Obsessing Over Dust Ruffles

Upon my latest obsession and research I found out that bumper pads are “out” for safety reasons. At first I took this well, then pondered upon it and then decided even if it wasn’t out, that it should be. I remember often being annoyed by the fact that I could not see directly into my children’s crib because the damned things were in the way. Apparently the risk of a child hurting themselves by limb going through crib slats are so slim that the pros of not having one outweigh that risk.

So to make up for the loss of a bumper pad, taking in the fact that I want to make my own nursery bedding set, I’ve turned to the dust ruffle. I am on a search for the most ridiculous, beautiful, eye-catching, mother-fucking crib skirts ever!

I have found a few gorgeous, breath-taking ones and based off of them I have come to the golden rules for stunning crib skirts:

1. Longer is better. Your dust ruffle should be at least floor length or more! Flowing! (Think of the things you can hide under there!)

2. The fabric should be full, it should have a look that doesn’t make one feel as if it’s stretched from one end of the crib to the other. You need some slack and ruffling of the fabric to enhance its effect.

3. There should be something eye-catching about it. Whether it be a pattern, soft white with blue polka dots or a fringe of pompoms.
It could just be the pure elegance of the fabric itself or some bright color that catches the eye but doesn’t overwhelm the feel of your theme.

4. The crib skirt should be at least three-sided. There are sets out there that come with a front-only dust ruffle, this can be fine in some situations…but the sides are also important. The back of the crib…not so much.

I’ll also note, upon researching this and looking at the gorgeous fabrics and the numerous options…there is no reason in hell why this fabric couldn’t be repurposed when the days of the crib skirt are over. A darling skirt for you little princess, new curtains or valances, or you can just keep them to pass down…I’m sure there are many more things!

1. The Ava Crib Skirt by Glenna Jean

2. The Latte Kiss Crib Skirt by Nava

3. Pompom Fringe by Modern PeaPod

4. I just want to put this page up because there are a lot of eye-catching beautiful crib skirts and for good prices too.
Mod Peapod, Catalog, Crib Skirts Page
5. The Casanova crib skirt by Nava…if you wanted to find it(use the link for 2, it's a Boys set). ( I will warn that Nava does not seem to sell pieces seperately and the stuff is expensive as hell...but oh, so pretty!)

I’m still looking into fabrics and things that would go with the theme I have chosen for my girls nursery and evaluating the cost of making a remarkable dust ruffle myself…I might even change my mind on the theme but I can post about that another time when I don’t have that nagging fear that someone will “Steal it” or something silly along those lines.

Favorite Quotes from Books

I did a guest blog at My Fantasy Life titled Tuesday's Thoughts and Tips, the post before mine inspired me to do this post. These aren't really my top favorites of all time or even from my top favorite books, but these are all quotes that I loved when I first read them and still love them for a long time after.

Quote #1. "The sun burnt every day. It burnt Time. The world rushed in a circle and turned on its axis and time was busy burning the years and the people anyway, without any help from him. So if he burnt things with the firemen and the sun burnt Time, that meant that everything burnt!"
- Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451, Part 3
What isn't there to love about this? Bradbury wrote this and it sings to my heart like a beautiful poem.

Quote #2. “...the devil on my right shoulder must have brutally strangled the angel on my left...”
-Gena Showalter, Playing with Fire
Enough said, really.
Quote #3. “If you begin to give away parts of yourself, eventually you'll give it all. And once you've lost yourself, haven't you lost everything?”
-Julie Garwood, For The Roses
Sigh! I love this book, it's always in my top books and I love this quote from it. It's a good quote that stands well on it's own and stands well within it's own situation.

Quote #4. "Insanity is contagious."
-Joseph Heller, Catch 22
No Joke...Another quote that one can't help but love, that works both in and out of the book.

Quote #5. “The Texan turned out to be good-natured, generous and likable. In three days no one could stand him.”
-Joseph Heller, Catch 22
Okay, I had written this wonderful piece about my poor, darling husband...but in the end I chunk it. It was written and would have received some good laughs...but I think I'll just end this with "Kill 'em with kindness, darling, you kill them with kindness." Even while this man can drive me freaking insane...I think one of his greatest flaws is that he is entirely too nice to people, whether they deserve it or not!

