Saturday, June 30, 2007

Scene and Heard

Banana Girl

It's way cooler to eat a banana in the peel than for Mama to cut it up on our tray. We are so big.


**************

N1: (hearing E make sounds over the baby monitor) Is that Baby E sleeping in her bed?

Mama: Yes, she's starting to wake up.

N1: Is she in the backyard?

Yes, because that's where we put the babies ... : )


**************
Speaking of said baby, she slept NINE HOURS last night ... and I got to slept about seven of those. It's the most sleep I've had in two years. Literally.
**************

8 Weeks Today

Because I'm a dork ... I thought she was two months today (she's only 8 weeks) and I had her all set up in our monthly birthday pose, propped up with her grandma blanket and monkey. But the pic turned out super cute ... she's all caught up in N1 in this picture, love it.


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Getting So Big

She is getting so big.

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Her New Face

And one more because it cracks. me. up.

Friday, June 29, 2007

Friday Felicities - June 29

Things that make you happy ... from the mind of Nattie Rose.

~ VBS
~ VBS that makes my girls sleep like rocks :-)
~ the rich purple of an eggplant
~ this blog which makes me laugh.out.loud. because she has such a dry sense of humor
~ using buttons when I scrapbook
~ blackberries
~ losing a pound or two
~ writing thank you notes for baby gifts ... which I am doing TODAY
~ singing the National Anthem on Sunday with two friends as the offertory
~ a clean kitchen floor (note: the cleaning of said floor did not make me happy)

What's on your happy list today?

Thursday, June 28, 2007

She's Starting to Get It

N1: Look Mama, it's a cross! (Made out of our 2 tv remotes)
Mama: What is the cross?
N1: Jesus!
Mama: What did Jesus do there?
N1: Hurt.
Mama: Who did He get hurt for?
N1: Me!

She's Starting to Get It

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Honor Your Husband - Week 2


We're at week two of the Honor Your Husband Challenge hosted by Christine at Fruit in Season. (A day late on posting here!) Last week, I had set several goals for myself:
  • greet him when he gets home from work with a smile and not a frown or tired face
  • pick a book on marriage to read over the next 3-4 weeks
  • think before I speak
  • think before I speak (so important it needs to be on there twice!) :-)
  • work at doing a good job with our budget and what I have to work with for groceries and other needs (more about this later)

We had our ups and downs last week starting with a long, not-fun-type discussion on Monday night about various and sundry things. However, overall (and greatly due to our discussion) I have done much better about thinking before saying something that will hurt my husband. Of course, this is always something that I can continue to do better on ... actually, it would serve me well to practice this with everyone. Thinking before speaking - a good thing.

I've decided that I'm going to reread Created to be His Helpmeet over the next several weeks (and beyond the challenge if necessary). I know this is a controversial book, but it was a huge help for me, so no flames, please. :-) I'm also going to do a word study on "contentment" in my Bible. I have always, always struggled with jealousy and discontent to some extent in my life. Not that I don't wish good things for other people (I can rejoice with best friend who just moved into a beautiful HUGE big house), but I struggle with coming back home to our tiny 2-bedroom where we are trying to fit five folks and all our gear. Something I just realized recently, though, is this discontent and jealous is so not good for my marriage. It's basically telling my husband that he's not providing enough for me and that I'm dissatisfied with what he has worked so hard to provide us with. When I have a laundry list of things that we "need" what else would that say to him, but that he is not doing enough. I need to work and pray on contentment issues big time. (I hope this is making sense here!)

This week's goals are:

  • to continue to think before I speak.
  • something practical ... remember to fill the coffee pot and set the timer EVERY NIGHT for a week so that I'm not doing it in the morning and there is hot coffee ready for Travis to take to work.
  • have a good attitude this week as I have a lot of evening kid duty by myself this week. Travis and our oldest are doing VBS this week, and so I'll have the two littles all by myself every evening and then a hyper/exhausted/filthy 3.5 year old to wind down when they get home.
  • read my CtbHH book and study verses on contentment.

