Illegitimis Non Carborundum

Friday, April 24, 2009

Sunshine, flowers and dancing......

After a horrible week of raining that I thought would never stop, we have sunshine! I'm going to park my butt on the deck and do some reading. That's all I feel like doing. I'm really looking forward to it!

This weekend is going to be a busy one. Victoria and Daddy will be going to the Father Daughter Dance on Saturday night. Victoria has a beautiful navy blue sleeveless dress with light powder blue roses on it. We were debating on what to do about her flowers this year. Last year we spent $20 on a wristlet that had 3 tiny baby itty bitty roses and 2 carnations. I didn't like it at all! I wasn't happy. We decided that I would make her corsage this year and it turned out perfect! It has 4 big white roses with little teacup navy blue roses and baby's breath! I think everything cost me $13 which included the wristlet and I have a bunch of flowers, ribbon, tape and wire left over still. So I'm betting all in all, it's about $7-$10 for this one that I made. And it's bigger and much prettier! I'll post a few pics later when we download them onto the computer.

So the flowers are done, the sun is shining and the dance should be fabulous!

I deserve to relax on that deck with a tall glass of iced tea and my book. Ta-ta!

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

My little book review....

I finished Just Take My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark. You can have it. It wasn't that exciting. There just didn't seem to be any meat to this book. The chapters were very short, nothing about them really grabbed me and I had the whole thing figured out before I was finished the first 100 pages. Clark is starting to remind me of Danielle Steel.

I'm going back to The Memory of Water by Karen White. I'm about 1/2 way through it and really liking it. I'm hoping to be finished by the weekend.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

I borrowed this from my friend Kathy's blog and I know she won't mind. Even thought I"m a little late, these kids were on my mind all day today. My heart breaks for their families still, like it did 10 years ago. Forever in our hearts and prayers, forever young.
God Bless the families, friends and children of Columbine!

Friday, April 17, 2009

Remembering......

the other day I was in B&N browsing around and I saw this little blank journal. It really caught my attention because of it's cover. I've tried to find a picture of it on the B&N website but I can't so I hope I can describe it so you can picture it. The whole cover looked like the back of a library book that we would have checked out from the library when we were kids. It had that card with the lines and then the dates were stamped onto it, all in the little boxes but never exactly on the lines. Do you know what I mean?

Seeing that journal got me to thinking about how simple things were back when I was younger.

I remember getting on my bike and taking a ride to the library. I always had a basket on my bike, perfect for my books. I still go to the branch that I used to go to when I was a little girl. It's a little different inside but I remember being able to sit on the little ledges that they had in front of the bookcases that were built into the wall. I remember fitting on those little ledges too. Those ledges are still there, but I don't fit as comfortably as I used to.

I loved reading Nancy Drew. I remember my parents buying me those books. I really wish we would have kept them but I'm pretty sure they were passed down to my cousins. I remember getting books by Judy Blume from the library. There were some that I would sneak in and my mother wouldn't know I got them. "Are You There God, It's Me Margaret" was one of those books. I wonder if that book is as popular now with young girls as it was back in the mid 70's? I'll have to ask my daughter. It probably pales in comparison next to books like Twilight and some of the other series that are out now. We used to sneak that book around. Nowadays, mothers and daughters are sharing copies of those books. I just can't picture my mother reading my Judy Blume books.

I remember I'd be dying to get my hands on the next Nancy Drew if I didn't have it in my collection at home. I'd have to go to the library and see if the one I wanted had been returned, hoping and praying the whole way there. Now, you just look online to see if your branch has it and if not, you can just have it sent there from another branch. Not as much anticipation, but at least you aren't disappointed as much as we were back then. And then there was the joy when you ran into the back room of the library, the children's section. One side of the room was for the Children and the other side was the Young Adult Readers. Nancy Drew was in the Young Adult with her own little section on the shelves. You could see that bright yellow beacon from the archway of the room. And in the good ole days, those books were arranged in numerical order. You didn't have to even know the title of the Nancy Drew you were looking for, just what number you were up to.

Those were the days!