So these are five of mine, later I may find more if this post is liked or I'm bored or inspired into it. :D Please comment with a quote or a few that you love, I look forward to seeing them through you!

The Mother of All Contests!

I challenge you, my dear writers, submit according to this and you may win your entire manuscript edited by me, for free(this is the full package deal a paid client would get for substantive editing). Send me 500 words or less about your mother, or someone that was or is in your life that filled the role of mother.

This should contain your feelings about her, good or otherwise, a story about said person.
Ode, poem, story, it doesn’t matter.
Funny, sad, or other emotion doesn’t matter.
Be creative!
What’s important:
1. Good writing style
2. The truth
3. At least one pass through a spell checker or the like.
4. 500 words or less.
This does not need to have anything to do with the piece you would have edited if you win!
There is also a chance for 2nd and 3rd place winners, this is not guaranteed. The 2nd and 3rd place winners probably won't get a whole manuscript free, but would get something out of it!

Submit by Sunday Night. (please send to Greenify13@yahoo.com if this doesn't work for you let me know, we'll figure something out)
Monday night I will announce the winner(s). Good luck!

Green Proofing!

May’s Madness

Okay, so we have to have some new blogs. These are my newest top picks to share with you! Please understand that these are in no particular order!

1. Some Species Eat Their Young.
Seriously, it’s true, some do…but this father(writer, semi-pro Jedi-Master and more) doesn’t seem to find them tasty…But, they certainly are funny. Funny-tasting perhaps?

2. Fnkybee
The funky bee, oh yeah. Welcome to the brain of…we’ll call her Bee. Awww, I have a Honey and a Bee….Haha, I shall build a farm and put all the awesome people within it…and I shall name it Interwebs!
Okay, but seriously, hilarious stuff here. And come on, Survival Sarcasm is an every (I hope) Friday adventure washed down with Vodka. I heart you Bee…in a non-weird way. Just a Mom needing Vodka and funnies way…

3. Honey-Uniquely Me
A mother, a writer, a real friend of mine...writes about being a mother, a writer and a friend of mine...hmm.
4. Thypolar’s Life
A little bit of everything, this mom goes through medical problems and endures hardships like many (but) while yielding sarcasm and funnies as a sword. The struggles this Mom goes through, I have no idea how she does it, but she does it well!

5. Peddler of Dreams
She makes me think of…me? Editor, blogger, artist at heart, and she has recipes. Though I’ll admit that the orange cheesecake must be tried, I still like my recipes more…but don’t let that deter you from reading and trying her recipes and anything else you come across.

6. Southern Hospitality By Rhoda
Beautiful posts of beautiful homes, and just…beautiful. Now, the other blogs listed are also beautiful, but this one just makes my heart sing to the tune of “I want, I want, I want to remodel”! I know I’d be good at it, I’ve done projects before…I just need a place to vent my awesomeness upon! Enough about me, Rhoda also has a page (yes, a page) for other awesome blogs. I know, I love it, especially upon finding that some of my favs in this category are on this page. There is also recipes and other stuff, I'll leave it to you to find out.
**********~~~~~~~~~~**********
What else is there?
Oh…a challenge, in my next post…or perhaps the following one (or even the one after that)…I will tell you about my 30(or however many days) challenge for myself and hopefully you! If you have any ideas for this extensive, yet God-willing fun, and other good verbs describing awesomeness…please reply with them. Anything, hurry, you never know when theost will come…though I will push for sooner rather then later.

Pork Roast

Crockpot Pork Roast (with citrus) aka "Heavenly Harvest Pork Roast"

Ingredients:

• 1/4 Cup Pomegranate Juice
• 1/4 Cup Sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon garlic salt
• 1 tablespoon steak seasoning
• 1 pork roast, 4 to 5 pounds
• 2 pears, cored, peeled, sliced thick
• 1/2 orange with peel, sliced thick

1. Mix pomegranate juice and sugar together in small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Pour mixture into slow cooker.
2. Mix salt, pepper, garlic salt, and steak seasoning together in small mixing bowl. Rub mixture over roast in your slow cooker. Turn roast to cover with juice. Top roast with pear and orange slices.
3. Cover and cook on HIGH, 6 to 8 hours, or until tender. Serve with juice and fruit slices.

