Thursday, January 28, 2010
Check out my diet blog!
So I posted a little about motivation a few entries ago, and it turns out there is a whole group of other authors out there who are looking to push past the pounds as well. I was lucky enough to receive an invite to post my triumphs and failures on their diet blog. It is a great place to learn about different diets, see other people struggle and overcome the same things I am trying for. So come on over and check us out at Pushing Past The Pounds. BTW-I am down 7 pounds since Jan 1st. To see how I am doing it head on over!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Viva Las Vegas!
This past weekend M participated in her first out of state soccer tournament. Lightning FC was the only Utah team in her age division and bracket to compete. It was a tough weekend, but our girls held their own and learned a ton about playing out of state teams. It was really a step up from the local teams we played in the fall where we won every game, and beat the team that came in second 9-0. Southern California teams are very competitive and the girls saw what it takes to win. We missed going to the semi-finals by one goal. That was tough on the girls, but they came away from the weekend feeling more confident and gearing up for the St. George Cup in February. M really stepped up her game down in Vegas. She is one fast kiddo. When she puts her mind to it she can outrun almost anyone on the field, which saved goals from being made by the opposite team several times. Not bad considering she is one of the younger girls on the team and is technically still U9. Because of that fact we can't play in the U11 league this spring, so the girls will be playing U10 boys instead. This will be a fun challenge for them, but one I think they are ready to tackle! Las Vegas was fun, though cold and M was awesome! I am so proud of you girl!!!!
Monday, January 11, 2010
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SQUISHIE PIE!!!
C turned 7 last week. I can't believe how big my squishie pie is getting. She is reading up a storm, can unload the dishwasher and is learning to load it, right now she is missing four teeth and looks adorable! C has been wanting an H20 party for a year now. So as the time grew closer I started scanning for ideas on how to make my little girl a fabulous mermaid party (on a budget of course). The party averaged out to be about $35. Some of the stuff I bought in bulk at Costco, knowing I would use it later so I averaged the cost of the price on just what I used for the party.
When the girls first arrived they got to color a mermaid coloring page which I downloaded for free here. This website gave me a lot of ideas for the party!
Next we played a game called "What Sea Animal Am I?" For this, I printed pictures of sea animals (dolphin, shark, puffer fish etc...) and taped them to the back of each girls shirt. They had to ask yes or no questions to try and guess what they were.
After that they had lunch.
We had....
Fish Ice Cubes in Sprite
Sushi Sandwiches
Blue Jell-o with Swedish Fish and Whipped Cream Waves
Also Goldfish Crackers!
Then we played with colored sand on plates (pixie Stick dust, although I used David's candy filled straws which were cheaper and worked really well). Here are some of the art pieces.
Next we went on a big treasure hunt and found the hidden treasure...
After opening presents, we dug into a mermaid cake.
Go here for instructions.
And last of all we put garbage bag fins on the girls and let them race around the house.
For decorations we were under the sea with blue balloons, white waves, and green seaweed.
It was a great party with tons of smiles and never a dull moment. I learned that I really can't frost a cake and want to go to a cake decorating class, that just because my kids like turkey and cheese on their sandwiches not everyone does, and the more sugary the treat the more the kids will like it. L is already looking forward to his Star Wars party next month. Any suggestions?
When the girls first arrived they got to color a mermaid coloring page which I downloaded for free here. This website gave me a lot of ideas for the party!
Next we played a game called "What Sea Animal Am I?" For this, I printed pictures of sea animals (dolphin, shark, puffer fish etc...) and taped them to the back of each girls shirt. They had to ask yes or no questions to try and guess what they were.
After that they had lunch.
We had....
Fish Ice Cubes in Sprite
Sushi Sandwiches
Blue Jell-o with Swedish Fish and Whipped Cream Waves
Also Goldfish Crackers!
Then we played with colored sand on plates (pixie Stick dust, although I used David's candy filled straws which were cheaper and worked really well). Here are some of the art pieces.
Next we went on a big treasure hunt and found the hidden treasure...