Head over to Christine's to join in or to be encouraged with other's pursuit of this worthy goal.

Monday, June 25, 2007

A Sister's Secret Winner!

And the book goes to Mama Lily! Congratulations!!

Mama Lily, if you will email me your address, I'll get your book out to you!

Thanks to everyone for "playing." Hopefully I'll be sent more books to review/give away soon. :-)

Menu Plan Monday - June 25

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Dinner this week has a goal of being quick and easy! :-) It's VBS at our church and I'll need to have N1 and Travis fed and out the door each night by 6:30. (It's N1's first year to particpate at VBS!)

Monday: Thai Chicken Salad
Tuesday: Chicken Salad Sandwiches in pita bread, raw veggies and dip
Wednesday: Breakfast dinner - pancakes, eggs, turkey bacon
Thursday: Chicken parmesan, green beans, some other veggie
Friday: Pizza
Saturday: Chicken Pepper Pasta, bread

Head over to Org Junkie for more menus!

Friday, June 22, 2007

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket
Things that make you happy ... from the mind of Nattie Rose.


  • Iced tea
  • Hot showers
  • Quesadillas
  • Movie night with the hubby tonight (at home after kids are in bed)
  • Colored pens
  • Using buttons when I scrapbook (I have button thing going on)
  • Cloth diapers
  • Mama gets to go out to dinner with other grownup women tomorrow night (w/ only the littlest munchkin in tow)

Happy Friday!

Thursday, June 21, 2007

5 Minutes for Mom - Ice Cream Maker Giveaway

The ladies at 5 Minutes for Mom are have a 4th of July prize-winning extravaganza. They are kicking off the celebration by giving away a Krups GVS1 Ice Cream Maker and a 4 piece set of Rosanna Sweet Dreams Bowls courtesy of SplendidLife.com.

To enter to win, go to this post for instructions, and this post to enter!

Honor Your Husband

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

I've been trying to find time since Monday to do a little post about the Honor Your Husband commitment (hosted by Christine at Fruit in Season) that I'm taking part in. My reasons (besides the fact that this should be a priority most of the time!) ... we're celebrating our 5th anniversary this August and I really want the commitment to spend the weeks leading up to it thinking about our marriage.

I have several ideas of areas I want to think about:
  • where have I seen myself grow
  • where do I see change needed (I'm guessing this list will be longer) :-)
  • what are things that I am doing for Travis that show honor and respect
  • what are things that I could/should be doing that I'm not

And the list could go on.

To quote Christine:

We are all coming to this challenge from different places in our
marriages. Some of you have been in a rough spot lately and may find it hard to
change habits. Some of your marriages are on a mountaintop and you will find
choosing to honor your husband easy. Some of you are new to marriage and some of you have been married decades. Regardless of our circumstances, the best way to work this challenge is to begin your day in prayer for your husband and your
marriage.

Some of the challenges I'm setting for myself for this first week are/have been to:

  • greet him when he gets home from work with a small and not a frown or tired face
  • pick a book on marriage to read over the next 3-4 weeks
  • think before I speak
  • think before I speak (so important it needs to be on there twice!) :-)
  • work at doing a good job with our budget and what I have to work with for groceries and other needs (more about this later)

Visit Christine at Fruit in Season if you are interested in participating!

