Who needs heat when...

I'm going to see Tim McGraw tonight. Although you wouldn't catch me arguing if say the gas company service planning department finally decided to call so we could get going with this project already.

This just in...

1. We are taking tomorrow off since we will be up late at the concert tonight. We plan to start our Christmas shopping.

2. We bought a pre-lit Christmas tree. Finally found one with lots of lights that didn't cost the earth. While I've been known to string the tree lights myself, both GG and I are delighted that chore is history. When you are picky about how the lights look it takes forever to get the tree lights "just right".

3. Beanie has to work on Thanksgiving at the Magic Kingdom. Major bummer. We think we will be venturing to the OC Thanksgiving morning and take him out to eat mid-day before work then we'll trek back here and go to my sisters for dessert with the rest of the family. At least that's the plan today. We've never eaten out on Thanksgiving, but I can't imagine celebrating the holiday without both of my children. It may be coming in the near future, but not yet...

4. Speaking of Beanie, he got second place in the open mic contest at his school. He was over the moon because most of the contestants were musicians. He has another "gig" on November 22. Someone asked him to perform for a group of *ahem* mature women. He was asked to include some material on Jane Austen, and Napoleon & Josephine Buonaparte. He's doing research. Just his comments on doing historical research for a comedy bit is funny. Honestly I never know what he's going to do next.

5. Proud Mama moment. GG mentioned to me yesterday how amazing it is that in this economy both of our boys have two jobs. Beanie got hired back as seasonal help at his favorite place in the world, nope it's NOT D-Land, it's Toys R Us. Maybe all those dinner conversations about there's no replacing hard work to achieve your goals really worked???

6. Just finished reading THE MARRIAGE BED by LL Guhrke and before that I read A BRIDE IN THE BARGAIN by Deeanne Gist. I'd heard pretty good things about THE MARRIAGE BED and while good, it didn't change my world. Very well done character development though. The Gist surprised me. While privately I consider myself a spiritual person and certainly one of faith I've never read a book specifically labeled inspirational romance before. This also was a pretty good book and I enjoyed the story based on the real life brides brought to Washington Territory by Asa Mercer post Civil War. Anybody else old enough to remember the 70s TV show with Bobby Sherman, HERE COME THE BRIDES?

7. Got the most recent STAR TREK movie on blu-ray for the BA-TV for the "boys".

Well I think you are all caught up. Usually when I do these lists I think of two more things as soon as I hit "publish". Ain't life grand?

A Give Away & An Update

Life is so busy it is ridiculous. Honestly, I keep thinking next week will be better... Next week will be better. The fact is this time of year is nuts at home and at work and I'm embracing the concept. Sort of.

Do you have to fight the urge to do ab-so-lutely everything on your list every darn day? I do. It's irritating. Yet. I'm struggling to change my mindset. Aaaargh!

As I write I have three stacks of books next to me. The 5 remaining books to add to my September reading list, the 14 books to enter and post for my October list, and the 2 books I've already read in November.

Yes, when I'm too tired to pull up a chair to the computer and write any more, after sitting in front of a computer for 9 hours at work, I come home and wallow in my reading.

Stuff I'm excited to tell you...

GG and I are going to see

Tim McGraw with Shmoo and his GF in a couple of weeks. Yippee! It's so appropriate since Shmoo recently admitted he has always secretly liked CW music but didn't want to let us know. Like we'd be so devastated? Heaven help us Hannah! The lengths he goes to...

Shmoo is at the halfway mark of his EMT class. It is really getting tough now. He's nervous about keeping his 80% average to stay in the class. When he's not working one of his two jobs he is studying. His GF is a sweetie and she's been cooking for him and baking cupcakes. He's so spoiled.

Beanie dressed up as his favorite super hero for Halloween and went out with a bunch of his friends who also dressed up as super heroes. They got lots of attention and people were asking them all night to take their pictures with the Justice League.

Too funny. Anyway, my own Beanie Green Lantern ended up winning a costume contest to the tune of $200. He's over the moon.

In further Beanie news... He's continuing with his stand up. He's graduated from the coffee house to a bar. Of course since he's new kid on the block he didn't go on until 12:30 AM but he was very happy with his first outing.

*CONTEST*CONTEST*CONTEST*

Now to the important stuff. I went to the bookstore yesterday and bought two copies of Ava Gray's SKIN GAME. I liked this book so much, I will be giving away these two copies from names randomly chosen from anyone who comments on this post until midnight on November 8, 2009.

I will announce the winners on Monday, November 9, 2009.

So comment away. In the meantime, I'm hoping to get my book lists caught up, my blog hopping caught up, and some reviews done.

It could happen.

Bring on the Sun

P.S. NOT DEAD IN A DITCH...