Privacy Please!

This is an every day occurrence. Since Orion was a tiny kitten, he's been acting human when he goes #1. I thought I would share a photo I took of Orion tonight... He is obviously giving me a look of disgust. He has no idea I am publicly displaying this (or this click here for video)!

Orion has been a water fanatic from day one.

We adopted him at 8 weeks... we learned quickly to put the toilet lid down. If we didn't, we'd find ourselves with wet cheeks when we used the facilities.

We think since Orion was so familiar with the scents of a toilet bowl and being the dominant male that he is, he thought urinating here would somehow mark his territory.

So no credit goes to me or Ian. We did not train our cat to use the toilet. He just "knew" what purpose this porcelain seat served.

Book Review: Sam's Letters to Jennifer

Oh yes, I read another book! Two books in two weeks! That is like a record for me! I am not usually a consecutive reader like this. I like my reading breaks. That said, I've changed. I joined a book club today. It's a blog book club created for a few choice women who like to read and share their thoughts via the blog. I am excited to get started. I picked up my first book today. The review is due March 5th. From what I see it's a REALLY good book so I may just be finished with it in a few days. I love being glued to a good book!

Okay, onto my review of Sam's Letters to Jennifer by James Patterson.

First off, I thought "Sam" was a guy. Whoops! I thought this was a romance pack of letters. By chapter two I realized Sam is Jennifer's Grandmother. Yep, Jennifer calls her Grandmother by her first name. I found this odd, but then found that this was an indication of how close their relationship is. They are best friends who share everything together.

At her old age, Sam is found in a coma at the beginning of the book. Jennifer drops everything and heads to Lake Geneva to be with her grandmother. She visits her in the hospital a couple times a day, then spends the rest of her time at Sam's lake house, where Jennifer spent her summers as a child. In Jennifer's childhood bedroom, she finds packs of letters that Sam had written to her.

I really can't relay any other details without spoiling this tear jerking page turner. This is an easy, fast read. Each chapter flows into the next one. If you are a fan of romance of any kind, you'll love this dual-pack of love stories! It's a very natural and lovely depiction of human relationships. What was even better, the story takes place in the summertime. Just reading warms your heart and soul as you follow the story.

Check me out!

The Wooden Porch offered to help me with a new banner for my new blog! She did an awesome job! I am so excited to be lookin' non-generic! Woo HOO!

And yes, capricious means random, flaky, flighty, indecisive, etc.

*Update:
Well, I've thought it over some more and looked the word up again... and I still think capricious describes me personally... as far as my work and my personal relationships, no, I'm not capricious. But most everything I do, it's on a whim... impulsive, not planned.

She's just TOO right!

You MUST go over to the "House of Joy" and read THIS POST! I totally felt what she wrote here and could have written something similar if I was only that clever and witty.

Blast from the Past Meme

Nicole from All that Sassafrass tagged me!

*FUNNY*: I think most of my blog friends laughed at me on this one!

*SERIOUS*: I don't usually get very "deep" in my posts, but this one took the religious cake! It gave me the chills!

*UGLY*: Here is my only post where I actually got negative comments. Talk about an ugly person for saying what she did! I thought it was an innocent post, but apparently not ;)

*ALL ABOUT YOU*: Well this one is easy! 100 things about me... Duh! And most of these fun facts are still true... I'm still breastfeeding, but my chest is not as attractive... oh well...

*TAGGING*: Nikkie, Emma & Katie

Book Review: We Are All Welcome Here

April of 2006, a friend of mine told me about a book she was reviewing for The Virginian-Pilot Newspaper. She said it was about a woman who contracted polio when she was pregnant and gave birth in an iron lung! I was intrigued and asked if I could borrow the book when she was done writing her review. The next day she brought it to me.

So I started reading this book 4 nights ago, finishing it tonight. I am so mad at myself for not picking it up sooner! My only incentive to finally start reading it was because I just bought Sam's Letters to Jennifer by James Patterson. I told myself I couldn't start a book I had bought until I finished one I had borrowed...

So anyway, it's titled We Are All Welcome Here by Elizabeth Berg. Elizabeth Berg writes fiction, but recieved a letter from a remarkable woman who offered a book idea to her. Elizabeth didn't like that as she is a fictional novelist only and liked to come up with her own book ideas. The lovely lady asked her to write her mother's life story. Her mother was a quadriplegic. Elizabeth was so captivated by the story then interviews this woman for more details and ideas. The book is indeed fiction, but based on true characters who have inspired me, the reader.

Diana Dunn was born in an iron lung. Her father leaves her mother, Paige, shortly after her birth. He offered to adopt the baby girl, but Paige refuses and vows that she will raise the baby on her own (even though she's a quadriplegic surviving on a respirator).

Able to move only her head, Paige requires round-the-clock nursing care that social services barely cover. Paige is a happy, wise and vibrant woman, mother and friend... even in the face of mighty trials as a quadriplegic. At the young age of 13, Diana has taken over the night shift to save them money, sharing her mother's care with a unique and loyal day worker, Peacie, who is protective of Paige and tough on Diana.

It's an interesting and down-to-earth family dynamic. Like being a fly on the wall, I've learned much from their selfless lifestyle. There are many lessons to learn from this book, but the one that stood out for me, at this point in my life was this:

"Oh, Diana. Money's just money. Once you have shelter from the elements and clothes to wear and food to eat, it's all one-upsmanship, that's all--status and game-playing. Whose house is bigger? Whose clothes are nicer? Whose car is shiniest? What difference does is make really?"

I highly recommend this book. I am sure it's at your local library and it's most certainly on Amazon.com.