After opening presents, we dug into a mermaid cake.
Go here for instructions.
And last of all we put garbage bag fins on the girls and let them race around the house.
For decorations we were under the sea with blue balloons, white waves, and green seaweed.
It was a great party with tons of smiles and never a dull moment. I learned that I really can't frost a cake and want to go to a cake decorating class, that just because my kids like turkey and cheese on their sandwiches not everyone does, and the more sugary the treat the more the kids will like it. L is already looking forward to his Star Wars party next month. Any suggestions?
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Motivation
I have known for some time that I need to lose weight. Not only for my self esteem, but for my health as well. I am not motivated to share that number that haunts me every time I step on the scale, but I am willing to say I need to lose between 30-35 pounds to find myself in an ideal and healthy BMI range. The thing is, I have tried to do it on my own-to no avail. I need help. I need motivation and so I need to share my triumphs and my setbacks here where I know I am accountable to a reader.
I know this is a blog for my writing, but let's face it, if I am too out of shape to workout, I will be too tired to write. For a long time I have been putting writing before working out. Who knows maybe one day I will go back to that, but for now, I think my health needs to be the number one priority. So my goal for the following week is to do a workout everyday before I even turn on the computer.
I want to post a goal for each week and I will report back to say how effective it was.Feel free to share any tips that have helped you, any goals you have for your own healthy weight loss, and any yummy recipes that promote healthy foods. I need the motivation and I hope this will help!
I know this is a blog for my writing, but let's face it, if I am too out of shape to workout, I will be too tired to write. For a long time I have been putting writing before working out. Who knows maybe one day I will go back to that, but for now, I think my health needs to be the number one priority. So my goal for the following week is to do a workout everyday before I even turn on the computer.
I want to post a goal for each week and I will report back to say how effective it was.Feel free to share any tips that have helped you, any goals you have for your own healthy weight loss, and any yummy recipes that promote healthy foods. I need the motivation and I hope this will help!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
An Angel on Main Street Blog Tour
Hey everyone! Life has been crazy with school and National Novel Writer's Month in full swing, but I wanted to take a break to share about a great new book I read just in time for the Holidays!
AN ANGEL ON MAIN STREET by Kathi Oram Peterson is the story of eleven year old Micah Conners who has moved with his mom and his little sister, Annie to a new town following the death of his father in the Korean War. His mom is hoping to give Micah a new start in this small town, away from the influence of gambling that had gotten him in trouble in the big city. But old habits are not always easy to steer clear of, and when the sheriff finds Micah with a pain of dice and no way to explain it he decides to help set Micah straight. The problem is, Micah doesn't want help. He doesn't want the sheriff hanging around when his only goal this Christmas is to steal the baby Jesus from the mysterious manger that pops up in the middle of town. He truly believes that this is the only way to save his little sister from dying. With the help of a small community, a loving family, and maybe an angel or two, Micah learns that miracles can happen.
This was a sweet, fun read, that had me laughing and crying. It was the perfect book to fill the space that sometimes gets overlooked as the busy holiday season starts. I got a chance to ask a few questions of the author and here is what she had to say:
Me: You grew up in a small Idaho town. How much did that inspire this story, the characters, and the setting?
Kathi Oram Peterson: My upbringing inspired the story immensely. Let me give you a few examples. My father owned a store on Main Street and my family lived in the apartment above. When I was only five, my mother had a heart attack while washing my hair. I remember calling to her, hair dripping, wondering what was wrong. I remember watching my father carry her down the apartment stairs to the car that took her to the hospital. I was very frightened I would never see her again. Many times I would stare down on the street below from our apartment wondering if she would be all right. My father worked part-time for the police department. I often went with him at night as he checked store doors, making certain they were locked. If you've read my book, you can see how I used memories of these experiences and morphed them into events and characters in my book. The characters are not based on one person, but a collection of people--real and fictional. The setting--my hometown of Rigby--was a great influence of good for this book.
Me: This book is about miracles. Have there been any miracles in your life that helped with or prompted this story idea?
