So Fresh, you should slap it!

Yes. I took that line from a pizza place. Get it? Fresh. As in naughty. haha. My Gram used to call people fresh all the time. It really cracked me up.

Anyway, today is Fresh Start Day! I finished the final revisions on my novel and now it's time to start another. I have a few choices. I could finish a darker one that I have and love. I can rewrite a dirty one and make it more YA. Or I can just start fresh.

I picked FRESH!

But after three solid days of eating, cleaning, and sleeping... I'm tired. I know. I slept. But I'm still wicked tired! So I'm about to order Chinese food (I would rather poke my eyes out than eat leftovers), veg on the couch, and just before it gets dark, start writing.

Today's goal: Chapter 1!

Let's see if I can do it! Anyone else feel like starting a new book??

Shop till you drop!

I woke up at 3:30 this morning to get socks. Yes, socks. There just something about a sock sale that can make my day. I also scored a digital picture frame, some toys and best of all, a waffle maker! One of those turny ones! I was very happy!


Then I went to the mall. Stopped by Build-a-Bear, Vicky Secrets, and Radio Shack. It was a fun day! So tired now. I literally shopped till I dropped!


But here's what you missed yesterday! My dope turkey! And Jesse get all into carving it!

Happy Thanksgiving

Well, mine started off with a bang. Literally!!!

My husband and I were sitting around, eleven o'clock at night, when there was a bang from upstairs. My daughter cried out. My husband ran up there to find that while Sophia was trying to annoy her brother, she fell out his bed and hit her face on the Adventure's Castle.

Yeah. So she came downstairs, sobbing, saying, "Mom. I got a good one!"

Now all of our Thanksgiving photos will have my daughter with a black eye. Sigh.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

It's beginning to look a lot like... Turkey!

As you may know, I'm not a cooker. Not that I can't cook, I just choose not to very often. The only time I truly enjoy it is at Thanksgiving. I make dope turkey. Like, the kind of turkey that'll bring a tear to your eye. It's beautiful!

And then on Friday, I go to Fred Meyer and buy socks. Lots and lots of socks. (Sock sale!) And just for fun, we go to Toys R Us and marvel at the crowds. Mainly because I buy most of my stuff online because I hate waiting in line. HATE. IT.

This year we have a puppy with us. So that means I get to go get her a little stocking. And this year, I want a nine foot tree! And I want it by Friday!

Here's Basil! Getting big!!! Or... at least her ears are.

Crickets?

Do you hear them? It seems to me that all is quiet in the world of publishing. We have rumors of a slow down and of course, the looooooong holiday season. (Although oddly enough, the holiday season doesn't seem to last as long for me. I get like four days off from now till January 2).

So the question is... what will you do with all this extra time that is normally wasted on waiting? I plan to write. I know. Shocker. I plan to finish a book, rewrite another one and start my next, all before the 2nd of January.

But what else? Here's some things I will be doing, other than waiting for any news:

1.) Casting roles for Smitten Kittens: Live on Stage
2.) Learning how to build a dog house... out of playing cards.
3.) Teaching my daughter the importance of hypnosis.

How abut you?

My Undead Wish

To be Mrs. Edward Cullen. Yes, I'll say it and I don't care. Omg. Omg. Omg. I feel the same way I did after I read the book. I am in love with a fictional character. And I will marry him. Right now.

The movie wasn't perfect, but you know what? I don't care. I left happy, and giddy and... wow. So hot for Edward!!!

Back before the movie came out, I dreamed of Edward and vlogged about him on Lipgloss Lit. 'Member this girls? We had a great Edward vs. Jacob discussion. If you want a good laugh, follow the link and check out the 30 comments! Hilarious!!!!

Anyways, go see the movie.

Tomorrow, James Bond. (Or maybe I'll sneak into Twilight again)

-Suz

I dare you!

Okay, yes. I'm like that dare girl. Like, I dare you to run around in just your underwear. Done. I dare you to prank call him. Done.

I dare you to post a picture without makeup. ...I'll think about it. But you know, when Heather asks me to do something, I know it's only because she has my best interests at heart. Or she wants to laugh really hard.

So here I am. Right now. (Luckily I got my stitches out today) In all of my makeup-less glory.

Now... who has the guts to post???? Mandy? Trish? Oh, I know! EVE!!!!!!!!

Come on, girls!!!!