Just typing this makes my mouth water. I suggest buttered potatoes, cheese noodles, and other simple meals. This is tasty, and great for left over sandwhiches! Mhm, top it off with a nice fresh fruit salad with cream for dessert!

Creamy Bacon Chicken!

(Will try to find picture!)
Ingredients:

•8 bacon slices (whole slices, don't chop in half, I use 16+ slices)
•8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
•2 (10 oz) cans roasted garlic cream of mushroom soup
•1 cup sour cream
•1/2 cup flour

Preparation:

You can prepare this one of two ways. Place the bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-low heat until some of the fat is rendered. Be sure that the bacon is still pliable and not crisp. Drain on paper towels. If you use this method, reduce the flour to 1/4 cup. Or don't cook the bacon and proceed with the recipe.
(I don't cook the bacon)
Then wrap one slice of bacon(I use 2 or more depending on the size of the chicken) around each boneless chicken breast and place in a 4-5 quart crockpot. In medium bowl, combine condensed soups, sour cream, and flour and mix with wire whisk to blend. Pour over chicken. Cover crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours until chicken and bacon are thoroughly cooked. You may want to remove the chicken and beat the sauce with a wire whisk so it is very well blended. Pour sauce over chicken. Serves 8

If you have a new hot cooking crockpot, check the chicken at 5 hours. It should be 160 degrees F.

Great with: Carrots, mashed potatoes...you name it...it's awesome!

Somebody has to say it!

Moving with children is difficult!
It’s not so easy as just doing it! Some have even told me, girl, stop cleaning, you should be packing. But with a 3-year old and 8-month old….what? The balance of packing and keeping things clean is so delicate it can break at any given moment.
In an attempt to ease the pains of moving I have scoured the internet for advise on what other mothers do to survive. My findings have been, as of yet, useless. So, I scratch my head…what in the world will it take to keep the balance between daily new and beginning a new one?

Nothing!

If someone, like myself, were to think that they could find a balance in the chaos of packing with a toddler running around…insanity is all to be left. Fact is, chaos is the middle name of any toddler, and chaos is part of packing. A double-dose of insanity in this case, as “they” say, insanity is doing the same thing over and o’er expecting different results.
So it must be said, no matter what advice is out there, surviving a move with children is truly difficult.
So through this journey, I’ve found that I have my own list of advice, it’s just a matter of sticking to it!
1. Buy new crayons/markers and a brand new coloring book.
          -Sit Isaac down with it while folding clothes, cleaning and packing.
I have found Isaac to be counter-productive. If I fold clothes, he unfolds them…and so on.
2. Do things while everyone sleeps!
          -This seems to require taking a nap with the children during the day. Let’s face it, staying up once until 2AM packing and progressing for a move is fine…but if you need to do this more then once you will weear yourself out. Neither you or your family need a tired mommy trying to figure out if she’s scooped 2 spoons of formula into a bottle or three.
          -Also, it’s to be noted that your mood will be better, during this stressful, hectic time if you have adequate sleep- but also productiveness!
3. Break those rules you’ve worked so hard to instill. There is no harm in your toddler watching a movie while you pack their room or any room for that matter.
          -Isaac likes to be “up my butt” in all things!
4. If you’re moving far, stop buying meats and frozen goods a little before the move date.
          -Waste not, what not, and so forth.
5. This is the biggest of them all. Assess your situation, belongings and what your new situation will be.
          -Toss out everything you don’t need.
          -Sell what you are comfortable in replacing.
This is where less is more! Less to pack, less to spend on moving. Less fuss and muss. All equaling less stress!
6. Take good healthy breaks, take walks, get out of the chaos
          -This benefits everyone. And everyone being happier and calmer, makes you happier and calmer!
7. Have the right supplies.
          -Boxes, bubble wrap, tape!
Label all of your boxes/bags/what have you. Room it will go in, and items within it.
          -Toys, coloring and craft items for children and so forth!
Make sure to do your children’s room last, or as close to last as possible.
8. Follow the advice your family could use!
          -They say to let the children pack their own things. With how Isaac is, this is not possible! Instead he can color boxes (especially if they are holding his stuff)
-Be sure to tape the box up first! Haha, or you’ll find yourself re-packing!
9. I have no number 9. :D
10. Turn off the television. Turn on the music. Dance around, act silly, get your kids to play along.
          -The good old-fashioned radio. However, I hate commercials, they grate on one’s nerves. You need you nerves in tact!
          -Internet Radio. Pandora. Youtube, and various other methods of listening online to music you love.
          -Your Cds.