Spring Reading Thing - Wrap Up


Today marks the conclusion of Katrina's Spring Reading Thing. I don't know that I did a stellar job at getting through my list, but I did put a dent in the ever-growing piles around here, and have made notes (of course!) of many more books I want to check out. :-)

My list that I started with was:

What was the best book you read this spring?
Best fiction was my Yada Yada book. Love me some Yada Yada. Such real women, real lives, real struggles. I can so related to these books - one of those serious I wish was never ending. (Sadly, the last book in the series comes out in October - and yes, I already have it pre-ordered on Amazon). :-)

The best non-fiction was A Place of Quiet Rest by Nancy DeMoss. What a fantastic book about why it is important for us to have time alone with the Lord, along with many, many practical suggestions and ideas for how to do that. I loved this book, and know I will go back to it in the future when I need encouragement in my walk with God. Nancy DeMoss came across as very real which I liked. I did a small review on a part of the book here. Hospitality Commands was also excellent (and a short read). I was encouraged and convicted about my level of hospitality and highly recommend this one as well.

What book could you have done without?
I wasn't terribly impressed with Not Your Mother's Slowcooker. While it was fascinating to read about what you could do with the your crockpot, most of the recipes were so exotic (some just plain odd) that I wouldn't make most of them.

Did you try out a new author this spring? If so, which one, and will you be reading that author again?
Nancy DeMoss, Alexander Strauch, and Elizabeth Prentiss were all new to me. I'm sure I will explore more of their books as they cross my paths.

If there were books you didn't finish, tell us why. Did you run out of time? Realize those books weren't worth it?
Out of all those, I never got to Elsie's Endless Wait. I'm not sure why - it would have been a quick read, and I still want to read it.

I left unfinished Emma, Stepping Heavenward, and Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God. (I probably should count Emma as one I never got to because I really only read a few pages into it). Stepping Heavenward was my "car" book, small enough that it was always in my purse and I would read on it for a few minutes at dr. appointments, waiting for food if I was out picking something up, etc. My car time was cut waaay back when baby E was born, and I forgot about the book. :-) I will DEFINITELY be finishing it ... I was thoroughly enjoying it until it slipped my mind. Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God was also excellent - I didn't finish it because it's really not meant to be read quickly in big chunks. I found it more like encouraging little devotionals for moms that should be read slowly and savored. So, I purposefully slowed down on that one, but will finish it.

Did you come across a book or two on other participants' lists that you're planning to add to your own to-be-read pile? Which ones?
I've seen so much Jodi Picoult out there, I will probably try one of her books soon. (I almost started one several months ago, but after hearing a bit about it, I decided it wasn't a good choice for me while pregnant and hormanal so I set it aside).

What did you learn -- about anything -- through this challenge? Maybe you learned something about yourself or your reading style, maybe you learned not to pick so many nonfiction books for a challenge, maybe you learned something from a book you read. Whatever it is, share!
That I can and do like non-fiction when I tackle it. It does take more brain power than a breezy fiction, but it's good for me and I come away having learned something and usually fired up about something! :-)

What was the best part of the Spring Reading Thing?
All the great ideas for MORE BOOKS! :-) And the challenge, of course, to tackle some that I would continually put off.

Would you be interested in participating in another reading challenge this fall?
Oh, I'm so there. :-) I'm also participating in the Newberry Challenge this summer/fall. (It was hosted by my precious friend Natalie who has since gone home to Jesus). Several of us are going to do this in her memory and a new website with details and place to participate is going to be up and running soon. *coughdanacough* And, I'm also planning on participating in Shaunarumbling's Christy Challenge since it's a one-book challenge - very doable. :-)

Thanks again to Katrina for hosting this ... I'll be back this Fall with a new reading list!

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Upside Down Pizza

By request from Debs:

1 lb. ground beef (I used turkey)
1 jar spaghetti sauce or pizza sauce
pizza fixings: pepperoni, mushrooms, olives, etc.
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1 tube crescent rolls
parmesan cheese
melted butter
rosemary

Brown beef and add sauce. Place in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Layer with perpperoni, then pizza fixings of your choice. Cover with shredded mozzarella. Open crescent rolls and lay flat to form a "crust." Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with parmesan. Crush dried rosemary and sprinkle on top.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until bublly and crust browns.

So yummy! I'm going to try it this weekend with ham and pineapple inside for my pizza fixings instead of pepperoni.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Two Things!

