Shameless Plug

Sometimes I stumble across a blog and instantly bookmark it. If you read blogs very often (which, duh, I'm assuming because you're here reading this!) then I'm sure it happens to you to. When you read a person's words and see pictures, it kind of gives you a view into their world and makes you think, "I would totally be hanging out with this gal if she lived here!"

Well, that's how I feel about Melanie Shankle at www.thebigmamablog.com . She is just hilarious! I love her sense of humor, and her family-that I swear I'm not stalking but sounds a little weird way-just seems awesome in the way they interact.

Bottom line - her writing is great and she just published her first book. It's called Sparkly Green Earrings  and seriously ya'll....buy it now.

My copy just came in the mail and I can't put it down.

It's about marriage and motherhood and all of the day-to-day happenings that make life so darn good. The good, the bad, and the ugly. And don't forget the funny. It's also got Bible references and lessons in faith, but not in a "religious-y" kind of way. You can just tell that this is a person with a personal relationship with God, but without it being "preachy" at all.

If you're looking for a quick, good read--please go buy this. Don't check in out of the library or borrow a friend's copy. Just buy it. This is a woman who (obviously) loves to write and truly has a knack for it. She's been blogging for years and has somehow managed to parlay the blogosphere into a successful writing career.

Honestly, I'm jealous and I want to know how the heck she did it!

I want to support her, and I ask that you do the same by buying her book. I promise it will be $12 well spent! If I ever write a book, which is kind of my dream, I just pray that people would buy it. The scariest part of writing is wondering if no one is gonna like what you produce. I sort of liken it to having a baby and nobody cares that you were pregnant or even that the baby was born. And then the people that do show a little interest tell you it's ugly. Yikes.

But Melanie's baby is definitely NOT ugly! You can purchase it at Amazon or Lifeway, plus I'm sure every other major bookseller in the country. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

Busy Busy Busy

It's been a busy, sad, busy, stressful, happy, and busy fast few weeks. Did I mention we've been busy?

First things first, we are in the heart of the Carnival Season. In other words...It's time for Mardi Gras, ya'll! There is something exciting in the air when you first start seeing those barricades go up along Broad and Government Streets downtown. Last year's straggling beads that still remain in the oak tree are just begging for company. Street vendors are setting up their signs and plastic display of funnel cakes. The local radio station starts playing anything with a trombone, and everyone who's anyone knows it's time to take those formals and tails to the cleaners.

Speaking of formals and tails....we need some help keeping up with our crap. Last year H couldn't find his tuxedo pants. I was pissed because he only realized it about 2 hours BEFORE we needed to leave the house for the parade and ball. Plus, who is the heck loses a pair of pants!?!?! The only silver lining was him getting felt up by a very amorous gay man at the tuxedo shop. Hahaha! So anyway, I gave him such a hard time and lo and behold...I couldn't find my dress this year when I went to wrangle up our attire to take to the dry cleaners.

Who loses a formal dress!?!?! It's not like I'm Lady Gaga with a plethora of floor-length Givency haute-couture gowns in my closet. To make a short story long, I finally found it in the bottom of my dry cleaning bag that I was supposed to drop off last year. Oops. Thankfully Dillards let me return my new dress so no harm no foul.

Other random thoughts throughout the past few weeks:

1.) Has anyone else been watching Downton Abbey? Oh. My. Word. This show is SO good it makes me want to move to England, marry someone with a title, and speak with a British accent like Madonna. The sadness of the past two episodes was about to do me in, though. I don't want to spoil it for you, but just beware that tissues will probably be a necessity.

2.) Teen Mom 2 - Is it just me or has that poor little girl Chelsea been trying to get her GED for like, 6 years now? She could be a doctor at this point!

3.) I'm also convinced that Mississippi and Alabama are totally getting a bad rap. I've caught quite a few new television shows recently that take place in West Virginia, and can I just say...Yikes. Alabama folks always say, 'Thank God for Mississippi!", but it looks to me like Mississippians should be saying, "Thank God for West Virginia and at least we don't live in a Holler!"

4.) Work stresses me out. The end.

5.) We got to see my parents quite a bit over the past week. It's always nice when they visit because I finally get a little bit of a break. It's really tough when you have to work 8 hours a day, then come home to your other job. Between working, cleaning, taking care of a 1.5 year old BUSY gal, cooking, laundry, running errands, etc, etc, etc....there needs to be about 2 more mes to get it all done.