Songs & Stories

I finished my novel last night and did a little editing today.
A few days ago I made this playlist of songs that came to
mind or I came across that took me through the story. I
really love these songs and was amazed how well they fit
to the book. I don't know if more than a handful of people
will read it, but you can at least listen to the music! The
only one I couldn't find was Nat King Cole's Embraceable
You...
On finishing the novel: I feel a little sad. I didn't expect
to feel like I was leaving these characters to go live their
lives, now. Strange, I know. Also, life goes on as normal
here at home, so what is kind of a big deal to me is set
aside for laundry, sick kids, parent/teacher conferences,
and grocery shopping. I guess I will just have to wait for
my "editor" friends, mom, and sis to give me kudos, or
at least a pat on the back, or kick in the pants, or a
confused, glazed-over look. Ha ha.
So, enjoy the music...

I Wasn't Born Yesterday

The other day my 6 year-old asked for a pickle. She loves pickles. She doesn't have them a lot (I think she forgets) but when she gets it in her head, there is no doing anything else until a pickle is in her hand.
So, she got out the jar and I pulled off a paper towel from the roll. I folded the towel up in quarters, and we placed a pickle on the edge, then wrapped the towel around it, because we don't want pickle hands. My 15 year-old walked by and saw what her sister was doing and said, "Aah, the pickle in the paper towel. I remember doing that. I don't know why, though."
Well, I did. I said, "You did it, because I taught you." She let out a small laugh and said, "Oh yeah, of course." Then I said, completely unsuspectingly, "And, I did it when I was a little girl."
My oldest daughter stopped and her mouth dropped open. She said, (wait for it)... "Mom, they had paper towels back then?"

Yup. I'm now a product of the turn of the century. Where did I leave my monogrammed hankie? Oh, there it is behind the phonograph. Charleston, anyone?

A few more things...

I should probably add (to the post below) that I no longer fear asking for ketchup. I walk up, pound on the counter and yell, HEY! Then when they look at me, fear and trembling in their eyes, I give them a glorious smile and ask for ketchup, please. I also have no problem answering questions and I am pretty sure people roll their eyes a little because they hear so much of my valuable knowledge. And, just for the record, when I met my husband, we talked each other's ears off that whole summer... I can't remember one awkward silence. It was awesome. I still need to work on the saying hello thing though, among other things. So, I have come a long way. Still have a long way to go!

She is SO shy... HOW SHY IS SHE?

I don't know why the links here are now purple and blue...I have tried everything to change it, but sometimes, we just have to let it go and maybe we'll come across a solution later.

Which brings me to my next topic. Are you shy? I mean, so shy that when someone you don't know well asks a question you know the answer to, and nobody else does, you just catch the answer in your throat, and feel your face become hot as your heart pounds in your ears? So shy, that you can't go up to the counter at the fast food place and ask for ketchup? Or, if you know you just can't eat your fries without ketchup, you go up and wait for ten minutes until someone stops and looks at you directly and says, "Yes?" and you say, "Can I have some ketchup, please?" and they look at you blinking because they couldn't hear the faint whisper that barely left your lips? Or, a boy you really like, after a silence because you are just enjoying being with him, asks, "What are you thinking?" and you panic, because you really were just enjoying being there, so you say, "Nothing." and realize that is not a very good answer after he raises his eyebrows and says, "Really?" Or, when you see someone you know in a store or at a restaurant, and you want to say hello, but you just look at that person, hoping they will make eye contact so you don't have to say their name and disturb them, and if they don't, you just leave, thinking, "Hm, I would have liked to have said hi."
I have been at all these stages at various times of my life. I have come a long way. But I still am stuck at times. And people are surprised. Do I look outgoing? I must. But, I'm not, never have been. It's a family thing. We would visit my grandparents after being so excited to get to their house, and when we arrived it would take us kids an hour to come out from behind our parents' legs. It was the same with most of my cousins, wasting precious playtime staring at each other out of the side's of our eyes until somebody non-shy came and did something goofy (my Uncle Steves... yes, I have two, or my non-shy cousin Brady, who came much later on so he couldn't help for awhile)
I was also painfully aware that some people thought I was "stuck up", because of my physical appearance when being scared out of my wits in a room full of intimidating, seemingly confident, not-a-care-in-the-world highschool peers. Fortunately, I had friends that had no trouble making friends with me. What a blessing they were, and still are to me.
I also read somewhere that being shy is a basically selfish phenomenon. Shy people are so concerned with what others are thinking of them, they freeze up. After I got over being offended, I realized that was true. Then I put it to a test. When I felt that pulling back feeling coming on, I tried to think of the other person, how they were feeling, what they might like to hear or see. Wow. It was an amazing result. I am still working on it.
Now, back to the purple letters bothering me. It occurred to me the other day, as I was talking with my wonderful friends, that maybe the reason I love to write, is that there is no person standing in front of me, making me back up. I can express myself, most times, exactly the way I intend to, and I can even go back and correct mistakes before I put it out there. Sometimes I have become so excited about writing that my pen and my fingers cannot move fast enough...my handwriting is scrolled in tiny writing across the page, getting what is inside me down. My fingers fly over the keybord ad I koik up only to fins ajumble dness. But I love it.
I have found a bit of a solution to my shyness. I hope it comes across as I share my ideas with you here.
Thanks for feeling that.

