Books!

I tend to read books in waves. Sometimes turning hundreds of pages in a day for weeks, other times letting my books collect dust for quite a while. I guess it's like a marathon runner carb-loading before a big race. I let my pile of books built up until I am ready to jump in head first and devour them all.


It really surprises me that I enjoy reading as much as I do. As a child my mother couldn't get me to read anything except teeny bopper magazines like Teen Beat, BOP, and Seventeen. Oh, and the occasional comics strip from the newspaper. I had read a lot but had never really enjoyed my books. That is until I was in my early 20's. Not sure what changed, I think it may be that I had experienced enough about life at that point to connect with the characters I was reading about. 


Since it is one of my book devouring phases I thought I would share a few of my latest favorite reads:

Radical Homemakers: Reclaiming Domesticity from a Consumer Culture 

By: Shannon Hayes

The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen 

By: Syrie James

The Passage 

By: Justin Cronin

There you have it, a few of my recent reads. I jump around a bit in my page turning types. Keeps me on my toes, ha ha. I tend to always return to works about nineteenth century England though. I LOVE Austen inspired novels, so romantic! 

What have you been reading recently?

au revoir, adieu, ciao, till next time... 

A Beachy Kind of Weekend

Last week the kids and I shoved off for Myrtle Beach, SC. Both of them have been so good and doing so well at school i thought they deserved a special night with me at the beach. They had a great time exploring the aquarium:

The next day my parents came and picked the kiddies up for some fun at their home. Thus began my girls weekend away! And what do most ladies do when they are alone with out their hubby's or kids??? They go to Alligator parks of course :)

Well OK, there may have been a few fruity cocktails and mischief mixed in as well ;) One can not go to Myrtle Beach with out a stroll on the sand... (we even found sharks teeth!)

It was a a nice weekend away. We all had fun. Now I'm back to reality, my son is home sick... so am I :( Good thing I had a little mini-vacation to break it up a bit.

What is your favorite place to go for little mini-vacations?

au revoir, adieu, ciao, till next time...

Snow Puppy

Remember when we brought this adorable puppy into our home? Well, he's over 65 pounds now, almost 2 years old and STILL acts like a crazy lunatic!!! But he sure is cute :) I have never had a dog drive me nuts more then Jackson. He makes me want to pull all my hair out and drink lots of vodka, but I love him so much. Such is the way of loving a dog, ha ha.

My kiddies are home due to snow (we've built like 5 snowmen!) so I must not blog long, just thought I'd share this adorable picture with you. 

Anyone want a dog who pee's everywhere, eats chap stick, barks at trees, steps in his own poop and runs through the house, and drools on your feet while you sleep?? 

Hello? 

No One? 

Really? 

OK, I'll keep him :)

au revoir, adieu, ciao, till next time...

Apprehension & Creativity

I used to be so creative in my younger days. I would paint any surface I could find. Making things with my own hands thrilled me to no end. Then I got older and life happened. Days of making art and not a care in the world came to an end. I had a job that needed my time, then I had a husband who needed my time, then dogs, then a home, then babies... Next thing I knew my creative side was gone. 


I have been trying to claw my way back into making things for a while now. But every time I would get close (the canvas purchased, the paint ready) I would chicken out, fearing I wasn't good anymore. It had been too long, and I was too old to be "artsy" anymore. Well, no more! I have had it with my excuses on why I can't be or do what I want. Lizzie, quite complaining about not doing things when you don't even try!


I have done it, after years of saying I'm going to. I have gotten my hands dirty and cast my apprehension to the way side. I am making organic doggy soaps :) Welcome to Trois Amis Soaps! (French for Three Friends, because I have 3 dogs)

The web page is made, nothing is up on the site yet. (SOON SOON SOON!) I'm still trying to figure out all the business stuff. The soaps have been tested, (on my kids and i, yeah i know it sounds weird, but if i wouldn't use it on myself i don't want it on my dog!) and are wonderful. My kids think it's funny use "mommy's special dog soap". Plus, with all this testing my dogs smell so good! 


But as excited as I am, I am scared to death. This is a huge step for me, to create something of my own, to tell people about it and to follow through. I may fail, it may not turn out as I plan, I keep telling myself that is OK. I am making things with my hands, my kids are enjoying being my helpers. We are creating together, and for the first time in years I stopped just dreaming and am doing. 

Look, I've got a blog button over there ----------------->

I hope you'll stop by from time to time and see how my store is doing. Keep me accountable, and remind me not to be afraid. Thank you Bloggy friends for always being such a supportive, wonderful and safe group for me to work out my craziness.

And if there's anything you've been wanting to do, but have been scared to try, DO IT! I got your back :)


au revoir, adieu, ciao, till next time... 

A Chill Winters Day

We don't get a lot of snow around here, but when we do everything looks so pretty! The snow stays only a few days, then melts away leaving us waiting for the next storm. Brrrrr... It's COLD outside! You all stay warm out there.

Our snowy house :)

Just a short post, the kids have been home from school and hubby has been home from work. Leaving me little time to blog, thank goodness the snow has kept everyone entertained so I can at least do laundry!

au revoir, adieu, ciao, till next time...