I think I might just head up to B&N this weekend and grab that little journal with the library due date cover. I have no idea of what I'll use it for but that little book has brought back so many memories, I just have to have it.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Library Loot.....


Even though I had about 4 books on my nightstand from the library, I just couldn't resist going to the library. See, the husband needed a book and who better than myself to run to the branch for him to see if they had it? I mean what kind of wife would I be if I didn't volunteer to do this job? It doesn't matter that I had already reserved the book for him and had it shipped to the branch that was closer to the house. What if it didn't come in for a few days? I wanted to be helpful.

Turns out the book was already shipped and waiting at the other branch.

Well who am I to waste a good trip to the library? So here's what I got........

Bright Lights, Big Ass by Jen Lancaster
The Choice by Nicholas Sparks
Blue Heaven by CJ Box
Forgotten by Mariah Stewart
The Almost Moon by Alice Seabold
Kiss River by Diane Chamberlain
The Courage Tree by Diane Chamberlain
Before the Storm by Diane Chamberlain
Pieces of the Heart by Karen White

Hey, a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do!

I'm currently reading The Memory of Water by Karen White which I'm really enjoying!

What do you do.....

when it's been pouring rain for two days?

You get out and get wet!

I had so much shopping that I had to do this week for Tori's bday party on Friday night. We hit the mother load at the Dollar Tree though. They had just started putting out the luau themed items. We are in luau heaven! Good choice for a party theme!

I also have to do a bunch of shopping for the school dance that is on Saturday night. I'm thinking that's something I might just do on Friday morning and totally skip sleeping right away. I can do BJ's early on Friday morning and then catch a nap Friday afternoon.

That's the only thing I hate about working the 3rd shift. Never enough time to sleep!

Like the great Jon Bon Jovi says, I'll sleep when I'm dead!

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Getting on the ball.....

I've neglected my blog for a few days, not good! That's what happens when you spend time with the family!

Our Easter weekend was wonderful! We were going to head to the shore for Saturday but that forecast just looked awful. I had a very pouty 11 yr old girl on my hands all day Friday. So I came up with a Plan B that rocked her world. See, I don't really like to cook or bake. I mean, it's ok but not one of the things I look forward to doing. I'd rather go to the mall. But Sassy, she's loves to bake. So being the Super Mom that I am, I gave her PLAN B. Baking those chocolate chip cookies that she's been bugging me to make with her. First we had to take a trip to the mall because heaven forbid we miss a sale at Aero or American Eagle. That killed a few hours and then we came home to bake cookies!

Luckily, Sunday turned out to be a better day weather wise. We went to 10:30 mass which was packed with Submarine Catholics and then we headed to the shore. What a great day! The kids had a blast on the boards and the beach. They even went on some rides, had our Mack pizza fix and played some football on the beach. We collected shells and just had a really great day together! Even with the winds, it was a blast! And one of the best, according to the kids, was the McDonald's for Easter dinner! How's that for a great day!

I had off on Sunday night which made the weekend complete! Monday was just a day to catch up around the house.

I even managed to finish my book on the weekend and start a new one on Sunday night. I'm reading The Memory of Water by Karen White. It's really pretty good and I'm only on Chapter 4. I really like this author and recommend her if anyone is looking for someone new.

Of course, now it's back to the swing of the work week. Can't complain though, that's when I do most of my reading!

Have a wonderful week!

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Spring is in the air.....



and Easter is right around the corner! How did that happen? Weren't we just trying to figure out what to get everyone for Christmas? Weren't we just figuring out our routine for getting everyone to school now that we have 2 different schools to drive to? Where did it go?

I was emailing with some friends and we were talking about Easter. Some of them were talking about dying eggs and getting baskets together. My kids are too big for Easter eggs and baskets anymore. Even my Sassy girl who is 11 would rather have a new bathing suit and some clothes over an Easter basket full of candy.

Heck, we still have Halloween candy in the cabinet.

And while I was sitting at work tonight, letting my mind drift as it does when I sit here alone during these crazy hours I work, I floated back to a time when Easter was full of eggs & baskets.

