical tasks like cleaning or diapers or laundry or errands, but spiritually, we need reinforcements! We need that time out with Jesus to soothe our nerves, calm our fears, and replenish our empty cups. A clean house and ironed laundry and washed dishes are good things, but they're just going to get dirty again. The laundry will be worn and wrinkled. The dishes will be once again slathered in ketchup and crumbs. The floors will be messy and the tables dusty.

But what Jesus puts in us won't drain away. The trick is not letting your cup go completely dry, but in meeting Him every day for a refill.

I'm reading through a devotional book now for "busy moms" by Lisa T. Bergren. What encouragement! Its focused on finding God in the everyday duties of mommyhood and having quality time with our Lord when we can't have a mass quantity of time.

I'm a Mom. I'm a Wife. I'm an Author. I'm a Sister, Daughter, Granddaughter, Co-worker, Friend, Church member, Cousin, and Niece. Those are all very important roles that take up my time, energy and resources during the day - roles that I am indeed honored to play.

But I'm also a daughter of the King, a princess, a woman in need of my Father God, the King. And on the days my Super Cape is crumpled in a useless ball on the floor underneath the piles of dishes and bottles and laundry and rattles and crumbs and blankets...on the days my nerves are shot, my hair is kinked, my eyes are red-rimmed and teary, and my emotions flopping like a live wire...I'm clothed with His mercy and grace.

And that's one outfit that will never shrink, never reveal stretch marks, never go out of style and never get too small after too many super-sized orders. =)

Top Picks!

Babies, babies, babies!

After reading almost every "baby advice" book I could get my hands on this past year, the top two that stand out to me as the most informative, the most enjoyable, and the most spiritually refreshing are Rattled and Baby Boot Camp. I would HIGHLY recommend these books to anyone pregnant or experiencing parenthood for the first time. In fact, I'm sure even second or third time moms and dad could benefit as well!!

Rattled is by Trish Berg and I was offered the chance to review it by Multnomah. I LOVED it! What a must have for new moms!

Here's the description:

Welcome to the Adventure of MotherhoodClutter? Chaos? Exhaustion got you down? You must be a mom. And you’re not alone. Perhaps you thought you had it all together…then your baby was born and your world was turned upside down. If new motherhood has you filled with doubt, guilt, and confusion, Trish Berg wants to offer companionship, hope, and help–plus a lot of humor along the way.With practical advice and scriptural reminders, Berg presents two pillars of motherhood: Keep it simple and keep it biblical. Relax as you learn that every mom shares your stresses, challenges, and “Aagghh!” moments. In the midst of sleep deprivation and Cheerio dust, you’ll learn to savor the simple joy and privilege of mothering.

This book was amazing for me. It was like Trish was in my head, and knew exactly what I felt and thought and feared and loved and cried over. God spoke to me through these chapters in a powerful, encouraging way.

You can buy this fabulous book here.

Baby Boot Camp is by Rebecca Ingram Powell. It was given to me as a gift when Audrey was born, and I devoured it. It's a six week devotional-type read that is EXACTLY what a mom needs in those first 6 weeks of mommyhood!! God spoke to me so many times through this story it got to be uncanny. The daily devotions were often exactly on target with how I felt or what I was dealing with emotionally/physically or what Audrey was experiencing that very day.

Please get this for yourself or to give as a gift to an expecting couple you know! It's so worth it and I bet this is one I will read over and over.

You can purchase it here.

The Shape of Mercy

Lauren Durough is a college student longing to break free of family expectations when she stumbles into a project for eighty year old Abigail Boyles—transcribing the journals of Mercy Hayworth, a seventeenth-century victim of the Massachusetts witch trials.

Almost immediately, Lauren finds herself drawn to this girl who lived and died four centuries ago. The strength of her affinity with Mercy forces Lauren to take a startling new look at her own life, including her relationships with the mysterious Abigail, her college roommate, and a young man named Raul. But on the way to discovering the candid truth, Lauren must earnestly ask if she is playing the role of helpless defendant or the misguided judge? Can she break free from her own perceptions and recognize who she really is?

In our high-pressure, success-oriented culture, readers will identify with Lauren’s struggle to forge her own identity separate from the plan her family designed for her. Offering intrigue, romance, and heartbreaking drama, this contemporary novel with a historical twist conveys the intense beauty that emerges when we see how our stories affect the lives of others.

