This past weekend was hectic! Between the gym for me, school for Little Miss, a family date night, a girls bunco night, the grocery store, playtime at my grandma's for Little Miss, my niece's birthday party, an allergy-sick Little Miss and a fire department appreciation dinner...I'm wiped. I was actually glad to see Monday ;)

How was your weekend? How is your week shaping up? Are you a Monday-dreader or a Monday-rejoicer?

So today has been one of those "Little Miss had Gateway testing this morning and I couldn't find her birth certificate they required so the peaceful morning before her test turned into a mad chaotic mass panic of throwing forms all over the house before leaving without the certificate and then getting to the test early in which they said she could send her certificate afterward if she passed and Little Miss passed the first round of the testing which meant woohoo and mad rush to the vital records office to pay fifteen dollars to obtain said certificate while patting myself sarcastically on the back for the mom of the year award for losing her only kid's birth certificate then rushing to lunch to scarf down overpriced but delicious lemon cupcakes and grilled cheese before heading to the pediatrician's office to obtain immunizations record that Little Miss's summer school program requires and then driving to said summer school location to sign up and write more checks and fill out more forms before coaxing Little Miss away from the giant caterpillar and BACK into the car to go home and crash during two episodes of My Little Pony" kind of days.

I need more cupcakes.

Visit me Wednesday at http://www.scribblechicks.blogspot.com/!

Still trying to figure out this new Blogger. For now, I will just type in this box here and hope I'm doing it right. ha

In other news - I go to the gym Wednesday for my 12 week weigh-in/measure! I can't wait to see my progress. How are you doing with your goals? Fitness or writing related? Or anything in between?

At my gym recently, the two combined. The girl who has been training me came over today while I was doing pushups and said "we need to pick your brain". lol Turns out she and her coworker were trying to brainstorm title ideas for a newsletter they were going to use to advertise around the hospital and the wellness center for the gym and it's upcoming opportunities. I tried to brainstorm with them but my brain was still in push up mode. So a few minutes later, after my set, I went to the front desk, grabbed a pencil and turned over the back of a flyer, and scribbled several ideas as they came. I wrote down a series of words in a column that were fitness related (fitness, exercise, health, wellness, etc.) and then across from it in a different column wrote newspaper-y words. (post, journal, daily, news, etc.) Then I brainstormed other ideas in a third column that were catchy in newsletter titles (express, train, car, locamotive, etc.) Then we were able to draw lines and mix and match phrases. It was a lot of fun!

Do you do that too? I can think SO much better with a pen or pencil in my hand. I guess I like the concrete-ness of SEEING it before me. :)

How do you brainstorm? And do you brainstorm during pushups? ;)

So I'm still trying to figure out the new Blogger! Ugh! So far not a fan. But hey, how often are we eager to jump into change? (conviction here!)

So uh in the meantime, I'll work on liking change, and hopefully Blogger will work on not making posting so incredibly difficult. Grrrrr.

I'll try again tomorrow.

PS - any Blogger tips accepted and welcome!!!! lol

"With a pool stick showing her how to shoot a combo..."

I love Carrie Underwood songs.

And just to complete the randomness, here are a few pics of a recent double date night, where we ate steaks then played pool.

I say played pool in a really, really generic sense, because of the 5-6 games we played (girls against boys) I actually made in one ball. One time. In one game.

Sigh.

I didn't use to be this bad! lol My husband is somewhat of a pool shark which totally doesn't help! ha! Nonetheless, we had fun :)

And now I have Carrie Underwood's song in my head.

Can you play pool? And uh if so - can you teach me???? ;)

A word of encouragement...

Visit me today at www.scribblechicks.blogspot.com for some encouragement :)

Have you seen Soul Surfer?

I watched the movie Soul Surfer the other night (AFTER my daughter went to bed thank goodness, because it was realistically gory for a shark bite). Have you seen it? What did you think?

I really enjoyed the movie and the message of hope and victory. Knowing it was a true story really stuck on me and kept a lump in my throat throughout. I'm so proud that it was such a quality movie. Sometimes the Christian-themed movies get the short end of the stick (I know we all loved Fireproof but the acting took a lot of heat from reviews!) I thought the acting in this one was great, thanks to the youthful main character, and the solidness of Helen Hunt and Dennis Quaid. (though poor Carrie Underwood got all the corny lines throughout. Still, could have been worse. And it was awesome she participated!)