(1) I have edited my newest book review post of A Sister's Secret with info on a book giveaway ... if you are interested in entering to win a copy of that book, go to THIS POST to enter. Deadline is this Sunday night (6/24) at midnight.

(2) I have two more copies of A Divine Appointment to give away! Rather than doing a new drawing, I've had my humble assistant (today it's my neice J) draw two more names for me from the original contest post. The winners are:






Lu and Jessica!







Congratulations ladies! If you will email me your addresses, as soon as I receive the books, I'll foward them on to you.

Olive Tree Book Tour ~ A Secret Sister

Edited to add: Guess what? The nice folks as Glass Road Public Relations are giving me ANOTHER book to give away!! If you are interested in receiving a copy of the book, A Secret Sister, leave a comment on THIS post by Sunday night, June 24th, at midnight. (Anonymous commenters will not be entered in the drawing). Good luck everyone!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everything is going well for Grace: a loving family, a waitress job, and a wedding on the way. But when Gary Walker comes to her Amish community, Grace's secret threatens to destroy everything she holds dear. Grace is ashamed of her running-around years (rumschpringe), and has kept it hush-hush since returning to join the Amish church.
Gary shows up as a freelance photographer and writer, but he is capable of much more. Not only does he know some of Grace's secret, he is part of it. As a contrast to Gary's evil ways, fiance' Cleon Schrock is filled with all things good. Does Grace have the strength to reveal her secret?
Compounding the situation are the unusual pranks gone too far in hurting the Hostettler family. Is Gary to blame, or is someone upset with Grace's father? Why is it easier to turn the other cheek for strangers than for your own kin?


I love stories from an Amish setting ... something about them makes me long for a simpler time (no cell phones!) and a chance to slow down and enjoy the seasons of life. This book is another glimpse into that lifestyle.

Wanda E. Brunstetter is a nationally recognized expert on the Amish community. Last autumn her Amish-themed book sales surpassed the million mark, bringing her total of books sold to 1.6 million. She enjoys an uncommon kinship with the Amish community. Letters from all over the country arrive from her Amish readers, and she's been told her books are passed "from buggy to buggy." Wanda's books have received various honors including the 2006 Retailers Choice Award and Christian Book Distributor's Book of the Week, as well as topping the charts of the Christian Booksellers Association and CDA.

Here she answers a few questions for us!

Where did you birth the idea for A Sister's Secret? When? How did it come about?

Sometime ago, I read about some Amish people in Pennsylvania who had suffered a senseless attack, and it made me wonder how they dealt with it, and how it must have made them feel to be unjustly attacked. I decided to use that as a focus for this series and show my readers what true forgiveness is all about.

If your book was turned into a movie, who would play the main characters?

I would pray that whoever was chosen to play the main character would be a person of integrity. Also, it should be someone who respects the Amish way of life.

Which character do you most relate to, and why?

I think there are elements of all my characters that I can relate to on some level. Just like in life, it's not all that difficult to put yourself in someone else's shoes and relate to what they are going through.

What sort of research was involved in writing A Sister's Secret?

I visited Holmes County, Ohio several times before the idea came to me to set a series of books there. I also have spent many hours with Amish friends who live in that area, which helped me understand them better, but also gave me a good understanding of the lay of the land.

Tell us a little more about the series of books that starts with A Sister's Secret. Why did you choose this county for the setting of this series?

I chose Holmes County because my husband and I have visited there several times and we've come to appreciate the beauty of the area, as well as come to know and love many wonderful Amish and English people who live there. I wanted to tell a story of love and forgiveness, and show the reader that despite anything in our past, God forgives and can use us to His glory.

What takeaway points do you hope the reader pulls from A Sister's Secret?

Secrets from the past can sometimes be painful when the truth is revealed. Harboring resentment toward someone who has wronged you can only bring anguish. True forgiveness brings peace to the soul.