Sleeping Dragon

It's one of those days. You know the one. Where the kids are out of control, the phone keeps ringing, the puppy keeps peeing, and my internet is being SUPER SLOW.

I took it all in stride. Finished my paperwork at the office. Came home and cooked dinner. Bathed the children, did the laundry and the dishes. Finally, I sit down with my SUPER SLOW internet. My husband sits next to me, looking cautious.

"What?" I asked.

"Oh, nothing," he said.

"Then be quiet."

"Okay."

He was still staring. "What?"

"Nothing. It's just that... I feel like I'm in a dragon's cave, trying to steal the treasure without getting killed."

I laughed. My kids started yelling at each other downstairs. I exhaled.

"Only," my husband continued. "I'm in the dragon's cave with two bumbling accomplices and their dogs. Pretty sure we're gonna get eaten."

I stared at him.

"Yep. Totally eaten."
.

How to Impress a Girl

"Playing video games makes me cool." This is what my son told me as we were out shopping yesterday, minus the husband and daughter.

"Huh?" I asked, picturing all the reasons playing video games makes you UNcool.

"To girls," he said. "Girls like boys that play video games."

"No, dude," I said. "Girls like boys that are smart and funny."

"Oh." He got really quiet. Then, "Knock, knock."

"No," I laughed. "Not that kind of funny. Besides, knock, knock jokes are lame."

"I wish I could get girls to like me." He dropped his head and my little mom heart broke.

"Hey," I said. "I think you're funny. And smart."

He smiled a little.

"And I bet all the girls like you."

He smiled a little more.

"Just be smart and funny. But remember to always be yourself." I felt pretty good about that statement.

"Yeah," Joseph said.

"I'm glad we had this talk," I said. "It's nice not having Sophie here, huh?"

He laughed. "What if I was really Sophie in a Joseph suit? Then there was a zipper and I undid it and she popped out?"

I CRACKED UP!

My son brushed back his hair. "Yeah," he said. "The girls are going to love me."

And I wanted to give a big thinks to Jon Bard over at http://www.write4kids.com/blog/. He named me one of his blog posts of the day and I am oh, so honored!

THE COOLEST THING

I was visting over at Holly Cupala's blog and she'd posted the darned coolest thing. It's a word cloud from Wordle and it does some randominzing that is Awe to the Some! It's totally addicting.

So here's the blurb about the new book I'm working on (started today) that I'm pretty stoked about. And seriously, you must try this thing!!!

Keeping me in stitches!

I had a beauty mark removed today. And I got stitches!!! I swear, when I was a kid, I used to WANT stitches. I used to think they were so cool. When my cousin got stitches in her knee, I was jealous! Is that weird? Did anyone else ever wish for stuff like that?

I remember wishing I had braces because all of my friends had them. And I was always a little sad when I was having that "show me your scars" moment in a relationship and I didn't have anything gnarly.

Then I had surgery on my neck. Followed by a wound infection. Lots of stitches and drainage ribbons. Of course, the DAY I got them out, I was on a plane to Daytona Beach to meet my friends on spring break. (Checker's wet t-shirt contest!)

So nowadays, I know that stitches stink. So when I got two of them today, it bummed me out. Especially when I bled through my bandage and had to wear a regular ol' bandaid.

I look like a hockey player.

Upgrade

Something awesome happened today. (Total sarcasm.) My washing machine broke!! Even better, there was a load of towels in there! Best of all, it wouldn't drain, meaning I had to ring out SOAKING WET, SOAPY TOWELS! I also still have three baskets of laundry patiently waiting to be cleaned.

My arms ACHE (we have those giant beach towels) and my skin stings from all the Gain I use in my loads. I think I'm getting a rash!

What I really loved was when my daughter walked in. I was standing at the machine, the front of my t-shirt soaked, my husband waiting at the dryer to catch and toss the towels in. My daughter put her hands on her hips and looked me over as I was mid-squeeze. Then she said, with what sounded like disgust, "What in the heck are you people doing?"

And before I could laugh, my husband said, "Get out!"

haha. He wasn't too psyched about his rash.

Looks like I'll have to upgrade my washer from this:

GOING GREEN

There were prom signs everywhere. It was like the pep committee was trying to ruin my day. The few people that did talk to me at school had only one topic in mind. Prom. Who they were going with, who I was going with and what everyone would wear. Try telling a cheerleader that you’re not going to prom. I swear, I think she puked in her mouth.

