Congratulations! Here is the author signing your book just a few hours ago!
Thanks to everyone for participating!! I like giveaways!!
And for the rest of you, don’t forget to participate in the Across the Universe Launch Contest! There are lots of goodies to win!!
Now, I’m off to snuggle up under the blankets with my new book!!
I have something to admit. I really like Young Adult (YA) Fiction. And though most ‘young adults’ would probably consider me ancient, I have no problem what so ever reading ‘their’ books! Golden Compass – Loved it! Harry Potter – BIG fan! Just finished The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman – fantastic! So, needless to say, I have been seriously looking forward to the release of Across The Universe, by Beth Revis.
I met Beth a few months ago at a writer’s schmooze. She spoke about the journey she went on to get her book published. She is such a sweet, honest, and funny lady! (And her story gives me hope that maybe my book will be out there on the shelves one day.)
Here’s an interview with Beth about the book and the ship that carries her heroes.
And if you check here at io9 between 11:11 am and 11:11 pm on 1/11/11 you will get an exclusive peak at an 111 page excerpt from the book!
Very soon you should be able to explore the ship.
Well, the day is finally here and the (local!) book release party is supposed to be tonight! Unfortunately, it’s been canceled as it looks like this outside:
Well over a foot of snow and it’s still falling. Ack!! I really want to curl up with the book and read it while the snow falls! So, since I’m stuck inside the house, animals and kids going crazy, for who knows how many more days, I thought I’d liven up my time with a little giveaway! Would you like a copy of this book??? Yes? How would you feel if that book was signed just for you, by Beth???
Here’s how you can win:
Please make sure to leave me a comment for each entry (and don’t forget your email so I can contact you if you win). The giveaway will close on Thursday 1/13/11 at noon. So get your entries in quick!
You can also purchase the book at Amazon (and probably through your local book store!)
Here’s some info about the publisher, Penguin:
Penguin Teen
Good Luck!
This is the beginnings of our winter table. We will add much more as the season progresses. (The two little fairies were made my my friend Harper.)
Wishing you all a wonderful and blessed solstice!  (Don’t forget about the lunar eclipse tonight!)
Do you remember last year when I talked about following through on those things that I wished I’d never quit? Well, today I tested for my red belt in Tae Kwon Do. I’ve been at it for over a year and a half and should reach black belt next fall. Kaia and Toby are also still at it and doing fabulous, too!
Yes, that is my foot going through a board. 🙂
Of course, everyone loves giveaways! But when it comes to winning books, I’m IN!!
Check out the giveaway at Frugal Family Fun Blog and enter to win an iPad and an assortment of children’s books courtesy of Target!
Woohoo!
I’ve been wanting to post about all the things we’ve been up too lately… projects, crafts, homeschooling, the ducks, the land. There’s always so much to share. But, I’ve been finding it hard to take the time to sit down at the computer when life has been so full. With having the kids at home, I’m generally only able to sit down after they are both asleep, and that could be 10 pm. If we come across a craft or something that seems particularly useful to share, I will do my best to post it. Until then, there are always pictures.
Warming up by the morning fire. Don’t you love the ‘bed head’?
Me – Umm, Leif? What are you putting in your car?
Leif – Haven’t you ever heard of a Clown Car, Mommy?
Leif – Well, this is a Bacon Car.
Note the two cherry tomatoes that somehow fit in there too!
Check out what this group of writers has been doing over the past year to help spread the word, and raise some funds, for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital! If you are financially able, be sure to click on the St. Jude’s link on the bottom of their post to donate. And if you are a writer, check out the fabulous contest, too!
I recently participated in the Artful Stone Swap through Gardenmama. Kaia, Leif and I gathered some mossy stones from the local fairy quarry. We painted golden words of encouragement on them, sprinkled them with fairy dust and then sent them all over the world (seriously, one went to The Netherlands and one to Australia!!) Then we received 5 fabulously beautiful stones from other participants. I’m so excited about these. They will grace our winter table. What a fun way to meet people from all over and send a little love!
I never liked reading when I was a kid. Certainly not the books that were assigned in school. When I occasionally found something that I did enjoy (Tuck Everlasting, A Wrinkle in Time…), I had a hard time focusing on the words unless there was complete silence. In fact, I use to read out loud with my fingers plugged in my ears so that all I could hear was my own voice. I don’t think it was until after college that I really began to enjoy reading. And now that I have kids it feels like all I ever do is read, but this time around I’ve fallen in love with children’s literature.  I think I pick out more books at the library than Kaia does. I had dreams of the day when the whole family could snuggle up in the living room next to a roaring fire, each with our own books.