Okay, so that’s my list.

In the end, I think that no matter the often crappy advice out there, and now we can include my own…you must always remember that there is NO one-size-fits-all when it comes to moving. You just have to know what works for you and yours. You have to try to remember things like the fact that even though you are creating chaos beyond measure that things in the end:
          -Will be all right!
          -That life must stay as normal as possible. Delicate balance.
          -That you still need to breath to continue on with the packing progress. :D

So breath, post about what has helped you. What you hope will help you. Rant your little heads off and then get back to it! As I am...

First Contest!!

Contest! Email me one page of your choosing or a one to three paragraph description of the work you’d like to have looked at. After going over everything I will announce the winner, the winner will receive two free chapters of substantive editing. I may end up picking a second and third place with editing prizes accordingly. Contest ends Jan. 30th, I will start going over the material Jan. 31st. anything not in the box for the contest that morning will be discounted.

Leap, and the net will appear. ~ John Burroughs

Green Proofing

GoAnimate.com: Green Proofing by Greenify13

Like it? Create your own at GoAnimate.com. It's free and fun!

A New Year

Okay, so this was all supposed to be posted yesterday…that didn’t happen, obviously...

 

This year has been a long one, I’d like to wrap it up nice and securely, move onward into a bright and promising new one! I’m going to do my own Top “Whatever” Lists. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do…:D Since I can’t do anything without music, I think we’ll start there, and it’s a good fun way to start as well.

 

Top Music for 2010, these are not songs that came out this year, these are my top songs for the year.

 

Sara Schiralli-Bang Bang

 

Bitter:Sweet-Don’t Forget to Breath

Tal M. Klein featuring Hillary Hightower-Don’t

 

Damien Rice-Delicate

 

Metisse-Boom Boom Ba

 

Danny Elfman-The Little Things

 

Vampire Weekend-Giving Up the Gun

 

Black Eyed Peas-Pump It

 

Fatboy Slim-Push the Tempo

Puretone-Addicted to Bass

 

There are many, many more, but I wanted a mix and I am definitely missing some I’d love to toss up here…but it’ll do…also worth noting that some of these are songs I’ve been listening to for little while and they just stick through time with me.

 

Memorable Moments:

• Birth of Kyle
• Isaac’s surgery for tubes
• Isaac’s 3rd birthday
• Mother/Father’s Day
• Five-year wedding anniversary
• Halloween
• Christmas (still ongoing, and the best one in 6 years, on top of being Kyle’s first, family first and Isaac’s best!)

Things I’ve learned:

• You can literally be sick all the way through a pregnancy.
• You truly don’t know who the sociopath is until it’s too late.
• All babies are different, and more so then they let on!
• When it rains, it pours, literally and figuratively!
• You truly can do without some people, and can’t do without others.
• Friendship can keep one sane, especially if they are as insane as you.
• I’m a genius, you just don’t know yet.
• Children are the best hobby a person can have!
• I need music, more then I ever realized.
• I’m freaking awesome.

Now I'm not much for resolutions...I think one shouldn't define an entire year by a few measly resolutions when it could be so much more. Though, there always has to be some sort of starting point. You can't end what you haven't begun.
New Year Resolutions:

• Start business
• Continue to lose weight, or stay where I am...

That's all...hahaha, for now!

What am I here for? I am, in order of occurrence:


Daughter, I am then and always my mother’s daughter. Along with becoming a daughter I became a niece and granddaughter.

Sister, first came Donald, one year and 13 days after my birth…then came the rest.

Friend. I made friends, sure I didn’t keep any, but that’s a part of childhood.