I remember the Easter when Jerry's friend Jason brought in a big black trash bag full of balloon bunnies. Every kid in the class got a balloon bunny. Jerry named his bunny, Ben. Well a few days after we brought this bunny home, he started losing his shape. It wasn't looking good. And neither was Jerry. I remember running to Walmart and finding just the right size blue stuffed bunny to replace the shrinking balloon bunny. I remember hiding the balloon bunny under the kitchen sink, way in the back, and in Jerry's Easter basket was the new stuffed bunny with a note from the Easter bunny. The note told of the magic that the Easter bunny had performed because he knew just how much Jerry loved that bunny and the Easter bunny wanted Jerry to take of his new bunny that would never lose it's shape.

Pretty creative huh? My husband thought I was nuts.

We still have Ben somewhere in the house. I'm pretty sure he's on a shelf in a bedroom of a certain little boy who's not so little anymore.

I remember the year that the Rescue Heroes were big! Oh boy, did my Gregory love those action figures! The Easter Bunny brought him the fireman for Easter that year. I can still see his face when he yelled out, "Nook Mom, it's Billy Blazes!" I'll tell ya, that Easter bunny was something else because Mommy & Greg had been looking for Billy Blazes for weeks and couldn't find him anywhere.

The look on the face was worth all that searching and believe me, there was a lot of searching.

Victoria's basket was always the easiest! Shopping for little girls is so much fun and so much easier! Jump ropes and chalk, lip gloss and nail polish, hair clips and sunglasses were always so easy to impress her with.

I miss those days in some ways.

Sure it's easier now that we don't have to fill all those plastic eggs and find some great hiding spots. I don't have to run around from store to store finding that perfect little have to have gift for their baskets.

I enjoy the simplicity of our Easter now. I enjoy that it's a day we spend together, just the 5 of us, with no interruptions and no friends coming over, no driving this one here and dropping of this one there. no computers, no texting, no phone ringing. I enjoy that we spend the time talking to each other, laughing together and sharing our memories of Ben & the Rescue Heroes.

I just enjoy every minute that I get to spend with my beautiful family while they are young enough to still want to spend it with me!

I hope you all have a Happy & Blessed Easter!



Saw this and thought it could be fun!


Some people read one book at a time. Some people have a number of them on the go at any given time, perhaps a reading in bed book, a breakfast table book, a bathroom book, and so on, which leads me to…
Are you currently reading more than one book?If so, how many books are you currently reading?Is this normal for you?Where do you keep your current reads? Do you have a TBR pile or do you go searching for your next read?


My answer:


I'm a one book at a time kind of gal. I like to get lost in my book and if I have more than one going, I'm afraid the family would never find me! I do keep an "emergency" book in the car in case I ever get stuck somewhere without my current read. But that's rare that I would be without it. I keep my current book with me at all times. I bring it to work, I bring it to bed and I bring it back down with me when I leave to get the kids. I carry it with me all the time because you just never know. I got stuck one day last year at a doctor's office without a book and the only mags were golf. I swore from that day on, I would never ever leave home without it. I have a TBR pile right next to my bed. Those are the ones that are usually from the library, the books I own are all over the place in my bedroom so I can grab one at any time.




"Waiting On" Wednesday....

Ok, here's my big waiting on...........


And it's probably too small for you to see! But, it's the long awaited..........Dead Before Dark by Wendy Corsi Staub. This is the sequel to Dying Breath and is being released on April 28th. I'm a big fan of Wendy's and have actually emailed with her, not as an author, but as a friend. She was really sweet and helpful with some advice for my son. I first "met" Wendy when she posted on an old AOL board for moms. She's a really nice girl and very good author! Several of her books have had me up past my bedtime with my book light burning!

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Random thoughts......





I like Cyndy's idea.....I'm stealing it.

My Random Thoughts:

1. Why do little girls have to be so annoying and petty and dramatic? Why don't their mothers ever tell them to shut up, grow up, knock it off and STOP!

2. Walmart.........need I say more?

3. I hate 1/2 days of school. Just give them the whole day off. Why torture us parents with having them there at 8AM only to come back and get them at Noon. What, like we are all sitting at home just waiting for the clock to move?