There's a scene in the movie where the heroine is starting to work out, one armed, building her strength for her big surf competition. She's doing one-armed pushups with assistance from her dad, crunches, jogging, etc.

Then she does this one move that made me pause the movie and tell my husband "Oh my GOSH I hope my trainer hasn't seen this movie 'cause she's gonna make me try it!" She did a sit up INTO a stand-up. Yep. Laid on her back, did a crunch/situp, and stood up as she went in one fluid motion, then back down and repeat. Zero assistance. No touching the floor, no crossing your ankles to help you stand, nada. Just up and up.

Well of course it stuck in my head so at the gym yesterday, I had to try. I'm a glutton for punishment.

One word...

Ow.

Do you know how many times I fell backward on my butt? I don't either, because I stopped counting ;) It doesn't look nearly as impossible as it really is. And the whole time I was grunting at the gym and bruising my tailbone, I kept thinking "good grief, a one-armed teenager can do this but I can't?!!" It kept me going though, and I kept trying - even later that night, hours after the gym.

I finally did it! The secret is being barefoot - your toes can better grip the floor than in running shoes. I had to use my arms as momentum (putting them over my head while on floor, then propelling them forward as I crunched and stood) so my next goal is to do one with my arms crossed over my chest so they don't "help".

Woohoo!

Thank you, Bethany Hamilton ;)

ANYWAY. I think the best part of the movie was the end reel, where they showed clips of home video footage of the real Bethany Hamilton training, recovering, and surfing with her injury. AMAZING. So inspiring. Such a story! I highly recommend.

(though if blood and realistic injuries freak you out, watch through your fingers during that part)

Freebies

Visit me today at Noelle Marchard's blog and leave a comment on her post to enter to win a free copy of HER FAMILY WISH, my newest Love Inspired release. :)

Come check it out! http://www.noellemarchand.com/5-questions-betsy-st-amant-with-her-family-wish/

A novel by one of my fav's

I love Rachel Hauck's books SO much that I haven't even read it yet, because I haven't had the time the book will clearly deserve to sit and savor. I'm still trying to finish up an older read, as well as work in my own deadlines for both editing and writing, so...I must wait until I can focus. Because TRUST ME, Rachel's books deserve full attention. I'm convinced this one will not be any different.

Check it out: (how bout that cover???)

About the book:

One dress. Four women. An amazing destiny.
Charlotte Malone is getting married. Yet all is not settled in the heart of Birmingham's chic bridal boutique owner. Charlotte can dress any bride to perfection-except herself. When she discovers a vintage mint-condition wedding gown in a battered old trunk, Charlotte embarks on a passionate journey to discover the women who wore the gown before her.
Emily in 1912. Mary in 1939. And Hillary in 1968. Each woman teaches Charlotte something about love in her own unique way. Woven within the threads of the beautiful hundred-year-old gown is the truth about Charlotte's heritage, the power of faith, and the beauty of finding true love.

About Rachel Hauck:

Rachel Hauck is the bestselling author of Carol Award winner Sweet Caroline, and RITA Finalist Love Starts With Elle, and of the critically acclaimed fiction collaboration with multi-platinum country artist Sara Evans, The Songbird Novels.
She lives in sunny, though sometimes hurricane plagued, central Florida with her husband and their ornery pets.
Visit http://www.deboracoty.com/ for more about Debora and her books.
Rachel earned a degree in Journalism form Ohio State University and is a huge Buckeyes football fan. She is the past President of American Christian Fiction Writers and now sits on the board as an Advisor. Visit her web site at http://www.rachelhauck.com/ to reader her blog, and to follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Link to buy The Wedding Dress: http://www.thomasnelson.com/the-wedding-dress.html

Here's some fun news!!! ***

Rachel Hauck is celebrating the release of her latest novel, The Wedding Dress with a "True Beauty" Campaign. Enter to win a $200 Visa Cash Card Giveaway and RSVP for her Author Chat Facebook Party (4/19)! A tale of faith, redemption and timeless love -pick up a copy today, enter to win the $200 Visa Cash Card and Save the Date {4/19}! http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/13459015/rachelhauck

Enter Today and Save the Date-4/19!

What is "true" beauty? Join the conversation at Rachel's Author Chat Party Event Page. On the eventing of 4/19 we'll gather to talk about inner and outer beauty and share moments of beauty in our lives.

In the meantime, celebrate with Rachel by entering her True Beauty Giveaway!