How do you deal with your other obligations (family, church, etc.) when it's crunch time near deadlines?

I sometimes have to let everything but my writing go, and with the help of my husband, I'm able to do that whenever necessary.

What's your favorite writer's block trick?

I take a shower. Ideas always seem to flow well under running water.

What book are you reading now?

I'm reading Freedom of the Soul by Tracey Bateman. It's Book 2 in the Penbrook series, and I highly recommend it.

What's your favorite worship song, and why?

"They that Wait Upon the Lord," because I know from past experience that it's sometimes necessary to wait for God's answers, and that His timing is always best.

What do you crave (beverage or food) when you have writer's stress?

A big bowl of fresh strawberries drenched with maple-flavored yogurt.

Can you share something with our readers about what God has been teaching you lately?

After spending time with some of our Amish friends recently, I was reminded of the importance of taking time out every day to enjoy all the beauty God has made for us, and to keep my focus on God and my precious family, not the "things" of the world.

Why do you think readers have an interest in the Amish/Mennonite way of life?

In this hectic world we live in, our souls cry out for simplicity. I believe many people are searching for ways to simplify their lives and put their focus on the important things in life, not on material things. Reading about the Amish and Mennonites, who don't put an emphasis on worldly things, helps others to be able to do that, too.

What does the Amish community think about your writings?

The Amish I know personally have told me that they enjoy reading my novels. I've had many Amish people who attended my book signings tell me that they appreciate the way I portray them.

Hope you all enjoyed a peek at this new book! Leave a comment if you are interested in winning a copy of this book!

Monday, June 18, 2007

Menu Plan Monday - June 18

Monday: Mexican Soup (crockpot) with fritos
Tuesday: Curry chicken stir fry (my husband's specialty!)
Wednesday: Cold pasta salad (with tomatoes, olives, etc.)
Thursday: Vegetable Mexican Cassarole and tortilla chips (looooove this)
Friday: Upside down pizza
Saturday: Girls Night Out (for me and baby E), something fun like mac & cheese and/or hot dogs for everyone else
Sunday: Chicken-apple-sausage pasta, green salad, bread

Visit Organizing Junkie for more menus!

Congratulations to...

Diane! She won the drawing for the book A Divine Appointment by Jerome Teel!

The participants:

DSC_4943

The studious assistant:

DSC_4944

The winner!

DSC_4945

Send me an email with your address, Diane, and we'll get this on the way. :-) And thanks everyone for playing! Hopefully we'll have more of these in the future.

Friday, June 15, 2007

Friday Felicities




Things that make you happy ~ from the mind of Nattie Rose!
  • staying under the alotted (albeit small) grocery budget!
  • a box of Pampers (the good stuff) from my parents
  • hazelnut coffee creamer (I'm working on a slow and steady addiction to a little creamer in my coffee and feel the need to start trying all the flavors. Any suggestions for me?)
  • getting ready to clean my scrapbook area/desk with a new organizational idea I had while feeding the baby
  • dreamy little baby smiles
  • Women at Home
  • packages from GOOD friends the mail with lovelies for my baby E
  • a clean house, or what I will have when I get up here and get to work!
  • heaven
  • my friend Nattie Rose, who occasionally was referred to as N3 round here.

Remembering Nattie




Thursday, June 14, 2007

Free Baby Gear

Well, if you win. :-) Check out the new Playskool products available only at CVS pharmacies! CVS/pharmacy has teamed up with PLAYSKOOL to create a new line of baby care products that are available exclusively at CVS/pharmacies. This new line has 44 different products – including diapers, ultra-thick cottony wipes, easy grip bowls, wide necked bottles, teething rings, three stage nursers, insulated no spill cups, orthodontic pacifiers and more.

Five Minutes for Mom is giving you a chance to win a basket of these goodies! Head over there to sign up!