KOP: I remember once talking with a friend of mine who said she didn't believe in miracles. I felt sorry for her. Miracles are all around us, but not everyone sees them. Yes, I've had miracles in my life. I keep them close to my heart. However, the miracle in my book was inspired by my mother. As I mentioned before when I was little she suffered a heart attack and was in the hospital for many weeks. When she came home she shared with our family a very sacred experience, which left no doubt in her mind or ours that there was life after death.
Me: You got an English Degree from the University of Utah. I have recently gone back to school and am debating different degrees. Do you think an English degree helped or hindered your writing? Why?
KOP: Good for you, going back to school!!! It's tough, but well worth the sacrifice. And my answer to your question is...I believe it helped my writing. Not in the way my critique group does, but in a broader more in-depth scope (I highly recommend critique groups for novelists). For an English degree you have to read a ton of English novels, which is good. The best way to become a good writer is to read and read a lot. An English degree also requires you to write a great deal. A serious writer will try to write every day. My English classes helped me hone my writing to meet the teachers demands. Learning to deliver what a teacher expects helps a writer deliver what readers expect in a story. I recommend checking into what the college offers in a Communications program as well. Weigh the two courses and see which will fill your needs the best.
Me: The relationship between Micah and his little sister, Annie, is touching. Do you have any brothers or sisters? If yes, did your interaction with them growing up help you to write this relationship?
KOP: I have three brothers and one sister. But my family is like two separate families since two brothers and my sister are much older than me and my little brother. There's been times when I've been going through troubles and my sister becomes very protective of me. My older brothers have always supported me in whatever I try to do. For the relationship between Micah and Annie I drew a lot from all my brothers and my sister, but especially from my little brother. We've stayed pretty close through the years. We talk to each other at least once a week.
Me: This book is set in a small town where everyone seems to know everyone, and in a time when people seemed more willing to help their neighbors. Do you have any suggestions on how we can get our lives back into that frame of mind, especially during the upcoming holiday season?
KOP: My answer is very simple. We need to focus on the Savior, make Him part of our daily lives. I know many will say that's very naïve because of the complex problems our world faces...but it really isn't. So much would change for the better if people would just ask themselves the question posed to Primary children...What would Jesus do?
Me: What made you want to become a writer?
KOP: I've always loved good stories. They take you out of your life and give you experiences you never could have imagine. But I never really thought of becoming a writer until after my first child was born. My mother and I read a lot of novels by Phyllis Whitney, Nora Lofts, Mary Stewart, and Jane Austin. One day as we were talking Mom told me she thought I should write a book. She planted the seed, and I've been trying to make it grow every since. I wish she were still alive to see my books published, but I know she knows ... and I can almost hear her squeal with joy.
AN ANGEL ON MAIN STREET is a great book for yourself or to give as a gift to someone you love. You can buy it at Deseret Book or Seagull Book. Or online at the following links:
http://deseretbook.com/item/5030490/An_Angel_on_Main_Street
http://www.seagullbook.com/lds-products-585064.html
http://www.amazon.com/Angel-Main-Street-Kathi-Peterson/dp/1598117211/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257785685&sr=1-1
AN ANGEL ON MAIN STREET by Kathi Oram Peterson is the story of eleven year old Micah Conners who has moved with his mom and his little sister, Annie to a new town following the death of his father in the Korean War. His mom is hoping to give Micah a new start in this small town, away from the influence of gambling that had gotten him in trouble in the big city. But old habits are not always easy to steer clear of, and when the sheriff finds Micah with a pain of dice and no way to explain it he decides to help set Micah straight. The problem is, Micah doesn't want help. He doesn't want the sheriff hanging around when his only goal this Christmas is to steal the baby Jesus from the mysterious manger that pops up in the middle of town. He truly believes that this is the only way to save his little sister from dying. With the help of a small community, a loving family, and maybe an angel or two, Micah learns that miracles can happen.