One "beautiful" winner will receive:
A $200 Visa Cash Card (Treat yourself to a spa day or weekend get-away!)
The Wedding Dress (by Rachel Hauck)
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends 4/18/12. Winner will be announced at Rachel's "True Beauty" Facebook Party on 4/19. Rachel will be hosting an evening of beauty (inner/outer) chat, fun trivia, laughter, and encouragement - bring your friends! She'll also be giving away some GREAT prizes: gift certificates, books, and a Book Club Prize Pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club and a live chat with Rachel via Skype.)

So grab a few of your friends and your copy of The Wedding Dress and join Rachel on the evening of April 19th for an evening of fun.

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP TODAY and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 19!

It just seemed fitting...

In lieu of my recent post "Do you ever wish you could disappear?" I thought this quiz seemed fitting. ;)

Which Castle Represents Your Personality?

Take the quiz HERE!

My results:

You Are A Thoughtful Idealist

You are scared of new experiences. It's hard for you to break outside of your comfort zone.You like to think that people see you as intellectual and wise. You consider yourself to be very smart.You are a very romantic person. You can't help but see the world as it should be.Right now, you feel very trapped in your life. You often feel like there is no way out of your rut.Overall, your life is calm and steady. Not much stirs you, and each day is full of joy.You feel like the fate of the future partially rests in your hands. You believe you need to help make the world a better place.

What'd you get? Man, a castle sure sounds like a nice getaway about now. Preferably one in scenic Germany. Or Ireland. Anywhere in Europe, actually. What do you think?

Scribble chicks

Visit me today at SCRIBBLE CHICKS and share your writing time vents! :)

www.scribblechicks.blogspot.com

Naked books

Sad story...

I had my booksigning at Barnes & Noble last Thursday night for my new Love Inspired release, HER FAMILY WISH. It was fun, and as always, there were plenty of books left over for their shelves. Well my grandmother went back Monday to get a few copies, and...

They'd been accidentally stripped for returns.

OUCH.

It was a miscommunication in the store, and it's one of those things - accidents happen. But I'm totally sad for my BRAND NEW BOOK. I'm assuming they're going to order more to carry in store, but still. YIKES. I'm not entirely sure what that does to my sales records but it can't be pretty. That's what stores do when books have sat forever and not moved, and it's an inventory thing, and they have to "return" them by stripping the covers off. That way the books can't be sold by anyone else "underhanded" or whatever. I hate that practice but I DO understand it, in a business sense.

But this was a BRAND NEW RELEASE.

Ouch x 10.

:(

So anyone who was planning on getting a copy (they're only about $6, FYI!), please do so now through Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Wal-Mart or your local bookseller, and let's make up some of those numbers!! Pretty please! (also available for Kindle and Book)

Here's the link for Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Her-Family-Wish-Love-Inspired/dp/0373877374/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1334105887&sr=8-3

CBD: http://www.christianbook.com/her-family-wish-betsy-st-amant/9780373877379/pd/877379?product_redirect=1&Ntt=877379&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/her-family-wish-betsy-st-amant/1106937165?ean=9780373877379&itm=1&usri=her+family+wish

$500 or Bust! (literally. hahaha)

Saturday afternoon I got QUITE the surprise.

Standing in line to check out at Victoria's Secret with a few hand sanitizers and a strapless bra for my Easter dress, I discovered that my secret rewards card (which I got during a purchase in March that was good for an April purchase) was worth...not $10 (which was the default minimum)...not $50, which was sort of rare, or even $100, which the sales girl had only seen ONE of so far.

$500.

I swear the salesclerk was more excited than me. She sucked in this huge breath and started shrieking. "OMG!!!!" She had to check it twice because she didn't believe it either.

When I realized it was for real, I started shrieking too. And jumping up and down with my arms over my head and turning all shades of red. And yelling "Jesus loves me!" (yes, I really did) I kept waiting for confetti to fall. People were staring and mumbling jealous comments. Salesclerks were wide eyed and open mouthed.

Utter jubilation. $500 to Victoria's Secret!!!!

My aunt jokingly said "that'll get you 2 bras". ha! They're not THAT expensive ;)

So needless to say, I waited until Little Miss was in school today and hit the store HARD. With a gleeful smile I jogged around the store grabbing whatever looked good and took it all to the dressing room. I was there about 2 hours! I made a pile of things I wanted and then did an estimate on prices and ended up having to put things back. (It really doesn't take much to spend $500 in that store!)