Last Week

  • Uber crazy around here.
  • Hence the reason for the blog break.
  • We had our church's annual picnic on the 2nd.
  • Very fun, but EXHAUSTING by the time we got food (we take out all the food that the church provides and drinks for everyone), got out there, set up, hung out, loaded up three completely tired girls, came back home, unloaded, and CRASHED.
  • Then E had her one-month checkup on Monday ... 10' 13'' and 22 inches now. Everything looks good!
  • Tuesday, we had a dinner guest from Travis' office.
  • Wednesday, we had another round of dinner guests - a couple from church came over so Travis and the husband could do a little music recording and the wife and I got to visit and attend to the girls.
  • Thursday, Travis helped a friend move.
  • Friday, the girls and I ran a massive list of errands and then the big girls went to Grandma's to spend the night. Travis and I loaded up E, went out for Mexican food, and then saw Pirates 3.
  • Saturday was our church's long-range planning meeting and since we're both on staff, we needed to be there. Thankfully it only lasts about 2/3 of the day so we still had some time at home after the meeting to rest before the girls came back from Grandma's. I was able to sneak in a very, very short nap. :-)
  • Sunday, we celebrated Travis' birthday with my family.
  • And, Sunday night, I went to a baby shower for a friend who is expecting her 2nd baby (but first girl).
  • And Monday, we never left the house. :-)

All good things, just very busy, and little bit harder to juggle with three girls. Thankfully, we don't have weeks like that often. I mean, I like to be busy, but I really like little girls that get good naps and are rested and pleasant more. :-)

This week has been fairly quiet and I've been able to get some work down around the house which has been nice. I had my 5 week post delivery visit yesterday and everything looks good as far as c-section recovery. I want to start getting my housekeeping routine back on track instead of where it's at right now ... just hitting was HAS to be done to survive. :-) I spent last week thinking of our schedule and how things need to change with the three girls so I can get things done at home. One thing I'm going to do is get back to my Motivated Moms cleaning schedule - this so works for me ... when I do it.

I'm also going to continue to work on getting myself out of bed at 6 a.m. for some quiet time before the girls wake up. Sometimes the baby is up with me, sometimes not, but I need to be diligent about getting up regardless so I can do some Bible reading. Our women's group at church is going to be doing a 4-week study on Philippians in July and, regardless of whether or not I make it to all 4 weeks, I want to read Philippians several times and soak it in.

And, I'm working on ORGANIZING THIS HOUSE. I've been in the purging mode and therefore I need to act on it. Our little house is tiny, and I can already see that I'm going to have to keep things in check even just with adding a third tiny person to our crew. :-)

Off to fold some laundry and get things going around here. Happy Thursday!

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

First Ever Olive Tree Book Tour!

But not the last! :-)

Thanks to the nice folks at Glass Road Public Relations, I am happy to offer a glimpse into Jerome Teel's new book, The Divine Appointment. AND I have a FREE copy of the book to give away!

In The Divine Appointment, Supreme Court Justice Martha Robinson has died, presenting an unprecedented opportunity for conservative president, Richard Wallace, to impact the direction of the highest court in the land for years to come. The Supreme Court has the power to interpret the Constitution, and in the process, to shape the nation. Not everyone is thrilled with the president's nominee, however. And some will stop at nothing, including murder, to prevent his confirmation by the Senate.

About the Author: Jerome Teel received his law degree from the University of Mississippi where he graduated Cum Laude. He now practices full-time as an attorney in Jackson, Tennessee. The Divine Appointment is his second novel.

Interview with the Author:

1. Who is the target audience for The Divine Appointment?

The audience is wide and I believe The Divine Appointment can reach different segments of the Christian community. Specifically, though, I think the target audience is politically active Christians such as members of Christian Alliance organizations, Right to Life Organizations, American Family Association, etc.

2. How do you describe your genre for this book?

Christian fiction political thriller.