Daughter, again. I know right, isn’t it awesome? I became my Dad’s daughter, and then…

A sister, to a wonderful baby girl, and then the best little brother.

High school student, high school is not to be ignored, aside from family it can be the most influential time in a young person’s life….not that I recall much. :D

A soldier. Becoming and being a soldier was an important decision, and probably the first true decision of my own. I will never regret this choice, and though it ended sourly, I’d go back and do it again in a heartbeat.

Wife. The second decision I made on my own. When I realized that maybe I wanted more then a career in life, but a family to share life with.

Mother, the best thing that’s happened to me. Being a mother to Isaac, and now Kyle, and in the future I can hope for one more. Though the pregnancies proved difficult, the end results were beautiful, happy little boys.

Writer. Ah, I’m not much of a writer, but hell, I’m trying to get there.

Cook, I love to cook, and if you were to come to my home, and I were able to…I’d love to feed you.

Yet, in the end, this all brings me down to, who am I? I am all of these things mentioned above, but when I find time to myself, I happen to feel quite lost. Wondering what in the world I should do, I love time to myself, and if it didn’t feel selfish I’d probably write more since I do personally love to do that. I also love to draw, though over time I’ve realized that if I don’t pick this back up soon I’ll lose it. It’s hard though, if I draw, Isaac will want to as well, but before you say it…it’s not as simple as giving him his own supplies…why would he want to draw on his paper when Mommy’s must be better! I also love editing, but this goes with the other things, I’m starting to find that if it won’t further or improve my RL (real life) then I set it aside in hopes of something else. Like cooking, I like cooking, but I can’t cook all day, that’s just stupid. Obviously a person can not seperate themselves from the titles life gives them, but surely one can be able to sit and atleast narrow it down to one thing for a moment of peace! A moment, where I can do something, without having to worry about every other thing, one way or another.

I don’t know, I suppose I’m rambling on about the fact that I don’t know what to do with myself. I know what to do with all the aforementioned aspects of me, but when it comes to just plain me…I’m clueless beyond repair, well hopefully not beyond. I have a friend, Ren, who is currently helping me think of something. She’s a dear, and maybe we can think of something I can do without further destroying my hands, while managing something I could enjoy and maybe even put to use in life and home.

So, what do you do with yourself, or do you find yourself quite bored with just you and resort to what your list above would be?

What Fall Spice Are You?

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You Are Nutmeg

You are a harmonious and peaceful person. You are surprisingly adaptable and flexible. You are a typical girl or guy next door, but you also have a undying thirst for the exotic. You dream of tropical places, and you have a true appreciation for far away flavors. You are easygoing enough to enjoy a full day on the beach. "Island time" sounds like the perfect time for you.

What Fall Spice Are You?

Blogthings: If Quizzes Are Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Take Quizzes

Peter, Peter.

This is a short children's story, I suppose, anyway it was a prompt for October, I participated and here it is.

Peter, Peter.

Samantha had just moved to town and quickly became friends with her neighbor Ryan. Ryan walked beside Samantha on the way to her new high school, the autumn air was crisp and the wind blew cool. Samantha could not help but see the cat, the strange wild cat that sat on the porch of an abandoned home. Ryan shrugged his shoulders as he told the town’s story.

“The town calls him Peter.” Ryan settled his back pack on his shoulders and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “Some even laugh, and tease him, call him ‘Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater’.”

“Well that’s just stupid, why would they do that?” Leaves traveled across them in an angry swirl, like a mini leaf tornado. Peter continued the story, he told Samantha the same way his mother told him, and his grandmother before her. A tale about Peter, and his wife named Hazel. Hazel was a most beautiful and free-spirited person, the people would say, but no one could make her stay, not even Peter. At some point, he had enough and decided if he couldn’t have his wife then no one could.

When Hazel vanished the town questioned her disappearance. Though some thought she’d run off again, others were certain it was Peter. Rumors were spread across the county but no one could prove, that Peter dug up the garden and laid down his spouse. As time went on the garden grew, and only one pumpkin came to harvest. For years and years, only one pumpkin would grow, and until Peter himself passed away, he would go out to his garden to tend to the pumpkin with care until it was ready. Every year when the pumpkin was ready, he would pull it up and cook it into a pie, every year he would sit there on his porch and eat the entire thing.