Until recently, though, Kaia has had absolutely no interest in reading. She loved to be read to, but admitted that she didn’t want to mess up a word, so she just wouldn’t read it at all. So, for her 7th birthday I decided to write her a book. I thought if I put her into a story doing things that she loves, maybe she would want to read about it. She did love the book, but my plan didn’t work. She just wanted me to read it to her over and over. (It was actually Bernadette Kelly and her Pony Tales series, Dan Greenburg’s Zack Files, and other funny chapter books, along with a little more aging, that did the trick and got her devouring books).
But, that little story has spiraled into a 11,000+ word early-middle grade book, The Summer I Grew Scales, and it is ready for publishing. I’m very lucky to have friends who are authors and editors who have walked me through this whole process and helped clean up the manuscript, as well as many sweet 7-12 year olds who have read it and given it rave reviews! :-) So, I’m officially looking for an agent!
What’s it about, you ask?
When ten-year-old Kaia leaves on a summer beach trip with her family, she expects to enjoy some good old fun in the sun. Instead she gets a lesson on mermaid genetics, a date with a hungry shark, and the fate of a species in her hands.
Kaia’s loves everything about being in water: its silky smooth feeling on her skin, the quiet weightlessness as she glides underneath, the way it carries her on its surface like a rock star at her own concert. She can only imagine how lovely it must be to float in the vast, open ocean. However, imagining is all she plans on doing during her summer turtle-watching trip with her family. Where there is ocean there are sharks and she will never, ever get in the water with sharks. Not even if her life depends on it. But, what if it were someone else’s life?
It doesn’t take long after arriving on Tor Laei Island for Kaia to realize that things are a bit different there. The houses are in the water, the food is, well, fishy, and the people spend most of their time in the water. Yet, none of these oddities can prepare her for the news her uncle has for her. The turtles of Tor Laei are dying out. They can no longer find their way to shore to lay their eggs and they need help. That help, it seems, can only come in the form of a fish. A half-fish to be exact. And according to Kaia’s uncle, she is just the half-fish they need! Kaia is a mermaid. A Halfling.
Getting over your deepest fears isn’t for the faint of heart. With the help of her family and Tieren, the violet-eyed merboy, not only is Kaia going to have to figure out how this whole mermaid thing works, she is also going to have to get in the water. The ocean water . . . with sharks! Never say never, right?
I had Kaia’s birthday present printed up and an amazing friend and illustrator, Constance Lombardo, painted the cover for me.
Wish me luck!
Well, the harvest is complete and most of the veggies have been canned or frozen for the winter. The pantry looks pretty good and we have lots of soups to savor when it’s cold and bitter outside! But, we also have many pounds of winter squash and sweet potatoes strewn about on the floor (we don’t have a basement or root cellar to store them in). I’ve already canned up lots of squash soup and I have many gallons of puree in the freezer. Unfortunately, I really don’t know what else to do with these veggies other than pies. I’ve found a few yummy recipes on the internet that I’ve already tried, but I would love to hear some of your favorites! Can you help me build my file of recipes? Feel free to leave it in the comments, or if you post it on your blog, be sure to leave a link.
One day in the second grade, my music teacher played us some music by Mozart. I remember thinking how lovely it was and fell under its spell as the notes traveled up and down the scale. Then an aria came on that sent a shiver through my body and made the hair on my arms stand on end! It was so powerful and strong that I wasn’t sure if I should jump out of my seat and start dancing, or flexing my muscles. Mozart instantly became my favorite composer and I knew that, one day, I had to sing this song!
Years passed by and I could still hear the song in my head … the amazing high notes that sounded more like a flute than a woman … the wild anger in her voice. Unfortunately, I’d never asked my music teacher what the name of the song was.
When I was about 12, I began voice lessons, hoping to sing opera one day. I told my teacher about the song and that it was written by Mozart. She immediately knew which one I meant. She said “That is the Queen of the Night from The Magic Flute” and when she played it for me I was overcome by the same powerful emotions. I was so excited to finally have a name to put to the song.
When I was about 16, I bought myself the CD of The Magic Flute (or Die Zauberflote – the opera is written in German) and listened to it over and over in the car, singing at the top of my lungs when I was by myself. Def Leppard could kiss my butt! I had Mozart!
I continued to sing through college, mostly in my car, some with choral groups, and very occasionally doing solos. I had no desire to sing in front of people, I just wanted to sing. Then, somehow, it just fell by the wayside.  It seemed like there was always someone in my car or in my house (room mates, husband, kids… it’s not easy to sing opera quietly, so I just sort of stopped).