Author Bio:

From early school-day projects to becoming editor of a local newspaper in Minnesota, Susan Meissner’s love for writing has been apparent her entire life. The Shape of Mercy is her latest novel in a string of books that delve into the deeper issues of life. She is the author of nine novels and lives with her family in San Diego , California .

Find out more about her at http://www.susanmeissner.com/.

Buy this story here!

What's your name?

I saw this quiz and it looked hilarious. A celebrity baby name generator!

I'm still reeling from the zillion of choices around naming my daughter several months ago, so hey, I figure a generator is a good break.... hehe.

Any preggos out there today? Or frustrated author trying to name their characters in their next WIP? Maybe this will help! =P

Your Celebrity Baby Name Is...

Brooklyn Tallulah

Haha! What's your celebrity baby name?
Click HERE to find out...then come back and tell me! =)

Dress pants & Deadlines!

Motivation. That's what it's all about huh? I didn't realize how exactly how much motivation mattered until this morning...I am officially back in my pre-pregnancy black dress pants!!

WOOOOOHOOOOO!!!!

Yep. 12 weeks after having my baby daughter, I am finally back in a pair of regular ol' button up, zip up, black slacks. Hey, I'm just super excited to wear something with a waistband! (been wearing my black gauchos to work literally almost every day since starting back!)

Who knew old clothes could be so exciting?

The best part is, now I'm motivated. Sure, I was motivated before, but without results, it was hard to stick with it. I would think "my clothes don't fit anyway, so why not eat an entire box of Mac-n-Cheese for dinner?" or "I can't wear my pants anyway so why not bake cookies?"

Apparently, my last week of eating sandwiches for lunch and Special K cereal for breakfast and dinner, avoiding the chocolate at work, taking the stairs as much as possible, walking around downtown running errands for my job, and doing stretches and crunches periodically at night has paid off. So now, maybe I can kick it up a notch and get back into my skinny jeans in a few more weeks.

That silly motivation. Now that I have results, I'm eager to get MORE results. Funny how that works. And you know what? Its the same with our writing, isn't it? We get a rejection letter (the equivalent of our jeans still not fitting) and we want to give up and quit writing. (or eat comfort food!) But we land an agent, or receive a fabulous crit from a friend, or attend a conference and get encouraging feedback from an editor, or, GASP - land that first contract, and BAM - we're motivated to write-write-write! We want more results.

Deadlines can be a good motivator, as well. I learned that while completing my edits for my MS contracted with Steeple Hill. I had until a certain date to finish my revisions, and though at first I was a little nervous about getting it done in time (I was pregnant, after all! And moving!) I ended up beating my deadline by almost 3 months!

Do you need a little motivation today? A shot of skinny jeans? A ticking clock? Then here's to Dress Pants and Deadlines! You can do it!

A lovely review...

Wow!

Check out this fantastic review I received for my short story
THE SS GRACE!

Betsy Ann St. Amant

Inspirational romance

Available from The Wild Rose Press

April 2007

A cruise to Cozumel is finally going to be the honeymoon Savannah and Austin couldn't afford to take when they were married three years ago. Their first night at sea Austin confronts her with the information that he thinks their marriage is over.

Betsy Ann St. Amant builds a powerful tale of a couple who had a bottomless supply of love and fun when they were dating. They didn't have much money but they had each other and life was good. The author implies that, with the wedding rings, more secure jobs and the passage of time they lost sight of the good things that brought them together in the first place.

Austin basically blames her for the problems in the marriage and she takes it to heart. She even finds that she may have stopped praying or depending on God in their life. Maybe she did take control rather than just enjoy the life they had.

A talk with a woman named Grace seems to help her find her way back to God and admit that she at least shares the blame for their problems.

In this day and age it may be difficult for people to realize that God still does act in our lives when we allow him to. The author reminded us through Savannah and Grace that we have to let God help us, give up some of that control over our lives and let God in. This is really an uplifting book.

Overall rating: 5 Hearts

Sensuality rating: Sweet

Reviewer: Dee Dailey

Klutzy Kickboxer, Take 1

Okay, so yesterday I went to the gym after work. I have been trying to go at least twice a week now that I'm back at work and its been 11 weeks since giving birth. No more excuses, time to get back in shape and back in the jeans! (which is another weird story, because ONE pair of my stretch size 4 jeans fit, and all the rest of my jeans, even up to a size 8, don't. Explain THAT one???) And I'm totally bummed because during my pregnancy, they cancelled my kickboxing class! =(

Working out now is hard. Not physically, really, I'm starting to get back in shape enough to not huff and puff on the treadmill too badly, but emotionally. Apparently I'm not nearly as self-centered after having Audrey as I thought I might be. I don't want to go to the gym, I want to be with HER. Going back to work was hard, even though she stays with either her Nana or her Daddy, but...its not ME. I'm sure other working moms understand that. Regardless, I refuse to let these extra lbs camp out for longer than a few more months. Therefore, back to the gym I go.