A Little About Me... Thanks, Bec!

10 Years Ago..
-Jacob was 5 months old and not breaking anything...maybe ripping some books.
-My brother, Craig, graduated from high school. He has 3 kids, a lovely wife, and is in Texas finishing up chiropractic school.


5 Things on my "to do list" today:
-update my blogs
-write my novel
-do some laundry
-Go to Jacob's football game
-Figure out something for dinner so my kids don't mutiny because I'm writing my novel.

5 snacks I enjoy:
-Twizzlers
-chocolate
-nuts
-Nachos
-yogurt

5 things I would do if I were a millionaire: (I just kept Becca's, they are what I would do)
-Pay off the house
-Pay off the cars
-Buy some land/build a house in the mountains
-College fund for the kids
-Do a little shopping

5 places I have lived:
-Kent, Washington
-Kennewick, Washington
-Cheney, Washington
-Hermiston, Oregon
-Klamath Falls, Oregon

5 jobs I have had:
-"The Cinnamon Stick", my Mom's store
-"The Hole-n-One", a grill/donut shop in the mall
-Sears, ugh.
-Dordon's Floral... not as glamorous as it sounds, I was gopher girl and delivery.
-Telemarketer for a Provo-area Chiropractor...worst job I ever had.

I tag:
whoever would like to do this!

The Rules...Each player answers the question themselves. At the end of the post the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and leaves them a comment letting them know that they've been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person that tagged you know when you've answered the questions on your blog.

It must be Fall

We have had some gorgeous weather. The cold is coming, but let's look at some events that say, "Hello Fall" in a very warm way.
Hunting Season opened, and my B got himself an antelope. We now have a fridge full of jerky. This is a "When in Rome" thing, as my husband hasn't been hunting in decades, but look at that smile. Next, we have Homecoming, a semi-formal event in this part of the Rockies. The Broncs won our game, Chelsea and B were in the parade, and the gym was totally decked out in cowboy array for the big dance. Chelsea and her friend, Katie, looked gorgeous, and had a great time at a pre-dance party with a bunch of Chelsea's friends from church. She spent a good part of the dance trying to stay away from Mom and Dad, who were chaperoning. Finally, we have that pivotal event that truly makes my insides flutter with all that is Autumn. Are you ready for some football? Jacob is finally old enough, after 2 years of complaining, to play with the big boys (10-12 year olds). He is #84. They had him in the back on defense, but he kept blitzing the QB, which you can't do in this little league. So, they moved him up front, right up front, so he can sack that quarterback. That 'no fear' factor is fun to watch. Get'em, Jacob!