But, this week, Kaia and I were offered free tickets to see the Asheville Lyric Opera put on a performance of The Magic Flute and there was absolutely no way I was going to pass that up!! We got seats front and center and had the most wonderful time! The opera is actually much funnier than I’d realized. Kaia loved the costumes, the set, and of course the princess. For me, I held my breath for the moment I would hear the Queen of the Night, and she didn’t fail me.
So, I’m at it again. I have the Magic Flute CD in my car and I plan a long ride by myself today so that I can start practicing!!! One day, I will get up and sing it in front of an audience, even if it’s just an audience of two. And YES, there will be make-up, costume, and one awesome crown!
So, for your listening pleasure, turn your volume on high and enjoy a little Queen!
(In this song, she is telling her daughter to kill the wise man, Sarastro, so that she can be queen of his domain. She tells her daughter that she will be cast out and dead to her if she doesn’t do it. Yes, she is a mean ol’ queen, but MAN, she can sing!!!)
Every year around this time we have a bonfire to celebrate the coming of Fall and Toby’s B-day. But this year, we are also celebrating Kaia’s speedy recovery from the snake bite, and Toby’s new job! We have a lot to be thankful for.
When I saw this post a few months ago on painting with chocolate, I knew I had to do it as a topper for Toby’s B-day cake!! I can’t believe how simple it was and how freaking awesome it turned out!!
I found a good picture and altered it according to the video in the post above. Then taped the picture to cardboard and covered it with wax paper and taped that down too.
The Original Picture Under Wax Paper
I put the dark chocolate in a plastic ziploc bag and melted it in hot water. Then I filled in the larger areas of the darkest parts of the picture. Here you see me using a tooth pick to add chocolate to the detailed areas.
Dark Chocolate Details
This is the final picture of the dark chocolate before I put it in the fridge to harden.
Dark Chocolate Layer
I mixed the dark chocolate with white (lots of white, only a little dark) to get a nice brown color and filled in the shadowed parts of the picture.
Light Brown Chocolate Layer
Then, after cooling it again, I used the white to cover everything with a nice thick layer, and returned it to the fridge.
White Layer
Once it had time to harden I took it out and flipped it over to reveal his chocolate handsomeness!!
Final Freakin' Awesomeness!
Kaia also took her turn making flowers and designs to decorate the cake.
Kaia's Side Decorations in Chocolate
Toby loved it! It now sits in the freezer so that it’s staring at you when you open the freezer door! Don’t know if we will ever eat it. 🙂
This morning we celebrated his real birthday with breakfast in bed and a hike. Happy Birthday Sweet Stuff!
Do any of you watch Mad Men? My mom got me hooked last winter when I watched a few episodes at her house. We ended up borrowing the first 3 seasons on DVD from her to catch up. In the beginning, I would get frustrated with the treatment of the women, but I suppose it’s pretty true to what life was like in the 50’s. Plus, the women all get their payback in the end.
Anyway, Mad Men is having a casting call for the public. You submit your photo, dress in Mad Men-like attire, and see if you can get a spot on the show. My sister, Carla, is competing! Will you go vote for her please??
We’ve had a great spring here on our land. Things have felt really productive. But, I have to tell you, we are beat! I wake up in the morning, jump out of bed and get going. Laundry, taking care of the animals, garden care, kitchen clean up, etc. all comes before breakfast. Most nights I spend preparing for Kaia’s schooling, sewing, cleaning, or researching one thing or another on the internet. Weekends we do chores around the land (and we usually don’t get done with our list of ‘to do’s). I’m not complaining. I’m simply stating how things are right now. But I’m starting to feel resentful that we have very little down time, fun time, or time to play with the kids. We have been working towards this life and lifestyle for years. We now have our own land (25 acres!), our own house (built with our own hands and very earth friendly), we have chickens and gardens and orchards and bees and cottages. And each of those things requires upkeep. Well… we are tired! We are re-evaluating this life style. We want to live more gently, but this is definitely not more simple. We don’t have time or energy for those bonfires and potlucks with friends that we wanted. We have little time for travel and very little time to relax and read. Having Heidi here helps tremendously, but she has been gone for much of 2010, and we won’t always have her here. So, we are taking a look at our life and trying to decide what things we truly desire in it, and trying to figure out how to have those things and keep a simple and earth friendly life. There may be some changes in store…. we’ll see.
Toby's new shirt
garlic and onion harvest
veggie gardens
more veggie gardens
Kaia got some goggles for swimming… Leif stole them!
Yes, the goggles work more effectively if you stick your tongue out.
National Doughnut Day! This is not a holiday to be skipped or ignored! Now go out and celebrate!!!