Peter grew to be very old before he died, and soon a cat began to sit on his porch. In no time the neighborhood was calling the cat “Peter” and the townspeople avoided the cat and the house. Ten years later, Samantha stood in front of her new school and was bent over laughing.


“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard.”

“It’s true, someone took one of Peter’s pumpkins about five years ago, they still haven’t woken up from their coma.”

“Well I’m going to prove that it’s not true, you people are funny.”


“Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater, had a wife.” Laughter erupted as she slopped some of the pumpkin goop into a large bowl. “Had a wife and couldn’t keep her.”

The week of Halloween came and the pumpkin sat there bold and bright, when she was done with school Samantha walked past the cat named Peter and snatched up the pumpkin. The cat’s hair rose and he howled as she laughed and ran home. The night before Halloween she sang as she cut into the pumpkin and began making a pie.

When the pie was cooked and cooled she wrapped it up and put a “Do Not Eat” note on the top. She planned to take it to the Halloween party, show them all that their rumors were dumb. The next evening when she walked into the kitchen dressed in her Halloween costume, she stumbled upon her Dad on the kitchen floor. A fork in his hand with a little pumpkin pie remaining, his eyes were open wide but there was nothing. He wouldn’t move and didn’t blink, Samantha was horrified and jumped up off the floor only to see Peter the cat sitting on the kitchen's window ledge.

To this day, Samantha's father still lays in a hospital bed, no one knows why but no one has touched Peter’s pumpkins since.

I hope enjoyed. Enjoy your pies, now, won't ya?

On A New Path

So, you can come with me if you'd like. I'd love some company, it seems to make things easier, in some circumstances to have partners in your endeavors. I want a new life, okay, I love my life but I want a better, happier, healthier one! So here goes the steps, er, plan!

1. Drink more water. I already drink a bit of water, if I ever say "tea" or "drink" it's merely flavored water...but more doesn't hurt.
2. Start excercising. Pulled the Total Gym out and into the living room, must start using it.
3. When it gets a little cooler, go for walks with the boys. Isaac's pretty good at staying with me, just needs to get better about keeping pace...but he's little...so, yeah, it'll be alright.
4. Start writing...more!
5. Play around more, have more fun. I think fun is the key to...everything.
6. Lose weight. Sure this might go with number 2, but it involves more then number 2, and they both seperately affect life.
7. Make a schedule. Need to start at-home learning on a scheduled basis, get everyone into a routine that works for us!
8. Finish the timetable for upcoming holidays. Started planning in August, but need a better foundation.

I had more before the boys and I went on our trip...but now I can't remember them! Oh well, in time I'm sure I'll add more things...until then, this works and is quite enough!

Yellow Cake, From Scratch



Yellow Cake



Ingredients

•2 cups all-purpose flour, stirred before measuring

•1 tablespoon baking powder
•1 teaspoon salt
•1/2 cup butter, softened
•1 1/4 cups sugar
•2 eggs
•3/4 cup milk
•1/2 tablespoon vanilla
Directions
Mix flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. Cream sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl, beating until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add half of the flour mixture then half of the milk. Add vanilla. Mix until blended; add remaining flour and milk and beat until smooth. The batter will be thick. Spread batter in two greased and floured 8-inch layer cake pans or a 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Bake at 350° for 25 to 35 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly touched near center.

Frost as desired.

In conlcusion, it's delicious, but do not think cream cheese frosting is appropriate for it.



I Love....

I love the good beginning to what looks to be a long week and month.

I love the way my children look at each other, and though they are young it’s apparent how much they love one another.
I love the way Kyle holds his blankets or my hands close to his chest in a grip that says he never wants to let go.
I love the way Isaac loves all people. Though it’s sad for him when they go, he enjoys every minute they are here.
I love knowing that I’m appreciated and cared for more then I had realized.
I love that I can actually cook without destroying food, and people love it. Even when a meal has ingredients they truly dislike.
I love the way the boys laugh and giggle.
I love that I must not be the worst Mom…there are much worse and my boys are quite happy.
I love that even when Isaac has gotten into a bit of trouble he knows he can always come to me if he’s hurt.
I love how my baby can sleep, without a worry in the world.
I love that when people leave my home they are happy, and not because they’re happy to get the hell out of here.
I love that my husband loves me, even when I give him hell.
I love that I can sit here with endless things to write that I truly love.
I love that I can sing to my baby, and he doesn’t mind my awful singing abilities *as I sing to baby*

So, what do you love? I mean truly love, not like "I love icecream."