I ended up paying a litte bit over anyway but got a ton of things, in a big variety. I'd post a picture of all my loot BUT that's probably not appropriate ;) Still, I'm super excited about the world's coziest pair of sweatpants, my new gym gear, my unmentionables, and....my first VS Swimsuit! That thing made working out and dieting the past 10 weeks so worth it.

Lessons Learned:

1. Stores really do print the big rewards cards. (I've had so many people say they thought they were a gimmick and they only printed the smaller ones until they saw me win!)

2. Victoria's Secret doesn't have confetti.

3. Buying a $50 hoodie isn't painful when it's technically free.

4. If you win $500 to VS, give yourself more than 2 hours to spend it, because I was almost late to pick up Little Miss from school.

One terrible tale, terrifically told...

Tricia Goyer took a terrible tale - the infamous Titantic - and made a terrific novel. You don't want to miss this beautiful, historic read about one of the most notorious moments in history!

About the book:

Amelia Gladstone's hopes are tied up in the Titanic--hopes for a reunion with her sister and an introduction to an admirer. But when she offers a spare ticket to a down-and-out young man, her fate is about to change.

Quentin Walpole is stunned when a sweet lady secures his passage to America--and even more surprised to find his wealthy father and older brother on board the ship. Suddenly Amelia finds herself caught between the attentions of two men, but who should she entrust her heart to? As the fateful night arrives, will Amelia lose everything to the icy waters?

Watch the video Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=C0g18-m_qII
Embed the video trailer:







About Tricia:

Tricia Goyer is the award winning author of thirty-two books including Beside Still Waters, Remembering You, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences and is the host of Living Inspired. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife.
More info: Living Inspired (http://toginet.com/shows/livinginspired) and http://www.triciagoyer.com/.

****Link to buy the book: http://www.triciagoyer.com/historicalfiction.html#ByTheLight ****

Celebrate the release of By the Light of the Silvery Moon with Tricia by entering her giveaway and RSVPing to her Titanic party. One "unsinkable" winner will receive:
Flip HD video Camera (Make your own dramatic saga!)
Titanic movies from the ages {Titanic (1953) Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964), Titanic (1997)}
Secrets of the Titanic (Get the facts from National Geographic.)
And the Band Played On (Music Played on the Titanic.)
By the Light of the Silvery Moon by Tricia Goyer (Be swept away in this tale of love and courage.)

Enter today! But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 9th. Winner will be announced at "Silvery Moon" Titanic Facebook Party on 4/10.

Tricia will be hosting an author chat (on Facebook and Live from her website) and giving away books, gift certificates and abook club prize pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club). During the live chat Tricia will have a *special guest* join her. More details coming soon! So grab your copy of By the Light of the Silvery Moon and join Tricia on the evening of the April 10th for a fun chat, trivia contest (How much do you know about the Titanic?) and lots of giveaways.

CLICK A LINK ABOVE TO ENTER!

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 10th!

Blog tour schedule: http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13465890/triciagoyertitanic)

Happy Easter!

Have a very happy Easter!

HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED!

Scribble Chicks!

Visit me today at Scribblechicks for a message I feel is really important for all of us today! Would love your feedback and opinions :)

www.scribblechicks.blogspot.com

Easter fun :)

Fun Easter Egg quiz!!

http://www.blogthings.com/theeastereggpersonalitytest/

My results:

SOCIAL.
You are cheerful, friendly, and open minded. You do your best to make sure everyone is happy, including yourself. Empathy comes easily to you. You are very forgiving. You don't hold grudges. You easily forget about any negativity in your life.

What'd you get? :)

HAPPY EASTER WEEK! May your candy basket be full, but not as full as your heart for our risen Saviour :)

Birthdays and weekends and Mondays, oh my!

This week is going to be hectic, so I apologize in advance if I skip some blogging days.

Starting tomorrow and going until Friday night, I have the following: a gym appointment with a nutritionist for advice on my workout/diet, my regular workouts, a parent-teacher conference with Little Miss's preschool (just to see how her year has been! can't wait for the report!), a dermatologist appt for me (just say no to skin cancer aka tanning beds, my 6 month checkup from melanoma a year ago) Little Miss's school 2 days a week (out for Good Friday), Little Miss's eye appt to see if her patch treatments have been working, 3 Forum newspaper article deadlines, progress on my own story due this summer to my editor in full, progress on my client's WIP that I'm editing, and a giant kids ministry church easter egg hunt for Little Miss.

And I think my sister is getting remarried Friday night.

Whew.

In the meantime, birthday pics! :)

What's on the schedule for your busy week? Can't believe it's almost Easter!!