So I'm at the gym yesterday, totally not wanting to be because I know if I wasn't there, I could be picking up Little Miss from her Nana's house. But I'm there, and had just changed clothes in the locker room and started up the stairs to the cardio level when...I saw it. One good treadmill left (the ones with the fans attached and the book holder) and DUM DUM DUMMMM....a man heading straight for it. I picked up my pace up the stairs, determined to beat him, book, towel, cell phone, and water bottle in hand...and completely busted it. One minute I was clippin' up in the stairs, the next I'm grabbing onto the railing for dear life as I land stomach down.

Fortunately, the stairs were carpeted. Unfortunately, I think every person in the gym saw me. Multiple people ran over. "ARE YOU OKAY?" Don't help me up, just gawk, yes. Thanks. I've got it. Another man, ironically, the one who I'd been secretly racing for the treadmill, stops and smiles and says "I've done that before too."

Okay buddy, just because you're being nice doesn't mean you're getting the treadmill. I've EARNED it.

I laugh it off, assure everyone I'm fine, and, redder than the trim on my shirt, take my place on my treadmill (and glare as Nice Man carries on toward the bicycles. Turns out we weren't racing afterall)

About that time I realize my knee hurts. Part carpet burn, part bruise. I walk anyway, cranking the treadmill up to speed to run off my embarassment.

Then, my cell phone flies across the room.

Yes, flies. I didn't drop it. Either I had an uncontrollable, random arm spasm and threw it, or it was too embarassed to be seen with me, and leaped. I still don't know. I just watched it fly three treadmills down and nearly nail a guy in the back of the leg as he's reaching for a paper towel on the stand.

So I have to get off the treadmill and excuse myself while crawling around his feet to get my phone.

Someone, PLEASE give me a gold star for getting back on the machine and finishing my work out, and not going home to pick up my baby and record how many colors of red I could turn. Please, someone? Anyone? =)

The next generation...

Reading has always been a very important part of my life. I remember going to the library as a little girl (libraries always had such a distinct smell! part history, part mystery) and picking out the same favorites over and over.


I read (of course) all the Betsy books by Carolyn Haywood. I read the Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, Babysitters Club, Saddle Club, and The Elizabeth Gail series by Hilda Stahl. I don't know how many times I devoured From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and A Wrinkle In Time. Or Little Women and The Secret Garden.


Books were friends. Don't get me wrong, I had friends of the human variety too, but there was something special about reading the same classic volume over and over, wondering who had read it before me and what they were doing now. Wondering how many homes and backpacks and park benches that novel had seen and if the author had any idea how famous they would be while writing it. Books made me think.


And now I think about my daughter and hope and pray she loves to read as much as her Mama! I want her to have the same adventures with all the classics and make some new favorites along the way. The picture at the beginning of the blog is a book by Mo Willems, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite children's authors of this generation. His books are just hilarious and fun for both baby and mom. Audrey loves the pictures, we've read Dont Let The Pigeon Drive the Bus twice already. I highly recommend his work! Here's a link....

So what will Audrey's generation love? What books exist today that will become the classics of tomorrow? Who will be their Mr. Darcy? What famous quotes will they memorize in school? Will the classics live on? Will Audrey recognize the words "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" and "Call me Ishmael" and "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife". What characters will steal the hearts of our children?

Well, I know Hoops & Yoyo will.....




Will Audrey love Snoopy like I do? Or wil Dora the Explorer and Veggie Tales edge out the famous beagle? Will she giggle at Bugs Bunny and all the classic Warner Brothers cartoons like her parents did, or be more fond of the Back to the Barnyard characters and Blues Clues?

I wanted to read so badly as a child that my mom tells me I used to cry because I couldn't. Now that's dedication! lol I don't want Audrey to feel that way, of course, but I do hope she has an eagerness and drive to read and write and be creative.


But hey, if she turns out to be anti-bookworm, that's fine too. She'll be exactly what God created her to be, and nothing less.


Just know at the end of the day, it won't be because I didn't try. She'll wake up from naps and think "hey...why are there all these Snoopy stuffed animals and books in my crib?" hehehe.


(Hey, moms have some license, don't we?) =)