But Conner didn’t bring it up again. He didn’t say he was going and he didn’t tell me not to go. He didn’t need to. Trish had made a spectacle of her plans. Bringing in swatches of her dress. Pink. Figured.

It the week before the dreaded dance when my phone rang. I knew it wasn’t Conner. He was more of a knock on my window type.

“Hello?” I asked, looking around the room. My father had been MIA lately. I was beginning to suspect he had a girlfriend.

“Hey, Stella.”

My stomach turned. It was Becker. Oh my God. I nearly hung up. Not because I didn’t want to talk to him, but because I didn’t know HOW to talk to him. I treated him like dirt. Like dirt I’d spit on.

“!” Yeah. Nothing came out on my end.

“So…” he paused. “Look, I was wondering if you needed a date for prom.”

“What?” First of all, me being a bitch aside, Becker didn’t go to my school. He wasn’t even IN high school.

“I know it’s weird,” he said. “But my sister said everyone at school hates you. And I know about you and Conner.”

“There is no me and Conner.”

Becker laughed. But not in a ha-ha funny way. In a shut-up way. “Look, I’m not stupid. And I also know that Conner isn’t stupid. He’s still with that red-head, right?”

I swallowed hard. “Don’t know.”

“Okay, keeping playing dumb, Stella. All I’m saying is I still like you. And I know your little boyfriend is making a joke out of you. You may not see it now, but I can. And if you miss your prom because of an idiot like him, it’ll make you sick.”

“I don’t care about prom.” But I knew it wasn’t true. Sure, I wasn’t one of the girls that had dreamed about it for years and had the perfect dress, but the fact that I didn’t feel welcomed burned me up. I had a right to go.

“Stella, will you go with me to prom?” Becker asked in a too-cute voice. “If it makes you feel better, you can even pay.”

I laughed. “You know what? I know I will regret this, but I’ll go.” I waited. “And everyone will be staring at us.”

“Oh. I count on that.”
.

Vacation Outtakes

Ugh. I'm sick today. Some sort of weird flu thing. So I've decided to upload some more of my photos to Walgreen's to print out a photo album of my vacation. In my search through a bazillion pictures, I found several that I would NOT put in there. Outtakes, sort of. I'm actually a little sad that I didn't do more stupid things!

Anyways, I'll be writing, and internetting, and stalling most of the day. You all have fun!

Sophie's love of roller coasters!

My love of waiting in line.

Our well-balanced diet.

Glistening with sweat in the Arizona desert. Otherwise known as the zoo.

Um, yeah. No idea what I was doing here. Let's just say, I had to crop the photo after my husband commented, "I'm not sure what you're asking for here."

hahahaha

My blog is having issues!

For some reason my links and stuff weren't working, but I wanted to thank Casey McCormick for listing me among her favorite blogs! For some of mine, check my links! Great stuff over there!!!

Now, for my daughter. She informed me today that she has a new hatred. Ears. She said they "freak her out". So when we hug her, we're not allowed to touch her with our ears. It's very awkward. She also told us that she hates scorpions and once watched one kill a person. I'm not making this up! She was convinced it was true. My husband told her she'd lived a very interesting life for a five-year-old.

So she won't be catching any of those in her jar soon.

Also, thanks to everyone for the title suggestions! I'm rewriting one of the choices below as I post this, but I have to rename it. Maybe when the time comes, I'll need more of your help!!! Maybe something along the lines of Imaginary, Unkissable, Emo Vampire. hahahahaaha Hm. We'll see....

Have a great day!

Guess what I got...

Guess what I got! Guess! Well, if there's ever a motivation to write.... It's a Grand Canyon shirt! Oh, and my advance check. But totally the shirt!



So I'm tossing around a few ideas. I have some old stuff, some recent stuff, and of course, brand new stuff. I'm feeling speedy. Like, bust it out before NaNo ends speedy. Trying to keep up with my girls!

Based on titles alone, which of these would you like to read???

a. UNKISSABLE
b. EMOTIONAL VAMPIRE
c. THE HIVE
d. IMAGINARY BOYFRIEND

Is that your final answer?

GOING GREEN (the saga continues)

GOING GREEN (continued)


So I was doing this. With Conner. While he had Trish and I had Becker. Okay, I didn’t have Becker. But I could have had him. But instead I was sneaking out nearly every night and hooking up with my neighbor. It could have been a trashy reality T.V. show. But it was my life.