4.Why do people immediately get stupid the minute they put a phone into their hands? Do they really think that there is a doctor just sitting at the desk in the hospital waiting for the phone to ring? Really? If the doctor is here, don't you think maybe, just maybe, he's off doing.....I dunno, doctor things?

5. Lately, I've realized that time ISN'T standing still. It's flying, going way too fast. And sometimes, that makes me cry.
6. It could always be worse. It really could!

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

My other passion.....

after reading would have to be shopping! And I've been totally fulfilling my passions this week! Sunday we went to the big outdoor flea market and I found a new purple pocketbook for myself. That just made my day! Sassy is the one that actually made out the best this weekend. She got some new clothes, a bathing suit, a pocketbook and shoes! It was a good weekend for her! I could just shop forever for her. There's just way too many cool girl clothes, shoes and accessories out there! If I was rich, I'd go broke!

One of my other passions would be my favorite shows! And a few of them are killing me this week. I'm a little behind on a few shows because I've been really busy reading some great books. I got caught up on one of my all time favorite shows, House, and I was really shocked! Usually, you hear when there's going to be a big bang on one of the shows but I didn't hear anything about House this week. It was a killer bang!!! ER ended too! It was a great series finale but I can't believe they are ending it. They could have kept going for a few more years with some great new characters and storylines. I'm disappointed they didn't go for it! Now I have to get caught up on Life On Mars, Criminal Minds, Desperate Housewives and a few of the sitcoms. I need to find a good series to get into for the summer too. Time to browse Netflix!

As for that other favorite passion on mine, books.....I have some great ones on my nightstand. I really enjoyed The Color of Light by Karen White. I just started The Bay at Midnight by Diane Chamberlain. I've got a few more books by each author and a few good holds coming from the library. I keep checking every day to see if they are in! I can't wait to get them!

Friday, April 3, 2009

It amazes me.....

that I could go 43 years or maybe a little less, not knowing certain things. Let's give me at least 10 years because you don't get some things until you are at least 10. So for at least 33 years, I have thought certain sayings were said certain ways, only to find that, through reading a book, I'm wrong.

What the heck is she talking about? Ok, I'll give you an example. For all intents and purposes. That's the phrase/saying you guys all know and use. Not me, I thought it was......for all intensive purposes. Don't ask. I just did. How about this one? If you think I'm going to do _______, you have another think coming. I thought it was "you have another thing coming, that was until I read it in a book a few months back. And thanks to another book, the saying Up and At 'Em is now being said and used correctly by me. I always thought it was Up and Adam. And what that meant, I did not know. I just said it that way. I figured there was a story behind dear old Adam and I didn't really care. Now I know better. Funny thing was, that I learned it was Up and At 'em because of a child in a book. She would kid with her dad and say who is Adam? And they would laugh.


I think they were secretly laughing at me.


I'm wondering how many other saying are out there that I'm just saying wrong or using wrong or even undertanding incorrectly. I guess I'll keep reading my books and find out.



Library Week?

National Library week is April 12-18 this year! I saw this on this post on AT HOME WITH BOOKS, and thought I'd borrow the questions.

How often do you use your public library and how do you use it?
Has the coffeehouse/bookstore replaced the library?
Did you go to the library as a child?
Do you have any particular memories of the library?
Do you like sleek, modern, active libraries or the older, darker, quiet, cozy libraries?

I'm sure everyone who knows me knows that I love libraries. I would die without them. Our local branch was in danger of closing and my daughter and I were right there on the front steps with our picket signs. So far we are still open. I've heard rumors that things may change come June when the schools let out but I guess we'll see. I can adjust and go to another branch with no problem but it was cool having one within walking distance.

I loved the library when I was a little girl too. I've always loved to read and I remember riding my bike on Saturday mornings to the library. How would I ever have gotten ahold of "Are You There God, It's Me Margaret"? I would have missed some great reads when I was a kid without the library. The kids always loved going to the library. That's sort of changing as they are getting older. Too many other gadgets for them to play with and places to go now that they are older. We'll still go on a quick trip after school, but it's nothing like it was when they were little. Gosh I miss that!