3. Where/How did you birth the idea for this book? How did it come about?

The idea for this book was two-fold. First I think that Roe v. Wade was a very bad decision and it should be reversed. Secondly, the appointment and confirmation processes for Justice Roberts and Justice Alito were very intriguing and I wondered what it would be like if there was a true conservative, Christian jurist going through that process who would openly say that Roe v. Wade should be overturned. I found that concept very intriguing and turned it into a storyline.

4. What sort of research was involved to make The Divine Appointment sound authentic/realistic?

I researched the Washington D.C. geography to make sure I had names of buildings and streets accurate. Google Earth is an amazing tool. The legal aspects of the book and the courtroom scenes come from my many years of experience as an attorney.

5. What takeaway points do you hope the reader pulls from this book?

I hope that readers will realize that it is important for Christians to be part of the political process.

6. Is The Divine Appointment part of a series?

It is not designed as a series yet. However, like The Election there could be follow-up books that would track some of the characters.

7. How do you deal with your other obligations (job, family, church, etc.) when it's crunch time near deadlines?

This is one of my most difficult tasks. I'm a partner in a law firm and that is a full-time job. Part of my practice is that I represent the local county government, which at times is very consuming. Currently I am helping coach three separate baseball teams. I am the incoming board president for a local charity. I teach a high school boys' Sunday School. And our family life is extremely busy. As you can see, there are very few unoccupied minutes in my life. When I'm working on a writing project my writing time is very late at night--typically from 10:00 p.m. to about 1:00 a.m. When a deadline is rapidly approaching I have to take time away from the office and stay at home until I'm able to get the project completed.

8. Do you plan character development and then let them run with the story, or do you plot the story in advance?

I don't know how unique my writing style is but I cannot write from an outline. The first thing that happens is that I see the beginning of a story and the end of the story, and then I begin to write. I outline as I go along and I keep a timeline. The characters begin to take on lives of their own and lead me through the story. When I get to about 30,000 words I begin to fully see the story unfold. It is at that point that I make a few notes about the direction of the book and it is all I can do to write fast enough to complete the manuscript.

9. Do you have an organized office and set times to write, or do you find yourself writing at unusual times or places?

I write at unusual times--typically very late at night. But the place is always the same. I have a study in my house and I do all of my writing there.

Thanks, Jerome, for giving us a glimpse at your life as a writer, and why you wrote The Divine Appointment.

As a fan of John Grisham myself, I can't wait to read this book. If you are interested in receiving a FREE copy of The Divine Appointment, leave me a comment by midnight (Central), Sunday, June 17th. I'll draw the winner's name Monday morning and post it! (FYI, anonymous comments will not be entered for the free book).

Happy Birthday

~ to a great husband!





~ a terrific Dad!




~ a rockin' musician!


~ and pretty much our favorite person in the whole wide world!

Thursday, June 07, 2007

Interrupting this Break...


Natalie Rose ... home to Jesus, June 7, 2007.

Oh Lord, You're beautiful
Your face is all I seek
And when Your eyes are on this child
Your grace abounds to me
~ Keith Green

Hope...sometimes it is blinding like the spring sunshine. Sometimes it is a gentle warmth that comes with kind words. Sometimes it washes over you like waves in the ocean and sometimes it just envelopes you slowly. Sometimes it is like water in a dry land, but it is there if you look for it.
~ Nattie Rose York, April 24, 2007

Friday, June 01, 2007

Taking a Bloggy Break

I'm signing off off here for a couple weeks-ish! I need to work on a few schedule-y things, and am working on paring down the computer time (read: playtime) a bit. :-) And, we have a busy week and a half ahead bracketed each weekend with big church events that we are involved in coordinating. You can always reach me by email ... I check that several times a day since I'm still doing a few things for my church job even while on my "maternity leave."

Aiming to be back next Tuesday with a birthday post for my husband that day. See you then!

One of my goals this year has been to diversify my reading. As I've spent the last 17 years homeschooling anywhere from 1-4 kids, I woul...