This was a sweet, fun read, that had me laughing and crying. It was the perfect book to fill the space that sometimes gets overlooked as the busy holiday season starts. I got a chance to ask a few questions of the author and here is what she had to say:
Me: You grew up in a small Idaho town. How much did that inspire this story, the characters, and the setting?
Kathi Oram Peterson: My upbringing inspired the story immensely. Let me give you a few examples. My father owned a store on Main Street and my family lived in the apartment above. When I was only five, my mother had a heart attack while washing my hair. I remember calling to her, hair dripping, wondering what was wrong. I remember watching my father carry her down the apartment stairs to the car that took her to the hospital. I was very frightened I would never see her again. Many times I would stare down on the street below from our apartment wondering if she would be all right. My father worked part-time for the police department. I often went with him at night as he checked store doors, making certain they were locked. If you've read my book, you can see how I used memories of these experiences and morphed them into events and characters in my book. The characters are not based on one person, but a collection of people--real and fictional. The setting--my hometown of Rigby--was a great influence of good for this book.
Me: This book is about miracles. Have there been any miracles in your life that helped with or prompted this story idea?
KOP: I remember once talking with a friend of mine who said she didn't believe in miracles. I felt sorry for her. Miracles are all around us, but not everyone sees them. Yes, I've had miracles in my life. I keep them close to my heart. However, the miracle in my book was inspired by my mother. As I mentioned before when I was little she suffered a heart attack and was in the hospital for many weeks. When she came home she shared with our family a very sacred experience, which left no doubt in her mind or ours that there was life after death.
Me: You got an English Degree from the University of Utah. I have recently gone back to school and am debating different degrees. Do you think an English degree helped or hindered your writing? Why?
KOP: Good for you, going back to school!!! It's tough, but well worth the sacrifice. And my answer to your question is...I believe it helped my writing. Not in the way my critique group does, but in a broader more in-depth scope (I highly recommend critique groups for novelists). For an English degree you have to read a ton of English novels, which is good. The best way to become a good writer is to read and read a lot. An English degree also requires you to write a great deal. A serious writer will try to write every day. My English classes helped me hone my writing to meet the teachers demands. Learning to deliver what a teacher expects helps a writer deliver what readers expect in a story. I recommend checking into what the college offers in a Communications program as well. Weigh the two courses and see which will fill your needs the best.
Me: The relationship between Micah and his little sister, Annie, is touching. Do you have any brothers or sisters? If yes, did your interaction with them growing up help you to write this relationship?
KOP: I have three brothers and one sister. But my family is like two separate families since two brothers and my sister are much older than me and my little brother. There's been times when I've been going through troubles and my sister becomes very protective of me. My older brothers have always supported me in whatever I try to do. For the relationship between Micah and Annie I drew a lot from all my brothers and my sister, but especially from my little brother. We've stayed pretty close through the years. We talk to each other at least once a week.
Me: This book is set in a small town where everyone seems to know everyone, and in a time when people seemed more willing to help their neighbors. Do you have any suggestions on how we can get our lives back into that frame of mind, especially during the upcoming holiday season?
KOP: My answer is very simple. We need to focus on the Savior, make Him part of our daily lives. I know many will say that's very naïve because of the complex problems our world faces...but it really isn't. So much would change for the better if people would just ask themselves the question posed to Primary children...What would Jesus do?
Me: What made you want to become a writer?
KOP: I've always loved good stories. They take you out of your life and give you experiences you never could have imagine. But I never really thought of becoming a writer until after my first child was born. My mother and I read a lot of novels by Phyllis Whitney, Nora Lofts, Mary Stewart, and Jane Austin. One day as we were talking Mom told me she thought I should write a book. She planted the seed, and I've been trying to make it grow every since. I wish she were still alive to see my books published, but I know she knows ... and I can almost hear her squeal with joy.