I've told the kids a number of times to find me a nice "retirement community" that is near a library or a bus route that I can get to the library. I just can't imagine not being close to one!

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Library Loot.....

I went to the library today! I had gotten that favorite email that I always look forward to.....Your Reserved books are availabe at the H branch!

No matter how busy your day is, you have to run to the library when you get that email!

So here's my Library Loot for this week:

  1. The Color of Light - Karen White

  2. The Memory of Water - Karen White
  3. Pieces of the Heart - Karen White
  4. The Bay at Midnight - Diane Chamberlaine
  5. The Courage Tree - Diane Chamberlaine
  6. Before the Storm - Diane Chamberlaine
  7. Introduction to the Devout Life - teaching of St. Francis De Sales

I'm still waiting for:

  1. Just Take My Heart - Mary Higgins Clark (#3 on list)

  2. Beach Trip - Cathy Holton
That should keep me busy for a few!

"Waiting On" Wednesday....

I saw this on some other blogs and figured it might be fun!


List a book that you are looking forward to reading once it comes out!


Here's mine:
The Girls from Ames: A Story of Women and Friendship by Jeffrey Zaslow (Hardcover - April 21, 2009)
This one looks like a pretty good spring read! Only a few more weeks till it's available! Hopefully the library will have it.
Got any you are looking forward to?

Tales from the Nightstand......

The book board I post on always has the end of month posts where everyone posts what they read during the previous month. I always have about 3 books. This month I was really proud of myself. I racked up some reads!

Here's my March reads:

1. While My Sister Sleeps - Barbara Delinsky - B+ pretty good.
2. The House on Tradd Street - Karen White - A+ loved it! One of my new favorite authors
3. Never Tell A Lie - Hallie Ephron - B fast read, pretty good
4. Handle With Care - Jodi Picoult - B - pretty good but not my favorite by her though.
5. The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes - B - pretty good and I'd read more of hers. I like her.
6. Still Life - Joy Fielding - B - it was ok but very predictable. Not her best either.

I started reading The Color of Light by Karen White. I really enjoy her books. I also really like Diane Chamberlaine. I've only read one of hers but I have one on the nightstand and 2 on hold at the library. I'm also #13 on the library list for Mary Higgins Clark's new book, Just Take My Heart. I have a few books on hold at the library that are in so I might just take an hour today and go to the library, look around and see if there's anything else that I missed. I can't wait for a few other new releases that are coming out over the next few months.

Pretty soon it will be time to hit the parks and beaches and you'll be seeing everyone with their newest read. I love trying to find out what someone else is reading. You never know when you'll find a new favorite. I just love this time of year. It's that time where everything is just so fresh and new. Just makes you want to go outside and take some deep breaths!

My little Sassy girl.....

turned 11 yesterday! I can hardly believe that 11 years can go that fast. I can close my eyes and just see her at different ages and I can't believe how fast that time has gone!

She actually thanked me for giving birth to her! She's a pistol. She picked pizza for dinner because I said no to McDonald's. She had her favorite pound cake from a bakery near us. School was selling them as a fund raiser and boy did we luck out with the delivery date. After school, I took her to the Pretzel Factory to get her some pretzel nuggets with cinnamon dip and some pretzels to take to art class. After dinner and cake, it was present time. She made out like a bandit again! We had bought her Dance Dance Revolution for the Wii but she got that back in February when she had some friends over and needed entertainment. I managed to find a really cute tshirt with the Eiffel Tower on it which she loved, anything Paris related is a big hit! I also managed to find a bunch of things at Five Below that were a huge hit. Shopping for girls is so easy and too much fun! Jerry got her the Titanic video, monkey nesting dolls and a new beach towel that she really wanted. Greg got her a monkey pillow and a decorate it yourself message bag from 5 Below. She was a very happy girl last night! When I left for work, she was all tucked in bed watching Titanic, dozing off to sleep. The perfect ending to a perfect day! Happy birthday baby girl! Mommy loves you!