Deb over at Just Short of Crazy has given me a sweet award! (Don’t you love the name of her blog! I feel that way so often, although, I think my husband might say I’m more like ‘just short of sane’!) Thank you, Deb! Though I write this blog mostly for myself, like a journal of the happy things I want to remember, it is nice to know that there are people out there who read it and get some good stuff out of it!
I’d like to pass this on to 5 blogs that have inspired me lately!
1- Smrt Lernins – a wonderful blog with great homeschooling goodies and goodness! (I can’t read the name of her blog without thinking of Homer Simpson “I am so smart! S-M-R-T, smart!”)
2- Sew Liberated – a mama’s sewing blog that always inspires me to try new projects. (and the pictures of her cute little boy are reason alone to check out her blog!)
3- Not So Humble Pie – the recipes she posts are to die for!! I gain weight by just reading her blog!!
4- Art Project for Kids – Full of fantastic art to do with your kids, young and old!
5- The Crafty Crow – A blog crammed packed with fun crafts, often pertaining to the season or upcoming holidays, that inspires me to play like a child with my kids!
In preparation for St. Patrick’s Day, Kaia spent some time creating a Leprechaun Trap. The sign says “Gold Mine Here. No Leprechauns!” She hoped he would climb up, peek in, and fall into the box. We had to make it really enticing, so inside the box we put lots of our homemade gold.
For homemade gold, you make peanut butter and cracker sandwiches:
Dip them in melted Mint Chocolate:
Let them cool on wax paper:
Wrap them in gold foil and place them at the bottom of the chute, inside the box:
Well, Leprechauns are crafty little creatures and don’t take well to being trapped. As you can see by his little green foot prints, the trap worked just as Kaia hoped it would:
Unfortunately:
He was, however, nice enough to leave a book that Kaia has been wanting to read.
Kaia and I are in the middle of her studies on the solar system, so we couldn’t have found this at a better time! In 2011 NASA is sending a Science Lab Rover to Mars and you can put your name on a microchip that will go to Mars with the rover! Kaia loved this idea, so we sent in her name and then printed out a certificate of participation! Too coo!!
Mmmmmm, the smell of warm beeswax is so yummy!!
Leif’s view of his new mobile in the warm afternoon sunshine
It’s been well over 5 years since my blog has seen an update… so I thought it was time for a new look. You like?
I’ve also posted a page of my homeschooling resources at the top of the page. I’d love to hear about your favorite sites for homeschooling!
I’m working on the side bar… I’ll clean that up when the kids are occupied with things other than me 🙂
Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!
That’s the only way I can describe the way I felt this weekend at my first fiber festival, the Southeastern Animal and Fiber Festival It was sensory overload as I walked through the huge arena full of rainbows of yarn, roving, fleece, and knitted garments. I had to touch everything and heard others moan and groan just like I did as I rubbed the fiber on my face.I wish I could have spent all day there!! I went Friday morning and took a quick look around at all the vendors. Then, I took Kaia back with me on Sat. eve and we got to see a spinning and a weaving demo, visit with the angora bunnies, pet sheep and goats, and watch the llama games! I will definitely be going back next year!
Llama Limbo!
Beautiful Animals!
Sweetest little sheepy ever!
Last week I received a wonderful “Pay It Forward” package from Pink and Green Mama. I was so excited when I got her email telling me that I was one of the winners of her Pay It Forward blog contest and couldn’t wait to see what she sent!
Inside the package was a lovely tie-dyed shirt cut and sewn into a carry bag. (She must have peaked into my head and saw that I love these and, being a mom of two, use them constantly!) Not only that, but she also made donations to International Medical Corps for 3 women to receive midwife kits and 3 girls to get textbooks! Isn’t that cool??!?!?!
So now it’s my turn to pay it forward! If you want to play, just be one of the first three people to leave a comment on this post and let me know you want to play, and leave me a way to contact you. The only rule is that you have to pay it forward on your blog for three other people. You can send whatever sweet surprise you want to put a smile on their face!
So, what am I sending??? :-) You’ll have to just wait and see!
I’m posting over at Homemakers today about my favorite Granola recipe. Come and see!
I’m posting over at Homemakers Who Work today on how to make teas, infusions, and decoctions. Join me over there…
LOUISE!
Kaia loved all of the names for our sweet car chicken. She couldn’t choose between 6 of her favorites, so we put the final choices in a hat and she picked out Louise! I think it fits her perfectly! She’s a feisty little hen that would definitely chose a convertible given the opportunity.
So, BrentN keep your eyes open for a special treat coming your way!!
Today I’m posting about crafting herbal teas and have a contest over at Homemakers Who Work. And there is still time to enter the Name that Chicken contest, too. So get your entries in!
I’m posting over at Homemakers Who Work today about creating a “to do” list for kids. See you over there…..