AN ANGEL ON MAIN STREET is a great book for yourself or to give as a gift to someone you love. You can buy it at Deseret Book or Seagull Book. Or online at the following links:
http://deseretbook.com/item/5030490/An_Angel_on_Main_Street
http://www.seagullbook.com/lds-products-585064.html
http://www.amazon.com/Angel-Main-Street-Kathi-Peterson/dp/1598117211/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257785685&sr=1-1
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Cascade Springs
There is nothing like the mountains in the fall. This year we were a little late, but we still caught a lot of great colors. I always love the drive up to Cascade Springs, and the beautiful walk that you can go on. The kids had a great time, watching the fish, finding leaves, and listening to the sound of the wind blowing leaves to the ground. I hate that fall is almost over, but it sure has been a beautiful one this year!
Sunday, September 27, 2009
The Write Song
I love writing and I love music, so when I can mix the two then I am always happy. My problem is, there is not a wide range of music I can listen to while I am writing. There are songs that I listen to and then feel inspired to write, but actually writing to them distracts me. And then there is anything by The Killers. They are my muse, my great and ongoing inspiration. They make me want to write, and I can listen to them while I write and still concentrate on my writing. Last night my lovely husband took me to their concert.
It has been a while since I have been to a concert that wasn't at the SCERA SHELL...not that I am dissing the concerts I go to there. I am very fortunate to have my friend and Mother-in-Law, April, get us tickets to all sorts of fun concerts, but this was the first time since I got married 10 years ago that I have been to a big concert. I was so excited and it lived up to every expectation. D was a real trooper. He likes their music just fine, but he doesn't feel the need to listen to them constantly like I do.
The best part was when they sang READ MY MIND. That is my favorite song by them and it is the main inspiration for my novel AND THE SKY FULL OF STARS (BTW=still seeking representation for that one. I guess it would help if I sent it out to some people!!! Soccer has made me a slacker, but come October I am all over sending it out). Hearing that song live was awesome! The other best part of the evening was when they sang Bones. I had heard that song a few times, but it wasn't on my regularly listened to list. But hearing them sing it live, catching phrases I had never really paid attention to totally inspired me for my new novel endeavor (which I am calling ROOM FOR TWO for the time being). I wrote 5,000 words on it last week with a goal of adding 5,000 new words a week. Now after hearing that song I am inspired to write, write, write! SO I guess you could say I have found the write song!
So to Brandon and the rest of the boys I say thank you for a great concert, for songs that make me want to write, and music that makes me want to dance! And to my wonderful D, thanks for sitting through it all and letting me dance like a fool and not say anything about my stupid grin that would not go away except that it made you happy to see how happy I was. Last night was great baby, I love you! Now what? I think I will go write, better get my Killers music out!
It has been a while since I have been to a concert that wasn't at the SCERA SHELL...not that I am dissing the concerts I go to there. I am very fortunate to have my friend and Mother-in-Law, April, get us tickets to all sorts of fun concerts, but this was the first time since I got married 10 years ago that I have been to a big concert. I was so excited and it lived up to every expectation. D was a real trooper. He likes their music just fine, but he doesn't feel the need to listen to them constantly like I do.
The best part was when they sang READ MY MIND. That is my favorite song by them and it is the main inspiration for my novel AND THE SKY FULL OF STARS (BTW=still seeking representation for that one. I guess it would help if I sent it out to some people!!! Soccer has made me a slacker, but come October I am all over sending it out). Hearing that song live was awesome! The other best part of the evening was when they sang Bones. I had heard that song a few times, but it wasn't on my regularly listened to list. But hearing them sing it live, catching phrases I had never really paid attention to totally inspired me for my new novel endeavor (which I am calling ROOM FOR TWO for the time being). I wrote 5,000 words on it last week with a goal of adding 5,000 new words a week. Now after hearing that song I am inspired to write, write, write! SO I guess you could say I have found the write song!
So to Brandon and the rest of the boys I say thank you for a great concert, for songs that make me want to write, and music that makes me want to dance! And to my wonderful D, thanks for sitting through it all and letting me dance like a fool and not say anything about my stupid grin that would not go away except that it made you happy to see how happy I was. Last night was great baby, I love you! Now what? I think I will go write, better get my Killers music out!
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