Inspiration. Writing #3

This blog, as indicated in the title is about inspiration. Inspiration can come in many forms, and often many places for writers…if I were asked where mine comes from I’d probably have to shrug my shoulders! My stories are just somewhere with in me, how could I explain that I knew about Scaeras’ and their abilities, where they come from and why. If you are wondering about them as well…I’ll give you some clues at a later time. As a good friend of mine asked:
“Are you laying in bed when your character comes to life or are you inspired by seeing a cloud in the shape of a dick?”
I work on fantasy, urban fantasy for the most part. Have done other genres as well, however urban fantasy is in my heart and knocking around my marbles. I can’t ignore this compulsion. The only way I can explain:
When I started to write Dead Moons, it started off with a male main character, I thought he was it, the main deal. Until, someone stomped on a marble and demanded to be introduced, and there she was. The main character of all main characters, the one that holds all the cards, and she’s a bitch! No, maybe bitch is too harsh.
I can’t say that I’m inspired by things I see, though I admit that music helps in writing, though it’s more for setting the mood for a scene more then anything. If I’m going to write about the death of my main character, which happened by the way, I can’t be listening to “Don’t worry, be happy” or some random pop or new dance music. No I went to (I would like to note, that if you change your audio device (the Equalizer) to “Powerful” it’s more effective)

So for me, music has an impact on my writing process, but not inspiration. In the end, the inspiration ultimately comes from somewhere within me. No I’m not psychotic, but the people in my head want their stories to be told, and I’m happy to oblige. Though it’s not always easy, and I have often wished I could sit and write an outline, and know ahead of time, therefore it can finish in better timing. But to be honest, I think it would be crap in the end. My muse, Ilaria Sophia…has been quite helpful in the past but she’s only a motivator and helps me find the “right words” when I’m fighting the fog.
I would like to add, that I do sometimes, though rarely get inspiration from things around me, or find out about stories at the oddest moments…like while I had been changing my first son’s diaper last year. Bam, there was another…I know, odd.
Where does your inspiration come from? What are your thoughts on inspiration and what do you wish could be different about yours?

Summability, another Writing Post

I read a person's blog recently, something about sum-up your work in one sentence. It was interesting and had wonderful reasoning. I’m not going to get into the why, but I figured I’d try it out. Given the fact that none of my work is completed, the following sentences are based as things currently are.

Dead Moons: She is a high level grim reaper, he is her stalker, they will try to kill each other, save another planet and maybe find their way back to love.

27: Derik has a mission to kill 27, what happens when he finds out the woman he shot is an angel?

Natalie: Two sisters and The Company that wants control of their powers battle it out while they try to find their place in the world.

Okay, well that’s the best I could do at the moment. I suppose if a sentence were compelling enough it would be effective. Why overwhelm a potential with too much information and maybe so much that they decide they don’t want to read it because they “see where it’s going”. Maybe I am viewing this the wrong way, I wish I could find the other person’s blog so I can put it here as a point of reference. So the following questions, if you wish to answer. Would you read the above stories based off the single sentence provided for each? Why (or why not)? What would be your single sentence?

Mystery Monday. Day 1.

So as a family we decided we were going to have a new meal every week. Which inspired "Mystery Monday", every Monday we'll have a new meal. Something we haven't had before, something different. This is the beginning and we are off to a fabulous start!

Cheeseburger Pie. It's as simple as it sounds, and delicious. It took me by surprise, as I was mixing some ingredients in a bowl my mind went "ew, what am I doing?" However, the end result is worth it, my toddler (almost three years old) even grabbed his plate and went to the kitchen for seconds! Here you go:

Cheeseburger Pie.