Brandi stopped talking to me altogether. I didn’t blame her. I stood her brother up. And even though no one said anything, I think they all knew about me and Conner. In fact, Trish made it a point to shoulder bump me into the locker every chance she got. But I didn’t say anything. Not just because I didn’t want her to kick my ass in front of the school again, but because I knew I was wrong. But I couldn’t stop.

I loved him.

“Are you going to prom?” Conner asked as we lay in the grass in my backyard. My father wouldn’t be home from work for a couple of hours, but the minute Conner would hear his car, he’d hop the back fence.

“Doubt it.” Oh my God. Was he going to ask me to prom? My heart began to race.

“That’s probably good.”

I turned to him. “Good?” I felt it. That sickness that sometimes washed over me when I was with him.

“Yeah,” he said, continuing to watch the clouds. “Because I’ll be there with Trish. I wouldn’t want you to feel weird.”

“I see Trish everyday.” My breathing was speeding up.

“True,” he said, like he was thinking it over. “But I wouldn’t want you to get jealous or anything. Say something stupid.”

I might puke.

He looked at me. “Hey,” he put his finger on my cheek. “I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

Too late.
.

7 days, 3000 miles and 1 RV!

Yeah, that's right. 7 Days in the RV! Ever see what it looks like after driving with two kids in an RV for that long? I mean, we stayed in hotels, but the actual traveling was filthy! In fact, my kids invented a game called Fishing. Basically that meant they threw all of their toys on the floor and then used a leash to "fish" for them.

Here's a quick vid of the place. Please don't be scared!!!!

Bright lights and big... canyon?

After spending the day with our wonderful friends Hillary and Adam in Arizona, the fam and I headed out of town. It was about eight or nine at night. And Jesse and I looked at each other and said, "Grand Canyon?"


So we drove the RV up to the Grand Canyon and parked in a McDonald's parking lot until the sun came up. Then we went into the park and were BLOWN AWAY!!!!!! We hiked and ate and just loved every second of it.

At the end of the day, we began our 19 hour drive back to Oregon. But when we crossed the Hoover Dam, Jesse and I looked at each other and said, "Vegas?" haha. So now we're in Vegas for the night. And I even won 18 dollars! EDIT: I won 118 dollars!!! Woo Hoo!


In conclusion, we started in Oregon, drove down through California to visit Disney. Then crossed to Phoenix, Arizona to attend a wedding with friends. Then on a whim drove up to the Grand Canyon. After the Hoover Dam, stopped off in Vegas.


I think we are either the coolest or most unfit parents ever!!!!



Manuel's!!! My favorite restaurant!! And me and Hillary at the zoo!






Me and my kids were rockin' out at the Hoover Dam!


And can you tell how excited Sophie was to be in Vegas? haha

Back home tomorrow. At some point...

Oh, and DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!!!!

-Suz

Moving On

Hey! Well, after leaving Oregon, we traveled through Cali to DisneyLand. FUN! Then we hit Arizona. In fact, right now we're parked at a McDonald's and waiting for the sun to come up so we can see the Grand Canyon!

Anywho, on Saturday I met up with my friend from college Emily. She flew in all the way from NY! And we went to our friend Kristi's beautiful wedding. It was great! Well, what I can remember...

Here we are moments after the breathtaking ceremony. Oh, and did you know you're not supposed to drink beer when the bride is walking down the aisle?

I was being a TOTAL REBEL!

Emily was trying to teach me the Electric Slide. What? I couldn't remember it!!!

Me and the beautiful bride. (Before my speech. Dear God) And then I became a big blubbery baby and cried my eyes out because I love my friends. Emily left to go back to NY and Kristi went on her honeymoon.

But it was a great night!

-Suz

A Night on the Town... Halloween Town!

Last Disney pics! Tonight was Halloween and the tickets to Mickey's Trick or Treat Party were sold out. Bad news. But the good news was that while everyone was over in California Adventure, we got to hit some rides!

Happy Halloween!!!!!

In line at Finding Nemo. FINALLY! Sheesh.






My night was complete when I found it. FUNNEL CAKE!!!


But my kids only wanted the whip cream.

Oh, Disney. I will miss you. But I sure as heck won't come back when you're so busy!!!!!! I hate waiting in line!

PS: The new Toy Story ride is AWESOME!

-Suz