Pure Laziness!

So we caught the beginnings of SeaBiscuit on TV tonight... a movie we actually own on DVD. Did we decide to watch the movie on TV? Yes. Why didn't we put the DVD in and accomplish the task without commercial interuptions? I HAVE NO IDEA!

What is it about Weddings?

Today we went to a Tongan friend's wedding reception. We missed the 8am sealing this morning, but the reception proved to have a similar spirit (to what I would feel at an LDS wedding ceremony). I seriously started welling up when they introduced the new couple and they walked into the ballroom today! Then as each person in the wedding party gave their well-wishes, I had to stop myself from crying. Then, as the family members came out to the dance floor and danced their hearts out... it was just getting harder to control my emotions. It was just a wonderful place to be on a Saturday afternoon!

Maybe it was the fact that I had a dream about the bride a couple nights ago. A dream that had me worried about her all day yesterday. So when I saw her today, looking radiant, I was grateful she was happy and okay. So half the emotions were just that. The other half I think came from just basking in their joy. A new life for them...

I remember my wedding day so vividly when I go to other weddings. I love weddings! It truly is a sacred thing, marriage. So, feeling emotional because of their joy, because of my own joy and because of the sacred union that it is... it's understandable now why one would get emotional, right?

What's stuck in your head?

We all get songs stuck in our heads. We all get attached to a new song that just came out (then hate it forever just like a food item eaten too many times because WE LOVED IT SO MUCH). So here I am with a great song in my head. I really like it. I am in the middle of the binge. It’s on repeat in my car. The lyrics and music are in my head when I am not in the car listening to it.

So then I ponder…

What is it about THIS song that I like so much? The lyrics are sad, stupid and hurtful (to whomever it was intended for). How does a songwriter get us hooked with the music and back up alone? How do they create such a masterpiece of all kinds of instruments then add the lyrics and the feeling is the same? The song could be about Jesus or homeless people and I would still like it. It’s just amazing to me. (Remember Shaggy’s song about getting caught… What the?... It was the music that got us hooked, not those HORRIBLE lyrics!)

The particular song I am stuck on right now is Beyonce’s Irreplaceable. I can’t get enough of it. And I am sure I won’t get tired of it. I remember when I found Craig David’s Rise and Fall (arranged with Sting). I still love this song. There are many others that belong on Gina’s Faves homemade CD.

Back to Beyonce… I’ve been a big fan of her since she put out her first CD with Destiny’s Child. She is a great artist in my opinion. That voice is awesome. Of course some of her recent rhyming action has got me baffled. In Irreplaceable she rhymes “minute” with “minute”… Wow, sheer genius! I mean, I could write lyrics if that is all it took! But yet, she gets away with it because her remaining talents overpower the, “…I could have another you in a minute, matter fact, he’ll be here in a minute…” bit.

Which brings me to another point. Because she is Beyonce, because Justin Timberlake is Justin, and because Madonna is Madonna… they could create any kind of disaster and get it on the radio! Anything! And those new names just starting out, they have to work SO HARD to get 1 of their 20 high quality songs on the radio and still it may just be a one time thing. It’s sad really… the quality isn’t measured. It’s the name that wins. The one that has lyrics such as “uh, uh” and inappropriate mentions (or full painted pictures) of the horizontal mambo win the game.

I remember when Josh Groban first made it big. Granted he was using other people’s songs to debut his voice, but who cares, right? Leann Rymes did it! I was just amazed they put a classic singer on the radio. One that delivered a beautiful message! It was like a dawning of a new era when I heard him the first time. But that only lasted for so long… it’s been awhile since I’ve heard him on any pop stations, just the classic easy listening ones when I am lucky.

Mmmm... to the left, to the left, everything you own in a box to the left...

It's that time of year again...

I just have to tell you all... this is the time of year where depression hits a lot of folks.

It never hits me.

You wanna know why?

For the past 4 years I have fought the winter blues with this most awesome contest! I can daydream about what my life would be like when I win this prize! For a month and a half I enter this contest, then for another month after that, I anticipate the call... the door bell... the big surprise... How will it happen? Will everyone know? Who will come out of the woodwork when they find out we are loaded?

My husband and I would jump up and down, hug each other and probably squeal at the top of our lungs! And this year it's not just a measly million... it's over 2 million! That means, after taxes, that is still over a million bucks in our pockets!

We would fly to Colorado, tour the dream home, sell the dream home, then put our big money in the bank! How awesome it would be to finally be able to stay at home with my baby and maybe send Ian back to school or start his own business?!?! How would it be to share the wealth with our families, travel the world, not worry about debt or retirement or if the car is going to break down?

My sister says I am nuts for even thinking there is a chance I could win. She hates the links my mom and I send her from the contest web sites we visit. (We only enter the really good ones...) One day I'll call her from our fancy vacation home in Turkey and say, "See! The big ones are worth entering... wish you were here... gotta go, our chef just finished making dinner on the beach for us... Look for a post card!"

Well look at that

I am so excited about the quick response I got on my new blog! Thanks for your kind comments and saying you'll keep up with both web sites!

It looks like the Wooden Porch is going to help me make my blog more attractive! I am so pleased that she offered as I am totally illiterate in HTML code junk stuff.

A new day

Well I finally did it! I started a blog for me to say what I want and correspond with others. Liam's blog will continue to be updated as well, so don't stop checking out my cute kid!

profile photo

Katie updated my profile photo for me... I can't do it on my mac. Don't know why, but the application won't work. So she embarrassed me and posted this message, "one hot mama"... hardy har har! Thanks Katie!