Ingredients:

1 can crescent rolls
1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped dill pickle slices

2 Tablespoons ketchup

1 teaspoon prepared mustard
2 Tablespoons flour
2 Tablespoons dill pickle juice
2 Tablespoons milk

2 cups shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 375F. In skillet brown meat thoroughly and then drain well. While the meat is cooking chop up the pickles and onion; press the unraveled crescent rolls into the bottom of an 8-9 inch pie pan. After the meat is done and drained, mix in the pickles, onions, ketchup and mustard. Helpful tip: Measure out the flour first and place it in a cup, this way you don't have to worry about cleaning out your measuring spoon before using it on something like flour. Do it before, then do the liquid measurements. Trust me, it's the best way!

Sprinkle the mix with flour, then add the pickle juice and milk. Mix it well and let it sit on the stove until it's thick and bubbles. If it doesn't don't fret, when the mix is quite thick, it'll be ready and you don't want it to stick to the pan much. Once you remove it, mix in 1 cup of the shredded cheese, pour it into the pan and place in the oven for 15 minutes. Once it's done and cooked, the edges should be lightly to golden brown, remove from the oven. Set it up on the counter or stove and sprinkle with cheese! As you wait for it to cool enough to be able to eat it, the cheese will melt. Dig in. This meal goes great with: Baked beans, Fries, Sweet Potatoe Fries, or any other simple side dish you'd have with cheeseburgers. Just don't overdo it with the sides, this meal is filling! Also, I would like to stay that this blend of tastes was magnificent. Caught me by surprise, the way the different aspects of the dish helped each other balance. I could go on, but you can see for yourself if you try it!

The result!

Game Day Food, Part 1a

There will be atleast 4 parts to this recipe collection. As you probably gathered from the title this collection is all about Sunday game days. You want the game experience to be the best it can, from your team winning (even if you and your significant others are rivals) to your recipes winning the losers back. I tease, I have no idea who'll win, but the point is you want it to be great and enjoyable. One of the great ways to help it be that way is to have food, no food means empty stomachs (or overly filled with booze stomachs...let's not get into where that leads), empty stomachs causes bad things, and bad things means a bad over all experience. Content stomachs mean happy people, happy people mean "Your team cheated that was b*llsh*t, pass me those damn cookies!" Again, I tease...or do I? Any way, these recipes aren't just for game time, any gathering time will do (sleep over parties, general parties/barbeques, holidays or even sitting down watching a movie).

Part 1. Pre-Game.

Philly Pepper Jelly Dip (Yvette Boudreaux)
Ingredients:
1- 8 oz Package Philly Cream Cheese (softened)
1- Small jar pepper jelly (mild or spicy-depends on you)
Sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
Pecans (chopped)-(if you like nuts!)
1- Box Town House Crackers
Directions:
Spread your softened Philly evenly on a round platter. Completely cover the platter, leaving only approx. 1/2 in. round the edges open. Take the pepper jelly and stir around inside the jar to break the consistencey. Then spread on top of Philly. You can do both of these things using the bottom side of a spoon. Top the pepper jelly with the shredded sharp cheddar (or mild if you prefer). (Sometimes I use the 4 cheese blend, it's just whatever your preference). Sprinkle with chopped pecans (again if you like nuts). Use a cheese spredder, or butter knife to spread onto crackers and umm---enjoy!

Seasoned Crackers (Yvette Boudreaux)
Ingredients:
1- Bag of Oyster Crackers 8-10oz (10-12oz)
1- teaspoon Dill Weed
1- teaspoon Lemon Pepper
1- teaspoon Garlic Powder
1- Packet Ranch Original Dip mix
1/2- cup of vegetable oil
Directions:
First pour your oyster crackers into a large zip lock baggie. Get a small bowl and pou vegetable oil in. Add the dill weed, lemon pepper, garlic powder and ranch mix to oil. Mix really well. (Wisk) Once it is well blended, pour the mixture into the zip lock bag of crackers. Shake around until all the crackers are covered. Leave in bag and set in frig for 30 minutes. Ready for snacking!!

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The next two recipes will be sweet ones compared to these, and that's why I split them up like this. When I'm able I'll add pictures, or if you make any of these or have ideas/recipes of your own you'd like to share people message me or comment! Go *insert your team here*! :D